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What NHL superstar was offered the position of governor general of Canada?

After Jean Béliveau retired from the front office of the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, he was offered the post of governor general the next year. However, he declined the honour, citing family obligations. Although never idolized the way his Canadiens teammate Maurice Richard was, Béliveau was one of the greatest hockey players ever to lace on a pair of skates. Born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, the gentlemanly centre played 20 seasons (18 full) for the Canadiens and scored 507 goals and 712 assists for 1,219 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs he added another 79 goals and 97 assists in 17 competitions, helping the Habs win 10 Cups. Béliveau won the Art Ross Trophy in 1956, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1965, and the Hart Trophy in 1956 and 1964. Le Gros Bill, as he was nicknamed, retired as a player in 1971 and was employed by Montreal as vice-president of corporate affairs for 22 years.

Quickies

Did you know …

that the first NHL shutout was recorded by the Montreal Canadiens’ great goaltender Georges Vézina? Appropriately, given the teams’ latter-day rivalry, he achieved this milestone on February 18, 1918, in a game against the Toronto Arenas (later to change their name to the St. Patricks, then to the Maple Leafs). Vézina and the Habs won the match 9–0 in the league’s 29th game in its first season.