Jacques Richard
| Jacques Richard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Richard in 1977
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| Born |
October 7, 1952 Quebec City, QC, CAN |
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| Died | October 8, 2002 (aged 50) Issoudun, QC, CAN |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Left Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
Atlanta Flames Buffalo Sabres Quebec Nordiques Rochester Americans (AHL) Hershey Bears (AHL) Fredericton Express (AHL) |
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| NHL Draft | 2nd overall, 1972 Atlanta Flames |
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| Playing career | 1972–1983 | ||
Joseph Alfred Gilles Jacques Richard (October 7, 1952 – October 8, 2002) was a professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and Quebec Nordiques. After an impressive junior career, Richard was considered a potential NHL superstar, but, except for a single season late in his career, he failed to live up to the promise. He led a troubled life both in hockey and after. Six years after retiring, in 1989, he was arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine and then in 2002, Richard died in a car accident driving back from a party celebrating his 50th birthday.
Richard was drafted 2nd overall in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. Richard was slated to be the marqee player by the expansion Atlanta Flames. However, he was to have a mostly indifferent pro career. Troubled at times by serious injuries, facial fractures in 1974-75 and a knee injury 1979-80, he also indulged in alcohol, gambling and eventually cocaine.
Richard had a spectacular junior career with the Quebec Remparts, scoring 186 goals and 213 assists for 399 points in only 169 games. Playing with Guy Chouinard and Andre Savard he was a significant component of a devastating trio. At the time Richard was considered by some hockey experts to have equal, if not more, pro potential than teammate Guy Lafleur. At one time, Rampart management was negotiating to trade Richard to the Rosemont Nationals, a team in the same Quebec Junior A league for 3 players and $6,000 in return. However, the deal became public and the reaction by fans, for whom Richard had become an idol, was so violent that the deal was annulled. Indicative of the level of success Richard had achieved in junior hockey, in 1999, he was named to All-time QMJHL All-Star team by the Canadian Hockey League.
For the 1972–73 season the NHL added two teams, the Atlanta Flames and the New York Islanders, with a coin toss in June 1972 deciding which team would get the first choice in the draft. Concerned that the new WHA might sign the two top prospects, Billy Harris and Jacques Richard, the two expansion teams held their own "clandestine" coin toss in advance. New York won that toss and chose Harris. This allowed the teams to begin immediate negotiations with the players.
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