Billy Coutu

Billy Coutu
Born	March 1, 1892(1892-03-01) North Bay, ON, CAN
Died	February 25, 1977(1977-02-25) (aged 84) Sault Ste. Marie, ON, CAN
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position	Defenceman
Shot	Left
Playing career	1916–1933

Wilfrid Arthur Coutu (March 1, 1892 – February 25, 1977) 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.

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 and widow of Bernie Geoffrion. 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 Cup 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 leagues. He never played in the NHL again, although he was reinstated in 1932–33 at the insistence of Leo Dandurand.

Career statistics

• Total games played: 240
• Total goals: 33
• Total assists: 18
• Total points: 51
• Total penalty 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 Canadiens (NHA),(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

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 Mummery and Dave Ritchie to Hamilton for Jack Coughlin, 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.

See also

• Violence in ice hockey
• 1919 Stanley Cup Finals
• List of NHL seasons

References

• Personal interview with Edmond Coutu, son of Billy Coutu.
• Personal interview with Gerald P. Coutu, grandson of Billy Coutu. 2009.

External links

• Billy Coutu's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Sports Encyclopedia Entry
• Hockey Hall of Fame Biography
• Hockey Heritage North Museum notes for Billy Coutu

Preceded by Sprague Cleghorn

Montreal Canadiens captain 1925–26

Succeeded by Sylvio Mantha

Persondata
Name	Coutu, Billy
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 1, 1892
Place of birth	North Bay, ON, CAN
Date of death	February 25, 1977
Place of death	Sault Ste. Marie, ON, CAN