ATD 2017 Bios

[ResilientBeast]

Russell Bowie

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Thank you to TDMM and Dreakmur for the bulk of this

Awards and Achievements:
Stanley Cup Champion (1899)
Allan Cup Champion (1909)
Montreal Victorias Captain

ECHA First Team All-Star (1905)

Charles Coleman's 1893 to 1926 All-Star Team from The Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1 (ahead of Cy Denneny, Frank Foyston, Didier Pitre, Gord Roberts, etc)


Offensive Accomplishments:
Goals - 1st(1901), 1st(1903), 1st(1904), 1st(1905), 1st(1908), 1st(1909*), 2nd(1900), 2nd(1902), 2nd(1906), 2nd(1907), 3rd(1899)

Reconstructed Assists: 1st(1904), 1st(1908), 2nd(1906), 3rd(1903), 7th(1907)
(not recorded in 1901, 1902, or 1905)

Rconstructed Points - 1st(1901), 1st(1903), 1st(1904), 1st(1905), 1st(1906), 1st(1907), 1st(1908), 1st(1909*), 2nd(1900), 2nd(1902), 3rd(1899)


TDMM does a better job making the offensive case for him so I'll just quote his post from the HOH top centers project

This is a study of Russell Bowie I did a couple years ago, when I had access to SIHR's statistical database. If we were judging players strictly on how they did against their peers, Bowie would be our #2 behind Gretzky and ahead of Lemieux, but of course, level of competition MUST be taken into account, and hockey was still a developing league when Bowie played.

Bowie was a part of the first generation of hockey players to actually grow up at a time when competitive hockey was a thing. So I do have much more respect for their talents than the previous 1890s generation, none of whom played competitive hockey as children because there was no competitive hockey. Still, we have reasons to believe his generation was significantly weaker than the one that followed; those will be discussed after the study.

IF YOU WANT TO READ CONTEMPORARY QUOTES DESCRIBING RUSSELL BOWIE, GO TO THIS PROFILE AND SCROLL DOWN: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=59476193&postcount=66. The rest of this post will be statistical in nature, because scoring goals was what Bowie was best at, and goal scoring is the one reliable statistic we have from the era.

Over the course of Bowie's athletic prime, he basically doubled the second best goal scorer

From 1899 to 1908, Bowie scored 239 goals in 80 games (2.99 GPG). Blair Russell, the next closest scorer, had 109 goals in 67 games (1.62)

Bowie scored 219% as many goals as his closest competitor - his advantage drops to "only" 184% on a per-game basis. (Compare to Wayne Gretzky who scored 187% as many points as 2nd place Mark Messier from 1979-80 to 1993-94).

Bowie's most dominant season was 1901, when he scored 24 goals despite missing one of his team's eight games. The next highest scorer had 10 goals. Bowie scored more goals in seven games than the entire Quebec team did in eight games. However, competition was still pretty weak in 1901. Most of the HHOFers of the era didn't really get going until a couple years later. Bowie continued to dominate the HHOFers, but not by quite as ridiculous a margin.

Even if you cherrypick the absolute best years of the best players of the decade, Bowie easily beats them - and remember, Bowie's prime lasted much longer than these guys

Frank McGee vs. Russell Bowie (1903-1906)
McGee = 71 goals
Bowie = 106 goals
Bowie beat McGee by 33% over the entire course of McGee's career

Ernie Russell vs. Russell Bowie (1905-1908)
Russell = 90 goals
Bowie = 127 goals
Bowie beat Russell by 29%

Tommy Phillips vs. Russell Bowie (1905-1908)
Phillips = 94 goals
Bowie = 127 goals
This is not quite comparable because these are different leagues, but is worth noting that Bowie, while probably not quite in his prime anymore, scored 26% more goals than Tommy Phillips during Phillips absolute prime.

SIHR counted assists based off the detailed newspaper accounts in the era. This data suggests that Bowie could get the puck to his teammates better than most other players in the era.

No players have assists recorded for them in 1901, 1902, or 1905.

These are the only 5 seasons of his career for which we have assist data.

• His finishes: 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 7th
• His VS2 scores: 100, 100, 100, 75, 60
• His VS1 scores: 100, 89, 75, 56, 33

At 0.50 assists per game, Bowie would be second to Alf Smith's 0.72 in reconstructed assists for the era, and he didn't have star linemates to pass to like Smith did (Smith took kind of a Wayne Cashman or Bert Olmstead role to Frank McGee and later Marty Walsh)
vast majority of hockey's top talents of the time were playing in these leagues.

Bowie's league/competition
Bowie played in the CAHL and the ECAHA, which were actually the same league under different names, between 1899 and 1908, which were not the only leagues in the world, but they were certainly the best leagues in the world. This line of leagues would eventually change its name to the NHA. The majority of hockey's top talents of the time were playing in these leagues.

The Stanley Cup was usually controlled by these leagues.

The question of course becomes "How strong was the overall hockey world before 1910?"

