Every hockey player understands that at some point, their competitive hockey career is going to be over. There is a start and a definitive end. Players’ hockey experiences can range from high school to college to juniors. For the chosen few, they might reach the pinnacle at some level of professional hockey in Europe, Canada, or even in the NHL. But players know that all hockey roads lead to the same place.
All hockey players are told early in their career that no matter how long you play, or how talented you are, or how far you go, the simple reality is that everyone ends up in the same place – men’s league.
Men’s league hockey is unique and there are circumstances that make it very different from other “old timer” athletic experiences. Men’s league players crave competition that can only be recreated on a rented sheet of ice in the early morning or late-night hours.
They covet the camaraderie of the pregame and postgame locker room rituals which often spill into the parking lot for a few beers and some food. They are inclusive and seamlessly assimilate players of different ability levels with A lines and B lines. In short, there is a palpable and enduring love for the game of hockey that all hockey players have and can never seem to shake!
It is this love for hockey that brought Al “Cheeks” Gosselin to form the RI Relics in 1979. Gosselin envisioned an age 35+ hockey team that would compete all year long against the best teams in New England, the Northeast, and even Canada. Gosselin plucked the best players from leagues throughout RI in order to create an “old timers dream team” consisting of former high school, college, and even professional hockey players.
Building the Dream Team
Gosselin pulled together a group of hockey buddies in the late 1970s for the inaugural RI Relic’s team and entered them into one of the premiere local regional tournaments, the New England Invitational in Fitchburg, MA. The tournament had 3 divisions (A, B, & C) with 24 total teams. This new team, the Relics, played in the 8-team B Division and lost in the finals.
After that impressive showing in their first tournament, Gosselin set his sights higher. He envisioned the Relics returning the following year and competing – and winning – at the elite A Division level. By recruiting the best players from local RI teams and leagues such as the Woonsocket Amateur League, VIP Hockey Club of Warwick, the Gridiron of Woonsocket, and the Providence Old Timer’s, the Relics quickly became a force to be reckoned with within competitive men’s league circles.
The Relics drew players from all over the state, creating a “super team” from the best talent in Rhode Island’s hockey scene. Players ranged from former high school stars to collegiate and professional athletes, all united by their shared love for the game. With seasoned veterans the likes of Serge Boudreault (RI Reds), Bob Leduc (RI Reds), Ray Lefebvre (Woonsocket High School), Don Lemieux (Woonsocket High School), Andre Branchaud (Providence College), and Roger Guillemette (La Salle Academy & Norwich Academy), the team exuded skill and determination.
In the second year of the program, Gosselin tweaked the roster. Just as he envisioned, the Relics went back to Fitchburg and won the “A” Division championship. They followed up with a 2nd place finish in a Massachusetts international tournament and then capped off their season by becoming the first American team ever to win the prestigious Point Claire Quebec Invitational, outlasting a huge field of teams in the top division. The RI Relics were forcing other more established men’s teams to take notice.
Growing the Relics
The fledgling Relics’ program initially did not have a sponsor. Players paid $100 up front for uniforms and ice time. But in the 2nd year of the program, the Relics secured a major sponsor.
Roger Guillemette shares a story that the Relics strategically invited former LaSalle star, Tim Moran, to play with the team. Tim was a very talented hockey player but he was a little reluctant to play based on the sheer talent on the ice. However, once they got Tim in the locker room, players started asking if anyone knew someone who might sponsor the team. Tim was quick to secure a sponsorship with his family’s company, McLaughlin & Moran Distributors.
In the first year of the sponsorship, the beverage distributor had already committed their marketing budget to other organizations. So, in an effort to help the team financially, they instead gave the Relics 200 cases of beer. The Relics got a weekend permit to sell alcohol at one of their tournaments. As a result, through beer sales alone, they were able to raise a few thousand dollars to fund their program.
In a further effort to raise money for the program, Gosselin started the RI Relics Michelob Light Oldtimers’ Hockey Tournament in 1981. The Relics turned to rink manager and RI Hockey Hall of Fame charter member Bill Belisle to host the tournament at Mount St. Charles.
Adelard Arena usually closed at the end of March, but Belisle agreed to keep the rink open through the 1st week of April to accommodate the tournament. In that first year, Al Gosselin talked up the upcoming new Relics’ tournament to every team they played throughout the season. His salesmanship and hustle brought 16 teams to the inaugural tournament to play in 2 divisions.
