MONTREAL - Some quotes about Jean Beliveau and his funeral in Montreal on Wednesday:

"It was grandiose. We had a whole week where we heard such great stories, from the fans, the media and old players. It ended here and it was a phenomenal service." — Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson.

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"Everybody's here out of respect to a wonderful man who meant so much, not just to the game of hockey, but to this province and this country. He was revered by everyone and he will be terribly missed." — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

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"I don't think the people are paying respect to the hockey player or the 10 Stanley Cups. They are paying respect to the man who lived a life of no reproach. A lot of people say he lived a perfect life. The only perfect person that I thought existed was my wife. Now I'm starting to think that this man was perfect. He was an idol." — former Canadiens coach Jacques Demers.

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"He was a man that made a big impression on my life. I met him a few times and it's not something you will ever forget." — former Quebec premier Jean Charest.

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"It was extraordinary what the Canadiens did (to commemorate Jean) and it took a lot of pressure off the family. Jean for us was a model. He was someone we admired. He was a giant. What I took away from his life was that you always have to respect others, everyone is important, and what you do to others comes back to you. He is my definition of a captain." — Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre.

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"Growing up, there was always talk of how classy (Jean) was. My father told me to make sure you shake everyone's hand and talk just like Mr. Beliveau. He meant so much to my family." — former Los Angeles Kings winger Luc Robitaille.

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"He was a great Canadian and the word for him was 'respect,' all his life." — former prime minister Jean Chretien.

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"I've been in this city for many many years and people always talk about the sports figures. And Jean Beliveau's name always came up. And I got a chance to meet him a few times in this city. People always talked very highly of him, so it's just a matter of coming out here and showing some respect." — ex-Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo.

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"I think he touched so many people and what he did with the puck and how he conducted himself off the ice. He's the greatest person to have ever played the game. And he's a legend." — Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban.

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"This is a bigger deal than Montreal. It's not just Quebec, it's not just Canada, this is worldwide. He touched everybody. Whether it's hockey fans or just citizens he gave everyone the same amount of respect and I think that's why this is such an important day for everybody." — Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty.

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"It's been a tough week for everybody, but I think at the end of the day we're all thankful that we're here, being a part of this. It's an honour for all of us to be here. It's probably the most emotional day, and I think going forward we can't forget a day like this." — Pacioretty.

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"I'm extremely proud to be a Hab right now, the way everything was handled by the organization and this city in general. It's really amazing to see one person really unify a whole city." — Canadiens goaltender Carey Price.

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"I feel really privileged to be a part of, and you just try to represent it the best you can. Mr. Beliveau did an unbelievable job of setting the stage for what it means to be a Montreal Canadien. He set the bar really high. He was an unbelievable example, and I think that was passed down from generation to generation. Now it's up to us to make sure his message and his legacy gets passed on. — Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher.

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News from © The Canadian Press, 2014