Bowies overall scoring finishes

• Bowie led the major hockey world in goals 5 times: He led the CHL/ECHA in 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1908.
• He finished 2nd in goals 3 times: 1902, 1906, 1907.
• If you add in reconstructed assists for all players, Bowie led the major hockey world in points 7 times. He finished a close 2nd in goals in 1906 and 1907 to 2 different players, but reconstructed assists for every player would give him enough to finish 1st in points both seasons. He would still finish 2nd in points for 1902.

Ranking Bowie

It should be clear why I would call Bowie the "Wayne Gretzky of pre-1910 hockey." His statistical dominance over his peers is staggering. The cream of the pre-1910 crop can be broken down into Star Scorer (Bowie), Star Defenseman (Hod Stuart), Star Two-Way Forward (Tommy Phillips, a who will come up in the winger project). Bowie had the best longevity of the three of them.

Two important questions remain:

1) How impressive was it actually to dominate pre-1910 hockey?
2) Should Russell Bowie be the next pre-consolidation center we add, or should we wait until the 2nd tier of 1910-1926 guys (MacKay, Fredrickson, Keats IMO) shows up?

Bowie led the Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) in 1900/01 with 24 goals, despite his missing one of his team's eight matches. The next-best player had 10 goals. Hall-of-Fame forwards like Harry Trihey, Art Farrell, Rat Westwick, Bruce Stuart and Blair Russel could manage no more than 10 goals, yet Bowie put in 24. Bowie scored more goals than the entire Quebec hockey club did. Like Gretzky and Orr at their best, Bowie was playing the game at a different level.

Havilland Routh and Art Hooper also pass the Gretzky-Orr threshold, but only for a single season each. Bowie possessing three of the top seven seasons here demonstrates that his appearance at the top of the list is no fluke. He had three seasons that were better than anything Howie Morenz or Cyclone Taylor ever did. It doesn't matter how great you believe Russell Bowie was; you're probably still underrating him.

TDMM: Iain defines "better" as "dominating his peers." The ATD, on the other hand, has long recognized that hockey developed a lot between Bowie's generation and Cyclone Taylor's. If it didn't, we'd be drafting Bowie before Taylor.

The Ottawa Free Press picks the following as Canada's greatest seven ; Goal - Hauge (Ottawa) Point - Pulford (Ottawa); Cover Kennedy (Wanderers) Rover - Bowie (Victorias); Center - McGee (Ottawa); Right - Alf Smith (Ottawa); Left - Phillips (Kenora) (

Russell Bowie was by long odds the most effective player on the Victorian team. He showed great stickhandling ability, his rushes easily being on the features of the game.

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Hynes was ruled off for for tripping and then in a scramble Russell's nose broken compelling his retirement. Hill went off with him to even up. Bowie was upset and laid out temporarily. From an offside face Webster got in a shot from quarter way again tieing the score. The St Georges at this stage had all the better of it and when Hynes and Bowie were ruled off for scraping the Saint's superiority was quickly manifested.

Russell Bowie disguised in the sweater of the Montreal Bank team was in the Victoria squad which turned out before Wanderers' practice last night. It was just by way of a little exercise but if the Vics are badly in need of a forward perhaps the famous rover will be seen in the game again this winter. Vics will surely be in need of a man if Bowie is available and his turnout was welcome sight to the club officials.

There are many who maintain that Russell Bowie was the greatest centre ice player the game has known. Certainly his amazing total of 234 goals in 80 scheduled league games during ten years of play puts him in a class by himself. An average of almost three goals per game in his career is not likely to be challenged.

During his ten years of play he led the goal scorers five times. Practically every all-tar team listed during that decade and years afterwards had Bowie in the lineup.

Like Wayne Gretzky, Bowie was one of the most difficult players of his era to keep track of. Although he was invariably a “marked man,†his agility usually kept him out of harm’s way. A wizard with the ood, he used his skates to shield the rubber as he swung through the enemy line with a deftness that defied description.

Russell Bowie kept the puck close to his body and was said to have had brilliant hand-eye coordination. Picture Wayne Gretzky before Wayne Gretzky.

Russell Bowie, who toiled at center ice for the turn-of-the-century Victorias, has been called, by hard-line old-timers, the greatest pivotman to play the game…was a perpetual All-Star.

Russell "Dubbie" Bowie began playing hockey in his hometown of Montreal at Tucker School and remained an amateur throughout his career. "I am an amateur, was an amateur, and will die an amateur," he said after his playing days were over. Well-known as a music lover, Dubbie once rejected a unique offer of a grand piano as a signing bonus from the Montreal Wanderers to turn pro with that club. So sure of his acceptance were the Wanderers that club officials even had the piano delivered to Bowie's home the day of a game in anticipation of his turning pro and playing! However, Bowie flatly rejected the offer and ordered the piano removed from his home.

He attributed his stickhandling prowess to the fact that he always used a short stick. "Mine came only up to my armpits," he stated. Bowie once scored ten goals in a game and totaled 234 goals over ten-year career of only 80 games, a career average of almost three goals per game. He played with the Montreal Victorias for his entire career, winning a Stanley Cup as an eighteen-year-old with the Vics in 1898. Bowie ultimately retired when the professional National Hockey Association (NHA) formed in 1909 and he never played again except in exhibition matches. Bowie continued his association with the game he loved as a referee for many years after his playing days had ended.

