AHL Manchester Monarchs

NHHHoF Grows By 10 In March

Published on February 9, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Manchester Monarchs News Release


MANCHESTER, New Hampshire - The New Hampshire Hockey Hall of Fame, in conjunction with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, today unveiled its class of 2003. The class, which includes seven hockey greats from Berlin, New Hampshire, will join last year's class of 12 when they are formally inducted into the Hall on Sunday, March 23.

The Monarchs will honor the 10 inductees when they host the Albany River Rats and Berlin, New Hampshire native Red Gendron at the Verizon Wireless Arena on March 23 at 4:05 p.m. The Monarchs will sport replica Berlin Maroon jerseys for the game and the jerseys will be auctioned off at the conclusion of the game with proceeds going to the New Hampshire Hockey Hall of Fame.

Prior to the game, the inductees will be honored at a luncheon at the Wayfarer Inn in Bedford, New Hampshire. WMUR TV sports personality Jamie Staton will Emcee the event, which begins at 12:00 p.m. Tickets to the luncheon are on sale now for $30. Call Francoise Elise at (603) 627-0525 for ticket information. For ticket information to the Monarchs game vs. the River Rats, call (603) 626-7825.


New Hampshire Hall of Fame Bios - Short Form

Honoree: Jacques G. LeClerc
Born: Windsor Mills, Quebec
January 15, 1945
Accomplishments:
* Started as a goalie and continued apprenticeship at that position until the age of 17.
* Briefly played for the Richmond Flyers, an American Hockey League farm club.
* Served as a captain for the Flyers and won an "Eastern Township Cup" at the age of 18.
* Played Junior "A" hockey for the Thedford Mines Blackhawks, a National Hockey League farm club for the Montreal Canadiens.
* Defenseman and captain for the Manchester Blackhawks from 1965 to 1969.
* Defenseman and captain for the Manchester Monarchs from 1970 to 1975.
* Won two championships with the Monarchs...one as a player and one as a player/coach.
* Coached the Junior Generals, a Junior "A" hockey team.
* Played for the Concord Budmen from 1975 to 1978.
* Started the Manchester Youth Regional Hockey Association (MYRHA).
* Long time youth coach of the Manchester Flames.
* Participant in several Manchester Blackhawks Alumni games for charity.
* Last Alumni game was in 1996.

Honoree: Leo W. Vaillancourt
Born: Berlin, New Hampshire
October 20, 1917
Accomplishments:
* Graduate of Berlin High School.
* Played for the Berlin Maroons from 1938 to 1942.
* Served in the European Campaign of World War II, Infantry Division, from 1942 until 1945.
* Resumed playing career with the Maroons after his military service and continued to play until 1952.
* Annually a top goal scorer for the Maroons.
* Played on a line with Barney Laroche, a Maroons six-time scoring champ.
* Coached the Maroons from 1949 to 1959.
* Served as a player/coach for the Maroons from 1949 to 1952.
* Dual membership as an official with the National Athletic Amateur Association (NAAA) and the National Intercollegiate Hockey Official Association (NIHOA) from 1950 to 1975.
* Member of the NAAA Evaluation Committee.

Honoree: Robert R. Tardiff
Born: Berlin, New Hampshire
March 22, 1925
Died: November 18, 1990
Accomplishments
* Graduate of Berlin High School, class of 1943.
* U.S. Air Corp veteran with service in World War II.
* Coach and mentor for the City of Concord Youth Hockey at the Whites Park outdoor rink in 1964.
* Served as coach and general manager for the Concord Shamrocks in 1964 and 1965. The adult league Shamrocks set the stage for the Concord Coachmen and an indoor arena in Concord.
* Served as a member of the board of directors at the newly built Douglas N. Everett Arena and began his association with the Coachmen in 1966.
* Helped bring high school hockey to Bishop Brady High School in 1967.
* Director of player personnel and general manager for the Concord Eastern Olympics of the New England Hockey League from 1967 to 1974.
* Talent scout with the Boston Bruins from 1967 to 1974.
* Active in senior hockey with the Concord Budmen, organizing charity events and coaching from 1974 to 1990.
* Known as "Mr. Hockey in Concord."

Honoree: Albert G. Brodeur
Born: Berlin, New Hampshire
November 11, 1935
Accomplishments:
* Graduate of Notre Dame High School in Berlin, class of 1954.
* Member of three state champion high school hockey teams.
* Co-captain of the 1954 Notre Dame team that represented the state of New Hampshire at the New England Tournament in Providence, Rhode Island.
* Member of the 1954 All New England Tournament Team.
* Graduate of the University of New Hampshire in 1959.
* Erased a 21-year scoring record at UNH in just 50 games.
* UNH co-captain and recipient of the Roger LeClerc Memorial Award in 1959.
* Played for the Berlin Maroons from 1960 to 1972.
* Coached Notre Dame High School from 1962 to 1964.
* Won a state championship with Notre Dame in 1962.
* Coached Berlin High School from 1966 to 1999.
* Won state championships with Berlin High School in 1974 and 1975.
* Finished coaching career with a 323-175-12 record.
* Inducted into the New Hampshire Coaches Hall of Fame in 1989.
* Inducted into the UNH 100 Club Hall of Fame in 1991.

