Centre Marc Boileau began his major junior career with the Verdun LaSalle in 1950-51 before moving on to the St. Jerome Eagles the following year. At the age of 20 he moved to Ontario and suited up for the Kitchener Greenshirts for half a season and also played for the Montreal Junior Canadiens.
Boileau had an immense passion for hockey and a lifelong dream to play it professionally and of course his ultimate goal was to play in the NHL. Teammates often marvelled at his strong work ethic and desire for the game. Others thought he was a bit too passionate, and felt he had somewhat of a short fuse. He turned pro with Cincinnati in 1953-54. He played with an assortment of minor-league teams for eight years before finally getting the chance to perform in the NHL.
It was in 1961-62 when Boileau played 54 games with the Detroit Red Wings. He was told to concentrate primarily on his defensive duties, which he took on with great pride. He also managed to chip in with five goals and eleven points. Despite a relatively strong on-ice performance, the Red Wings were unable to find a roster spot for him beyond that season and he never played in the NHL again.
Boileau loved the game though, and he continued to lace up the blades for another nine years in the minors. At the age of 40 he played two games with the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL before retiring.
In 1973-74 he joined the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins in a management capacity. He also coached the team in 1975 but announced his retirement later that summer. Boileau then jumped to the WHA where he guided the Quebec Nordiques and was behind the bench for the team's 1977 Avco Cup championship when they defeated the defending champion Winnipeg Jets in seven games. He also served as coach at the 1978 WHA All-Star Game where the Nordiques defeated a team of WHA All Stars 5-4. One of the many humorous stories loaded with irony surfaced soon after the WHA folded when it was alleged the coach of the Winnipeg Jets, Bobby Kromm, and Boileau of the Nordiques once got into a nasty fist fight during a heated disagreement at an anti-violence meeting which of all things was intended to look at ways of curbing on-ice violence. Apparently boardroom pugilism was not an issue on the corporate agenda.
Boileau's father Rene also played in the NHL, suiting up for seven games with the New York Americans in 1925-26.