It is almost 20 years since Russell Bowie hung up his stick for good, but today he is still remembered as one of the greatest players of the game. He played for over a decade with Victorias and in that time was easily the best scorer in hockey as well as being the outstanding stick-handler of the epoch. He was on a Stanley Cup winning team when he was only 18 years old, but it is significant that nearly 20 years later when he performed in a veterans’ game, arranged as a benefit contest, it was admitted that he still ranked with the best.

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The slight, almost frail rover of the Victorias played during what was probably the roughest era of hockey for he was a starred member of Victorias when the Silver Seven was in its heyday. It took more than ability to score goals to get by against such stalwarts as McGee, Pulford and the Smiths but even in this company, Bowie, over a period of ten years, was the leading scorer in the Eastern Canada Hockey Association. Bowie was probably the shiftiest player that ever carried a puck. He could nurse the disc between his skates and swing through the opposition, avoiding checks, with a deftness that beggars description. He was probably also one of the brainiest players who ever handled a stick. And, though he was a marked man in every game he played, he led the E.C.H.A in scoring in practically every season from 1900 to 1909. When the National Hockey Association was formed, the amateur Vics dropped from competition and Bowie never played again except in exhibition matches.

It would take columns of pace to tell of his scoring feats. It was a customary thing for him to perform the hat-trick and he has scored as high as 10 goals in a single game. He tallied 30 or more goals every season in the days when teams seldom played more than 10 games during the regular schedule. In 1916, he was coaxed out of retirement to play an exhibition for the regimental funds of the 148th battalion with the local seven composed of veterans like himself. They played against the Silver Seven, their greatest rivals of 10 years before, and Bowie got four goals. He had been out of hockey for almost seven seasons.

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Another story is told of Bowie that is a good example of how he won games with his head as well as his stick. Playing against Quebec in a close game, Bowie was checked by Joe Hall, just as a team-mate was about to pass the puck. “Too bad, Joe, it’s in the net,†Bowie whispered in Hall’s ear. The Quebec defenceman looked up immediately relaxing his attention and then there was a swift movement of Bowie’s stick. And Hall saw then that the puck really was in the net.

Ultimate Hockey's All-Star Team of the 1900s

Ultimate Hockey’s “Best Sniper†of the 1900s
Ultimate Hockey’s “Best Stick-Handler†of the 1900s

…known from ocean to ocean, and was even celebrated in the United States, as many judged by the fact they called Hobby Baker the American Russel Bowie.

Bowie was recognized as the trickiest player on skates, and the most effective scoring player in the game.

Perhaps one of the greatest players to ever don a pair of skates…. Feared by such greats as Frank McGee, Harvey Pulford, Harry Westwick, Alf and Harry Smith, Billy Gilmour and Arthur Moore of the Ottawa Silver Seven…. Bowie is listed in what is believed to be the first all-star team ever selected in major hockey in 1905.

Bowie picked the puck out of a scuffle and gallantly broke clear of the melee.

Russell Bowie is certainly the king-pin of the Vics, and one of the best stickhandlers who ever put skates on.

From the Vics’ point of view, there was only one man on the ice. That was Russell Bowie. Speedy, a beautiful stickhandler and a rattling shot, he won the match for the Vics.

Russell Bowie played and gave an excellent performance in spite of the many difficulties under which he labored.

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Allen and Bowie appeared to do the lion’s share of the attack…. Bowie performed several neat feats but was unfortunate and again he was well watched.

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The Victorias indulged in several rattling combinations that were good to look at. Bert Strachan, Bowie, and Allen were responsible for most of this style of work and it was done in good order too…

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Play had hardly started when Fairbanks handed out a stiff cross-check and went off; Bowie dropping back to cover.

Of the 4 forwards mentions (on the 1905 All-Star Team), Bowie is perhaps the slowest skater. But Bowie does not win games with his skates. His head and hands have brought him the reputation he holds as the most effective scoring player in the game.

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Bowie, in the minds of the rooted who have followed the game for year, is the trickiest hockey player that ever stepped on the ice.

Russell Bowie, captain of the Victorias…

… Russell Bowie, the stellar rover of the Victorias...

The close checking from both sides was one of the features of the game… Bowie is always a closely watched player, but he was given more than the average amount of attention Saturday night. Every time the Irishmen’s goals were threatened there were cries from all parts of the rink to “watch Bowieâ€. But the Vics star was in great form in the first half, beating out ________ for three of the Vics goals and giving the Shamrock goaler close calls on half a dozen other occasions. He was right in the nets at every opportunity, ready for one of those lightning shots that would follow a pass from the side. Besides this, in the first half, he did more than his share of carrying the disc through the Shamrock defense… The checking was very close and a good deal of it was foul work. The Shamrocks used their sticks pretty freely early in the game, and the officials let things go a while without penalties.

…Bowie dashing in on the net, banged in a rebound… Bowie, coming through like a flash, picked it out, and, swinging around to the front of the nets, placed his team in the lead for the final time.

