Reaction to death of Jean Beliveau

Jean Beliveau died Tuesday night at the age of 83. And from all corners of the hockey world, all corners of Canada, tributes are pouring in for a man who was much more than a great hockey player. He was a great human being. A gentleman of class and dignity. A champion.

He was a hockey legend and a hero in his native Quebec.

Beliveau’s professional career lasted 20 seasons, all with the Canadiens. Ten of which he captained the team, and ten that ended with a Stanley Cup victory.
It’s a career, some say, will never be replicated.

But on-ice accolades were only the beginning of what impressed those who knew him:

Sylvain Lefebvre: “Humility is a word that comes to me. He was so humble, and it was all about the team. He won a bunch of Stanley Cups, was the team captain, but it was never about Jean Beliveau, it was always about the team.”

He’s still second on the Hab’s all-time scoring list with over 12-hundred points, third in goals with 507, and second in assists with 712.

Beliveau was the first ever to receive the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1965 as the Stanley Cup MVP. Almost immediately following his retirement in 1971, his number “4” was retired by the Canadiens. And the Hockey Hall of Fame waived its 3-year waiting period, inducting him in June of 1972.

As an executive with Montreal, he won seven more Stanley Cups, and continued to inspire up-and-coming players:

Stephan Lebeau: “He was generous with his time. He was respectful with everyone and this is what made him so special. He was a great hockey player, obviously, but beyond everything he was a great man.”

An awe-struck Don Cherry recalled the first time he met Beliveau, back in the early 70’s: “I got so nervous, Jean Beliveau. And he said, “Hello Don Cherry”, you know, how he talked so very nice, so classy. And I was tongue-tied. Believe it or not, I was speechless, Jean Beliveau coming over and shaking my hand.”

A class act to the end, Jean Beliveau will be remembered as the epitome of what every hockey player should strive to be.