Brad Penner-Imagn Images
During The Original Six era – and beyond – virtually all NHL general managers shied away from signing collegians, especially American university stars.
The premise at the time was that the university game was not as tough as the major league variety, and that was that.
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But Montreal Canadiens made an exception of Michigan U star Red Berenson. The trouble was that Habs coach Toe Blake disliked helmeted players and Red always wore a protective head piece.
An exceptionally clean player, Berenson eventually was traded to the Rangers, then managed by Emile (The Cat) Francis who never made it past high school. Like Blake, The Cat wasn’t bullish about the bookish.
Berenson was an okay player for the Blueshirts but one thing about Red annoyed The Cat who one day said to a reporter:
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“If I ever see Berenson read a book on the bus again, I’m going to throw him off!”
P.S. Red did read and wound up being traded to St.Louis where book-reading or not, he became a superstar – once even scored six goals in a game!