# Leo Lafrance

Leonard Joseph LaFrance (November 3, 1902 – April 7, 1993) was a Canadian ice hockey forward who played 34 games in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks during the 1926–27 and 1927–28 seasons. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1921 to 1936, was spent in different minor leagues. He was born in L'Isle-aux-Allumettes, Quebec, but grew up in Coniston, Ontario. His nickname was "The Flying Frenchman"

## Playing career

LaFrance played the position of Left Wing for the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens from 1927 to 1928, and the Chicago Black Hawks from 1927 to 1928. His total NHL career consisted of 34 games played and 2 goals scored. Prior to joining the NHL, LaFrance was noted as a decent goal scorer with several minor league teams including the Sudbury Cub Wolves of the NOJHA, Iroquois Falls Papermakers of the NOHA, and the Duluth Hornets of the USAHA and CHL. His best year in hockey was from 1930–31 when as a member of the AHA's Tulsa Oilers he scored 42 points.

## After hockey

He retired from playing hockey following the 1935–36 season with the Seattle Seahawks of the NWHL. His honors include being a member of the CHL Second All-Star Team in 1935. LaFrance later took a job as an electrician and estimator for the Universal Electric Company, in Duluth, Minnesota. He retired in 1969. He spent the rest of his life living quietly in Duluth, and spending time with friends and family, and died peacefully in 1993 at the age of 90.

## 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 |
| 1920–21 | Sudbury Cub Wolves | NOJHA | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | 5 | 7 | 4 | 11 | — |
| 1921–22 | Iroquois Falls Flyers | NOHA | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | 5 | 12 | — |
| 1922–23 | Iroquois Falls Papermakers | NOHA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1923–24 | Iroquois Falls Papermakers | NOHA | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1924–25 | Duluth Hornets | USAHA | 31 | 6 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1925–26 | Duluth Hornets | CHL | 40 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 28 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| 1926–27 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1926–27 | Duluth Hornets | AHA | 37 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1927–28 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1927–28 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1927–28 | Kansas City Pla-Mors | AHA | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1928–29 | Tulsa Oilers | AHA | 40 | 19 | 7 | 26 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1930–31 | Tulsa Oilers | AHA | 48 | 27 | 15 | 42 | 41 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| 1931–32 | Tulsa Oilers | AHA | 48 | 11 | 5 | 16 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1932–33 | Duluth Hornets | AHA | 39 | 16 | 8 | 24 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1933–34 | Duluth Hornets | CHL | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1933–34 | Tulsa Oilers | AHA | 31 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 35 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1934–35 | Minneapolis Millers | CHL | 46 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 1935–36 | Rochester Cardinals | IHL | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1935–36 | Calgary Tigers | NWHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1935–36 | Seattle Seahawks | NWHL | 26 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| AHA totals | AHA totals | AHA totals | 256 | 92 | 49 | 141 | 241 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 34 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
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