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Brière was transferred to
Montreal's Marie-Clarac Rehabilitation Hospital on March 27, 1971. The Penguins finished the regular season at home on April 4, 1971, and missed the playoffs. Nine days later, after 11 months in a coma, Brière died at 4:20 p.m. Six members of the Penguins, including
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to marry his childhood sweetheart Michèle
Beaudoin, with whom he had a son, Martin. They were to be married on June 6, 1970. However, on the evening of May 15, 1970, Brière was involved in a single-car crash with two friends, Renald Bilodeau and Yvon Fortin. Despite the road being clear and in
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daylight, the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve. Longstanding rumours that Brière was behind the wheel were confirmed in 2021. He insisted on driving after drinking alcohol. While his companions suffered relatively minor injuries, Brière, the driver, was ejected from his orange
357:, as the only visible sign that the number was retired. According to Carson, "No one ever asked to wear that number (21). If they had, I would have told them Mike's story." Brière's number was officially retired on January 5, 2001, nine days after Penguins' co-owner
169:. Following his rookie season with the Penguins, Brière was involved in a car accident in which he suffered major head trauma. After multiple brain surgeries and 11 months in a coma, he died as a result of his injuries at the age of 21.
193:, during the contract negotiations with Brière prior to the 1969–70 season "He asked for a bigger bonus and said, 'It's not really that much extra money, because I'll be playing for the Penguins for the next 20 years..."
298:. The ambulance transporting him to the hospital in Val-d'Or struck and killed an 18-year-old cyclist, Raymond Perreault, a friend of Brière. Suffering from major head trauma, Brière was flown 300 miles to
189:, he scored 129 goals and 191 assists, for 320 points in 100 games. In his last season with Shawinigan in 1968–69 he finished third on the team in scoring. According to the Penguins' general manager
207:
During the quarterfinals of the
Stanley Cup playoffs, Brière scored the first overtime goal in Penguins' history on April 12, 1970, by scoring the game-winner, and series clincher, against the
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in the semifinals. During the playoffs, Brière led the team in scoring with eight points, which included five goals and three assists. Three of his five goals were game-winners.
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Brière's number 21 was not retired immediately by the team, but no one ever wore it again. A framed jersey hung with his photo in the Igloo Club, located inside the
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346:. Then-trainer Ken Carson added Brière's name to the back of a jersey, which, along with Brière's equipment bag, traveled with the team for their entire
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came out of retirement to once again wear his number 66. Through 2024, Brière was one of three players in
Penguins history whose numbers were retired.
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performed the first of four brain surgeries. Brière was initially given a somewhat optimistic prognosis that gave him a 50–50 chance of living.
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While Brière helped lead the
Penguins to the second round of the NHL playoffs, the team finished two victories short of the
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241:. At this time, many scouts were predicting that Brière would develop into a top NHL player. Brière drew comparisons to
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157:(October 21, 1949 – April 13, 1971) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player for one season in the
204:. He would go on to score 12 goals and 32 assists, to finish third in the team scoring with 44 points.
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215:. The sweep of the Seals was also the first playoff series victory for the Penguins' franchise.
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Despite being named the
Penguins' rookie of the year, Brière received no votes for the
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While Brière was hospitalized, the
Penguins started pre-season conditioning near
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in
Pittsburgh, in which most of the team officials and some players attended.
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Hockey's
Greatest Tragedies: The Broken Heroes of the Fastest Game on Earth
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Mondoono, Bill (May 15, 1990). "Briere Legacy an
Unfulfilled promise".
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general manager Jack Riley, equipment manager Ken Carson and coach
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On November 1, 1969, Brière scored his first NHL goal against the
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Brière's retired #21 hanging above the scoreboard at the then-
917:"Jagr's No. 68 retired by Penguins in 'great day' for legend"
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Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
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717:
List of ice hockey players who died during their careers
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next to Mario Lemieux's retired #66, in December 2010.
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Brière's retired #21 hanging above the scoreboard at
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Biographical information and career statistics from
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National Hockey League players with retired numbers
879:"La fin tragique du conte de fées de Michel Brière"
372:in 1972. The Pittsburgh Penguins also present the
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93:165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
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400:
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376:annually to the season's best rookie player.
