Tribute Claude Provost

[Tyson]

Many of us never saw Claude Provost play but he played over 1000 games as a Hab and won 9 Stanley Cups. He was his era's version of Bob Gainey.
He last played in 1970 and passed away in 1984 of a heart attack while playing tennis.

Why do I want to pay him tribute?
Most cups of any player not in the Hall of Fame and IMO the Habs should consider retiring his number 14.
I am surprised that he has slid through the cracks and was never honored properly.

9 time cup winner and a brilliant defensive forward deserved better.

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[bcv]

They’re gonna run out of numbers.

 

[Runner77]

I wanna see one of the pro leagues run out of 2-digit numbers and introduce decimals, 3-digit numbers or letters and numbers combo.

 

[Chili]

Ironic mentioning him, he used to shadow Bobby Hull (among others) back in the day which was more then a handful with Hull's speed, strength and shot. Probably would have won a Selke or two, if there had been a trophy back then.

https://vault.si.com/vault/1965/05/10/a-hard-toe-right-to-the-jaw

Aware that Hull's slap and wrist shots were the major impediments standing between Montreal and the championship, Toe Blake called on craggy Claude Provost for some special help. Provost, a veteran forward whose face looks as though it has been chipped out of basalt with a dull chisel, had surprised all the experts during the regular season by outshooting the rest of the Montreal team. It seemed reasonable that he would be asked to carry this offensive attack into the playoffs, but Blake had other ideas. "Crowd Hull," he told Provost. "Lean on him. Follow him around like a busted garter."

Provost followed his orders. The result was that Hull got only one shot on goal in the first game against the Habs. He got just four shots in the second game. Altogether Hull scored only two goals in the championship round, and both came when Provost was off the ice. "Provost," complained Black Hawk Coach Billy Reay, "has that stick against Bobby every time he gets near him. He isn't yanking Bobby around, so the referees are ignoring it. But he is hooking him any way you look at it." As the playoffs progressed, Hull became more and more perturbed. He became more aggressive with his body, and the Montreal crowds began calling him a dirty player. Until now Hull had been a big favorite in the Forum, but during the playoffs he was booed continually. Provost, however, was not annoyed by Hull's frustration. "Can you blame him?" he said.

 

[Scintillating10]

Many of us never saw Claude Provost play but he played over 1000 games as a Hab and won 9 Stanley Cups. He was his era's version of Bob Gainey.
He last played in 1970 and passed away in 1984 of a heart attack while playing tennis.

Why do I want to pay him tribute?
Most cups of any player not in the Hall of Fame and IMO the Habs should consider retiring his number 14.
I am surprised that he has slid through the cracks and was never honored properly.

9 time cup winner and a brilliant defensive forward deserved better.

I can remember him playing but barely. Played on line with Backstrom I think. LaRose too i think. Claude LaRose was good player that era. LaRose kind of tough could score also.

 

[Tyson]

Ironic mentioning him, he used to shadow Bobby Hull (among others) back in the day which was more then a handful with Hull's speed, strength and shot. Probably would have won a Selke or two, if there had been a trophy back then.

I just don't think he has ever been shown the respect of a truly outstanding career.
Serge Savard mentioned him during his interview on Marinaro's podcast recently.
I wish someone like Savard could influence something to get this guy recognized.

 

[JC Superstar]

Jean Béliveau's best bud and bodyguard. He was only 5"9' but strong as an ox. He had a choppy skating style but was able to get there with the best wingers of the time. They created the Bill Masterton trophy for the best defensive forward thinking of him and he was the first winner in 1968. The Bill Masterton trophy award changed it's theme and they had to create the Frank Selke for his successor, Bob Gainey.

Like Gainey, his goals were clutch and if the season was on the line, you could see him on a late shift with Béliveau.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Provost shadowed Hull. Ferguson was assigned to beat him up.

 

[JC Superstar]

Hull was tough to cover: he was fast, he had strenght and he needed only a step to let go his famous shot with his banana blade. He also had this patented move: he would fake being tripped, and while he was falling, he would turn around waving his stick in the face of his cover. Quite a few stitches for Provost and while he was getting those, Ferguson was assigned to the attitude ajustment.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Many of us never saw Claude Provost play but he played over 1000 games as a Hab and won 9 Stanley Cups. He was his era's version of Bob Gainey.
He last played in 1970 and passed away in 1984 of a heart attack while playing tennis.

Why do I want to pay him tribute?
Most cups of any player not in the Hall of Fame and IMO the Habs should consider retiring his number 14.
I am surprised that he has slid through the cracks and was never honored properly.

9 time cup winner and a brilliant defensive forward deserved better.

I guess I must be one of the few who actually saw Provost play.

Provost was probably one of the few players of his era that could play in the NHL today. The players of today are a different breed than the players of the 1950s and 1960s: they are bigger, faster and generally better overall athletes. Provost was fast, tough and smart.

What most people don’t know is that in his long and glorious career, the great Jean Beliveau scored only one overtime playoff goal. It came in double overtime in game 6 against Boston in the 1969 playoffs. And it was the ‘defensive’ Provost who set the great Captain up. That year, Montreal had an aging team and the Bruins, with Orr, Esposito and Cheevers were an emerging powerhouse. The Canadiens were overmatched, but with their strong core of veterans, some opportunistic scoring and the goaltending of Vachon they gave the upstart, and frankly superior , Bruins’ team, a battle.

