The Beauce Jaros played just one full season in the North
American Hockey League. In 1975-76, the Jaros set the NAHL on fire. In 1976-77,
the team folded on December 22 after just 30 games. The team played their home
games at the Palais des Sports in Saint-Georges, Quebec. The arena currently
holds less than 2,500 spectators. Joe Hardy was the only head coach the franchise ever had.
Hardy was also the team’s star player.
1975-76
In their only full season, Beauce finished first overall in
the ten team league and first in the East Division with 54 wins and 110 points
over the 74 game schedule. The Jaros led the league in goals scored with 462,
89 more than the second place Philadelphia Firebirds. Beauce met the Firebirds in the
Lockhart Cup finals and lost to Philadelphia in six games.
The offensive explosion was shared by four players with 60
or more goals. All four had more than 130 points. Alain Caron led the way with 78 goals, followed by Richard
Grenier with 77, Luc Simard with 65 and Jocelyn ‘Joe’ Hardy with 60. Hardy led
the NAHL with 148 assists and 208 points. Both will forever remain as NAHL
single season records. The 208 points made Joe Hardy the first professional
player to reach 200 points in a season.
Another league leader on the Jaros was Gilles Bilodeau. ‘Bad News’ Bilodeau led the league with 451
penalty minutes.
1976-77
Beauce had won just six games and tied two in their first 30
games of the season when the franchise folded. Joe Hardy was again the player /
head coach and was on pace for another great year with 43 points in 22 games.
Hardy finished off his NAHL season with the Binghamton Dusters. He would play
one more year with the Dusters in the American Hockey League before calling it
quits.
The team was led offensively by Norm Dube. Dube had 52
points in 29 games for the Jaros. He also played with the Quebec Nordiques of
the World Hockey Association that year. Over his pro career, Norm played 148
regular season games in the WHA, all with Quebec, and 57 regular season games
in the National Hockey League, all with the Kansas City Scouts.
