Dec 05 The Canadiens Honour Bouchard and Lach, Retire Jerseys - Elmer Lach Bio

ELMER LACH

An outstanding playmaker and a tremendous passer with excellent skating abilities, Elmer Lach came to Montreal from Nokomis, Saskatchewan where he would borrow skates from his neighbours to hone the skating skills that would eventually pave his way to a 14-year career with the Montreal Canadiens and three Stanley Cup championships and several individual awards.

Lach made a name for himself playing with the Weyburn Beavers before moving on to the Moose Jaw Millers leading the senior league for most assists. His accomplishments did not go unnoticed and earned him an invitation to the Canadiens training camp in 1940 at the request of head coach Dick Irvin. At only 22 years of age, Lach makes the team and in his first season records 21 points. For Lach and the Canadiens it was a sign of even better things to come. In 1942-43, he finishes ninth in the NHL scoring race with 58 points. The following season Lach would continue to display his passing skills, finishing second in the league with 48 helpers in a season that would see the Canadiens dominate their opponents, losing only five of the 50 regular season games including a perfect record on home ice. The Canadiens would go on to win their first Stanley Cup since 1931, while Lach set a record that still remains unchallenged 66 years later when he earned six assists in a game on February 6, 1943 against the Boston Bruins.

Playing between Maurice Richard and Toe Blake on the powerful Punch Line, Lach was the perfect set-up man for the two snipers. The Punch Line would quickly become one of the most prolific lines in the history of the league. In 1944-45, playing their full first season together, the fearsome threesome recorded a combined total of 220 points, a record that would stand for two decades. Lach led the NHL with 54 assists, won the scoring championship with 80 points and was awarded the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. In 1946-47, Lach would duplicate his feat and in doing so became the inaugural recipient of the Art Ross Trophy.

Despite the loss of Toe Blake on the left side, Elmer Lach would continue to rack up points with an amazing ease. In 1951-52, he records his 549th career point, surpassing the legendary Bill Cowley as the NHL’s all-time leading scorer. Lach would once again lead the league with 50 assists. Over half a century after retiring from the game, and despite having played only 664 games in his career, Lach is among the top 11 Canadiens for most assists (408) and points (623). Lach was known for his resilience in battling several serious injuries. During his 14-year career, he suffered a dozen fractures, including seven to his nose. Had he not been sidelined for a total of 150 games, Lach, who averaged a point per game over his career, could have added as many more points to his total.

A five-time all-star selection, including three on the first team, he scored the overtime goal that would give the Canadiens another Stanley Cup in 1953 and earn his third and final Cup. Following the 1953-54 season, Elmer Lach retired but his name would remain in the NHL record book for many more years. At the time of hanging up his skates, he was the league’s all-time leader with 408 assists, a number that clearly substantiated his outstanding playmaking skills throughout his 14 years as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Elmer Lach was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966 and remains one of the greatest passers in the history of the game and a key contributor to the success of the Montreal Canadiens.

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