Eric Chouinard
A highly-touted scorer whose professional journey never quite matched the promise of his famous last name and junior hockey dominance.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American-Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: July 8·Generation X
Biography
Eric Chouinard entered the hockey world with a weight of expectation, not only as a first-round draft pick but as the son of Montreal Canadiens great Guy Chouinard. His junior career with the Quebec Remparts was nothing short of spectacular, where he was a pure goal-scoring force. The Montreal Canadiens, hoping he'd bring that magic home, selected him 16th overall in 1998. Yet, the transition to the professional grind proved difficult. Despite possessing a deft scoring touch, Chouinard struggled to find a consistent role in the NHL, bouncing between the big club and the minors. His tenure with Montreal, Philadelphia, and Minnesota was brief, and he ultimately found greater success and longevity in the American Hockey League and later in European leagues. His career stands as a classic hockey narrative of stellar talent that couldn't quite translate to the sport's highest level.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Eric was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eric Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Eric's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Drafted in the first round (16th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
- Scored 71 goals in a single season (1998-99) for the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.
- Played parts of five seasons in the National Hockey League, totaling 131 games.
- Had a prolific AHL career, scoring over 200 goals at that level over more than a decade.
Did You Know?
His father, Guy Chouinard, scored 50 goals in a season for the Atlanta Flames.
He holds dual citizenship (American and Canadian) because he was born in Atlanta while his father played there.
Chouinard played professionally in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria after his North American career.
He won a QMJHL championship and Memorial Cup with the Quebec Remparts in 2006 as a veteran over-age player.
“I was a first-round pick, but I had to find my own game, not just a famous name.”
