After the Draft

• Played left wing throughout his pro career.
  
  
• Scrimmaged on same line with Jean Beliveau and Yvan Cournoyer at his first NHL training camp with Montreal in September 1970.
  
  
• Roomed with Ken Dryden's while playing for Montreal Voyageurs (AHL) during 1970-71 season.
  
  
• Traded by Montreal with Lyle Carter to California in exchange for Randy Rota on Oct. 8, 1971.
  
  
• Selected by New England Whalers in 1972 WHA General Player Draft, the first draft in league history, in February 1972.
  
  
• Played on line with Howie Menard and Bob Rivard for Baltimore in 1971-72.
  
  
• Played for Baltimore team that went to 1972 AHL Calder Cup Finals, and played much of the series with a broken ankle.
  
  
• Had four goals and two assists for Baltimore (AHL) in team's 10-1 playoff win over Cleveland on April 12, 1972.
  
  
• Finished second in AHL playoffs in goals (9) and fourth in points (19) with Baltimore in 1972.
  
  
• Signed WHA contract with New England Whalers on June 25, 1972.
  
  
• Played on 1972-73 New England team that won WHA regular-season title.
  
  
• Won inaugural WHA World Trophy championship with New England in 1973.
  
  
• Had knee surgery after 1972-73 season.
  
  
• Led New England (WHA) in points (72) and assists (48) in 1973-74.
  
  
• Traded by New England (WHA) to San Diego (WHA) for 1976 second-round draft pick (later traded) and future considerations in October 1975.
  
  
• Missed part of 1976-77 WHA season with separated left shoulder, an injury suffered during San Diego's Nov. 28, 1976, game at Edmonton.
  
  
• Became an unrestricted free agent when San Diego (WHA) team folded in June 1977. He subsequently  signed with Indianapolis (WHA).
  
  
• Traded by Indianapolis (WHA) with Dave Dornseif to Cincinnati in exchange for Al McLeod on Oct. 1, 1978.
  
  
• Released by Cincinnati (WHA) on Oct. 9, 1978, after failing to make team out of training camp.
  
  
• Pro rights claimed by Quebec (NHL) from Cincinnati in WHA Dispersal Draft on June 9, 1979, although he had already retired.
  
  
• Worked as an instructor at the Orr-Walton hockey camp during off-seasons of his early playing days.

Miscellaneous

Full Name: John George French
Nickname: "Frenchy"

Post-Draft Teams: Montreal, Baltimore (AHL); New England, San Diego, Indianapolis (WHA); Springfield (AHL); Orillia (Ontario Sr.)

Education: Attended York University.

Career Beyond Hockey: Went to work for McCain Foods in Florenceville, New Brunswick, after his retirement, eventually becoming Vice President of Export Sales. In his first three years with the company, he played for the company-sponsored senior-league team. He later worked for some years in construction-equipment sales before retiring for good in 2010.
 

French's Four-Goal Game

During the New England Whalers' seven-season run in the WHA, only one Whalers player ever scored four goals in a game. That player was John French, who set the record by scoring four goals in a wild Dec. 12, 1973, home game vs. Toronto. French scored his first goal of the game at 8:24 of the first period to cut an early Toros lead to 2-1. His second goal came at 10:26 of the second period, cutting the lead to 4-2. He completed his hat trick at 4:34 of the third period  to tie the score at 5-5, and he added an empty-netter at 19:42 to cap off a wild third period and seal an 8-6 victory. His team record stood until the end of the WHA's existence, when the Whalers merged into the NHL in 1979.
 

French's Five-Assist Game

Just over three months after he set the Whalers single-game goals record, French made some more New England WHA history by becoming the first and only WHA Whalers player to record five assists in one game. His historic performance unfolded at home on March 27, 1974, vs. Los Angeles. He recorded his first assist on a goal by Al Karlander for a 1-0 lead at 12:58 of the first period. His second assist came on a Mike Byers goal at 18:55 of the first to make it 3-0, and his third assist came on Karlander's second goal of the game for 4-0 lead at 12:52 of the second period. He picked up the fourth assist on Tom Webster's goal for a 5-0 lead at 6:46 of the third, and closed out his historic night with an assist on Byers' second goal at 11:53 -- giving the Whalers a 6-0 lead in a game they went on to win 7-1. As was the case with his goals record, French's team record assists stood until the end of the WHA's existence, when the Whalers merged into the NHL in 1979. French's five points also tied the Whalers team record for points in one game, and that record, shared with many other players, also stood until the end of the Whalers' WHA existence.

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