Career
He became one of the National Hockey League"s preeminent stars on defence for both his offense and defensive work, playing in seven National Hockey League All-Star Games and setting the franchise record for points by a defenceman, and was recognized as a First Team All-Star in 1971 and a Second Team All-Star in 1968. In 1972, Tremblay jumped to the upstart WHA with the Nordiques, which had negotiated with the Los Angeles Sharks for his rights. He was the franchise"s first great star, as well as the league"s first great defenceman, winning the league honors for best defenceman in 1973 and 1975 and being named to the WHA"s Team Canada in 1974, leading that club in defensive scoring.
He was the only player to play for the Nordiques all seven seasons of the WHA, and retired after the 1979 season.
His number #3 jersey was retired by the Nordiques after that season just before the franchise"s move into the National Hockey League, thus gaining Tremblay the distinction of being one of only three players to have a number retired by a National Hockey League team without ever actually playing for it (the other two being Johnny McKenzie by the Hartford Whalers and Frank Finnigan by the modern-day Ottawa Senators). He later scouted in Europe for the Montreal Canadiens.
Ironically, Tremblay died of kidney cancer himself on December 7, 1994, at the age of 55.
