Jacques Richard

Jacques A.G. Richard (October 7, 1952 – October 8, 2002) was a professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Atlanta Flames, Buffalo Sabres, and Quebec Nordiques. After an impressive junior career, Jacques Richard was considered a potential NHL superstar, but failed to live up to the promise. Trouble followed him during his career and, tragically, even into retirement. In 2002 Jacques Richard died in a car accident after celebrating his 50th birthday.

Junior career

Jacques Richard had a spectacular junior career with the Quebec Remparts, scoring 186 goals and 213 assists for 399 points in only 169 games. Playing with Guy Chouinard and Andre Savard he was a significant component of a devastating trio. At the time Richard was considered by some to have equal, if not more, pro potential than teammate Guy Lafleur.

Pro career

For the 1972-73 seaon the NHL added two teams, the Atlanta Flames and the New York Islanders, with a coin toss in June 1972 deciding which team would get the first choice in the draft. Concerned that the new WHA might sign the two top prospects, Billy Harris and Jacques Richard, the two expansion teams held their own "clandestine" coin toss in advance. New York won that toss and chose Billy Harris. This allowed the teams to begin immediate negotiations with the players.

Jacques Richard was drafted 2nd overall in the 1972 NHL Amateur Draft. Jacques Richard was slated to be the marqee player by the expansion Atlanta Flames. However, he was to have a mostly indifferent pro career. Troubled at times by serious injuries, facial fractures in 1974-75 and a knee injury 1979-80, he also indulged in alcohol, gambling and eventually cocaine.

His rookie year in Atlanta was a disappointment. Richard rarely spoke to anyone that first year, perhaps a clue to problems adapting to the NHL, and he finished the season scoring only 13 goals. Teamed in his second season with Tom Lysiak his prospects seems brighter as he scored 27 goals. However, his play would eventually prove inadequate and he would begin to find himself shuffled between the NHL and the minors. After three years with Atlanta, he was finally traded to Buffalo.

Buffalo Sabre General Manager Punch Imlach in his book "Heaven and Hell in the NHL" recalled his travails dealing with Richard's drinking. On one occasion, Richard was forced to miss a game due to a sprained wrist which had been hurt in a bar fight. On another, he barely missed being shot by a patron in a bar. Imlach describes Richard as "a nice kid, good hockey player" but he was "wasting his talent". Richard spent the next five seasons alternating between the NHL and playing full seasons in the minors. He was finally traded again, this time to Quebec.

Now, in his eighth year as a pro and back in the city of his junior triumphs, the promise shown as a junior appeared to finally be realized. In the 1980–81 season playing on a line with the Stastny brothers Richard tallied 52 goals and 51 assists for 103 points, to finish 10th in the league in points and 7th in goals. However, this was to be the only time he was to show this potential. The next season he was moved off the line with the Stastnys and his mediocre play returned. He retired in 1983.

Retirement and Death

Richard's troubles continued after hockey. In 1989 he was arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine, with an estimated street value of $1.5 million, into Canada. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. Then, on October 8, 2002, driving home from his 50th birthday party, Richard was killed in a single-vehicle accident when he drove his car into a culvert.

Awards and honours

QMJHL All-Star First Team: 1970-71, 1971-72
QMJHL Beliveau Trophy: 1971-72 (points leader)
Named to QMJHL all-time All-Star team by the Canadian Hockey League in 1999.

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1967–68	Quebec Jr. Aces	QJAHL		50	18	18	36	?		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Quebec Jr. Aces	QJAHL		50	23	40	63	78		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Quebec Remparts	QMJHL		52	62	64	126	170		15	11	14	25	30
1970–71	Quebec Remparts	QMJHL		55	53	60	113	125		14	18	17	35	42
1971–72	Quebec Remparts	QMJHL		61	71	89	160	100		15	11	26	37	23
1972–73	Atlanta Flames	NHL		74	13	18	31	32		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Atlanta Flames	NHL		78	27	16	43	45		4	0	0	0	2
1974–75	Atlanta Flames	NHL		63	17	12	29	31		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		73	12	23	35	31		9	1	1	2	7
1976–77	Hershey Bears	AHL		44	20	25	45	42		6	3	0	3	2
1976–77	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		21	2	0	2	16		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Hershey Bears	AHL		54	25	23	48	29		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		61	10	15	25	26		3	1	0	1	0
1979–80	Rochester Americans	AHL		37	13	23	36	37		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		14	3	12	15	4		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		78	52	51	103	39		5	2	4	6	14
1981–82	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		59	15	26	41	77		10	1	0	1	9
1982–83	Fredericton Express	AHL		19	16	15	31	16		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Quebec Nordiques	NHL		35	9	14	23	6		4	0	0	0	2
NHL totals				556	160	187	347	307		35	5	5	10	34