1025:Ice hockey people from Abitibi-Témiscamingue
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249:, both of whom were later inducted into the
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277:After the playoffs, Brière returned to
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374:Michel Brière Rookie of the Year Award
16:Canadian ice hockey player (1949–1971)
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902:
832:
820:
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213:Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
798:Pelletier, Joe (December 19, 2006).
379:
185:. During his junior career with the
833:Labbé, Richard (January 25, 2021).
13:
915:Gulitti, Tom (February 18, 2024).
85:5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
14:
1066:
970:
366:Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
273:'s retired #66, in December 2009.
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877:Bergeron, Alain (May 29, 2020).
294:, 70 miles from his hometown of
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1035:Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks
955:, London: Arcturus Publishing,
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1050:Road incident deaths in Canada
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835:"La tragédie de Michel Brière"
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1:
802:. Greatest Hockey legends.com
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370:Michel Brière Memorial Trophy
990:The Internet Hockey Database
7:
1040:Pittsburgh Penguins players
1020:Canadian ice hockey centres
1015:Accidental deaths in Quebec
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385:Regular season and playoffs
177:Brière was selected by the
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368:renamed its MVP award the
181:in the third round of the
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951:Feige, Timothy (2011),
863:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
779:. Pittsburgh Hockey.net
777:"Michel Briere 1969-70"
749:"Michel Edouard Briere"
233:, which was won by the
883:Le Journal de Montréal
355:Pittsburgh Civic Arena
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231:Calder Memorial Trophy
183:1969 NHL Amateur Draft
159:National Hockey League
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198:Minnesota North Stars
155:Michel Edouard Brière
986:Hockey-Reference.com
927:on February 19, 2024
841:(in Canadian French)
336:Consol Energy Center
633:Pittsburgh Penguins
300:Notre Dame Hospital
284:1970 Mercury Cougar
251:Hockey Hall of Fame
235:Chicago Black Hawks
222:, by losing to the
179:Pittsburgh Penguins
163:Pittsburgh Penguins
139:Pittsburgh Penguins
122:Pittsburgh Penguins
982:Eliteprospects.com
866:. pp. D1, D4.
589:Shawinigan Bruins
505:Malartic National
464:Malartic National
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320:St. Paul Cathedral
306:, where a leading
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220:Stanley Cup Finals
962:978-1-84837-742-4
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547:Shawinigan Bruins
380:Career statistics
187:Shawinigan Bruins
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21:Ice hockey player
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237:' goaltender
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200:' goaltender
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944:Bibliography
931:February 19,
929:. Retrieved
925:the original
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905:, p. 51
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886:. Retrieved
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843:. Retrieved
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804:. Retrieved
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783:November 18,
781:. Retrieved
756:. Retrieved
753:www.hhof.com
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738:, p. 49
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308:neurosurgeon
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267:Mellon Arena
247:Bobby Clarke
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66:(1971-04-13)
18:
1010:1971 deaths
1005:1949 births
845:January 29,
674:NHL totals
999:Categories
988:, or
984:, or
980:, or
903:Feige 2011
821:Feige 2011
736:Feige 2011
723:References
269:, next to
191:Jack Riley
118:Played for
47:1949-10-21
839:La Presse
806:April 30,
758:March 11,
344:Brantford
316:Red Kelly
288:Route 117
129:NHL draft
711:See also
586:1968–69
543:1967–68
502:1965–66
461:1964–65
404:Playoffs
304:Montreal
296:Malartic
292:Val-d'Or
98:Position
77:, Canada
71:Montreal
56:, Canada
978:NHL.com
921:NHL.com
888:May 30,
628:1969–70
508:QNWJHL
467:QNWJHL
418:League
211:at the
167:1969–70
959:
592:QJAHL
551:QJAHL
411:Season
326:Legacy
286:along
279:Quebec
102:Centre
90:Weight
82:Height
75:Quebec
415:Team
290:near
257:Death
957:ISBN
933:2024
890:2020
847:2021
808:2015
785:2008
760:2019
456:PIM
364:The
245:and
135:1969
113:Left
109:Shot
61:Died
41:Born
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689:20
669:17
654:20
638:NHL
607:31
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560:105
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482:18
453:Pts
440:PIM
435:Pts
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165:in
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