Renfrew in Renfrew County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

The Flying Frenchmen/Les « Flying Frenchmen »

The Flying Frenchmen Marker [English] image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 15, 2025

1. The Flying Frenchmen Marker [English]

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

THE FLYING FRENCHMEN
Professional hockey was in its infancy in the autumn of 1909 when the promoters behind the National Hockey Association, forerunner of the National Hockey League, created the Montreal Canadiens team to attract French-Canadian spectators. Belleville-born Jean-Baptiste "Jack” Laviolette was hired as the playing-manager and captain. Laviolette signed Cornwall's Édouard "Newsy” Lalonde to play forward and recruited his friend Didier "Cannonball” Pitre from the Renfrew Creamery Kings ('Renfrew Millionaires') as a defenceman. This trio of francophone players formed the nucleus of the roster for several seasons and led the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup championship in 1916. They played with such speed and finesse that sportswriters began calling them "The Flying Frenchmen", establishing the Canadiens' trademark playing style for generations. Laviolette retired in 1918, the Canadiens traded Lalonde to the Saskatoon Crescents in 1922 and Pitre retired in 1923. All three were later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for their part in establishing a legendary hockey franchise.

« Les FLYING FRENCHMEN »
Le

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

hockey professionnel en est à ses balbutiements à l'automne 1909, lorsque les promoteurs en charge de l'Association nationale de hockey, qui laissera place par la suite à la Ligue nationale de hockey, créent l'équipe des Canadiens de Montréal pour attirer des spectateurs canadiens-français. Jean-Baptiste « Jack » Laviolette, né à Belleville, est désigné capitaine-joueur et gérant de l'équipe. Laviolette fait signer l'attaquant Édouard « Newsy » Lalonde, originaire de Cornwall, et recrute son ami Didier « Cannonball » Pitre, membre des Creamery Kings (« Millionnaires ») de Renfrew, pour jouer en défense. Le trio de joueurs francophones forme le noyau dur de l'équipe durant plusieurs saisons et permet aux Canadiens de Montréal de remporter leur première Coupe Stanley en 1916. Leur vitesse et la finesse de leur jeu sont telles que les journalistes sportifs commencent à les appeler les « Flying Frenchmen », définissant un style de jeu caractéristique qui sera perpétué par de nombreuses générations de joueurs de l'équipe. Laviolette prend sa retraite en 1918, Lalonde est échangé avec un joueur des Crescents de Saskatoon en 1922 et Pitre

<lang=fr>Les « Flying Frenchmen »</lang=fr> Marker [Français] image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 15, 2025

2. Les « Flying Frenchmen » Marker [Français]

met fin à sa carrière de hockeyeur en 1923. Les trois joueurs sont par la suite intronisés au Temple de la renommée du hockey en raison du rôle qu'ils ont joué dans la création d'une franchise mythique de ce sport.

Erected by Ontario Heritage Trust/Fiducie du patrimoine ontarien.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.

Location. 45° 27.938′ N, 76° 41.682′ W. Marker is in Renfrew, Ontario, in Renfrew County. It is on Ma Te Way Park Drive 0.8 kilometers south of Lisgar Avenue (Provincial Highway 132), on the left when traveling south. Marker is near the My FM Centre entrance, in Ma Te Way Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Ma Te Way Park Drive, Renfrew ON K7V 4J4, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Haliburton Highlands to Ottawa Valley

and in Eastern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically,

The Flying Frenchmen/<lang=fr>Les « Flying Frenchmen »</lang=fr> Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 15, 2025

3. The Flying Frenchmen/Les « Flying Frenchmen » Marker

At right center of photo

it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Renfrew, The O'Briens, and the Founding of the Montreal Canadians (here, next to this marker); The Renfew "Millionaires["]/« Les Millionaires » de Renfrew (a few steps from this marker); The Book Tree (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); War Memorial (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Renfrew Public Library (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); First Municipal Council Meeting (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); The Founding of Renfrew (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); Renfrew Fire Bell (approx. 1.1 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Renfrew.

More about this marker. The building also houses the NHA/NHL Museum.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.

Also see . . . NHA/NHL Birthplace Museum. (Submitted on May 18, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 18, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 143 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 18, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.