[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 116 (Wednesday, July 29, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S8267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CONGRATULATING JOHN LeCLAIR

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I wish to congratulate St. Albans VT, 
native John LeClair for being chosen as a 2009 inductee into the U.S. 
Hockey Hall of Fame.
  John LeClair had a remarkable amateur and professional hockey career. 
The first American-born player to record three consecutive 50-goal 
seasons in the National Hockey League, LeClair played 16 years in the 
NHL--with stops in Montreal, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh--and he 
helped the Montreal Canadiens capture the Stanley Cup in 1993. He 
registered 406 goals and 413 assists for 819 points in 967 career 
games, which ranks him 13th on the NHL's alltime points list among 
American-born players. LeClair also was a 2-time Olympian, where he 
netted 34 career points, 22-12, 31 games in a Team USA uniform.
  Most hockey fans remember LeClair for his dramatic two game-winning 
goals in overtime during the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, for being a 
member of the dreaded ``Legion of Doom'' line with the Philadelphia 
Flyers, and for leading Team USA to a Silver Medal in the 2002 Winter 
Olympics.
  Vermonters. though, go further back with their native son. After his 
high school graduation from Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, the 
Montreal Canadiens drafted LeClair with the 33rd pick in the 1987 entry 
draft. Instead of immediately going to the NHL, LeClair chose to attend 
the University of Vermont, where he thrilled Catamount fans for four, 
exciting seasons. Less than a week after playing his final collegiate 
game, LeClair signed with Montreal and hit the ice with the Canadiens 
right away.
  While LeClair quickly went on to stardom and fame in the NHL, he 
always enjoyed a loyal following back home. Many Vermonters are 
naturally Canadiens fans because Montreal is so close to Vermont, but 
it was amazing to see how many people converted to Flyer fans when 
LeClair moved to Philadelphia and Penguin fans when he moved to 
Pittsburgh. I remember that no matter whether it was hockey season or 
not, it seemed like you couldn't walk down the street in St. Albans or 
Burlington or Rutland without seeing someone wearing some sort of 
Flyers paraphernalia, which stood out because of the team's 
distinguishing orange and black colors.
  Once again, I congratulate John LeClair on this high honor of being 
selected as a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. I ask unanimous 
consent to have a copy of a July 29 article from the Burlington Free 
Press printed in the Record.
  The material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

            [From the Burlington Free Press, July 29, 2009]

 LeClair to Enter U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame--St. Albans Native is Among 
                              Class of '09

       Colorado Springs, Colo.--Former University of Vermont and 
     NHL star John LeClair of St. Albans, Vt., will be inducted 
     into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
       USA hockey's 2009 class was announced Tuesday, and it also 
     includes former NHL players Tony Amonte and Tom Barrasso, the 
     1998 U.S. Olympic women's team and the late Frank Zamboni, 
     inventor of the storied ice resurfacing machine.
       The date of the induction ceremony will be announced in 
     August.
       During an NHL career that included five seasons with the 
     Montreal Canadians, 10 with the Philadelphia Flyers and two 
     as a Pittsburgh Penguin, LeClair registered 406 goals and 413 
     assists for 819 points in 967 career games.
       The winger helped Montreal win the Stanley Cup in 1993, was 
     the first American-born player with three straight 50-goal 
     seasons from 1995 to 1998, and was on USA's silver-medal team 
     at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.
       LeClair is also a member of UVM's Hall of Fame. He netted 
     56 goals and 60 assists in four years as a Catamount.
       Amonte scored the winning goal against Canada in the 
     deciding game of the first World Cup of Hockey in 1996.
       Barrasso won two Stanley Cups as a goalie for the 
     Pittsburgh Penguins.
       The 1998 U.S. Olympic Women's team won the gold medal at 
     the Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

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