Aurèle Joliat
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1947
Born (1901-08-29)August 29, 1901
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Died June 2, 1986(1986-06-02) (aged 84)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight 136 lb (62 kg; 9 st 10 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Montreal Canadiens
Playing career 1922–1938

Aurèle Émile "Mighty Atom, Little Giant" Joliat[1] (August 29, 1901 – June 2, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens.

Playing career

Joliat began his organized hockey career in 1916, playing for several Canadian amateur teams in Ottawa and Iroquois Falls, Ontario.

Joliat had signed a contract to play for the Saskatoon Crescents of the Western Canada Hockey League for the 1922–23 season, but his contract rights were traded to the Montreal Canadiens when Crescents' manager Frederick E. Betts sought to sign aging superstar Newsy Lalonde as a player-coach.[2][3]

At first, the deal of an unknown for the greatest player in the game was wildly unpopular with Habs fans, but the "Little Giant" proved an immediate success on the ice. The following season, Joliat helped the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup in 1924 over the WCHL's Calgary Tigers. He helped the Canadiens win two more cups in 1930 and 1931.

Joliat proved noteworthy as a two-way forward, particularly for the ability to counterattack after a breakup. Despite his lack of size—at 5′7″ and 136 lbs, Joliat was one of the smallest players in the game—he was also notable for a refusal to back off from on-ice confrontations.

Joliat won the Hart Trophy in 1934.

His breakout season was 1925, when teamed with Howie Morenz and Billy Boucher, Joliat scored 29 goals to lead the NHL, and his 41 points would be a career high. He would remain an impact scorer for the Habs through the 1938 season, and retired the following year, reportedly devastated by Morenz's recent death.

Retirement

Joliat finished his career with 270 goals and 460 points in 655 games. At the time of his retirement, Joliat was the NHL career leader in games played, a mark he held until surpassed by Hooley Smith in 1940.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947.

In a 1985 Montreal Canadiens Old-Timers game, Joliat skated around the Montreal Forum to a huge ovation as a "special treat" for the fans. Despite falling twice over TV cables on the ice, he quickly stood up and finished his skate, the trademark black cap he wore back in his playing days held in his hand.

Joliat continued to skate along Ottawa's Rideau Canal well into his 80s, and died at the age of 84 in 1986 after seeing his beloved Canadiens win their 23rd Stanley Cup earlier that year. He was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Ottawa, Ontario.

Achievements and facts

  • At the time of his retirement, Joliat was third, behind Nels Stewart and his teammate Howie Morenz, for goals scored in NHL history to that date.
  • Ranked 65th on The Hockey News list of the 100 greatest NHL players of all time.
  • Named to the inaugural NHL first All-Star team at left wing in 1931.
  • Named a Second Team All-Star in 1932, 1934 and 1935.
  • He scored the first documented empty net goal in NHL history. The goal, with twelve seconds to play, sealed the Canadiens' January 21, 1932, home win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
  • Won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Most Valuable Player in 1934.
  • Despite playing in an era where seasons totaled no more than 48 games, Joliat remains in ninth place all-time on the Canadiens' career goal-scoring list and second among left wingers to Steve Shutt.
  • Named to the 75th Anniversary All-Time Team by the Canadiens in 1984.
  • His number 4 jersey was "co-retired" in 1984, having been previously retired in Jean Béliveau's honour, yet no banner for Joliat hangs in the Bell Centre.
  • His brother Bobby Joliat also played professional hockey.
  • He was a linesman when Maurice Richard played his first NHL game in 1942.
  • He was the inspiration for Wilson MacDonald's 1935 poem "Monsieur Joliat".

Career statistics

Joliat received this replica Hart Memorial Trophy

Source:[4]

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1916–17 Ottawa New Edinburghs OCHL 8 2 0 2 — 2 0 0 0 —
1917–18 Ottawa Aberdeens OCHL 3 2 0 2 3 — — — — —
1918–19 Ottawa New Edinburghs OCHL 8 5 3 8 9 — — — — —
1919–20 Ottawa New Edinburghs OCHL 7 12 0 12 — — — — — —
1920–21 Iroquois Falls Papermakers NOHA — — — — — — — — — —
1921–22 Iroquois Falls Flyers NOHA — — — — — — — — — —
1922–23 Montreal Canadiens NHL 24 12 9 21 37 2 1 0 1 11
1923–24 Montreal Canadiens NHL 24 15 5 20 27 6 4 2 6 6
1923–24 Montreal Canadiens St-Cup — — — — — 4 3 1 4 6
1924–25 Montreal Canadiens NHL 25 30 11 41 85 5 2 0 2 21
1924–25 Montreal Canadiens St-Cup — — — — — 4 2 0 2 16
1925–26 Montreal Canadiens NHL 35 17 9 26 52 — — — — —
1926–27 Montreal Canadiens NHL 43 14 4 18 79 4 1 0 1 10
1927–28 Montreal Canadiens NHL 44 28 11 39 105 2 0 0 0 4
1928–29 Montreal Canadiens NHL 44 12 5 17 59 3 1 1 2 10
1929–30 Montreal Canadiens NHL 42 19 12 31 40 6 0 2 2 6
1930–31 Montreal Canadiens NHL 43 13 22 35 73 10 0 4 4 12
1931–32 Montreal Canadiens NHL 48 15 24 39 46 4 2 0 2 4
1932–33 Montreal Canadiens NHL 48 18 21 39 53 2 2 1 3 2
1933–34 Montreal Canadiens NHL 48 22 15 37 27 3 0 1 1 0
1934–35 Montreal Canadiens NHL 48 17 12 29 18 2 1 0 1 0
1935–36 Montreal Canadiens NHL 48 15 8 23 16 — — — — —
1936–37 Montreal Canadiens NHL 47 17 15 32 30 5 0 3 3 2
1937–38 Montreal Canadiens NHL 44 6 7 13 24 — — — — —
NHL totals 655 270 190 460 771 54 14 14 28 88
St-Cup totals — — — — — 8 5 1 6 22

References

  1. ↑ spelling: Guide de Presse Saison 2008-09 Season Media Guide. Montreal Canadiens. 2008. p. 235.
  2. ↑ "Lalonde Safe In the Fold of Crescents". Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta. November 4, 1922. p. 29.Free access icon
  3. ↑ "Hockey Notes". Medicine Hat News. Medicine Hat, Alberta. November 2, 1922. p. 2.Free access icon
  4. ↑ "Legends of Hockey -- The Legends -- Honoured Player -- Joliat, Aurele -- Statistics, Awards & Career". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2009-05-26.
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