Pierre Larouche: A star in the QMJHL who was able to produce in the NHL

[BlueBull]

Yes I know a weird title.
I am thinking of creating a new Thread series, called BlueBull's HHOF. In this HHOF of mine I would have 4 rules.
1. Be a star in the NHL (Obvious.)
2. Be a superstar before the NHL.
3. Win at least one Stanley Cup.
4. You must not be in the HHOF before I induct you 4 years post-retirement.

My first inductee for this HHOF was Bobby Smith, 1 time Cup Champion and NHL Star with a massive Legacy from the OHL. My second inductee is, well, the one we will be talking about today. Meet Pierre Larouche: A player who rocked the QMJHL to it's core then had a Point per Game NHL Career.

Heading into his last season in the QMJHL, Pierre Larouche was considered a future NHL All-Star. He had scored 101 points in 43 games and was on pace for 50 in 50. In his last season, with hype coming from scouts, he delivered... breaking the QMJHL scoring record with 251 Points in 67 games, a record that would stand for 10 years until Mario Lemieux broke it by 30 points. He was rewarded with this impressive season by being drafted 8th overall in the 1974 Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was an NHL star in his 3 1/2 seasons in Pittsburgh, including a season where he had 111 Points, before he got traded to Montreal for Pete Mahovlich and Peter Lee. He won a cup in the remaining half season in Montreal in 1978, and won the next year in 1979, also. He played very well as 1st/2nd line center in Montreal before being traded to Hartford with Montreal's 1st in 1984 and 3rd in 1985 for Hartford's 1st and 2nd in 1984 and 3rd in 1985. He was a star in Hartford, but had injuries making him look like a point per game rental. Near the end of 1983's Free Agency rush, he gets signed by the New York Rangers. He had some very solid seasons in New York, and even got to play in the 1984 NHL All-Star Game. However, his career had become more and more injury riddled by the year, and in 1987, after a major Injury (assuming so) in late october, he retired from the game of hockey.

Overall, he had 822 Points in 812 Games, with 2 Stanley Cups and 2 All Star Games. He had a Great Career that was not HHOF level, but certainly All-Star Level.

-BlueBull

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[Dennis Bonvie]

FeFe is not remembered fondly in Hartford.

His play was described as effortless.

 

[Batis]

Larouche had a rather strong tournament at the 1977 WHC where he was the only Canadian player who made the top 10 in scoring. In Europe (or at least in Sweden) that Canadian team is infamously remembered for their extremely dirty play but Larouche certainly seems to have been one of the few bright spots on that team during the tournament.

 

[Asheville]

Are we talking about David Johansen in Scrooged?

Btw, Steve Larmer fits your Hall of Fame better than Smith or Larouche.

 

[tony d]

I always liked Larouche but from what I've read on him he was a guy that left you wanting more, could have been so much more than what he was.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

ken linseman

- scored 90 points in the NHL and had three 20 point playoff runs

- one of only 19 players ever to play 100 playoff games and average more than a point/game in the playoffs

- one of hockey history's signature pests

- scored a point/game and finished tenth in goals as a teenager in the WHA (leading a birmingham team as the youngest guy that also included a young mark napier and rod langway, an ancient frank mahovlich, paul henderson also towards the end of his career, and a few games of vaclav nedomansky before he jumped to the NHL)

- massive junior totals (was six months younger than bobby smith and more doubled him in points as a 17 year old, then finished just behind him in scoring in 1977, before turning pro with the WHA; meanwhile smith stayed in junior one more year and had that record-breaking season)

- won a cup with edmonton (and made three other finals)


another guy is brian bellows.

- 55 goals, 2nd team all-star

- had a 29 point playoff run, highest of any player who wasn't mario or on mario's line

- led kitchener to back-to-back memorial cup finals, losing the first time to a stacked cornwall team that had hawerchuk and gilmour (both a year older), while captaining and winning the second time as the best player on a team that also had scott stevens and al macinnis.

