Chris Nilan fights his demons in new one-man show
Chris Nilan has never turned down a battle — on the ice and in life.
Now, that fearlessness is extending to the stage for the first time.
The former Montreal Canadiens player and 1985-86 Stanley Cup winner, known affectionately to Habs fans as Knuckles, will be telling the story of his remarkable life from West Roxbury in Boston to the NHL — as well as to hell and back — in the new one-man show Knuckles: The Chris Nilan Story.
Knucks joined this week's episode of The Corner Booth with hosts Aaron Rand and Bill Brownstein at Snowdon Deli to talk about his theatre debut and what compelled him to lay bare his mental and physical struggles in such an intimate setting.
'There's one thing I've never been and never will be is an actor,' Nilan said. 'I'm telling my story, I'm telling it from the heart, and I'm going to be upfront, raw and personal. People are probably going to be mad at me, people are probably going to cry.'
Nilan has long been open about his demons, from fighting drug and alcohol addiction to the toll his body took from years of being one of hockey's most respected enforcers. He might be an open book, but his new show, directed by Vittorio Rossi and coming to Maison Principale on May 28, 30 and June 3, 5, still has some secrets that might surprise even the most passionate Habs diehards.
'We come into the hockey world, become a Montreal Canadien, and you get introduced on the ice and everybody stands up clapping,' Nilan said. 'But who are they clapping for? They really don't know.'
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Globe and Mail
6 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Polish-born NHL defenceman John Miszuk came to Canada as a refugee after the Second World War
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Montreal Gazette
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Edmonton Journal
6 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
'I could write a book on this': Pierre Turgeon talks about the infamous Patrick Roy trade on podcast
Article content In a new episode of the Spittin' Chiclets hockey podcast, former Montreal Canadiens captain Pierre Turgeon re-opened an old wound for many Habs fans by discussing the lead up to the infamous 11-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in 1995 that ended Patrick Roy's tenure in Montreal. Article content 'I knew right away,' the Hockey Hall of Famer said of the inevitability of a trade when Mario Tremblay came on as coach. 'It's a matter of time and when. Don't know (when), but it's going to happen.' Article content Turgeon had a unique vantage point, since he and Roy were neighbours and drove to the rink together every day. Article content 'It's happening. It's a matter of time and when, don't know. But, it's going to happen.' Pierre Turgeon knew Patrick Roy and the Canadiens were a ticking time bomb because he would drive to the rink with Roy and hear about it every day. — Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) August 12, 2025 Article content Turgeon reminded the hosts that Tremblay was hired after Jacques Demers was let go following an 0-6 start. He affirmed Keith Yandle's question about whether the new coach was trying to assert dominance over the team's biggest star. Article content Article content 'I remember sitting in the locker room, the first meeting we had. Mario comes in and there's an argument right off the bat. Mario wanted to say, 'I'm the boss,' and that didn't work,' Turgeon said. 'Because Patrick had a lot of power. If (Wayne Gretzky) comes to the coach and says we should have a day off today, you get it. Patrick was one of those guys.' Turgeon also recalled that Roy and Tremblay might've been roommates when they both played on the team together. Tremblay had been on radio at the time he was hired to coach the Habs, and was often critical of Roy on the air. Article content After the loss to Detroit, Roy was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche along with Mike Keane for Martin Rucinsky, Andrei Kovalenko and Jocelyn Thibault in one of the most lopsided trades in Habs history, with the Montreal club on the losing end. Roy would go on to win two Stanley Cups in Denver. Article content The trade of Keane also allowed Turgeon to take over as captain, a role he held until getting dealt to the St. Louis Blues less than a year later.
