All Time Draft 1st Round Matchup: Saskatoon @ Siberia

[Zetterberg4Captain*]

Saskatoon Blues​

Peter Mahovlich-Peter Stastny-Mike Gartner
Vic Hadfield-Dale Hawerchuk-Bill Mosienko
Stan Smyl-Jacques Lemaire-John Maclean
John Ogridnick-Dennis Hull-Jean Pronovost
Dave Semenko

Denis Potvin-Bill Barilko
Eric Desjardins-Randy Carlyle
Steve Duchesne-Glen Westley
Harold Snepsts

Bernie Parent
Ron Hextall
Percy Lesuer

Coach: Art Ross
Captain: Denis Potvin
Assistant Captain: Dale Hawerchuk
Assistant Captain: Stan Smyl




Siberian Bears



LW - C - RW
#9 Bobby "The Golden Jet" Hull - #7 Norm "Noisy" Ullman - #8 Teemu "The Finnish Flash" Selanne
#7 Keith "Walt" Tkachuk - #25 Joe "Joey" Nieuwendyk - #23 Milan "The Duke" Hejduk
#22 Don Marshal - #9 Bernie "The Pumper Nicholl Kid" Nicholls - #7 Joe Mullen
#14 Geoff "7-11" Courtnall - #55 Keith "Preems" Primeau - #10 Tony "T-Bone" Amonte
#44 Todd "Big Bert" Bertuzzi

DEFs
#7 Francis "King" Clancy - #3 George "Buck" Boucher
#17 Jean Guy Talbot - #22 Charlie Huddy
#3 Ken "Mr. Devil" Daneyko - #3 Dave "Charlie" Manson
#3 Ken "Pepper Kid" Randall

Goalies
#1 Bill "The Mirror Man" Durnan
#1 Mike "Looty" Liut
#1 Wilf Cude

Coach: Hector "Toe" Blake​

Click to read more...

 

[Frightened Inmate #2]

Could you perhaps take out the nicknames they really don't add anything other than making the entire thing really hard to read in my opinion at least.

 

[VanIslander]

Siberian Bears

Bobby Hull - Norm Ullman - Teemu Selanne
Keith Tkachuk - Joe Nieuwendyk - Milan Hejduk
Don Marshal - Bernie Nicholls - Joe Mullen
Geoff Courtnall - Keith Primeau - Tony Amonte
Todd Bertuzzi

Francis Clancy - George Boucher
Jean Talbot - Charlie Huddy
Ken Daneyko - Dave Manson
Ken Randall

Bill Durnan
Mike Liut
Wilf Cude

Coach: Hector "Toe" Blake​

 

[Zetterberg4Captain*]

Could you perhaps take out the nicknames they really don't add anything other than making the entire thing really hard to read in my opinion at least.

I just copied it from PNEP's post but if you want I can.

EDIT: I guess I didn't see VanIslanders post.

 

[raleh]

Duchesne looks a little out of place there on the first pairing, especially since he'll likely be seeing a lot of ice time against Bobby Hull.

I might be tempted to switch him with Barilko. Barilko might not be as mobile, but you have Potvin there. In the last draft somebody had a Coffey-Langway tandem which was really cool. I think you need to put a rock with Potvin because if you can shut down that Hull-Selanne line you have a really good shot at taking this series.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain*]

Duchesne looks a little out of place there on the first pairing, especially since he'll likely be seeing a lot of ice time against Bobby Hull.

I might be tempted to switch him with Barilko. Barilko might not be as mobile, but you have Potvin there. In the last draft somebody had a Coffey-Langway tandem which was really cool. I think you need to put a rock with Potvin because if you can shut down that Hull-Selanne line you have a really good shot at taking this series.

Thats what I was thinking and that is actually what I am going to do!

 

[God Bless Canada]

I'm going with the gutsy pick and calling an upset. Why? I think this series comes down to goaltending. Parent is one of the best clutch goalies ever. Along with Broda, Fuhr, Smith and Cheevers, he's a guy whose value is really boosted in a draft with a playoff component.

Durnan rates among the best goalies ever in the regular season, and he does have a couple rings, but he wasn't a guy who often took his play to another level.

