Rejean Houle is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on October 25, 1949, in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. Houle began his hockey career playing for the Montreal Junior Canadiens in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in the late 1960s. He quickly established himself as a talented forward and was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 1969 NHL Entry Draft.
Houle made his NHL debut with the Canadiens in the 1969-70 season and quickly became a key player on the team. He was known for his speed, agility, and scoring ability, and helped the Canadiens win five Stanley Cup championships during his career. Houle played for the Canadiens for ten seasons before being traded to the Winnipeg Jets in 1979.
After one season with the Jets, Houle was traded to the Quebec Nordiques, where he played for two seasons before retiring from professional hockey in 1982. He finished his NHL career with 161 goals and 199 assists in 634 games.
After retiring from playing, Houle remained involved in hockey as a coach and executive. He served as the head coach of the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the American Hockey League (AHL) in the mid-1980s before joining the Montreal Canadiens as an assistant coach in 1988. Houle was promoted to general manager of the Canadiens in 1995 and held the position for four seasons.
During his tenure as general manager, Houle made several controversial trades and signings that were criticized by fans and media. He was responsible for trading away popular players such as Patrick Roy and Mike Keane, and signing high-priced free agents who failed to live up to expectations. Houle was eventually fired by the Canadiens in 1999.
After leaving the Canadiens, Houle worked as a scout for the Minnesota Wild and as a consultant for the NHL Players' Association. He was also involved in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as the president of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens from 2004 to 2010.
Overall, Rejean Houle had a successful career as a player and remained involved in hockey after retiring. While his tenure as general manager of the Canadiens was controversial, he is still remembered as a talented player who helped the team win multiple championships.
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