En Francais

"Like the millions of hockey fans who have followed the life of the Rocket, I have been moved by his passing away. He made an unmeasureable contribution to the development of our sport and our society. Maurice was a great leader; an intense player always close to his public. We have all appreciated his determination, his courage, and above all, his simplicity.

We have been close to the members of Maurice Richard's family during the last few days, and have accepted in agreement with them to take charge of the ceremonies that will occur in the upcoming days. On behalf of all the members of the Canadiens organization and on my own, I would like to extend my deepest condoleances to the Richard family" said the president of the Montreal Canadiens, Mr. Pierre Boivin.

"I visited Maurice at the hospital on Monday and despite his condition, I felt that he still had this determination. I had the chance to play with Maurice during seven years, and we had great moments together. On behalf of Élyse and myself, I would like to offer our sincere condoleances to the Richard family" said Mr. Jean Béliveau.

Complete details in regards to the schedule of events will be released on Sunday, May 28.

A native of Montreal, Maurice Richard wore his first pair of skates at the tender age of 4. While a student at the Montreal school of technics, he was also playing for the Verdun junior hockey Club and the Senior Canadiens, before joining the Montreal Canadiens for his first NHL game on October 31, 1942 at the age of 21.

Maurice Richard's glorious career of 18 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, from 1942 to 1960, was highlighted by eight Stanley Cup Championships, including five consecutive ones from 1956 to 1960. Richard today remains the Montreal Canadiens career leader in regular season goals (544) and playoff goals (82), and all-together collected a total of 1 091 points (626 goals, 465 assists) in 1 111 NHL games, regular season and playoffs combined.

Maurice Richard became the very first player in the history of the NHL to score 50 goals in 50 games (1944-45) and also the first one to reach the 500-goal milestone (1957-58). He was selected to the NHL All-Star team for 14 consecutive seasons, from 1943-44 to 1956-57, including eight First All-Star team selections. In 1947, Richard was awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHL Most Valuable Player.

One of the greatest highlights of Maurice Richard's career remains the evening of december 28, 1944 when he established an NHL record by scoring five goals and three assists against the Detroit Red Wings, a few hours only after spending the whole day moving his family into a new home. On November 8, 1952, he became the NHL's all-time goal leader with his 325th career goal during the regular season to surpass Nels Stewart's record.

Richard was the captain of the Montreal Canadiens from 1956 to 1960, guiding the Habs to four consecutive Stanley Cup Championships to close-out his playing career. At the time of his retirement on September 15, 1960, the Rocket held or shared no less than 19 NHL records. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961.

In 1985, as part of the celebrations of the Montreal Canadiens 75th Anniversary, hockey fans voted Maurice Richard on the Canadiens all-time All-Star Team, along with Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey, Larry Robinson, Jean Béliveau, Dickie Moore and Hector "Toe" Blake.

A recipient of the Order of Canada, Maurice Richard became in 1992 the first sports personnality to be named as a member of the Queen Private Council.

The Rocket, who acted as one of five special ambassadeurs of the Montreal Canadiens, saw the creation of the Maurice Richard Foundation in 1993, a non-profit organization responsible for raising funds to renovate the Maurice Richard arena in Montreal.

On June 25, 1998, the National Hockey League announced the creation of the Maurice Richard Trophy, to be awarded annually to the NHL's best goal scorer. The very first recipient of the newly-created award was Teemu Selanne of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1998-99.

Maurice (Rocket) Richard dies of cancer

Richard also had Parkinson's disease, and his agent said doctors also suspected the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

 Richard, No. 62 on The Associated Press list of the top 100 athletes of the 20th century, was the cornerstone of the Canadiens' dynasty that won five straight Stanley Cups and eight in his 18 seasons in the NHL. Nicknamed the Rocket for his explosive speed and shot, Richard finished his career with a then-record 544 goals. He was the first player to score 500 goals and the first to score 50 goals in a season when he did it in 50 games in 1944-45. His six overtime goals remains a playoff record.

