While his name isn't as well known as many of the players to wear the Montreal Canadiens' uniform over the years, Paul Meger is a Stanley Cup champion all the same. And, until early Tuesday morning, he was the oldest living member of the Habs to have his name etched on hockey's most prestigious prize. The native of Saskatchewan died in his home in Barrie, Ontario at the age of 90.
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Meger, a centre who also played left wing, hoisted the cup with his Montreal teammates during the 1952-1953 season, his last full season with the Habs. Montreal defeated Boston four-games-to-one in the final round, a repeat of their previous cup winning performance in 1946. Some of Meger's teammates at the time included Bernard “Boom Boom” Geoffrion, Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Elmer Lach and Jacques Plante, just to name a few.
Sadly, Meger's hockey career would be cut short just two seasons later. While playing for the Montreal Royals of the Quebec Senior Hockey League in 1955, Meger collided with Boston's Leo Labine. Labine's skate accidentally kicked up, shattering Meger's temporal lobe and slicing into his brain. Surgeons were able to save the 25-year-old's life, but his hockey career was over. In a fantastic show of solidarity, his teammates voted to give Meger a share of their playoff bonus money at the end of the season.
