Lyndon Byers, Bruins enforcer and radio host, dead at 61
Lyndon Byers, an enforcer who spent most of his career with the Bruins and appeared in two Stanley Cup Finals, died Friday, the team announced.
He was 61.
No cause of death was given.
“The Boston Bruins are deeply saddened by the passing of Lyndon Byers,” the Bruins said in a statement Saturday. “Lyndon was a fan favorite across his nine seasons in the Black & Gold thanks to his rugged, rough-and-tumble style and was a key cog on the B’s teams that made trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 1988 and 1990.”
Byers then worked in local radio for 25 years after returning, according to the team’s statement, and he would entertain “scores of New Englanders every day with his quick wit and boisterous voice.”
During his NHL career, the second-round pick spent nine seasons with the Bruins, starting in 1983-84 and then a final campaign with the Sharks in 1992-93.
He collected 28 goals and 71 points across his career during the regular season, and his 959 penalty minutes while with Boston sit 11th in franchise history, according to the league.
The Bruins advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 1988 and 1990, but they lost to the Oilers — once led by Wayne Gretzky, once led by Mark Messier — twice.
He appeared in 316 career games across the regular season and playoffs with both teams.
Byers’ best year of offensive production occurred in 1987-88, when he scored 10 goals and finished with 24 points before adding another goal — during Game 3 of Boston’s playoff series against the Devils — and two assists in the playoffs.
Following his season in San Jose, Byers spent two years with the Minnesota Moose of the now-defunct International Hockey League, and then his shift into radio work — most notably on WAAF in Boston — began, with appearances in movies (“Shallow Hal,” “Stuck On You”) and a television show (“Rescue Me”) mixed in, according to CBS News Boston.
“A son of Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Lyndon became a true Bostonian and we will miss him dearly. He is forever a part of our Bruins family. Our thoughts are with his wife, Annie, and son, Will, during this very difficult time.”