Billy Coutu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilfrid "Billy" Arthur Coutu (b. March 1, 1892 North Bay, Ontario d. February 28, 1978 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) was a professional Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Hamilton Tigers and the Boston Bruins.
- Position: Defenceman
- Shoots: Left
- Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
- Weight: 190 lb (86 kg)
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[edit] Playing career
Coutu was the first player banned from the NHL for life. A former captain of the Montreal Canadiens (1925-26), Coutu also played for the Boston Bruins and Hamilton Tigers and coached the Providence Reds. His name appears on the 1923-24 Stanley Cup ring.
Billy Coutu started his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, in the first year of the NHL. During the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1919, Coutu and four other teammates, Joe Hall, manager George Kennedy, Jack McDonald, and Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde contracted influenza and were hospitalized. Teammate Joe Hall died during Game 5, and the 1919 Stanley Cup series was cancelled.
After playing the 1920-21 NHL season with the Hamilton Tigers, Coutu was traded back to Montreal prior to the start of the 1921-22 NHL season, along with Sprague Cleghorn, in exchange for Harry Mummery, Amos Arbour, and Cully Wilson, in the NHL's first multiple-player trade.
After the 1925-26 NHL season, Coutu was traded to the Boston Bruins, in exchange for Amby Moran. During his first practice with the Bruins, Coutu body-slammed Eddie Shore, who had been strutting in front of Cleghorn and Coutu. Coutu's forehead hit Shore's skull, severing Shore's ear. Shore visited several doctors who wanted to amputate the ear, but finally found one who sewed it back on. After refusing anaesthetic, Shore used a mirror to watch the doctor sew on the ear. Shore claimed Coutu used his hockey stick to cut off the ear, and Coutu was fined $50. However, Shore later recanted and Coutu's money was refunded.
In Game 4 of the 1927 Stanley Cup, Coutu started a Stanley Cup brawl, apparently at the request of coach Art Ross. Coutu punched referee Jerry LaFlamme. As a result, Billy Coutu was the first and only player (to date) to be expelled from the NHL for life. On October 8, 1929, the suspension was lifted so that Coutu could play in the minor leagues. He never played in the NHL again, although in 1932-33, on the insistence of Leo Dandurand, he was reinstated to the NHL.
[edit] Career statistics
- Total games played: 240
- Total goals: 33
- Total assists: 18
- Total points: 51
- Total penalty minutes: 380
Source: Hockey Database
Full amateur and professional statistics
[edit] Team history
- 1915-16 Michigan Soo Indians (NMHL)
- 1916-17 Montreal Canadiens (NHA)
- 1917-20 Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
- 1920-21 Hamilton Tigers (NHL)
- 1921-26 Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
- 1926-27 Boston Bruins (NHL) (expelled)
- 1927-28 New-Haven Eagles (CAHL)
- 1928-29 Newark Bulldogs (CAHL)
- 1929-31 Minneapolis Millers (AHA)
- 1933-34 Providence Reds (CAHL) Head Coach
[edit] Personal Life
Billy Coutu's last name is sometimes incorrectly spelled "Couture", an error which appears in many NHL history books and, for a time, even showed up on the Montreal Canadians website. He and his family pronounced their name "Koochee", which was sometimes confused with "Couture".
Ms. Aird Stuart, the sister of Coutu's wife, Gertrude Aird, was the mother of Mary Morenz and grandmother of Marlene Geoffrion, daughter of Howie Morenz and widow of Bernie Geoffrion. Howie Morenz played with Coutu on the Canadiens.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Sports Encyclopedia Entry
- Hockey Hall of Fame Biography
- Hockey Heritage North Museum notes for Billy Coutu
| Preceded by Sprague Cleghorn |
Montreal Canadiens captains 1925-26 |
Succeeded by Sylvio Mantha |
[edit] References
Personal interview with Edmond Coutu, son of Billy Coutu.
