DOUG HARVEY REVOLUTIONIZED THE ROLE OF DEFENSEMAN, BECOMING HOCKEY’S FIRST OFFENSIVE BLUE-LINER.

Not only is Doug Harvey arguably the greatest defenseman in Canadiens history, but he also changed the way the position is played for blue-liners who followed him. As the game’s first truly offensive rearguard, Harvey’s puck-control style helped pace the Habs’ offense during the 1950s, spawning a future generation of NHL power-play quarterbacks.

A native of Montreal’s West End, Harvey joined the Canadiens midway through the 1947-48 campaign and soon proved to the hockey world that he had all the skills needed to compete at the highest level. For the next 14 years, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder was a stalwart on the Montreal blue line as he carved out a career that put him among hockey’s greats.

Big, strong and with a pronounced mean streak when the situation called for it, Harvey kept his side of the rink unwelcome territory for oncoming forwards, who quickly became reluctant to pay the price for trespassing.

Climbing the Habs depth chart as veteran defensemen retired, Harvey saw more ice time and played a bigger role in the team’s successes with each passing year. He was named to the NHL’s First All-Star Team in 1951-52, an honor he would consistently enjoy for the following 11 years.

As his playing time increased, so did his offensive output. Harvey surpassed the 30-point barrier for the first time and had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup in 1952-53, feats he would accomplish many times throughout his career.

A dedicated team player, Harvey passed up numerous scoring opportunities of his own, opting to pick up assists while helping teammates who had financial incentives tied to their goal production take home their bonus money.

His masterful stickhandling allowed him to control the puck for as long as he wished. It was often to the dismay of fans, coaches and opponents, who watched helplessly as the defenseman took chances that others dared not take, rarely being caught out of position or making a costly mistake.

Adept at speeding up the game with unerring passes that always seemed to find their target, Harvey could also slow things down if need be, taking the wind out of his opponents’ sails and allowing his teammates to catch their breath.

One of the dozen men who won an unequalled five straight Stanley Cups from 1956 through 1960, Harvey quarterbacked a Montreal power-play unit that regularly scored two or more goals during a single penalty. The deadliest special team the NHL had ever seen, the Canadiens’ prowess forced the league to adapt the rulebook, allowing a penalized player to return to the ice if his team gave up a goal.

As the Canadiens became a team of legend, Harvey began to accumulate individual honors. He won the Norris Trophy, awarded to the top defenseman, in 1954-55, the second season it was awarded, and collected it again for the next four years. After relinquishing it to teammate Tom Johnson in 1958-59, Harvey reclaimed it for the last two seasons he patrolled the Forum ice, for a total of six Norris Trophy nods. Only Bobby Orr boasts more Norris Trophy wins, with eight.

Among the greatest players to ever lace up skates, Harvey was invariably the smartest man on the ice. In his 14 years with the Montreal Canadiens, he rewrote the record book for defensemen, putting his name atop almost every regular season and playoff list and setting the bar for those who followed.

Playing in an era when eight postseason wins were required to hoist the Stanley Cup, Harvey’s 123 playoff games in a Habs uniform place him 13th on the all-time list. He stands seventh overall for assists, with 59. Among defensemen, he holds down the second spot in both categories.

Doug Harvey was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973 and saw his number 2 ascend to the Forum rafters on October 26, 1985. He passed away in 1989.