Norm Dupont

Based on Norm Dupont's junior scoring numbers, you would have thought the Montreal Canadiens had the next Guy Lafleur in the system.

It didn't quite turn out that way.

Dupont played four seasons with the Montreal Juniors of the QMJHL in the mid-1970s. In 283 career junior games Dupont scored 278 goals and 290 assists for 568 points!  At the time that was the Canadian junior hockey record. He's still 4th all time in QMJHL scoring, ahead of Lafleur, Mario Lemieux, and Mike Bossy.

The Montreal Canadiens selected Norm Dupont in the 1st round, 18th overall in 1977. But of all the players drafted in the deep first round that year, Dupont played the second fewest career games at 256. And most of them came outside of Montreal.

After apprenticing in the AHL for two seasons, Dupont made the Montreal Canadiens in 1979-80. The Habs' dynasty had just ended and some notable players, like Ken Dryden and Jacques Lemaire, retired or departed. It was hoped Dupont could step in and give the franchise a shot of fresh blood. But Dupont, a very gentlemanly player, would struggle mightily, scoring only 1 goal in 35 regular season games.

And with that the Norm Dupont era in Montreal came to an end. He was sent to lowly Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a draft pick (used to select David Maley). Dupont had three decent seasons in Winnipeg, including a 27 goal, 53 point campaign in 1980-81. He would later spend half a season with Hartford, too.

In the fall of 1984 Dupont extended his career by heading to Europe where he would dominate the rinks of Switzerland until 1993.

Dupont returned to Canada following his playing days and became a player agent.