Patrice Brisebois
A smooth-skating defenceman who weathered the intense pressure of playing for the Montreal Canadiens for 16 seasons, becoming a fixture on their blue line.
Born 1971 (age 55)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: January 27·Generation X
Biography
Patrice Brisebois lived the dream and the burden of every Quebec-born hockey player: to wear the storied bleu, blanc, et rouge of the Montreal Canadiens. Drafted by the Habs in 1989, the offensive-minded defenceman possessed a fluid skating stride and a powerful shot from the point. His career in Montreal was a long-running drama of adoration and scrutiny, as he navigated the immense expectations of the fanbase. He was part of the 1993 Stanley Cup-winning team as a young player and later returned to the club after a stint with Colorado, demonstrating a deep loyalty to the franchise. While his defensive play was sometimes debated, his durability and commitment were never in question, culminating in over 900 games played for the Canadiens and a later role in the team's front office.
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.
Patrice was born in 1971, 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 Patrice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Patrice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
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
1989Could vote
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
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
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
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.
- Played 896 regular season games for the Montreal Canadiens, among the most for a defenceman in team history.
- Recorded 98 goals and 322 assists over his 1,009-game NHL career.
- Served as the Canadiens' Director of Player Development after his retirement.
Did You Know?
He won the NHL's fastest skater competition at the 1993 All-Star Skills Competition.
His jersey number 43 was unofficially retired by his junior team, the Laval Titan.
He co-owns a chain of popular rotisserie chicken restaurants in Quebec called 'Poulet Bronzé'.
He was famously paired with defenceman Vladimir Malakhov during a successful period for the Canadiens in the late 1990s.
“Playing in Montreal isn't a job; it's a religion.”
