Elmer James Lach was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL). A centre, he was a member of the Punch line, along with Maurice Richard and Toe Blake. Lach led the NHL in scoring twice and was awarded the Hart Trophy in 1945 as the league's most valuable player.
Lach with the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1945
The Punch line: Maurice Richard (bottom left), Elmer Lach (centre), and Toe Blake (bottom right)
The Broken Bone line: Maurice Richard, Elmer Lach and Tony Demers in 1942
Lach in 1945
The Montreal Canadiens, officially le Club de hockey Canadien and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Since 1996, the team has played its home games at Bell Centre, originally known as Molson Centre. The Canadiens previously played at the Montreal Forum, which housed the team for seven decades and all but their first two Stanley Cup championships.
Game between the Canadiens and the New York Rangers in 1962.
The Bell Centre with banners celebrating the Montreal Canadiens centennial.
The Canadiens mascot, Youppi!, poses for photographs at a Rogers Media event
Some of the retired numbers at Bell Centre, photographed in 2010