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Nothing could keep Bowie away from the nets, and his eyes and wrists are apparently as quick as ever. He tired under the close attention he was receiving, however, but even then, when he looked all in, he would break away with a fine show of reserve strength.

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…and then when the results were assured. Bowie was covered by Frank Glass like a home player on a lacrosse team, and cross-checked and buffeted about every time he came near the Wanderers goal. Once he was provoked to retaliation, with the result that both he and Glass were banished to the box for a five-minute rest.

I see Russell Bowie is up to his old tricks of making the goal-keeper look like a wooden Indian in front of a cigar store. There was one great player who could have filled in his own figures to the N.H.A. contract if he wanted to participate in the pro league. To my mind he was the greatest player that ever lived. He was fast and brainy. His stick was a magnet to the puck and he walked right in on the defence before he ever thought of shooting. He worried every goal-keeper whether he had the puck or not and gave punishment, never got any and sent hundreds of players to the side by faking an injury. He had a great trick of playing the rubber to the boards and if his check blocked the puck, he would clap his hand to his head or side and drop to one knee. The referee would instantly stop the game and under the impression Bowie had been shortended, chase the other fellow to the penalty box. Aside from his tricks, he had the goods.

Staunchly Amateur:

Just to illustrate what a difference a few years can make, they tell a story about Dubbie Bowie when that outstanding hockey player was making the opposition look silly on behalf of Victorias a generation ago.

Dubbie, rated with the greatest players of all time, was an “amateur†in the strict sense of the word. If you offered him a nickel for scoring five goals, or something like that, you would likely find yourself flat on your back with a raging hockey player warning you not to try that “bribery†again.

Bowie, who from 1905-09, was the Howie Morenz of his day, once refused the fabulous offer of $3000 plus $4 per minute for a 12-game season with a professional club.

In 1906, as numerous teams and players were becoming more open about being professional, Bowie considered retiredment.

Russell Bowie did not play with the Vics, and is considered to have robbed them of a victory.

When the Victorias appeared, Russell Bowie was there, and this gave rise to the story that he will play again this season. It is quite true that the former captain has repeatedly said he is out of the game, but his presence at two practices seems to indicate he has more than a passing interest in the team. Russel, Cavie Howard, and Gilbert will play, so that if Bowie would come out, it would make a sturdy forward line, and give the Victorias an attack that would face any line set against them and be able to flourish to the maximium of excitement.

 

[Dreakmur]

Terry Harper !!!


Awards and Achievements:
5 x Stanley Cup Champion (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971)


Norris voting - 5th(1964), 8th(1967), 9th(1966), 9th(1973), 9th(1975), 9th(1976)
All-Star voting - 6th(1967), 7th(1964), 9th(1975), 10th(1973), 13th(1974), 13th(1978), 15th(1976), 16th(1968), 17th(1970)


1976 Coaches' Poll
5th Best Defensive Defenseman

Top 2 DEF Who Had The Most PK Ice Time With That(elite defensive) Teams

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DEFs Come Up Multiple Times

DEF | #
Chris "Cheli" Chelios |9
xxxx xxxx |6
Denis "Baby Bear" Potvin |5
Ray "Bubba" Bourque |5
Serge "The Senator" Savard |4
Mike "Rammer" Ramsey |4
Scott "Captain Crunch" Stevens |4
Tim "Superman" Horton |4
Nicklas "Lidas" Lidstrom |4
Terry "Harp" Harper | 3
Guy "Pointu" Lapointe |3
Bill White |3
Jim "Schony" Schoenfeld |3

Metrics used here:
1. % of even strength goals for which the defenceman was awarded a point while on the ice. The lower the number, the more defensive the defenceman. The list is selected and sorted using this.
2. Penalty killing usage and power play usage are also listed. More PK and less PP = more defensive, in general.

Rk | Player | GP | ESP% | PK% | PP%
1 | Don Awrey | 842 | 0.17 | 45% | 4%
2 | Ken Daneyko | 1286 | 0.18 | 43% | 4%
3 | Ken Morrow | 550 | 0.18 | 48% | 1%
4 | Dave Burrows | 724 | 0.18 | 53% | 13%
5 | Jeff Beukeboom | 804 | 0.20 | 40% | 5%
6 | Brian Engblom | 659 | 0.20 | 40% | 16%
7 | Robyn Regehr | 744 | 0.21 | 48% | 16%
8 | Craig Ludwig | 1256 | 0.21 | 52% | 2%
9 | Normand Rochefort | 598 | 0.21 | 40% | 12%
10 | Terry Harper | 795 | 0.22 | 53% | 9%
11 | Kjell Samuelsson | 813 | 0.22 | 49% | 8%
12 | Bill Hajt | 854 | 0.22 | 57% | 5%
13 | Ed van Impe | 639 | 0.22 | 46% | 12%
14 | Ted Harris | 598 | 0.23 | 44% | 5%
15 | Andre Dupont | 810 | 0.23 | 39% | 14%

Terry Harper was a product of the Montreal Canadiens farm system who played the first 10 of his 19 NHL seasons with the club. A big, hard-nosed blue liner, Harper established himself as one of the league's toughest custoemrs and helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup five times.

