BELIVEAU, JEAN (MARC A.)

born Aug. 31, 1931, Trois-Rivires, Que., Can. byname Le Gros Bill professional ice hockey centre who was noted for scoring winning goals in Stanley Cup playoff games. He played his entire career (1953-71) with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Beliveau attracted the attention of the Canadiens while playing in the Quebec Senior League, which they bought to get his services. Beliveau was team captain from 1961. His 507 career goals was a record for centres. He played in 17 Stanley Cup playoffs and was on 10 Stanley Cup winning teams. His career records of most points scored in Stanley Cup playoff games (162) and most assists (97) persisted into the 1980s. He was awarded the Art Ross Trophy as leading scorer (1956), the Hart Trophy as most valuable player (1956, 1964), and the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the playoffs (1965). After his retirement as a player, he became a vice president of the Canadiens. He was a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.