Leo Lafrance

Leo Lafrance
Born	(1902-11-03)November 3, 1902 L'Isle-aux-Allumettes, Quebec, Canada
Died	April 7, 1993(1993-04-07) (aged 90) Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight	160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career	1921–1936

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 season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1920–21	Sudbury Cub Wolves	NOJHA		2	2	2	4	—		5	7	4	11	—
1921–22	Iroquois Falls Flyers	NOHA		—	—	—	—	—		7	7	5	12	—
1922–23	Iroquois Falls Papermakers	NOHA		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1923–24	Iroquois Falls Papermakers	NOHA		8	2	1	3	15		—	—	—	—	—
1924–25	Duluth Hornets	USAHA		31	6	0	6	—		—	—	—	—	—
1925–26	Duluth Hornets	CHL		40	8	2	10	28		8	1	1	2	12
1926–27	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		4	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1926–27	Duluth Hornets	AHA		37	12	4	16	41		3	2	0	2	0
1927–28	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		15	1	0	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1927–28	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		15	1	0	1	4		—	—	—	—	—
1927–28	Kansas City Pla-Mors	AHA		13	1	0	1	8		3	0	0	0	2
1928–29	Tulsa Oilers	AHA		40	19	7	26	33		4	0	0	0	4
1930–31	Tulsa Oilers	AHA		48	27	15	42	41		4	3	0	3	6
1931–32	Tulsa Oilers	AHA		48	11	5	16	51		—	—	—	—	—
1932–33	Duluth Hornets	AHA		39	16	8	24	32		—	—	—	—	—
1933–34	Duluth Hornets	CHL		14	0	0	0	41		—	—	—	—	—
1933–34	Tulsa Oilers	AHA		31	6	10	16	35		4	1	0	1	0
1934–35	Minneapolis Millers	CHL		46	16	11	27	26		5	2	3	5	2
1935–36	Rochester Cardinals	IHL		9	1	0	1	7		—	—	—	—	—
1935–36	Calgary Tigers	NWHL		3	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1935–36	Seattle Seahawks	NWHL		26	8	5	13	24		4	3	2	5	2
AHA totals				256	92	49	141	241		18	6	0	6	12
NHL totals				34	2	0	2	6		—	—	—	—	—

Source

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database