2012 AAA Bio Thread

[Hedberg]

D Fred Higginbotham

1896 Stanley Cup Champion

Ultimate Hockey:

Fred Higginbotham was Winnipeg's brilliant cover-point

Putting a Roof on Winter:

The "Remarkably Steady" Fred Higginbotham

Habs Eyes on the Prize:

Fred Higgenbotham was a heavy hitter and a good "lifer." He was the primary carrier for getting the puck from the defensive end.

Library and Archives Canada - Backcheck: a Hockey Retrospective

The violent death of Fred Higginbotham in September 1896 shocked Winnipeg. The popular all-round athlete had helped the Victorias win Manitoba’s first Stanley Cup only seven months earlier. A monument to Fred Higginbotham, bearing the insignia of the Winnipeg Victorias, stands in the cemetery of his hometown in Bowmanville, Ontario.

Light hearted Fred Higginbotham, than whom there was no better known or better liked young man in Winnipeg, met with an accident Sunday afternoon which brought to a tragic and untimely termination his earthly career, so full of brightness and promise. It appears that he was spending the afternoon with his friend Mr. Joseph Hall, at the latter's residence on the river bank beyond River park, and towards evening was playing with the children, giving them a ride on a pony. He jumped on the pony's back himself to show how he could ride, when the little animal swerved suddenly around a post and he was caught across the eyes by a wire clothes line, which he had not noticed, and was thrown backward from the pony. Though he made an attempt to save himself he fell heavily on the ground striking on the back of his head, sustaining, as it was subsequently discovered, a fracture of the spinal cord. He was removed to the house and medical aid summoned, but from the first the doctors saw there was no hope of his recovery. His whole body was paralyzed, but he retained consciousness until 5 o'clock in the morning, when evidences of complete collapse began to manifest themselves and from that time he gradually sank until 8.40, when he breathed his last, dying in the arms of his bosom friend, Mr. Hall. Only a few in the city knew of the accident Sunday night, and the news of the young man's death, when announced yesterday morning was a sudden, and severe shock to his hosts of friends, and everyone who spoke of the sad event did so in terms of deepest sorrow.

The deceased came to Winnipeg about twelve years ago, from Bowmanville, Ont., where his father still resides. He was an enthusiastic devotee of amateur athletic sports and was identified with the leading sporting clubs of the city. In the palmy days of lacrosse he was a star member of the 90th champion team. He also went to Vancouver seven years ago and played a year with the lacrosse team of that city. When hockey took a place among local sports he was one of the first to take up the game, as a member of the famous Victoria club. He played twice with the team of that club on eastern tours, being one of its bulwarks. He went east with the team last winter, when they won the championship of the world. He also figured conspicuously on the football field a few years ago.

Manitoba Free Press Sept. 8, 1896

On Sunday afternoon Fred Higginbotham was seen on the streets of Winnipeg. He was in his wonted good humor, and no doubt had an unconscious pride in his athletic prowess. Those who saw him as perhaps the most foremost of Winnipeg’s athletes and as he passed along nodding or smiling at those he met, little was it thought that no more would Fred be seen alive. It is many a day since death had caused such widespread sorrow and regret in this city. Wherever one went yesterday he was certain to hear people speak of Fred Higginbotham, and not a word but the kindliest was uttered. Cut down in the youth and bloom of life with a career of prosperity and happiness before him that will never more be seen. Hockey circles have lost one of their, finest players. But not alone with hockeyists mourn his loss. Athletes in general will suffer by his demise, and without any exaggeration it may be said that Winnipeg has lost one of its most popular young men.

Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame:

Also absent from the 1901 squad was Fred Higginbotham who made a major contribution to the 1896 Stanley Cup victory. Higginbotham died in a freak horse-riding accident just seven months after the Vics’ first cup victory.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

C/LW, Benoit Hogue

92 playoff GP, 17-16-33 PTS, x1 Stanley Cup ('99)
Single Selke Trophy vote in '93

Team Scoring: 7 ('89), 7 ('91), 4 ('92), 4 ('93), 4 ('94), 7* ('95), 3* ('96), 5 ('97), 12 ('98), 4* ('99)
(*uses combined point totals from two teams, and determines placement from team Hogue played more games for that year)

Overpass's adjusted numbers: 863 GP, 192-270-462 ESP (42 per season), 47-74-121 PPP (11 per season, 25% usage, .97 rating), 18%PK usage, 1.07 rating
70s Vs #2 Scores: 71, 62, 56, 53, 43, 41= 326 over 6 seasons

A gritty player with explosive speed, the smallish Hogue was an entertaining player. Although he was not a polished puck handler or shooter, Hogue was always expected to contribute offensively, thanks largely to his speed and a willingness to get his nose dirty. But he was also a responsible defensive player, particularly on the penalty kill...A competent player at all three forward positions...

The Sabres liked what Hogue brought to the team, but always expected a little bit more offense from him. After just three games with the Sabres in 1991-92, Hogue was traded to the New York Islanders in the Pierre Turgeon/Pat Lafontaine blockbuster. The Islanders were astutely rewarded with their insistence that Hogue be included in the deal, as Hogue achieved the offensive expectations projected for him on Long Island. He enjoyed three seasons scoring over 30 goals and twice had 75 points.

Despite his success with the New York Islanders, Hogue was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs during the lock-out shortened 1994-95 campaign. It marked the beginning of a frequent period of address changing for Hogue.

The highlight of his many journeys came during his second stint in Dallas as he helped the Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999, oddly enough at the expense of the Buffalo Sabres.

http://sabreslegends.blogspot.com/2006/12/benoit-hogue.html

If the message is routine, or complimentary, Arbour speaks to Hogue in English, the primary language for most players on the team, but a second language for Hogue, a native of suburban Montreal.

"But when he gets really mad at me, and he says something he doesn't want the other guys to hear, he says it in French," said Hogue. "When he gets on me, I get mad, but that's part of being a coach. Al knows what I can do." Scorer and a Checker

Recently, most of the communication has been in English because Hogue as been doing things well. With 35 points in 34 gaems, Hogue is third-leading scorer...Moreover, since Ray Ferrarro suffered a broken leg on Dec. 10 Hogue has moved from left wing to center on the second line, which means he must check the top centers of opposing teams. On Saturday night, in a 3-2 victory over Minnesota, Hogue shadowed Mike Modano. ...The defensive duties haven't stopped Hogue from producing on offense. In the 8 games since he returned from a neck injury, Hogue has 5 goals and 8 assists. Hogue's linemates, Brian Mullen on the left wing and Patrick Flatley on the right, are also producing.

Although he played center as a junior and with the Buffalo Sabres...Hogue resisted Arbour's efforts to move him over to the middle. "With Bennie, the big thing is mental," Arbour said with an enigmatic smile. "He was reluctant. But since he's gone back, things have gone well for him and he's over the mental part. He adds speed. He's aggressive." Lorne Henning, one of Arbour's assistants, said Hogue's speed, toughness, passing ability and shooting touch are blending together well now "Because Bennie's just matured. We've given him more responsibility and he's responding. He came here with something to prove."

Although the deal is now considered a classic trade that helped both teams, it was thought at the time that Hogue had a personality conflict with Buffalo management. Now in his fifth full season at the age of 26, Hogue retained some of his free spirit while ripening into a team leader.

"Bennie has all the tools and he's built like a tank," said Flatley. "Al's forte is that he can bring out the best in players, but Bennie's a self-motivator, too. He's assumed a lot of responsibility. He realizes he's one of the best players here and he's definitely answering the phone."

Though "trash talk" is not the hip trend in hockey that it is in basketball, Hogue is one hockey's best at it, willing to needle foes in French or English.

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/04/sports/hockey-hogue-is-tres-bien-and-quite-a-center.html

Both came on feeds from Benoit Hogue, who also scorred once and successfully checked Mario Lemieux, holding him to two shots and one assist.

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/20/sports/hockey-rookie-goalie-s-first-victory-a-big-one.html

Hogue injured the knuckle twice in the first-round series against the Washington Capitals, which the Islanders won, four games to two. The first injury came in Game 3 when Washington's Kevin Hatcher slashed him. Ed Tyburski, the Islanders' trainer, said there was no fracture but said the knuckle has an arthritic condition. The second injury came Wednesday night, in Game 6, and it was related to the Turgeon injury.

As Turgeon fell to the ice after being viciously leveled by Dale Hunter while celebrating the Islanders' fifth goal, a fight broke out among several players and Hogue reinjured the knuckle by punching Pat Elynuik.

Hogue, a speedy skater, is valuable because he can play center and left wing. He kills penalties and takes some shifts on the power player play.

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/01/s...kle-time-is-near-for-hogue-and-islanders.html

"His versatility makes him worth a lot," said Maloney. "In penalty-killing, on the power play, in the last minute we play."

Said Lorne Henning, the new coach: "Hoagie kills penalties, he's one of our forwards on the power play, he can play all three forward positions, he can play the point on the power play. He's probably the most versatile player on the team.

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/08/sports/isles-relent-and-hogue-s-holdout-ends.html

"It was important to get him and soon," Islanders general manager Don Maloney said. "He's very versatile. He's a penalty-killer that can play all three forward positions."

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...NeAlAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lP0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6763,772908

Hogue and McLIwain also killed penalties. Hogue showed a willingness to check and McLIwain displayed some intricate moves in confined space when clearing the puck while the Islanders were short-handed.

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/28/s...eem-to-pick-up-new-skills-for-big-attack.html

8. Benoit Hogue
Hogue was a brash player whose four years on Long Island marked the apex of his career. He was acquired in 1991, and his impact would be almost immediate. In 1993-1994, he tied for the team lead with five shorthanded goals. Additionally, he made a name for himself as a defensive-minded winger, and this play carried over extremely well to the penalty kill.

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=465705

C/LW: When the French-Canadian joined the Islanders for the 1991-92 season, head coach Al Arbour indicated to Hogue that he should watch tapes of Selke-Trophy winner Guy Carbonneau. The brash Hogue responded by saying, "I can be a lot better than that guy." While Hogue never won the Selke Trophy as the league's most defensive forward, he was a responsible two-way forward in his three-and-a-half seasons with the Islanders, tying for the team lead in shorthanded goals in 1993-94 with five.

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=464967

Dallas survived the Edmonton Oilers without Nieuwendyk with coach Ken Hitchcock sacrificing Modano's offense to use him in a defensive role against Doug Weight. Other players (notably Benoit Hogue) picked up the scoring slack, but such a gamble would not be likely to pay off against the deeper Red Wings unless Greg Adams and Pat Verbeek suddenly turn it on.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/199...gs-detroit-coach-scotty-bowman-western-finals

Hogue scored in overtime in Game 3 of the 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs to give Dallas a 1-0 victory over Edmonton and a 2-1 series lead. The coincidence was not lost on Hogue's teammates.

"He always seems to come up with something interesting and special," Stars captain Mike Modano said. "It's nice to see a guy like that, who been through what he has been through, come out and make a big impact like that."

Richard Mativchuk said: "Benny has scored some big goals in this arena for some reason,"

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iX0cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2lIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6631,4826221

 

[Hedberg]

D Mike McEwen

6'1, 195 lbs, shoots left
108 G, 296 A, 404 Pts in 716 GP

Played in 1980 All-Star Game
1981, 1982, 1983 Stanley Cup Champion
8th (78-79), 8th (79-80) in Defense Scoring

Legends of Hockey

Mike McEwen was a talented offensive defenceman who played over 700 NHL games in the 1970s and '80s. He was a fine passer with an accurate shot but often clashed with coaches since he was somewhat of a free spirit.

