Jack Laviolette

Who was Jack Laviolette?

John "Jack" Laviolette was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. Laviolette played nine seasons for the Montreal Canadiens hockey club and was their first Captain, Coach, and General Manager. SIHR lists him as being born Aug.27,1879

Laviolette was one of the first francophone stars of ice hockey. He was born in Belleville, Ontario, but grew up in Valleyfield, Quebec. He was an outstanding scorer from the defenceman position. But Laviolette's true place in hockey history has less to do with his scoring prowess and more to do with his role as the true founding organizer of the Canadiens hockey club. He was their first player, coach and general manager in their inaugural 1910 season.

With the formation of the National Hockey Association in December 1909, team/league owner Ambrose O'Brien asked Laviolette to put together a team made up of French Canadian players to play as the "Les Canadiens" franchise in Montreal. Laviolette completed the task in time for the NHA's inaugural season. Among those that would sign on to that first team would be future hall of famers Newsy Lalonde, Didier Pitre and the "Chicoutimi Cucumber," Georges Vezina. The team he built would go on to be the most successful franchise in professional hockey.