Tower got Canadiens GM Frank Selke to compare his two superstars. “With Maurice,” said Selke, “his moves are powered by instinctive reflexes. Maurice can’t learn from lectures. He does everything by instinct and with sheer power. Beliveau, on the other hand, is probably the classiest hockey player I’ve ever seen. He has a flair for giving you his hockey as a master showman. He is a perfect coach’s hockey player because he studies and learns. He’s moving and planning all the time, thinking out the play required for each situation. The difference between the two best hockey players in the game today is simply this: Beliveau is a perfectionist, Richard is an opportunist.”
Selke’s quest to acquire Beliveau for the Canadiens was legendary. The big center enjoyed playing senior hockey for the Quebec Aces, in the city where he had starred as a junior after leaving his hometown of Victoriaville. He had played five games on a tryout contract for the Habs, which NHL rules allowed, during two previous seasons. He scored five goals in three tryout games for Montreal during the 1952-53 season when he lead the Quebec Senior League with 124 points in 64 games. Then Selke had the Canadiens buy the entire league, which gave the team his rights. He signed Beliveau to the largest contract ever given a hockey player.