Richard Brodeur

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size =
position = Goaltender
played_for = New York Islanders
Vancouver Canucks
Hartford Whalers
shot =
height_ft = 5
height_in = 7
weight_lb = 185
nickname =
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1952|09|15
birth_place = Longueuil, Quebec
draft = 97th overall
draft_year = 1972
draft_team = New York Islanders
career_start = 1980
career_end = 1988

Richard Brodeur (born September 15, 1952 in Longueuil, Quebec) known to many as "King Richard", is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender.

Playing career

Originally selected in the 1972 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Brodeur chose to begin his professional career in the World Hockey Association with the Quebec Nordiques. For seven seasons, he played with the Nordiques, with the 1975–76 season being his best playing 69 games and winning 44. During the 1976–77 season, his goaltending would help guide the Nordiques to the Avco World Trophy.

When the WHA folded following the 1978–79 season, the Islanders reclaimed his rights. However, he only played two games for them as he was the third goalie behind Billy Smith and Chico Resch, and was traded to the Vancouver Canucks prior to the 1980–81 NHL season. In his second season with the Canucks, he guided the team during their improbable playoff run to the finals. Interestingly enough, the Canucks eventually lost to Brodeur's old team, the Islanders.

Brodeur was selected to play in the 1983 All-Star Game, but couldn't play due to an ear injury suffered in Toronto three days before the game. He remained with the Canucks for almost eight seasons until he was traded near the end of the 1987–88 NHL season to Hartford, where he ended his NHL career.

After his retirement, he founded his own hockey school in the Vancouver area. He also briefly worked as an analyst on Quebec Nordiques French TV telecasts.

He is also an artist, using oil on canvas, and has had several shows at [http://www.diskingalleries.com/ Diskin Galleries] in Vancouver.

Awards

*Named to the NHL All-Star Game - 1983
*Cyclone Taylor Award (Vancouver Canucks) - 1981, 1982, 1985
*Molson Cup (Most Canucks three-star selections) - 1980–81, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1985–86

External links

* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1972/72097.html Profile at hockeydraftcentral.com]
* [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=18449 Profile at legends of hockey.net]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php3?pid=588 Profile at hockeydb.com]
* [http://www.kingrichards-hockeyschool.8m.com/index.html King Richard Brodeur's Hockey School]