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Sidney Crosby honors the memory of his fellow Nova Scotian, Lowell MacDonald, a past NHL player who passed away on Sunday, acknowledging him as a guiding influence on his professional journey.
Crosby stated during a media briefing after practice on Thursday, “From Nova Scotia, a significant number of players didn’t originate.”
“One was aware of the heritage, recognizing those individuals; they served as role models. The existence of a Pittsburgh link [with MacDonald] was, without question, quite remarkable.”
MacDonald, aged 84, achieved NHL All-Star status twice and participated in the league for nearly 15 seasons. The offensive player represented the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Born in Thorburn, Nova Scotia, MacDonald consistently regarded the province as his permanent residence.
According to the obituary of the Pictou County native, he and his spouse, Joyce Smith MacDonald, would annually come back for multiple months to see relatives. They maintained a residence in Little Harbour, N.S. MacDonald was a keen golfer, completing numerous rounds at the Abercrombie Golf and Country Club.
MacDonald concluded his NHL tenure with 180 goals and 390 points over 506 games, with his final season being 1977-78.
“Truly a remarkable individual, and also a proud Nova Scotian,” Crosby commented. “I believe one consistently values the individuals admired who helped forge the path, and he unquestionably stands among them.”
Emphasis on scholastic pursuits
His obituary states that throughout MacDonald’s professional hockey career in the NHL, he attended university for 14 consecutive summers, attaining both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.
Subsequent to the conclusion of his athletic career, MacDonald held positions as an instructor, hockey trainer, and sports director at the University School of Milwaukee, remaining there for nearly twenty years.
The Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame welcomed MacDonald as an inductee in 1982.
Bruce Rainnie, who presides over the hall of fame, mentioned having encountered MacDonald on several occasions and characterized their exchanges as exceptional.
“With an individual like this, one felt more uplifted after the discussion concluded than at its commencement,” he commented.
Rainnie noted that MacDonald’s professional path was troubled by knee ailments, yet he refused to allow them to impede his progress.
MacDonald was inactive during the 1971-72 season, but made a strong return the subsequent season, achieving a personal best of 75 points and earning the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy. This award is presented to the NHL athlete “who most effectively demonstrates the attributes of persistence, fair play, and devotion to the sport of hockey.”
Rainnie indicated that MacDonald’s induction into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame was likely an obvious decision.
“It serves as evidence that one can originate from the nation’s second-smallest province, specifically from a modest locale such as Thorburn, and ascend to the pinnacle of achievement through a profound love for a sport, diligent effort, and consistent commitment,” Rainnie remarked.
A commemorative gathering is scheduled to take place in Little Harbour during the upcoming summer.
