*The first line is dynamic. They're highly skilled, they're talented, they're dangerous. They aren't a first line that's going to be much of a factor in the defensive zone, which does hurt their ice time a little bit. But Sittler's going to have a blast feeding Joliat and Lafleur the puck.
*I don't buy Phillips and Cleghorn as second line guys. Ullman's awesome as a second line centre. One of the centres in the draft best-suited to second line duty. Rate him right up there with guys like Francis and Joe Primeau for elite second line centres. I can buy Phillips as a smart third liner, and Cleghorn as a robust fourth liner with a scorer's touch who fits into the "pound-for-pound, one of the toughest players in the draft" types, but as second line guys? It's not there.
*Love the third line. Ramsay's a top five third line LW. Gare's probably a better fit for the second line than Cleghorn, but chemistry pushes him to the third line. Luce is terrific. I always have qualms about reuniting lines from teams that never won a Stanley Cup, but this gives you a real edge early in the season. As guys are getting used to their new linemates, Ramsay-Luce-Gare will know where the other guys are at all times.
*A big fan of the fourth line. I don't view the fourth line as a miscellaneous line. I want a fourth line with speed, aggressiveness, toughness and character, but also skill. This fourth line has that. I'm an especially big fan of Schmautz, who is usually picked too late in the ATD.
*Will echo my partner in crime's respect for the top pairing. It's one of the toughest top pairings in the draft. Horner's offensive dimension is better than some give him credit for. He's by no means a force, but you won't be hearing his break-out passes constantly hitting the boards, either.
*I think this is the role that best-suits Conacher. An anchor for a second pairing. I'm a big Conacher fan. He's one of the guys I've always wanted. But I'm a fan of him as a solid No. 2, not as a No. 1, which is a role he has had in past ATDs. That's a very good second pairing.
*Not many teams would have their captain on the third pairing. But I like it.
*This is a really tough defence. It's aggressive, it's physical. I don't think mobility is an issue. They won't dominate offensively, but they have a trio of defencemen who can effectively move the puck and work the power play.
*Benedict's a terrific goalie. I think I have him No. 11 or 12 on my rankings. There's very little that separates Benedict at No. 11 or 12, and Plante at No. 1.
*Gorman's near the top of my second tier of coaches. Once you get past the top seven or eight coaches, there's a drop-off to that second tier. Gorman's in that second-tier, with guys like Pete Green and Glen Sather. Two things I love about Gorman: his background in the newspaper industry, and his affinity for horse racing.
Aurel Joliat - Darryl Sittler (A) - Guy Lafleur
Tommy Phillips - Norm Ullman - Odie Cleghorn
Craig Ramsay - Don Luce - Danny Gare (A)
Harry P. Watson - Jack Adams - Bobby Schmautz
Sprague Cleghorn - Red Horner
Lionel Conacher - Joe Simpson
Jack Marshall - Art Coulter (C)
Clint Benedict
Roberto Luongo
Extras:
C Doug Weight
RW/D Ron Stewart
D/C/LW Goldie Prodger
Thanks, that's 90% positive so we must be onto something. I was sure five months ago that I'd never build a better team than I did in ATD10, but VCL and I have done just that.
I do have three things to address, however:
1. Joliat is the first line's defensive conscience. He's descibed as a relentless backchecker. With Sittler being average defensively and Lafleur being a bit of a free spirit, we're par for the course in terms of defensive ability from the top line.
2. In regards to Phillips, I refer you to what a very smart GM who is bound for his fourth straight division finals:
EagleBelfour said:
If anyone think Tommy Phillips isn't a 2nd liner or even a above average 2nd liner, take 10-15 minutes and go read some on him.
I practically wrote a research essay on the guy. You can click on his name to learn more. To summarize:
- He was often regarded as the top LW, and even top player, in the game, during the primes of Frank McGee and Russell Bowie.
- For five straight seasons, he was top-3 in his league in scoring, four of those times 1st or 2nd.
- He absolutely dominated two Stanley Cup series. In 1904 his eight goals led the cup finals, doubling the next-best, Alf Smith. Frank McGee and Si Griffis had 3. In 1907, during the two challenges that he first won with Kenora and then lost to the Wanderers, he tied with another hall of famer for the lead with 9 goals. Next-highest? Moose Johnson with 6 and Lester Patrick with 4.
- When reading about Phillips, it becomes clear that the only things that were ever really able to stop him were slushy ice and an ankle injury.
- He was one of the best playoff scorers of the per-consolidation era and the best of the challenge era. With games against extremely weak challengers excluded, only Lalonde and Foyston have more than his 22 goals in cup matches.
- Tons of praise from contemporaries exists. Art Ross called him the best player he has ever seen, and Lester Patrick, who played against Phillips in two cup series, put Phillips on his all-time team in
1925, the criteria being "physique, stamina, courage, speed, stick-handling, goal-getting ability, skill in passing, proper temperament and, above all, hockey brains."
- You like to know how a player played the game. Numerous quoted exist not only about how good he was, but
why he was so good. Phillips was a born leader, had blazing speed, dazzling stickhandling, and a heavy shot, was the best backchecker of his time, was courageous and creative, and saved his best for big games. The accounts of how he played against a dominant powerhouse team like the Silver Seven are truly attention-grabbing. What more could you possibly want in a player?
3. Odie Cleghorn. Do you realize Cleghorn finished in the top-5 in goalscoring in his league six times? Here are aome other preconsolidation players and how many times they achieved the same:
Didier Pitre - 7 (1st line)
Babe Dye - 6 (1st line)
Frank Fredrickson - 6 (3rd line)
Frank Foyston - 6 (2nd line)
Mickey MacKay - 5 (2nd line)
Cyclone Taylor - 5 (currently a defenseman)
Gord Roberts - 5 (4th line)
Harry Hyland - 5 (3rd line)
Duke Keats - 5 (2nd line C!)
Tommy Smith - 4 (3rd line)
Tommy Dunderdale - 4 (4th line)
Punch Broadbent - 3 (2nd line)
Jack Darragh - 3 (2nd line)
Eddie Oatman - 2 (spare)
Scotty Davidson - 2 (spare)
Half these players are on scoring lines in this draft - and rightfully so.
Pitre is a better player than Cleghorn but used as an example of a player from the same era at the same position to illustrate where Cleghorn stands. Dye, of course, was usually in the top-2 when he was in the top-5. Broadbent, another RW with the same birth year, doesn't come close in goalscoring but he gets put on a 1st/2nd line every single draft.
Cleghorn wasn't just racking up a lot of lower-end spots in the leaderboard either - he led the NHL in goals once. Pitre, Hyland, Darragh, Oatman, & Davdison never led their league. Fredrickson, Roberts, Broadbent and Keats (in the WCHL) did it once each. He's right in their league. Definitely one of the 50 best scoring RWs ever.
Besides, Ullman really should be on someone else's first line instead of our second line, and he and Phillips can carry the weight. Can't have a perfect lineup in every single position, and if Cleghorn's a weak link, we're laughin'.
