Don Marcotte

Donald Michel Marcotte (born April 15, 1947) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who served his entire National Hockey League career with the Boston Bruins and was noted as a premier defensive forward, while being versatile enough to play any forward position.

Don Marcotte
Born	(1947-04-15) April 15, 1947 (age 78) Arthabaska, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Boston Bruins
Playing career	1967–1982

Early life/career

Marcotte was born in Arthabaska, Quebec. His family were longtime residents of the area. At the age of three, Don first laced up his first pair of skates and by the age of six was enrolled in youth hockey in his community. In 1963 At the age of 16, Marcotte would leave the local youth programs for the Victoriaville Bruins of the QPJHL. After one season with Victoriaville the Boston Bruins would sign him to continue his development with the B’s Junior “A” affiliate the Niagara Falls Flyers in Ontario, Canada.

He would also play junior league hockey for the Niagara Falls Flyers in 1965, 1966, and 1967.

During the 1964-65 OHA season, Marcotte would appear in 56 games, tallying 51 points. In the postseason, he would appear in 24 games, scoring 16 goals and 11 assists, helping the team win the J. Ross Robertson Cup, George Richardson Memorial Trophy and Memorial Cup.

He would make his NHL debut during the 1965-66 season appearing in one game for the Bruins, then making a handful of appearances for the CPHL Blazers then helping them win the league title. Marcotte would then leave the OHA for good after the 1966-67 season to join the Boston Bruins American Hockey League team in Hershey.^[1]

Career

Marcotte turned fully professional in the 1968 season with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League helping lead them to the Calder cup in 1969. After three starring seasons for the Bears, Marcotte was recalled in the 1970 season just in time to be a defensive mainstay on Boston's checking line with Derek Sanderson and Ed Westfall for the Bruins' 1970 Stanley Cup Finals where they ended their 29 year drought to win the championship. During the season, Marcotte would score the first of 4 career hat-tricks on February 8th, 1970, in a 7-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.

Marcotte scored his first NHL goal in a 3–1 Boston loss to the Montreal Canadiens on February 15, 1969, at the Montreal Forum.

Marcotte would play twelve more seasons in Boston, being one of the best defensive forwards of his era. He was a strong skater and a very versatile player being able to play multiple forward positions along with being a fierce forechecker for most of his career. Winning a second Stanley Cup in 1972, and helping Boston to three more finals in 1974, 1977, and 1978, but Boston did not win the cup. Throughout his career he was a tough two way defensive forward. With a decent scoring touch scoring 20 or more goals 7 times throughout his career. With his best statistical season coming during the 1974–75 season having 64 point season with 31 goals and 33 assists. During the 1978–79 NHL season Marcotte would honored when he was selected for the NHL All-Stars team for the 1979 Challenge Cup. Beyond his individual skills Marcotte also embodied the grit and hard nosed style that defined the big bad Bruins era.

Marcotte became noteworthy for his defense and penalty-killing—he led the NHL in shorthanded goals in 1971 with six, due to his defensive efficiency Marcotte was assigned to shadow superstar wingers like the Chicago Black Hawks' Bobby Hull (the "Golden Jet") and Montreal Canadiens' Guy Lafleur (the "Flower"); Lafleur in turn "considered Marcotte the toughest checker he ever faced" after the 1979 Stanley Cup playoffs.^[2] He had a great ability to disrupt plays and win puck battles. Described by teammate Terry O'Reilly, Marcotte was said to have "tremendous concentration. He never takes his eyes off of his winger and he never stops skating. What he lacks in speed and finesse he compensates for with hustle and disciplined play. He is a hard body checker who believes in playing the man before the puck, yet as the small number of minutes he spends in the penalty box indicate, he is not a dirty player".^[3]

In his later years as a Bruin, Marcotte mentored Steve Kasper into a premier defensive forward.^[3] After being released in training camp by the Bruins in the fall of 1982, Marcotte retired from hockey. He had played in 868 games, scoring 230 goals and 254 assists for 484 points, and adding 317 penalty minutes. Marcotte's 21 shorthanded goals in the regular season rank him fourth in Bruins' history behind only Brad Marchand, Rick Middleton, and Derek Sanderson.

Marcotte loved his time playing for the Bruins. In reference to the glory years, he stated, “It was a good bunch of guys and we had a lot of good times together. When it came time to play hockey the guys were all business and wanted to win. It was a great time.”^[4]

In 2023, he would be named one of the top 100 best Bruins players of all time.^[5]

Personal life

Marcotte is married to his wife Helen they reside in Amesbury. The two have 2 daughters and one son. Even after retirement he has stayed a part of the Bruins organization once serving as the manager of the Boston Garden Club at the TD Banknorth Garden. Also being a part of the alumni organization.^[6]

Marcotte’s grandchildren Trey and Bodie have also developed into successful hockey players both of them serving as captains of the Amesbury high school hockey team. With Bodie being selected to the NCDC entry draft in 2025.^[7][8]

Awards and achievements

• Stanley Cup Championships (1970, 1972)
• Seventh Player Award — 1974
• 1979 NHL All star
• Memorial Cup (1965)
• Adam’s cup (1966)
• Calder cup (1969)
• Named One of the Top 100 Best Bruins Players of all Time

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1963–64	Victoriaville Bruins	QJHL		—	—	—	—	—		9	14	2	16	33
1964–65	Niagara Falls Flyers	OHA-Jr.		56	28	23	51	94		11	7	5	12	30
1964–65	Niagara Falls Flyers	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		13	9	6	15	22
1965–66	Niagara Falls Flyers	OHA-Jr.		45	28	22	50	76		6	3	3	6	11
1965–66	Boston Bruins	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL		2	1	0	1	2		5	2	0	2	0
1966–67	Niagara Falls Flyers	OHA-Jr.		35	21	21	42	38		13	8	8	16	28
1967–68	Hershey Bears	AHL		72	31	22	53	35		5	0	1	1	16
1968–69	Boston Bruins	NHL		7	1	0	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Hershey Bears	AHL		67	35	21	56	65		11	7	2	9	25
1969–70	Boston Bruins	NHL		35	9	3	12	14		14	2	0	2	11
1969–70	Hershey Bears	AHL		35	28	15	43	23		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Boston Bruins	NHL		75	15	13	28	30		4	0	0	0	0
1971–72	Boston Bruins	NHL		47	6	4	10	12		14	3	0	3	6
1971–72	Boston Braves	AHL		8	4	7	11	2		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Boston Bruins	NHL		78	24	31	55	49		5	1	1	2	0
1973–74	Boston Bruins	NHL		78	24	26	50	18		16	4	2	6	8
1974–75	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	31	33	64	76		3	1	0	1	0
1975–76	Boston Bruins	NHL		58	16	20	36	24		12	4	2	6	8
1976–77	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	27	18	45	20		14	5	6	11	10
1977–78	Boston Bruins	NHL		77	20	34	54	16		15	5	4	9	8
1978–79	Boston Bruins	NHL		79	20	27	47	10		11	5	3	8	10
1979–80	Boston Bruins	NHL		32	4	11	15	0		10	2	3	5	4
1980–81	Boston Bruins	NHL		72	20	13	33	32		3	2	2	4	6
1981–82	Boston Bruins	NHL		69	13	21	34	14		11	0	4	4	10
NHL totals				868	230	254	484	317		132	34	27	61	81