Breaking: Historic NHL player passes away at age 78

Former Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Flames defenseman Noel Picard has passed away at age 78. Picard was an original member of the expansion Blues in 1967, playing for the team during its first six seasons. While Picard’s play was somewhat understated, he entered hockey history in the Blues’ 1970 Stanley Cup Final loss to the Boston Bruins. Every hockey fan has seen the iconic photo of Bobby Orr flying through the air after scoring the Cup clinching goal, but what many don’t realize is that Picard is the Blues defenseman tripping Orr on the play.

Check it out:

Besides the historical photo, Picard will be remembered as a truly great friend and teammate. Fellow Blues defenseman Bob Plager played alongside Picard during those early seasons in St. Louis and remembers Picard fondly:

"Noel was one of the best friends and teammates that I had here. He gave me a chance to be a better player. He made a lot of us better players and our success in the playoffs in those early years, he was a big, big part of us being successful. He was a player that gave a lot of our players a chance to become better players. I know he made a better player of me.

"Everybody knew Noel Picard. Everybody in this city from those days will have a Noel Picard story. He was around the city, everybody loved him and everybody talked about him. They all had stories, and some of them could be a little crazy, but those were the true ones."

RIP Noel Picard. Gone but never forgotten.