Teams from as far away as Montreal and Quebec found their way to Rhode Island RI for the inaugural tourney, paying $800 per team to compete in the tournament. After paying for ice time and referees, the entry fees filled the program’s coffers with a healthy profit.
The tournament was so successful that the Relics began running a spring tournament, as well. Between the sponsorship and the profits from the tournaments, the program was now completely funding itself. In turn, the players were well equipped with nice uniforms, team jackets, and hockey bags. The Relics had established themselves as a first-class hockey operation.
The tournaments thrived and McLaughlin & Moran continued to be a staunch supporter of the program. In an effort to promote the Relics and the tournament beyond just financial support, the beer distributor lured the great Gordie Howe to drop the ceremonial first puck at one of the early Relic’s tournaments.
The recently retired Howe worked for Budweiser and was a gracious host, meeting and greeting players and fans alike. The Woonsocket Call held a press conference with Howe and a number of Relics’ players were on hand. Gordie answered every question asked by the press and kindly posed for pictures with all of the attendees. Then in his early 50’s and not far removed from his professional playing days, Gordie was asked if he still felt he could play in the NHL. He unabashedly said, “At my age, I could still get 20 goals in that league!”
Legends and Memories
In addition to their own tournaments, the Relics regularly competed throughout the Northeast and Canada. They were mainstays at the New England Oldtimers Hockey Championship (MA), the Connecticut Open (4-state tourney – RI, MA, CT, NY), Pointe Claire Oldtimers’ Tournament (Quebec) and the Verdun Oldtimers’ Tourney (Quebec).
Some of their best competition came from Massachusetts with teams like Northeast Envelope, Boston Merchants, Le Roi de Boston, and Ronze Mobile. Former Relic, Mount St. Charles and Princeton star, John Harwood, recalls spirited battles with Ronze Mobile, who were led by former Bruins Don Awrey and Don Marcotte. Harwood noted that the level of play amongst all of these teams was elite and the product on the ice would draw favorable comparisons to the minor league hockey of the day.
By 1983-84 the roster had stabilized with a good balance of younger and older players. The team had a number of players who were there from the beginning, which included Serge Boudreault, Bobby Leduc, and former PC star and high school coach, Andy Branchaud. This stability of talent allowed the Relics to play a hefty schedule.
Guillemette recalls playing close to 55 games in his last season with the team, which included 5 tournaments. By the mid 80’s the Relics rarely lost to other old timer teams and were always up for a competitive game with anyone. Roger recounts one game versus the Bryant College Varsity Hockey Team. The Relics rolled out 10 players against a team of 20 plus Bryant Bulldogs. After three exhausting 20-minute periods, the Relics fell 7-2. Despite the score, the Relics’ players earned a great degree of respect from their younger counterparts.
Guillemette also remembers one legendary game that the Relics won without a goaltender and multiple games against the Boston Bruins Old Timers, facing the likes of Pie McKenzie, Craig MacTavish, Don Awrey, and RI’s own Bill Bennett. Those games were a highlight for the players even though the Relics were on the losing end of tight 3-2 and 9-8 scores. All of these experiences spoke volumes regarding both their talent and their intense desire to compete!
A Lasting Legacy
The Relics continued their success for almost 15 solid years. Andy Branchaud was a mainstay of the program from beginning to end. He credits Bobby Leduc and Serge Boudreault, former American Hockey League and WHA standouts, with being the foundation of the team. But as the years passed and these core players got older, it became more and more challenging to find tournaments that matched both their skill and competitive level. As a result, the Relics’ run of being one of the best men’s league teams in the northeast slowly and quietly faded.
In speaking with Guillemette, Harwood, and Branchaud about their experiences with the Relics, each noted that the success of the team centered around family and friendship. Playing the game was never about trophies or glory but the relationships they built over decades.
Roger was quoted in the Woonsocket Call noting, “Our chemistry was right. On many of the other teams we faced, we could see a lot of crabbing and moaning. But we were like a family.”
Together, they agree that it was all about passion, perseverance, and the camaraderie they forged in the rink that led to their success…and the friendships they’ve enjoyed over their lifetimes. All of these men, a little weathered by time but still youthful in spirit, shared bonds that continue to this day. The rink was not just a place to play – it was a sanctuary where age did not matter, only the love of the game did.
By Sean McNamara