Cournoyer, Stanley Cup bring thrills to Hockeyville in Saint-Boniface

MONTREAL -- Yvan Cournoyer continues to devote his post-playing career to giving back.

The 82-year-old Hockey Hall of Fame forward and Montreal Canadiens legend has worked for the organization as an ambassador since retiring with the only NHL franchise he played for and a 10-time Stanley Cup champion. He's experienced Kraft Hockeyville, visiting Renous, New Brunswick, in 2019, and to this day has touched lives in and out of the game with a simple smile, handshake, photo, message or conversation.

He was there again for Hockeyville, this year celebrating Saint-Boniface, Quebec, ahead of the Canadiens playing the Ottawa Senators at Colisee Videotron in Trois-Rivieres on Monday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1). Saint-Boniface has been working hard to prepare for the arrival of the NHL. The reward was $250,000 for upgrades to Arena de Saint-Boniface, $10,000 in new hockey equipment courtesy of NHLPA Goals & Dreams and the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund and a lifetime of memories that await a community nearly two hours from Montreal.

"It's always nice," Cournoyer said during a local appearance with the Stanley Cup. "It's a great trophy to have, but you have to work quite a bit to be able to win that prize, so I'm very glad for them."

The rally for a good cause, said local organizing committee member Jean-Sebastien Descoteaux, took an effort that he said was larger than Saint-Boniface to bring Hockeyville to Quebec for the first time since Roberval in 2008. Renous earned it too, and Cournoyer was there to greet a line of people around Tom Donovan Arena waiting for what may be their only chance to get their picture taken with the Stanley Cup.

Every one of them were in awe of the trophy, Hall of Famer and aura as a career-long Canadien and major player behind the dynasty that dominated the League in the mid-1960s and for most of the 1970s. Cournoyer also scored the game-winning goal for Canada in a 4-1 victory against Russia in Game 2 of the 1972 Summit Series. The next year he helped the Canadiens to another Cup title and four straight from 1976 to '79.

He's since paid it forward for the Canadiens, Montreal and Hockeyville. 

"I was, like, 19 years old when I came to Montreal and when I retired, I was 35 years old," Cournoyer said. "For me, it's special because that's the only team I played for, and winning 10 Stanley Cups. I don't think too many people have a chance to win, first of all, one, so I'm very, very proud to be able to win five with the old guys and five more with the younger guys. So, my timing was very good with that and the '72 series."

Cournoyer's extraordinary life was bestowed another honor when he was appointed to Order of Canada on April 17 to recognize outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. His 10 championships and 428 goals and 863 points that rank fourth and sixth, respectively, in team history also has him one of the NHL's 100 Greatest Players.

His reputation as ambassador has him a fixture at numerous events while keeping an eye on current events. The Canadiens opened training camp Wednesday with tempered yet high expectations after finishing third in the Atlantic Division (48-24-10, 106 points) and advancing to the Eastern Conference Final, a five-game loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, one year after losing the first round in five games to the Washington Capitals. 

The next lesson: Learning to lose before you win. 

"We know what to do now because we lost twice," Cournoyer said. "I think it's going to be fun.

"You have to learn. I did see all the guys they have so far, but we're going see that maybe after 10 games, maybe see the difference between last year and this year."

The Canadiens open the regular season at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 29, but for them and the Senators, the journey begins with Hockeyville. 

"They both know what it's for, to improve hockey in the town and spend a little bit of money if your rink needs some," Cournoyer said. "I think the players are aware and it's for a very good cause."