Richard was a compelling figure on the ice. He was ambidextrous, a right wing who shot left-handed. He often switched from backhand to forehand as he swooped in on goalies. In the days before curved blades and slap shots, the Rocket possessed a hard, accurate shot and he was one of hockey's most dangerous scorers.
 
 It was Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall who probably described Richard's magnetism best. "What I remember most about the Rocket were his eyes," Hall once said. "When he came flying toward you with the puck on his stick, his eyes were all lit up, flashing and gleaming like a pinball machine. It was terrifying."
 
 Richard had great strength and shrugged off checks. He sometimes carried defensemen with him as he zoomed in on goalies.
 
 Born in Montreal on Aug. 4, 1921, Richard grew up in a rough part of the city, next to a jail. He played hockey in the city's park league but his early career was often interrupted by injuries. There was a broken ankle, then a broken wrist. When he was promoted to the Canadiens in 1942, Richard broke his ankle again and the team's general manager, Tommy Gorman, said "It looks like we have a brittle-boned player on our hands." Gorman even considered releasing Richard.
 
 But as he matured, Richard shook off that image and became one of the most compelling figures in the six-team league through the 1940s and '50s.
 
 He often drew double coverage on the ice but he skated right through it, bowling defenders over and then staring them down with his dark, menacing eyes. The Rocket's Red Glare could dissect defenders.
 
 Richard led the league in goals five times and was part of the most devastating power play in hockey history, one which forced a change in the rules. Before the Richard-led Canadiens mastered the manpower advantage, penalized teams were forced to play shorthanded for the full term of the penalty. But the Canadiens became so proficient with the extra skater that they often scored two and three times, causing the rule to be changed and limiting power plays to a single goal.

"There were games when I felt everything I shot would go in," Richard said. "On some nights, if I touched the puck, I knew I would score.
 
 "We were supposed to win all the time. When we did not win, it was a tragedy to many fans. All they knew was win, win, win."
 
 In Montreal, Richard and the Canadiens were followed with religious zeal. Once, the combination of Richard's fiery Gaelic temper and the dedication of the fans to their hero and his team led to a riot.
 
 On March 13, 1955, Richard got into a brawl with Boston's Hal Laycoe, swinging his stick at the defenseman three times and then taking a punch at linesman Cliff Thompson who tried to get between them.
 
 NHL president Clarence Campbell suspended Richard for the final three games of the regular season and the entire playoffs. Then, four days after handing down his ruling, Campbell appeared at the Montreal Forum for a crucial game between Montreal and Detroit. He was greeted by boos and a shower of peanuts and programs. Then a fan approached Campbell as if to shake his hand and slugged him instead. A tear gas bomb exploded on the ice and the game was forfeited to the Red Wings.
 
 When the fans spilled out of the Forum on to Ste. Catherine Street, in the middle of downtown Montreal, stores were looted and the ugly crowd started a full scale riot.
 
 The next day, Richard went on the radio to plead for calm. "I will take my punishment," he said, "and come back next year to help the club and the younger players to win the Stanley Cup."
 
 And that's exactly what he did.
 
 The next year, with Richard back, the Canadiens began an unmatched run of five straight Cup championships. Nine months after he retired in 1960, Richard was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, which waived its usual five-year waiting period to honor him.
 
 Richard and wife Lucille, who died in 1994, had seven children and 14 grandchildren. Richard's brother, Henri, also played for the Canadiens.

Richard in deep coma; condition has worsened

X-rays reveal that Rocket has spinal osteoarthritis

Richard barely lucid

Richard experiencing pain in legs

Rocket Richard remains in stable condition

Rocket Richard stable; leaves bed

  The 78-year-old former hockey star was in no pain but was feeling the effects of strong medication which, in some cases, has left him confused to the point he couldn't recognize family members, the hospital said in a statement.

  Doctors hope to find the right combination of drugs that will continue to relieve his pain but won't leave him confused. Richard has a cancerous tumour in his abdomen which doctors say is inoperable and cannot be treated with radiation. Chemotherapy is an option, but only if Richard, who also suffers from Parkinson's disease, regains enough strength to endure the treatments.

