Maurice Richard

Maurice Richard (1921-2000), Canadian ice hockey player, who was nicknamed the Rocket because of his hard shots and his colorful, explosive personality. Maurice Joseph Henri Richard was born in Montréal, Québec, and began to play organized hockey at the age of 11. In 1942, when he was 21 years old, he joined the Montréal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing the right wing position, Richard led the Canadiens to eight Stanley Cup championships in the NHL playoffs (1944, 1946, 1953, 1956-1960). He was named most valuable player (MVP) of the NHL in 1947, and during his career he totaled 544 goals. In the 1944-1945 season Richard scored 50 goals, becoming the first NHL player to record that many in a single season. This mark stood until the 1965-1966 season, when Canadian hockey player Bobby Hull scored 54 goals. Richard retired in 1960. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961.