#70 - Aurele Joliat

Aurele Joliat (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #70)

Adjusted Stats

1922-1923   Mtl        82 GP   39 goals   29 assists   68 points     0.83 PPG
1923-1924   Mtl*      82 GP   59 goals   20 assists   79 points     0.97 PPG
1924-1925   Mtl        68 GP   101 goals 37 assists   138 points   2.02 PPG
1925-1926   Mtl        80 GP   52 goals   27 assists   79 points     0.99 PPG
1926-1927   Mtl        80 GP   40 goals   11 assists   52 points     0.64 PPG
1927-1928   Mtl        82 GP   84 goals   33 assists   118 points   1.43 PPG
1928-1929   Mtl        82 GP   47 goals   20 assists   67 points     0.81 PPG
1929-1930   Mtl*      78 GP   37 goals   23 assists   60 points     0.77 PPG
1930-1931   Mtl*      80 GP   31 goals   53 assists   84 points     1.05 PPG
1931-1932   Mtl        82 GP   32 goals   51 assists   82 points     1.00 PPG
1932-1933   Mtl        82 GP   42 goals   48 assists   90 points     1.10 PPG
1933-1934   Mtl        82 GP   48 goals   33 assists   81 points     0.98 PPG
1934-1935   Mtl        82 GP   36 goals   25 assists   61 points     0.74 PPG
1935-1936   Mtl        82 GP   36 goals   19 assists   56 points     0.68 PPG
1936-1937   Mtl        80 GP   36 goals   32 assists   68 points     0.85 PPG
1937-1938   Mtl        75 GP   12 goals   15 assists   27 points     0.36 PPG

Adjusted Playoff Stats

1922-1923    Mtl       2 GP     1 goal       0 assists     1 point        0.56 PPG
1923-1924    Mtl*     2 GP     1 goal       1 assist       2 points      0.80 PPG
1924-1925    Mtl       1 GP     0 goals      0 assists     0 points      0.00 PPG
1926-1927    Mtl       4 GP     2 goals      0 assists     2 points      0.44 PPG
1927-1928    Mtl       2 GP     0 goals      0 assists     0 points      0.00 PPG
1928-1929    Mtl       3 GP     2 goals      2 assists     5 points      1.59 PPG
1929-1930    Mtl*     6 GP     0 goals      3 assists     3 points      0.50 PPG
1930-1931    Mtl*     10 GP   0 goals      6 assists     6 points      0.56 PPG
1931-1932    Mtl       4 GP     2 goals      0 assists     2 points      0.53 PPG
1932-1933    Mtl       2 GP     3 goals      1 assist       4 points     2.07 PPG
1933-1934    Mtl       2 GP     0 goals      1 assist       1 point       0.74 PPG
1934-1935    Mtl       2 GP     2 goals      0 assists      2 points     0.83 PPG
1936-1937    Mtl       5 GP     0 goals      5 assists      5 points     0.91 PPG

Career - 1279 GP, 732 goals, 476 assists, 1210 points, 0.95 PPG
Career-Highs - 101 goals (24-25); 53 assists (30-31); 138 points (24-25); 2.02 PPG (24-25)
Avg. (16 seasons) - 80 GP, 46 goals, 30 assists, 76 points, 0.95 PPG
Peak Avg. (24-32) - 79 GP, 53 goals, 32 assists, 85 points, 1.08 PPG, 2 Cups

Playoff Career - 45 GP, 13 goals, 19 assists, 33 points, 0.73 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 3 goals (32-33); 6 assists (30-31); 6 points (30-31); 2.07 PPG (32-33)

Accolades - 1 MVP Award
All-Star Teams - 1-time 1st-team, 3-time 2nd-team
3-time Stanley Cup Champion

Another difficult-to-judge member of the Probably Too Old-Timey To Belong On This List But What The Hell All-Stars. I can't judge Joliat, and few alive can, but I do know that some of the past Canadiens (Dryden, Beliveau) spoke with great pride when realizing that they had won the Stanley Cup and joined the tradition of players like Morenz and Joliat. When you're a legend to the legends, that has to count for something.

Here's what we know: Joliet was the left-winger to the great Howie Morenz for the Montreal Canadiens through the 1920s and 1930s. Morenz scored 100 adjusted goals in one season, Joliet scored 101 a few years earlier! Yet in Joliet's 101 year, he didn't even lead his league in scoring, so take my adjustments with a grain of salt. Still, you can see from Joliet's career numbers that he was a remarkably durable player and consistent scorer. In all but his final season, he scored 30+ adjusted goals, in eight he had 40+, and in four he scored more than 50.

When Joliet retired, he was third all-time in career goals, behind Howie Morenz and Nels Stewart. Even today, he stands second all-time in career goals by a Montreal Canadien at left-wing, quite impressive considering he played in regular seasons when only 25-40 games were played. In adjusted numbers, Joliet is in the 700+ goal club, and has 1,200 career points. His productivity and consistency are among the most impressive any LW has demonstrated.

Joliet made one first-team all-star and was a 3-time 2nd-timer, but it's important to note that before 1931, the league didn't dole out all-star recognition. We can safely say he would have made two other first-team appearances and perhaps an additional second or two. Now you're talking about accomplishments that place him near the top of the LW pantheon.

Of course, as I've said with Morenz, Shore, etc., I can't quite put the stars of this era on the highest pedestal...it's just too difficult to judge. But Aurele Joliat's legend lives on nonetheless, and he earns a place on my Pyramid as perhaps the best LW to put on the Montreal Canadiens' sweater.