Bernard Geoffrion

Bernard Joseph Andre “Boom Boom” Geoffrion , also called Bernie , (Montreal, Quebec, Canada, February 14th 1931 - Atlanta, Georgia, the United States, March 11th 2006) was a professional player and trainer of Hockey.

Professional path

In LNH, he played during fourteen seasons with the Canadian of Montreal like 2 seasons with the Rangers of New York. In 1972, it was established with the Temple of re-elected hockey. Geoffrion began its career with the Canadians in 1951 and was called “Boom Boom” because of its crashing to pieces struck throws. He was the second player of the LNH to mark 50 goals in one season; the first was its fellow-member Maurice Richard. It occupied the position of right winger and in particular played with within a trio joining together the high-speed motorboats Jean Béliveau and Dickie Moore. It gained the Coupe Stanley with six recoveries with the Canadians of Montreal.

It piled up a total of 393 goals, 429 master keys and 689 minutes of penalty in 883 matches.

At one time when the robust play was the standard and where the equipment did not protect adequately the players, Geoffrion underwent several wounds of all kinds. It fractured the nose six times and received more than 400 points of joining during its career. In 1958, it knew a serious accident during a training session but was saved thanks to an emergency surgery. In spite of the councils of its doctors who recommended to him to cease his activities for one season, he fitted the shoes later six weeks for then taking share with the finales of the Stanley Cut.

Geoffrion initially took its retirement in 1964. The same year, he became trainer of Aces of Quebec, a professional team of the American league of hockey. He returned however to the play in 1966 with Rangers of New York, before withdrawing himself definitively in 1968. In 1972, he became the first trainer-chief of the Flames of Atlanta. He preserved this station during two years and led his team to their first participation in the eliminatory series in 1974. In 1979, he became trainer-chief of the Canadians of Montreal, but because of intense evils of stomach, he had to leave his station before the end of the season.

During years 1970 and 1980, it took part in several televised publicity campaigns making the promotion of the Bière Miller Lite.

His Marlène wife is the girl of the former player of the Canadians and member of the Temple of Famous the Howie Morenz. His/her son daN Geoffrion played three seasons of professional hockey, with the Nordiques of Quebec of the Worldwide association of hockey (1978-1979), with the Canadians of Montreal (1979-1980) and with the Jets of Winnipeg. Its grandson, Blake Geoffrion plays within the team of hockey of the Université of Wisconsin and aspires to becoming a member of the third generation of the family of Geoffrion (and a member of the fourth generation of the family of Geoffrion-Morenz) to evolve/move in the LNH.

The October 15th 2005, the organization of the Canadian of Montreal had announced that its pullover number 5 would be withdrawn at the time of a special ceremony the March 11th 2006 before the match of the Canadian vis-a-vis Rangers. The March 8th 2006, the media announced that Geoffrion was seriously reached of a cancer of the stomach. Its state quickly worsened and it is deceased the March 11th 2006 with Atlanta with the the United States, a few hours only before the homage which was paid to him later in the same day with the Center Bell with Montreal.

The destiny wanted that Geoffrion returns the heart exactly the same date on which the skin of Morenz had been exposed in burning chapel with the Forum of Montreal 69 years earlier. At the time of a ceremony impressed of emotion, the banner of number 7 of Morenz was descended on the level from the ice before being again hoisted in the heights of the Center Bell at the same time as the banner number 5 of Geoffrion. One beside the other, banners 7 and 5 also represented the age of Geoffrion.

Trophies and rewards

1952 : member elect of the Trophy Calder
1955: member elect of the Trophy Binder
1955: member elect of the Trophy Art Ross
1961: member elect of the trophy Art Ross
1972: establishment with the Temple of re-elected hockey
2006: the Canadian of Montreal withdraws his pullover number 5

Statistical

Relationship in the sport

Father of the player Danny Geoffrion.
Grandfather of the player Blake Geoffrion.

See too

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