Yvan Cournoyer (born November 22, 1943 in Drummondville, Quebec) was a hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) who played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1963 to 1979. Due to his blazing speed and small size, Cournoyer was dubbed "the Roadrunner." He credited his speed to longer blades on his ice skates, which reduced his maneuverability, but gave him a speed boost.
In 16 seasons of play, Cournoyer established himself as one of the premier forwards in the NHL, scoring 428 goals and 435 assists in 968 games. Perhaps the finest moment in his career came in the playoffs in 1973, where he scored 15 goals in 17 games and was the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the MVP of the NHL's playoffs at their conclusion. Cournoyer played in six All-Star Games, and was on 10 Stanley Cup-winning teams.
In the 1996-97 NHL season, Cournoyer was an assistant coach for Les Canadiens. He now serves as an official ambassador for the organization.
The Canadiens retired the uniform number 12 in honor of both Cournoyer and Dickie Moore on November 12, 2005.
