Luc Lachapelle: The referee who was part of the show

QUÉBEC – Helmet on chest, singing the national anthem at the top of his lungs before one of the most important games of the year: Referee Luc Lachappelle understood that in addition to being a sport, hockey is entertainment – and he made himself part of the show.

‘He knew how to spice up a game…and I think that’s why hockey fans loved him so much. Sometimes he would talk with fans during play stoppages or try to make them laugh. He was a show-off but also a great referee,’ recalled wife Lucie, proudly.

For 22 years, Luc Lachappelle criss-crossed Québec and the Maritimes, from one arena to another. He officiated 746 regular-season games, placing him third all time for most career games officated.

‘It was a real passion for him. He never did it for the money. His recreation work for correctional services allowed him to make a good living. But for him, it was like a vocation. During the day, he kept the inmates in shape … and in the evening, he went to the arena.’

His son Patrick would often accompany him to games. Patrick followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming in turn a line judge for a time in the Q.

“He demanded respect … and had the last word”

Luc Lachapelle made an impression on all who met him. According to Gaston Therrien, he had the ability to control a match all on his own.

‘He was an impartial referee. He called penalties for either team or he gave none at all. If you had to play a seventh playoff game; he was the guy you wanted to have as an official. I remember he was always clear with us … he would come to the bench and said ‘next time you scream, I’m tossing you’ so we had to listen … because he was going to do it,’ Therrien remembers, adding in passing that Luc Lachappelle is one of the best, if not the best official to have ever worked a QMJHL rink.

Like all referees, he was the target of insults. He had things thrown at him and he was criticized his decisions.

‘It’s normal, it comes with the job of being a referee. Sometimes, I would be very quiet on the bench (laughs). The players liked him very much, he was very polite to everyone, even when the situation was tough. He was respected in turn! When it was a dull game, he didn’t hesitate to say it and would find a way to get things going. He had at heart the fans who had paid for a ticket,’ recalls his wife.

A Thought for his Children

Luc Lachappelle had a pre-game ritual. At the end of the national anthem before each game, he would touch the ice with his hand and make the sign of the cross.

‘There was also a code for the children. When Luc officiated NHL games during the referees’ labor dispute, we watched daddy on television. We had found a way for him to say hello to the children; he moved his chain during the national anthem. That meant he was thinking of them,’ remembers Lucie, who had agreed to stay at home to look after the children.

Last Lap

Many former QMJHL coaches, players, and officials wanted to visit Lachapelle one last time when he was in palliative care.

‘There were even fans … including one gentleman who was totally unknown to us. He knew that Luc was hospitalized and he came from Verdun to see him … just to tell him that he had appreciated his work,’ recalls his wife, who plans to let her children speak at the induction ceremony.

Luc Lachappelle died in 2015 at the age of 61, after a long battle with cancer.

Brad Richards, Francis Bouillon, Gaston Therrien and Jean-Sébastien Giguère will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame this Wednesday, at the Capitole Theatre in Québec City.