Harper excelled in the NHL because he could play a strong defensive game. Lacking though he was in finesse, he could clear traffic in his own end. Any opposing forward who stayed in front of the Montreal net would likely get a visit from Harper. His highest point total with the Habs was 22, a mark he achieved twice in consecutive year, starting in 1969-70. Although his skating was hampered due to his accident as a youngster, he was as tough as any player in the NHL - if not a very good fighter. Perhaps under-appreciated by Montreal fans at the Forum, he was invaluable during tough road games.

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His strong defensive play helped the Habs overcome the mighty Boston Bruins in the first round.

Rarely the most elegant or exciting player to watch, Harper improved his play through hard work and developed into a reliable stay-at-home defenseman. Solid on the blue line, Harper made it possible for his more offensive-minded playing partners to join the rush.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder was one of the bigger rearguards in the league. He used his size effectively, bottling up oncoming forwards and separating them from the puck by any means necessary. Big, strong and one of the hardest hitters around, Harper had less success when the gloves came off. He won very few of his many bare-knuckle bouts but true to both his team and the unwritten rules of conduct, he never backed down from a fight.

Terry Harper enjoyed a lengthy NHL career as an aggressive, stay-at-home defenseman. A willing though not always successful fighter, Harper played for 19 seasons with Montreal, Detroit, Colorado, and St. Louis before retiring in 1981.

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Harper's got his first taste of NHL action in 1962-63. In his 3rd season of minor league hockey, Harper got the call when stalwart d-man Tom Johnson became injured. Harper filled in admirably in his 14 game appearance, supplying the same physical presence and defensive positioning that Johnson normally provided. Harper ended up finishing the year in Montreal. He participated in 5 playoff games and even scored a goal.

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The 6'1" 200lb defenseman quickly made a name for himself as a tough customer. Though he never was consider a true NHL heavyweight, there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do to help his team win. The defensive changing of the guard worked, even if it was more of a lunch-bucket crew than many great D-men groups in Montreal history. Montreal would quietly win 4 Stanley Cups by the end of the decade.

After toiling in the minor leagues for several years, Harper played 70 games with the Montreal Canadiens in 1963-64. Although he was not a flashy player, he was very effective in his own zone, ensuring the opposition forwards were kept at bay. Harper remained with the Habs for ten years, winning five Stanley Cup rings.

In 1974 the Canadiens traded Harper to the Los Angeles Kings, who were in desperate need of veteran leadership, both on the ice and off. Harper was given the captaincy and he guided the young team for two seasons before being sent to the Detroit Red Wings as part of a package deal, which saw Marcel Dionne move to the west coast.

Harper is one reason Montreal won all those years. He was willing to take the bumps on the road.

Harper is the only man on the team who knows the fundamentals of playing defense.

Scouting Reports:

Torments stars such as Phil Esposito who lurk near the Kings' net...

Terry Harper, who finally received recognition as one of the league's best, deperted in the Dionne deal, however, and he will be missed.

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Terry Harper, obtained from the Kings along with Maloney, will be around to anchor the backline and steady the young defensemen. At age 35, he's playing his best hockey.

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His arrival from Montreal started Kings onto the road as winners... Red Wings hope that he'll do the same for them after coming to Detroit in Marcel Dionne deal... One of hockey's great agitators, sacrifices himself to draw penalties.

Terry Harper was a steadying influence on the Wings' youthful defense corps when he joined the club last season. At 36, he still is going strong and should have good years left.

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Credited with strengthening L.A. defense... Great at agitating opponents into taking penalties.

There is experience and hitting ability in such players as Terry Harper...

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People enjoy joking with "Harp" that it required 895 NHL games for him to reach the 30 goal plateau, but nobody has ever quarreled with his defensive ability... Has been described as a rag doll in style but always gets job done... Has amazing capacity to agitate opponents to point where they take penalties...

Terry Harper, at 38, played in all 80 games and ranked third in the NHL in plus-minus average. Along with his own superb play, Harper was a steadying influence on a number of his younger teammates.

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A steadying influence on a young team, Harper has been called a stabilizer by GM Ted Lindsay... Known as an aggitator who enjoys physical contact.

​

 

[jarek]

Credits go to MadArcand and EagleBelfour for this bio.

Roy Worters, G

Height: 5'3''
Weight: 135 lbs
Catch: Left
Date of Birth: October 19, 1900
Place of Birth: Toronto , Ontario, Canada
Date of Death: November 07, 1957 (Age: 57)

Second All-Star Team Goalie (1932, 1934)
Hart Memorial Trophy (1929)
Vezina Trophy (1931)
Team Captain (1932-1933)
Hockey Hall of Fame (1969)

Top-5 Wins (3rd, 5th)
Top-5 Goal Against Average (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd)
Top-5 Shutouts (2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 4th, 4th, 5th)

Top-5 Playoff Wins (3rd, 4th)
Top-5 Playoff Goal Against Average (1st, 3rd, 3rd)
Top-5 Playoff Shutouts (1st, 3rd)

Hart Nomination (1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th)

Despite his 5'3" frame, the aptly named "Shrimp" Worters seemed like a giant to opposing shooters. He became one of the NHL's all-time great goalkeepers, chalking up a phenomenal 66 shutouts in only 12 seasons. But because his tenure was chiefly with the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Americans, Worters never felt the exhilaration of a Stanley Cup win.

