Ice hockey player Ivan Cournoyer: biography, achievements, awards and interesting facts

Known to the whole world Canadian hockey player Ivan Kurnoye this year marks 73 years. Many consider him to be a legendary NHL player. On the athlete's account a huge number of matches played and goals scored in the opponents' goal.

Biography and characteristics of the famous hockey player

Ivan Cournoyer is a hockey player from Quebec, Canada. He was born on November 22, 1943 in Drummondville. The real name of the athlete is Ivan Serge Kurnuye, and Ivan was named in Russia.

From an early age, the hockey player had a special desire for wood. At a young age, he was addicted to carving. In the early sixties, at the dawn of his career, Ivan personally performed the selection of the club, he could also make it himself or improve it.

Cournuis was a unique player, he carried out a brush stroke quickly, accurately and powerfully. In training, the athlete used a heavy lead washer. His calves were so muscular that he had to sew custom-made gaiters. The hockey player was distinguished by explosive speed, professional technique and unquenchable energy.

The beginning of the sports career of the Canadian striker

The first four years (from 1961 to 1964) Ivan Cournoyer played in the junior Montreal Canadiens HC № 12. Then he continued to play in the NHL under the same number.

Initially, Ivan Serge Cournoyer in the team played the role of a highly specialized majority striker. This allowed him to figure out where on the site you can use your speed most advantageously. Among the partners in the team, Ivan was particularly distinguished and soon began to occupy the permanent position of the right-wing extreme striker.

The height of the athlete is only 1 m 70 cm, and the weight - 78 kg, but, despite the small size for the hockey player, he was one of the strongest forwards of the league. Also Ivan Cournois had incredible speed, for which he received the nickname Runner.

The hockey club "Montreal Canadiens" striker devoted the whole 16 years. Throughout his career, Cournoyer, Ivan has never worn a helmet. In the 60's it was allowed to play without protection on the head. And when it became compulsory, the hockey player approached the exception (veterans were allowed not to wear a helmet). Therefore, there is a large number of scars on Ivan's face.

Participation of a hockey player in the super series of the USSR - Canada

Ivan Serge Kurnueye, whose biography is full of interesting facts and events, is well known to Russian fans. In 1972 he took part in the super series of the USSR - Canada. These are eight friendly matches between two teams, consisting of professional hockey players of Canada and the USSR.

In the friendly game of Cernoyer Ivan was remembered by many Russian athletes. One of the Soviet defenders compared the Canadian forward with the train, so he hit him with his speed. It was after this meeting that the fans gave Ivan a Russian name Ivan. The young player had fashionable hair and a wide nose.

During the friendly matches Ivan got acquainted with such Russian professionals of hockey as Vladislav Tretyak, Alexander Yakushev and Valery Kharlamov.

The USSR Super Series - Canada has become one of the most important news of the world at the time, and even now the fans remember this meeting as a top-level game. The match between Soviet and Canadian professional hockey players in Canada was called the "Red War".

Achievements and successes

For sixteen seasons in the team "Montreal Canadiens" Ivan Cournois ten times became the owner of the Stanley Cup. His result was surpassed only by Henri Richard. Also in 1973, Ivan received an annual prize - Conn Smythe Trophy. Ivan is a six-time participant in the "All NHL Stars" match.

In 1982, the Canadian hockey player became an honorary member of the Hall of Hockey Glory. Ten years ago, Cournoyer's signature sweater with the 12th number was posted in the Montreal sports complex in the Bell Center.

On account of the legendary athlete - 968 games played, in which he scored 428 goals and carried 435 assists.

Ivan Cournoyer was lucky to play in one team with such world-famous hockey players as Pete Machovic and Larry Robinson, Henri and Maurice Richard, Jean Belivo and Serge Sawar.

Captain of the Montreal Canadiens

After eleven years in Montreal, Ivan became captain of the team. In 1975, Henri Richard transferred the armband of the commander of the club Couruaye. Since that time, the legendary hockey player began to have health problems.

The right striker had a pinched nerve in the spine, which led to a permanent and sharp pain in his leg.

Injury of the famous hockey player, which led to the withdrawal from the sport

In 1977, the Canadian striker was seriously injured. Therefore, Ivan Cournoyer had to lie under the surgeon's knife. A complicated operation was performed on the spine, which required almost a year of rehabilitation. The whole season the hockey player did not go out on the ice.

In 1978, there was a temporary relief, and the athlete returned to the game, but the recent back injury markedly affected the speed of skiing. Cournoyer spent about seventy matches and scored more than twenty goals on almost one leg.

Constant pains in the spine prevented the athlete from playing at full strength. Therefore, in 1979, at the insistence of the vice-president of the Montreal Canadiens, Ivan Serge Courvois ended his career as a hockey player.

Filmography and coaching activities of an athlete

In 2002, Cournoyer starred in the documentary "USSR-Canada: More than Hockey." The director of the series from five series was Alexander Korshikov, the operator - Viktor Cheprasov. In the movie of the sports genre, along with the Canadian striker starred Russian hockey stars: Vladislav Tretiak, Gennady Tsygankov, Alexander Ragulin, Alexander Yakushev and others. The show details the events of forty years ago. The film tells how the matches took place in Canada and Russia in the 70s, how the life of the world hockey changed after the super series.

Ivan Cournoyer, the biography, achievements and characteristics of which are known to many fans of the NHL, tried himself as a coach. In 2008, he led a team of veterans "Montreal Canadiens" in the game Legends Classic.

Ivan Serge Curnue: life after the end of sports career

Fans of hockey are interested in the life of the legendary player of "Montreal" and to this day. They are interested in knowing what he did after his sports career?

Some sources report that Ivan Cournoyer currently lives in Canada, in the town of Blaineville. He settled in a cozy and quiet area in a private mansion.

To date, the former Canadian hockey player is 72 years old. He is still in good physical shape. On skates, Ivan no longer becomes, because a few years ago, the former sportsman underwent another operation to remove the remains of the patella on both legs.

After the termination of career of the hockey player Ivan Kurnuaje often reflected on the future. In the 2000s, he went to study at a vocational school and successfully graduated. Now Ivan is a professional wood carver and is considered a very good master.

In the mansion of Cournois, many items made by him personally. For example, he is very proud of the front door with a carved profile of Napoleon. Also the legendary player of "Montreal" is engaged in making of clubs, his favorite work is the wooden "Sherwood".

After a career as a hockey player, Ivan became addicted to the game of golf. He regularly visits various tournaments. Not far from his house is a golf club, in which often there is Cournoyer.