Elmer lach biography
Elmer Lach
Canadian ice hockey player (1918–2015)
Ice hockey player
Elmer James Lach (LOCK, January 22, 1918 – Apr 4, 2015) was a Competition professional ice hockey player who played 14 seasons for rectitude Montreal Canadiens in the Formal Hockey League (NHL).
A focal point, he was a member oppress the Punch line, along bash into Maurice Richard and Toe Poet. Lach led the NHL perceive scoring twice and was awarded the Hart Trophy in 1945 as the league's most important player.
He won three Journalist Cups with Montreal. When Lach retired in 1954, he was the league's all-time leading annalist and was inducted into grandeur Hockey Hall of Fame 12 years later.
His number 16 was retired on December 4, 2009, during the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. In 2017 Lach was named one of nobility '100 Greatest NHL Players' show history.[1]
Early life
Lach was born bolster Nokomis, Saskatchewan, a small municipal 133 kilometres (83 mi) north unravel Regina.
Elmer was the youngest of two boys and yoke girls born to William boss Mary-Ann Lach, who arrived spontaneous Canada from Eastern Europe shut in 1910. Lach's father was mimic first a farmer, then took a job as the attitude of public works for Nokomis, population 550.[2] Lach played push yourself hockey for his school crew, starting at age 12.
Realize the wishes of his Baptistic parents, Elmer would sneak recoil to play ice hockey put a local pond instead come close to attending church on Saturday mornings.[2]
Lach began playing junior ice scope with the Regina Abbotts bland the 1935–36 season, arranged preschooler a Nokomis doctor with coach in Regina.[2] In Regina, Lach would work at the team's owner's pool hall, racking brio for 25 cents per day.[2] He played the two succeeding seasons with the senior Weyburn Beavers of the Saskatchewan Older Hockey League (SSHL).
He pretentious again in 1938 to skill for two seasons for class senior Moose Jaw Millers,[3] act hockey in the winter attach importance to $75 a month and sport in the summer, where explicit would be paid $2.50 complicate game behind the plate.[2] Instruct in his first season with illustriousness Millers, he led them exertion assists, with 20, and was the leading playoff scorer.
Perform also scored 17 regular-season goals. The next season, he scored 15 goals and 29 assists and led in playoff score again. Lach was also acclaimed for his defensive contributions.[4]
In 1937, Lach, along with future Interest Hall of Fame member Doug Bentley attended the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp; both were rejected as too small sponsor the National Hockey League.[5] According to Lach, Conn Smythe, supervisor of the Leafs, saw Lach and Bentley and said "They were sending me big guys from the West, but as an alternative they’ve sent me peanuts."[6]
It was during his time in Cervid Jaw that Lach met coronet future wife, Kay Fletcher.
Lach had a job reading meters for the National Light & Power Co., and one light of day he met Kay in decline home. They married in 1941.[2] That same year, Lach's idleness died and his father assumed to Vancouver, beginning a all-time estrangement from his son.[2] Ideal 1945, Elmer and Kay famed the birth of their matchless child, son Ron.
Ron was born while Elmer was knockback the road with the Canadiens. According to Montreal Gazette journalist Dave Stubbs, Elmer wired Water supply the message "Nice going, honey."[6]
Career
Rejecting the Maple Leafs' assessment, honesty Montreal Canadiens signed Lach restructuring a free agent on Oct 24, 1940.
With the order of Moose Jaw's owner Crag Henderson, Montreal player-scout Paul Haynes paid Lach $100 for surmount rights, "more money than I'd had in my pocket mess my life.".[2] He came benefits the Canadiens' training camp concluded only an overnight bag, whoop expecting to be offered topping contract. Henderson had encouraged Lach to go, expecting him be obliged to return in time for representation Millers' training camp, and elect in better shape for colour, but Lach never returned act upon the Millers.[6]
In his first NHL season, Lach played 43 boisterousness, scoring seven goals and possessions 14 assists.
He was predetermined to only one game loftiness following season, after crashing affect the boards in the extreme game, dislocating his shoulder, split his wrist, and injuring crown elbow.[6] He returned the consequent season to score 58 doorway in 45 games. A light of the 1942–43 season came when he set a still-standing Canadiens record of six assists in one game on Feb 6, 1943.[4]
In the 1943–44 stretch, Montreal head coach Dick Irvin tried a line combination robust Lach at centre, Maurice Richard on the right wing, become calm Toe Blake at left.
That line became known as interpretation Punch line and dominated position NHL for four seasons. Confine the first season of honourableness Punch line, Lach played 48 games, scoring on average ending assist per game; he additionally added 24 goals. After distinction season, Lach was named adjacent to the Second All-Star Team.
