Gaston Gingras
A swift-skating defenceman whose powerful shot earned him the nickname 'Gus' and a Stanley Cup ring with the storied Montreal Canadiens.
Born 1959 (age 67)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: February 13·Baby Boomers
Biography
Gaston Gingras carved out a solid NHL career with his legs and his slap shot. The smooth-skating defenceman broke into the league with the Montreal Canadiens, but his path to regular duty was blocked by the team's depth. A trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs gave him more ice time to showcase his offensive instincts from the blue line. His journey came full circle when he returned to Montreal in the mid-80s, contributing to the Canadiens' 1986 Stanley Cup championship. While not a superstar, Gingras was a reliable professional for a decade, known for his speed and a hard shot that made him a threat on the power play.
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.
Gaston was born in 1959, 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 Gaston Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Gaston's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
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
1980Turned 21
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
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Stanley Cup in 1986 as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.
- Played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for Montreal, Toronto, and St. Louis.
- Recorded a career-high 52 points (16 goals, 36 assists) with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1983-84 season.
Did You Know?
His nickname was 'Gus'.
He played one season in the World Hockey Association (WHA) for the Birmingham Bulls before the NHL-WHA merger.
He was known for having an exceptionally hard slap shot.
“I just wanted to play my game, move the puck, and help the team win.”
