Joseph Henri Maurice Richard

The Rocket

Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, Phil Mickelson, and Babe Ruth are athletes who will go down as among the greatest athletes of all time. Joseph Henri Maurice Richard, while included in that category, holds an additional honor as being simply the greatest Montreal Canadien to ever play the game of hockey. The "Rocket" as he was known, was a legendary player who led an equally legendary team to 5 consecutive Stanley Cups and an astounding total of 8 Stanley Cups. In addition, he was the first player ever to score 50 goals in 50 games and win the scoring title 3 times. This makes him the most prolific goal scorer of all time. He finished his career with 544 goals and was the first player to score 500 career goals. At the time Richard played, the hockey seasons were 50 games long, compared to the present day season of 82 games. To be able to score this number of goals in seasons which were 32 games shorter than the present day testifies to his excellence and skill. He is an inspiration to hockey players worldwide, and exemplifies what it means to be Canadian.

Maurice Richard did not have the easiest life. He was the eldest of eight children, 5 boys and 3 girls, and his parents, Onesime and Alice, were not always able to be there for him with the demands of caring for a large family. Onesime worked as a machinist at the Canadian Pacific Railway. He would come home and watch Maurice play for hours on their backyard rink at their home in Montreal, Quebec. Maurice competed in all sports and played hockey as much as he could. He succeeded because of his singular desire and dedication. Because of his accomplishments, despite the lack of support and opportunity, he is my hero.

He met and married Lucille Norchet, even though Norchet's father was strongly against it. Richard was 16 when he decided to drop out of school and work with his father as a machinist. Despite his desire to enter the military, he was rejected because he had a broken femur and constant ankle injuries that hadn't healed properly. He sustained these injuries during Junior A hockey and continued to play without proper medical attention. This passion and drive that no other player has is another reason why Maurice Richard is my hero. His intensity and heart stood out on the ice.

To be nicknamed "The Rocket" speaks to his astonishing speed and his goal scoring abilities. He began playing in the NHL in 1942 for the Montreal Canadiens and that year they finished 4th out of 6 and went to the playoffs. They lost in the first round to the Boston Bruins in a seven game series- 4 games to 1. Richard would soon place the team under his wing and lead them to championships despite his constant injuries. To prove that point, the following season, 1943, the Montreal Canadiens finished 1st overall and won the Stanley Cup. Maurice Richard was named the first, second and third star for scoring 5 goals in a game during this great playoff run. He is the first ever to receive this honor. Regardless of nagging ankle injuries, Maurice Richard finished the following season with 50 goals in 50 games with a total of 73 points. He was the second scoring leader and had earned his place in Montreal and in hockey history.

After an exceptionally successful NHL career, Maurice "The Rocket" Richard, retired. Arguably, his career can be described as among the best. 8 Stanley Cups, 3 Scoring Titles, and 1 Hart Trophy are accomplishments he achieved in his career. In 1996, at the closing of the famous Montreal Forum, the number 9, the Rocket's number, hung from the rafters of the building in honor of the greatest Montreal Canadien to ever play the game. Maurice was standing at center ice as this ceremony took place before the game and the fans gave him the longest standing ovation in sporting history, 16 minutes. Maurice closed his eyes and listened to the fans chant his name and "Go Habs GO!" over and over again. As his eyes were closed he remembered his younger days as he took the league by surprise and became the greatest goal scorer this league has ever seen.

On May 27th, 2000 "The Rocket" passed away at the age of 78. The greatest goal scorer this game has ever seen died. As any Montreal Canadien fan would know, "The Rocket" lived and died devoted to the red, white, and blue of the Montreal Canadiens, but more importantly he lived and died devoted to his dream of playing hockey. I like to think that Maurice Richard and I share common goals and a common drive. Richard was one of a kind, with a determination and a passion that inspires the entire world to this day. He could soar from end-to-end non-stop and make a little game called hockey look easy. More importantly, he could make the desire to succeed look attainable. He has impacted my life by giving all Canadians hope to never give up on their dreams and follow through with what they really want to achieve regardless of opportunity. He brings hope into every Montreal Canadiens fan's heart with his story of success despite overwhelming odds. He has inspired me to believe that with desire and hard work, any dream is achievable.