Denise Bourdon

Denise and her husband Ted began a hockey repair business in their basement workshop. Denise having worked in the fashion industry was an intricate sewer. Denise made the front face of the goalie pads, while her husband was responsible for attaching the felt backing and constructing the channel of the pads, which required significant strength. By incorporating what they learned from repairing goalie equipment they designed the Bourdon goalie pads. Denis Dejordy played for the Montreal Canadiens in 1971 and decided to test drive the pads. Word of mouth spread because Dejordy illustrious career included playing for the Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings and the Detroit Red Wings. It exposed the Bourdon name in markets that otherwise were unattainable. It seemed that Ted received all the attention and adulation from the NHL goalie community. The Bourdon goalie pads penetrated 90% of the market. The list of NHL goalies included Dryden, Tretiak, and Bester.

When I called the owner of White Tanning, I was shocked to hear that he sold all his California tan leather to someone named Denise. He said it would take over 2 months to replenish his stock. However, Denise was generous enough to sell some skins to keep me going with the repairs. Some people in the industry decided to stigmatize Denise with manic depressive personality disorder. I want to set the record straight. It was a complete fabrication. Ted was known to carry a bottle of whiskey, binging during work hours. The last straw was when Denise caught her husband cheating with a sewer and discovered Ted's plot to get rid of her. Denise Bourdon faced significant challenges in both her personal and professional life. Denise’s decision to remove her husband and purge the company was due to misconduct. It showed her commitment to creating a safe and successful work environment for her employees. This decision likely required courage and determination especially considering the personal relationship involved.

Denise stated “I see nothing unusual about a women involved in a macho business”. The statement reflects her confidence to succeed in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Despite facing initial challenges to generate revenue on her own, her technical capabilities and personal approach to goalie equipment modification proved to be invaluable. Her expertise with goalie equipment resonated with the NHL goalies. ultimately, leading them to return to her.

To ensure quality, Denise limited production to 300 pairs of pads a year. That included the catcher, blocker and chest protector. Densie business prowess enabled her to manufacture goalie equipment under the Jofa brand that had global channels of distribution. When it was time to call it quits, she gave the company to her army of employees that changed the name to Audax Jofa. In my opinion, Denise upbringing in Quebec where her parents worked tirelessly on the land, likely instilled in her a strong work ethic. When her father passed away, her mother took charge, further influencing Denise’s understanding of leadership. Witnessing her mother’s strength and taking responsibility and leading the family, reinforced Denise’s own resolve to navigate challenges head on and assert herself in various situations without complaining.

Denise Bourdon’s story may have a historical footnote to consider today. Similarly, Queen Elizabeth I faced numerous threats to her reign, including from her own lover and co-conspirators who wanted to destroy her. Because of her strategic decision, leadership, inspiration of loyalty and military success, she had the support of the army. She managed to get the heads of all the co-conspirators except one. Her former lover was forced to come to court as a reminder of how close she was to losing everything. Denise Bourdon became the matriarch and patriarch of goalie equipment. She rallied her army and won the respect of her peers because she was the strongest.

The Bourdon and Jofa goalie equipment is now primarily in the hands of collectors, who appreciate the history associated with Denise Bourdon. This suggests that despite the evolution of goalie equipment in modern hockey, there is still a significant interest in preserving and understanding the legacy of these brands and their founders. Collectors have ensured that Denise Bourdon’s legacy continues to be remembered and celebrated within the hockey community, highlighting her enduring impact on the sport.