Billy Coutu
Encyclopedia
Wilfrid Arthur Coutu was a professional Canadian ice hockey
defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League
for the Montreal Canadiens
, the Hamilton Tigers, and the Boston Bruins
. He was the only player banned from the NHL for life, as a result of his attack on a referee
in 1927.
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.
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.
playoffs in 1919, Coutu and four other teammates contracted influenza
and were hospitalized. 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
. 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 the ear back on. Shore claimed Coutu used his hockey stick
to cut off the ear, and Coutu was fined $50; Shore later recanted and Coutu's money was refunded.
At the end of Game 4 of the 1927 Stanley Cup
, Coutu started a bench-clearing brawl, apparently at the request of coach Art Ross
, by assaulting referee Jerry Laflamme and tackling referee Billy Bell. As a result, he was expelled from the NHL for life; as of January 2011, this punishment has not been used again. On October 8, 1929, the suspension was lifted so that Coutu could play in the minor league
s. He never played in the NHL again, although he was reinstated in 1932–33 at the insistence of Leo Dandurand
.
Source: Hockey Database
Full amateur and professional statistics
Team history
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, the Hamilton Tigers, and the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. He was the only player banned from the NHL for life, as a result of his attack on a referee
Official (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There are two categories of officials, on-ice officials, who are the referees and linesmen that enforce the rules during game play, and off-ice officials, who have an...
in 1927.
A former captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
of the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
(1925–26), Coutu also played for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and Hamilton Tigers and coached the Providence Reds
Providence Reds
The Providence Reds were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League between 1926–1936 and the American Hockey League from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956...
. His name appears on the 1923–24 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
ring.
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 Canadiens website. Several hockey history books, including The Hockey News "Habs Heroes" by Ken Campbell incorrectly attribute his name to a photograph of teammate Louis Berlinguette. 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
Howie Morenz
Howard William Morenz was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played centre for three National Hockey League teams: the Montreal Canadiens , the Chicago Black Hawks, and the New York Rangers...
and widow of Bernie Geoffrion
Bernie Geoffrion
Joseph André Bernard Geoffrion , nicknamed Boom Boom, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Generally considered as one of the innovators of the slapshot, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 following a 16-year career with the Montreal Canadiens and New York...
. Howie Morenz played with Coutu on the Canadiens.
Playing career
Coutu turned professional with the Canadiens in 1916–17, the last season of the NHA. He stayed with the Canadiens when the new NHL formed for 1917–18. During the Stanley CupStanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
playoffs in 1919, Coutu and four other teammates contracted influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
and were hospitalized. The 1919 Stanley Cup series
1919 Stanley Cup Finals
Seattle dominated Montreal under PCHA rules, scoring two in the first, three in the second and a further two in the third. Corbeau of Montreal was injured but finished the game and continued to play in the series as a substitute.-Game two:...
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
Sprague Cleghorn
Henry William Sprague "Peg" Cleghorn, , was a Canadian professional hockey player from Westmount who played for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Renfrew Creamery Kings and Toronto St. Patricks in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League...
, in exchange for Harry Mummery
Harry Mummery
Harold "Mum" Mummery was an Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. Mummery played professionally from 1911 until 1923, including six seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Blueshirts, Toronto Arenas, Quebec Bulldogs, Montreal Canadiens and Hamilton Tigers...
, Amos Arbour
Amos Arbour
Joseph Hermas "Amos, Butch" Arbour was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played seven seasons in the National Hockey Association and six seasons in the National Hockey League for Montreal Canadiens, Hamilton Tigers and Toronto St. Patricks.-Career statistics:-External links:...
, and Cully Wilson, in the NHL's first multiple-player trade.
After the 1925–26 NHL season, Coutu was traded to the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in exchange for Amby Moran
Amby Moran
Ambrose Joseph Jason Moran was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 35 games in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks.-External links:...
. During his first practice with the Bruins, Coutu body-slammed Eddie Shore
Eddie Shore
Edward William Shore was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, principally for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, and the longtime owner of the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, iconic for his toughness and defensive skill.Shore won the Hart Trophy as the...
. 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 the ear back on. Shore claimed Coutu used his hockey stick
Hockey stick
A hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in field hockey, ice hockey or roller hockey to move the ball or puck.- Field hockey :Field hockey sticks have an end which varies in shape, often depending on the players position...
to cut off the ear, and Coutu was fined $50; Shore later recanted and Coutu's money was refunded.
