88-89 Andy Bezeau Moncton Turbines Jersey

February 6th, 2008 | Posted in Tier II Juniors |

This is the 1988-89 Moncton Turbines home jersey of Andy Bezeau.

Andy Bezeau was arguably the best hockey fighter pound-for-pound ever.  Unfortunately his small stature (5-9, 185) limited his chances of suiting up for an NHL team, but for those with extensive hockey knowledge, he is among the elite when it comes to racking up PIM’s.

Ranking among the likes of Gary Coupal, though with far fewer suspensions over his career, Bezeau racked up an astounding 590 penalty minutes for the Fort Wayne Komets during the 1995-96 season.  That included 36 fighting majors, 11 misconducts, and 9 game misconducts.

Two years earlier, while a member of South Carolina Sting Rays, Bezeau put up 10 goals and 10 assists in just 36 games.  Those decent offensive numbers were probably why he was drafted by Boston Bruins in the 11th Round, 231st overall, in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.  Amazingly, he also spent 352 minutes in the penalty box during those 36 games.

Fittingly, he finished out his career with Boston’s affiliate playing in one game for the Providence Bruins during the 2000-01 season.  For the record, he logged 8 more penalty minutes that night.

Prior to trying out for the OHL’s Niagara Falls Thunder in 1989, Bezeau played Tier II junior hockey for the Moncton Turbines, just up the road from his native Saint John, New Brunswick.

This knit CCM jersey shows very heavy wear and the classic “general filth”.  The CCM logo on the back hem is embroidered in a blue-blue-green pattern. Numbers and crest are all sewn.  There is a velcro nameplate, but the Bezeau plate has been removed.  Size tag has also been removed, but it looks to be a size 50 or 52.

Bezeau signed the back number 1 in a thick black sharpie, but over the last decade the signature has faded out entirely. 

While very well worn, there are no customizations to the velcro-snap fight strap, but you have to remember, Bezeau was just a teenager when he wore this jersey and possibly more of an offensive player than anything else.  The stitching on the neck line is popped though, so I’m sure he took part in some of the rough stuff as well.

I originally won this jersey in the first Drop the Gloves auction in 1998 back when we still had to use telephones to participate in auctions.  The only reason I bid was because it had the Hartford Whalers color scheme.  Sad but true.