Jean Béliveau

Infobox Ice Hockey Player

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image_size = 250px
position = Centre
played_for = Montreal Canadiens
shot = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 205
nationality = CAN
birth_date = birth date and age|1931|08|31
birth_place = Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
draft =
draft_year =
draft_team =
career_start = 1950
career_end = 1971
halloffame = 1972

Jean Arthur Béliveau, CC, CQ (b. August 31, 1931, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada) is a former professional ice hockey player, who played parts of 20 seasons with the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. As a player, he won the Stanley Cup 10 times, and as an executive he was part of another 7 championship teams. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.

Playing career

A star at an early age, he was spotted by Canadiens general manager Frank Selke at the age of 15. Selke tried to get him to sign a "C-form," the usual form by which NHL teams bound young players to them. Under the form's terms, the player agreed to join the NHL club at a set date, and at an agreed-upon salary. However, Jean's father balked, and eventually Selke had to content himself with having Jean sign a "B-form," in which he agreed to play for Montreal should he ever decide to turn pro.

Béliveau became a star in Quebec's amateur leagues, and was called up twice for brief appearances by the Canadiens in 1950–51 and 1952–53. He led the Quebec Senior Hockey League in scoring in 1953. However, he didn't appear to show much interest in playing professionally. Finally, Selke got an idea--if the QSHL were somehow turned into a professional league, Béliveau would be a professional as well, and under the terms of the B-form he would have to sign with the Habs. At Selke's suggestion, the Canadiens bought the QSHL and converted it from an amateur league to a minor pro league. This forced Béliveau to join the Canadiens for the 1953–54 NHL season (though the Habs owned the NHL rights to all of the league's players in any case).

Three years later, in 1956, Béliveau won both the Art Ross Memorial Trophy as the league's scoring champion and the Hart Memorial Trophy as its most valuable player. During his 18 full seasons in Montreal, he played on 10 Stanley Cup winning teams 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971. For his last 10 seasons, he was the team captain.

A powerful skater, he had a polished air of composed confidence that made him a natural leader both on and off the ice. Admired and respected by fans, teammates and his opponents, he was the first player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for his performance in the 1965 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Béliveau retired at the end of the 1970–71 NHL season as his team's all-time leader in points, second all-time in goals and the NHL's all-time leading playoff scorer. He scored 507 goals and had 712 assists for 1,219 points in 1,125 NHL regular-season games plus 79 goals and 97 assists for 176 points in 162 playoff games. His jersey number (#4) was retired on October 9, 1971. In 1972, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is now the second all-time leading scorer in Canadiens history, behind Guy Lafleur. Only Henri Richard played more games for the Habs.

After his playing days were over, Béliveau remained with the Canadiens team as an executive and goodwill ambassador while doing charitable work through the Jean Béliveau Foundation, established in 1971. In 1993 he transferred the foundation to the Society for Disabled Children.

Béliveau's name appears on the Stanley Cup a record seventeen times, including seven times as an executive for the Canadiens 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986, 1993. [http://www.nhl.com/cup/fun_facts.html]

Béliveau has been given many awards including several honorary doctorates from Canadian universities, plus the Loyola Medal in 1995. He was made a member of the National Order of Quebec and on May 6, 1998 was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, his country's highest civilian award. [ [http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=270 "Appointments to The Order of Canada"] , accessed July 5, 2005] In 1994 he was offered the position of Governor General of Canada but declined the position for personal reasons. In 2001, his name was added to Canada's Walk of Fame, the same year he was honored with his portrait on a Canadian postage stamp. In August 2008, the Canadian Pacific Railway named a station in his honour.

Béliveau was never known as an activist during his playing days. However, he was one of several players who threatened to pull out of the Hall of Fame if disgraced ex-NHLPA executive director Alan Eagleson had been allowed to stay in after being convicted of fraud and embezzlement. He also supported the NHL's position during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, arguing that the players' demands would damage the sport and the league.

Career statistics

Personal accomplishments

*Played in 14 NHL All-Star Games
*NHL First All-Star Team (6)
*NHL Second All-Star Team (4)
*Longest-serving captain in Canadiens history
*Second all-time in Canadiens history in points, assists and games played, third in goals
*Art Ross Memorial Trophy (1956)
*Conn Smythe Trophy (1965)
*Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) (1956, 1964)In 1998, he was ranked number 7 on "The Hockey News"' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

ee also

* Captain (ice hockey)
* List of NHL players
* List of NHL players with 500 goals
* List of NHL players with 1000 points
* List of NHL seasons
* List of NHL statistical leaders
* List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame

References

External links

*Legendsmember|Player|P197201|Jean Béliveau
*hockeydb|297