Eddie Giacomin was the lion of the Rangers. He was ferocious against the foe while being fantastic for his fans.
The Gotham's hockey gift from Northern Ontario was a New York kind of guy and that's why his fans from all five boroughs and beyond took him to their hearts.
If ever there was a blue collar goaltender, Eddie was it. There was nothing fancy about him, just fighting.
Like Charlie Rayner and Gump Worsley before him, Giacomin had "It," or call it "The Knack," if you will. He did not have to win a Stanley Cup to be adored, but he was revered because he worked so hard at his job and the working class could relate to that.
No other athlete in New York history could have inspired the reaction Ed obtained after he was unforgivingly booted off the Blueshirts by Emile Francis, only to return as a Red Wing a few nights later in a game no one ever will forget.
Imagine, 19,000 fans rooting for Eddie G and the Red Wings against the Blueshirts.
A capacity crowd turned on the home team en masse and cheered throughout, not so much for Detroit but for the Wings newly-acquired goalkeeper. If you'll forgive the bromide, it was unreal.
Rangers GM Francis pulled the chute on Giacomin coldly putting his onetime discovery on waivers. WAIVERS!. Now listen up to this because few knew what happened later.
The Maven was doing Islanders games in those days and on the Tuesday following the Rangers-Detroit Eddie homecoming, I asked Cat to be my between periods guest at Nassau Coliseum and he agreed.
At that time my viewing site was a tv camera location in the end arena in full view of the fans. Francis dutifully arrived five minutes before interview time and immediately was picked out by the crowd of which many were Blueshirt fans.
As Cat and I were poised to begin the interview a posse of fans began filling the walkway a few rows below us and – by the time we began the chat – it was clear that those angry Rangers fans were not there to get Francis autograph but they did want a piece of him.
Rangers Hall Of Fame Goalie Eddie Giacomin Dies At 86
Legendary New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/">Rangers</a> goaltender Eddie Giacomin passed away on Sunday at the age of 86.
The Coliseum gendarmes quickly realized what was happening and – even worse – what might happen. They put in a call to the County Police and by the time Cat and I finished, the Riot Squad surrounded Emile.
With what amounted to a well-protecting "Flying Wedge," they escorted Francis to the exit and to his car.
That's how much Rangers fans loved Eddie Giacomin and that's how much they hated what was done to him.
Easily the most revealing statement that covers that whole ugly mess was Giacomin's remark years later about his weeping when the Garden Faithful were cheering him during the National Anthem.
"I couldn't figure out why they let me go!"
Eddie Giacomin's passing has left a deep hurt; far, far deeper than one can imagine.