Earl Roche

Canadian ice hockey player

Earl Joseph Roche (February 22, 1910 – August 15, 1965) was a Canadian ice hockey left winger. He played 147 games over five seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Maroons, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Eagles and Detroit Red Wings. His brother Desse Roche also played in the NHL. The brothers often played on the same line; Earl at left wing and Desse on right wing.

Roche was born in Prescott, Ontario, but moved to Montreal where he played junior hockey for the Montreal Victorias and other teams. He moved up to senior hockey for the Montreal Hockey Club and played for their Allan Cup winning squad of 1930. He signed with the Maroons of the NHL, playing for the Maroons and the Windsor Bulldogs until 1933. He was released by the Maroons and signed with the Bruins in January 1933 only to be traded to the Senators one month later. In his one full season with the Senators in 1933–34 he showed a scoring touch, scoring 13 goals and 16 assists in 45 games. The next season, the Senators relocated to St. Louis to become the Eagles. Roche was traded twice in 1934–35; from St. Louis to Buffalo, then to the Red Wings. That marked his last season in the NHL, as he subsequently played for various minor league pro teams until 1942.

Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1925–26 Montreal Victorias MCJHL 5 1 1 2 2 — — — — — 1926–27 Montreal Bell Telephone MRTHL — — — — — — — — — — 1927–28 Montreal Bell Telephone MRTHL — — — — — — — — — — 1927–28 Montreal St. Anthony's MRTHL — — — — — — — — — — 1928–29 Montreal Victorias MCJHL — — — — — — — — — — 1928–29 Montreal Bell Telephone MRTHL 15 10 4 14 24 — — — — — 1928–29 Montreal Martins MMRHL — 2 0 2 2 — — — — — 1929–30 Montreal Bell Telephone MRTHL 10 6 0 6 18 2 1 1 2 6 1930–31 Montreal Maroons NHL 42 2 0 2 18 2 0 0 0 0 1931–32 Windsor Bulldogs IHL 48 22 18 40 51 6 0 1 1 2 1932–33 Montreal Maroons NHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1932–33 Windsor Bulldogs IHL 17 6 8 14 23 — — — — — 1932–33 Boston Bruins NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1932–33 Ottawa Senators NHL 20 4 5 9 6 — — — — — 1933–34 Ottawa Senators NHL 45 13 16 29 22 — — — — — 1933–34 Detroit Olympics IHL 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1934–35 St. Louis Eagles NHL 19 3 3 6 2 — — — — — 1934–35 Buffalo Bisons IHL 1 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 1934–35 Detroit Red Wings NHL 13 3 3 6 0 — — — — — 1934–35 Detroit Olympics IHL 7 2 1 3 12 5 1 4 5 0 1935–36 Pittsburgh Shamrocks IHL 28 12 11 33 30 — — — — — 1935–36 Cleveland Falcons IHL 19 9 8 17 26 2 0 0 0 0 1936–37 Cleveland Falcons IAHL 39 11 17 28 49 — — — — — 1937–38 Cleveland Barons IAHL 46 4 9 13 12 1 0 2 2 2 1938–39 Providence Reds IAHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1938–39 Cleveland Barons IAHL 9 0 4 4 0 — — — — — 1938–39 Hershey Bears IAHL 42 4 9 13 14 5 0 3 3 0 1939–40 New Haven Eagles IAHL 54 13 28 41 14 3 0 3 3 0 1940–41 New Haven Eagles AHL 51 18 17 35 22 2 0 0 0 2 1941–42 New Haven Eagles AHL 56 9 20 29 19 2 0 0 0 2 1943–44 Montreal Noordyn MCHL 10 5 5 10 6 — — — — — NHL totals 147 25 27 52 48 2 0 0 0 0