One Type of Player Only, Please

Not all Boston goalies were so gracious. The all-time grump was Gerry Cheevers, who avoided the ritual except for a quick word with the opposing goalie. And Cheever said it had nothing to do with being a sore loser, it was pure honesty.

“Do you really mean it?” Cheevers said of the grip-and-grin tradition in an interview with the Sun in 2009. “Do you say: ‘Thanks for bashing my brains in the past seven games and taking $15,000 out of my pocket?’

In 1972, Cheevers cut into the handshake line after the Bruins beat the Rangers for the Cup to acknowledge opposite number Ed Giacomin, then quickly departed.

“I know it’s about sportsmanship, but not right after a tough series,” Cheevers said. “I might buy the guy on the other team a beer a couple of days later.”