MONTREAL -- Former Montreal forward Gilles Tremblay, who won four Stanley Cups with the Canadiens in the 1960s, has died at age 75.
Tremblay played his entire career with Montreal, scoring 168 goals and adding 162 assists over 509 regular-season games.
An exceptional skater known for his contributions on both ends of the ice, Tremblay helped Montreal win four Cups between 1965 and 1969 before injuries and illness forced him to retire.
He went on to have a successful 30-year career as an analyst, and was awarded the Hockey Hall of Fame's Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence in 2002.
The native of Montmorency, Que., made his NHL debut on Nov. 12 1960 as Montreal faced Detroit at the Forum. The 22-year-old winger started on a line with Bernard Geoffrion and Jean Beliveau and was tasked with shadowing legendary Red Wings star Gordie Howe.
Trembley scored a career-high 32 goals, one shy of team leader Claude Provost, in his second season with the Habs.
In an era when scoring 20 goals in a season was considered a significant achievement, Tremblay reached that plateau five times.
Various injuries and acute asthma forced Tremblay to retire after the 1968-69 season.
Tremblay remained close to the game he loved, launching a successful career as a colour analyst for the French television broadcasts of Canadiens games on Radio-Canada.
