Boivin's hockey career began when he skated on the St. Lawrence River as a boy and led him all the way to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He became one of the hardest-hitting defensemen in NHL history, an amazing accomplishment considering that he stood 5-foot-8 and weighed no more than 183 pounds during his 19 seasons in the League.

The native of Prescott, Ontario, was known for his explosive hits that broke up rushes and left bruises on opposing attackers while he skated away with the puck. Tim Horton, a fellow Hall of Fame defenseman who was also known for making life miserable for forwards, said Boivin was the toughest defenseman in the NHL to beat 1-on-1.

The Boston Bruins signed him to a contract but traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 16, 1950. He finished his junior career with Port Arthur and spent most of the 1951-52 season with Pittsburgh of the American Hockey League before joining the Maple Leafs for two games late in the season. He became a regular during the following season, but the Maple Leafs traded him back to the Bruins on Nov. 9, 1954.

Boivin blossomed during his 12 seasons with the Bruins, becoming one of the NHL's most feared hip-checkers, but Boston went from making the Stanley Cup Final in 1957 and 1958 (losing to the Montreal Canadiens each time) to missing the playoffs eight straight seasons from 1959-60 through 1960-67.

By the time the Bruins returned to the playoffs, Boivin was long gone; he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 16, 1966. He and Detroit advanced to the Stanley Cup Final that season and won the first two games in Montreal but lost the next four.

The following month, Boivin had a new team. The Pittsburgh Penguins, one of six teams that entered the NHL in 1967, claimed him in the expansion draft in June. He played 1967-68 with the Penguins, was traded to the Minnesota North Stars midway through the 1968-69 season and retired after playing 69 games for the North Stars in 1969-70, eschewing a chance to continue his career by joining the expansion Buffalo Sabres. He ended his NHL career with 322 points (72 goals, 250 assists) -- and countless bruises given and received -- in 1,150 NHL games.

Instead, he became a scout, though he also coached the St. Louis Blues for two seasons (1975-76, 1977-78). Boivin was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.