Leon Rochefort was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons. He was born on April 4, 1932, in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec, Canada. Rochefort started his hockey career in the Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL) with the Trois-Rivieres Reds in 1949. He played for the Reds for two seasons before moving on to play for the Quebec Aces in the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL) in 1951.
Rochefort made his NHL debut in 1952 with the New York Rangers. He played for the Rangers for four seasons before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 1956. Rochefort played for the Bruins for three seasons before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1959. He played for the Blackhawks for two seasons before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1961.
Rochefort played for the Red Wings for four seasons before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1967. He played for the Penguins for two seasons before being traded to the St. Louis Blues in 1969. Rochefort played for the Blues for two seasons before retiring from professional hockey in 1971.
During his NHL career, Rochefort played in 1,018 games, scoring 247 goals and 328 assists for a total of 575 points. He was known for his speed and his ability to score goals. Rochefort was also a tough player who was not afraid to drop the gloves and fight when necessary.
After retiring from professional hockey, Rochefort became a coach. He coached the Quebec Nordiques in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for two seasons from 1973 to 1975. Rochefort also coached the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs in the QMJHL for one season in 1976.
Rochefort was inducted into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. He passed away on May 10, 2020, at the age of 88. Rochefort will be remembered as a talented and tough player who had a successful career in the NHL.
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