NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

BOB GAINEY: HOCKEY’S COMPLETE PLAYER

The glittering cup, symbol of hockey supremacy in North America had not yet completed its first bumpy circuit of the Montreal Forum ice surface, borne largely in the hands of captain Serge Savard and veteran centerman Jacques Lemsire, when it glided to s stop amidst a jumble of players near the announcer’s bench. Almost on cue the public address announcer began: Madames et messieurs, ladies and gentlemen … le gagnant de la trophee Connie Smythe … the Conn Smythe Trophy winner is … Bob Gainey …and the rest of the sentence was drowned out as the Forum burst into a cacophony of appreciation. As the roar, which had begun building early in the third period, peaked to reach levels which shook the foundations of the St. Catherine street structure, Gainey emerged…

St. Louis Blues

It has been his trademark, in his years as a team executive, for Emile Francis to take a young goalie aside, tell him firmly “You’re my goalie—no matter what happens,” then stand back and watch as the player blossoms into one of the better netminders of the game. It happened with Ed Giacomin in the mid-1960s. Though the Rangers were having their problems and Giacomin was the target of the Madison Square Garden hecklers, Francis said the magic words and the youngster’s fortunes changed almost overnight. Giacomin led the Rangers into the play-offs for nine consecutive seasons and helped carry them to the Stanley Cup finals in 1972. Then came John Davidson, whom Francis obtained for the Rangers before the 1975-76 season. Davidson’s stellar play was one of the keys to New…

Central Hockey League Statistics