Richard improves, doctors say

Rocket's health worsening, says agent

 "Things seem to have dramatically worsened in a short time," Roy told the French service of Broadcast News. "His health has deteriorated and the cancer has spread."

 Richard was supposedly feeling better Saturday morning but Roy said that by the time he visited the former Montreal Canadiens star at Hotel-Dieu hospital in the afternoon, the hockey legend was battling for life.

 "We have determined that the cancer has spread throughout his body and that he's in a semi-comatose state," Roy told RDI, the French-language version of CBC Newsworld. "They're giving him medication to ease his pain.

 "He recognized me and was able to make signals, but he can't express himself very much.

 "Only providence will determine his fate."

 Roy also told LCN, a local all-news TV station: "It's general cancer and it's only a question of time."

 Hospital spokesman Gerard Cellier refused to comment Saturday on Richard's health and said the hospital would issue a statement if his condition takes a turn for the worse.

 In addition to cancer, the 78-year former Montreal Canadiens superstar is also battling Parkinson's disease and may have Alzheimer's.

 Richard had been taking medication for about two years to control inoperable abdominal cancer.

 Richard was to have been released on Friday to spend the Victoria Day weekend at home, but doctors opted to keep him in hospital.

 He was first diagnosed with a tumour in his abdomen more than two years ago, but the cancer went into remission and he was able to resume the public appearances he makes as a "special ambassador" for the Canadiens.

 In 1944-45, Richard became the first NHL player to score 50 goals in a season, which he accomplished in only 50 games.

 The NHL inaugurated the Rocket Richard Trophy last season for the player who scores the most goals in a season. Richard presented the award last June to Anaheim's Teemu Selanne. Florida's Pavel Bure will receive it this year.

Richard may be facing cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's

Mixed messages over Rocket's condition

  His eldest son, Maurice Richard Jr., told a Montreal newspaper a new malignant tumour has been discovered in the abdomen of the hockey great while his friend and agent said it was too soon to draw any conclusions.

  "X-rays revealed the presence of a tumour," Maurice Richard Jr. told the Journal de Montreal, adding it was up to a doctor to say what that meant.

  But Jean Roy, agent and friend of 78-year-old Rocket Richard, said he was told by Richard's son that he had only told a reporter "that's what I think he has," about his father's illness.

  Roy said Richard would remain in Hotel Dieu hospital over the weekend and that doctors would announce results of their tests at a news conference on Tuesday.

  He said none of the family members or even Richard's girlfriend, Sonia Raymond, were sure of what the diagnosis would be.

  Rocket Richard has been undergoing tests at Hotel Dieu since Monday to try to discover why his health has deteriorated in recent months.

  "The situation has been getting worse for the last six months," Maurice Jr. said. "He's had more and more trouble moving around.

  "We're always afraid he's going to fall."

  Roy said doctors suspected, but had also not yet confirmed, that Richard has Alzheimer's disease.

  "A lot of things are puzzling for us," said Roy. "I spoke to (Richard) last Sunday and he spoke normally, very positively.

  "Then the doctors said he might have Alzheimer's. They had suspicions, but now it seems he might have that."

  Richard Jr. said the Rocket often felt confused from the effects of taking medications for the cancer, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's at the same time.

  "It's sad to see him like that," added Maurice Jr. "He deserves to be allowed to fight this in peace."

  He said family members were taking turns visiting the Rocket at the hospital.

  A cancerous tumour first discovered in Richard's abdomen more than two years ago had been held in check by medication, which allowed the Montreal Canadiens' legend to resume his work as a public relations "ambassador" for the team.

Diagnosis on ailing Rocket expected next week

 Agent Jean Roy said Richard, 78, may be released from Hotel Dieu hospital Friday to await the results of a battery of tests and observations taken since he entered hospital on Monday.

 "They might release him and then come out with their final statement," Roy said. "It could be next week.

 "Specialists want to consult with their confreres and look at things carefully. They don't rush."

 He said there would be a news release or news conference to update Richard's condition once the results are known.

 Richard, who scored a team-record 544 goals for the Canadiens in the 1940s and 1950s, was diagnosed with a rare form of abdominal cancer more than two years ago.

