The Canadiens legend, who died Tuesday night at 83, was an icon for a franchise, a sport and a country. Capturing all that is a brutal task. So, here, in no particular order, are the best places to remember (or learn about) the man. Fittingly, he’ll lie in state at the Bell Centre on Sunday and Monday.
— The New York Times obituary. As always, it’s a good entry point.
— @NHLHistoryGirl’s Twitter feed. Lots of anecdotes. Lots of perspective.
— @Dave_Stubbs’ Twitter feed. A terrific set of pictorial tributes from the Montreal Gazette writer.
— Sportsnet. Words by Gare Joyce, and a great video narrated by Stephen Brunt.
— The Montreal Gazette. Red Fisher is a legend in his own right; he covered the Canadiens’ dynasty. There’s no greater authority on the topic.
Béliveau asked for his phone number and dialed it. The call rang through to an answering machine. “This is Jean Béliveau,” he said at the beginning of an encouraging message.
— Puck Daddy. Greg Wyshynski gathered some must-see videos, including a fascinating Béliveau appearance on 150s game show “To Tell The Truth.
“There’s the kid from The Star,” Geoffrion muttered. “It’ll be all over that paper tomorrow.”
“He’s with the team,” Béliveau said. “He’s one of us now. There won’t be anything in his paper about the party.”
“You sure?” Geoffrion asked.
“I’m sure,” Béliveau said.
