Leo Gravelle

Joseph Gerard Leo Gravelle (born June 10, 1925 in Aylmer, Quebec) is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 223 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.

Gravelle led the junior OHA with 52 points (30 goals and 22 assists) in 1944-45 while playing with the St. Michael's Majors. He then enjoyed a productive year in the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL) with the Montreal Royals before making his NHL debut the next year. In 1946-47 he scored 16 goals as rookie working on a line with Buddy O'Connor and George Allen on the Montreal Canadiens. "The Gazelle" also chipped in a pair of goals as Montreal drove all the way to the Stanley Cup final.

After spending a year-and-a-half in the minors, Gravelle returned to The Habs and was one of the club's best players during a seven game loss to the Detroit Red Wings in the semifinals in 1948-49. Gravelle registered a career high 19 goals in 1949-50 playing on a line with Rip Riopelle and Billy Reay. He started the next season in Montreal then was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Bert Olmstead. Following the deal, Gravelle split the remainder of the schedule between Detroit and the AHL's Indianapolis Capitals.

The veteran winger retired in 1956 after spending five years as a scoring star in the Quebec Senior Hockey League and its successor the Quebec Hockey League. In 1953-54 he led the league with 45 goals as a member of the Ottawa Senators and was named to the QHL first all-star team.

References

• Leo Gravelle's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database