Milt Schmidt, Legendary Bruins Great, Dies at 98

Milt Schmidt, who helped the Bruins to two Stanley Cup championships as a Hall of Fame center before transitioning to the bench and then becoming an integral part of a championship front office, died Wednesday.

Schmidt won championships in 1939 and 1941 as a player and in 1970 and 1972 as an executive, made the All-Star team four times, won the NHL's MVP Award in 1951, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961. He also served as a longtime Bruins coach, assistant general manager, and general manager. His number 15 has hung in the rafters since 1980.

Schmidt was named just this past weekend as one of the greatest 100 NHL players ever.

"It would be a challenge to find anyone who took greater pride in being a Boston Bruin than Milt Schmidt did - be it as a player, an executive or an ambassador over the 80-plus years he served the franchise, the City of Boston and the National Hockey League," said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.

Bettman also called Schmidt "a landmark presence in Boston's sports landscape."

At 98, Schmidt was the oldest living former NHL player.

Schmidt retired as a player in December 1954 and immediately became the coach, debuting as such on a Christmas Day game that year. He remained the coach through the 1960-61 season and transitioned to the front office after that.

"Milt's impact in Boston, as both a player and a coach, will forever be felt amongst hockey fans," said Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs. "He was a legendary personality in the Bruins organization and goes down in history as the ultimate Bruin. We should all be envious of the longevity and meaningfulness of his life."

Fellow Bruins icon and current team president Cam Neely echoed those sentiments.

"When people today talk about 'Bruins Hockey' they talk about the style that Milt created, and generations of Bruins after him tried to emulate," Neely said. "After his playing and coaching days were over, he remained incredibly giving of his time and the wealth of knowledge that he had accumulated over his career to everyone associated with the Bruins and the game of hockey."

Current Bruins stars also praised Schmidt's impact.

"Losing Milt, who spent his life dedicated to the game of hockey, is a great loss for the Boston Bruins organization and the entire hockey community," Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said.

"He was always rooting for the Bruins and in our corner. He lived an amazing life and I am very proud to have known him," alternate captain Patrice Bergeron said.

Image Credit: Meowwcat/Wikimedia Commons