Former Canucks captain Boudrias dies at 75

Andre Boudrias, a former captain of the Vancouver Canucks who went on to become assistant general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, died Tuesday in Whistler, British Columbia, at the age of 75. No cause of death was given. A native of Montreal, he was an NHL veteran by the time he joined the expansion Canucks for the 1970-71 season after previously playing for the Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues.

He led the team in scoring during the Canucks' inaugural season with 66 points (25 goals, 41 assists), and concluded his NHL career in Vancouver as the team captain in the 1975-76 season. In 662 regular-season NHL games over 12 seasons, the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Boudrias, also known as "Super Pest," collected 151 goals and 340 assists, and scored a career-high 30 goals for the Canucks in 1972-73. In 1974-75, he registered 62 assists, a single-season club record until it was surpassed by Henrik Sedin's 71 in 2006-07. Boudrias averaged 70 points during his first five years in Vancouver.

His hockey career concluded with Quebec in the WHA, and he collected 22 goals and 48 assists in 140 games in two seasons (1976-78) while helping the Nordiques win the 1977 Avco Cup. "He was one of the best centers the Canucks ever had," former broadcaster Jim Robson told TSN 1040. "He wasn't big ... and he wasn't fast, but he was a tenacious checker."

Boudrias' playmaking ability benefited many of his teammates. "All his wingers scored a lot of goals," said Robson.

The Canucks offered condolences to those close to their former playmaker, saying in a statement that was posted on Twitter: "Boudrias led Vancouver offensively from the inaugural season of the franchise in 1970-71 to 1975-76 as one of the Canucks' first true stars," the team said. "Boudrias was an active member of the Canucks' alumni and will be fondly remembered by family, friends and his many peers throughout the NHL community."

After his playing career, Boudrias spent time in Montreal's scouting department before serving as an assistant general manager to Serge Savard, as the Canadiens won Stanley Cup titles in 1986 and 1993. In 1994, Boudrias became a scout for the New Jersey Devils, who won titles in 1995, 2000 and 2003. --Field Level Media

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