 His condition improved enough under medication for him to resume making public appearances for the team a few months later.

 He fell ill again recently with a painful weakening of his legs after beginning to take a new medication to control the onset of a light form of Parkinson's disease. His doctors ordered the tests fearing the cancer had come out of remission.

MAURICE RICHARD BACK IN HOSPITAL; DOCTORS FEAR CANCER AGAIN

MONTREAL (CP) -- Hockey great Maurice (Rocket) Richard is back in hospital with what doctors fear is a reoccurrence of the abdominal cancer he fought off more than a year ago.

  "We're not sure, but it might be possible that the cancer has come back," Richard's agent and close friend, Jean Roy, said today. "I can't say he is back with the cancer, but I can't deny it either.

  "That's what we're worried about."

  Richard, 76, was admitted to hospital on Monday, the same day that former Montreal Canadiens teammate Jean Beliveau announced that he would have treatment for a cancerous tumour in his neck.

  "We told Maurice about (Beliveau) last week," added Roy. "It didn't help, but that's not the major point here."

  Richard and Beliveau were teammates on a Canadiens dynasty that won five consecutive Stanley Cups from 1956 to '60. Richard is considered the team's greatest goal-scorer ever, and Beliveau, it's most respected captain.

  Roy said Richard's legs had been weakening in recent months as a side effect of medication to control a light form of Parkinson's disease.

  Richard is expected to be released either today or Thursday to await results of tests, he added.

  "For a while, it was going very good, until they diagnosed the Parkinson's and he started taking the medication," said Roy.

  Those close to one of the most beloved players in Canadiens history were worried.

  "We are waiting for the results of tests," Sonia Raymond, Richard's girlfriend, told the Journal de Montreal. "But it looks like his cancer has come back.

  "I can assure you Maurice will not give up. He will never give in. He's ready to submit to any kind of treatment."

  Roy said calls and messages from friends and former teammates were pouring in. At least two former rivals -- ex-Chicago Blackhawks star Stan Mikita and a former nemesis with the Detroit Red Wings Ted Lindsay -- had also called.

  Richard, the NHL's first 50-goal scorer, played 18 seasons from 1942 to 1960, amassing a then-record 544 goals and eight Stanley Cup titles with the Canadiens. Last season, the NHL inaugurated the Rocket Richard Trophy for the player who scores the most goals in season.

  Beliveau, 68, who played 20 seasons and won 10 Stanley Cups with the Canadiens before he retired in 1971, is to begin therapy soon on the tumour discovered during his annual medical examination.

  Richard and Beliveau both work as public relations "ambassadors" for the Canadiens, attending banquets and making public appearances for the team across Canada.

 FANS REEL AS TWO HABS BATTLE CANCER

MONTREAL (CP) -- Maurice (Rocket) Richard and Jean Beliveau won Stanley Cup titles together and became hockey icons with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1950s.

 Now, the two most revered players in the team's history are both battling cancer.

 Only a day after news emerged that Beliveau would undergo treatment for a malignant tumour in his neck came word Wednesday that Richard was back in hospital, with doctors worried that his abdominal cancer has come out of remission.

 "Both Beliveau and Richard within 24 hours -- that's a blow," said Montreal radio show host Pierre Trudel. "These are two legends."

 Concern for the health of the former NHL stars resonated all the way to the Quebec premier's office.

 Richard "has always been my sports hero," Premier Lucien Bouchard said from Santiago, Chile, where he's on a Quebec trade mission.

 "For all Quebecers who have followed his career, he's been a man with a heart who has given it his all, who has known how to make the extra effort and to meet his fans' expectations."

 Richard's inoperable cancer has been in remission with medication since it emerged two years ago.

 But during that time, the Canadiens' all-time scoring leader developed a light form of Parkinson's disease, which required additional medication.

 Jean Roy, Richard's agent and close friend, said the Rocket's legs gradually weakened after he began using the Parkinson's medication and doctors were worried the cancer was spreading.

 Richard, 78, entered hospital to begin a series of tests Monday -- the same day Beliveau, 68, announced he will be treated for a cancerous tumour.