The Pirates were weak defensively, but Worters routinely kept them competitive.

Over a nine-year span, the Americans qualified for the post-season only twice. One of those playoff appearances came in Worters' first year, after he registered a 1.15 goals-against average to elevate the play of a team that had finished in last place the year before.

Even though the Americans remained weak, Worters continued to rack up shutouts and keep his goals-against mark respectable. He was placed on the NHL Second All-Star Team in 1932 and 1934.

He never played on any powerhouses, which made his 67 shutouts, 171 wins and his durability all the more impressive.

Shrimp stood all of 5'3" and never weighed more than 130lbs, but he was a giant of the goaltending crease. Most of those 130lbs must have been from his huge heart.

Worters is seldom mentioned when discussing the greatest goalies of all time, likely because he played with some pretty bad teams. It would be tough to imagine how bad those teams would be without Worters.

In perhaps Worters' greatest accomplishment, he became the first goalie to win the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1929. After arriving from Pittsburgh after a lengthy contract dispute, Worters instantly made the Amerks into a solid team, recording a second place overall record of 16-12-10, a tremendous improvement over the last place finish the season before. That set up a memorable playoff showing with the cross-town Rangers, but the Rangers would prevail.

Despite his incredible play, the Americans remained a weak team, only qualifying for 2 playoffs in Worters 9 seasons tending goal. His 171-229-83 career won/loss record is reflective of the weak teams he played for, but his 67 career shutouts speaks volumes about just how good this guy was.

Buoyed by the acquisition of Goalie Roy Worters from the Pittsburgh Pirates the Americans come storming out of the gate making the playoffs for the first time in since moving to New York with a solid record of 19-13-2, good enough for 2nd place. The diminutive Worters listed at 5'3" went on to become the first Goalie to win the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP with an amazing 1.21 GAA. Facing the New York Rangers in a total goal series Worters would keep the Rangers off the board in the first game. However, the Americans would be unable to score either as the Rangers final won the series 1-0 in overtime of Game 2.

Worters finished the 1930-31 season with a 1.61 goals-against average, and was awarded the Vezina Trophy.

He played on a terrible team – the Americans – who didn’t even make the playoffs (They finished with an 18-16-10 total.) that season.

The Amerks scored only 76 goals in 44 games (The league’s average was 105.), which was tied with the pathetic Philadelphia Quakers, who won only four contests.

Worters held his rivals to only 74 goals, and had the NHL’s most ties – 10.

And, while literally standing on his head, he wasn’t even selected to the first or second All-Star teams.

Worters played so well that first year the New Yorkers, that he lifted his club out of the basement and into the playoffs. For his heroics, Roy was awarded the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player.
Shrimp's finest season was 1931, when he racked up a stingy 1.68 goal-against-average and won the Vezina Trophy as the loop's top stopper. There was one small problem though; the Americans' forwards sometimes seemed unable to score any goals. Despite Roy's artful acrobatics in goal, the Americans failed to make the playoffs.
Worters played six more years with the punchless Americans, performing admirably, but unable to single-handedly carry his club to the playoffs. He finally retired in 1937.

Although the goaltending theory has always been ''the more net filled the better'', Worters amply demonstrated that a tiny man with catlike moves could play as well - or better - than the best of the big ones. Worters was the best of the little men and, in the opinion of some, the best of them all.

1929 Playoff Semi-Final: Americans vs. Rangers, Game 1
The fans were given sixty minutes of thrills in the first game with both sides having many chances but Worters was impregnable

Lionel became an NHL coach as well, although what success he had with the floundering New York Americans belonged mostly to the tiny goaltender, Roy Worters, a marvellous competitor - at 5 ft. 3 and 135 pounds.

An acrobatic midget of barely 125 pounds, Roy Worters, rose to the topmost heights of goal tending brilliance to thwart the big, bruising Toronto Maple Leafs and give the New York Americans a sensational 1-0 victory before 14.000 enthusiastic fans here last night.

The counter that exploded Toronto hopes for a quick and decisive victory came at 16:15 of the middle frame. From then on the match belonged strictly to Tiny Worters.

Worters the Hero
There was handshaking and back-slapping for everyone, but to Worters went the credit for the win, even though curly-haired Joe Jerwa did score the lone goal. Without Worters one goal would not have been enough to halt the Leafs in the third period.

He [Dutton] lauded Worters, posing for pictures with the little goalie, hugging him affectionately.

"I never saw anything like Worters in that third period," Smythe declared. "He was wonderful."

Roy Worters, 57, former National Hockey League goalie who was small in stature, but a giant in reputation, died Thursday at his home after a lengthy illness.

[Jack Adams:]"Shrimp was one of the greatest netminders of all time. He was a truly great player and a smart businessman."

[Clarence Campbell:]"Apart from his prowess as a goalkeeper, he was a fine citizen and as such a real credit to hockey."