I really like Lebda's defence against pnep's offence. Potvin's a top five guy ever. Barilko's a good partner, likely the best option, unless you want to break up that awesome DesJardins-Carlyle second pairing. Barilko's a bit of a swashbuckler, a risk-taker, but he's physical, and Potvin can definitely cover up a poorly-timed Barilko pinch. I'd take Duchesne right out of the rotation, use him as a No. 7 offensive guy (like Anaheim is doing with Jackman), and tempt fate with Harold Snepsts.

I also have concerns about Siberia's lack of a checking line. Primeau-Marshall is two-thirds of a potentially elite checking line. But none of the RWs are checking line material. Guys like Hawerchuk and Stastny could have a field day against Siberia.

pnep has a potentially very explosive team, one of the best in the draft. But defence wins championships. And goaltending and defence are an edge to Saskatoon.

Saskatoon in 7.

 

[kruezer]

I really like pnep's top pairing Clancy/Boucher is a dominant top pairing in my books.

 

[vancityluongo]

I'm going with the gutsy pick and calling an upset. Why? I think this series comes down to goaltending. Parent is one of the best clutch goalies ever. Along with Broda, Fuhr, Smith and Cheevers, he's a guy whose value is really boosted in a draft with a playoff component.

Durnan rates among the best goalies ever in the regular season, and he does have a couple rings, but he wasn't a guy who often took his play to another level.

I really like Lebda's defence against pnep's offence. Potvin's a top five guy ever. Barilko's a good partner, likely the best option, unless you want to break up that awesome DesJardins-Carlyle second pairing. Barilko's a bit of a swashbuckler, a risk-taker, but he's physical, and Potvin can definitely cover up a poorly-timed Barilko pinch. I'd take Duchesne right out of the rotation, use him as a No. 7 offensive guy (like Anaheim is doing with Jackman), and tempt fate with Harold Snepsts.

I also have concerns about Siberia's lack of a checking line. Primeau-Marshall is two-thirds of a potentially elite checking line. But none of the RWs are checking line material. Guys like Hawerchuk and Stastny could have a field day against Siberia.

pnep has a potentially very explosive team, one of the best in the draft. But defence wins championships. And goaltending and defence are an edge to Saskatoon.

Saskatoon in 7.

Going for the Lou Nonis Defense-first tactic, eh GBC? What happened to the WCE highpowered offense loving side of Canucks fans? The defense system known as teh trap not only traps the other team, it also traps the fans!

I'm personally liking pnep.

 

[MXD]

Hummmm... Barilko as a 1st liner? That screams longevity concerns...

 

[Hockey Outsider]

FORWARDS: Siberia boasts an enormous amount of offensive firepower; amazingly, seven of their forwards have scored 50+ goals in a season, and Norm Ullman led the league in goals twice. Even the bottom two lines have a ton of talent: Nicholls, Mullen and Amonte each had one or two huge seasons and were otherwise consistent point-per-game threats. Despite this, Siberia’s biggest flaw is a lack of two-way players. On their top three lines, only Don Marshall is significantly above-average defensively, and, while the fourth line is decent, a soft, one-dimensional player like Amonte doesn’t belong on the checking line. On the other hand, Saskatoon still has a solid amount of firepower, especially on the top two lines. I favor the Blues due to the quality of their defensive forwards: Hadfield and Mosienko are a great balance between offense and defense, the third line is one of the best shutdown lines in the draft, and the 2/3rds of the fourth line is strong defensively. It’s tough to disregard a group of forwards with so much talent, but more two-way players and strong playoff performances sways this the other way. Advantage: Saskatoon.

DEFENSE: Sasktoon’s defense is fast, mobile and should be a great asset to their transition game (every defensemen except Snepsts is a strong playmaker). Saskatoon also boasts the best blueliner in the series. While I don’t consider the blueline soft, it lacks intimidation and big checking ability aside from Potvin. Siberia’s blueline still has some great puckmovers (Clancy, Boucher & Huddy) but lacks Saskatoon’s speed and mobility. They make up for it with superior checking and toughness (Clancy, Daneyko and Manson). I give a small edge to the Bears; I think they have a much stronger, tougher blueline, and haven’t sacrificed too much offense. Advantage: Siberia.

