Milbury appreciates playing role in history
One by one, Bruins stars of yesteryear paraded over the gold carpet Wednesday at TD Garden for the Rafters Reunion and then down the red carpet Thursday at the Fairmont Copley Plaza for the Centennial Gala.
Each smiled the same smile they flashed during their playing-day primes, waving to fans, who saluted them like conquering heroes.
“Really first class,” said Hall of Fame goalie Gerry Cheevers, who was named to the franchise’s All-Centennial team. “They outdid themselves.”
The word most thrown around by the players was “special.” To one alum in particular, however, it seemed extra special.
Mike Milbury grew up in Walpole cheering for the Bruins, the team he would one day play for and coach.
“Oh, there’s no question [it’s special]. It’s three hours before game time and they’re lined up to see some of their old friendly faces,” said the ex-defenseman before pausing and smiling. “And I’m glad none of them are booing me at this particular moment, because I’ve heard that, too.
“But it was fun, and it was heartwarming.”
Following his time at Colgate, Milbury began playing with the Boston Braves, then the Bruins’ top minor league club, in 1974.
“It was somewhat surreal,” he said. “When I was a senior at Colgate, I got a call from Johnny Carlton, who was then in scouting, and he asked me if I wanted to play a few games for the Braves. Got a hundred bucks a game. I never thought I’d ever get paid for playing hockey.
“And I went to camp the following year, no contract, but I hung around. Hung around and finally got a deal. And 20 years later, I was still in the organization.”
He played for the Bruins’ AHL entry, Rochester, for two seasons before getting called up to the NHL at the end of the 1975-76 season, playing three regular-season games and 11 playoff tilts.
“I can remember the first game in the old Garden playing St. Louis. They had a guy by the name of Bob Gassoff, one tough customer,” said Milbury, no shrinking violet himself. “I said, ‘I’m in a different league now,’ but it was a pinch-me moment. Fortunately, I got over that and managed to play a few good games.”
In all, Milbury played 840 games (playoffs included), with 53 goals, 266 points, and 1,771 penalty minutes in a run that ended following the 1986-87 season.
He wasn’t ready to give up hockey — or the Bruins.
“When I was about to retire, I went in to see [general manager] Harry [Sinden] and we talked about getting into management,” Milbury recalled. “I thought that was the direction I’d go, and he said, ‘You should really coach. You should really learn to coach the team.’
“So, he gave me a great deal. It was a four-year contract, two years in Maine [coaching the AHL team], two years unspecified at Boston. But I earned my spurs in Portland. It was a great experience. There was nobody looking over your shoulder, but I had him to call in once in a while.
“Came back here, had a couple of really good years, and moved into management. So, it was as smooth a transition from playing to post-playing that anybody could make.”
File under: Local boy makes good.
Predators next
The Bruins return to work Saturday, hosting the Predators for a 7 p.m. start. Expect Jeremy Swayman to get the start in net . . . The club will embark on a four-game road trip next week with stops in San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Chicago.