Elmer Lach

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Elmer James Lach (born January 22, 1918 in Nokomis, Saskatchewan) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League.

Lach was the recipient of the Art Ross Trophy in 1948 and the Hart Trophy in 1945. He did lead the NHL in scoring during the 1944-45 season with 80 points, but this was before the creation of the Art Ross Trophy. Elmer was the centre of the great "Punch Line" with Toe Blake and Maurice Richard. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966.

Elmer won the Stanley Cup three times in the years 1944, 1946, and 1953.

In 1998, he was ranked number 68 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

[edit] Career statistics

				Regular Season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1940-41	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		43	7	14	21	16		3	1	0	1	0
1941-42	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		1	0	1	1	0		--	--	--	--	--
1942-43	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		45	18	40	58	14		5	2	4	6	6
1943-44	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		48	24	48	72	23		9	2	11	13	4
1944-45	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		50	26	54	80	37		6	4	4	8	2
1945-46	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		50	13	34	47	34		9	5	12	17	4
1946-47	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		31	14	16	30	22		--	--	--	--	--
1947-48	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		60	30	31	61	72		--	--	--	--	--
1948-49	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		36	11	18	29	59		1	0	0	0	4
1949-50	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		64	15	33	48	33		5	1	2	3	4
1950-51	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		65	21	24	45	48		11	2	2	4	2
1951-52	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		70	15	50	65	36		11	1	2	3	4
1952-53	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		53	16	25	41	56		12	1	6	7	6
1953-54	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		48	5	20	25	28		4	0	2	2	0
NHL Totals				664	215	408	623	478		76	19	45	64	36

Preceded by Max Bentley (NHL Scoring Champion)	Winner of the Art Ross Trophy 1948	Succeeded by Roy Conacher
Preceded by Herb Cain	NHL Scoring Champion 1945	Succeeded by Max Bentley

Preceded by Babe Pratt

Winner of the Hart Trophy 1945

Succeeded by Max Bentley