Past 500 goals and fifty years, a legend endures

They will commemorate the Rocket one more time this weekend in Montreal, the Canadiens will salute the achievement of their capitaine ancien, with a scoreboard salute during the Buffalo - Montreal game on Saturday night. With that salute, an arena that has for the most part been devoid of ghosts since the closing of the Forum, will suddenly feel a little chill of an apparition as memories of one of the greatest of Habs flood back.

Richard set the standard for goal scoring on October 19, 1957 when he scored goal number 500 against the Chicago Black Hawks. Since that momentous occasion, thirty eight other players have crossed over the 500 goal barrier. A good number of whom will never reach the lofty, legendary and beloved status that Richard achieved.




He was one of the greatest goal scorers of our times, an amazing force who as soon as he took to the ice would bring the crowd to their feet in anticipation of something special. Today we celebrate one such moment that came to pass on October 19 of 1957.



There have been a number of remembrances of the late Canadien's memorable night, a few of which we provide below.

Fifty years ago ...
Would Richard be successful today?
Is scoring 500 goals still special?
It Was 50 Years Ago Today...
Richard's mark in time meant something, but what about now?

And we leave it to the wonderfully descriptive Red Fisher, to recapture one of the greatest moments in Habs and Hockey history.

Rocket Richard made history 50 years ago by becoming first player to score 500 goals