In Memoriam Gilles Gilbert - R.I.P.

[quietbruinfan]

I will never forget the 3 wins at home in ‘79 series vs Montreal. Probably the best hockey he ever played. And in game 7 he gives up 5 goals but you cannot blame him as he was simply outstanding in that game too and kept the Bruins in it.

RIP and God bless the soul of Gilles.

55 shots against, many of high quality. I was going on 11 years old, and I remember our goals, and a couple of theirs, like yesterday.

 

[Saxon Eric]

Goalie of my childhood
RIP

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

55 shots against, many of high quality.

So many what ifs in that game…….so many years later I still watch it from time to time on YouTube…….oh man…….imagine he gave up 5 goals on 55 shots to your point……lost in OT……and was still the games first star. Unbelievable

 

[Ddawg]

RIP probably one of the only sports figures I actually looked up to when I was growing up.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Played a round of golf with him at the Bruins tourney a few years back - what a great guy. Great stories especially about Darryl Sittler. RIP

 

[TP70BruinsCup]

 

[SPLBRUIN]

Very underrated goalie, stood on his head in 1979 against that powerhouse Habs team. The Bruins were so very close to winning that series and would have steamrolled the NYR in the finals, may he rest in peace.

 

[DaBroons]

Had a huge crush on Gilles as a young teen, both as a player and a “cute guy”. My favorite Bruins goalie of all time. The hockey heaven alumni just got a good oneView attachment 733905

I have this card as well. My daughter got his autograph in the mail last year.

Also my favorite all-time Broon goalie. Led them to the SC Finals in his first year with the team, 1974.

I'm convinced that, had Cherry switched from Cheevers to Gilbert after Game 1 in 1979, that Boston would have won Game 2, the series, and the Cup. Cheevers was a great goalie, but he frequently played his worst hockey at the Forum for some reason.

 

[bruins19]

Some of my fondest hockey memories involve my Habs and your beloved Bruins. The sad part of getting older is we now have to start saying good bye to some of our favorite players. My condolences to all Bruins fans.

Very classy. Thanks.

 

[Mione134]

Rest in Peace, good Sir!

 

[McGarnagle]

Never got to watch him play, but he sure had a great look - this may be blasphemy around here but I think his mask with the stars was cooler than Cheevers' stitch mask. From what I've seen he was very expressive on the ice too. Not to bring up bad memories but him falling on his back after Lafleur's shot beat him to tie game 7 is the ultimate image of a defeated athlete (and they hadn't even lost yet), you could just read everything from his body language, they did absolutely everything but it's not enough, etc.

RIP. Good Bruin, should've won a couple cups if that team had any luck.

 

[aguineapig72]

In 1974 the year we lost to the Flyers in the Cup Finals this song was all over AM radio. Every time it played that spring it reminded me of the hurt of losing. Today with this loss, it hurts twice as much. Goodbye Gillie.

 

[Forester65]

This sucks. He was one of my favorites when I was a kid along with Gerry Desjardins and Rogie Vachon. There is nothing like goalie idols for a kid playing net. RIP.

 

[LSCII]

I've told this story here a few times over the years but Gilles Gilbert is why I became a Bruins fan. I was 3-4 years old when he joined the Bruins and my dad was a huge Bruins fan and I'd sit and watch every game with him. The name Giles Gilbert is obviously the French Canadian pronunciation and at that ripe old age I ad no frame of reference for anything like that, and I was heavily into my teddy bear. Since I wasn't old enough to spell, I thought his first name was Jill-Jill and his last name was Bear. So he became my favorite player and I talked about Jill-Jill Bear all the time. My dad would laugh harder than I ever saw him and would constantly egg me on to talk about my favorite player, with me clearly not being in on the joke. I wasn't until I was far older that I realized why he thought it was so funny and I have to give him credit for never correcting me and letting me love the goalie with the last name Bear.

Rest in Peace Mr. Bear. I have you to thank for a lifetime of Bruins fandom.

 

[rfournier103]

If there is one player who never won the Stanley Cup that I wish could have… this is the guy.

I’ve seen the ‘79 Semifinal, and Gilles Gilbert was a savage. In my opinion, it is the best 7-game series of all time (despite the result). Monsieur Gilbert deserves a Viking funeral and a feast in his honor. Defeated but not beaten. A true warrior.

May the Lord bless him and keep him.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

So sad. Like may others, he was our goalie of my youth. Loved him. RIP.

 

[mjhfb]

Fond memories people yelling "Save Gilbert!" when some kid stuck in goal on the ponds made a kick save he wasn't supposed to.
RIP.

 

[Babajingo]

Love the Northland stick.
RIP Giles

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

That sucks. I knew he had some health issues a few years back, but had thought he’d gotten past them. As a kid, I was certain his name was “Jo Jo Bear,” which made him the ideal Bruin. Condolences to all who knew him personally.

Jo Jo Bear -- I called him the exact same thing. My sister still mocks me about it.

Sad news. Yet another icon of my childhood has passed. RIP.

 

[pgm16]

RIP...gave the Bruins a chance to beat the Habs

 

[eightspokedb]

Blessings....one of my favorites....

 

[RI.B FAN]

Remember the day we traded for him, I was excited and only 14 years old. I watched the CH38 summer series of highlights to see him play for the stars.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

To expand on what I said earlier, I can’t tell you how gracious he was answering my dumbass questions. But I asked him who scared him the most coming down on the rush and I didn’t even finish when he said Sittler. Said he never knew where the shot was going off his stick. He prided himself on knowing the players’ tendencies but he said with Sittler, he couldn’t get a read on him. When he asked Sittler about it when they were bothe retired Sittler said it’s because he didn’t know where the puck was going either. And Gilles said that made him feel so much better - that he always agonized about it. I though that was a pretty cool peek into the mind of an elite athlete.

 

[Olden McGroin]

Had a huge crush on Gilles as a young teen, both as a player and a “cute guy”. My favorite Bruins goalie of all time. The hockey heaven alumni just got a good oneView attachment 733905

Some pics from a yearbook:

 

[Fenway]

I'm convinced that, had Cherry switched from Cheevers to Gilbert after Game 1 in 1979, that Boston would have won Game 2, the series, and the Cup. Cheevers was a great goalie, but he frequently played his worst hockey at the Forum for some reason.

It took many years but Cherry finally admitted Gilbert should have been in goal but Harry wanted Cheevers.

You can't blame Gilbert for the 1974 SCF loss to the Flyers.