During the 1976-77 season, McEwen impressed as a rookie with 43 points though his defensive zone coverage was spotty. Two years later, he scored a personal-high 20 goals and helped the Blueshirts reach the Stanley Cup finals. The next year, he was part of the package sent to the Colorado Rockies for star blueliner Barry Beck. McEwen provided an instant upgrade to the club's mobility on defense but he clashed repeatedly with coach Don Cherry who disliked his attitude.

McEwen was granted a release from the Rockies' tumultuous situation when he was sent to the New York Islanders in the deal that involved popular netminder Chico Resch. He provided offensive savvy and mobility on the blueline and was part of three straight Stanley Cup wins on Long Island

 

[Hedberg]

C Earl "Dutch" Reibel

5'8, 160lbs, shoots right
84 G, 161 A, 245 Pts in 409 GP

1954, 55 Stanley Cup Champion
1955-56 Lady Byng Winner
7th in Goals 54-55
4th (53-54), 5th (54-55), 6th (55-56) in Assists
4th (54-55), 7th (53-54), 8th (55-56) in Points

Red Wings Legends

What a debut impression Reibel made. He assisted on all four Red Wings goals as Detroit knocked off the New York Rangers by a score of 4-1. That mark still stands as a NHL record for most assists by a player in his first NHL game (equalled by Roland Erksson of Minnesota in 1976).

The playmaking centerman found a home on a line with none other than Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay.

"They were two of the greatest players. You couldn't beat them, not only as players but as gentlemen, too."

The now long forgotten Reibel was pretty good in his own right. He helped the Wings win Stanley Cups in 1954 and 1955. He was the winner of the 1956 Lady Byng trophy. He finished in the NHL's top ten in scoring in his first three seasons. And in 1954-55 he was the only player between 1950 and 1964 to lead the Red Wings in scoring not named Gordie Howe.

"Once I left Detroit, things just went downhill," he told author Frank Pagnucco. "It just wasn't the same. I enjoyed Detroit . . . you play with an organization for so long."

Legends of Hockey

In 1953-54, Reibel finally joined the Wings lineup where he was placed on a line with Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay. As a talented playmaker, Reibel scored at a very steady clip, helping his club to two Stanley Cup victories during his four and a half seasons with the team. In 1956, his Red Wing success was topped off with a Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

LW, Armand "Bep" Guidolin

519 GP, 107-171-278 PTS
24 Playoff GP, 5-7-12 PTS

Top 10 Assists: 4
Top 10 Points: 9

Team Scoring: 11, 6, 3, 8, 8, 7, 3, 5, 6
70s Vs #2 Scores: 74, 62, 52, 45, 42, 37 = 312 over 6 seasons

In 1942, with World War II in full rage, 16 year-old Armand Guidolin was too young to carry a rifle but old enough and skilled enough to become the youngest player to ever make the ranks of the NHL. The Boston Bruins were in dire need of replacements to fill the roster holes created by so many players leaving for military service. Young Guidolin filled the bill with some surprising success.

In his second season, he tallied 42 points in 47 games. By then he'd become known as "Bep" because broadcaster Foster Hewitt didn't want to tangle his tongue around Guidolin's birth-given name. But by 1944, his eligibility for military service brought a one-year break from his NHL career.

In 1945, Guidolin picked up where he left off this time against stronger lineups across the league. But his 175-pounds of raw muscle was up to the task. He continued to score at a respectable pace for two more seasons with the Bruins before trades took him to Detroit and on the his final NHL stop in Chicago.

With the Blackhawks, Guidolin put up his best single-season numbers, netting 17 goals and 34 assist. But his ardent support for the formation of a player's union brought on an early demise to his tenure in the NHL.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12798#.UKWekIYeqIg

Armand "Bep" Guidolin is and almost certainly always will be known as the youngest player to ever perform in the National Hockey League.

When he debuted with the Boston Bruins on November 12th of 1942, he was just 16 years old! Due to war-time player shortages the Bruins used several youngsters that season. Guidolin played on a line with 17 year old Don Gallinger and 20 year old Bill Shill. With the famed "Kraut Line" of Milt Schmidt, Woody Dumart and Bobby Bauer absent from the Bruins line up due to war commitments, the Boston press was quick to dub the rookie line as the "Sprout Line."

Guidolin spent 4 seasons with the B's, though he missed the 1944-45 season due to his own military service. He later played with Chicago and Detroit in the NHL before rounding out his career with several seasons in the minor leagues. By 1958 he was reinstated as an amateur in Canada and helped the Belleville McFarlands win the Allan Cup.

http://bruinslegends.blogspot.com/2008/07/bep-guidolin.html

But they played as if they didn't expect to win, with the exception of Bep Guidolin and Jimmy Conacher, who went full-out at all times. Jim and Roy Conacher scored the Chicago goals with Guidolin earning assists on both.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YOwiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IpkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7144,3625410

From then on the Wings came to life, thanks in no small measure to a fugitive from the Boston club, Bep Guidolin. Bep started the play that gave the Detroiters a 1-0 lead six minutes from the start when he set up Pete Horeck with a pefect goal-mouth pass after taking the puck away from Boston defenceman Fernie Flaman.

...Jim McFadden and Guidolin teamed up on a trailer play that saw the ex-Bruin hit the target from point blank range.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Uho_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=dE8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3951,881536

Guidolin set the scoring wheels in motion when he fought his way down the left board to slip a trailer pass back to Shill who fired an ankle high drive into Lumley's pad. The rebound came right out to Guidolin and the Detroit goalie never had a chance on his rapid fire return.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EiI_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=wk8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=1974,4674818

Bill Durnan made two saves at the expense of Herbie Cain, but Bep Guidolin got his stick on the rebound from the second shot and bulged the strings behind Bill Durnan for the Bruins' first goal.

Billy Reay and Kenny Mosdell pivoted Murphy Chamberlain and Jimmy Peters. This line was checked by the Boston Sprouts - Don Gallinger, Bep Guidolin, an Jack Shill, with Herbie Cain sometimes replacing Shill.

...though it doesn't seem too fair to rate the players when all played so hard. The real stars were the goaltenders. Guidolin, Crawford, and Schmidt stood out for the Bruins after Frankie Brimsek.

news.google.com/newspapers?id=2i4rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=95gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3249,134382

Detroit Red Wings say Bep Guidolin is becoming more effective because he has recently changed his style of play. They always used to figure him to pass the puck coming in, but he now shoots as often as not as has been scoring goals...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qZAuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ipkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6426,4421789

...Guidolin drilled home the payoff counter from close range.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4T0lAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4KoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4523,5354706

This was a rough affair with Referee Butch Keeling calling 17 minor penalties. Four came in a cluster for "roughing" by Hawks Bert Olmstead and Bep Guidolin and Leafs Bill Ezinicki and Bill Juzda, who paired off in two separate fist fights during the second period.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FM0wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0Q0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7291,4777036

He[Jacques Locas] was in the only fight of the night when he and bellicose Bep Guidolin tangled near the close of the game an were given five-minute penalties. It looked as though they intended to resume hostilities in the penalty box, even though they had a cop between them, and Referee Frank Clancy finally ordered them out of the box and into their respective dressing rooms.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_n0tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8pgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3390,1679859

A big brawl broke out as Boston's Red Sullivan and the Hawks' Bep Guidolin held a high sticking duel.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mJFHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-f4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=4616,1076157

Chicago's temperamental Bep Guidolin and big Leo Reise of the Wings staged an old-fashioned slugging bee in the third period. Guidolin swung his stick at a heckling fan during the mixup, but the fan was out of danger behind a wire screen above the boards.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6h8_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=qU8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3702,1729775

With high stakes in the offing, the play became more intense and Bep Guidolin of Boston squared off with Hector (Toe) Blake of the Canadiens in the third period. Both drew major penalties and the teams battled five men to a side while Guidolin and Blake glared at each other in the penalty box.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wUdjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SXUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2614,981839

Guidolin, who played National League hockey as a forward, was converted to a defenceman this season.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DWxjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=THkNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4868,2523093

 

[Hedberg]

D Murray Henderson

6'00, 180lbs, Shoots L
24 G, 62 A, 86 Pts in 405 GP

The Golden Years: Murray Henderson

Murray Henderson, who patrolled the Boston blue line for eight seasons in the 1940s and 50s, did not have big-league dreams in his youth despite a lineage that seemed to indicate success with skating. His mother, Catherine, was the eldest of ten Conacher children, a brood that ultimately sent brothers, Lionel, Charlie and Roy to the Hockey Hall of Fame but young Murray had no aspirations beyond playing senior amateur in and around his home town of Toronto.

The six-foot, 180-pounder effectively and efficiently nullified enemy forwards, playing a tough game while remaining largely within the bounds of what was tolerated by on-ice officials.

Averaging a dozen points a season, pretty good numbers for what passed for a two-way defenceman in his era, Henderson’s first Boston address was a boarding house on the banks of the Charles River. Run by a woman named Ruthie Hatch, it was also the winter home to a half-dozen other Bruins.

Henderson was designated a Bruins alternate captain at the start of the 1946-47 schedule, despite having only a single full season of NHL play behind him, and gained favour with what was perhaps the most demanding fan base in the league.

While no official league individual honours accrued to him, Henderson was singled out by Boston Garden faithful for his play in the 1947-48 campaign. Following the 1947-48 campaign he and fellow blue line favourite, Pat Egan, were presented with wristwatches courtesy of the leather-lunged fans in the upper reaches of the rink. It might mean more to the soon to be 89-year-old than any All-Star team selection would have.

“They were a tough crowd, that upper gallery,†Henderson recalled. “They had an outfit up there called the Gallery Gods. They got rid of a lot of players. It was a tough place to play if the crowd got on you. It was rough but they paid their money to get in.â€

Murray Henderson Turns 90

This shifted the topic to Murray's style of play. "He can best be described as a typical stay-at-home defenceman," said Pete. "A dependable quiet defenceman, not prone to a lot of unnecessary penalties, but could handle himself when he had to."

Legends of Hockey

But the arrival of World War II cleared the ranks of the NHL as so many of its practitioners were in uniform. Henderson himself found service with the Canadian Royal Airforce until his father's death brought an early discharge.

Henderson then found himself back in a hockey circle desperate for players. His senior aspirations were quickly upgraded to the NHL as the Boston Bruins ushered him straight into their defensive corps. This gave "Moe," as he was known, a year to solidify his position before the rest of the league's absentees returned from military duties. By then, Henderson and the Bruins realized he was a better blueliner than anyone had thought. As such, he was able to squeeze seven NHL seasons out of his opportunity, tending to the Bruins' goal crease in an unspectacular but effective manner.

 

[Dreakmur]

Alexandre Burrows !!!

Awards and Achievements:
Stanley Cup Finalist (2011)

Selke voting – 11th(2009), 24th(2011), 25th(2008)

Fred J. Hume Award (unsung hero) (2008)
3 x Canucks` Most Exciting Player (2008, 2009, 2010)

Offensive Accomplishments:
Goals – 10th(2010)

Even Strength Goals – 8th(2010), 13th(2009), 14th(2011)
Short-Handed Goals – 1st(2010), 4th(2009), 8th(2008), 16th(2012)

Scoring Percentages:
Points – 61, 54, 48, 46
Goals – 69, 61, 58, 56

Best 6 Seasons - 259

Team Scoring:
Goals – 1st(2010), 1st(2013), 2nd(2009), 2nd(2012), 3rd(2011)
Even Strength Goals – 1st(2009), 1st(2010), 1st(2011), 1st(2012), 1st(2013)

Play-off Goals – 1st(2011), 1st(2013), 3rd(2012), 3rd(2009), 4th(2010)
Play-off Even Strength Goals – 1st(2009), 1st(2011), 1st(2012), 1st(2013), 3rd(2010)

Mr. Clutch!

