Habs Legend Jean Beliveau Remembered

Despite heavy snow and wind on Wednesday, hundreds gathered outside Mary Queen of the World in downtown Montreal to pay their final respects to Habs legend, Jean Beliveau.

Beliveau passed away eight days ago at the age of 83. Those in attendance included former teammates, dignitaries and several of the hockey world’s most well known figures, who went on to deliver emotional and expressive eulogies detailing the greatness Beliveau achieved not only in hockey, but as a human being.

“I was lucky – lucky to have been with Jean for many glorious years with the Canadiens. Lucky to share many amazing moments together, lucky to have him as a friend. What would you rather be: good or lucky? I was lucky, he was good,” said former teammate and Habs legend Dickie Moore.

The service lasted two hours and everyone in attendance agreed that it had done justice to the type of life Beliveau had lived. “It was something that you knew to expect, but then seeing it in reality exceeded the expectations,” said current NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. “It was a great tribute to a great man.”

After the service, a giant Canadiens flag that had been draped on Beliveau’s casket was folded and given to his widow, Elise.

Beliveau began and ended his career with the Montreal Canadiens, playing a total of 20 seasons from 1950 until 1971 and won 10 Stanley Cup Championships as a player. He was the fourth player to ever score 500 goals and the second to score 1,000 points. Beliveau’s list of achievements also include two Hart Memorial MVP trophies, top scoring honors in 1956 and winner of the Art Ross Memorial Trophy and was the original recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup Playoff MVP in 1965. He was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1972.