Editing Bernie Geoffrion (section)

==Playing career==
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 [https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=158150&hubname=]) 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 [[Maurice Richard]]. Half the time, he played [[Winger (ice hockey)|left-wing]] on Montreal's front line with fellow superstars Richard and [[Jean Béliveau]], helping the Canadiens to six [[Stanley Cup]] championships, and at other times was right wing on the No. 2 line. But Geoffrion had a hard time convincing the NHL of his considerable talents; [[Maurice Richard]], [[Jean Beliveau]], [[Bobby Hull]] ([[Chicago Black Hawks]]) and [[Gordie Howe]] ([[Detroit Red Wings]]) were so good that they overshadowed him. Even after Geoffrion won the [[Art Ross Trophy]] as league scoring champion in [[1954–55 NHL season|1955]], NHL First All-Star honours went to Richard, while Geoffrion only was selected to the second.{{citation needed|date = September 2016}}

However, Geoffrion's resulting anger was nothing compared to the [[Montreal Forum]] fans when Geoffrion scored one goal while crowd-favourite Richard was suspended, and at the time had led the NHL scoring race. The Wings beat the Canadiens in the final round in seven games that year, exactly the same result of the previous season.  "I couldn't deliberately ''not'' score, that isn't the point of hockey, Montreal", complained Geoffrion, but fans regardless kept catcalling and jeering him. "I was so feeling the urge to vomit; I felt terrible", Geoffrion emotionally admitted. "Even thinking about hockey made me feel bad, man did I want to leave. If it had not been for Jean (Béliveau) and Maurice (Richard) visiting, I would have. Usually, it's not too much to expect to be on the First (All-Star) Team when you have more points than anyone else."{{citation needed|date = September 2016}}

Early in his playing career, he had a reputation for letting his temper get the best of him.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090306201640/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,857903,00.html "Sport: Boom-Boom on Top"]. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. (December 27, 1954).</ref> One such example occurred late in the second period of a Canadiens' 3–1 loss to the Rangers at [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]] on December 20, 1953. With a two-handed swing, Geoffrion's stick made contact with the left side of [[Ron Murphy]]'s face, resulting in a broken [[jaw]] and [[concussion]]. The injuries ended Murphy's season. Geoffrion was suspended for the remaining matches between the two teams in that campaign.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/20/sports/hockey/after-58-years-an-old-hockey-fight-at-madison-square-garden-gets-new-life.html Sandomir, Richard. "A Brutal Hockey Fight in 1953 Finds New Life"], ''The New York Times'', June 20, 2011.</ref>

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 [[1958 Stanley Cup Finals]].{{citation needed|date = September 2016}}

Geoffrion first retired in 1964 and became head coach of [[Quebec Aces|les As de Québec]] of the [[American Hockey League]] (AHL), but returned two seasons later to play for the [[New York Rangers]]. Likely the reason for his first retirement was Béliveau (who was not one of three alternate captains), getting appointed team captain in 1961. This was following the Rocket's retirement in 1960 and [[Doug Harvey (ice hockey)|Doug Harvey]]'s trade to the Rangers in 1961 (he only lasted a year with the C). Geoffrion, who ''had'' had an A, was devastated by the decision to go with Béliveau.{{citation needed|date = September 2016}}

"If I didn't keep suffering all those terrible injuries and yet keep coming back, if I weren't fit to lead, would I have gotten the C and kept playing?" asked Geoffrion, who had, in the [[1960–61 NHL season|1961 semifinals]], hurt a leg and insisted, even so, that Harvey cut a cast off it so he could play. "Yes, I think I would. There were times when everybody kept telling me to quit. My doctor even told me I should stop playing, but I came back."{{citation needed|date = September 2016}}