Mr. Clutch!

ASSETS: Loves to get under opponents' skin. Skates very well and can produce good numbers. Can play either wing position and is a very capable defender. Kills penalties well. Is a great complementary forward.

FLAWS: Can take bad penalties, such as unsportsmanlike conduct, diving or other forms of embellishment, which can hurt his team (not to mention his own reputation, which isn't great to begin with).

Scouting Reports:

Burrows is an agitator with great wheels and offensive skills that are still developing. A solid bet for the bottom half of an NHL roster, he could move up Vancouver’s depth chart if he can score as he has in the past.

The hardworking agitator played his role well last year, finishing 4th on the team in hits, despite playing just 11:26 per game. He has also found a role as a decent penalty killer. You’ll never see Burrows beyond the 30-point plateau, however.

An agitator with a capital A, Burrows takes great pride in driving the opposition batty on a nightly basis. He’s starting to emerge as a secondary scorer, though his hands don’t dictate top-six work. Still, he is a key cog in Vancouver’s shift disturbance, and also led the club with a +11. Came out of nowhere and is forging a nice career.

Burrows used to team with Ryan Kesler on an abrasive line that drove the opposition crazy. Last season, his production exploded when moved into a top-6 role with the Sedins, giving the Canucks excellent depth. He still needs to learn when to tone down his antics and when to drop the gloves when the situation warrants it.

flourished with the Sedins as a torpedo puck chaser en route to a breakout campaign… versatile, hardworking agitator with terrific courage and tenacity… lacks explosiveness and can appear sluggish and awkward at times… yet generates surprising top speed from a hunched-over stride and is quite fluid in his pivots and turns… keeps his legs pumping and can inspire teammates with a ferocious hit… takes smart checking angles – adept at blocking lanes with his stick and body… makes poised and intelligent puckmoving decisions for the most part. Led the Canucks with 4 SHG and a whopping 24 at even strength, 13th-most in the league. Underwent wrist surgery after the playoffs to remove bone chips.

complemented the Sedin twins with a renewed passion for driving hard to the dirty areas, something he got away from early on… made headlines – and enemies – when he publicly exposed a referee for possible agame tampering in the form of phantom penalties… led the league in SHG and SHP… undisciplined at times though – took 48 minor penalties, 2nd-most in the league, and also hurt the team in the playoffs with some needless retaliatory behavior.

Look at the list of Alexandre Burrows’ accomplishments, thanks to his amazing chemistry with the Sedins: he led the league in SHG, was 6th defensively among forwards (in GVT), eighth overall in drawing penalties, had the the 9th best ES scoring rate, was the 17th-most valuable player, 19th-best offensively and had one of the team’s best takeaway rates. Next, he needs to improve his discipline and his PP scoring. Chracter-wise, he’s best known for the unfortunate issue with referee Stephane Auger, but chalk that up to his competitive spirit. Burrows is beloved for his joking and teasing in the locker room…

The NHL has a storied history of super pests, and Burrows is one of the best of the current lot. He has found a niche as a scorer playing with the Sedins, but he also sees plenty of shutdown time alongside Ryan Kesler.

elite agitator resumed his spot at RW with the Sedins for the most part. Once again, he proved to be a goal scoring threat. Never drafted, he made it to the league the old-fashioned way – through hard work. He showed that in spades come playoff time.

Just 4 years ago, Burrows was known more for his abrasive nature and penchant for grabbing PIM than anything else. As the years go by, however, his point totals have increased and his PIM have steadily decreased. Burrows still gets under the skin of his opponents, but he has turned himself into a useful all-around NHL player rather than just a nominal pest. A frequent linemate of the Sedins, it’s easy to argue that Burrows’ goal totals and offensive GVT are inflated thanks to the quality of teammates. That said, he has also proven effective when skating on a line with Ryan Kesler against other teams’ big guns, meaning Burrows isn’t simply riding coattails.

tied for the team lead with 9 playoff gaols, including a pair of OT winners, becoming the 14th player in NHL history with two or more series-winning OT goals… Boston targeted him and were given added incentive after he was accused of biting Patrice Bergeron’s finger in Game 1… repeatedly provoked and lost his composure, his attempts to draw sympathy taking on comical proportions… did exhibit better restraint during the season, taking just 26 minors… a good player in his own right with many elements.

managed to stay out of trouble and continued to drive the Canucks’ engine with his energy, versatility and timely scoring… steadily maturing as a playmaker, relying less on individualistic solo rushes and integrating linemates better… hasn’t sacrificed net presence in the process – still a handful around the crease, hard to move, and very adept at establishing body position to play pucks directed at the net. Led Vancouver in ES goals for a fourth consecutive season.

​

 

[Dreakmur]

Bill Collins !!!


Offensive Accomplishments:
311 Points in 768 NHL Regular Season Games
8 Points in 18 NHL Play-off Games


Collins' career PK usage number is 54%, giving him the highest usage among any post-expansion forward remaining. He played throughout the 1970s, when the balance of power was heavily unbalanced, yet managed to run PKs that were just 4% below the league average.

Interestingly, Collins’ teams were 17% worse than the league average at ES, when he had very little control over matters (i.e. he was one of just 12 forwards, on the ice only about 20% of the time). But on the PK, when he had LOTS of control over it, they were just 4% below average.

Collins was the North Stars' top penalty killing forward in 1969 and 1970, then both the Habs (top PK in NHL) and the Wings in 1971 in partial seasons with each, then also on the 1973 wings (3rd best PK in NHL) and 1975 Blues.

Another way he stands out: His even strength scoring. Collins averaged 29 adjusted ESP per season. Draft any other winger with high PK stats right now, and you're looking at 11-25 adjusted ESP/season.

In addition, with 768 games, he's played more NHL games than most other AAA PK forwards, making his per-game stats even more impressive in comparison.

Like so many other struggling professional hockey players, mired in the confines of the minor leagues, Bill Collins can thank NHL expansion for his having the opportunity to have played in the elite league. After toiling in the minors for four years, Collins, and others like him, got the chance to play hockey at the highest level when the league doubled in size from six to 12 teams for the 1967-68 season. Collins signed a free-agent contract with the Minnesota North Stars. In 71 games that year, he scored nine times and had 20 points.

In 1968-69, Collins again scored nine goals in a 19-point season. The following year he potted a career-high 29 goals for the North Stars. In 1970-71, he joined the Montreal Canadiens for 40 games in a trade that sent Jude Drouin to Minnesota before being dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, where he enjoyed the best years of his career. In 1971-72 and 1972-73, Collins scored 40 and 42 points, respectively. Midway through the 1973-74 season he was sent to the Detroit Red Wings.

Collins also had a 50-game stopover with the Rangers in New York in 1975-76 but found himself on the move again the following season, starting the year with the Philadelphia Flyers. That experiment lasted just nine games before he was moved to the Washington Capitals, where he finished out the balance of his NHL career.

Scouting Reports:

an expert penalty killer and handyman type who checks very well...

primarily a defensive winger, but collected 21 goals two years ago... excels as a penalty killer... earned reputation as an "honest" hockey player.

workhorse type with a love for the game, who is handy to have around... can help Caps because of his work habits and maturity... in spite of many moves, retains winning attitude he developed while with canadiens... a true handyman.

 

[Dreakmur]

Cesare Maniago !!!


Awards and Achievements:
Allan Cup Champion (1960)

2 x Cyclone Taylor Award (team MVP) (1977, 1978)


- He had good staying power in the NHL, with more career GP than most available goalies despite coming of age during the O6 era (with the benefit of a 12-16 team league in his 20s, he would likely have a few hundred more to his credit)
- He was a workhorse goalie, finishing top-10 in minutes 5 times (2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th), and this doesn’t count his 8th and 10th pre-expansion – for obvious reasons those would be misleading to include.
- He was often among the sv% leaders (5th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th)
- Despite playing well into his declining years he maintained a weighted sv% averaging 1.3 points better than the league average in his career
- His 36 playoff games are a pretty decent sample for an AAA goalie
- He actually topped the playoff sv% average by a weighted 5.8 points over his career.
- While he was a “tweener†thanks to an O6 NHL numbers game, he was a pretty successful minor league goalie, going 146-121-13 between 1960 and 1966. Being that he was up-and-down, he often didn’t play enough games to get award consideration, but when he did, the EPHL called him the best goalie in 1962, and the CPHL called him the best goalie and MVP in 1965. He also won the 1960 Allan Cup.
- Maniago retired after playing 46 games in the 1977-78 season. At the time, only the ageless Eddie Johnston (42) was older among goalies in the NHL or WHA.

Cesare Maniago exemplified the need for expansion in 1967-68. Maniago was a star in the minor leagues for much of the 1960s, not only a top goaltender but the CHL MVP in 1965. But back in those Original Six days Cesare couldn't crack an NHL lineup. The few times he got called up to the NHL he backed up names like Jacques Plante, Ed Giacomin and Johnny Bower.

The NHL was forced to expand because of players like Maniago. The minor leagues were becoming full of NHL quality players that really were as good as many NHLers. The farm teams could ice a team that could compete against the NHL. If they didn't expand, the minor leagues perhaps could have taken over the NHL as hockey's top league.

Maniago didn't resurface in the NHL until 1965-66, and then, with the New York Rangers. But with expansion, many players received a new lease on their playing lives, and Cesare Maniago was no different. Chosen by the Minnesota North Stars, he played nine seasons there.

....

In Minnesota, Maniago finally became a frontline goaltender. Standing an exceptionally tall 6' 3", his game was distinguished by acrobatic moves, quick reflexes, and an emphasis on playing the angles.

He became a goal-crease fixture with the North Stars for the nine seasons that followed the draft. On three occasions, he cracked the 20-wins plateau.

As one of only five NHL goalies who played 150 games in the 1960s and 250 games in the 1970s, Maniago was an unsung hero who personifies all the greatness and change of pro hockey during his time... renowned as a superb ‘team’ player who was both a throwback and a pioneer, a workhorse and a stalwart.

When he flops to the ice to block a shot, he looks like a whooping crane in extremis, and when he removes his mask he carries the long-faced look of a man who has just lost his dog or his best friend. It could only be Cesare Maniago, veteran cager of the Minnesota North Stars.

...after expansion, proved he was something more than a sub goalie...

The 1969-70 season would prove to be particularly difficult as the mounting defensive problems and the lack of support from a proven backup led to him seriously contemplating retirement...

Scouting Reports:

Workhorse goalie who was Minnesota's first expansion draft choice...

Agile for a big man and uses legs well to block shots but looks somewhat unorthodox...

"Hail Cesare" has become a familiar cheer around the Met center...

Has aged well... after abandoning thoughts of retiring, carried bulk of North Stars goaltending... reflexes are still sharp...

Ability is often overlooked because he has played with more losers than winners...

Again Canucks' leading goaltender last season... has more savvy than a lot of other goalies... respected as team leader.

Statistical Evaluation:
Some of Maniago's best seasons came when he was paired with Gump Worsley in the Minnesota nets. As a good point of reference, this 41-44-year old HHOFer posted a .918 sv% for Minnesota in these seasons while taking on a light workload (29.4% of the minutes). Maniago posted a .910 sv% while playing 53% of the minutes. Who was outperforming whom? Tough to say.


