Bernard Joseph André Geoffrion (February 14, 1931 – March 11, 2006), nicknamed "Boom Boom", was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Generally considered as one of the innovators of the slapshot [1], he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 following a 16-year career with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League.

Geoffrion was born in Montreal, Quebec, and began playing in the NHL in 1951. He earned the nickname "Boom Boom" for his thundering slapshot (which Geoffrion claimed to have 'invented' as a youngster [2]) from sportswriter Charlie Boire of the Montreal Star in the late 1940s while playing junior hockey for the Laval Nationale. He was the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals in one season, the first being teammate Rocket Richard. He played right wing on Montreal's front line with superstars Richard and Jean Beliveau, helping the Canadiens to six Stanley Cup championships.

In a testament to the rough-and-tumble style of play of that era, Geoffrion broke his nose six times, and received over 400 stitches. In 1958, a training accident severely injured him and his life was saved by emergency surgery. Despite advice from his doctors to stop playing for a season, Geoffrion was on the ice six weeks later to take part in the Stanley Cup finals.

Geoffrion first retired in 1964, but returned two seasons later to play for the New York Rangers. In 1968 he finally retired as a player and became coach of the Rangers, a position he kept for less than a season due to stomach problems. In 1972 he became the first coach of the Atlanta Flames, and held the position for two and a half seasons, leading them to their first playoff appearance in 1974. He realized a longtime dream of coaching his beloved Canadiens in 1979, but his recurring stomach ailment forced him to step down mid-season.

In the 1970s and into the 1980s, Geoffrion appeared in several television commercials for Miller Lite beer, part of their stable of retired athletes-turned-spokesmen which also included Billy Martin and Bob Uecker.

His wife Marlene is the daughter of fellow Hockey Hall of Famer Howie Morenz and the granddaughter of the sister of Billy Coutu's wife, the first player kicked out the the NHL for life. Marlene and Boom Boom Geoffrion's son, Dan Geoffrion, (born January 24, 1958) played three seasons of professional hockey, for the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association in 1978-79, Canadiens in 1979-80 (with his father as coach), and Winnipeg Jets in 1980-81. His grandson Blake Geoffrion (born February 3, 1988) has signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Wisconsin, and is expected to play for the school's highly regarded hockey team beginning with the 2006–07 season. He appears poised to be the third generation of Geoffrions, and fourth generation of the Morenz-Geoffrion family, in the NHL.

The Canadiens announced on October 15, 2005 that Geoffrion's uniform number 5 would be retired on March 11, 2006. On March 8, Geoffrion was diagnosed with stomach cancer after a surgical procedure uncovered it. Doctors attempted to remove the tumour, but found that the cancer had spread too far. Geoffrion passed away at the age of 75 in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 11, the day his jersey number was to be retired. He died exactly 69 years after his father-in-law Howie Morenz's funeral at the Montreal Forum, and exactly 10 years after the Forum closed its doors in 1996, making the date among the saddest for Canadiens fans. In further recognition of the special link between the Morenz and Geoffrion families, the two numbers were hung side by side.

Source: wikipedia.org

It was so weird that he died the same day his number was being retired.

John

That is quite sad that he died the same day his number was retired. I am glad they continued on with the ceremony, I am sure he would have liked to see it in person though.

RIP Boom Boom

Wow, it was only like 2 months ago he autographed a few of my hockey cards

Long live the slap shot