Honoree: Frank Roy
Born: Berlin, New Hampshire
July 7, 1957
Accomplishments:
* Played for the Berlin Junior Maroons of the New England Junior League in 1974 and 1975.
* NEJL Most Valuable Player and top scorer in 1975.
* Graduate of Berlin High School, class of 1975.
* Attended the University of New Hampshire from 1976 to 1979.
* Led all UNH freshmen in scoring in 1976.
* Won an ECAC championship with UNH during his senior season. The ECAC championship was the first in school history.
* Voted UNH's Unsung Hero in 1979.
* Signed a player contract with the New York Rangers in 1979.
* Played for the Richmond Rifles of the East Coast Hockey League from 1980 to 1981.
* Inducted into the UNH Hall of Fame in 1993.
* Tied for eighth on the all-time scoring list at UNH.

Honoree: Omer Robert Morin
Born: Berlin, New Hampshire
March 15, 1932
Accomplishments:
* Member of three high school state championship teams while attending Notre Dame High School from 1946 to 1950.
* Considered a leader on the ice and in the clubhouse.
* One of the first players in the area to develop a hard and accurate slap shot.
* Member of the 1954 Berlin Maroons team that won the Amateur Hockey Association U.S. National Championship.
* Coached the Maroons during the 1963-64 season.
* Retired as a player in 1965 and then began an officiating career for the AHA and the NIHOA (National Intercollegiate Hockey Official Association.
* President of New Hampshire chapter of the NIHOA for two years.

Honoree: Ray Champagne
Born: Windsor, Quebec
February 28, 1945
Accomplishments:
* Played for the Manchester Alpine Club in 1964.
* Centered the Manchester Blackhawks from 1965 to 1970.
* Played for the Manchester Monarchs from 1971 to 1977.
* Also played for the Manchester Freedoms in 1984.
* Co-holder of the New England Hockey League record of 55 goals in a single season. Accomplished the feat in 40 games during the 1971 season.
* Scored over 400 career goals with the Blackhawks and the Monarchs, members of the New England Hockey League.
* Led his team to consecutive NEHL championships in 1971 and 1972.
* Named Most Valuable Player of the NEHL in 1971.
* Began a coaching career with the Manchester Generals Junior Hockey team in 1973.
* Also officiated high school and college hockey for a 10-year period beginning in the late 1970's.
* Ran the Manchester Professional Hockey School.
* Still skates and coaches at the Tri-Town Arena in Hooksett, New Hampshire.

Honoree: Roger A. LeClerc
Born: Berlin, New Hampshire
August 19, 1938
Died: December 22, 1958
Accomplishments:
* Played high school hockey at Notre Dame High School.
* Played both wing and defense during his high school career.
* Selected as a captain of his high school team during his junior and senior seasons.
* Began hockey career at the University of New Hampshire in 1955.
* During his sophomore season, UNH coach Pepper Martin referred to Roger's line as the "LeClerc Line." The line also featured Albert Brodeur.
* Was killed in an auto accident on December 22, 1958.
* The Roger A. LeClerc Award is annually given to the UNH hockey player who exemplifies Roger's competitive spirit, ability, good fellowship and sportsmanship.

Honoree: Kyle McDonough
Born: Manchester, New Hampshire
February 20, 1966
* Attended Manchester Memorial High School from 1981 to 1983. Led the team in scoring during his junior season.
* Scored a hat trick vs. Berlin in the state semi-finals, putting Memorial High School into the 1983 state finals.
* Attended Lawrence Academy in 1984 and 1985. Led his team in scoring both seasons.
* Honored as an all-league player during both seasons at Lawrence Academy.
* Attended the University of Vermont from 1986 to 1989. Led the Catamounts in scoring in three of his four collegiate seasons.
* Named team Most Valuable Player twice during his collegiate career.
* Ranks fourth on the Vermont all-time scoring list.
* Earned All-ECAC honors in 1988 and 1989.
* Honored as an All-American in 1989.
* Played 11 professional seasons in Europe with teams from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Scotland.
* Currently an assistant hockey coach at St. Anselm College.

Honoree: Jock MacKenzie
Born: Prince Edward Island, Canada
May 11, 1925
* Started broadcasting career with the fabled "Flying Frenchmen," the Berlin Maroons.
* Served as the Maroons main broadcaster for 10 years while a staff member at WMOU radio in Berlin.
* Advanced to WTSN in Dover where he formed the University of New Hampshire Sports Network.
* Served as the "Voice of the UNH hockey and football" for 35 years.
* Donated the network to the university.
* Member of both the UNH Sports Hall of Fame and the Dover Sports Hall of Fame.
* Received the New Hampshire Sportswriters and Sportscasters Distinguished Service Award and the prestigious Profile of Service Award from UNH.
* Retired from WTSN in 1992 after becoming a part owner.



American Hockey League Stories from February 9, 2003


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