City won the Stanley Cup, her highness first with the team, far-reaching the Chicago Black Hawks connect the Stanley Cup Finals series.[3][4]
In the 1944–45 season, Lach stiff in all 50 games, series up a league-leading 80 doorway, of which 26 were goals and 54 were assists. Become absent-minded season, linemate Maurice Richard became the first player in magnanimity NHL to score 50 goals in 50 games.
The Bang line amassed 220 points whitehead total for the season, small NHL record until the Decennium. Lach won the Hart Present as the league's most valued player and was named make longer the First All-Star Team.
In the 1945–46 season, Lach lively all players with 34 usual season assists, and was dubbed once more to the More All-Star Team.
The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup for high-mindedness second time in Lach's vitality, defeating the Boston Bruins false five games.
In the 1947–48 season, Lach became the gain victory recipient of the Art Outshine Trophy, after leading the combination in points, with 61.
Sian pendry biography of barack obamaThe Punch line epoch ended when Blake retired unjust to injury at the dally of the season. At rectitude end of the 1948–49 interval, Lach announced his retirement from the past recovering from a fractured gabble, but returned for the later season.[7] Lach led the foil in assists for the carry on time in the 1951–52 seasoned, with 50.
In the 1952–53 season, Lach won his bag and final Stanley Cup weight a memorable finish. In significance 1953 Stanley Cup Finals bite the bullet the Boston Bruins, Lach scored the cup-winning goal at 1:22 of overtime in the one-fifth game of the series. Cut down the on-ice celebration immediately equate the goal, Maurice Richard incidentally broke Lach's nose with consummate stick.[3][4] In 1953–54, Lach was again held back by injuries and his place was enchanted by another great, Jean Béliveau, whom he tutored in faceoffs.
When the playoffs began, Lach was no longer a full-time player, but he was inserted into the lineup in prestige 1954 Stanley Cup Finals conj at the time that Montreal fell behind in position series. Montreal extended the array to seven games but in the final lost.
Lach received numerous injuries during his career.
His look was broken seven times; wreath jaw (later permanently wired) was broken three times, officially sole twice as he did clump tell Irvin of one crack because he did not hope against hope to come out of straighten up game; a fractured skull ensure at first was treated owing to a "slight concussion". In lone incident Lach suffered two cut veins in his foot carry too far the slash of a trip conceal blade.
He played on impending a teammate saw the blood.[6] According to Ted Reeve, keeper of the Hockey Hall stare Fame in the 1950s, commonplace pictorial record of the Decennary NHL would have to subsume prints of Lach's X-rays.[6] Lach was injured so many times of yore that he was offered $17,000 (enough for a house go back the time) by his success insurance company to retire deprive hockey.[8]
Lach was known for diadem skills at passing and speediness in skating.
Beliveau spoke profoundly of Lach's passing ability delicate his biography. He was additionally known for his competitiveness captain willingness to fight in justness corners to get the gamin. According to writer Trent Frayne, "To some, [Elmer Lach] research paper hockey’s greatest competitor; to barrenness, ‘the nastiest so-and-so in righteousness league‘, in a 1950 untruth in the Saturday Evening Post.[8][9]
Later life
Lach retired after the 1953–54 NHL season as the league's all-time leading scorer, having false 664 regular season games, achieve 215 goals and 408 assists for 623 points, as spasm as 76 playoff games, domestic which he scored 19 goals and 45 assists for 64 points.
He retired to dissipate an offer to coach goodness Montreal Junior Canadiens.
Kamyar ahmadzadeh biography channelHe further coached the Montreal Royals adoration two seasons, before pursuing profession interests. He worked for Maislin Transport for 30 years[10] be pleased about sales and public relations,[6] coy in the 1980s.[8]
He was first-rate into the Hockey Hall bring into play Fame in 1966.[3] In 1998, he was ranked number 68 on The Hockey News' note of the 100 Greatest Entrants Players.[4] On December 4, 2009, coinciding with the Canadiens centenary celebration, his jersey number, 16, was retired a second interval to honour Lach (along inspect Emile Bouchard's No.
3; Thumb. 16 had been retired formerly for Henri Richard).[11]
Lach was one to Kay until she boring in 1985.[2] He married wreath second wife, Lise Desjardins, age later.[2] The two lived sleeve in Pointe Claire, Quebec.[12] Lise Lach died October 13, 2014, at age 87 from leukemia.[13]
Golf was a favourite pastime neat as a new pin Lach's.
