Richard Brodeur

Richard Brodeur (born September 15, 1952), is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was one of a select group of goaltenders to play in every season of the seven-year existence of the World Hockey Association, doing so with the Quebec Nordiques. Nicknamed "King Richard" and "Kermit", Brodeur was the starting goaltender for each of Quebec's runs to the Avco Cup Final, where they lost in 1975 and won in 1977. He moved over to the National Hockey League in 1979, playing just two games before being moved to the Central Hockey League. He then was moved over to the Vancouver Canucks in 1980, where he played the next eight seasons and led the team to their first ever Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1982. He closed out his career with six games behind the net with the Hartford Whalers in 1987 and play with their American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton in 1988.

Early life Brodeur was born in Longueuil, Quebec and grew up in Montreal, Quebec.

Playing career

Dimanche/Derniere-Heure photo of Richard Brodeur for Vancouver Canucks, c. 1982-1983 Brodeur was selected in the 1972 NHL entry draft by the New York Islanders, but chose instead to play in the World Hockey Association with the Quebec Nordiques, for whom he played for seven seasons. The 1975–76 season was his best; he played 69 games and won 44 of them. In 1976–77, he helped his team win the Avco World Trophy.

When the WHA folded following the 1978–79 season, he was protected as one of the Nordiques' priority selections, then was traded to the Islanders for Göran Högosta. However, he only played two games for them as he was the third goalie behind Billy Smith and Chico Resch, and was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in 1980. In his second season with the Canucks, he guided the team during their playoff run to the Final, which they lost to Brodeur's old team, the Islanders.

Brodeur was selected to play in the 1983 All-Star Game, but couldn't play due to an ear injury suffered in Toronto three days earlier. He remained with the Canucks for almost eight seasons, then was traded near the end of the 1987–88 NHL season to the Hartford Whalers, where he ended his NHL career. He was the last active NHL player from the WHA's inaugural season, and the last to have played in all seven seasons of the WHA's existence. In his professional career between two leagues, he went 296–289–74 as goaltender.

After his retirement, he founded his own hockey school in the Vancouver area. He also briefly worked as an analyst on Quebec Nordiques French TV telecasts.

He has been noted as the goaltender on whom Wayne Gretzky scored the most goals, with 29.

Awards Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy, MVP Memorial Cup (Cornwall Royals) 1972 (Inaugural Winner). Terry Sawchuk Trophy (CHL) - 1979-1980 Named to the NHL All-Star Game - 1983 Cyclone Taylor Award (Vancouver Canucks) - 1981, 1982, 1985 Molson Cup (Most Canucks three-star selections) - 1980–81, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1985–86 World Hockey Association Hall of Fame - 2010 - Inaugural Inductee

Personal life Brodeur is an artist, using oil on canvas, and has had several shows at Diskin Galleries in Vancouver.

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% 1970–71 Verdun Maple Leafs QJHL 6 1 4 1 360 47 0 7.83 .813 — — — — — — — — — 1970–71 Cornwall Royals QJHL 35 — — — 2100 144 0 4.11 .879 — — — — — — — — — 1971–72 Cornwall Royals QMJHL 58 — — — 3481 170 5 2.93 .914 16 12 3 1 960 44 0 2.75 .922 1971–72 Cornwall Royals M-Cup — — — — — — — — — 3 2 1 — 179 4 1 1.34 — 1972–73 Quebec Nordiques WHA 24 5 14 2 1288 102 0 4.75 .861 — — — — — — — — — 1973–74 Quebec Nordiques WHA 30 15 12 1 1607 89 1 3.32 .901 — — — — — — — — — 1973–74 Maine Nordiques NAHL 16 10 5 1 927 47 0 3.04 — — — — — — — — — — 1974–75 Quebec Nordiques WHA 51 29 21 0 2938 188 0 3.90 .892 15 8 7 — 906 48 1 3.18 .913 1975–76 Quebec Nordiques WHA 69 44 21 2 3967 244 2 3.69 .890 5 1 4 — 299 22 0 4.41 — 1976–77 Quebec Nordiques WHA 53 29 18 2 2906 167 2 3.45 .880 17 12 5 — 1007 55 1 3.28 .882 1977–78 Quebec Nordiques WHA 36 18 15 2 1962 121 0 3.70 .892 11 5 5 — 622 38 1 3.67 — 1978–79 Quebec Nordiques WHA 42 25 13 3 2433 126 3 3.11 .901 3 0 2 — 114 14 0 7.37 — 1979–80 New York Islanders NHL 2 1 0 0 80 6 0 4.50 .829 — — — — — — — — — 1979–80 Indianapolis Checkers CHL 46 22 19 5 2722 131 4 2.88 — 6 3 3 — 357 12 1 2.02 — 1980–81 Vancouver Canucks NHL 52 17 18 16 3024 177 0 3.51 .884 3 0 3 — 185 13 0 4.22 .852 1981–82 Vancouver Canucks NHL 52 20 18 12 3010 168 2 3.35 .891 17 11 6 — 1089 49 0 2.70 .917 1982–83 Vancouver Canucks NHL 58 21 26 8 3291 208 0 3.79 .873 3 0 3 — 193 13 0 4.04 .849 1983–84 Vancouver Canucks NHL 36 10 21 5 2110 141 1 4.01 .868 4 1 3 — 222 12 1 3.24 .896 1984–85 Vancouver Canucks NHL 51 16 27 6 2930 228 0 4.67 .855 — — — — — — — — — 1984–85 Fredericton Express AHL 4 3 0 1 249 13 0 3.13 .898 — — — — — — — — — 1985–86 Vancouver Canucks NHL 64 19 32 8 3541 240 2 4.07 .861 2 0 2 — 120 12 0 6.00 .848 1986–87 Vancouver Canucks NHL 53 20 25 5 2972 178 1 3.59 .872 — — — — — — — — — 1987–88 Vancouver Canucks NHL 11 3 6 2 668 49 0 4.40 .859 — — — — — — — — — 1987–88 Fredericton Express AHL 2 0 1 0 99 8 0 4.85 .862 — — — — — — — — — 1987–88 Hartford Whalers NHL 6 4 2 0 339 15 0 2.65 .894 4 1 3 — 199 12 0 3.62 .862 1988–89 Binghamton Whalers AHL 6 1 2 0 222 21 0 5.68 .824 — — — — — — — — — WHA totals 305 165 114 12 17,101 1037 8 3.64 .889 51 26 23 — 2948 177 3 3.60 — NHL totals 385 131 175 62 21,966 1410 6 3.85 .872 33 13 30 — 2008 111 1 3.32 .894