[Frank Selke:]"Roy was one of the truly great goalies and a fellow who never lost interest in hockey as long as he lived."

On a Boucher - Bun Cook combination the latter swooped down on the Pirate goal but Worters toppled him.

Little Roy Worters, who isn't much younger than the NHL's oldest goaltender, will be back between the posts. In training here, Worters has shown no signs of slipping from among the game's best custodians. For years he has been acknowledged without many peers.

Roy was so small, only 5'11'', 130 pounds, that little of him showed above the crossbar in goal, but he had cat-like reflexes, a good eye and outstanding courage...

...his lack of size was no handicap.

I asked Sweeney Schriner about Roy Worters on Wednesday and Dave said: 'You know when I was reading about Roy, my first thought was why did they wait for so long to put him in the Hall of Fame? I felt he should have been in before me, because he was older (Sweeney was inducted in 1964). He was one of the greatest of goaltenders."
Schriner felt that Worters' ability in fending off pucks with the back of his glove was one of his biggest assets. "He could knock off shots with ease. He was also very good with his feet, the little stinker. I always maintained he was one of the greatest goaltenders hockey has ever known." Sweeney only played one season with Worters but he found him, like so many others, to be a man who didn't have an enemy.
"He was in the twilight of his career when I played with him," Sweeney was saying, "but even then he was one of the greats of the game. I was surprised he wasn't in the Hall earlier."

Worters performed brilliantly in the net and prevented several sure scores.

...Roy Worters, goaltender, declared by experts one of the greatest net guardians the game ever has known.

During his two years with the Yellow Jackets he was scored on fewer times than any goalie in either group of the United States Amateur Hockey association, holding the opposition to a fraction less than one goal a game for 81 games, a record not before heard of even in Canadian hockey circles.

Every club in the NHL sought Worters' services, but Pittsburgh had the first call and was not hesitant in meeting his terms.

 

[jarek]

Credit to Velociraptor for the basis of this bio, and seventieslord for some significant extra information

Doug Mohns, D/LW

HT/WT: 6'0", 185 lbs
Handedness: Left
Nickname(s): Diesel
Born: December 13th, 1933 in Capreol, ON

- 2-time Stanley Cup Finalist (1957, 1958)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game 7 times (as non SC-winner) (1954, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1972)
- Top-10 in All-Star Voting 5 Times - LW - (3rd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th)
- Top-10 in All-Star Voting 3 Times - D - (5th, 7th, 10th)
- Finished 9th in 1962 Hart Voting
- scored 248 goals and 462 assists for 710 points in 1390 games, adding 1250 penalty minutes.
- scored 14 goals and 36 assists for 50 points in 94 games, adding 122 penalty minutes.

Top 10 Finishes:
Goals - 1x - (7)
Assists - 2x (9, 10)
Plus/Minus - 1x - (7)
Even Strength Goals - 1x - (7)
Power Play Goals - 1x - (6)
Shorthanded Goals - 1x - (2)
Game Winning Goals - 1x - (4)
Scoring among defensemen - 4x - (2, 2, 3, 5)
Playoff Assists (1958) - (2)

Voting Record

Norris Voting Record:

5th (56-57), 5th (61-62), 8th (59-60), 8th (69-70), 10th (60-61), 10th (63-64), 11th (62-63)

Quotes

Hey kid, slow down, do you want to make the rest of us look bad?

Doug Mohns does not know his own strength

I like the way you handle yourself on the ice, you’re strong on your feet and you’re not afraid to throw your weight around, and I must say, you have one hell of a shot

I would take Mohns in a fight against anybody in the league

Legends of Hockey

Doug Mohns grew up in Capreol, Ontario where railway culture and hockey were the kings of time well spent. It is no surprise that, in such a setting, he would earn the nickname "Diesel" out of respect for the manner in which his piston-like legs could dig into the ice and propel him forward like a locomotive.

Over the eleven seasons that followed, Mohns became an anchor on the Bruins' defense with his blueline partner, Fernie Flaman. Mohns' mobility and puckhandling skills made him a fan favourite with the Boston crowd. In 1959-60, he became only the second rearguard in NHL history to score 20 goals in a single season.

In 1964-65, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. There, his versatility began to show as his superior speed earned him a spot on left wing with "Scooter Line" members Stan Mikita and Ken Wharram. Naturally, Mohns' point totals increased dramatically over his blueline days.

By 1970-71, the veteran skater was back at his original NHL trade as a defenseman. From then on, until his retirement in 1975, he worked as a stay-at-home defender who added stability and leadership to the young lineups he supported in Minnesota, Atlanta, and, finally, Washington where he hung up his blades after 22 big-league campaigns.

dougmohns.com, Biography

Doug became known as Doug "Diesel" Mohns, named by one of his team mates, Ralph Willis. This proved to be a fitting name for the young hockey player from a railroad town . Not only did he possess a booming shot but his speed and strength was extraordinary.

Doug’s strength, speed, and shooting skills, were obviously quite apparent because players began making comments

both Doug and Don McKenney were chosen as the two most skilled Boston Bruins players, in the late 1950’s, and were flown to Detroit to represent their team in the leagues skills contest.

