When Jack Laviolette was given the task of putting together a newly formed NHA team called the Montreal Canadiens in the fall of 1909, the first man he recruited to join him was his good friend Didier Pitre.
Pitre, born on this day in 1883, had played with Laviolette in Valleyfield, QC and with the Michigan-Soo Indians in the IHL.
The 5’11” 190lb, muscular winger/blueliner was exceptionally fast for a man of his stature. The story goes that he could even skate just as fast backwards as he could going forwards.
His combination of speed and size, along with blistering shot that terrorized goalies, had earned him the nickname “Cannonball”.
Laviolette sent for Pitre, who had been working the off-season in Sault-Ste. Marie, ON, via telegram.
The key phrases of that telegram read, “New League formed. New Canadien team formed. Big Money available. Come to Montreal.”
Pitre immediately quit his job and hopped a the first train available to unite with his longtime friend.
Unbeknownst to Pitre, the Montreal Nationals of the CHA were also in the midst of recruiting him for their team.
Pitre met up with a Nationals representative on the train ride to Ottawa. Thinking this was the team Laviolette spoke of, he signed on with them en route.
Realizing his error on meeting Laviolette, Pitre signed with the Canadiens.
The Nationals filed legal action to prevent Pitre from playing with the Canadiens, but on January 5, 1910 , the night of their inaugural game, a judge ruled in favor of the Canadiens.
“The Flying Frenchmen” Jack Laviolette, Didier Pitre and Newsy Lalonde
Pitre scored 10 goals in the Canadiens first twelve-game season. he would score 19, 28, and 24 goals in the following three seasons.
He went to the Vancouver Millionaires for the 1913-14 season, but returned to Montreal the following year bagging 30 goals in a 20 game season.
He won his only Stanley Cup during the 1915-16 season after leading the NHA is scoring with 39 points.
While his offensive totals continued to be impressive, Pitre’s speed over the years was slowing tailing off.
In his final two seasons, Pitre found himself concentrating on playing as a defenseman.
His final game was the second game of a two-game total goals series, versus the Ottawa Senators, for the NHL title in 1923.
The Canadiens lost the series by one goal. Despite the losing effort, being overweight and used as a substitute during most of his final season, the 39 year-old saved his best defensive effort for his last game.
“Didier was sensational on defence,” wrote La Presse.
“One expected him to be exhausted after a few minutes, but he was like a wall against the Ottawa attack.”
The last of the original Canadiens announced his retirement after the series, finishing with 220 goals and 59 assists in 254 games with Montreal.
In light of his size and the brutal physical game of the era, Pitre played with a sportsmanlike attitude.
It is even said that he was once criticized by his coach for apologetically helping an opponent up after he had knocked him to the ice.
Elmer Ferguson, who wrote about Pitre through his career, had this to say.
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