For those who didn’t see him play, there are tons of video clips on youtube of him. He looks like an adult playing children. I was fortunate in that I grew up watching him, from his first season til his last.
Due to his opponents targeting his knees, they gave out, prematurely and cut his career short. If only knee surgery available today (arthroscopic and knee replacement) had been available back then, he inevetably could have played many more years.
i do feel privileged to have seen him, and other Boston greats play- Can still remember going over to our uncle’s place to watch it- as uncle and aunt were huge fans then- We’d get the popcorn made, and I can still see my aunt screaming at the TV- jumping up when he scored or defended- or When Esposito (Sp?) would do the same-
I think it was a fella named O’Reilly that they called ‘the enforcer’? Whenever a fight would break out? We’d all be o n the edge of our seats watching the brawls hat would break out- lol- was a lot of fun back then- No cable TV- just an old floor model you had to twist the rabbit ears on till you got it just right to see well enough- lol
I am from Mass and followed his career quite closely.
Even as a defenseman, he could take the puck from behind his own goal and take it all the way to the other end and take a shot any time he wanted to.