I was 12 years old when the life of Normand Léveillé was forever changed by a brain aneurysm. I was just old enough to appreciate the tragedy. It's one of my earliest distinct memories of watching hockey. However, his skate at the "Last Hurrah" of the Boston Garden is a very happy, more vivid memory.
After his terrible accident, Léveillé founded the Normand Léveillé center for person with special needs and reduced mobility in Drummonville Québec. Great hockey player, great human being
This is the era I truly fell in love with the Bruins. And I will forever be grateful to Rick Middleton. In a few years, (in the era listed I went from being a college kid, to staying in Boston and then I working for the NHL). I was at a league banquet for an All Star Game. I think maybe in DC? But what I do recall is I was walking down carpeted stairs, my spike heel got caught in carpeting and I was literally about to fall on my face. In a blink, somehow Nifty got over there (my Boston guys always watched out for me) and caught me. Then boy was it an effort to get my heel out...that thing was stuck!!! So many not there. Sure hope Cheesy is OK. He could be gruff, but Jerry Cheevers, well almost all of them, were truly nice men. I loved that era Bruin. And Normand Leveille was one of the most exciting, new players. I had predicted he would become a huge star. He was an explosive player and SO much fun to watch!!! Heartbreaking what happened. But proud of him for doing so much to help others for the rest of his life. And so glad he always gets such a warm welcome. I wish I had done a better job of staying in touch with everyone. Seems when they tore the Old Garden down, everything drifted. I'm still heartbroken I couldn't make the 100 yr Banquet. Why do all important things in life seem to all happen at the same time?
Disgraceful! I am an old hockey fan (first) and, yes, a Ranger fan since the early 60s (back to the6 team league, etc.) . I was at the Garden that night for the most reprehensible conduct by "professional athletes" I ever saw - going into the crowd en masse to fight fans. There is no excuse, no matter how provoked, to justify that; fortunately, if it happened today we might not see those players for a season, if ever. It was embarrassing and HURT THE SPORT. That's all that was covered for weeks (the responsibility for the environment rests with referee, who I believe was Greg Madil,l who created and tolerated the environment). That the Bruins organization thought this deserved to be showcased is a stain on them and their reputation...maybe that's why they made one of the leading pigs in the league their captain. That Milbury, who descended from the worst GM in the league to a fired broadcaster, thought it was "cute" to carry a shoe, shows the class of this event and his own lack thereof. Go ahead Bruin fans, pile on but ask yourself, "What am I defending?"
What a joke that you felt it necessary to leave the exact same comment twice. If you don't like what the Bruins organization did in their tribute maybe you should stick to watching crap that your Rangers organization puts out.
Disgraceful! I am an old hockey fan (first) and, yes, a Ranger fan since the early 60s (back to the6 team league, etc.) . I was at the Garden that night for the most reprehensible conduct by "professional athletes" I ever saw - going into the crowd en masse to fight fans. There is no excuse, no matter how provoked, to justify that; fortunately, if it happened today we might not see those players for a season, if ever. It was embarrassing and HURT THE SPORT. That's all that was covered for weeks (the responsibility for the environment rests with referee, who I believe was Greg Madill who created and tolerated the environment). That the Bruins organization thought this deserved to be showcased is a stain on them and their reputation...maybe that's why they made one of the leading pigs in the league their captain. That Milbury, who descended from the worst GM in the league to a fired broadcaster, thought it was "cute" to carry a shoe, shows the class of this event and his own lack thereof. Go ahead Bruin fans, pile on but ask yourself, "What am I defending?"
There's no excuse for a fan reaching over the glass; grabbing Stan Jonathan's stick & hitting him with it. Am I proud of what happened that night...no. But if you're going to play the blame game you better spread a good heaping portion of it on that moronic Rangers fan. Both he & his pos brother caused the entire incident. Should O'Reilly have gone over the glass? Again, no...but once he did, & the Ranger fans had him pinned to the floor beating the tar out of him, I suppose you think the rest of the Bruins should've just stood around & let it happen. It's ridiculous that you're getting this heated over an incident that happened about 5 decades ago. 🙄