Minnesota Goalie sv%, 1968-1976:

Worsley (107 GP) .919
Maniago (420 GP) .906
All others (239 GP) .881

If you don't count Worsley as a usual replacement-level backup, then Maniago was 27% better than his backups over his Minnesota tenure. In ATD2010, I showed that Parent outperformed his backups by 21%, exceeded only by Hasek among elite goalies (29%). If you lump Worsley in with the rest, Maniago outperformed them as a group by 14% - still Dryden/Esposito-level dominance.​

 

[Dreakmur]

Tom Poti !!!


Awards and Achievements:
Olympic Silver Medalist (2002)

325 Points in 808 NHL Regular Season Games
19 Points in 51 NHL Play-off Games

Points among Defensemen - 7th(2003)

Scoring Percentages:
Points - 72, 66, 56, 54, 45, 44, 42, 37, 32

Best 6 Seasons - 337

Ice Time:
22.76 Minutes Per Game over 808 Games

Overall Time – 1st(2004), 1st(2007), 2nd(2002), 2nd(2003), 2nd(2008), 2nd(2009), 2nd(2010), 3rd(1999), 3rd(2000), 3rd(2001), 3rd(2006)

Even Strength – 1st(2000), 2nd(2002), 2nd(2003), 2nd(2007), 2nd(2008), 3rd(1999), 3rd(2004), 3rd(2006), 3rd(2010), 4th(2001)

Short-Handed – 1st(2004), 1st(2008), 1st(2009), 1st(2010), 1st(2011), 2nd(2003), 2nd(2007), 3rd(1999), 4th(2006)

Power Play– 1st(2004), 1st(2007), 2nd(2001), 2nd(2002), 2nd(2003), 2nd(2008), 2nd(2009), 2nd(2010), 3rd(1999), 3rd(2000), 3rd(2006)

ASSETS: Has mobility. Can log a lot of ice time and also play a shutdown role, if required. Is a power-play asset due to a heavy shot from the point.

FLAWS: Injuries have curtailed his career. Should use his size more to keep forwards honest but is not physical enough. Is guilty of occasional brain cramps.

Scouting Reports:

If last year was any indication, the Oilers have a gem in Poti. The rookie enjoyed a solid apprenticeship, logging a ton of ice time. Terrific mobility, good size and hockey smarts. A star in the making.

blossomed after Boris Mironov was sent to Chicago, and was among the club’s best players down the stretch. Skilled two-way defender is an outstanding skater who has yet to fully test his dynamic end-to-end abilities.

A very good offensive defenseman who could be on his way to being an outstanding one. He is an excellent skater whose playing style fits in well with this fast Oilers team that embraces a European style of play. He is a fine puckhandler and passer. He has been compared to Paul Coffey for his vision and ability to spring teammates with headman passes. He has a long way to go to match Coffey’s offensive reputation, but he didn’t show many negative signs, either. He uses a low shot from the point that isn’t a rocket, so teammates can take advantage of it for tipins. He needs to work on his defense to become a better all-around player. He is intelligent and should keep learning.

Poti has good size but doesn’t use it well. He is still adding some muscle and needs to throw his weight around a bit more and add some grit to his game. He can skate all night.

Considered a blue-chipper, Poti is still on the upswing. A fluid, stand-up skater, he fits in perfect with the high flying, traditional Oilers style. Poti, who has yet to reach his offensive potential, handles the puck brilliantly and unleashes a highly deflectable shot from the point. Still very young but handles all of the important assignments from the back. Tall but lean, he will be even better when he reaches full physical maturity. Still has a few aspects of his game to improve in order to develop into a more rounded player.

He carries the puck with speed and disguises his intentions… he prefers to use his stick instead of his body to do the defensive work. He has to deal with a medical condition, a severe food allergy, which forces him to pay strict attention to his nutrition and condition. His effortless skating style helps him handle a lot of minutes but he did seem to tail off last season from overwork… an outstanding rushing defenseman who is going to keep getting better.

was a force early in the season and was among the league leaders in minutes played, however he was inconsistent after midseason before being manhandled by Dallas in the postseason… big, multi-talented rearguard is a constant end-to-end threat because of his strong puckcarrying skills and outstanding skating ability, however he tends to overhandle the puck at times and will need time to refine both his physical play and defensive zone coverage. A star in the making.

after a promising sophomore campaign, poti took a stride backwards last season, at times sliding out of Edmonton’s top-4 defensemen… it was a surprising bump in the road…

Soft and mistake-prone until February, managed to salvage his year in the second half and then played the best hockey of the season in the playoffs. A fast, powerful skater with excellent passing and shooting skills… started using his excellent size to be a physical presence and steadily regained confidence in his lethal puckrushing abilities… just needs time to mature and gain experience.

Continues to tease observers with flashes of Norris ability. He has one-on-one moves comparable to a young Larry Robinson. He also has the size everyone looks for in an NHL defenseman and is a tremendous skater. What Poti lacks is consistency. He is prone to defensive lapses and tries to do too much by himself on occasion. However, there is no denying Poti’s talent.

He is a good – but not great – “offensemanâ€. He doesn’t score enough to compensate for his defensive lapses, which are major. If he fails to either up his production or cut down on his defensive miscues, he’s going to be trouble to have in a lineup… comparisons to Paul Coffey were never fair… he will not become an elite offensive defenseman, but at least has a good role model in Brian Leetch…

has yet to prove he can take over a prominent role in the NHL. Scouts drool over his size and skating ability. Unfortunately, he doesn’t always make the best decisions. He can play on both sides of the ice but is usually more in control as a left defenseman.

Mercilessly booed by irate Edmonton fans after holding out the first month… a graceful skater with tremendous acceleration and straight-line speed, Poti can be a lethal puckrusher and incisive passer when his confidence soars, but he can also be soft in his own zone, reluctant to use his imposing frame to impede opponents around the net…

Poti carried a lot of the minutes when leetch was out last season. Poti is a smart, likeable guy, and a great team man, but his defensive deficiencies are maddening.

As good as Pori already is offensively, he may have just scratched the surface. As bad as he is defensively, the Rangers are hoping he can improve… he is very fast, sees the ice well and has an excellent shot. Furthermore, he has a rare goal-scorer’s mentality from the back end. Unfortunately, he needs more of a stay-at-home mentality, as well as greater physical presence, to become a more valuable asset.

breathtaking speed… prone to making risky low-percentage passes… needs a steady veteran mentor to cover up and show him how to defend.

season was filled with minor ailments and porous defensive play…steadfastly refuses to use his imposing frame as a physical deterrent. A soft, high-maintenance defender… has rebounded before.

an offensive rearguard by reputation, had trouble producing last season… given that his defense is subpar, he really needs to rekindle that offensive element to be effective.

Poti’s successful season on Long Island really took off when Marc-Andre Bergeron was added. The two formed a dynamic PP duo… perhaps all he needed was a talented partner. He was also 2nd on the club in ice time while short handed.

led the team in icetime during the season and playoffs… continued his radical transformation from renegade puckmover to conservative stay-at-home type… exploits patient positioning and a huge reach in defensive situations, but only sporadically using his imposing frame as a physical deterrent. 14th in the league with 170 blocked shots… would also be a bigger factor if he wasn’t so reluctant to use his heavy shot. Always seems to have more to give, but should be a nice fit in Washington.

Poti has always struggled to string together back-to-back consistent seasons. He’ll get another shot in 2008-09, after coming off a great first year in DC. He is prone to occasional lapses, but was far steadier than expected last season.

had a nagging groin injury… experienced both highs and lows in the postseason… adept at eluding the initial forechecker and making a safe, simple outlet play…

Poti regressed even further last season, thanks in no small part to a brutal groin injury that he fought for most of 2008-09. He came back into his own in the playoffs, and was especially strong against the rangers. He is an underrated shot blocker, while his poise at the point earns him duty on the 2nd PP unit.

did plenty of defensive heavy lifting last season including a large PK role which curtailed his point totals... stepped up in the playoffs with 4 points and a +9 before injury... continuted evolution from renegade puckmover to conservative stay at home type... adept at eluding the initial forechecker and making a safe, simple play... exploits patient positioning and huge reach defending, but rarely uses his imposing frame as a physical deterrent... a player who always seems to have more to give

The smooth skating defenseman is never going to be an overly physical player, but he is not as averse to contact as some think. His drawbacks have been accepted by Bruce Boudreau and Poti has turned into a very useful defenseman who can transition up the ice well and be trusted in all situations, especially on the penalty kill. A defenseman who can lead is team in PK minutes and post respectable even strength offensive totals is not exactly easy to find.

led all Caps players in SH icetime for the 2nd consecutive season. Historically, Poti has proven he can produce big point totals from the blueline. However, the Caps don’t rely on him for that these days, instead, he’s found his niche as a big-minute shutdown guy..

career may sadly be over… there is much concern about a groin injury that does not seem to be healing as hoped… some speculate that even if he returns, he will never recapture the smooth-skating stride he was once known for. If true, it is a shame to see a defenseman who came into his own in Washington, not be able to continue performing at a level underrated by many..

 

[jkrx]

We will select a starting goaltender who is probably a bit under the radar:

Pekka Lindmark, G

One of Sweden's perhaps greatest goalkeepers of all time named Peter Lindmark, better known by his nickname "Pekka", who today lives in Piteå.
- I am proud and not ashamed of anything in my career, says Peter.

The list of all the titles and honors as Peter "Pekka" Lindmark has won is very long. In addition to four national championships, two World Championship gold medals and an Olympic bronze, he has also won the Golden Puck in 1981, and the Golden Helmet 1987th

Something missing on his CV is NHL games. But it is not something he regrets.
*** - No, my God ... But it had certainly been fun to go over and try it. But there is absolutely nothing that I'm sad about.
*** In fact, he was pretty close to NHL games with the Washington Capitals.
*** - If I had been listed or draftad I probably would have gone over, but since I wasn't, I would have to wait almost a whole summer before they could offer me contracts. It felt uncertain and therefore quickly signed on a contract with Malmö, saying "Pekka".
*** And there is absolutely nothing he regrets today.

"Pekka" Lindmark also participated in three Canada Cup, and the greatest success was achieved in 1984 when they made ​​it to the final against Canada and won silver.
*** - We won against Canada in the regular season but in the final, we didn't. We lost the first match, and with Leif Boork as coach, he wanted to make some changes for the second final match. I was exchanged for poor Gote Wälitalo, who had not played a single match in the tournament so far, while Leif fielded two defensemen nor had played something. Gote did not play the second final match and I remember we were in the 5-0 after the first period. "Boorken" then threw me and the other stations so we could finally catch up to 5-4. But we still lost and it was not Goths or jaws fault that we failed, says "Pekka".

SEL-Champ 86, 88, 92, 94
WC-Gold 87, 91
SEL-Silver 87
WC-Silver 81, 86
Canada Cup-silver 84
OG-bronze 88
Goldenpuck 81
Goldenhelmet 87
WCs best goaltender 81
Helped bring both Timrå and Malmö to the SEL.

 

[Hedberg]

C Vladimír Růžička

6'3, 216 lbs, shoots L
82 G, 85 A, 167 Pts in 233 NHL GP
11 G, 9 A, 20 Pts in 20 Olympic GP
25 G, 25 A, 50 Pts in 50 WC GP

1985 World Championship All Star
1986, 1988 Czech Player of the Year
1990 Stanley Cup Champion
1998 Olympic Gold Medal (Team Captain)
1984 Olympic Silver Medal
1985 World Championship Gold Medal

Bruins Legends:

Ruzicka was just 26, and considered to be the best player in all of Czechoslovakia, a traditional hockey power. Twice named the Czech hockey player of the year (1986 and 1988), he came to Edmonton and immediately placed at center ice between Jari Kurri and Esa Tikkanen - Wayne Gretzky's old spot.

