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Montreal Canadiens: Looking Back at the Greatest Forwards #6

By Omar L

(Original Caption) Montreal's veteran Henri Richard cracks a drive past Chicago Black Hawks' goalie Tony Esposito in the third period of seventh Stanley Cup game here May 18th. Keith Magnuson of the Hawks looks. Richard's goal gave the Canadiens a 3-2 lead which they kept to win the coveted Cup for the 17th time in team history.
(Original Caption) Montreal's veteran Henri Richard cracks a drive past Chicago Black Hawks' goalie Tony Esposito in the third period of seventh Stanley Cup game here May 18th. Keith Magnuson of the Hawks looks. Richard's goal gave the Canadiens a 3-2 lead which they kept to win the coveted Cup for the 17th time in team history. /
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It’s not easy being the little brother of a star, but Henri Richard was no slouch either as he had a phenomenal career with the Montreal Canadiens.

Your last name can do a lot for you. A lot of people create certain expectations in their mind’s based on what family you come from. This still happens a lot in the NHL. Some players being drafted nowadays are second or third generation NHL players, and some expect the same results or worth ethic from them. Now imagine how it must’ve been to be Maurice Richard‘s little brother on the Montreal Canadiens.

Henri Richard started his hockey career playing in the Quebec Junior Hockey League for the Montreal Nationale and the Montreal Junior Canadiens from 1951-1954. He made his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens the following year.

Although they were brothers, Henri and Maurice played differently. The Rocket got his name for his elite goal-scoring ability at the time on the wing. Henri was more of a playmaking centre, but at the same time an all-round player.

Related Story: Remembering Dickie Moore

Making His Own History

Henri had a decent rookie season as a 19-year-old. In 64 games, he finished with 19 goals and 21 assists. It didn’t take long for Henri to center one of the best lines in Montreal Canadiens history with his brother and Dickie Moore.

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His timing into the NHL was perfect. Henri won his first Stanley Cup during his rookie season with the Canadiens. That also happened to be the beginning of the five-cup dynasty. By the end of his career, Henri would have a total of 11 cups, all with the Habs. That is still the most by a player in the NHL. The 1966 and 1971 titles may stick out the most for the Habs legend. Henri had the game winning goals for both of those series.

Henri served as captain of the Canadiens from 1971-1975 before retiring. In fact, the team decided to hang his number 16 up mid-season. His totals that he retired with were pretty impressive to say the least:

  • 1256 Games Played (1st in franchise history)
  • 358 Goals (8th in franchise history)
  • 688 Assists (3rd in franchise history)
  • 1046 Points (3rd in franchise history)

With totals like that, Henri’s induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 was a sure thing. The Pocket Rocket left the game the way he wanted to. Instead of being covered in this shadow of his older brother, he forged his own legacy with the Montreal Canadiens.

Next: Signing Jaromir Jagr

Do you have any memories of Henri Richard? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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