The Montreal Canadiens have six gamers who’ve made it into the celebrated 50-goal membership. Previous to 1970, the elusive milestone was not often reached. In the course of the Seventies and Nineteen Eighties, as seasons turned longer, stick blades curved and offense elevated, 50-goal seasons turned extra frequent. By 1980, it had been reached 24 occasions in NHL historical past however 76 occasions within the Nineteen Eighties alone. Scoring appeared to peak throughout the 1992-93 season when an unbelievable 14 gamers exceeded 50 targets.
Listed beneath, in chronological order, are the Canadiens who’ve lit the lamp 50 occasions or extra in a single season.
Maurice Richard
Member of the Habs’ 50-Aim Membership
Scored 50 targets in 50 video games throughout the 1944-45 season.
On March 18, 1945, after 49 video games, Maurice “The Rocket” Richard had tallied a formidable 49 targets.
The sniper was as obsessive about reaching the 50-goal mark as his opponents have been with stopping it. The elbowing, hooking and abuse he confronted ratcheted up as his totals grew nearer to the magical quantity. He scored 43 targets in his first 37 video games, however solely seven targets in his closing 13 video games.
Sport 50 was in opposition to the Boston Bruins who have been decided to forestall Richard from attaining the feat. They checked him intently, limiting his house and probabilities. However late within the third interval, with the Bruins holding a 2-1 lead, The Rocket wouldn’t be denied.
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He fired a shot previous goaltender Harvey Bennet to change into the primary NHL participant to attain 50 targets in a single season and the primary to perform the milestone marker in solely 50 video games. Of his 50 targets, 11 got here on the facility play and 7 have been game-winners. Particular person capturing statistics weren’t stored on the time.
The Habs defeated the Bruins that evening. After netting the tying objective, Richard registered an help on Toe Blake’s game-winner en path to a 4-2 win.
The Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
This award was donated to the NHL by the Canadiens in 1998-98 and is known as in honor of The Rocket. It’s awarded yearly to the main objective scorer within the NHL.
Scoring 50 in 50
The NHL defines “50 targets in 50 video games” to imply {that a} participant scores 50 targets within the crew’s first 50 video games of the season, not the participant’s first 50 (which might differ for well being or disciplinary causes).
Richard was the primary participant to carry the excellence of scoring 50 in 50, however the feat has been achieved seven different occasions by 4 completely different gamers.
- 1980-81 – Mike Bossy scored 50 targets in 50 video games
- 1981-82 – Wayne Gretzky scored 50 targets in 39 video games
- 1983-84 – Wayne Gretzky scored 50 targets in 42 video games (61 in 50 video games)
- 1984-85 – Wayne Gretzky scored 50 targets in 49 video games (53 in 50 video games)
- 1988-89 – Mario Lemieux scored 50 targets in 46 (54 in 50 video games)
- 1990-91 – Brett Hull scored 50 targets in 49 video games (52 in 50 video games)
- 1991-92 – Brett Hull scored 50 targets in 50 video games
Unofficial 50 in 50 Scorers
The next gamers scored fifty targets in or earlier than their fiftieth recreation (vs. the crew’s fiftieth recreation) in a single season.
- 1984-85 – Jari Kurri scored 50 targets in 50 video games (his crew’s 53rd recreation)
- 1992-93 – Alexander Mogilny scored 50 targets in 46 video games (his crew’s 53rd recreation)
- 1992-93 – Mario Lemieux scored 50 targets in 48 video games (his crew’s 72nd recreation)
- 1995-96 – Mario Lemieux scored 50 targets in 50 video games (his crew’s 59th recreation)
- 1993-94 – Cam Neely scored 50 targets in 44 video games (his crew’s 66th recreation)
Increase Increase Geoffrion
Member of the Habs’ 50-Aim Membership
Scored 50 targets in 64 throughout the 1960-61 season.
Bernie “Increase Increase” Geoffrion was the second NHL participant and second Canadien to attain 50 targets in a single season. In the course of the 1960-61 season, he scored his fiftieth objective within the 68th recreation of the 70-game season. Nonetheless, attributable to accidents, it was solely his 62nd recreation of the season.
