Jeremy Roenick's Persona Is of a Dying Breed

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The man was never a complex being, only stating his intentions and thoughts with various hues and arrays. And yet, it could not be more complicated to invoke a sentence, painting or photo that would singularly encompass the character and persona of Jeremy Roenick.

Splatter a paint ball on canvas, however, and it might be a closer portrayal.

Taking the number of video montages done in homage of his extensive career, most of his on-air memorabilia are from side projects, spontaneous dance routines and segments of verbal jousting.

From his cameo as a desk sergeant on the show Hack to his rendition of Enrique Iglesias, the public – not necessarily hockey supporters—witnessed the Roenick effect. The clothing lines and entrepreneurial engagements simply added to his ubiquity, too.

Then, when it came to addressing the NHL during the lockout of 2004-2005 and the more serious issue of resuming the next season, he got right into the face of the head honchos. He didn’t ease off the pedal.

“Our sport still is great. It's just ruled by Neanderthal people, that's all. Our sport is awesome, it's the best sport,” a transparent Roenick told USA today in 2004. “We just have to learn how to run it right."

Roenick always had his stinger primed for a target. His mantra—that of the truthful and honest, profanity and controversy be damned—is one many colleges and former teammates hold in high-esteem. That turned off some fans, who will undoubtedly indict him for being haughty and focused on fulfilling selfish aspirations.

But the most credible account isn’t founded on that jaded perception.

“When you're around J.R., there is never a dull moment," said former teammate Tony Amonte, who first encountered Roenick as an 11-year-old. "He's got people everywhere, friends in every city, and that electric personality. It doesn't matter where you go, people are drawn to him. He made himself a star."

He’s been quite the philanthropist for young hockey fans as well, as he revealed in his inspiration during his retirement press conference Thursday.

"Once, when I was seven years old, Gordie Howe got a bunch of snow on his stick, and dumped it on my head. I thought that was the coolest thing that has ever happened in my whole life,” he explained in earnest.

"Then he skated around a little more, and he looked at me again, and he winked. For three seconds it was just me and Gordie Howe...it took nothing out of his time. But it resonated my whole life."

That particular attitude has been reflected in a whole host of ways, whether it was a concession of post-game souvenirs to crowd members or a personal meeting with a child gawk-eyed.

Reverting to his on-ice capabilities, though, we see the foundation of what would have been granted a certain Hall of Fame permit to Roenick if he had captured the elusive Stanley Cup.

Despite that, he stilled managed to tie Larry Murphy at the 39th position in all-time scoring and coincidentally became the third most prolific American in NHL history. At 1,216 points and 513 goals, he caused just as much damage to the back of the opponents’ net as he did to the opponents themselves.

Because lest we forget, his mouth wasn’t the only way he was scoring points on the collective consciousness of the nation’s radar.

Add the fact that he recorded two 50-goal seasons and three 100-point campaigns, that he was a nine-time all-star and a component of two Olympic squads, maybe the absence of a Stanley Cup isn’t a gaping hole in his HOF resume. Or one requiring a filling.

He also provided moments of clutch and resilient performance, as seen during the 1989 conference semifinals against the St. Louis Blues. Reacting to the vicious slash to the teeth by Blue defenseman Glen Featherstone, Roenick approached referee Kerry Fraser with a bloody mouth, pleading in every which way he could to express his fury.

Featherstone was assessed a five-minute major while Roenick, ostensibly from his argument, landed a two-minute trip to the penalty box.

Blood still cupped in his mouth—with bits of his teeth lingering—it was the 19-year-old rookie who scored a power-play goal that would prove to be the game clincher.

Moments like these have been rarely mentioned when defining Roenick and how he affected the spirit of the game solely on the engine of his determination.

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