Jacque Rodrigue
Year Inducted: 2010
Birthdate: May 7, 1971 -
Town/City: Nashua, NH
By the time he got to the end of his four years as a starting defenseman in the Nashua High School lineup, Jack was among the handful of players who easily were rated as the best in the state.
Among the many accolades he gathered as a senior was high recognition from Hockey Night in Boston as New Hampshire Player Of The Year. He also, for the third straight season, was named an All State Defenseman.
In later years, he would be selected as a defenseman on the New Hampshire Millennium Team.
For those years prior to his 1989 graduation, the Nashua High School hockey program had developed into an annual threat to win it all.
And in his freshman season of 1985-86, Jack and Company did just that: they won the state title, beating Berlin High School, 3-2, in Durham.
That win marked the second consecutive year that Nashua earned itself the hockey banner that proclaims State Champion.
Nashua that season went 21-0, and was the only undefeated hockey team in the state. The team ultimately ran up a 33-game win streak. Jack, though, because the streak started when he was in the 8th grade, was on the ice for just 25 of those consecutive wins.
In his four-year tenure, Nashua had a regular-season record of 56 wins- 10 losses-2 ties; and in 11 state tournament games the team posted an 8-3 record.
All of it was achieved with strong defensive work and Jack was a major contributor.
After graduation, he went off to play two seasons with the North Iowa Huskies of the US Junior Hockey League and twice was named an All Star. In 55 games, he produced 33 goals and 58 assists.
He then accepted a scholarship to play for the University of Maine. In his sophomore year, UMaine won the NCAA title, defeating Lake Superior, 4-3, in the final round.
In his senior year, UMaine lost in the NCAA final, 5-3, to Boston University.
He played 59 games in three college seasons, scoring 13 goals and 35 assists. He graduated in 1995 and moved on to the professional ranks.
Over his nine seasons as a pro, Jack played with 10 teams in eight leagues around the country: the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League; the Richmond Renegades, Dayton Bombers and Columbus Chill of the East Coast Hockey League; the Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League; the Utica Blizzard and Dayton Ice Bandits of the Colonial Hockey League; the Phoenix Mustangs of the West Coast Hockey League; the Odessa , TX Jackalopes, first in the Western Professional Hockey League and later of the Central Hockey League; and the Knoxville Ice Bears of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. He was a four-time All Star with the Odessa Jackalopes.
And what, pray tell, is a Jackalope? Why, a Texas-sized rabbit, of course-with antlers!
Over 521 professional games, including 30 playoff tilts, Jack’s scoring totals were 73 goals and 283 assists. He retired at the conclusion of the 2002-03 season.
As an aside, he also played two seasons (1996-1997) of professional roller hockey.
Jack lives in his hometown of Nashua with his wife, Sandy, and their sons, Jacob and Trevor.
He is employed by JDM Pharmaceutical Water Systems of Nashua, working with his long-time friend and high school teammate, Matt Robbins.