Nov 22, 2008 - 8:51 PM
0 shoutsMONTREAL (Ticker) -- Despite his bitter departure from the team, Patrick Roy was given his due by the Montreal Canadiens.
The Canadiens retired Roy's No. 33 prior to Saturday's game against the Boston Bruins, making the Hall of Famer the 15th player to receive the honor from the storied franchise.
Others to have their numbers retired by Montreal are Jacques Plante (1), Doug Harvey (2), Jean Beliveau (4), Bernie Geoffrion (5), Howie Morenz (7), Maurice Richard (9), Guy Lafleur (10), Yvan Cournoyer and Dickie Moore (12), Henri Richard (16), Serge Savard (18), Larry Robinson (19), Bob Gainey (23) and Ken Dryden (29).
Proudly wearing his red jersey No. 33, Roy addressed the Bell Centre crowd in both French and English - with little emotion lost in the translation.
"Thank you to my coaches teaching me to make the most of my indomitable will, my teammates for their confidence and support, and my opponents for pushing me beyond my limits," Roy said.
Prior to the on-ice ceremony, video tributes from Joe Sakic, Ray Bourque and Luc Robitaille were shown, as well as present-day Canadiens goaltenders Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak offering their sentiments directed toward Roy.
With their words still ringing, Roy entered the Bell Centre's front door and walked through the concourse before being introduced to the home crowd - resulting in a prolonged standing ovation.
Former Montreal coaches Jean Perron (1985-88), Pat Burns (1988-92) and Jacques Demers (1992-95) began the on-ice ceremonies, with all three thanking the netminder for both his ability and his achievements.
"I want to thank you for all the memories, for the Stanley Cup in 1986 and trip down St. Catherine's (Street), and thank you for my Stanley Cup ring," Perron said.
Like most of the pucks he saw, Roy also stopped his emotions from getting the better of him.
"I was really touched by the way the fans welcomed me - it was close there," Roy said of possibly tearing up during the ceremony. "At one point, I thought, 'Whoa I'm in trouble.' But I'm a person who keeps his emotions inside. But I really, really appreciated what the fans did tonight."
A third-round pick in 1984, Roy was one of the top goaltenders in team history, leading Montreal to Stanley Cup championships in 1986 and 1993 - the last of the franchise's record 23 NHL titles.
However, the native of Quebec's tenure with the "Original Six" club came to a screeching halt on December 2, 1995, when Roy allowed nine goals on 26 shots in a 12-1 home loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Feeling that Mario Tremblay humiliated him by refusing to pull him earlier in the game, Roy stormed past the coach to inform team president Ronald Corey he never again would play for the Canadiens.
"You always have some regrets," Roy said during a conference call on Wednesday. "I mean, nobody's perfect. There's things. But when you love to compete, and that's the way I was, it was good side of it and bad side of it. But I don't think I would have the career I had if I was not that type of person."
Three days later, Roy was traded to Colorado in a five-player deal. The three-time Vezina Trophy winner went on to win two Stanley Cups with the Avalanche, who retired his No. 33 in 2003.
Roy admitted Saturday that any hard feelings between himself and the team are a distant memory.
"Tonight, I really think it turned the page," Roy said. "I was ready to move on for a long time, and I think tonight was a start at my coming back. Part of my speech was about coming back home, and I truly believe in that.
"I'm extremely happy to wear the Canadiens jersey. I was really touched when I was upstairs here (at the Bell Centre) a month and a half ago when (owner George) Gillett said, 'I know they liked you in Colorado a lot, but you started in Montreal, and this is where a lot of good things happened.'"
Roy became the sixth player in NHL history to have his number retired by two different teams, joining an exclusive club that consists of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Bourque, Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull.
"This is obviously a well-deserved honor for Patrick," Colorado president Pierre Lacroix said. "To have No. 33 hang from the rafters in Montreal, a place where the game's greatest goaltender began his career, is truly special. For me, it's another reminder of the legacy that Patrick has left behind. I know fans in the Quebec province appreciate his contributions and many will remember how far he came from his early days wearing the Canadiens' sweater.
"In Colorado, we honored his career and achievements because of the immediate and continued impact he had on our team. This celebrates the player that he was, the pioneer he became and the legend he will remain."
During his career with Montreal, Roy posted a 289-175-66 record with 29 shutouts and a 2.77 goals-against average in 551 games. The 11-time All-Star had a career mark of 551-315-131 with 66 blankings and a 2.54 GAA in 1,029 career contests over 19 seasons with the Canadiens and Avalanche.
His 551 victories are the most in NHL history, seven more than New Jersey's Martin Brodeur.
A three-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Roy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.
