Yvan Cournoyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yvan Cournoyer |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1982 | |||
Cournoyer in 2008
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| Born | November 22, 1943 Drummondville, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
| Weight | 172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens | ||
| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| Playing career | 1963–1978 | ||
Yvan Serge Cournoyer, born on November 22, 1943, is a famous Canadian ice hockey player. He was a right winger who played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 16 seasons. He played from 1963 to 1978 and won the Stanley Cup an amazing 10 times!
In 1972, Cournoyer scored a very important goal. It was during the Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union. His goal tied the game with only seven minutes left. Canada then won the game and the series with a dramatic goal by Paul Henderson.
Cournoyer was born in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. People called him "The Roadrunner" because he was small and incredibly fast. He said his speed came from using longer blades on his skates. In 1982, he was added to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was also named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history in 2017.
Contents
Playing Career
Early Hockey Days
Yvan Cournoyer started playing junior hockey in 1961. He played for the Montreal Junior Canadiens. By the time he was 18, his leg muscles were so strong that he needed special pants!
Joining the NHL
Cournoyer joined the Montreal Canadiens in 1963. He became a full-time player in 1964. Before that, he played only seven games with the Quebec Aces. A writer named Mark Mulvoy gave him the nickname "Roadrunner." Cournoyer joked that he now had to live up to the name!
Becoming a Star Player
At first, the Canadiens' coach, Toe Blake, thought Cournoyer wasn't good enough at defense. But he was still often used on the power play, which is when a team has an advantage because the other team has a player in the penalty box. After Blake left, the new coach, Claude Ruel, gave Cournoyer more playing time.
Cournoyer then had his first season with 40 goals in 1968. He was also named to the NHL's Second All-Star Team. This showed he was one of the best players in the league.
Top Performances and Awards
In the 1971-72 season, Cournoyer scored a career-high 47 goals. He had his best playoffs ever in 1973. He scored 15 goals and made 10 assists in 17 games. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. This happened after the Canadiens beat the Chicago Blackhawks in the Finals.
Leading the Canadiens
Cournoyer became the captain of the Canadiens in 1975. He took over after Henri Richard retired. Being captain made him play even harder. He was one of only two Canadiens captains to win the Stanley Cup every year he was captain. The other was Maurice Richard, Henri's older brother. Cournoyer helped the team win four Stanley Cups in a row!
Overcoming Challenges
Even though he was getting older, Cournoyer was known for keeping his speed. However, he started to have pain from a back injury. He even had surgery and missed the entire 1977 playoffs.
Cournoyer came back for the 1977-78 season. He played in 68 games and scored 24 goals. Even though his back still bothered him, he helped Montreal win their third straight Stanley Cup. He played only a few games in the 1978-79 season and missed the playoffs. But the Canadiens still won their fourth straight Cup!
A Lasting Legacy
When he retired, Yvan Cournoyer was one of the top scorers for the Canadiens. Only Maurice Richard and Jean Béliveau had scored more points. Cournoyer won the Stanley Cup 10 times as a player. This is tied with Jean Beliveau and second only to Henri Richard, who won 11. Cournoyer is still among the top Canadiens players for games played, goals, assists, and total points.
Team Canada
Cournoyer played for Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. He is in a famous picture with Paul Henderson. Henderson is jumping into his arms after scoring the winning goal of the series. Cournoyer scored three goals during that series. His goal in Game 8 tied the score, which made Canada's win possible.
Post-Playing Career
After he stopped playing, Cournoyer coached the Montreal Roadrunners in 1994-95. He was also an assistant coach for the Canadiens in 1996. Today, he works as an official ambassador for the Montreal Canadiens.
See also
- List of players with 5 or more goals in an NHL game
- List of NHL players who spent their entire career with one franchise
