He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builders category. This past Tuesday, we received the unfortunate but expected news of the passing of rock legend, Gord Downie at the age of 53.Harry James Sinden (born Septemin Kingston, Ontario) was the long-time general manager, coach, and president for the Boston Bruins NHL hockey team, and was the coach of Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series.

For those of you who don’t know, Gord was the lead singer of the famous Kingston, Ontario based band, The Tragically Hip. He was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer during December 2016 and made the official announcement to fans in May of the following year. Below is an excerpt of the statement from the Downie family taken from the Hip’s official Twitter account: Given the band’s ties with hockey and several American border towns, including Buffalo, I figured it was appropriate to pay tribute to Gord whose determination to live life to the fullest should serve as an inspiration for us all. Last night Gord quietly passed away with his beloved children and family close by.

Gord knew this day was coming – his response was to spend this precious time as he always had – making music, making memories and expressing deep gratitude to his family and friends for a life well lived, often sealing it with a kiss… on the lips. As a musician, he lived “the life” for over 30 years, lucky to do most of it with his high school buddies. At home, he worked just as tirelessly at being a good father, son, brother, husband, and friend. No one worked harder on every part of their life than Gord. Perhaps the Hip’s biggest allure to fans was their connections with hockey, a sport that rarely gets significant recognition in the United States. Gord himself grew up playing goalie for the Amherstview, Ontario hockey team. He had connections to the game at its highest level with his godfather, Harry Sinden. Sinden became head coach and general manager of the Boston Bruins and won the Stanley Cup in 1970. With a background like that, it is no surprise hockey is mentioned throughout Gord’s poetic lyrics. Some of the band’s biggest hits, including “Fifty Mission Cap” and “Fireworks,” pay tribute to the great Canadian game. In “Fifty Mission Cap,” Gord sings about the legend of former Maple Leafs defenseman, Bill Barilko. Shortly thereafter, he went missing during a fishing trip and nobody could explain his disappearance.īarilko famously scored the overtime goal to win the Leafs the 1951 Stanley Cup. It wasn’t until 1962, the next time the Leafs won the Cup, that they discovered his remains in a plane crash wreckage a few kilometers north of Cochrane, Ontario. They didn’t win another till nineteen sixty-two The song’s reference to this story goes as follows: You held my hand and we walked home the long way You said you didn’t give a fuck about hockey We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the triggerĪnd all I remember was sittin’ besides you If there’s a goal that everyone remembers Specifically, he references a young fellow getting over the fact that his newly found love is not that into hockey, a notion that would seem preposterous to just about any typical Canadian: In “Fireworks,” Gord sings about a realization that many hockey fans experience, including myself, that there is more to life than hockey. Gord and the band had a place in the hearts of many Buffalonians due to the their love for hockey and the city’s proximity to the Canadian border. The Hip were frequent visitors to Western New York, most recently performing on April 18 th, 2015 in what is now Keybank Center. That show featured the 1992 album, “Fully Completely” and would unfortunately be the group’s last visit to our great city. Gord recognized Buffalo’s appreciation for the Hip’s music.

Harry sinden gordon downie