True legend Jean B?liveau has passed away

[cw]

Jean B?liveau, beloved Canadiens hockey legend, dead at 83
CBC link

             

If there was a Hall of Fame within the Hall of Fame, he'd be there.

Of the 24 Cups the Habs have won, his name is on the Cup 17 times (a record) - 10 as a player, 7 as executive .

He won the Art Ross, Hart & Conn Smythe.

He played in 14 NHL All-Star Games, 6 as 1st team, 4 as 2nd team All Star

Career 507 goals, 1219 points in 1125 games
Playoffs 79 goals, 176 points in 162 playoff games
(and that was mostly done during an original six era when scoring was significantly down/contained against original six competition)

Longest serving captain in Habs history (tied with Koivu)

2nd all-time in Canadiens history in points and assists, 3rd in goals and games played

In 1998, he was ranked 7th on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players

In those original six years, opposing players from other teams were forbidden from fraternizing or eating with players from other teams. Each Saturday was supposed to be a grudge match of two teams that absolutely hated each other. Beliveau transcended that. He was such a classy gentleman and clean but very talented, smart player, everyone couldn't help themselves from having the utmost respect for him.

He was made a Grand Officer (top honour) in the National Order of Quebec in 2010. In 1998, he was named  a Companion of the Order of Canada (top civilian honour).

He personally responded to every single fan letter ever written to him.

If he wasn't hockey's greatest ambassador, he was right up there with the best the game has ever seen.

The accolades are going the pour in and he probably deserves every one of them. A truly wonderful, amazing and great Canadian.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Just going off Twitter reactions from hockey people, not sure I can recall anyone who has been given the same sort of reverence as Beliveau.  Almost every comment touches in some way upon how classy and generous he was.  One of those names that almost seems mythical, it towers over the sport.

 

[ZBBM]

From everything I've read, he was a true gentleman (and how many of those are around today?).  I wish I could have seen him play.

This, from the NYT obituary:

Finally, in 1953, after B?liveau, playing for the Quebec Aces, led the Quebec Senior Hockey League in scoring, the Canadiens general manager, Frank Selke, arranged for the team to purchase the entire league, largely as a means of steering B?liveau to the Canadiens the next year. By 1956, Richard, the veteran, an unstoppable bulldog of a goal scorer, and B?liveau, the upstart, a graceful, all-around genius, were the most fearsome front line tandem in the N.H.L.

Amazing.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Losing a lot of hockey legends this year, and particularly in the past few weeks especially. Sad to see.

 

[louisstamos]

Losing a lot of hockey legends this year, and particularly in the past few weeks especially. Sad to see.

Doesn't help that Gordie Howe isn't faring too well these days either.

 

[Kin]

I'm fairly sure there was a push to give him, or in fact he was offered, the position of Governor General but that he turned it down some years back. Which, if I'm remembering correctly, definitely speaks to the way he was regarded outside of the game as well as within it. Definitely one of the guys on the short list of greats who really defined the game.

 

[cw]

I'm fairly sure there was a push to give him, or in fact he was offered, the position of Governor General but that he turned it down some years back. Which, if I'm remembering correctly, definitely speaks to the way he was regarded outside of the game as well as within it. Definitely one of the guys on the short list of greats who really defined the game.

His daughter lost her husband, a policeman to suicide. He and his wife felt at the time of the offer, they had to help his daughter with her two young kids - which is what they did.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Video and reaction of the Habs ceremony honouring Beliveau. The Habs snapped a decade-old sellout streak by leaving his seat open for the game:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=743304

There was also a nice moment during the game where the puck went out of play near Beliveau's seat and the fan who retrieved the puck gave it to his widow who was sitting next to the empty seat:

http://nextimpulsesports.com/2014/12/09/puck-goes-play-montreal-fan-gives-souvenir-jean-beliveaus-widow/