It's hard to overstate Yvon Robert's status in the province, he was a huge territorial star who even out-earned Maurice Richard at his peak for goodness' sake, and the latter would make wrestling appearances as a guest referee. Which says more about how hockey players were exploited by club owners than anything else.
For those who might not know much about hockey, Maurice "Rocket" Richard is the most beloved Montreal Canadien of all-time (apologies to Jean Beliveau), which makes him something like the Babe Ruth of hockey. This famous short story by Rock Carrier sums it up, and it was made into a fantastic animated short by the NFB.