Joel Baillargeon

Quebec City's Joel Baillargeon is the son of legendary Canadian wrestler and strongman Paul Baillargeon, one of six Baillargeon brothers known for their strength. Paul's specialty act was lifting horses. Once source I found suggest he once climbed a telephone pole with a horse on his back!

I do not know that Papa Baillargeon ever help son Joel in his training for his own pro-sports career, but he could be proud of his son for making it to the National Hockey League for 20 games, the last five of which were with his hometown Nordiques.

The left winger was noted as a zealous bodycheck but not a goon. He was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets 113th overall in 1983, and would play 15 games with the team split between the 1986-87 season and the 1987-88 season. He picked up two assists.

He was later shipped to Quebec where he mostly played with their farm team in Halifax. As mentioned Joel did crack the Nordiques line up for five games during the 1988-89 season. The Nords were a very weak team at this point in their existence. I don't think the strength of the entire Baillergeon family could have lifted the Nordiques out of the NHL basement.

In addition to being a strongman and wrestler, Paul Baillargeon was a very successful hotelier in Quebe City, and president of the Quebec City Hotel and Restaurant Association. It is unclear if the family is still in the business today.