He led the American Hockey League in scoring in 1969-70. He once held the NHL record for most assists by a rookie. He was part of the pre-dynasty building era for the New York Islanders.
Jude Drouin was an excellent player, if for a good time, not a long time. But, man, his hockey cards are a mess (read more on his cards later in the article).
Junior and Minor Pro
Hockey Card Collection
NHL Career
Hockey Card Details
Career Stats
Jude Drouin – Junior and Minor Pro
After a year with the Verdun Maple Leafs in the QJHL in 1965-66, Jude Drouin played his lone season in the OHA in 1966-67 with the Montreal Junior Canadiens. Over 47 games, he scored 32 and assisted on 36 for 68 points. He led the Junior Habs in goals, assists and points. Jude tied for fifth in goals with Jim Stanfield of the London Knights and tied for ninth in points with Gerry Meehan of the Toronto Marlboros. Montreal finished seventh in the nine team league and did not compete in the post season.
Jude Drouin Collection
In the Montreal Canadiens organization, Drouin started his pro career with the Houston Apollos of the Central Hockey League. He played with the club for the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons.
In his first year with Houston, Jude led the Apollos with 38 assists and 60 points. He was teamed with players like Bryan Watson, Ernie Hicke, Carol Vadnais, Danny Grant and Mickey Redmond. Like the Junior Canadiens the year before, the Apollos didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
In 1968-69, Drouin totalled 54 points in 53 games with Houston. He was teamed this time with Alain Caron and Guy Lapointe. In net for the Apollos was the tandem of Tony Esposito and Phil Myre. Jude saw his first NHL action, appearing in nine games for the Canadiens.
1969-70 really put Drouin on the hockey map. In the American Hockey League with the Montreal Voyageurs, Jude scored 37 and assisted on 69 for 106 points over 65 games. He was tied for third in goal scoring with teammate Guy Charron and Norm Beaudin of the Cleveland Barons. He led the league in assists and was awarded the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the top overall scorer, 17 points ahead of the next competitor.
Drouin was also honoured with the Dudley Red Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s rookie of the year. Add to that, a selection as a First Team All-Star. The Voyageurs finished first overall in the AHL but fell in a three team semi-final round robin against the Buffalo Bisons and Springfield Kings. Jude appeared in three more games with the NHL Canadiens, his last with the club.
Jude Drouin – NHL
A trade sent Jude Drouin to the Minnesota North Stars over the off-season, before the 1970-71 season. It was a trade that launched Jude’s NHL career. Going to Montreal was Bill Collins. Collins played just 40 games with the Habs in 1970-71 before a midseason trade sent him to the Detroit Red Wings. Bill continued on in the NHL until 1977-78, also playing for the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.
Between 1968-69 and 1980-81, Drouin played in 666 regular season games with the Canadiens, North Stars, New York Islanders and Winnipeg Jets. Over that time, he scored 151 and assisted on 305 for 456 points. In a respectable 72 playoff games, he was nearly a point per game with 68.
Originally, Jude was a third round pick by the Montreal Canadiens at the 1966 NHL Amateur Draft, 17th overall. He played just 12 games over two seasons with the Habs before moving on to Minnesota and better things. In his first year with the North Stars, Drouin set a rookie mark with 52 assists. Of course, that record has been long eclipsed. It helped him be chosen runner-up to Gilbert Perreault for Calder Trophy honours.
Over his NHL career, Jude was a 20 goal scorer three times, once with the North Stars and twice with the Islanders. He was shipped to Long Island in January , 1975 in exchange for Craig Cameron. He sat out the 1978-79 season, a disgruntled player waiting to become a free agent. In his final season, 1980-81, Drouin played in just seven games with the Winnipeg Jets before calling it a career.
Jude Drouin – Hockey Cards
The Jude Drouin rookie card appears as number 171 in the 1970-71 O-Pee-Chee set. He is shown as a member of the Minnesota North Stars. On the back of the card, it states that he has yet to play in the NHL. This is an error since he appeared in 12 games with the Canadiens over the previous two seasons.
Fast forward to 1974-75. The back of his O-Pee-Chee card states that he is a former AHL leading scorer and MVP. In fact, he did lead the 1969-70 AHL in scoring, his only year in the league, but was not honoured with the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s most valuable player. The other trophy he did win was the Dudley Red Garrett Memorial Award as rookie of the year. The MVP honours that year went to goalie Gilles Villemure of the Buffalo Bisons.
The following year, his 1975-76 O-Pee-Chee card states he is a member of the New York Islanders but he’s still wearing a North Stars jersey. There is no note stating ‘Now with Islanders’.
Not so much an error but his 1978-79 O-Pee-Chee card notes on the front that he is an unsigned free agent. His Topps card makes no mention of this. The card says he is a member of the Islanders but Jude was a holdout that season and did not play a single game.
In 1979-80, O-Pee-Chee was able to show Jude Drouin with his new club, the Winnipeg Jets. Yet, the following year, O-Pee-Chee somehow could not produce an image of Jude with the Jets and instead showed him with the Islanders with a ‘Now with Jets’ note on the front. Topps stayed clear, not producing a Drouin card in either 1979-80 or 1980-81.
That 1979-80 card certainly has a quirk. On the back, in the little cartoon area, it states: Jude has worn a helmet on the ice since 1976. Yet, on the front of the card, in an image that is obviously game action and with his latest team, Drouin is clearly playing without a bucket.
Jude Drouin Career Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1966-67 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 47 | 32 | 36 | 68 | 64 |
| 1967-68 | Houston Apollos | CPHL | 68 | 22 | 38 | 60 | 59 |
| 1968-69 | Houston Apollos | CHL | 53 | 23 | 31 | 54 | 117 |
| 1968-69 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969-70 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1969-70 | Montreal Voyageurs | AHL | 65 | 37 | 69 | 106 | 88 |
| 1970-71 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 75 | 16 | 52 | 68 | 49 |
| 1971-72 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 63 | 13 | 43 | 56 | 31 |
| 1972-73 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 78 | 27 | 46 | 73 | 61 |
| 1973-74 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 65 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 30 |
| 1974-75 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 38 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 16 |
| 1974-75 | New York Islanders | NHL | 40 | 14 | 18 | 32 | 6 |
| 1975-76 | New York Islanders | NHL | 76 | 21 | 41 | 62 | 58 |
| 1976-77 | New York Islanders | NHL | 78 | 24 | 29 | 53 | 27 |
| 1977-78 | New York Islanders | NHL | 56 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 12 |
| 1979-80 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 78 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 50 |
| 1980-81 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| NHL Totals | 666 | 151 | 305 | 456 | 346 |