Game 6 was another in a number of great contests between these two storied teams. The game went into double overtime when Provost created a turnover at the halfboards in the Boston zone and found Beliveau in the slot. Beliveau took Provost’s pass and shot quickly, overpowering Cheevers with a rising shot that went over the goalie’s glove hand. Beliveau’s only overtime goal eliminated Boston.

I remember it like yesterday.

 

[Lazytrout]

I'm way too young to have seen him but this is one of my all time favorite hockey picture.

 

[Tyson]

I'm way too young to have seen him but this is one of my all time favorite hockey picture.

I changed my profile pic to this. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Cournoyer12]

I have 2 hockey cards of him, 1970 O-pee-Cher, and 1964 Parkhurst re-print, back when you could actually see the players faces!

I have 2 hockey cards of him, 1970 O-pee-Cher, and 1964 Parkhurst re-print, back when you could actually see the players faces!

O-pee-chee, stupid fat fingers!!!!

 

[Lshap]

I'm way too young to have seen him but this is one of my all time favorite hockey picture.

That looks like Gump Worsley in nets. Worsley was traded to the Habs probably soon after this photo was taken, which is where my hockey memories begin. I can picture Worsley's hockey card – he looked like he was in his 40s from the time he was 20! I remember the late 1960s, with Beliveau in his final years and guys like Ferguson, Backstrom, Duff, Savard, JC Tremblay, and of course Provost as the core.

The only downside to helmets is I miss seeing players' faces and hair as they skated down the ice.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I'm way too young to have seen him but this is one of my all time favorite hockey picture.

That’s Gump Worsley in nets for the Rangers. Gump was later traded to Montreal in the famous Plante trade and , with Charlie Hodge, formed the best goalie tandem in the NHL in the mid- 1960s. While Gump was playing with the then, perennially woeful weak Rangers, a reporter once asked Worsley which team in the NHL gave him the most trouble? Without missing a beat, Gump laconically replied: the Rangers.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Years ago I participated in an all time draft. Provost was on my checking line.

 

[417]

His face on his hockey is legendary lol

Like an old catcher’s mit

 

[Scintillating10]

I remember having a hockey card with him and two line mates on. Andre Provonost and Phil Goyette I think. From 1960s, had yellow back.

 

[Habs Icing]

Many of us never saw Claude Provost play but he played over 1000 games as a Hab and won 9 Stanley Cups. He was his era's version of Bob Gainey.
He last played in 1970 and passed away in 1984 of a heart attack while playing tennis.

Why do I want to pay him tribute?
Most cups of any player not in the Hall of Fame and IMO the Habs should consider retiring his number 14.
I am surprised that he has slid through the cracks and was never honored properly.

9 time cup winner and a brilliant defensive forward deserved better.

I saw Provost play. His most memorable time was when he neutralized Bobby Hull during the playoffs. I agree he was a defensive stalwart but he wasn't a Bob Gainey. Claude Provost had little offense. And his skating was terrible. You need players like him to win a cup but I would not think of him as a HOF player and I would definitely not retire his number.

 

[Habs Icing]

That’s Gump Worsley in nets for the Rangers. Gump was later traded to Montreal in the famous Plante trade and , with Charlie Hodge, formed the best goalie tandem in the NHL in the mid- 1960s. While Gump was playing with the then, perennially woeful weak Rangers, a reporter once asked Worsley which team in the NHL gave him the most trouble? Without missing a best, Gump laconically replied: the Rangers.

Yeah, the Gumper was known for his one-liners.

 

[Runner77]

I saw Provost play. His most memorable time was when he neutralized Bobby Hull during the playoffs. I agree he was a defensive stalwart but he wasn't a Bob Gainey. Claude Provost had little offense. And his skating was terrible. You need players like him to win a cup but I would not think of him as a HOF player and I would definitely not retire his number.

Would you say he was similar to Jim Roberts? Not great skating, no offence but excelled on defensive assignments.

I'm way too young to have seen him but this is one of my all time favorite hockey picture.

Nice shot. And just like that, it became @Tyson’s avy.

 

[Habs Icing]

Would you say he was similar to Jim Roberts? Not great skating, no offence but excelled on defensive assignments.

An excellent comparison with some small differences. Jim Roberts could play as d-man and Provost was better at offense.

I re-read my post and I think I may have exaggerated Provost's lack of offensive abilities. But in my defense, I remember him best in his last 3-4 years and he had no offense left then. Offensively in his prime, I would put him on the same level as Dickie Duff and Ralph Backstrom.

As an aside, I can remember hearing on the news that Claude had died and it really affected me. I thought 50 was too young to go. He was the first player from those magnificent Hab teams to die so I was probably reacting to that.

 

[Chili]

I'm way too young to have seen him but this is one of my all time favorite hockey picture.

Great picture from ice level. Wonder if it was from a net cam or a 'peep' hole through the boards?

Trying to guess who else is pictured beyond Claude and Gump. The two dmen could be former Habs Junior Langlois (#4) and Doug Harvey (#2 on the right). Junior had an interesting claim, the last Bruin to wear #4 before Bobby Orr. Doug Harvey was a player coach of the Rangers for one season. And I'll take a wild guess at the Hab just behind Claude Provost: a right hand shot might be Henri Richard.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Yeah, the Gumper was known for his one-liners.

Yes. Another one was when a reporter asked him what he thought of his teams execution. His reply "I am in favor of it"

 

[Scintillating10]

Card I was talking about. 1960-61 Parkhurst