 His older brother Maurice Richard played hockey for the Montreal Canadiens beginning in 1942, when Henri was six years old.Maurice Richard quickly became a superstar player for the Canadiens, earning the nickname Rocket Richard, and Henri Richard wished to emulate his brother and go into hockey.Henri joined the junior Montreal Canadiens as a 15 year old, and led the QMJHL in scoring for two consecutive seasons before being promoted to the NHL.