A forward with the Montreal Canadiens, Edouard Cyrille "Newsy" Lalonde had a starring role in many of their and the NHL's early significant moments.

Known for his snap shot and playing with a physical edge that belied his 5-foot-9, 168-pound frame, Lalonde played in the first game in the Canadiens' history, scored their first goal in the newly formed National Hockey Association (NHA) in 1909-10, and helped them win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 1916. Lalonde also played and had two points (one goal, one assist) in the first NHL game, helping the Canadiens defeat the Ottawa Senators 7-4 on Dec. 19, 1917.

Born Oct. 31, 1887 in Cornwall, Ontario, Lalonde picked up his nickname from working in a newspaper plant when he was growing up. A 1950 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, he also excelled at lacrosse, beginning as a goalie before shifting to attack, and was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1965.

Over a professional hockey career that spanned 22 seasons from 1905-1927, Lalonde bounced from team to team and league to league, but spent the most time with the Canadiens, totaling 12 seasons in the NHA and the NHL. In his five NHL seasons with Montreal as a playing coach from 1917-1922, Lalonde had 167 points (125 goals, 42 assists) in 98 regular-season games.

He played one NHL game for the New York Americans in 1926-27, when he was also their coach, but did not have a point.

Lalonde led the NHL with 23 goals and 32 points in 17 regular-season games in 1918-19, and led the League again with 43 points (33 goals, 10 assists) in 24 games in 1920-21. He set a Canadiens record with six goals against the Toronto St. Patricks on Jan. 10, 1920.

Lalonde led the NHA with 38 goals and 38 points in 11 games with Montreal and Renfrew in 1909-10 (he was traded midseason), including a league-record nine goals in the final game of the season, and led the NHA with 28 goals in 24 games with the Canadiens in 1915-16.

In total, Lalonde led five different leagues in goals: he also led the Ontario Professional Hockey League with 32 goals in nine games with Toronto in 1907-08, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association with 27 goals in 15 games with Vancouver in 1911-12, and the Western Canada Hockey League with 30 goals in 29 games with the Saskatoon in 1922-23.

Lalonde also coached 11 seasons in the NHL with the Canadiens, Americans and Senators, going 144-167 with 28 ties.

He died on Nov. 21, 1970, at age 83.