Rocket was the most exciting and explosive player to ever step foot on the ice, his talent, desire, will to win along with his French Canadian pride were always present when he put on his Montreal Canadians uniform his fans will never forget him and how he played the game!
We will never see another player have such an impact like he did, determined, passionate, incredibly strong, the one and only !!MAURICE THE ROCKET RICHARD #9!! THE LEGEND
Maurice Richard retired in 1960 at age 38. He possessed the best backhand shot ever -- a shot that became quite uncommon over the succeeding decades, due to the introduction of curved sticks in the mid-sixties that made backhands very difficult to control. When the Rocket was well into his 40's, playing in an Old Timers game, he took a pass in the slot and in a flash, let his backhand go. The shot beat the goalie but not the cross-bar. Amazingly, the force of his shot knocked the net off its moorings -- possibly the only time in history that any backhand shot dislodged the pipes. Former NHL referee, Red Storey shared that bit of history during a television interview in the late '70's or early '80's...
I got his autograph at a card show, in 1988 (it was at the Dearborn Civic Center, where I got his and Henri Richard's autograph). Such a beautiful signature. He didn't smile, but he acknowledged my thank you to him. I know he put up with so much, during his career, so I was not upset that was all I got. For me, it was more than enough, from this great player.
I admire Richard, even more as a quebecker myself. This is the best "You don't have the balls" story I ever heard. My father taught me about this, and even if I was not loving hockey, i'm thankful he thought me theses lessons.
I'm 40 and I have loved hockey since before I was 10, and I keep learning new things every day. It's amazing how much history the NHL holds. From 1917 to 2023 there are so much to learn about the history of the NHL. Hockey in general as well, not just the NHL. I love it and like I said I learn something new every day. About a team or a certain player or a certain game, or a coach or a GM or referee or statistical records or whatever.
The Rocket such a hero. Dont forget that he was very much the object of vile racist anti-french abuses. He was very strong, both mentally and physically, so he succeeded to overcome all this long-time anti-french climate in Canada. He is like the black Robinson baseball player, in hockey.
@Vlql Vlql du calme. Je suis anglo de London, Ontario et je n'ai rien que du respect pour M.Richard. si on est un vrai fan de l'hockey, l'origine d'un joueur n'importe pas.
Exhibition game: 7 goals during the first period. They benched him the rest of the game since he wasn't able to just put some break.. The game is tied with les than a minute left? Throw in an injured and groggy Rocket, he'll still manage to score one of the nicest goal in Hockey History to win the game. A true Hockey Beast of a player, the ultimate Boss
One has to realize how crazy the goal discussed from 2:42 on was. Richard had been knocked out unconscious when his helmetless head hit the ice, and he was suffering from what we'd call today a severe concussion and was bleeding heavily. Never in the world would a player be allowed back into the game nowadays. But that was 1952. Concussions, traumatic brain injury, CTE weren't known. Players were allowed to play even when bleeding. Richard, almost unconscious and with a heavily blurred vision, guided solely by his brain, went on to score the game-winner and the series clincher.
Red story was a referee at the time the time I have talked to him many times when he was alive he always said from the blue line in Rocket Richard was unstoppable. He would often carry people to the net this this is from the early 1940s to the early 1950s which is his prime
He held that record until February 7th, 1976. Darryl Sittler broke that record when he and the Maple Leafs brat the Boston Bruins 11-4. Darryl scored 6 goals 4 assists for 10 points. Still a records today.
The good old times when the hockey players used to be useful normal guy working as machinist during the day, moving their own furniture and playing great hockey.
Many may disagree with me but I feel that this man was the best hockey player ever. I have two true heroes in my life. My Zen master, and the Rocket. Turns out that lived next to each other.
The Rocket was probably one of the best to ever play the game. He played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1942 to 1960. He won eight Stanley Cups, was the first player to score 50 goals in a season and 500 in a career. He was so good, they actually inducted him into the Hockey Hall of Fame the year after he retired.
The Hockey News and many other experts and historians place Richard as the fifth greatest player ever. The list reads like hockey royalty. 1. Gretzky. 2. Orr. 3. Gordie Howe. 4. Lemieux. 5. Maurice Richard. The reason why Howe and Richard's first names are mentioned is because they had Hockey Hall of Fame family members.
Try to beat 50 goals in 50 games and two games of 5 goals and 3 or more goals in 26 games and 14 time named on the all stars teams in 18 years and the goals leader in the NHL 4 times for a guy of 5'10" and 170 pounds.
All Sittler points were scored against rookie goalie Dave Reece in an 11-4 Maple Leaf victory. Reece played the whole game and was never pulled by coach Don Cherry. The game was Reece's last NHL appearance. Reece only played 14 games in the NHL.