"Rosie" as he became known, was a dangerous offensive weapon who possessed many of the same tricks later displayed by Jaromir Jagr. However, he was a pathetic defensive player. He might have been able to get away with his poor attention to defense back home, but not in the NHL.

Ruzicka was acquired by the Bruins in a trade on October 22, 1990. He eventually became a fan favorite in Boston because of his dazzling skills.

Twice, in 1986 and 1988, he was named as the best player in the entire country, back in an era when most of the best players were still back home.

Noted European hockey historian Patrick Houda said this of Ruzicka:

"His skills though placed him among the world's best ever. A hockey genius, perhaps the only players more dangerous in a one-on-one situation in modern times were Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr."

Now that is high praise!.

Legends of Hockey

He was not a particularly fast skater, and coaches were at first upset that he was not interested in defense. But they were happy with his habit of scoring a goal a game. He had endless ways to complete a play and had an excellent sense for passing. Ruzicka enjoyed outsmarting his opponents?luring the goaltender toward him, for example, and then getting the puck to a teammate who was perfectly positioned to score.

Bruins Sweaters of the Past

Possessing ideal size and skill, Rosie didn't speak a lick of English, but boy- could he ever play hockey! He couldn't find his own end with a compass, but he had a dizzying array of stickhandling moves and wicked shot he could get off from anywhere.

 

[Dreakmur]

Bob Kelly !!!


Awards and Achievements:
2 x Stanley Cup Champion (1974, 1975)

Selke voting – 17th(1978), 23rd(1980)

Offensive Accomplishments:
362 Points in 837 NHL Regular Season Games
23 Points in 101 NHL Play-off Games

Player Polls:
5th Best Fighter of 1974

He's got something that's hard to come by. No coach in the world can make a guy do what Kelly does. It's not in his contract. It comes from within him.

Bob Kelly is one guy I never have to worry about. He comes to play every night and he's a leader both on and off the ice.

Anyone who says Kelly doesn't belong in the NHL has no idea what goes into winning hockey. Show me a team that wouldn't take Kelly in a heartbeat and I'll show you a team that doesn't want to be a winner.

He skated so swiftly and with such reckless abandon that he seemed totally out of control. In fact, just about the only way for Kelly to stop himself was to crash into something or somebody. The other player, whether friend or foe, always came out second best.

In terms of pure toughness, Kelly was first on the Flyers and I was second. With all due respect, Kelly became the heavyweight champion of the Flyers.

He always gets in three or four punches before the other guy realizes he's in a fight. He throws punches faster than anyone in the league.

Born November 25, 1950 in Oakville, Ontario, Bob 'Houndog' Kelly became an integral piece in the Philadelphia Flyers' Stanley Cup championships of 1974 and 1975. Kelly played his junior with the Oshawa Generals, establishing himself as an aggressive winger with good hands. He was drafted by the Flyers in the 1970 Amateur Draft, and joined the NHL club that fall. As part of the Broad Street Bullies, Kelly was an added fear factor beside players like Dave Schultz, Andre Dupont, Don Saleski, Bobby Clarke and Gary Dornhoefer - all guys who could scrap as well as score. Kelly and the Flyers bulldozed their way to consecutive Stanley Cup celebrations in '74 and '75, the first two chamionships in the history of the Philadelphia Flyer franchise. Kelly played ten seasons in orange and black, but was traded to the Washington Capitals for a draft choice during the summer of 1980. Houndog actually recorded his finest offensive season in Washington, scoring 26 goals, 36 assists and 62 points for a Capitals team that also boasted the firepower of Dennis Maruk and Mike Gartner. But the 1981-82 season was not as positive, and Kelly played just 16 games, registering 4 points.

"Take the shortest route to the puck carrier and arrive in an ill-humor." That was the mantra of Fred Shero's Philadelphia Flyers. No player on the club better exemplified this philosophy than Bob "The Hound" Kelly, who spent a decade as one of the orange and black's most valuable foots oliders.

At 5'10'' and 190 pounds, Kelly wasn't the biggest player. He was an above-average skater, but he wasn't the fastest player. He certainly wasn't one of the most naturally gifted offensively. But, he was one of the toughest and the most tenacious.

True to his nickname, Kelly bounded across the ice like an unleashed bloodhound, throwing his body around with abandon. A consummate team player, Kelly did whatever it took to win. He'd be the first in line to fight to defend a teammate. He'd sacrifice offense for defense. He'd chip in timely goals.

Off the ice, Kelly's good-natured sense of humor and outgoing personality made him a favorite of teammates, fans, and reporters alike. A consummate team player, Kelly was a sparkplug in the Flyers Stanley Cup engine.

Culture Shock in Oshawa
....

Kelly was not only a fearsome forechecker, he also knew what to do when he dropped the gloves. He quickly gained the reputation as one of the toughest players, pound for pound, in the OHA. Even on a tough Generals club featuring the likes of future NHL pugilists Terry O'Reilly and Bob Stewart, few opponents considered fighting Kelly a better alternative.

Kelly's 128 rookie penalty minutes were by no means a staggering total, but his windmill style of punching and his low center of gravity made his fights memorable.

....

Straight to the NHL
....

Kelly's human pinball style of play quickly opened the eyes of Flyers' coach Vic Stasiuk. Every time Kelly would get a tap on the shoulder, he'd leap onto the ice and run into anything in his path – be it an opponent, the boards, a goal post or the occasional teammate.

....

Sometimes Kelly missed his mark, but he'd bounce right back and zero in on a new target. One time during his rookie NHL season, Kelly attempted to throw an open ice hit on a Detroit Red Wings player near the left offensive circle. The opponent sidestepped the check and Kelly tried to throw on the brakes. Instead, he spun himself around and around, nearly corkscrewing himself into the ice.

Stasiuk took a shine to Kelly, who made the team right out of camp. Kelly still recalls getting a phone call from Stasiuk telling him to get ready to play for the Flyers. Unlike many role players, Kelly was destined to spend his entire pro career in the NHL without a single game in the minor leagues.

....

"The Hound" was an instant hit with the Flyers fans and his teammates. Kelly soon became one of the team's resident pranksters – and was himself often the victim of practical jokes.

....

Meanwhile, the Flyers talent level and hockey fortunes began to improve. The unpopular Stasiuk was fired and replaced by Fred Shero. Talented youngsters such as Bill Barber and MacLeish cracked the lineup. By his third season, Kelly saw less time on Clarke's line and primarily played on the third and fourth line.

"My role changed under Freddie," says Kelly today. "We had guys like Billy Barber and Ross Lonsberry who could play on the scoring lines, so Freddie used me to give the guys energy."

Shero did not view taking Kelly off of Clarke's line as a demotion, even if it meant less ice time for the player. Rather, he said that forechecking and fighting were areas where Kelly could stand out.

....

Serious on the Ice, Fun-Loving Off Ice
While Kelly loved to have a good time off the ice, he took his role on the ice very seriously. To him, it was all part of team hockey. Kelly stepped up the aggressiveness of his game in his third season, recording 236 penalty minutes (his career high and the only time he topped the 200 penalty minutes mark in one season). He also hustled up 10 goals.

When he wasn't tussling with opponents on the ice, the Hound kept his teammates laughing off the ice...

....

Every player from new team captain Bobby Clarke on down had the utmost respect for Kelly's value to the club.

....

While Dave "The Hammer" Schultz was the Flyers' best known and most frequent pugilist, Kelly was arguably the toughest...

The Big Prize
Statistically, Kelly had the worst season of his career in 1973-74. In 65 games, he scored just four goals and 14 points in fairly limited ice time and went pointless in the playoffs. His penalty totals dropped from 238 minutes to 130. But, as always, stats revealed little about his value to the team.

For example, one night during the 1973-74 season, the Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 lead at the Spectrum. Shero's Flyers needed every bit of energy Kelly could provide them. The Hound toppled Rangers left and right, whipped Ron Harris in a fight, and assisted on two goals, helping the team rally all the way back to earn a tie.

....

Proven Veteran
....

With Kelly, as usual, working tirelessly in the corners and creating extra room for teammates, Bridgman went on to score 24 goals and 59 points in addition to his 184 penalty minutes while Gorence scored 13 in a half season's worth of NHL games.

Although the Flyers 1978-79 campaign ended with a galling playoff loss to Shero's Rangers, Quinn was proud of the effort his team showed to dig themselves out of their early season hole before running out of steam. The season included not only the mid-season coaching change, it also saw legendary goalie Bernie Parent suffer a career-ending eye injury. Through it all, the Flyers persevered. Quinn credited Kelly as one of the team's catalysts.

At Home in Philadelphia
....

To a generation of Flyers fans, Bob Kelly was very much a hockey hero – a instant energy, constant hustle and a true passion for the orange and black.

What he did best was run around recklessly, hitting every enemy in sight. He was also a noted fighter.

....

Kelly was the Flyers spark plug, as well as a pest and tough guy. Whenever coach Shero felt the game need a change of pace or needed his bench fired up, he would tap Kelly's shoulder and his fury would be unleashed on the subsequent shift.

Kelly, who finished his career with parts of two seasons with the lowly Washington Capitals in the early 1980s, played in 837 career NHL games, scoring 154 goals, 208 assists, 362 points and of course 1454 PIMs.

likes to go into the corner after the puck and fit in nicely when coach Vic Stasiuk played him on a line with Clarke and Cliff Schmautz last year…

rough and ready… comes to play… Flyers like his aggressiveness… does heavy work in the corners…

hound dog… ferocious forechecker who hounds opponents in their own end… also likes to snarl, but back is worse than his bite… unloaded by Flyers who thought his best years were behind him… proved them wrong. Lit fire under Caps with best season of career… was instrumental in Flyers’ two Stanley Cups… scored winning goal in 1975 finals… still a favourite of Flyer fans.

called “Mad Dog” or “The Hound” by teammates for his reckless abandon and his ability to hit seemingly every player on the ice during his every shift.

on the ice, he was a pugnacious, high-energy performer, always ready to stand up for a teammate and never able to stay in one place very long… “The Hound is great for a lot of laughs,” says longtime teammate Joe Watson. “However, let me tell you, if I was going to war, I would want him leading the charge. That’s the type of athlete and person he still is. We were all team-oriented, but the Hound led the way in that regard.”

If one word comes to mind when you think of Kelly, it is energy. He brought it to the equation every time he hit the ice… In short, with Bob Kelly, what you see is what you get.

He arrived on the Flyers’ scene in 1970-71 as part of the bulking up of the club…Kelly was one of the first tangible pieces of evidence of the Flyers’ new direction. “I always liked to get in a game early. I wanted to get a hit, or be hit so I was at least into the game. Even if it was hitting a referee! I had to hit something!”

With that kind of mentality, it’s no wonder the Flyers began to take on the image of a difficult team to play against… there was another role that Kelly served quite well. He was one of those players who kept everybody loose with his wit, both intentionally and unintentionally.

While some Flyers aficionados might regard a description of Bob Kelly as the poor man’s Bobby Clarke, it is in fact a high compliment. For starters, there could never be another Clarke in the estimation of the Philly faithful and if there were to be an approximation, it would have to resemble a tenacious corner man without peer, a tireless checker and a skater oozing spirit from every corpuscle.

