Christian Bordeleau
A swift and skilled playmaker, he carved out a notable professional career spanning the NHL and the upstart WHA in the 1970s.
Born 1947 (age 79)·Canadian retired ice hockey forward·Birthday: September 23·Baby Boomers
Biography
Christian Bordeleau emerged from the robust hockey culture of Quebec, a gifted center known for his speed and offensive vision. Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, he broke into the NHL at a time of immense organizational depth, making his biggest splash later with the St. Louis Blues. His career found its most significant chapter with the birth of the World Hockey Association, where he became a star. Playing for the Quebec Nordiques and later the Winnipeg Jets, Bordeleau was a consistent point producer and a fan favorite, helping to legitimize the rebel league. His game was one of elegant playmaking rather than brute force, and he retired as a respected figure who thrived in two major professional hockey arenas.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Christian was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Christian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 199 games in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, and Vancouver Canucks.
- Scored over 100 goals and 300 points during his seven-season career in the World Hockey Association (WHA).
- Was a key offensive contributor for the Quebec Nordiques, including a 95-point season in 1974-75.
Did You Know?
He is the uncle of NHL players Paul and Sebastien Bordeleau.
He played his final WHA season for the Winnipeg Jets, who were coached by hockey great Bobby Hull.
He was originally drafted 5th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1966 NHL Amateur Draft.
“Speed opens the ice, but vision opens the net.”