COACHING: Ross looks like a solid coach, though admittedly I can’t find much about his style/strategies. Regardless, Toe Blake is probably the 2nd or 3rd best coach of all time (he won 8 Stanley Cups and his win percentage rose from 63% to an amazing 69% in the playoffs). True, he coached some dominant teams, but he also took some underdogs to victory (in the late 1960s). Advantage: Siberia.

GOALIES: Durnan was perhaps the NHL’s most dominant regular season goalie aside from Hasek, but he was fairly mediocre in the playoffs. (His GAA dropped three times, stayed the same once and rose twice). Parent won back-to-back Conn Smythes and gave his team the confidence necessary to play their aggressive, physical style. It’s impossible to overlook Parent’s dominant play in the postseason. Advantage: Saskatoon.

GRIT: The forwards aren’t particularly physical on either team. Most of the stars are strong on the puck (Hull, Nieuwendyk) but only a few are very aggressive (MacLean, Smyl & Hadfield for Saskatoon; Tkachuk, Marshall, Courtnall & Primeau for Siberia). Both defenses are fairly tough, but the presence of Clancy, Boucher and a deadly shutdown pair give Siberia an edge. Advantage: Siberia.

INTANGIBLES: Tough call here. Parent’s strong playoff performances give Saskatoon a big advantage. Additionally, Siberia has a lot of players like Bertuzzi, Tkachuk, Selanne and Hejduk with questionable playoff resumes. The argument in favor of Siberia is the wealth of experience on the blueline: 24 Stanley Cups from 7 defensemen is amazing. Despite Siberia’s experience on the blueline, I prefer Saskatoon’s superiority up front and in net. Advantage: Saskatoon.

 

[raleh]

DEFENSE: Sasktoon’s defense is fast, mobile and should be a great asset to their transition game (every defensemen except Snepsts is a strong playmaker). Saskatoon also boasts the best blueliner in the series. While I don’t consider the blueline soft, it lacks intimidation and big checking ability aside from Potvin. Siberia’s blueline still has some great puckmovers (Clancy, Boucher & Huddy) but lacks Saskatoon’s speed and mobility. They make up for it with superior checking and toughness (Clancy, Daneyko and Manson). I give a small edge to the Bears; I think they have a much stronger, tougher blueline, and haven’t sacrificed too much offense. Advantage: Siberia.

With all due respect to who I consider one of the most informed posters in the draft, I fail to see how Potvin is the only defenceman on this team who is intimidating and has the ability to deliver the big hit. He wasn't called "bashing" Bill Barilko for nothing. He was as physical a player as they come and he is oozes with big checking ability. Barilko and Potvin is even more of a ***** to play against than my duo of Boivin and Harper. They'll crush you and then score on you.

 

[pitseleh]

I'm going with the gutsy pick and calling an upset. Why? I think this series comes down to goaltending. Parent is one of the best clutch goalies ever. Along with Broda, Fuhr, Smith and Cheevers, he's a guy whose value is really boosted in a draft with a playoff component.

I'm going to have to say the same thing. I think this one has a good chance of being an upset.

I can see Potvin/Barilko along with Saskatoon's third line having the ability to at least contain Siberia's first unit. After that, I see Saskatoon's first and second lines having a field day with any of Siberia's other three lines.

Siberia will have to rely on their defensemen picking up a bulk of the defensive load and getting the puck out to their forwards to try and pick up goal scoring off the rush.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

With all due respect to who I consider one of the most informed posters in the draft, I fail to see how Potvin is the only defenceman on this team who is intimidating and has the ability to deliver the big hit. He wasn't called "bashing" Bill Barilko for nothing. He was as physical a player as they come and he is oozes with big checking ability. Barilko and Potvin is even more of a ***** to play against than my duo of Boivin and Harper. They'll crush you and then score on you.

You're absolutely right about Barilko. A careless mistake on my part.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Game 1:

• Starting the series in Russia, the heavily biased crowd looms large over the Blues. Early in the 1st, Barilko messes up a breakout pass and a streaky Hull intercepts, he blasts the shot passed Parent for an early lead.
  
