Bouchard grew up during the Great Depression and couldn't afford his own skates or hockey equipment until he was a teenager, but he became a four-time Stanley Cup winner, captain of his hometown Montreal Canadiens and a Hockey Hall of Famer.

At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Bouchard (whose real name was Emile), was a giant in the NHL of the 1940s. In his first training camp with the Canadiens, Bouchard made an impression with his physical play, even against Montreal's most respected veterans. He made the NHL to stay in 1941-42 and was a pillar of Montreal's defense for the next 15 seasons thanks to his combination of toughness, positioning, passing skills and hockey knowledge.

Bouchard worked hard at studying the game and perfecting his positioning. Though his offensive numbers weren't impressive -- he exceeded 20 points in a season just once and ended his career with 193 points (44 goals, 149 assists) in 786 NHL games -- Bouchard was an excellent passer and knew when to join the rush, becoming a three-time NHL First-Team All-Star in the mid-1940s. He spent much of the second half of his career paired with Doug Harvey, who joined the Canadiens in 1947-48. They became one of the NHL's best defense pairs, with Bouchard playing a stay-at-home role while Harvey joined the attack.

In 1948-49, Bouchard was named captain of the Canadiens, a position he held for the final eight seasons of his career. He was renowned for his skills as a leader and a mentor of young players, and Jean Beliveau said the model he used when he was captain of the Canadiens from 1961-71 was based on how Bouchard had filled that role.

Bouchard became a three-time Stanley Cup winner and accepted the Cup for the first time when the Canadiens won in 1953. He was also captain when they began their run of five straight championships in 1956, but by then injuries had taken a toll. He was limited to 36 regular-season games and played just two in the Stanley Cup Playoffs -- although he dressed for the Cup-clinching victory against the Detroit Red Wings.

He retired after winning the Cup for the fourth time and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966. His son, Pierre Bouchard, was also a defenseman and played on five Cup-winning teams with the Canadiens in the 1970s.

The Canadiens retired Bouchard's No, 3 on Dec. 4, 2009, as part of the celebration of their 100th anniversary. He died on April 24, 2012.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• Second All-Star Team (1944)
• NHL First All-Star Team (1945, 1946, 1947)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953)
• Signed as a free agent by Montreal, February 21, 1941.