Noel Picard

Joseph Jean-Noël Yves Picard (December 25, 1938 – September 6, 2017) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1965 to 1973.

Playing career

Picard started his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1965. He later played for the St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Flames. Picard retired after the 1973 season, winning one Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1965. He is noted for tripping Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins after Orr scored the series-winning goal of the 1970 Stanley Cup Final, sending a jumping Orr flying through the air with his arms raised in celebration. This image stands as one of the most famous action shots in North American sports history.

Personal life Picard was a broadcaster for Blues games after he retired. He purchased Midway, a restaurant in Cuba, Missouri, in 1976 and later sold. He returned to Montreal, where he died in 2017.

Picard had two children with his wife Viviane who were raised in the St. Louis area; a daughter Annie in Chicago, and son Dan (who lives in New Baden, Illinois). Picard was the younger brother of Roger Picard, with whom he briefly played in St. Louis for one season.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1959–60 Peterborough Petes OHA 29 1 3 4 22 12 2 1 3 4 1960–61 Jersey Larks EHL 55 2 6 8 55 — — — — — 1961–62 Montreal Olympics Qué-Sr. 18 3 7 10 8 6 1 3 4 17 1961–62 Montreal Olympics Al-Cup — — — — — 15 2 6 8 38 1962–63 Sherbrooke Castors Qué-Sr. — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0 1963–64 Omaha Knights CPHL 59 4 25 29 147 9 1 2 3 12 1964–65 Montreal Canadiens NHL 16 0 7 7 33 3 0 1 1 0 1964–65 Omaha Knights CPHL 50 13 23 36 142 — — — — — 1965–66 Houston Apollos CPHL 58 3 15 18 186 — — — — — 1966–67 Seattle Totems WHL 63 3 24 27 135 10 2 5 7 16 1966–67 Providence Reds AHL 9 0 3 3 17 — — — — — 1967–68 St. Louis Blues NHL 66 1 10 11 142 13 0 3 3 46 1968–69 St. Louis Blues NHL 67 5 19 24 131 12 1 4 5 30 1969–70 St. Louis Blues NHL 39 1 4 5 88 16 0 2 2 65 1970–71 St. Louis Blues NHL 75 3 8 11 119 6 1 1 2 26 1971–72 St. Louis Blues NHL 15 1 5 6 50 — — — — — 1972–73 St. Louis Blues NHL 16 1 0 1 10 — — — — — 1972–73 Atlanta Flames NHL 41 0 10 10 43 — — — — — NHL totals 335 12 63 75 616 50 2 11 13 167