At the end of Game 4 of the 1927 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
, Coutu started a bench-clearing brawl, apparently at the request of coach Art Ross
Art Ross
Arthur Howey "Art" Ross was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and executive from 1905 until 1954. Regarded as one of the best defenders of his era by his peers, he was one of the first to skate with the puck up the ice rather than pass it to a forward...
, by assaulting referee Jerry Laflamme and tackling referee Billy Bell. As a result, he was expelled from the NHL for life; as of January 2011, this punishment has not been used again. On October 8, 1929, the suspension was lifted so that Coutu could play in the minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
s. He never played in the NHL again, although he was reinstated in 1932–33 at the insistence of Leo Dandurand
Leo Dandurand
Joseph Viateur "Léo" Dandurand , was a sportsman and businessman. He was the owner and coach of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team in the National Hockey League...
.
Career statistics
- Total games played: 240
- Total goalsGoal (ice hockey)In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...
: 33 - Total assistsAssist (ice hockey)In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...
: 18 - Total pointsPoint (ice hockey)Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...
: 51 - Total penaltyPenalty (ice hockey)A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...
minutes: 380 - Won the Stanley Cup in 1924 with Montreal Canadiens
Source: Hockey Database
Full amateur and professional statistics
Team history
- 1915–16 Michigan Soo Indians (NMHL)
- 1916–20 Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
(NHANational Hockey AssociationThe National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
),(NHL) - 1920–21 Hamilton Tigers (NHL)
- 1921–26 Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
(NHL) - 1926–27 Boston BruinsBoston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
(NHL) (expelled) - 1927–28 New-Haven Eagles (CAHLCanadian-American Hockey LeagueThe Canadian-American Hockey League, popularly known as the Can-Am League, was a professional ice hockey league that operated from 1926 to 1936. It was a direct ancestor of the American Hockey League....
) - 1928–29 Newark Bulldogs (CAHL)
- 1929–31 Minneapolis MillersMinneapolis MillersThe Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
(AHA) - 1933–34 Providence RedsProvidence RedsThe Providence Reds were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League between 1926–1936 and the American Hockey League from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956...
(CAHL) Head Coach
Transactions
- November 24, 1916 - Signed as a free agent by Montreal Canadiens (NHA).
- November 26, 1917 - Rights retained by Montreal Canadiens after NHA folded.
- November 27, 1920 - Loaned to Hamilton Tigers by Montreal Canadiens as part of trade of Jack McDonald, Harry MummeryHarry MummeryHarold "Mum" Mummery was an Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. Mummery played professionally from 1911 until 1923, including six seasons in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Blueshirts, Toronto Arenas, Quebec Bulldogs, Montreal Canadiens and Hamilton Tigers...
and Dave Ritchie to Hamilton for Jack CoughlinJack Coughlin (ice hockey)John Joseph "Jack" Coughlin was a professional ice hockey player. He played three seasons in the National Hockey League from 1917-18 to 1919-20 season for Toronto Arenas, Quebec Bulldogs, Montreal Canadiens, and Hamilton Tigers. He played 6 games in 1918 helping Toronto win the Stanley...
, Samuel (Goldie) Prodgers and Joe Matte. - January 26, 1921 - Returned to Montreal Canadiens from loan to Hamilton Tigers.
- November 15, 1921 - Fined $200 and suspended by Montreal Canadiens for rough play.
- March 8, 1923 - Missed seven games due to a broken wrist suffered in a game vs. Toronto St. Patricks.
- January 21, 1925 - Suspended two games and fined $100 by NHL for misconduct.
- January 19, 1926 - Suspended one game and fined $100 by NHL for tripping referee Jerry Laflamme vs Ottawa Senators.
- October 22, 1926 - Traded to Boston Bruins by Montreal Canadiens for Amby Moran.
- April 13, 1927 - Suspended for life from the NHL for assaulting referee Jerry Laflamme, tackling referee Billy Bell, and starting a bench-clearing brawl after a Stanley Cup game.
- January 5, 1928 - Traded to New Haven (Can-Am) by Boston with Pat (Nobby) Clark for cash.
- January 28, 1928 - Suspended for the season by Can-Am for hitting George Redding of Boston with his stick in January 23, 1928 game.
- January 29, 1928 - Suspension lifted by Can-Am and changed to a $200 fine.
- August 19, 1928 - Traded to Minneapolis (AHA) by New Haven (Can-Am) for cash.
- November 8, 1928 - Released by Minneapolis (AHA).
- October 8, 1929 - Lifetime suspension from NHL lifted.
- October 2, 1934 - Named manager of Providence (Can-Am).
- March 24, 1935 - Ejected from Can-Am game for abusing referee Jack Cameron.