Marcel Pronovost facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marcel Pronovost
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1978
Pronovost with the Detroit Red Wings in 1957
Born	(1930-06-15)June 15, 1930 Lac-à-la-Tortue, Quebec, Canada
Died	April 26, 2015(2015-04-26) (aged 84) Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	1949–1970

Joseph René Marcel Pronovost (born June 15, 1930 – died April 26, 2015) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He was a skilled defenceman, which is a player who helps protect the team's goal. Marcel played in over 1,200 games during 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs between 1950 and 1970.

Marcel Pronovost was known as a top defenceman. He was chosen for four NHL All-Star teams and played in 11 All-Star Games. He won the Stanley Cup four times with the Red Wings, starting in 1950. He also won a fifth Stanley Cup with the Maple Leafs in 1967. Marcel was so good that he was added to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978.

After his playing career, Marcel became a coach in 1969. He coached junior hockey teams and even a team in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He also coached 104 games in the NHL for the Buffalo Sabres. Later, he became a scout for the New Jersey Devils. As a scout, he helped the Devils win three more Stanley Cups, with the last one in 2003. The time between his first Stanley Cup win (1950) and his last (2003) is a record!

Marcel Pronovost's Early Life

Marcel Pronovost was born on June 15, 1930, in a small town called Lac-à-la-Tortue, Quebec. He was one of 12 children in his family, with nine boys and three girls. His father worked in construction, and the family moved to Shawinigan Falls when Marcel was five years old.

Marcel loved hockey from a very young age. He started skating when he was only three and was playing in competitive games by age five. He played for his school team, College Immaculate Conception Superior School (CIC), where he played as a centre and left wing. His team won a Quebec championship in 1944–45. During this time, National Hockey League (NHL) scouts noticed him. A scout for the Detroit Red Wings signed Marcel after seeing him play.

Hockey was a big part of the Pronovost family. Two of Marcel's brothers also played in the NHL: Claude was a goalie, and Jean played almost 1,000 games as a forward.

Marcel Pronovost's Playing Career

The Red Wings sent Marcel to play for the Windsor Spitfires, one of their junior teams, in 1947–48. The Spitfires were a strong team. Marcel also played for the Detroit Auto Club team in another league. Playing in both leagues helped him get ready for the busy schedule of the NHL. During his time with the Spitfires, Marcel permanently switched to playing defence.

In 1949–50, Marcel started his professional career with the Omaha Knights. He scored 52 points that season, which was a record for a defenceman in that league. He was named the league's rookie of the year. At just 19 years old, people were already comparing him to famous hockey legends.

Playing for the Detroit Red Wings

Marcel joined the Detroit Red Wings for the 1950 Stanley Cup playoffs. He made his NHL debut on April 6, 1950. The Red Wings went on to win the Stanley Cup that year!

Marcel played in his first NHL All-Star Game before the 1950–51 season began. He played in 11 All-Star Games during his career. He had some injuries early on, but he worked hard to play through them. The Red Wings sent him to a minor league team for a short time, where he played very well. He scored his first NHL goal on February 19, 1951.

The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup again in 1951–52. Marcel played in almost every game that season. In the final game, a fan threw an octopus onto the ice. This started the famous "Legend of the Octopus" tradition in Detroit. Marcel was the only player brave enough to pick up the octopus! He won his third and fourth Stanley Cups in 1953–54 and 1954–55.

By the 1956–57 season, Marcel was known as one of the NHL's best defencemen. The Red Wings made him an alternate captain. He was chosen for the NHL All-Star team five years in a row. In 1960, the Montreal Canadiens even held a "Marcel Pronovost Night" to honor him, which was very unusual for an opposing player!

Even though Marcel was playing great, the Red Wings didn't win another championship for a while. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals several times but lost. Marcel played in eight Stanley Cup Finals during his career.

Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Marcel's time with the Red Wings ended on May 20, 1965, when he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was surprised by the trade after playing with Detroit for 18 years. He quickly adjusted to his new team. On November 28, 1965, Marcel played his 1,000th regular season game in the NHL. He was only the seventh player in NHL history to reach this milestone.

The 1966–67 Maple Leafs team was known for having many older players. Even though they were considered underdogs, they made it to the 1967 Stanley Cup playoffs. Marcel and his defensive partner played incredibly well, allowing very few goals. Marcel even scored an important goal in Game 5 of the finals. The Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup in Game 6, giving Marcel his fifth championship! This was his last playoff game.

Marcel played 70 games for the Maple Leafs in 1967–68. The next season, he was injured and played only 34 games. The Maple Leafs suggested he become a player-coach for one of their minor league teams. He played and coached for the Tulsa Oilers for most of the 1969–70 season. He was briefly called back to Toronto for seven games, which were his last in the NHL.

Marcel Pronovost's Coaching Career

Marcel stopped playing hockey after the 1970–71 season and focused on coaching the Tulsa Oilers. In 1972, he became the first head coach for the Chicago Cougars in the new World Hockey Association (WHA). He coached them for one season.

Marcel returned to coaching in 1975 for the Hull Festivals in a junior league. In 1977, he was hired to coach the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL. In his first season, the Sabres had a great record. They won their first playoff series but were then eliminated. Marcel was fired early in the next season when the team struggled.

He went back to coaching junior hockey for the Hull Olympiques and then the Windsor Spitfires. In 1984–85, Marcel coached the junior C Belle River Canadiens to their first league title and a provincial championship. This was his final season as a coach.

Marcel Pronovost's Scouting Career

In 1985, Marcel started a new career as a scout for the NHL Central Scouting Bureau. He traveled all over North America looking for talented young players. In 1990, he joined the New Jersey Devils as a scout. He was a part of three more Stanley Cup championship teams with the Devils in 1995, 2000, and 2003. Marcel helped convince the Devils to pick Martin Brodeur, who became a legendary goalie, in the 1990 NHL Draft.

Marcel Pronovost's Legacy

Marcel Pronovost was known for his aggressive playing style as a defenceman. Fans called him "Detroit's own Flying Frenchman." He was a tough player who rarely missed games, even with many injuries. He broke his jaw, wrist, shoulder, and nose 14 times! He once said, "My game is a contact sport... I expected to get bounced and get my lumps."

In 2012, Marcel had been involved in professional hockey for 65 years, which was a record at the time. His name is on the Stanley Cup eight times: five as a player and three as a scout. The 53-year gap between his first and last Stanley Cup win is a record for the trophy. He wrote a book about his life in hockey called A Life in Hockey.

Marcel Pronovost was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978. He is also in the Windsor and Essex County Sports Hall of Fame. The Windsor Spitfires honored his jersey number 4 in 2005, and he was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. The Detroit Red Wings also gave him a championship ring in 2009 to thank him for his contributions.

Marcel Pronovost's Personal Life

Marcel Pronovost made Windsor, Ontario, his home for most of his life. He earned a degree in electrical engineering. In the hockey off-season, he worked as a truck driver and in sales. He met his first wife, Cindy, while playing softball. They married in 1951 and had three children: Michel, Brigitte, and Leo (who passed away). Cindy died of cancer in 1993. Marcel married his second wife, Eva, in 1994. He also battled bladder cancer in 2012. Marcel Pronovost passed away on April 26, 2015, after a short illness.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Coaching

Awards and Honours

See also

In Spanish: Marcel Pronovost para niños

• List of family relations in the NHL