- won a cup with montreal, played in two other finals


linseman and bellows both were teammates with brian propp, who played in four cup finals, but never won it. propp did, however, have one of the greatest junior careers of all time (500 points over three seasons) before he joined the flyers.

 

[Thenameless]

Are we talking about David Johansen in Scrooged?

Btw, Steve Larmer fits your Hall of Fame better than Smith or Larouche.

Well, I'm not sure about that, especially if you take his second criterion heavily:

2. Be a superstar before the NHL.

Bobby Smith and Pierre Larouche were very highly touted before ever stepping foot in the NHL - both being drafted very high from what I remember. I think part of his HHoF were guys that came in who were expected to be HHoF players, but were a bit of a disappointment when considering expectations. Steve Larmer, on the other hand, had far from a disappointing career based on expectations.

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

Larouche was a little enigmatic, maybe like Kent Nilsson or Alexei Kovalev, one of those guys who was frequently accused of disappearing, floating, indifferent play, etc. - somewhat inconsistent & often frustrating for coaches & fans, & he got a lot of flak for it. But like Nilsson & Kovalev, he also sometimes came up big in the playoffs despite the reputation. The Rangers actually sent him packing to Hershey to start 85-86, he made some noises about not reporting, but was called up & rallied & raged back with 20 goals in 28 games, & inexplicably leading the team in playoff scoring with 8-9-17 in 16 games en route to the Conference Finals against the Flyers, arguably their best forward. A real head-scratcher there, people figured he was for sure history when he started the season in Hershey.

 

[Howie Hodge]

Larouche was a little enigmatic, maybe like Kent Nilsson or Alexei Kovalev, one of those guys who was frequently accused of disappearing, floating, indifferent play, etc. - somewhat inconsistent & often frustrating for coaches & fans, & he got a lot of flak for it. But like Nilsson & Kovalev, he also sometimes came up big in the playoffs despite the reputation. The Rangers actually sent him packing to Hershey to start 85-86, he made some noises about not reporting, but was called up & rallied & raged back with 20 goals in 28 games, & inexplicably leading the team in playoff scoring with 8-9-17 in 16 games en route to the Conference Finals against the Flyers, arguably their best forward. A real head-scratcher there, people figured he was for sure history when he started the season in Hershey.

Agreed; Larouche teased us all with his immense skill, but frustrated us with his commitment.

I really want to compliment your Avatar. Iron Mike Sharpe is best remembered as a WWF Jobber; but was an immense talent . Had he had a mouthpiece (Manager) he would have been justified for being given a push.

His OC aside, he was a great worker...

One of Hamilton's greats!

 

[crobro]

Pat Lafontaine tore up the Q

Amazed he didn’t go 1st overall

 

[Don Nachbaur 26]

I remember watching him play in Hershey. Here is a story on his demotion to start the 85-86 season. I remember how effortless he looked out on the ice. Very good talent.

 

[Iron Mike Sharpe]

I remember watching him play in Hershey. Here is a story on his demotion to start the 85-86 season. I remember how effortless he looked out on the ice. Very good talent.

Thanks for posting the article.

The four players were surprisingly dismissed just two days before the start of the season. It was surprising because of the reputations these players have - or once had - and surprising for the salaries they bring in. Larouche, Fotiu, and Rogers, for instance, together earn an annual total of about $900,000.

Larouche alone probably was earning $500,000 - not surprising that Craig Patrick showed up to the game to check on his investments. Larouche & Rogers definitely underperformed the previous season, as did the entire Rangers squadron leading to Herb Brooks getting canned. I think bouncing the two highest scoring forwards on the team down to the farm was new coach Ted Sator's way of sending a message to the team. It also allowed space for young guys like Mike Ridley, Kelly Miller & Bob Brooke to step up & take big roles on the team that year. Rogers ended up being picked up by Glen Sather, had little impact on the Oilers & ended up retiring. Larouche had this incredible run & followed it up with a very solid season with the Rangers the next year before retiring.

Take away the injuries & the drama & place him in a stable, long-term situation on a decent team - who knows how much he could've produced? He definitely had the talent to be a 50-goal guy year after year.