Increase Increase scored his fiftieth objective in a matchup in opposition to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the Discussion board, which was stuffed to capability. After a shot off the objective publish earlier within the recreation, he lastly beat goaltender Cesare Maniago within the third interval.
“Because it developed, Beliveau was to start out the play resulting in ‘The Aim,’ profitable a faceoff within the circle, dealing to Gilles Tremblay, who in flip delivered a seeing-eye move to Geoffrion, as soon as once more alone in entrance of Maniago. This time, Geoffrion didn’t miss.
What adopted, whereas the noise exploded from the sold-out crowd of greater than 15,000, was an outpouring of emotion from the gamers. They leaped on Geoffrion in a pink torrent, knocking him off his toes, pounding him on the again as he lay there, tousling his hair whereas a deluge of applications, hats and shoe rubbers rained onto the Discussion board ice,” wrote Pink Fisher. “It was like Christmas, New Yr’s Eve and everyone’s birthday.”
Of his 50 targets that season, 16 of got here on the facility play and 12 have been recreation winners. He had a 15.82 capturing share. He had his named engraved a second time on the Artwork Ross Trophy and likewise took house the coveted Hart Trophy because the league’s MVP.
The flamboyant proper winger had a thunderous shot, incomes him his nickname nicely earlier than he performed within the NHL. His blasts awed followers whereas bruising goaltenders that have been unfortunate sufficient to cease one. He quickly added a strong wrist shot and correct backhand to his arsenal.
Regardless of being recognized for his ‘booming’ shot, Geoffrion was additionally a nifty playmaker. He usually picked up as many assists as targets. He thrived underneath stress, lived for the highlight and performed along with his coronary heart on his sleeve. He solely performed in a single gear: the best one doable. That held true off the ice, too, the place he would usually break into music on the drop of a hat. He was often invited to carry out on nightclub phases, on radio and tv, and he not often handed up the chance.
Man LaFleur
Scored 53 targets in 70 video games throughout the 1974-75 season.
Scored 56 targets in 80 video games throughout the 1975-76 season.
Scored 56 targets in 80 video games throughout the 1976-77 season.
Scored 60 targets in 78 video games throughout the 1977-78 season.
Scored 52 targets in 80 video games throughout the 1978-79 season.
Scored 50 targets in 74 video games throughout the 1979-80 season.
Man LaFleur, often known as “The Flower” and “Le Demon Blond,” reached the 50-goal plateau an unbelievable six consecutive seasons with the Habs. He was additionally the primary participant in NHL historical past to attain a minimum of 50 targets and 100 factors in six consecutive seasons. On common, about 30 % of his targets got here on the facility play and 20 % have been game-winners. His capturing share ranged from 20.4 to fifteen.2 %.
In the course of the six-season run, the correct winger was named a first-team All-Star six occasions, received the scoring title thrice, the Hart Trophy twice and the Conn Smythe Trophy as soon as. Extra importantly, he helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup 4 occasions (1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979).
LaFleur was one of many best proper wingers ever to play the sport. His explosive rushes and lengthy, flowing blond hair pulled followers out of their seats nightly whereas his booming shot terrorized goalies. “He was an artist on skates, creating scoring performs the way in which a painter places a vivid scene on a canvas with a brush,” mentioned sportswriter Invoice Libby.
It’s well-known that in his early childhood years, Lafleur was so in love with hockey that he’d sneak into the sector in his hometown of Thurso, Quebec, simply to get additional ice time when nobody else was round. He was additionally recognized to sleep in his hockey gear to attenuate downtime on the enviornment.
The joy by no means left Lafleur as he grew older. Teammate Steve Shutt supplied up, “Any man who can be in his hockey uniform, skates tied tight, sweater on and a stick beside him at 4 o’clock for an 8 o’clock recreation needs to be somewhat unusual. However on the ice, he performed 100% on intuition and emotion.”
Steve Shutt
Member of the NHL’s 60-Aim Membership
Steve Shutt was a good skater with a terrific wrist shot and a lethal correct slap shot. He additionally had a knack for locating the correct place to be on the ice and at all times anticipated the place the puck can be. Add in his cat-like reflexes that helped him tip in pictures and convert rebounds and it’s straightforward to know his success.
