RIP Gilles Tremblay, 75
Nov 26, 2014 15:50:13 GMT -5
Post by CentreHice on Nov 26, 2014 15:50:13 GMT -5
Gilles Tremblay
Former Montreal forward Gilles Tremblay, who won four Stanley Cups with the Canadiens in the 1960s, has died at age 75.
The Canadiens reported Tremblay's death on their official Twitter account.
Tremblay played his entire career with Montreal, scoring 168 goals and adding 162 assists over 509 regular-season games.
An exceptional skater known for his contributions on both ends of the ice, Tremblay helped Montreal win four Cups between 1965 and 1969, when injuries forced him to retire at age 31.
He went on to have a successful 30-year career as an analyst, and was awarded the Hockey Hall of Fame's Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence in 2002.
From Beliveau's book, "My Life in Hockey".
Sam Pollock has called the 1960's "the forgotten decade" in the history of the Montreal Canadiens. In the course of the endless debate over "which team was the greatest"--the 1950s Canadiens or the 1970s edition--even the most meticulous Hab historians tend to overlook the men who won four Stanley Cups in five years, five in seven years, if (like me) you consider the 1970-71 Canadiens as essentially the 1960s lineup.
When Tremblay broke into the league, he was Beliveau's left-winger. Here's what Big Jean wrote about him….
Gilles' career with us would last only nine short seasons, abbreviated by an asthmatic condition that robbed the league of one of its most exciting players. Like Ludger (Gilles' older brother, who played with Jean on the Quebec Aces a decade earlier), Gilles was blessed with upper-body strength and fantastic speed. He had great natural talent, and was second only to Bobby Hull at his position. Gilles could forecheck and backcheck with the best defensive players in the league. At the same time, when the situation required, he was most dangerous offensively. Toe (Blake) once was quoted as saying he would not trade Gilles straight up for Frank Mahovlich.
Gilles and I worked a break-in play to perfection. Whenever the slightest opening would arise, I'd throw the puck up the left side and let him take it in full-stride. Once he got a step ahead of a defender, Gilles would leave all but the fastest skaters in his wake.
While Claude Provost often played Bobby Hull to a standstill, Gilles Tremblay did the same with Gordie Howe. Unfortunately, Gilles was snakebitten. He lost half of one season with a broken leg, and a large chunk of another with a viral infection.
I got more than my share of assists in those days, with Gilles on my left wing, and Yvan Cournoyer, perhaps the only guy who could outskate him, on my right. Defenders had to treat our forwards with respect. If they came up too close, Yvan and Gilles could give them a move and blow by them. If they tried to press me, I could use my size and reach to flip up a pass to the speedsters on either side of me. Even when we played against explosive teams like Chicago and Boston, they had to be wary of our counter-attack.
Former Montreal forward Gilles Tremblay, who won four Stanley Cups with the Canadiens in the 1960s, has died at age 75.
The Canadiens reported Tremblay's death on their official Twitter account.
Tremblay played his entire career with Montreal, scoring 168 goals and adding 162 assists over 509 regular-season games.
An exceptional skater known for his contributions on both ends of the ice, Tremblay helped Montreal win four Cups between 1965 and 1969, when injuries forced him to retire at age 31.
He went on to have a successful 30-year career as an analyst, and was awarded the Hockey Hall of Fame's Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence in 2002.
From Beliveau's book, "My Life in Hockey".
Sam Pollock has called the 1960's "the forgotten decade" in the history of the Montreal Canadiens. In the course of the endless debate over "which team was the greatest"--the 1950s Canadiens or the 1970s edition--even the most meticulous Hab historians tend to overlook the men who won four Stanley Cups in five years, five in seven years, if (like me) you consider the 1970-71 Canadiens as essentially the 1960s lineup.
When Tremblay broke into the league, he was Beliveau's left-winger. Here's what Big Jean wrote about him….
Gilles' career with us would last only nine short seasons, abbreviated by an asthmatic condition that robbed the league of one of its most exciting players. Like Ludger (Gilles' older brother, who played with Jean on the Quebec Aces a decade earlier), Gilles was blessed with upper-body strength and fantastic speed. He had great natural talent, and was second only to Bobby Hull at his position. Gilles could forecheck and backcheck with the best defensive players in the league. At the same time, when the situation required, he was most dangerous offensively. Toe (Blake) once was quoted as saying he would not trade Gilles straight up for Frank Mahovlich.
Gilles and I worked a break-in play to perfection. Whenever the slightest opening would arise, I'd throw the puck up the left side and let him take it in full-stride. Once he got a step ahead of a defender, Gilles would leave all but the fastest skaters in his wake.
While Claude Provost often played Bobby Hull to a standstill, Gilles Tremblay did the same with Gordie Howe. Unfortunately, Gilles was snakebitten. He lost half of one season with a broken leg, and a large chunk of another with a viral infection.
I got more than my share of assists in those days, with Gilles on my left wing, and Yvan Cournoyer, perhaps the only guy who could outskate him, on my right. Defenders had to treat our forwards with respect. If they came up too close, Yvan and Gilles could give them a move and blow by them. If they tried to press me, I could use my size and reach to flip up a pass to the speedsters on either side of me. Even when we played against explosive teams like Chicago and Boston, they had to be wary of our counter-attack.
