Claude Larose: Nearly 1,000 NHL Games And 4 Stanley Cup Rings

Like many in his time, Claude Larose was brought up in the Montreal Canadiens organization right from junior. His career was often under the leadership of Scotty Bowman. Bowman coached him with the Peterborough Petes, Hull-Ottawa Canadiens, Omaha Knights and, of course, the NHL Habs.

Larose ended his career just 57 games shy of the 1,000 mark in the regular season and three off the 100 game plateau in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Four times, he played for the Canadiens as the team captured the Stanley Cup. Once, he helped their EPHL team win a title and once he was a championship with Montreal’s CPHL affiliate in Omaha.

This Claude Larose should not be confused for a player who appeared around the same time. The other Claude Larose played a handful of games in the NHL and was a regular in the World Hockey Association.

Claude Larose – Junior and Minor Pro

Larose played three years of major junior hockey with the Peterborough Petes (T.P.T.’s at the time) from 1959-60 to 1961-62. In his second season, he tied for fourth in the OHL with 36 goals. For the first two years, Scotty Bowman was the head coach of the Petes.

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Claude Larose Collection

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Claude’s first pro action came in 1961-62, while still a junior. He played one regular season game, along with six in the playoffs for the EPHL’s Hull-Ottawa Canadiens. The team won the championship with a win over the Kingston Frontenacs in the finals.

He was reunited with Bowman in 1962-63 with Hull-Ottawa. That year, he saw his first NHL action, playing in four games for the Habs.

In 1963-64, Larose had a decent offensive output with 49 points in 47 regular season games with the Omaha Knights on 27 goals and 22 assists. Bowman coached the first eight games of the season before moving on and being replaced by Bill McCreary. The Knights won the CPHL championship over the Fred Shero coached St. Paul Rangers. In eight playoff games, Claude had eight goals and 14 points.

That 1963-64 season in the CPHL mostly iced his minor pro career. In 1964-65, he was a regular with Montreal. Larose would return to the minors for just one more short stint in 1967-68, playing for the Houston Apollos of the CPHL.

Claude did coach in the American Hockey League. In 1988-89, he was behind the bench for the Binghamton Whalers. The team did not qualify for the Calder Cup playoffs and Larose was better suited as the assistant coach of the NHL’s Hartford Whalers.

Claude Larose – NHL

Between 1962-63 and 1977-78, Larose played in 943 regular season games in the National Hockey League with the Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars and St. Louis Blues. Over that time, he scored 226 and assisted on 257 for 483 points.

In 97 Stanley Cup playoff games, he added 32 points. He was a member of Stanley Cup winning teams with Montreal in 1964-65, 1967-68, 1970-71 and 1972-73.

Claude’s first full season in the NHL was 1964-65. After being sent down by the Habs to the Houston Apollos in 1967-68, Larose was traded in June of 1968, along with Danny Grant to the Minnesota North Stars for future considerations.

He spent two years in Minnesota before returning to Montreal. In June, 1970, he was brought back to the Canadiens in exchange for Bobby Rousseau. In December, 1974, he would be on the move again, traded to the St. Louis Blues for cash.

Over his career, Larose was a 20+ goal scorer five times. He topped out in 1976-77, scoring 29 for the Blues.

After retiring as a player, Claude Larose spent several years behind the bench as an assistant coach for the Hartford Whalers.

Claude Larose – Rookie Card

The Claude Larose rookie card appears as number 75 in the 1965-66 Topps set, four years after playing his first game with the Canadiens. However, he did see limited time with the Habs before his first full season in 1964-65. His final card appears in the 1977-78 O-Pee-Chee and Topps sets as a member of the St. Louis Blues.

Larose’s 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee card is considered an uncorrected error because his last name is spelled LaRose instead of just Larose.

However, his 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee card number 56 is perhaps a much more glaring error. On the back, his birthplace is given as Hearst, Quebec. Hearst is, in fact, in Ontario.

Claude Larose Career Stats

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1959-60	Peterborough Petes	OHA	48	9	10	19	34
1960-61	Peterborough Petes	OHA	46	36	27	63	108
1961-62	Peterborough Petes	OHA	50	18	36	54	150
1961-62	Hull-Ottawa Canadiens	EPHL	1	0	1	1	2
1962-63	Hull-Ottawa Canadiens	EPHL	49	19	24	43	42
1962-63	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	4	0	0	0	0
1963-64	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	21	1	1	2	43
1963-64	Omaha Knights	CPHL	47	27	22	49	105
1964-65	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	68	21	16	37	82
1965-66	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	64	15	18	33	67
1966-67	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	69	19	16	35	82
1967-68	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	42	2	9	11	28
1967-68	Houston Apollos	CPHL	10	6	7	13	32
1968-69	Minnesota North Stars	NHL	67	25	37	62	106
1969-70	Minnesota North Stars	NHL	75	24	23	47	109
1970-71	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	64	10	13	23	90
1971-72	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	77	20	18	38	64
1972-73	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	73	11	23	34	30
1973-74	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	39	17	7	24	52
1974-75	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	8	1	2	3	6
1974-75	St. Louis Blues	NHL	56	10	17	27	38
1975-76	St. Louis Blues	NHL	67	13	25	38	48
1976-77	St. Louis Blues	NHL	80	29	19	48	22
1977-78	St. Louis Blues	NHL	69	8	13	21	20
	NHL Totals		943	226	257	483	887