• Hejduk builds on the lead when a give and go with Nieuwendyk spins Wesley right round, yes, like a record baby.
  
• The Blues are able to get one back when a determined Stastny weaves his way through the Bears defence and passes back to Gartner who one times it with a head of steam.
  
• Not to let the momentum shift, Joe Mullen gets his nose dirty to get whack the puck through Parents pads.
  
• Midway through the third, Hull stops any hope of a comeback with another cannon goal.

The Siberian Bears lead the Saskatoon Blues 1 game to 0 after a 4-1 win.

 

[pnep]

cool

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Nice job incorporating a Dead or Alive reference into your summary. (Actually, I hate that band, so maybe that's a bad thing).

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Nice job incorporating a Dead or Alive reference into your summary. (Actually, I hate that band, so maybe that's a bad thing).

Yeah, they do suck, but, I like to have some fun with these write ups.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Game 2:

• The Blues are still a bit intimidated by the Siberian crowd which gets them off to a slow start again. Clancy capitalizes this time, pinching from the point to score.
  
• The Blues battle through and Mosienko sets up Hawerchuk for the tying goal.
  
• Late in the first, and ugly incident when Tkachuk crashes the net, toppling over Parent. Ross calls a timeout and Parent's right arm is clearly sore. Hextall gets the call as Parent goes to the dressing room with the trainer.
  
• The Blues come out hard in the 2nd, peppering Durnan with shots but he turns most of them away. Hadfield is able to deflect in a Potvin point shot.
  
• Parent is still off the ice in the third. Hextall held the fort in the 2nd, but, begins to break down in the 3rd after taking a Hull slapshot off the mask. Selanne and Ullman both get goals.
  
• As Hextall gets mad he takes a bad penalty when the Blues are trying to come back. On the Powerplay, Nichols gets the icing on the cake goal.

The Siberian Bears lead the Saskatoon Blues 2 game to 0 after a 5-2 win.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Game 3:

• The series shifts to Canada where the Blues are hoping to use home ice to their advantage just as the Bears did in Russia. Starting the game with fire in their belly, Mahovalich knocks in the rebound from a long shot by Potvin.
  
• Potvin and Barilko maintain the momentum with a strong physical showing against Hull. Early pressure yields no results, but, midway through the first, Hull is entering the Blues zone with the puck and Potvin steps up to level him. Both men are sent flying and the play is stopped, they shake out the cobwebs and get up healthy. Potvin looks at Hull and wags his finger at him.
  
• In the second, it is more of the same as Hawerchuk fires a laser past Durnan.
  
• In the third, the Bears try to mount a comeback, but, Potvin's stellar physical defense is able to hold Hull in check, while Parent stonewalls Ullman, Sellanne, Hejduk and the rest.
  
• Lemaire adds an empty netter.

The Siberian Bears lead the Saskatoon Blues 2 game to 1 after a 3-0 defeat.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Quick Summary:

In Game 4, the battle between Hull and Potvin continues with both trading licks. Saskatoon wins a wide open battle 6-4. Back in the USSR, Blake knows how lucky he is. Home ice advantage gets Hull away from Potvin occasionally, and he capitalizes with a 2 goal performance in a 3-2 win. Back in Saskatoon, Potvin is not only able to shut Hull down, he gets a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win.

Game 7: With the series on the line, Bernie Parent earns his paycheck. He stops shots from all comers, including Bobby Hull, earning him countless bruises. But nothing deters him. For the first 30 minutes, Durnan, while not tested as much, is Parents equal. But, Saskatoon mounts some offense late in the third, and finally, on a penalty against Tkachuk, a Dennis Potvin slapshot finds it's way past Bill Durnan. Clancy and Hull do everything they can to tie it up, but, Parent is up to the task. Early in the 3rd, the Hull brothers fight, Bobby wins, but Dennis fires up his team for a late offensive rush. Lemaire beats Durnan through the five hole for the icing on the cake. Blues win 2-0.

The Saskatoon Blues defeat the Siberian Bears 4 games to 3.

Three Stars:
1. Bernie Parent
2. Bobby Hull
3. Dennis Potvin