MONTREAL – Canadiens great Yvan Cournoyer was recently appointed an officer of the Order of Canada.
The Order of Canada was established in 1967 to recognize outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. It is one of Canada's highest civilian honors.
Cournoyer, 82, played 16 seasons for the Canadiens from 1963-64 to 1978-79 and was a key member of Montreal’s dynasty teams from the 1970’s. Winner of a whopping 10 Stanley Cups and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for 1973, the Drummondville native was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982 and was named one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players. Cournoyer’s 428 career goals rank fourth all-time in franchise history, while his 863 points are sixth best.
On the international stage, Cournoyer represented his country at the 1972 Summit Series, scoring three goals, including the game-winner in Game 2.
The Roadrunner served as Canadiens captain from 1975 until his retirement in 1979. His No. 12 was raised to the rafters by the team in 2005. In his retirement, Cournoyer has been serving as an official ambassador for the Habs.
Cournoyer was among more than 50 new appointments to the Order on Friday.
Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.
