Denis Savard had already been playing in the NHL for about 10 years when Jeremy Roenick made his debut with the Chicago Blackhawks, and the two men were teammates between 1988 and 1990, then between 1994 and 1996. Savard also faced Roenick on numerous occasions. times before announcing his retirement after the 1996-97 campaign. The Quebec forward, who won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on November 13, 2000. Savard shares here with LNH.com his feelings regarding the induction of Roenick, who will have takes place Monday.
This news was long overdue, but Jeremy Roenick had a career that more than justified his presence in the Hall of Fame. He played for 20 years in the NHL, and took part in nearly 1400 games (1363). He participated in several All-Star Games in addition to scoring more than 500 goals (513) with the added bonus of two seasons of more than 50 goals.
When the United States won the gold medal at the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid, it obviously gave a huge boost to the popularity of hockey in the country. A few years later, we saw players like Mike Modano, Joe Mullen and Jeremy come into their own, and they played an important role in the continued growth of hockey in the United States.
I remember Jeremy arriving in Chicago as a very young man. He was unique: he played with a lot, a lot of intensity. He was afraid of nothing, absolutely nothing, and that’s what I remember about him. In his first season in Chicago, he lost several teeth against the St. Louis Blues in the last game of the Norris Section final, but he did not miss a single shift. That was it Jeremy. He’s always been like that, and he’s always played that way. He played with intensity and at a very high level.
When Hall of Fame Chairman Lanny MacDonald and Director Mike Gartner called Jeremy to tell him the news of his induction, I heard his reaction. He started to cry. He was really emotional. I’ve been there before, and it’s quite an honor. When we’re young, we tell ourselves that if we make it to the NHL, that would be great. It’s the thing we love doing the most. Then we accomplish things we never thought we could accomplish, and we get a call from the Temple. I remember mine in 2000. It was July, and I remember exactly where I was. It was very special, and I’m happy for him.
We all know JR’s personality. He is an extrovert. He is loved by everyone, I know that having seen him with my own eyes. He still attends charity events from time to time, which gives me the chance to see him again. JR has always been JR, and like I always say, when we get to the NHL, there are certain things that we sometimes have to change, but you don’t have to change who we are. That’s what pushed him to be the player he was. He liked to have fun, but in the end, it was the result he gave on the ice that mattered.
Jeremy had energy. He wasn’t a brawler, we all know that, but he was going to drag his team into battle if he didn’t see energy. He did it by hitting someone, causing chaos by attacking the other team. He was the type of player who is so important to a team. If nothing happens, someone must be able to create energy. That’s what he meant to us over the years I played with him and throughout his career. When he played elsewhere, he certainly remained the same type of player.
It was obviously not pleasant to play against him, not only because he was talented and fast, but also because he did not hesitate to hit us if we had our heads down. There’s no doubt he was going to hit you if he had the chance, and it’s hard to always play like that. Being so tough yet talented, there aren’t many players who were able to play like he did, plus he was quite a character, which he still is to this day. I had the chance to see him about a month and a half ago. Back then, I was able to give him a good fight when we went to play golf. This is no longer the case. He is quite a golf player in addition to having been a great hockey player.
I certainly won’t miss his induction in Toronto. He’s waited a long time for this moment, and I’m really happy for him. He will realize what is happening to him when he gets there that day. He will feel nervous, and even if he is a great speaker, it will be different. When you walk into this room to give your induction speech, it’s very impressive. On the other hand, I am convinced that he will do well.
