Guy Lapointe

Guy Lapointe
Guy Lapointe
Hockey Hall of Fame,1993
Born	March 18, 1948(age 76); Montreal,Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Montreal Canadiens; St. Louis Blues; Boston Bruins
National team	Canada
Playing career	1968–1984

Guy Gerard Lapointe(born March 18, 1948) is aCanadianformer professionalice hockey defencemanwho played for theMontreal Canadiens,St. Louis BluesandBoston Bruinsin theNational Hockey League.He retired in 2020 after serving as Coordinator of Amateur Scouting with the NHL'sMinnesota Wildfor 20 years.

Career

Nicknamed "Pointu" (a play on his name in French, where "pointu" carries most of the same meanings as "sharp" or "pointy" in English), Lapointe was famous for his powerful slapshot and brutal body-checks.

Along with defencemenLarry RobinsonandSerge Savard,Lapointe was a member of the "Big Three" and played a key role in the Canadiens' winning theStanley Cupsix times in1971,1973,1976,1977,1978,1979.

He was traded to theSt. Louis Bluesin1982and signed with theBoston Bruins after the following season.He retired in 1984 following a series of injuries.

Lapointe was inducted into theHockey Hall of Famein 1993. In 884 NHL games, Lapointe recorded 171 goals and 451 assists for 622 points. He still holds the Montreal Canadiens' record for most goals in a season for a defenceman (28), and most goals for a rookie defenceman (15). His number (#5) was retired by the Canadiens on November 8, 2014. Since the #5 is already retired on behalf ofBernie Geoffrion,they will both share the honour. Interestingly, similar toBernie Geoffrion,his number was raised side by side with the number of other members whose numbers were already retired before him, though this time being the 2 other members of the "Big Three",Serge SavardandLarry Robinson(Savard and Robinson's banner were lowered halfway and were raised back up to the rafters with Lapointe's banner, just like what they did to Bernie Geoffrion and his father-in-lawHowie Morenz).

Pranks

Lapointe was also known for his sense of humour and being a prankster. One of his most famous pranks is probably the Vaseline coated handshake with then-Prime MinisterPierre Elliot Trudeauas he was visiting the Canadiens' locker room. Another time, Lapointe "stole" rookieMario Tremblay's newPontiac Grand Prixand relocated it to a different level of that parking garage, then waiting a few days before disclosing this to Tremblay who had already filed a police report and contacted insurance.[1]

Coaching and scouting

Following his retirement from playing, Lapointe became general manager of theLongueuil Chevaliersof theQuebec Major Junior Hockey League,followed by a stint as associate coach with theQuebec Nordiques.He later served as an assistant coach and later as a scout with theCalgary Flames.

He was the Chief Amateur scout with theMinnesota Wild,a position he has held from the franchise's inception in 2000 to 2020.

Personal life

He is the father of three children: Guy Jr., Stephanie and Jordan.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1965–66	Verdun Jr. Maple Leafs	QJHL	37	7	13	20	96	—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Verdun Jr. Maple Leafs	QJHL	—	—	—	—	—	12	1	1	2	14
1967–68	Montreal Junior Canadiens	OHA	51	11	27	38	147	11	1	6	7	40
1968–69	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	1	0	0	0	2	—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Houston Apollos	CHL	65	3	15	18	120	3	1	0	1	6
1969–70	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	5	0	0	0	4	—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Montreal Voyageurs	AHL	57	8	30	38	92	8	3	5	8	6
1970–71	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	78	15	29	44	107	20	4	5	9	34
1971–72	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	69	11	38	49	58	6	0	1	1	0
1972–73	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	76	19	35	54	117	17	6	7	13	20
1973–74	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	71	13	40	53	63	6	0	2	2	4
1974–75	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	80	28	47	75	88	11	6	4	10	4
1975–76	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	77	21	47	68	78	13	3	3	6	12
1976–77	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	77	25	51	76	53	12	3	9	12	4
1977–78	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	49	13	29	42	19	14	1	6	7	16
1978–79	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	69	13	42	55	43	10	2	6	8	10
1979–80	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	45	6	20	26	29	2	0	0	0	0
1980–81	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	33	1	9	10	79	1	0	0	0	17
1981–82	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	47	1	19	20	72	—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	St. Louis Blues	NHL	8	0	6	6	4	7	1	0	1	8
1982–83	St. Louis Blues	NHL	64	3	23	26	43	4	0	1	1	9
1983–84	Boston Bruins	NHL	45	2	16	18	34	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals			894	171	451	622	893	123	26	44	70	138

Awards and accomplishments

NHL First All-Star Team (1973)
NHL Second All-Star Team (1975, 1976, 1977)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1973, 1975, 1976, 1977)

International

Year	Team	Event	GP	A	Pts	PIM
1972	Canada	SS	7	1	1	6
1976	Canada	CC	7	4	4	2
Senior totals			14	5	5	8

International play

Early into his NHL career, Lapointe was chosen to play in the historic1972 Summit Seriesagainst theUSSR.Lapointe accepted the invitation regardless of the fact his wife would give birth to his first child (Guy Jr.), during the series, while the team was in theUSSR.He would compete internationally again for Canada in the1976 Canada Cupand the1979 Challenge Cupagainst the Soviets, which replaced that year's All-Star Game.

External links

Biographical information and career statistics fromNHL,orEliteprospects,orHockey-Reference,orLegends of Hockey,orThe Internet Hockey Database