They called him Hound, which may also not sound like a compliment – but it was. Kelly sniffed out pucks like a bloodhound… more often than not, he got to the rubber, usually in anger – the way Fred Shero preferred – and with unlimited gusto. Overlooked in most Kelly analyses is his offensive production. Given the opportunity, he could score. In 1`976-77, he tallied 46 points. The additional 117 penalty minutes emphasized the ubiquitous muscular aspect of his game.

“In terms of pure toughness, Kelly was first on the Flyers”, said Dave Schultz. “I was second. But with all due respect, Kelly became the heavyweight champion of the Flyers.”

…what he will be remembered for, is nine glorious playoff years on Broad Street, an unchallenged work ethic, a singular and often heroic toughness, and most of all, that cup-winning goal in 1975.

 

[Dreakmur]

Archie Hooper !!!

Awards and Accomplishments:
2 x Stanley Cup Champion (1902, 1903)
Montreal AAA Captain from 1902-1904

Offensive Achievements:
Goals - 1st(1902), 4th(1903), 11th(1904)

Play-off Goals - 1st(1902), 3rd(1903)

Every hockey era seems to produce only one or two men who may be said to possess all the attributes that go to make a really great player. The late Archie Hooper, captain of the Little Men of Iron was unquestionably one of these. Possessing a hard, accurate shot, speed in abundance and strength acquired as a paddler. Hooper was one of the really greats of all time. His stickhandling feats have seldom been equalized; never surpassed I the annals of hockey. And in addition, he as a fine two-way player for he could back-check as well as carry the puck. He was noted for his clean play.

This one is important because he played with Tom Phillips, Dickie Boon, Jack Marshall, and Jimmy Gardner:

Hooper was a speedy skater, a good stickhandler, an accurate shot and a useful man generally, and as such had easily been the peer of his fellows in last season’s team.

This is Archie Hooper, the scoring star and team captain of the Little Men of Iron.

That was the unofficial nickname of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association team that won back to back Stanley Cup championships long before the NHL even existed.

In 1902 the AAA defeated the two time defending Cup champions, the rough and tumble Victorias from Winnipeg. They successfully defended the title in 1903 against the same group of Winnipegers, ending what proved to be an epic rivalry between the two cities.

The 1902 championship was particularly celebrated by Montrealers. Upon return to Montreal the players were greeted at Windsor Station by 1000s of well-wishers. Once the players got off the train they "were drawn in sleighs by man-power from the station to the MAAA club house when 1000s of admirers refused to allow the horses to pull their heroes. They unhitched the horses and pulled the sleighs themselves, through snow and slush." (Lord Stanley's Cup by Andrew Podnieks)

Playing on a line with Jack Marshall and Jim Gardner, Art "Archie" Hooper was Montreal's star player. In 1902 he led his league in scoring 17 goals, including 9 in one game. He only scored six goals in the 9 game season in 1903, but that still led the team in scoring.

It was the start of what promised to be a spectacular career in hockey. But Hooper died two years later at the age of 24 as the result of an accidental blow he took during a hockey game.

The Vics were soundly beaten... Boon, Marshall and Hooper all played well... after seven minutes of play, hooper stopped a lift with his hand, and lifted himself... Hooper brought down, passed to Marshall, who passed to Hooper, who scored...

March 15th, 1902: Marshall and Hooper were the stars, snagging a brace of goals each.

February 2nd, 1903: a well-earned triumph for the Wheelers who, led by Phillips and Hooper, carried the play throughout.

​

 

[Rob Scuderi]

LW, Dave Hunter

105 Playoff GP, 16-24-40 PTS, x3 SC
Selke: T21 ('80)

Overpass's numbers: 746 GP, 109-153-261 ESP (28 per season) / Killed 32% of team's penalties, .82 rating

Dave Hunter was a role player par excellence. In fact, if you were to look up the term 3rd or 4th line role player in a hockey dictionary - it would say See Dave Hunter. Dave - in typical Hunter fashion, was a mean, extremely physical and effective player along the boards, wearing down the opposition with tenacious forechecking and physical contact. Yet despite his aggressiveness, Hunter usually part had small PIM totals. That shows his true value as a smart and controlled energy player. He was particularly effective on the road.

Though not a graceful player in the finesse sense, Dave combined decent skating speed and good balance with excellent vision and anticipation to make him one of the top defensive forwards of the 1980s. One of the biggest reasons for his defensive excellence is he was such a good positional player.

In the post season of 1981, the young Oilers served notice that they had arrived when they upset the heavily favored and legendary Montreal Canadiens. Hunter was assigned to cover Montreal's top offensive weapon Guy Lafleur, and he did a masterful job. The Flower picked up only a lonely assist in that series.

At the height of his success, Dave had to fight some personal demons. In 1985 he was convicted three times for drunken driving and refusing to take a breathalyzer test. A mandatory 28 day prison sentence was upgraded to a 4 month detention period, which he was allowed to serve after the hockey season.

http://oilerslegends.blogspot.com/2006/10/dave-hunter.html

In the National Hockey league, "Hunter" is not so much a family name as it is a trademark.

Get yourself a Hunter and you get yourself an aggressive, slightly combative, intelligent hockey player. Guaranteed to drive opponents to distraction. Always active and in the middle of things on the ice; polite and shy in the locker room.

"Dale is the heart and soul of the Washington team, much like he was when he was with Quebec," Dave Hunter said. "And Mark is the best goal scorer of the three of us. If it is true that we all share some common traits, I think it is because of our father. He had a lot of energy and he taught us to work hard and play hard. And for all of us, the big thing is the team, not the individual results."

Penguins Coach Pierre Creamer said Dave is less talented offensively than either of his brothers, but it is his defense that should prove most helpful. "First of all, he comes from a winning organization and that has to help. His defense is a plus for us. He's aggressive; maybe not as aggressive as Dale and he's a much quieter kind of leader than Dale, but he is part of our checking line and I think his contribution will be important.

"Any goals we get are bonuses," Hunter sad. Doing a little something extra is also a Hunter family trait. "Sometimes you've got to start up something to get a team going," Hunter said. "Sometimes, it's with an extra hard hit. Sometimes, you've got to do it. You've got to do something for your team."

That "extra" effort has been known to enrage opponents, who can get distracted trying to pay back a Hunter and forget more important things, such as winning games.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3hgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c2QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3845,90426&dq=dave+hunter&hl=en

Physically, the Canadiens were healthier than they had been all year. But mentally they were rotten-ripe, too long together, having spent too many years depending on Lafleur, their forward extraordinaire, to score the impossible goal when they needed it most. But this time Lafleur failed them. They looked to him, and Lafleur, feeling that Montreal Coach Claude Ruel had failed him, looked to the exits. "I don't know if he was sick or not," said Edmonton's 19-year-old defenseman, Paul Coffey, who scored a goal in every game. "But that sure wasn't the Lafleur I used to watch on television."

Because the Canadiens were such prohibitive favorites, the series was billed as little more than a Gretzky vs. Lafleur exhibition....

But the key part of the game-indeed, of the series-was not made by Gretzky but by Left Wing Dave Hunter, who hammered Lafleur with a clean body check early in the first period. After that, Lafleur did one of the all-time great disappearing acts, and Oiler Coach Glen Sather made certain that Hunter was one the ice every time The Flower was.

"Sure he's great; he will be the player of the '80s," Lafleur said of Gretzky the morning after the first game. "If you let him skate, he can do anything. But if you take the man, check him, it will slow him down like they did to me last night."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1124388/index.htm

"Dave Hunter's played some centre, too," said Sather. That's just idle chatter, however, Hunter is too valuable on left wing on Oilers' checking line and his assignment tonight will undoubtedly be to shadow Mike Bossy, who has scored 129 goals in the last 165 league games.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2807,916608&dq=dave+hunter&hl=en

Lumley and linemates Stan Weir and Dave Hunter did a superb job of checking Montreal's top line of Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt and Pierre Larouche. The Edmonton trio totally frustrated the Canadiens' high scorers and also paced the Oilers' attack.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...,9057903&dq=dave+hunter+checking+hockey&hl=en

"Hunter checked Lafleur into the ice (for the second time this season), Weir was a star and Lumley played well...what more could I ask," said Oiler coach Glen Sather.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAAIBAJ&pg=2788,3770969&dq=dave+hunter&hl=en

Sather also put in his two cents worth complaining about the holding and then having the gall to say, "Lafleur doesn't have to put up with that grief." Totally asinine! What does Dave Hunter do all game when the Habs come to town; the way he's draped over Lafleur you'd think he went to the 'john' with him as well.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAAIBAJ&pg=1045,1766172&dq=dave+hunter&hl=en

Edmonton coach Glen Sather wasn't saying if he would send the Oilers' best checker, Dave Hunter, and linemates Pat Hughes and Ray Cote against Chicago's Savard-Secord-Larmer line.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GKFVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YEANAAAAIBAJ&pg=4386,2034730&dq=dave+hunter&hl=en

Sparked by the play of the checking line of newcomer Ray Cote, Dave Hunter, and Pat Hughes that shut down Chicago's Denis Savard line, the Oilers embarrassed the Blackhawks in the second period, outshooting them 21-2.

"Hunter, Hughes and Cote got us going and put the whole team together," Sather said. "If it hadn't been for that line I think we would have been in some trouble...the score could have been reversed because Chicago was playing very well to that point."

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6nVkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wH4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2592,2071712&dq=dave+hunter&hl=en

Dave Hunter likely will be assigned to Shadow Bossy. He was told to travel with Lanny McDonald, the 66-goal Calgary Flame, in that series and caused a proper flameout. McDonald scored once in five games, and not when Hunter was on the ice. He also drew Steve Larmer in the Chicago series, and shut him down.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5aMyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ae8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1907,4416488&dq=dave+hunter&hl=en

Edmonton's best line against the Islanders has been the checking unit of Kevin McClelland between Dave Hunter and Pat Hughes.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hO8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M-8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4962,3143952&dq=dave+hunter &hl=en

Among assorted offensive stars on Oiler roster, he's the defensive specialist...Did admirable checking job on scoring stars Guy Lafleur an Mike Bossy in 1981 playoffs...Excellent penalty-killer...Oilers feel he's close to being the equal of Bob Gainey of Canadiens, the perennial award winner as the NHL's best defensive forward.

 

[Hedberg]

RW Sergei Svetlov

5'11, 194 lbs, Shoots L

1988 Olympic Gold Medal
1985, 1986 World Championship Gold Medal

7 G, 5 A, 12 Pts in 5 Canada Cup GP
10 G, 6 A, 16 Pts in 30 WC GP
133 G, 137 A, 270 Pts in 305 Soviet GP
2 G, 3 A, 5 Pts in 8 Olympic GP

The Red Machine

A splendid winger had arrived in the form of Sergei Svetlov, a concussion-prone gazelle from Moscow Dynamo. A tall forward, with legs that seemingly extended to his shoulders, Svetlov was the best pure skater in Soviet hockey

 

[Hedberg]

G Niklas Bäckström

6'1, 196 lbs, Catches Left
2.42 GAA, .918 SV%, 26 SO in 327 GP

2004, 2005 SM-liiga Urpo Ylonen Award (Best Goaltender)
2004, 2005 SM-liiga Jari Kurri Award (Playoff MVP)
2007 William Jennings Trophy
2007 Roger Crozier Award
Played in 2009 All-Star Game
2009 3rd in Vezina Voting, 2008 6th in Vezina Voting

Elite Prospects:

A calm keeper with an excellent technique, which has been developed through the years. Has great positioning, and is great at keeping focus. Has developed his butterfly technique past few seasons, but has a little left of the stand-up style. Good glove. Complete keeper, with only a minor weakness being shots between the legs.