 Richard is expected to be released today to await test results.

 "We're not sure, but it might be possible that the cancer has come back" said Roy. "I can't say he is back with the cancer, but I can't deny it either.

 "That's what we're worried about"

 Richard and Beliveau were teammates on a Canadiens dynasty that won five consecutive Stanley Cups from 1956 to 1960. Richard is considered the team's greatest goal-scorer ever, and Beliveau, it's most respected captain.

 Beliveau, 68, recently discovered a strange, marble-sized growth on his neck while shaving. He brought it to his doctor's attention during his annual checkup.

 He is to begin radiation treatments soon, vowing to beat the disease.

 His former linemate, Gilles Tremblay, said he expects Beliveau, who has always stayed in good shape, to win.

 "He told me that he's been through so many fights and storms, he can go through this one," said Tremblay, the left-winger on Beliveau's line for seven years in the 1960s. "He's confident.

 "He said he's ready to take all the tests and treatments and do whatever the doctors say."

 Sonia Raymond, Richard's girlfriend, said the Rocket was equally determined.

 "I can assure you Maurice will not give up," she said. "He will never give in. "He's ready to submit to any kind of treatment."

 Roy said calls and messages from friends and former teammates were pouring in. At least two rivals -- former Chicago star Stan Mikita and Detroit standout Ted Lindsay -- had also called.

 Tremblay said he put off trying to call Beliveau, figuring his former teammate wanted privacy and was likely getting calls from all over. But on Wednesday morning, his phone rang. It was Beliveau.

 "I had done an interview on television about him and he called to say thank you," said Tremblay, 61, who retired last year as analyst on Canadiens' French-language television broadcasts. "That shows you the kind of guy he is."

 Richard, the NHL's first 50-goal scorer, played 18 seasons (1942 to 1960), amassing a then-record 544 goals and eight Stanley Cup titles with the Canadiens. Last season, the NHL inaugurated the Rocket Richard Trophy for the player who scores the most goals in season.

 Beliveau played 20 seasons -- the last 10 as captain -- and won 10 Stanley Cup crowns with the Canadiens before retiring in 1971. He registered 507 goals and 1,219 career points.

 While Richard was a stocky, quick and explosive scorer who played with fire in his eyes, the six-foot-three Beliveau was a lean and graceful playmaker.

 Trudel called Richard the last survivor among "the three big names in our (Quebec) history" -- with former premier Rene Levesque and poet and singer Felix Leclerc.

 "For all French-Canadians, he's a symbol and a legend," Trudel said.

 Richard and Beliveau both work as public relations "ambassadors" for the Canadiens, attending banquets and making public appearances for the team across Canada.

The former Montreal Canadiens right-wing has lost considerable weight but is improving because of special medication, Jean Roy said today.

Richard's appetite has improved, he is still driving and he is continuing to follow his normal activities such as writing a Sunday column in Le Journal de Montreal.

But he tires easily, something that is not unusual for people getting chemotherapy treatment.

Richard, 76, cut short a Florida vacation last month and came home for treatment.

He attended last Saturday's Canadiens game against the Buffalo Sabres but left in the first period after feeling ill. He was too sick to attend an oldtimers game the next afternoon.

"You know Maurice," his brother Henri told the Montreal Gazette. "He's so proud. He's very sick.

"He doesn't want to be around people when he's feeling this way."

"The Rocket" Richard joined the Canadiens in 1942, going on to lead the greatest dynasty in hockey history.

He played 18 seasons with the team and in 1945 became the first to score 50 goals in a single season when his team played 50 games. By the time teammate Bernie Geoffrion duplicated his total 16 years later, the season was 20 games longer and another five years passed before the record was beaten by Bobby Hull of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Richard was a member of eight Stanley Cup-winning teams and was named to the first or second all-star team in 14 of his 18 seasons.

His popularity was so great that fans rioted when he was suspended in 1955 for fighting. The spectators' four-hour rampage resulted in overturned cars, smashed store windows and 137 arrests.

He retired from the game in 1960 and briefly took a front office job with the Habs.