“He had a terrific shot. Unbelievable shot,” mentioned New York Islanders goaltender Billy Smith. “He’d come throughout the blue line and he might tee it up higher than anyone. And he was correct, which is frightening for somebody with a slap shot.”
In Shutt’s breakout season, the winger performed on a line with Jacques Lemaire and Man Lafleur. The trio fashioned the highest line within the NHL, dominating scoresheets whereas main the crew to a outstanding 60-8-12 file. His 60 targets set a crew and league file for targets by a left winger till it was damaged in 1992-93 by Luc Robitaille’s 63-goal efficiency.
Of the 60 targets he scored in 1976-77, solely eight got here with the person benefit whereas 9 have been recreation winners. Shutt posted a blinding 20.48 capturing share that season. He was generally razzed by his friends and the media for amassing rebounds and scoring “rubbish targets.” He admitted, “I’m the one man that would rating targets and make it boring.”
The next season, Shutt fell simply in need of reaching the 50-goal plateau, lighting the lamp 49 occasions.
Pierre Larouche
Member of the Habs’ 50-Aim Membership
Scored 50 targets in 73 video games throughout the 1979-80 season.
Pierre Larouche’s strengths have been his velocity and his stickhandling–he might weave his method by means of visitors and baffle goaltenders along with his fast launch.
The middle reached the 50-goal mark twice. Early in his profession, throughout the 1975-76 season, he netted 53 targets in 76 video games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. On the time he was the youngest participant to hit the 50-goal and 100-point plateau.
His breakout season in Montreal got here in 1979 on a line with wingers Man Lafleur and Steve Shutt. He tied Lafleur for the crew lead in targets. Of Larouche’s 50 targets that season, 12 got here with the person benefit and 7 have been game-winners. He sniped his strategy to a ridiculously excessive 22.73 capturing share.
He nonetheless holds the Canadiens file for essentially the most targets in a season by a middle. Moreso, he’s considered one of solely seven gamers in NHL historical past to succeed in the 50-mark with two groups: Gretzky with the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, Jaromir Jagr with the Penguins and New York Rangers, Pat LaFontaine with Islanders and Buffalo Sabres, Mogilny with the Sabres and Vancouver Canucks, Teemu Selanne with the Winnipeg Jets and Mighty Geese of Anaheim, Pavel Bure with the Canucks and Florida Panthers. He’s additionally the one participant to have scored greater than 45 targets with three separate groups–he scored 48 with the Rangers throughout the 1983-84 season.
Stephane Richer
Two-time Member of the Habs’ 50-Aim Membership
Scored 50 targets in 72 video games throughout the 1987-88 season.
Scored 51 targets in 75 video games throughout the 1989-90 season.
The primary time Stephane Richer reached the 50-goal mark was in 1988 as a 21-year-old. He had 45 targets with solely two video games remaining–a home-and-home collection with the Sabres–and was decided to change into the youngest 50-goal scorer in Canadiens historical past.
Positive sufficient, he scored a hat trick within the first recreation in a 9-4 Habs win at house, then put two previous Sabres netminder Tom Barrasso to make historical past. Except for the sentiments of pleasure and delight, he was rewarded with the tangible present of a brand new Jaguar automobile. Apparently, a neighborhood automobile vendor got here by means of along with his promise of recent wheels for the younger sniper if he scored 50.
Richer, a proper winger born in Ripon, Quebec, is a two-time 50-goal scorer. The primary time he hit the mark, 16 of his targets have been on the facility play and 11 have been recreation winners. The second time, solely 9 have been power-play targets and eight have been recreation winners.
He was a terrific skater who used his 6-foot-2, 215-pound body to muscle his method into the play. He had a lightning-quick launch to go along with his cannon-like shot–one of many hardest within the NHL. Although he solely wound up his stick about waist excessive, one way or the other he maximized full energy on his pictures. In slapshot talent competitions, he routinely exceeded the 100 mph mark.