Gilles Meloche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gilles Meloche |
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Meloche with the Penguins, April 2012
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| Born | July 12, 1950 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | |||||||||||||||
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) | |||||||||||||||
| Position | Goaltender | |||||||||||||||
| Caught | Left | |||||||||||||||
| Played for | Chicago Black Hawks California Golden Seals Cleveland Barons Minnesota North Stars Pittsburgh Penguins |
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| NHL Draft | 70th overall, 1970 Chicago Black Hawks |
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| Playing career | 1970–1988 | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Gilles Emile Meloche (born July 12, 1950) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and scout. He used to be a professional ice hockey player, playing as a goaltender in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for several teams, including the Chicago Black Hawks, California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Minnesota North Stars, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Today, he works as a special assignment scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Before 2013, he was their longtime goaltending coach, helping the team win three Stanley Cups. Meloche was born in Montreal, Quebec.
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Playing in the NHL
After playing junior hockey for the Verdun Maple Leafs, Gilles Meloche was chosen by the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1970 draft. He played only two games for Chicago because they already had a strong goalie. So, he was traded to the California Golden Seals.
Time with the Golden Seals and Barons
The California Golden Seals were one of the weakest teams in the league. Even though the team struggled, Meloche played very well as their main goalie. He faced many shots in each game. He even had four shutouts in his first season with them, meaning he didn't let any goals in during those games. One of these shutouts was against the powerful Boston Bruins.
The Seals later moved and became the Cleveland Barons. Meloche continued to be a strong goalie for them for two more seasons.
Success with the North Stars
In 1978, the Barons joined with the Minnesota North Stars. This was a great move for Meloche! He became the North Stars' main goalie and had his most successful years there. He played for eight seasons with the North Stars.
During this time, he was chosen to play in the NHL All-Star game twice, in 1980 and 1982. The Minnesota North Stars also did very well in the playoffs. They made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1981 and reached the semi-finals in 1980 and 1984.
Joining the Penguins
By the 1984–85 season, Meloche was 34 years old. The North Stars had younger goalies, so they traded his rights to the Edmonton Oilers. However, the Oilers already had two great goalies, so Meloche was traded again without playing any games for them.
Before the 1985–86 season, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins. Meloche played his final three seasons as the Penguins' starting goalie. He retired after the 1987–88 season.
In his career, Meloche played in 788 NHL regular season games over 19 seasons. He had 20 shutouts. He also played in 45 playoff games.
After Playing Hockey
After retiring as a player, Gilles Meloche continued to work with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was a scout for the team from 1989 to 2006. During much of that time, he also worked as a goaltending coach and consultant. He was part of the Penguins' staff when they won the Stanley Cups in 1991, 1992, and 2009.
Gilles Meloche and his wife, Sophie, live in Pittsburgh. His son, Eric, also became a professional ice hockey player. Eric played 74 NHL games for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers between 2000 and 2007.
Images for kids
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Meloche with the Penguins, April 2012
