At a time when two-way hockey playing was dying out, Bob Gainey's skill as a defensive forward stood out. Though his goal-scoring record was modest, Gainey was described by Viktor Tikhonov, head coach of the Soviet national team, as "the best player in the world in the technical skills of the game." Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1973, Gainey began a career that lasted 16 years and included five Stanley Cup victories, the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 1979 playoffs, and eight years as captain of the team. His unique style of play inspired the NHL to create the Frank Selke Trophy for best defensive forward in the league. Gainey, of course, was its recipient the first four years. Although Gainey was not a prolific scorer, many of his 239 goals and 262 assists in 1,160 regular season games were important. In addition, his defensive talents and his ability to turn a defensive situation into an offensive opportunity led to many more important goals for his team. Following his retirement in 1989, Gainey accepted a job as player/coach of a team in Epinal, France. After gaining valuable coaching experience, he returned to North America in 1990 to become coach of the Minnesota North Stars. He added the general manager's responsibilities in 1992 and moved with the team when it transferred to Dallas, Texas, in 1993. In 1995, Gainey stepped down as coach to focus solely on his duties as general manager. With Gainey at the helm, the new Dallas Stars went from the bottom of the Central Division to the Stanley Cup playoffs in short order, claiming the Cup in 1999. The Canadiens reclaimed him in 2003 with hopes that, as vice-president and general manager, Gainey could build a team to carry on the glorious bleu, blanc, et rouge legacy. His own legacy climaxed with his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.