I remember October 6, 2015 like it was yesterday. Marc Bergevin had just announced the hiring of Paul Byron.
• Also read: Paul Byron confirms his resignation
I was baffled by the idea that the Canadiens general manager would rather acquire this player without much playing opportunity from the Calgary Flames than acquire Maxime Talbot, whose name was also on waivers.
Byron had barely played 138 games in the NHL and was dealing with an injury. Talbot had more than 600 games under his belt and a Stanley Cup under his belt.
The only valid explanation in my opinion was the salaries of the two players. Just $900,000 for Byron compared to $1.8 million for Talbot. Because I viewed Byron’s arrival as just a temporary transition to give the team’s young centers time to gain traction, the five-year difference between the two skaters didn’t even occur to me.
“Byron, this is a temporary solution. Like a plaster. “The smaller a plaster is, the less painful it is when you remove it,” I told Michaël Roy, the former TVA Sports news anchor.
When it comes to the art of sticking your finger in your eye, there’s hardly anything worse.
Photo Martin Chevalier
One of the most beautiful goals in history
Ultimately, Byron will have been much more than just a Diachylon for the Habs. Seven seasons and 383 games in which he was a valued support player, an architect of numerical inferiority and an assistant captain. Enough to make a lot of people lie.
It’s no surprise that he won the Jacques Beauchamp Trophy twice (2016 and 2018), awarded to a player in the shadows who nevertheless contributed to the team’s success.
And all of this for a 5-foot-10, 150-pound man who began his rise to the NHL by playing for an Ottawa Junior B team.
Three ingredients enabled him to defy all odds. His speed, determination and efficiency without the puck.
And there will never be a more beautiful picture of these three qualities combined than the winning goal against Jack Campbell in the first game of the series against the Maple Leafs.
A goal he scored while shorthanded on his knees after racing past defender Rasmus Sandin. Certainly one of the best of the last half century for the Canadian.
Furthermore, it was one of the last goals of his career.
Fight until the end
Ultimately, it was injuries and hip operations that caused problems for the 34-year-old. As usual, the poor guy tried everything to extend his career by a few seasons.
“Sometimes I can’t even take a 30- or 45-minute walk,” he admitted in the final season review.
It was sad to hear that from a father of two.
“I did everything I could,” he also said, indicating he was already considering retirement after missing the entire season.
Even if the Canadian loses one of the community’s best ambassadors and we, the media, lose a loyal conversation partner in the locker room, we can only run behind this decision.
Byron will have pushed the limits until the end. The warrior now deserves to rest and spend quality time with his family.