View from the Cheap Seats is kind of an extension of the newsroom. Whenever our three regular reporters, Calvin Daniels, Thom Barker and Randy Brenzen are in the building together, it is frequently a site of heated debate. This week: What are you thoughts on Jean Beliveau passing away?
One of the greats
There is little argument to be found that aside from being one of the greats to ever play the game of hockey, there was something special about Jean Beliveau that made him stand out.
I can say that that is true for me. I was only eight years old when his illustrious career came to an end. There are very few players from that era I can actually remember watching. Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Gump Worsely, Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, Paul Henderson and Jacques Plante come to mind, but few resonate like Beliveau.
As the tributes continue to pour in and thousands pay respects to his body lying in state at centre ice at the Molson Centre in Montreal, it is clear the man meant a lot to a lot of people.
It is almost as if he is Canadian royalty, which almost literally happened when he was offered, but turned down the Governor General position.
There was a grace about the man that came through in everything he did.
For people of my generation, it is also a stark reminder that we will soon take on the mantle of seniors as our childhood heroes of sport, entertainment and politics pass into history.
That we all might be remembered with even a fraction of the good will bestowed on Jean Beliveau this week would be a fine thing indeed.
—Thom Barker
A gentleman
They often say an athlete is ultimately measured by their statistics.
I suppose that is often the case, and Jean Beliveau’s numbers are stellar, 507 regular season goals in the National Hockey League, 1219 points, 176 more in the playoffs, an Art Ross Trophy, twice winning the Hart Memorial, and a Conn Smythe Trophy, not to mention a bunch of Stanley Cup wins with Montreal (10 to be exact).
It’s no wonder Beliveau is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
But in Beliveau’s case he is one of those increasingly rare players who transcend their numbers.
I cannot recall one bad comment ever made in the press about the man known as ‘Le Gros Bill’.
Beliveau had a reputation as a gentleman, on and off the ice, and it showed.
It was not hard to find people who despised the Habs who were perennial favourites to win the Stanley Cup, but even those fans begrudgingly admitted Beliveau was something special in terms of hockey.
There are few players who manage that, Jean Ratelle, Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic coming to mind, but the list is short, and I do not believe any player has been more widely respected than Beliveau, and decidedly so.
And on a very personal note, Beliveau co-wrote his biography which came out in 2005. At the time I was doing freelance writing to a sport publication, whose name honestly now escapes me, but when the publisher was contacted, he was happy to set up a telephone interview for me. I had expected it would be with co-writer Chyrs Goyens, but no, it was with Beliveau.
Here I am, a scribe in Yorkton, Sask., freelancing for a small magazine, and a Hall of Famer with a Stanley Cup ring for every finger, is taking time to talk to me.
That exudes class in my books, and with Beliveau’s passing, the game of hockey has lost one of its greatest players, and ambassadors.
— Calvin Daniels
He inspired
Jean Beliveau, the former Montreal Canadien great, passed away at age 83 on December 2, 2014 and on that day the hockey world lost, not only a leader and champion, but hero.
Beliveau inspired many French Canadian (and Anglo-Canadian) youngsters to pursue the sport of hockey with his indomitable spirit, his unmatched work ethic and his general friendliness.
Beliveau was the very definition of a champion. He dominated the NHL for nearly 20 years where he led the Montreal Canadiens to 10 Stanley Cups as a player. Beliveau also won seven more Stanley Cup title as an executive to give him 17 in total, more than any other person in the history of the sport.
Nowadays many people argue that great players from past generations who put up great numbers would struggle to do so in the current NHL.
And really, that’s a fair assumption seeing as players in the past, while chippier, were on average smaller and slower than today’s average NHLer.
However that assumption would not be fair if they were talking about Beliveau.
Beliveau in his day was an absolute stud, scoring 507 goals and 712 assists for 1219 points in 1125 career NHL games.
He was also 6’3” and 205 pounds, more than big enough to handle himself in today’s NHL.
In fact, Beliveau would probably be one of the games dominant players had he been born in 1991 as opposed to 1931.
But to wrap it all up, not only Habs fans will miss Beliveau. Everyone within the hockey world, from players and management through to fans, will miss Le gros Bill.
—Randy Brenzen
