Maven's Memories: Finding Bob Nystrom's Missing Stick

Once upon a time in the dim, distant hockey past I did an interview with one of my all-time favorite Islanders.

Of course, Bob Nystrom has been just about \everybody's \favorite and not just because he scored the 1980 Stanley Cup-winning goal; although that never hurt.

What I recall from our \tete-a-tete \was that Pal Ny never kept the hockey stick that propelled the six-ounce hunk of vulcanized rubber into the Philadelphia net and simultaneously into the Pantheon of Islanders History.

"There was so much excitement after I scored," Nystrom told me, “That the idea of grabbing my stick was not immediately in my mind. First, Lorne Henning grabbed me and then Johnny Tonelli and, before I knew it, the fans came storming onto the ice. It was bedlam."

Who could even think about a hockey stick at a time like that? Well, a fella named Buzzy Deschamps was and did something about it.

Somewhere -- somehow -- in that "bedlam" Deschamps had the presence of mind to rescue the hunk of ash lumber with the builder's name, KOHO on the shaft. Buz got it to Nystrom who autographed it for his buddy and then forgot about it.

And who was Buzz Deschamps? Since I saw him in action I can vouch that he was a terrific minor league forward whose play was just short of NHL calibre. Now he's the chief protagonist in a full-sized hockey book.

For that I deliver a deep bow of THANKS to author Joseph Rossi of West Babylon. Among other fascinating stories, the Nystrom stick tale is described in Rossi's brand-new biography currently available via Amazon.

It's called "A Stick In The Window -- The Hockey Life of Buzz Deschamps."

And if you're wondering about Deschamps, Buzzy is an old pal of The Maven. Buzz starred for the Long Island Ducks out of the once famous LI Arena in Commack as well as other minor league clubs from AHL Baltimore to the Western Hockey League's Los Angeles sextet.

As it happened -- following Buzzy's hockey-playing career -- Deschamps went into the hockey stick business and was supplying the then wooden wands to about 300 big-leaguers. One of them was Bobby Ny.

Now here's where the missing Cup-winning stick tale emerges, thanks to Joe Rossi who teaches in the West Babylon School District:

Rossi: "Buzzy's two sons, Eric and Kerry, were stick boys for the islanders when Nystrom scored the momentous goal. Bobby was so caught up in the frenzy that he gave the stick away to a friend."

It was the father of Eric and Kerry.

Amidst the fuss and fanfare enveloping the Islanders Cup hero, Nystrom actually did sign the stick and gave it to his pal, Deschamps. Never one to throw away a historic hunk of lumber, Buzzy brought the stick home -- after all, it was autographed to him, wasn't it? -- and deposited it in a safe place; his clothes closet.

As far as can be discerned the stick had no problems being there. After all, it was a comfortable place for a Koho to nap away its new life.

Years went by and one day, a curator from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto phoned Bryan Trottier. "He asked if I knew where Bobby's Stanley Cup stick might be so I did my due

diligence; I phoned our stick supplier, Buzz," Trottier explained.

The conversation went something like this.

Trottier: "Buzz; someone from the Hockey Hall of Fame phoned me. Seems that they're on the lookout for Bobby Ny's stick. The one he used to beat (Philadelphia Flyers goalie) Pete Peeters for our first Stanley Cup."

Deschamps: "Well, I have it!"

Trottier: "What do you mean you have it?"

Deschamps: "It's in my closet. Ny gave it to me right after the game. He signed the stick: 'To my friend, Buzz. Thanks for all your help, Bobby Nystrom.' It was a personal thing."

According to author Rossi, Nystrom wanted the stick back and knew that Buzz didn't want anything monetary in return.

Rossi: "But Buzz was not giving it back without Nystrom first meeting the kids team Buzz was coaching at the time. Nystrom picked up the stick at Iceland Rink in New Hyde Park where the kids played. The team got to meet the Islander legend thanks to Buzz and Nystrom got his stick back."

By the way, Trottier's phone call to Nystrom is not Bryan's only mention in "A Stick In The Window." Trots also wrote a heartfelt Introduction to the book, As it happens, Trottier and Deschamnps go 'way back to Bryan's rookie year with the Islanders. They have remained pals for almost a half-century.

"There's nobody more involved in youth hockey on Long Island than Buzzy," Trots concluded. "He's a tireless worker when it comes to kids whether it's in his hometown of Midland, Ontario or his adopted New York Metropolitan Area."

Kudos to Deschamps for finding a fine author and to Joe Rossi for delivering a revealing and insightful hockey story of a gutsy minor leaguer and the Ducks ice game in Commack.

People forget, by the way, that the Ducks success led to the building of Nassau Coliseum and that, in turn, led to the creation of the Islanders!