Montreal Canadiens: Looking Back at the Greatest Defencemen #7
By Austin Owens
“Butch” patrolled the Montreal Canadiens blueline for well over a decade, and was a staple in the community as well.
As one of the most storied franchises in sports, the Montreal Canadiens have seen their fair share of players come and go. The Habs have had some great blueliners over the last century, so let’s take a look at who the 10 best defenders in team history are.
On Wednesday, we took a look at Jacques Laperrière. Today, we profile Emile Bouchard, who is the seventh-best defenceman in Canadiens history.
Bouchard spent two seasons playing for the Verdun Maple Leafs before he was moved to the Montreal Jr. Canadiens. He played 31 games — tallying 10 points — in the QJAHA before making the jump to the AHL and the Providence Reds.
The defender would make the Montreal Canadiens roster in 1941. In his rookie year, Bouchard was only able to score six points but only had 38 penalty minutes in 44 games.
His second season yielded better results, as he finished the 1942-43 season with 18 points in 45 games.
Bouchard’s size got him noticed right from the get go. He stood at 6’2″ and weighed 205 pounds. He was extremely good at separating opposing forwards from the puck and moving the puck back up the ice.
Bouchard spent his entire 15 year NHL career with the Canadiens. He was a staple on the blueline of the Habs dynasties that dominated hockey in his era.
He would win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1944 and 45. Before the 1948-49 season, Bouchard was named the captain of the Canadiens. He would lift two more cups while wearing the “C”, with the last coming during his final career game.
Bouchard lifted the cup at the Montreal Forum to put a cherry on top of his illustrious NHL career.
Over his career, Bouchard played in 785 games and had 194 points. It didn’t take him long to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The blueliner got the call to the hall in 1966
During the Canadiens 100th anniversary celebrations on December 4, 2009, Bouchard’s number was retired.
After retiring, Bouchard received multiple coaching offers from teams, but he chose his personal interests over an NHL gig.
Bouchard owned a restaurant in the city, Chez Emile Bouchard, which was a frequent spot for Montrealer’s that wanted to have a night out. Bouchard also held several team functions at the establishment.
His son, Pierre, spent eight seasons with the Canadiens and won five cups of his own with the Habs dynasties from the 1970’s.
Unfortunately, Butch passed away in 2012 at the age of 92. He will always be remembered for his contributions to the Habs organization and the cups he helped bring to Montreal.
Next: Montreal Canadiens: Climbing ESPN’s Prospect Rankings
What is your favourite memory of Bouchard? Were you a fan of him? Give us your thoughts in the comments below!