Two Corridor of Famers with the Lions for spring

Nearly 18 and 19 years outdated on the time, forwards Rodrigue Gilbert and Jean Ratelle have been younger abilities with a shiny future with the New York Rangers.

At the moment, the Lions have been taking part in their first season within the Japanese Skilled Hockey League (EPHL), the brand new division created by the Nationwide Hockey League and its groups.

After ending their 1959-1960 calendar with the Guelph Biltmores within the Ontario Hockey Affiliation (OHA), junior A league, the 2 Quebecers in addition to their teammate Bob Cunningham have been despatched to Mauricie to take the marketing campaign to ended with the Lions, a tied group. with the Rangers.

Instantaneous success

Thrown into the final three video games of the common schedule, Ratelle and Gilbert have been very profitable with their first spades on the ice of the Coliseum on the Parc de l’Exposition. Gilbert was capable of distinguish himself by blacking out the rating sheet ten occasions whereas his devoted companion collected eight factors.

With this addition, the Lions gave themselves nice confidence for the sequence in opposition to the Montreal Royals, a group made up largely of veterans conversant in the minor skilled circuits.

Rodrigue Gilbert and Jean Ratelle joined the Rangers in opposition to the highly effective Canadian machine for a few years. (NHL Archives)

From the primary sport, Mauricie representatives have been capable of win 2 to 1 on the ice of the well-known Montreal Discussion board due to a pair of targets from Jean-Paul Denis. They then took a two-win lead by getting the higher of the second duel by a rating of three to 1, propelled by two Gilbert offensive successes.

The Royals, nonetheless, had not mentioned their final phrase and managed to win within the third sport performed in Montreal. Trois-Rivières then allowed themselves to push their opponents to the brink by profitable 4 to three within the second extra time interval within the fourth sport, offered on the Colisee. Within the fifth sport, Montreal gained once more, which put the Lions in an ungainly place.

An abrupt finish to every degree for the primary felines

As a result of Gilbert and Ratelle have been restricted within the variety of video games they might play, given their standing as junior gamers, they might not take part in additional than eight video games earlier than having to signal a contract and thus changing into skilled hockey gamers.

Because of this, when Bob Sabourin and Léon Rochefort returned to play, coach Gerry Désaulniers thought it was now not essential to make use of the 2 kids, in accordance with what was written in Montréal-Matin on April 5, 1960 .

In truth, the absence of Ratelle and Gilbert was felt and the jokes acquired out of the final two video games of the sequence, permitting the Royals to slide into the finals. Their opponents in Montreal then gained high honors by defeating the Sudbury Wolves in seven duels.

Rod Gilbert stays the best supervisor and goalscorer in Rangers historical past. (Related Press)

This seventh sport misplaced on the Discussion board was in the end the conclusion of the brief historical past of this primary version of the Lions as they have been moved to Kitchener to turn out to be the Beavers.

For its half, the EPHL ended its actions after the 1962-1963 season. Regardless of promising outcomes on the ice, the distribution was not financially viable, primarily due to the smallness of its markets, in accordance with what was given on the time.

Cease brief earlier than nice careers

This brief time of Gilbert and Ratelle in Trois-Rivières gave the followers of the world the chance to find two younger gamers with nice expertise who, after one other yr within the youth, have been capable of set up themselves brilliantly in New York Rangers uniform.

Members of the prolific unit nicknamed the A aim sport (GAG) together with their companion Vic Hadfield, the 2 Quebecers have been on the coronary heart of a number of the most stunning chapters within the lengthy historical past of the New York group.

After spending his whole profession with the Madison Sq. Backyard resident membership, Gilbert stays the Rangers’ main scorer (1,061 factors) in addition to its most well-known scorer (406 targets). The person nicknamed Mr. Ranger gained the Invoice Masterton Trophy in 1976, which was awarded to the participant who confirmed probably the most journey and group spirit.

For his half, Ratelle, often called a sleek and good-looking hockey participant, performed his greatest years with the Blueshirts, defending their colours between 1960 and 1975, scoring 817 factors in 861 video games.

Firstly of the 1975-1976 season, the Lac-Saint-Jean native was concerned in one of many greatest trades in NHL historical past when he moved to the Boston Bruins together with Brad Park and Joe Zanussi in change for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais.

When he hung up his skates, Ratelle had 1,267 factors in 1,281 video games. He additionally gained the Girl-Bing trophy twice, awarded yearly to the participant with “the most effective sportsmanship whereas sustaining extraordinary performances”.

Regardless of their success, Gilbert and Ratelle have been by no means capable of lead New York to the Stanley Cup. They got here closest in 1972, however Bobby Orr’s Bruins beat them. Nevertheless, they have been central to Canada’s victory within the legendary 1972 Century sequence in opposition to the mighty USSR.

After their retirements, Gilbert (1983) and Ratelle (1986) have been inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame, an plain testomony to their nice careers. Gilbert’s quantity 7, from 1979, and Ratelle’s quantity 19, from 2018 solely, float within the top of Madison Sq. Backyard.

Jean Ratelle is now 83 years outdated and sadly Rod Gilbert handed away on the age of 80 in August 2021.

Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle at Ratelle’s quantity 19 retirement social gathering in February 2018. (Related Press)