LaFontaine emotions flow freely
By JOHN VOGL
News Sports Reporter for The Buffalo News
3/4/2006
Everywhere he goes, Pat LaFontaine said, people
go out of their way to thank him. It could be
Michigan, it could be New York City, it could be
Buffalo.
So on Friday, just before his name and number
started to journey toward the top of HSBC Arena,
LaFontaine made time to turn the gratitude
around.
"Tonight it's my turn," said LaFontaine, his
wife Marybeth, father John and children by his
side. "Thank you to the greatest fans for your
support. It inspired me wherever I played. . . .
It was a gift to spend my six years here."
LaFontaine became the sixth player and eighth
person to be immortalized in the arena rafters,
joining the French Connection of Gilbert
Perreault, Rene Robert and Richard Martin; Danny
Gare; the late Tim Horton and deceased founders
Seymour H. Knox III and brother Northrup.
"Someone said having your number retired is even
more rare than getting inducted into the Hall of
Fame, and that was the most amazing honor a
player can achieve," said LaFontaine, who made
the hall in 2003. "But to have this and be with
that great tradition and the legends before me
is a thrill."
LaFontaine's entrance was preceded by highlight
video, showcasing his electrifying on-ice plays
and tributes from U.S. Olympians Mike Eruzione
and Jim Craig, and former teammates Curtis Brown
and Matthew Barnaby.
Children who benefit from LaFontaine's
Companions in Courage Foundation soon followed.
Gare and the French Connection were then joined
on the ice by the current Sabres, donned in the
old blue and gold away jerseys with their name
and LaFontaine's No. 16 on their backs.
"Pat brought a singular focus onto the ice,"
Sabres announcer and emcee Rick Jeanneret said,
"but his legacy extended beyond the ice."
LaFontaine was a Buffalonian from 1991 to '97,
including the team-record 148-point season in
1992-93.
"We had some amazing connections. It clicked. It
was high-speed, high-tempo," said LaFontaine.
LaFontaine and the Sabres split on uneasy terms,
the team refusing to let him return from a 1996
concussion and LaFontaine needing to play again.
He was traded to the Rangers and played one more
year. But any hurt feelings have dissipated.
"Anytime you leave a place you love or things
happen, it doesn't always work out right off the
bat," LaFontaine said, "and then you have a
chance to look back and reflect on how special
it really was. I think [managing partner] Larry
[Quinn] coming back and having the connection
with [my friend] John Luther and realizing that,
"You know what? This was a special time, and
there are more important things than worrying
about things like that.' "
Jeanneret closed the pregame celebration in the
only way appropriate. He asked the crowd to join
him, started a countdown, then belted out a
lengthy, "La-la-la-la-la-LaFontaine!"
"It was a tough thing to have to retire because
of concussions. But being the optimist that I've
always been, it's allowed me to really have a
relationship with my three children [Sarah,
Brianna and Daniel]," said LaFontaine, whose
emotions peaked when he spoke of his family.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think a night
like this would occur.
"I hope people realize the great tradition that
this franchise has," he said, blue and gold tie
glimmering. "You never want to lose sight of
that."
|
