Leonard Joseph LaFrance (November 3, 1902 – April 7, 1993) was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played 34 games in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks during the 1926–27 and 1927–28 seasons. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1921 to 1936, was spent in different minor leagues. He was born in L'Isle-aux-Allumettes, Quebec, but grew up in Coniston, Ontario. His nickname was "The Flying Frenchman"

Playing career

LaFrance played the position of Left Wing for the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens from 1927 to 1928, and the Chicago Black Hawks from 1927 to 1928. His total NHL career consisted of 34 games played and 2 goals scored. Prior to joining the NHL, LaFrance was noted as a decent goal scorer with several minor league teams including the Sudbury Cub Wolves of the NOJHA, Iroquois Falls Papermakers of the NOHA, and the Duluth Hornets of the USAHA and CHL. His best year in hockey was from 1930–31 when as a member of the AHA's Tulsa Oilers he scored 42 points.

After hockey

He retired from playing hockey following the 1935–36 season with the Seattle Seahawks of the NWHL. His honors include being a member of the CHL Second All-Star Team in 1935. LaFrance later took a job as an electrician and estimator for the Universal Electric Company, in Duluth, Minnesota. He retired in 1969. He spent the rest of his life living quietly in Duluth, and spending time with friends and family, and died peacefully in 1993 at the age of 90.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1920–21Sudbury Cub WolvesNOJHA222457411
1921–22Iroquois Falls FlyersNOHA77512
1922–23Iroquois Falls PapermakersNOHA
1923–24Iroquois Falls PapermakersNOHA821315
1924–25Duluth HornetsUSAHA31606
1925–26Duluth HornetsCHL40821028811212
1926–27Montreal CanadiensNHL40000
1926–27Duluth HornetsAHA37124164132020
1927–28Montreal CanadiensNHL151012
1927–28Chicago Black HawksNHL151014
1927–28Kansas City Pla-MorsAHA13101830002
1928–29Tulsa OilersAHA40197263340004
1930–31Tulsa OilersAHA482715424143036
1931–32Tulsa OilersAHA481151651
1932–33Duluth HornetsAHA391682432
1933–34Duluth HornetsCHL1400041
1933–34Tulsa OilersAHA31610163541010
1934–35Minneapolis MillersCHL461611272652352
1935–36Rochester CardinalsIHL91017
1935–36Calgary TigersNWHL30002
1935–36Seattle SeahawksNWHL2685132443252
AHA totals25692491412411860612
NHL totals342026

Source

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from , or , or , or