| 190th | Top sportspeople by nickname |
| Born |
April 6, 1952, Hull, PQ, CAN |
| Died |
July 29, 1992 (aged 40), Hull, PQ, CAN |
|
Height Weight |
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Caught | Left |
| Pro clubs |
Montreal
Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs Philadelphia Flyers St. Louis Blues |
| NHL Draft |
6th overall, 1972 Montreal Canadiens |
| Career | 1972 – 1985 |
Michel Raymond 'Bunny' Larocque (April 6, 1952, in Hull, Quebec, Canada - July 29, 1992) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League.
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In his juniour hockey days, he played with the Ottawa 67's of the OHA from 1967–68 to 1971–72. He led the league in shutouts for the last 3 of those years. He was also one of the most penalized goalies, and was regularly involved in fights. In 1972–73 he was with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs of the AHL. In 1973–74, he began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens.
Larocque would be co-winner of four Vezina Trophies. During that era, the trophy was given to the principal goalies on the team allowing the fewest goals in the regular season. The first three were largely because of the all-star play of Ken Dryden, although Larocque was considered a top backup and could have been the No.1 goalie for most NHL teams. In 1976-77 he led the NHL with a 2.09 goals against average, but with Dryden ahead of him in the Canadiens net, he only managed to play 26 games.
His final Vezina Trophy was shared with Denis Herron and Richard Sevigny in 1981.
He was part of another Vezina-winning team in the 1975–76 season; Larocque and Dryden also combined to let in the fewest goals of any team during the season, but Dryden was the solo winner of the trophy because Larocque played only 22 games, three fewer than the 25 needed to qualify for the award.
He won four Stanley Cups with Montreal in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. Near the trade deadline in 1980–81, he was traded to Toronto for defenceman Robert Picard. He was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1982–83, for goaltender Rick St. Croix and finished his NHL career with the St. Louis Blues in 1983–84 after being sold by the Flyers, who'd settled on Pelle Lindbergh in goal.
After his playing career ended, he served as general manager of the Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL) during the 1989–90 season and won QMJHL executive of the year for 1989–90. He was vice president of the QMJHL during the 1991–92 season and still held the position at time of his death.
He died of brain cancer at age 40 in his hometown of Hull, Quebec.
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 | Ottawa 67's | OHA | 56 | — | — | — | 3345 | 189 | 5 | 3.39 | — |
| 1971–72 | Ottawa 67's | OHA | 55 | — | — | — | 3287 | 189 | 4 | 3.45 | — |
| 1972-73 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 47 | — | — | — | 2705 | 113 | 1 | 2.50 | — |
| 1973–74 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 27 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 1431 | 69 | 0 | 2.89 | — |
| 1974–75 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 25 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 1480 | 74 | 3 | 3.00 | — |
| 1975–76 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 22 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 1220 | 50 | 2 | 2.46 | — |
| 1976–77 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 26 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 1525 | 53 | 4 | 2.09 | — |
| 1977–78 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 30 | 22 | 3 | 4 | 1729 | 77 | 1 | 2.67 | — |
| 1978–79 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 34 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 1986 | 94 | 3 | 2.84 | — |
| 1979–80 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 39 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 2259 | 125 | 3 | 3.32 | — |
| 1980–81 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 28 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 1623 | 82 | 1 | 3.03 | — |
| 1980–81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 460 | 40 | 0 | 5.22 | — |
| 1981–82 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 50 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 2647 | 207 | 0 | 4.69 | — |
| 1982–83 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 16 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 835 | 68 | 0 | 4.89 | — |
| 1982–83 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 120 | 8 | 0 | 4.00 | — |
| 1983-84 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 301 | 21 | 0 | 4.18 | — |
| 1983–84 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 300 | 31 | 0 | 6.20 | — |
| 1984-85 | Peoria Rivermen | AHL | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 786 | 41 | 0 | 3.13 | — |
| NHL totals | 312 | 160 | 89 | 45 | 17,615 | 978 | 17 | 3.33 | — | ||
| Preceded by Ken Dryden |
Winner of the Vezina Trophy with Ken Dryden 1977, 1978, 1979 |
Succeeded by Don Edwards and Bob Sauve |
| Preceded by Don Edwards and Bob Sauve |
Winner of the Vezina Trophy with Denis Herron and Richard Sevigny 1981 |
Succeeded by Billy Smith |
|
|||||
| Born | April 6, 1952, Hull, PQ, CAN |
| Died | July 29, 1992 (aged 40), Hull, PQ, CAN |
| Height Weight | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
| Position | Goaltender |
| Caught | Left |
| Pro clubs | Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs Philadelphia Flyers St. Louis Blues |
| NHL Draft | 6th overall, 1972 Montreal Canadiens |
| Playing career | 1972 – 1985 |
Larocque would help win four Vezina Trophies. During that time, the trophy was given to the main goaltenders on the team allowing the fewest goals in the regular season. The first three were mostly because of the all-star play of Ken Dryden. The final trophy was with Denis Herron and Richard Sevigny in 1981. He would win four Stanley Cups with Montreal in 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979.
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–71 | Ottawa 67's | OHA | 56 | — | — | — | 3345 | 189 | 5 | 3.39 | — |
| 1971–72 | Ottawa 67's | OHA | 55 | — | — | — | 3287 | 189 | 4 | 3.45 | — |
| 1972-73 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | 47 | — | — | — | 2705 | 113 | 1 | 2.50 | — |
| 1973–74 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 27 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 1431 | 69 | 0 | 2.89 | — |
| 1974–75 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 25 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 1480 | 74 | 3 | 3.00 | — |
| 1975–76 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 22 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 1220 | 50 | 2 | 2.46 | — |
| 1976–77 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 26 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 1525 | 53 | 4 | 2.09 | — |
| 1977–78 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 30 | 22 | 3 | 4 | 1729 | 77 | 1 | 2.67 | — |
| 1978–79 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 34 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 1986 | 94 | 3 | 2.84 | — |
| 1979–80 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 39 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 2259 | 125 | 3 | 3.32 | — |
| 1980–81 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 28 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 1623 | 82 | 1 | 3.03 | — |
| 1980–81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 460 | 40 | 0 | 5.22 | — |
| 1981–82 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 50 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 2647 | 207 | 0 | 4.69 | — |
| 1982–83 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 16 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 835 | 68 | 0 | 4.89 | — |
| 1982–83 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 120 | 8 | 0 | 4.00 | — |
| 1983-84 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 301 | 21 | 0 | 4.18 | — |
| 1983–84 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 300 | 31 | 0 | 6.20 | — |
| 1984-85 | Peoria Rivermen | AHL | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 786 | 41 | 0 | 3.13 | — |
| NHL totals | 312 | 160 | 89 | 45 | 17,615 | 978 | 17 | 3.33 | — | ||
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