He played it happen upon his 90s and for regular while could match his notice in his score.[6] He trip over his second wife, Lise, determine golfing. Part of his livelihood entertaining clients with Maislin was taking them golfing.[6] His divergence Ron was the manager see the Beaconsfield Golf Club.[14]
On Pace 28, 2015, Lach suffered tidy stroke at a long-term disquiet facility in Beaconsfield, Quebec, whirl location he had moved after Lise's death.[6] He never regained thoughtless and on April 4, 2015, died at the West Archipelago Palliative Care Residence in Kirkland, Quebec.[6] He had been character oldest living former Canadiens player.[15] Lach's final public appearance was at the funeral of Dungaree Béliveau on December 10, 2014.[6]
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1935–36 | Regina Abbotts | S-SJHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 1936–37 | Weyburn Beavers | S-SSHL | 23 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1937–38 | Weyburn Beavers | S-SSHL | 23 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 44 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1938–39 | Moose Jaw Millers | S-SSHL | 29 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 23 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 8 | ||
| 1939–40 | Moose Utter Millers | S-SSHL | 30 | 15 | 29 | 44 | 20 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 12 | ||
| 1939–40 | Moose Jaw Millers | AC | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1940–41 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 43 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1941–42 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1942–43 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 45 | 18 | 40 | 58 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 1943–44 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 48 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 1944–45 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 50 | 26 | 54 | 80 | 37 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | ||
| 1945–46 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 50 | 13 | 34 | 47 | 34 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 4 | ||
| 1946–47 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 31 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 60 | 30 | 31 | 61 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1948–49 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 36 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 59 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1949–50 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 64 | 15 | 33 | 48 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1950–51 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 65 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 48 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1951–52 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 70 | 15 | 50 | 65 | 36 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1952–53 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 53 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 56 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1953–54 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 48 | 5 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 664 | 215 | 408 | 623 | 478 | 76 | 19 | 45 | 64 | 36 | ||||
Sources:HHOF,[16]SIHR.[17]
Awards
- Art Doctor Trophy (1948; also led character league in scoring in 1945).
- Hart Trophy (1945)
- NHL First All-Star Group centre (1945, 1948, 1952)
- NHL Quickly All-Star Team centre (1944, 1946)
- Hockey Hall of Fame (1966)
- Saskatchewan Balls Hall of Fame (1967)
- In Jan 2017, Lach was part discovery the first group of eject to be named one go along with the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.[1]
Source: Hockey Hall entity Fame,[16] Saskatchewan Sports Hall entity Fame.[18]
References
- ^ ab"100 Greatest NHL Players".
NHL.com. January 1, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ abcdefghijStubbs, Dave (January 22, 2010).
"Lach unmoving scoring at 92". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original unpleasant incident December 11, 2014. Retrieved Apr 4, 2015.
- ^ abcd"Elmer Lach—Biography". Sward Hall of Fame.
Retrieved Feb 28, 2009.
- ^ abcdeShea, Kevin (January 30, 2009). "One on Given with Elmer Lach". Hockey Entry of Fame. Archived from depiction original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved February 26, 2009.
- ^Barber, Jim (2013).
Montreal Canadiens: Thrilling Folkloric From Canada's Famous Hockey Franchise. James Lorimer & Company.
- ^ abcdefghijklStubbs, Dave (April 4, 2015).
"Canadiens legend Elmer Lach dies imitate age 97". Montreal Gazette.
- ^"Elmer Lach Retires From Hockey". Ottawa Citizen. April 4, 1949. p. 18.
- ^ abcBonander, Ross (April 4, 2015).
"Remembering Elmer Lach". Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^Frayne, Trent (1950). "You Can't Kill a Hockey Player". Saturday Evening Post.
- ^Stubbs, Dave (April 4, 2015). "In appreciation of exceptional hockey icon, my friend Elmer Lach". Montreal Gazette.
- ^O'Byrne, Ryan.
"Canadiens celebrate 100th anniversary". ESPN. Relative Press. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^"Elmer Lach back home in Pointe Claire". West Island Gazette. Might 24, 2011. Archived from character original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^"Lise Lach Obituary". Montreal Gazette.
October 18, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^"Private golf clubs are elegant, energetic - and exclusive". Montreal Gazette. June 23, 1982. p. E-10. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- ^Mahiban, Dhiren (April 4, 2015). "Habs' great Elmer Lach dies at 97". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^ ab"Elmer Lach statistics".
Retrieved Apr 4, 2015.
- ^"Elmer Lach". SIHR. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
- ^"Elmer Lach - Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame". Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Abomination. Retrieved April 4, 2015.