Canada Ping!
Posted on 12/02/2014 10:08:25 PM PST by xp38
Jean Beliveau, one of the greatest legends to ever play in the National Hockey League, has passed away. He was 83.
Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972, Beliveau scored 507 goals and 712 assists in 1,125 games over parts of 20 seasons, all as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.
Beliveau was the first player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup playoffs MVP, winning the award in the Canadiens’ 1965 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. In the end, Beliveau won the Stanley Cup 10 times with the Canadiens.
Along with being the captain of the Canadiens for 10 years, Beliveau was awarded the Order of Canada in 1989.
(Excerpt) Read more at torontosun.com ...
Yeah very sad
R.I.P. One of the all-time greats.
ping
Canada Ping!
On top of 10 cups on the ice he added his name 7 more times as an executive with the team. 17 times his name has been etched on the Stanley Cup which has to be some sort of record To put things in some sort of perspective Montreal has won the cup 24 times in total.
I'd write more about this if I had more time, but let me just say that Jean Beliveau will be remembered not only as a legendary hockey player, but as a hockey icon who transcended the game on the ice and was a great ambassador for the game of hockey. I'm too young to have ever seen him play, but everything I've read about him includes prominent mention of his magnificent skating abilities and great passion for the game.
He will be sorely missed. Prayers up for his family, friends, and the entire Montreal Canadiens "family."
I heard about that thought I’m no Howe fan. He hit my buddy Cal for no reason in the first period of a game, Cal didn’t have puck or anything, then in the third period when Howe had the puck, Cal got off a clean hit. Howe immediately went and cried to the ref, asking him does he know who he is, and who is he to touch me etc. Not a class act. He is nothing like this legendary Montreal Jean Beliveau that my dad talked about a lot.
Cal died last new year’s day, but he didn’t get mention. Him and Pat Quinn were roommates in the early hockey days. He was a good friend to me and is missed.
My hero as a very young man, Jean Beliveau. Used to listen to the Habs games under the blankets on my crystal rocket radio.
Number 4, RIP Jean.....
Yah, it’s rare that you hear bad things about famous players. It’s hard to keep a balance between reality and fame. It’s very hard to balance personal connections with numbers, too. Class doesn’t have much connection to that. People remember media moments, not real life.
I’m glad you got to know the better person.
I am definitely living under a rock these days...I just discovered overnight that Jean Beliveau died on the second of December...As a kid growing up I rooted against Beliveau as a member of the Canadiens and he broke my heart on so many occasions...The testimonial video that was created of his life captures the essence of his life and status as a living legend...that was some era for sports:
Jean Beliveau, Hockey, Montreal Canadians
Bill Russell, Basketball, Boston Celtics
Jim Brown, Football, Cleveland Browns
Mickey Mantle, Baseball, New York Yankees
We will likely never see such an era again...
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