# François Lacombe

François Lacombe (born February 24, 1948) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1968 and 1980. He spent parts of three seasons in the NHL with the Oakland Seals and Buffalo Sabres before moving to the WHA and playing for the Quebec Nordiques and Calgary Cowboys, playing briefly for the Nordiques again when they joined the NHL.

## Professional hockey career

After short stints in the NHL with the Oakland Seals and Buffalo Sabres, Lacombe spent the majority of his career, in the WHA, with the Quebec Nordiques, plus a single season with the Calgary Cowboys. He played 3 games for Quebec in the NHL following the NHL–WHA merger.
Lacombe played a total of 78 regular-season NHL games, scoring two goals and adding 17 assists. He also appeared in 3 playoff games with Oakland in the 1969 Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring one goal. Meanwhile, Lacombe played in 440 WHA games, scoring 38 goals and adding 139 assists. He appeared in 54 Avco Cup playoff games in the WHA, scoring five goals and tallying ten assists, winning the Avco Cup with the Nordiques in 1977.
In 1970 Lacombe was traded to the Montreal Canadiens along with California's first draft pick in 1971 (the Canadiens chose Guy Lafleur) for Ernie Hicke and Montreal's first round pick. The trade is considered one of the worst of all time.

## Minor hockey

Lacombe is now coaching in Châteauguay with the Châteauguay Midget AAA Patriotes. He was arrested on March 12, 2008, after allegedly throwing a garbage can at a player on an opposing team sparking a bench clearing brawl. The charges were later dropped.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1965–66 | Lachine Maroons | QJHL | 40 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Lachine Maroons | QJHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Montreal Junior Canadiens | OHA | 51 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 59 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 1968–69 | Oakland Seals | NHL | 72 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 50 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969–70 | Oakland Seals | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Providence Reds | AHL | 70 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970–71 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970–71 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | WHL | 70 | 11 | 39 | 50 | 89 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Cincinnati Swords | AHL | 35 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 26 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
| 1971–72 | Fort Worth Wings | CHL | 19 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Salt Lake Golden Eagles | WHL | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–73 | Quebec Nordiques | WHA | 62 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 123 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Quebec Nordiques | WHA | 71 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974–75 | Quebec Nordiques | WHA | 55 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 54 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| 1974–75 | Maine Nordiques | NAHL | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Calgary Cowboys | WHA | 71 | 3 | 28 | 31 | 62 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1976–77 | Quebec Nordiques | WHA | 81 | 5 | 22 | 27 | 86 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| 1977–78 | Quebec Nordiques | WHA | 22 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| 1978–79 | Quebec Nordiques | WHA | 78 | 3 | 21 | 24 | 44 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 1979–80 | Quebec Nordiques | NHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–80 | Syracuse Firebirds | AHL | 50 | 3 | 26 | 29 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| WHA totals | WHA totals | WHA totals | 440 | 38 | 139 | 177 | 422 | 54 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 41 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 78 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 54 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |