Long Island Duck Hockey Legend To Be Honored At Bay Shore Event

BAY SHORE, NY — A legendary Long Island Duck hockey player is visiting the island.

Buzz Deschamps is one of the greatest players ever to wear a Long Island Ducks hockey uniform, and he has the stories to prove it, the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame said in a statement.

Long Island hockey fans can spend time with Deschamps and his teammates while reminiscing about his life and career during "A Night with Buzz Deschamps" at the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore on Thursday, November 7, at 7 p.m.

“The Hockey Ducks never die some 65 years later and fans are still remembering the wonderful team and games they attended as a child,” Deschamps said. “I’m so excited for the evening celebration at the Boulton Performing Arts Center to see old friends and reminisce about the wonderful old times at the Long Island Arena.”

At the event, Deschamps will talk about his life and career in the game and reflect on the Ducks hockey team's impact from 1959 to 1973. He will be joined by former teammates Gilles Villemure, Peter Stemkowski, Norm Schmitz, and Tony DeMayo, former New York Islander Richie Hansen and author Joe Rossi.

There are 250 tickets available at $40 each and are available on the Boulton Center website. Everyone who purchases a ticket will receive a signed copy of Deschamps' new book, “A Stick in the Window: The Hockey Life of Buzz Deschamps,” and will be treated to a documentary about the Long Island Ducks.

This event is a collaboration between the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame, Long Island Ducks Baseball owner Frank Boulton and the Boulton Center. Suffolk HOF President Chris R. Vaccaro will host the event.

“Long before we could love the New York Islanders, people from our area loved the Long Island Ducks and Buzz Deschamps,” Vaccaro said. “This is a night that any hockey fan on Long Island must be part of … Buzz has some incredible stories.”