Habster:
I believe Patrick Roy’s jersey number should and will eventually be retired for what his accomplishments were on the ice. With that being said, I hope the committee delays Roy’s jersey retirement ceremony until after next year’s centennial year celebration………it would at least send a small statement to Patrick Roy and the hockey world. Any celebration ceremony during the 100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens should be remembered with the usual honor and class that are trademarks of the organization, anything less should be avoided or delayed.
Other Canadiens greats with much more honorable lives off the ice had to wait 20-30 years before they were honored by the Canadiens organization. Former greats like Bob Gainey, Larry Robinson, Yvon Cournoyer, Dickie Moore, Serge Savard and Bernard Geoffrion all waited various lengths of time……..so why would the Canadiens rush the Roy situation?
I trust members of the retirement committee, honorable men like Red Fisher and Jean Beliveau are members of this group. They will do the right thing when a decision is made in the near future. As Mr. Beliveau stated to La Presse’s Marc Antoine Godin,
“Must we separate on ice achievements from public life? Should we be waiting in his case? These are certainly questions the committee must ask themselves.” Beliveau continues,
“With situations such as the one we were all witness to last Saturday gives cause for reflection.”
The operative word here is “reflection” and I trust the deeply honorable and classy “Gentleman Jean” to make the right decision upon further reflection.