Forecaster:

With very good technique and sound positioning, he's cool under pressure. Incredibly consistent, he owns a wealth of high-level experience, including Internationally for his native Finland.

 

[Hedberg]

LW/RW James Neal

6'2, 208 lbs, Shoots Left
113 G, 105 A, 218 Pts in 314 GP

11-12 1st Team All-Star (at RW)
11-12 "3rd Team All-Star" (at LW)
Played in 2012 All-Star Game
4th in Goals 11-12
7th in Points 11-12

Forecaster

Knows where to go to score goals. Has a very good shot, and he loves to use it. Also boasts very good size, which he uses effectively in the corners and in front of the net. Scores goals often because of a quick trigger.

His physical game lacks consistency, which could be all that is preventing him from becoming an elite NHLer. Won't do all the things usually associated with a power forward. Can at times take bad penalties, though.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Although his qualifications as a goal-scorer were clear when the Penguins traded for him -- Neal got 22 or more in each of his first three NHL seasons -- his scoring touch had deserted him in the early months with them.

"It was tough when I first got here," Neal said. "I wanted to do good things, and it just wasn't happening."

It happened quickly last season, however. Neal scored in a season-opening 4-3 shootout victory in Vancouver, and averaged one every other game for the balance of the schedule.

He finished with 13 more than his previous career-high, was honored as a first-team all-star and ratcheted up expectations for 2012-13 and the seasons that follow.

"I don't think it was a fluke," said left winger Chris Kunitz, who worked on a line with Neal and center Evgeni Malkin. "It's something he works hard for."

Neal credits his linemates with much of his success last season.

"Playing with [Malkin and Kunitz] has helped me a lot," he said. "[Malkin] was a huge factor. He's a special guy and fun to play with."

Especially when Neal's skills set dovetails so nicely with that of Malkin. Neal has a knack for finding his way to spots where Malkin can get him the puck, then launching it toward the net almost as soon as it touches his blade.

"He has that unbelievable quick shot that he can get off from anywhere, it seems, and get a quality shot on net," Kunitz said.

While there appears to be a synergy with that line, or at least an ability for its members to complement one another, Kunitz believes that simply getting settled in to his surroundings played a significant role in what Neal accomplished last season.

"When he first got here, he didn't feel as comfortable," he said. "It's a lot for a guy to get traded to a new city. If you don't click right away, things kind of go bad, maybe you start thinking negative.

Dan Bylsma:

Although he didn't put up points, you saw the way James Neal could play. He's a dangerous player. He can skate. He's a physical player. And he also obviously can shoot the lights off the puck. He's done all those things.

 

[Hedberg]

LW Armand Mondou

5'10, 175 lbs, shoots Left
47 G, 71 A, 118 pts in 386 GP

1930, 1931 Stanley Cup Champion

Montreal Canadiens: Our History

Defensive specialist Armand Mondou spent 12 years with the Canadiens and while he never scored more than seven goals in a single season, his solid checking and dedicated team play made him among the most valuable Habs of his era.

Mondou, who wore 13 different numbers during his NHL tenure, made good use of his 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame as a gritty left winger. Almost always staying within the rules of the game, he was rarely penalized as a result of his efforts, accumulating only 118 minutes in the box over 386 regular season games.

A skilled playmaker and key component to the 1930 and 1931 Stanley Cups, Mondou, who has been cited as being among the originators of the slap shot, secured a place for himself in hockey history on November 10, 1934.

Legends of Hockey

Left-winger Armand Mondou was a fine checker and playmaker on the Montreal Canadiens in the 1920s and '30s. His speed and unselfish play was an integral part of two Stanley Cup championships.

Beginning in 1928-29, the tricky forward spent parts of twelve seasons with the Habs. In 1930 and 1931 his tight checking helped the Canadiens win consecutive Stanley Cups. The first of these was a huge upset over a talent-laden Boston club in which Mondou's defence was a key factor.

Through the remainder of the decade, Mondou helped the Canadiens reach the post-season most years. He often formed a hard-working line with Leroy Goldsworthy and George Mantha.

Canadiens Legends:

Mondou played in 386 NHL games, all with Montreal, but he could never seem to settle on a jersey number. He wore 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 44, 64 and 66 in his career!

In addition, he was said to be one of the earliest users of the slap shot, many years before Boom Boom Geoffrion or Bobby Hull really popularized the tactic.

Mondou, a checker primarily but he could make smart plays with the puck, scored only 47 career goals. But the gritty left-winger played a key role in the Canadiens’ Stanley Cup victory in 1930, a huge upset of the defending champion Boston Bruins, and again in 1931. His speed and unselfish team play were two keys of any good player on any championship team in any era of hockey.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Apr. 3, 1931

Mondou, speedy wing

 

[Dreakmur]

Mark Hardy !!!


Awards and Achievements:
Stanley Cup Finalist (1993)

Offensive Accomplishments:
368 Points in 915 NHL Regular Season Games
21 Points in 67 NHL Play-off Games

Points among Defensemen - 17th(1985), 20th(1984), 24th(1982), 30th(1983)

Scoring Percentages:
Points - 70, 58, 53, 52, 39, 37, 33, 33

Best 6 Seasons: 309

Ice Time:
Averaged 22.5 minutes per game over 915 games.

Overall Ice Time - 1st(1982), 1st(1983), 1st(1984), 1st(1985), 1st(1986), 1st(1987), 2nd(1988), 3rd(1981), 3rd(1990)

37% of his team's Power Play Goals For.
44% of his team's Power Play Goals Against.

Although he was born in Europe, Mark Hardy played his junior hockey in Montreal. He was selected 30th overall in the 1979 Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. His first season was spent for the most part with the Binghampton Dusters of the AHL; however, he did make 15 appearances for the Kings. Between 1980 and 1987 he played full time in Los Angeles, posting his personal best NHL season in 1984-85, when he combined for 53 points in 78 games. In 1986, he was chosen to represent Canada at the World Championships where he tallied five points in ten games.

The 1987-88 season saw him traded to the New York Rangers for Ron Duguay midway through the season. After only 19 appearances with the Blueshirts, he was traded to Minnesota. He opened the 1988-89 season with the North Stars before heading east a second time and back into Madison Square Garden.

Again a Ranger, Hardy stayed put until March 1993, when he was traded back to his old team in L.A. in exchange for John McIntyre. In 1993-94, he divided his time between the Kings and the Phoenix Roadrunners of the IHL. He spent the rest of his playing career in the IHL and moved into coaching in that league after retiring. He returned to the NHL as an assistant coach with the L.A.. Kings during the 1999-2000 season.

Scouting Reports:

The Finesse Game
Hardy is a strong skater, well balanced on his skates, and equipped with a good burst of speed up ice. He is fairly agile hen carrying the puck and as such can relieve pressure on the Kings’ forwards by rushing it from the zone.

Hardy also sees the ice ell and makes good use of his teammates, especially on the power play, where he is a staple. Hardy makes a good point man on the power play because of his puckhandling ability, anticipation and shot. He contains the point ell. His shot is low and hard from the blue line and is excellent for tip-ins or deflections. He shoots often.

Otherwise Hardy is conservative defensively, and has improved his positional play. He takes fewer chances with the puck. He forces the play wide of the net by using his defensive angles and no longer wanders from his position, and at the same time he is more prudent in his rushes ith the puck and his pinching in the offensive zone.

Hardy is adept at moving the puck from his end quickly and he has developed poise and confidence to be patient with the puck and make the right pass, not just a fast one.

The Physical Game
Hardy plays a physical game when he can and will dish out checks whenever possible. He has good strength along the boards and corners, though is apt to occasionally let the opposition slip away and back into the play. That is an aspect of his play that has been improved, however.

Hardy is fairly effective in front of the net, but that area – as well as the work along the boards – is not really his game. He is best at hitting and gaining the puck, and then moving it, not continually battling with the opposition.

The Intangibles
Though still offensively-oriented, Hardy had solidified his defense to the point that he is not only not a liability, but is a steadying influence.

The Finesse Game… is able to rush the puck from the defensive zone and relieve forechecking pressure.

… Smartly, Hardy shoots often.

Except for the occasional rush he’s a fairly conservative defenseman and takes few chances with the puck…

The Physical Game….

He’s effective in front of the net, trying up the opposition, but his game is more in hitting and gaining the puck and then starting a play.

The Intangibles
Hardy’s best contribution to the Rangers is his steadiness, his night in-night out stabilizing influence in the defensive zone. His presence adds depth to the blue-line unit, but Mark might find himself fighting for a job this season because of the number of young defensemen the Rangers want to audition. He’s a likely candidate to finish the season elsewhere.

The Finesse Game
Three assets make Hardy valuable: he can skate, he has experience and he has a good handle on the game.

He may have lost some speed, compared to his younger, faster days. But Hardy is very smooth on his feet. He covers ground – he is not a chugger – so he can move the puck up and move ahead with the play. He can angle players to the corners because his straight-line speed is more than acceptable.

Hardy has some offensive skills. In his Los Angeles days, he was one of their top offensive point people. His role changed over the years, but Hardy knows what to do in the attacking zone. His shot isn’t much. He isn’t going to overpower people with it, but he gets it to the net fairly successfully. There ill be occasions where his awareness falters, he shoots right off a guy’s shinguards and is caught in a lurch when the opposing forward races past him; but those times are relatively rare.

The Physical Game
Hardy is mostly a finesse player, but he does not shy away from physical confrontations. He goes to the corner, he battles in front of the net. His fighting days appear to be over, but he plays the body and plays an efficient physical game.

The Finesse Game
Hardy has the wheels to get to the loose pucks. He has the confidence in his ability to skate the puck out of the defensive zone and make something happen on the other side of the red line. He has good range, good mobility, the hands to start a quick transition game and a good sense of when to jump into the rush.

And he has the smarts. Hardy will get wrapped up in offense occasionally, but he sees the ice pretty well and uses a healthy helping of hockey sense to decide when to go deep and when to play cautiously. When he loses the puck, he works hard to get it back.

Since he has two goals over three seasons, you know Hardy generally does not shoot to score. He shoots to get the puck to the net so somebody else can score. He shoots to cause rebounds, to set up deflections. The off time, he will fake a shot, get an opponent to drop in front, then skate around the guy and try to make a play. Twice last season, he and partner James Patrick led two-on-one rushes.

The Physical Game
A steady defenseman who plays within himself, Hardy always tries to get a piece of his man. If he can’t shoulder his check, he will at least put the stick on him and make some presence felt. He is a trusted penalty killed ho will throw himself in front of point shots. He shows up for the wars in front of the net, but is not big enough or strong enough to just manhandle people: Hardy is more likely to nullify the player’s stick and use his smarts to gain advantage.

The Intangibles
Hardy received respect because he has respect for the game and for his job. That respect translates into dependability on the ice in virtually any situation, including four-on-four, and consistent workmanship.

Strengths: Hardy is a stay-at-home defenseman, a steady positional player who doesn’t let enemy forwards get the best of him. He has good size and strength. He is quick to sacrifice his body to block shots in front of his goalie. A good skater, he doesn’t panic with the puck but will look for an outlet pass rather than lug it out of the zone. He’s tough but clan, rarely getting into penalty trouble despite standing up for his mates and dishing out plenty of muscle.

Weaknesses: Once known more for his offensive spurts, Hardy had scored 14 goals in a season for the Kings, but has never reached double figures again. Injuries have slowed him, reducing his playing time and forcing him to reassess his approach. The Kings don’t count on “Harpo” for much offense.

