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Thursday, September 28, 2017

Adelard Lafrance born in Chapleau played for Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League

Adelard Lafrance, born in Chapleau in 1912, was given a five game "look" by the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League in the 1933-34 season, according to Joe Pelletier writing on his blog 'Greatest Hockey Legends.com, the Hockey History Blog'.

He was the first Chapleau born player to make the NHL. The others are: Ron Schock, Floyd Curry and Jason Ward.

Although it would not appear that the community had an official minor hockey program when he was growing up, hockey was played starting in the winter of 1885-86 on a rink on Lorne Street where the first two arenas were located until 1978 when  the Mrs. A.W. Moore Arena was opened at the Chapleau Recreation Centre.



Adelard, also called 'Adie' must have been playing on local teams to start his career as Mr. Pelletier wrote he was a "key member of the Sudbury Wolves team that won the Memorial Cup as Canada's national junior champions in 1932. He scored the overtime game winning goal against the Winnipeg Monarchs.

In  1933-34 season Adelard was given a try out by the Montreal Canadiens late in the year, according to Mr. Pelletier. He played three games in regular season and two in the Stanley Cup playoffs. No points, one minor penalty.

Interestingly, Mr. Pelletier adds that the Canadiens paid his train fare to Montreal. I recall Garth "Tee" Chambers, who was my hero as a hockey player, telling me that players wanting tryouts with professional teams usually had to pay their own expenses. As a result, many potential players never made the NHL. After the Great Depression and World War II, they simply could not afford to travel.

Here are more details on his hockey career taken from Wikipedia: He joined "Sudbury St. Louis of the Nickel Belt Hockey League in 1929-30. The following season he moved to the Sudbury Wolves in time for the playoffs and Memorial Cup play. The following season he split between the St. Louis and the Wolves and played in the Memorial Cup and Allan Cup playoffs.".. In 1933-34 he joined the professional Falconbridge team

After his tryout with the Canadiens late in that 1933-34 season, Adelard played one year with the Quebec Astors of the Can-Am league before joining the Springfield Indians for four seasons.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

I have to confirm with my mom but these are my relations through my mom's paternal grandmother, I believe.

Unknown said...

Thanks Michael!
I had no idea there was an NHL player in our family. I have recently been wondering about the LaFrance connection re: Keenan LaFrance of the Saskatchewan Rough Riders.
Hélène

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