Jean Pusie was the great travelling comedian of professional hockey. Between 1929 and 1943, he played for 21 different teams?not counting return engagements. He was a big defenseman with little talent who often got himself into trouble by stirring up the fans and puzzling his teammates and opponents with his antics.
After a tryout with the Monteal Canadiens in 1930, he was sent to London, Ontario to improve his limited skills. The rap on Pusie was his tendency to take too long to get his shots away and his inability to take his eyes off the puck when he skated.
In London, however, fans were more preoccupied with his behaviour than his stickhandling. One night, on a breakaway, he fired a sizzler that took the opposing goalies' glove right off of his hand and into the net for a score. Before the goalie could move, Pusie dove into the net, secured the glove and presented it to the befuddled goalkeeper accompanied by a low bow.
Years later, after having played a total of ten games with the Canadiens, Pusie found himself playing for Regina where, one night his team was winning 18-0 and he had scored all of the goals. After having led the WCHL in scoring with Regina-Vancouver, the New York Rangers purchased Pusie's services. But as in Montreal, he played poorly at the NHL level and was sold to the Boston Bruins after only 19 games in Broadway Blue.
In Boston, Pusie continued his trend of big-league ineptitude accentuated by outlandish behaviour. He lasted only eight games in Beantown before being dispatched to the minors. In 1935-36, he got one final run with the Canadiens, lasting 31 games until his antics wore too thin to be tolerated. He was sent to the minors for good where he continued his cheeky play across North America, making stops in Providence, Cleveland, St.Louis, Vancouver, Seattle and Montreal. He finally packed in his show in 1943.
