Just heard the news. Captain on all those great Montreal teams in the 50's & 60's. Great hockey player & even greater person...RIP Jean.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/jean-b%C3%A9liveau-beloved-canadiens-hockey-legend-dead-at-83-1.2708477

 

 

 

 

Hockey night in Canada, saturday night. Murray Westgate

 

Beliveau, it looked like the puck was connected to his stick by a string. He could stand still, they couldn't get it away from him.

 

one of my favourite players.

He played when the game was much slower - but I dare say he would have been a superstar even in today's NHL.

 

RIP good sir

The great players like Howe, Orr, Beliveau. Hull, Messier, Gretzky & others would be superstars in any era. Thing is, if they were playing today they'd have adapted to  the NHL of 2014 as they'd have gone thru junior before getting to the NHL. 

The great players like Howe, Orr, Beliveau. Hull, Messier, Gretzky & others would be superstars in any era. Thing is, if they were playing today they'd have adapted to  the NHL of 2014 as they'd have gone thru junior before getting to the NHL. 

 

Not to mention they'd also have far better equipment. Skates in particular were brutal in that era.

The biggest thing for guys like Beliveau, and Gretzky more so than anyone else, is they're just so much smarter than everyone else, that they'd find ways to adapt. Anytime some stupid kid tries to compare Crosby to Gretzky and say that Gretzky couldn't score in today's NHL, I just snort and laugh.

 

The great players like Howe, Orr, Beliveau. Hull, Messier, Gretzky & others would be superstars in any era. Thing is, if they were playing today they'd have adapted to  the NHL of 2014 as they'd have gone thru junior before getting to the NHL. 

 

Not to mention they'd also have far better equipment. Skates in particular were brutal in that era.

 

Yeah, equipment is better & lighter for sure. Especially skates. And the skating surfaces as well in rinks everywhere is much better than 50 years ago. 

The biggest thing for guys like Beliveau, and Gretzky more so than anyone else, is they're just so much smarter than everyone else, that they'd find ways to adapt. Anytime some stupid kid tries to compare Crosby to Gretzky and say that Gretzky couldn't score in today's NHL, I just snort and laugh.

 

Oh yes, the classic rationale is 'today's D-men wouldn't let him sit behind the net like that.'  

 

Maybe they wouldn't - but then he'd just have another trick up his sleeve.