A veteran with loads of experience and smarts, Hardy is a solid force on defense, allowing his partners more offensive freedom. He's always back there, patroling the blueline and clearing the crease. His best days might be behind him, but his savvy serves him well.

WILL - throw his weight around
CAN'T - skate like he used to
EXPECT - unspectacular defense
DON'T EXPECT - much offense

has made consistent improvement in first three seasons... team's most consistent backliner... upped point total to 45 and played sound defensive hockey... stong skater with good speed...

strong skater, good puckhandler who has developed into competent big-league backliner... excellent shot from the point... has improved consierably defensively in past few seasons...

rugged defenseman who dishes out jolting bodychecks to opposing forwards.

Injuries to ankle, foot, knee and ribs cut into Mark's 1989-90 season, but he came back strong this season. Mark is outstanding at blocking shots, hitting, and playing positional defense, and was sorely missed last season.

Mark was playing the best hockey of his career during the first half of 1991-92... a solid defender who enjoys taking the body...

Mark's an experienced defenseman who always works hard for his goaltender. He's very efficient in blocking shots, clearing men from the crease or dumping the puck out of the zone.

Mark was leading the Rangers with a +22 when he suffered a separated shoulder midway through 1991-92. It was a tough break for the steady defender, who was playing the best hockey of his career... a good positional player, Mark is a willing shot blocker.

​

 

[Rob Scuderi]

C, Christian Ruuttu

13 (4+9) PTS in 42 playoff GP
Selke Voting Record: 12 ('90)

NHL Career
Team Scoring Placements: 3, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 5, 9, 9*

Overpass's adjusted numbers: 621 GP, 104-215-320 ESP (40 per season) / 22-74-96 PPP (12 per season, 29% usage, .95 rating) / 34% PK usage, .94 rating

70s Vs #2 Scores: 62, 59, 55, 47, 43, 38 = 304 over six best seasons

Finnish League and International Career
Top 10 Finnish Elite League Scoring: 3 in '84, 10 in '85, 2 in '86

World Championship Stats: 60 GP, 17-17-34 PTS
WC Placements (Overall/Team): 10/3 in '91, 15/1 in '90, 24/3 in '86, 34/12 in '94

Canada Cup Stats: 11 GP, 3-6-9 PTS
CC Placements: 7/1 in '91, T1st on team with 3 pts in '87

World Cup Stats: 4 GP, 1-0-1 PTS; '96

Christian Ruuttu was quietly overlooked as one of the finest players to ever come out of Finland...And despite his fine package of skills, determination and desire, Ruuttu never was able to post the numbers that many thought he should have been capable of.

The bucket-headed Ruuttu was not your stereotypical 1980's Finnish hockey player. He was an exuberant physical player who worked hard on every shift. He was a fine defensive player as well. His quickness and endurance made him not only a tremendous forechecker, but a penalty killer as well. A face-off specialist, Ruuttu combined savvy intelligence and a lunch pail work ethic to excel defensively.

Christian was never able to find the offensive game that the Sabres had hoped he could provide. He had a good start to his career, scoring 22 goals and 65 points as a rookie while improving in year two with a career high 26 goals and 71 points. Injuries shortened Christian's season in 1988-89 but he still had 60 points in 67 games. However he would never really regain solid offensive numbers after that as his coaches used him more for his great defensive instincts more than anything else.

Why wasn't Ruuttu able to produce better numbers? The depth chart had something to do with it for sure, as Turgeon, Hogue and later Dale Hawerchuk grabbed most of the offensive ice time. Christian was also more of a play-maker than a goal scorer, and often would overhandle the puck while waiting to make a picture perfect pass rather than just shoot at the net himself. That was his one particular "European flaw."

http://sabreslegends.blogspot.com/2011/01/christian-ruuttu.html

Ruuttu, acquired in the summer, was expected to strengthen the Hawks' depth at center. He has shown signs of promise at times, but Sutter castigated him for foolish penalties in Thursday night`s 6-5 overtime loss to New Jersey and some previous games.

"We talked to him about his penalties," Sutter said. "Bad penalties, needless. But you can tell them all you want. It's really what they're telling themselves that matters."

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-10-24/sports/9204060299_1_brent-sutter-hawks-coach-darryl-sutter

"He's the center that would be the best guy to make a wing," Sutter said, "because Ruuttu has the skill to adjust."

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1993-11-20/sports/9311200178_1_hawks-ice-time-eric-manlow

 

[Rob Scuderi]

RW, Ken Schinkel

9 (7+2) PTS in 19 playoff GP

AHL Second All-Star Team (1959)
Played in NHL All-Star Game twice (1968, 1969)

Team Scoring Placements: 7, 7, 16, 3, 1, 2, 7, 5

70s Vs #2 Scoring: 58, 49, 46, 42, 40, 36 = 271 over six best seasons

After being in the minors for so long, did Ken Schinkel ever think he would play in the NHL when he was 40? No way.

When Schinkel signed a contract with the AHL's Springfield Indians, who had no connection to an NHL team, he became the property of the team until he turned 27. The 1958-59 season saw him lead the AHL in goals with 43 and he totaled 85 points in 70 games. With several NHL teams interested in him, Sprinfield worked out a deal with the New York Rangers and Schinkel was finally in the big time.

Because of his veteran sensibility, the Rangers used Schinkel as a defensive forward, mostly on checking lines and killing penalties. After spending four seasons in New York, he was sent back down to the AHL's Baltimore Clippers where he rediscovered his scoring touch. He was brought back up to the Rangers once more during the 1966-67 season before the NHL expanded and the Pittsburgh Penguins claimed him in the Expansion Draft of 1967.

It was in Pittsburgh where Schinkel became a scorer once again. He was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game in both 1968 and 1969 and enjoyed his best point production in the 1968-69 season with 52 points.

The defence has been bolstered by Ken Schinkel, 34, recalled from Baltimore Clippers last week. Schinkel, who played 245 games for the Rangers between 1959 and 1964, has confined his play to the American Hockey League the last two years.

A solid checker, he tightened up the Ranger defence during the weekend and scored the winning goal Sunday.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=2814,1415813&dq=ken+schinkel&hl=en

...Sullivan plans to send out Ken Schinkel against Bobby Hull. "I'm going to play Schinkel," the coach said. "He is skating better than he was earlier. It doesn't mean he'll stay on him. I'll have to see how the game goes."

Schinkel carried out the assignment masterfully when the two teams met for the first time last year. He held Hull to one goal, scored three times himself and Pittsburgh surprised Chicago, 4-2.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=2915,3415892&dq=ken+schinkel&hl=en

On the first of his two goals for the Black Hawks, he lost Penguin right winger Ken Schinkel in the spinoff. As Hull skated past the mouth of the cage, Schinkel and the puck flew in opposite directions.

In this game that Hull could not win by himself, Schinkel was his shadow, his faithful companion.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=7290,5717938&dq=ken+schinkel&hl=en

Served as swingman in All-star game

Pittsburgh right-wing Ken Schinkel, a strong-checking forward will be swing man.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAIBAJ&pg=3214,4044288&dq=ken+schinkel&hl=en

 

[Dreakmur]

Reg Hamilton !!!


Awards and Achievements:
2 x Stanley Cup Champion (1942, 1945)

Offensive Accomplishments:
108 Points in 424 NHL Regular Season Games
11 Points in 64 NHL Play-off Games

Points among Defensemen – 7th(1943), 9th(1937), 12th(1941), 12th(1945)

Scoring Percentages:
Points – 60, 54, 46, 45, 37

Best 6 Seasons: 269

Reg Hamilton was probably best known for being a tough defenseman who always finished his checks. Many considered the Hamilton elbows the most lethal in the league until a young man named Gordon Howe came along.

Hamilton signed his first professional contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs for approximately $4,000 a year and donned the Blue and White sweater for the first time during the 1935-36 season. He played only seven games for the Leafs that year, spending most of his time with the IHL Syracuse Stars. He was back for 39 games the following year, and every year thereafter through the 1944-45 he played in Toronto. Hamilton was part of the 1942 "Miracle" squad that won the Stanley Cup after going down three games to none against Detroit. He lifted the Stanley Cup again in 1945 while still with the Leafs.

In July of that year he was traded to Chicago for cash and future considerations. He played the whole season for the Hawks in 1945-46, and ten games the following season, before being named playing coach of the Hawks minor league affiliate in Kansas City. He took that team to the USHL championship that year and spent two more years with Kansas City before moving on to coach the Toronto Marlboros.

 

[Hedberg]

RW Leroy Goldsworthy

6'0, 165 lbs, shoots Right
66 G, 57 A, 123 pts in 336 GP

1934 Stanley Cup Champion
8th in Goals 34-35

Legends of Hockey

Right-winger Leroy Goldsworthy was a fine two-way player on six different NHL clubs in the 20s and 30s. He was a tireless worker whose strength was consistency.

During the early 30s he skated extensively in the IAHL but also played part time with the Detroit Falcons/Red Wings and the Chicago Black Hawks. During the 1934 playoffs he was an important checker when the team won the Stanley Cup. The next year he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens as part of a blockbuster deal that also featured Howie Morenz and Lionel Conacher. That year Goldsworthy hit the 20-goal mark the only time in his career while playing with George Mantha and Armand Mondou. He later suited up for the Boston Bruins and New York Americans where he was a fine defensive player.

Canadiens Legends:

Throughout much of his career Leroy Goldsworthy was utilized as a checking forward, but he could score some goals too. His best stint came in Montreal in the 1934/35 and 1935/36 season. He scored 35 goals in 80 games over the two seasons.

Described as "a tireless worker whose strength was his consistency," Goldy found some magic in Montreal. Perhaps it was the number 9 jersey he wore nearly a decade before Rocket Richard arrived in Montreal. Then again, maybe not. He wore number 75 when he first arrived in Montreal from the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Black Hawks.

Leroy Goldsworthy, a right winger who may have played some defense late in his career, played with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and New York Americans.

Ottawa Citizen, Dec. 21, 1949:

Goldsworthy, a smooth skating forward

Outside of hockey, Goldsworthy was a pitcher in the Northern Baseball League

 

[Rob Scuderi]

D, Keith Brown

103 Playoff GP, 4-32-36 PTS

Overpass's adjusted numbers: 876 GP, 46-176-222 ESP (20) / 15-64-79 PPP (7 25% 1.05) / 39%PK 1.02

Defenceman Keith Brown was a steady two-way performer for 16 NHL seasons. He was equally proficient at looking after matters in his own zone and contributing on offence.

Brown was a solid player in all phases of the game and a die-hard competitor. He reached double figures in goals twice and helped Chicago reach the Stanley Cup finals in 1992 and the semi-finals in 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1989. His tenacious effort on the ice took its toll on Brown's body as he missed considerable time as a result of injuries in seven of his 14 years in the Windy City.

Late in his career Brown was shipped to the expansion Florida Panthers to add stability and defence to the young squad. He was a solid +11 in 51 games the first years the retired in 1995 after seeing action in only 13 contests.

Efficient defensive player who uses size and good reach well...Improved offensive output from 20 points as freshman to 43 last season...Reminds Hawk fans of Bill White, a quietly effective worker for team in 1970's

Was one of team's solid workers in downhill season, producing 35 points, a sound total for basically a defensive backliner...Strong and aggressive, handles the puck well...Won the NHL players' arm-wrestling championship one year.

Emerged as Hawks best defenseman after Doug Wilson went down with a knee injury in March...Coach Bob Murdoch feels he has more to offer offensively and intends to bring him out of his shell...Excellent skater...Powerful upper body, thanks to weightlifting...Despite his strength, he isn't noted as a good fighter...