Growing up a Rangers fan in NYC area, I hated the Habs. But I grew to really like the Pocket Rocket. First of all, one of best nicknames ever in all of sports. Second, as a teen player, I remember driving up with my family to Expo 67 that summer, begging my parents to go to MacNeice's (sp?) before we left so I could get some new equipment. That store supplied the Habs as I recall. Got new skates, which still hang on a nail in my garage. But they were all out sticks except one--the one they supplied to Henri. That stick, with his name on it and as light as if made out of balsa wood, was my stick for like forever, taped a thousand times over until the thousand cracks finally gave way. And yes, I still have the shaft. Years later when I became a sportswriter for a big city newspaper, I told this story to Jean Beliveau and Toe Blake in the press room at The Forum. They smiled and said thank you, for they knew how much a simple stick could mean to a kid. RIP Henri. And for you, Go Habs Go!
