J. C. Tremblay

Joseph Henri Jean-Claude Tremblay (January 22, 1939 – December 7, 1994) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association (WHA), notable for play-making and defensive skills.

J. C. Tremblay
Tremblay with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1960s
Born (1939-01-22)January 22, 1939
Bagotville, Quebec, Canada
Died December 7, 1994(1994-12-07) (aged 55)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Montreal Canadiens
Quebec Nordiques
National team  Canada
Playing career 19581979

Playing career

After an amateur and minor professional career that saw him move from left wing to defence and win the league Most Valuable Player title in 1960, Tremblay began play for the Canadiens in that season and stuck with the big league squad for good in the 1961–1962 season, playing for five Stanley Cup winning teams. He became one of the NHL's preeminent stars on defence for both his offense and defensive work, playing in seven NHL All-Star Games and setting the franchise record for points by a defenceman, and was recognized as a first team All-Star in 1971 and a Second Team All-Star in 1968.

In 1972, Tremblay jumped to the upstart WHA with the Nordiques, which had negotiated with the Los Angeles Sharks for his rights. He was the franchise's first great star, as well as the league's first great defenceman, winning the league honors for best defenceman in 1973 and 1975 and being named to the WHA's Team Canada in 1974, leading that club in defensive scoring. Tremblay also led his team to the 1977 AVCO World Trophy championship. He was the only player to play for the Nordiques all seven seasons of the WHA, and retired after the 1979 season. His number #3 jersey was retired by the Nordiques after that season just before the franchise's move into the NHL, thus gaining Tremblay the distinction of being one of only three players to have a number retired by an NHL team without ever actually playing for it (the other two being Johnny McKenzie by the Hartford Whalers and Frank Finnigan by the modern-day Ottawa Senators). He later scouted in Europe for the Montreal Canadiens.

In 1979, he donated a kidney to his daughter. Tremblay died of kidney cancer himself on December 7, 1994, at the age of 55.[1]

Honors and achievements

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1957–58 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens OHA-Jr. 24712198
1957–58 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens EOHL 345172216
1957–58 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens M-Cup 1325710
1958–59 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens EOHL 264131722 10119
1958–59 Buffalo Bisons AHL 30000
1958–59 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens M-Cup 945912
1959–60 Montreal Canadiens NHL 110110
1959–60 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens EPHL 5525315655 71452
1960–61 Montreal Canadiens NHL 2913418 50002
1960–61 Hull-Ottawa Canadiens EPHL 377334028
1961–62 Montreal Canadiens NHL 703172018 60222
1962–63 Montreal Canadiens NHL 691171810 50000
1963–64 Montreal Canadiens NHL 705162124 72139
1964–65 Montreal Canadiens NHL 683172022 13191018
1965–66 Montreal Canadiens NHL 59629358 1029112
1966–67 Montreal Canadiens NHL 608263414 102462
1967–68 Montreal Canadiens NHL 734263018 133692
1968–69 Montreal Canadiens NHL 757323918 131456
1969–70 Montreal Canadiens NHL 58219217
1970–71 Montreal Canadiens NHL 7611526323 203141715
1971–72 Montreal Canadiens NHL 766515724 60220
1972–73 Quebec Nordiques WHA 7514758932
1973–74 Quebec Nordiques WHA 689445310
1974–75 Quebec Nordiques WHA 6816567218 11010102
1975–76 Quebec Nordiques WHA 8012778916 50330
1976–77 Quebec Nordiques WHA 534313516 1729112
1977–78 Quebec Nordiques WHA 545374226 10110
1978–79 Quebec Nordiques WHA 56638448
NHL totals 79457306363204 10814516558
WHA totals 45466358424126 34223254

References

  1. "J. C. Tremblay; Hockey Player, 55". New York Times. December 9, 1994. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
  2. "WHA Hall of Fame Members". whahof.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
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