Doug surfaced as one of the best players on the team and certainly one of the most versatile players in the league.

Few players in the league could play as well at both positions. This made him a valuable asset to his team. He was not only used as a point man on the power play but he was also called upon when the team was short handed . He became a core member who helped to make up the nucleus of his team. Doug was paired with Ferny Flaman on defense during the middle to late 50’s and they became one of the most respected pairings in the league because of their combined strength, speed and savy."Diesel Doug,"as he was called, was arguably the fastest skater with the hardest shot and was the second defenseman in the league to ever score 20 goals in a season.

It may be that he is the only player to ever do so. At any rate it attests to his depth of talent.
The Black Hawks were looking to fill a void on defense and Doug was just what they were looking for. He had an excellent training camp, and his years with the Bruins had shown he was highly adept at playing either left wing or defense.

Doug did receive more than his share of injuries during his career. Mainly because he was a physical player.

Boston. Contracted as a left winger, this time, he was soon asked to fill a void on defense. Doug’s experience, versatility , and presence were a tremendous lift to the team and it helped carry his new team into the playoffs that year. As it turned out Doug was one of the players chosen for the second all-star position for the first half of the 1971-72 season.

...strength he blended well with Doug’s savvy, speed and mobility.

Some further insights by seventieslord:

- He’s right in the same ballpark as Pratt as a peak offensive producer (defense VsX scores of 136, 107, 107, 98, 94, 77, 75) – and yes, this only includes years he was actually a defenseman, and in many of which he earned all-star and/or Norris votes to support that. He’s a legit #1 PP defenseman in this thing. (EDIT: A 1961-62 OPC card states that "two seasons ago he scored 20 goals playing left wing steadily". This was what would be his best offensive season as a defenseman. I remember being skeptical about it in the past, but I thought I verified it and I also thought that much was made of him scoring 20 as a defenseman, but I must have been wrong.. In my thread here where some of us go over which switch hitters played which positions in which seasons, Mohns is in fact listed as a LW by pnep for the 1959-60 season. This would make his VsXD 107, 107, 98, 94, 77, 75, 72, for a total of 630. He'd be the worst #1 PP defenseman in last year's draft, but slightly above average for a #2, and an extremely high end #3.)

- With a Norris record of 5-5-8-8-10-10-11 he lacks the high end all-around season of others taken higher, but has good consistency

- He was also 3rd twice in all-star voting as a LW, neither time significantly behind the 2nd team all-star.

- This voting record is backed up by 7 All-star games on merit, indicating he was a guy who was always known as a very good, if not great player

- With those offensive numbers and relative lack of Norris recognition you’d think that made him the “offensive specialist” of his time. But besides years where he was 7th and 9th in PPP, he did not rely on the PP to score his points to an abnormal degree.

- In fact, Mohns scored enough SHP in his career (11) that it’s safe to conclude he was a regular penalty killer at all stages of his career, except his first three as a winger: He had three in eight seasons from the defense with Boston, then five in five seasons as a two-way Chicago forward, then three more in his six seasons as a defensive expansion era defenseman.

- Mohns’ record as a post-expansion player is captured in numbers to some degree: in 1970, he was 2nd in TOI on Chicago in his first season as a D-man in 6 years – even ahead of Bill White. In 1972, he was a close #2 on a Minnesota squad that had a very strong top-4 and came 2nd in goals against. Then at age 41 in 1975, he was Washington’s #2 (but best all around) defenseman all season. There are three lower TOI seasons mixed in there, but on the whole, Mohns played about 21.8 minutes a game in those six years, and even including the worst team of all-time, 1974-75 Washington, that was achieved for above average teams as a whole. (EDIT - the 1971-72 OPC card mentions Minnesota put Mohns at forward when they acquired him during 1970-71, which has something to do with his lower TOI numbers in that season at least)

- Mohns killed 23% of his team’s penalties as a forward in 1968 and 1969, and was almost certainly used similarly pre-expansion for Chicago. This was 2nd unit minutes but for a very strong penalty killing team. He then killed 39% of penalties for Chicago, Minnesota, briefly Atlanta, and Washington as a 36-41 year old.

- Nothing seems to indicate that Mohns was deficient as a player, he had great tools – speed, shot, physicality - and was at least average sized. I’ve seen nothing that says he was bad defensively. His lack of high end voting finishes could be due to nothing more than the names that were ahead of him in the NHL at the time – Harvey, Kelly, Pilote, Horton, Pronovost, Brewer, Laperriere… and despite that, in two seasons he was just a few changed voters’ minds away from being a 2nd team all-star.

- Mohns seems like the definition of an all-around ATD utility man, who’s not really elite at anything but can be useful in a number of ways. Actually, his offensive production as a defenseman is borderline elite, to the point that he’s 1st PP unit caliber (edit: as the 2nd best point man, that is), but other than that, he’s just a guy who belongs but won’t carry a line, pairing or special teams unit. Furthermore, he played three separate roles, all well enough and for long enough that he’s passable, but not great, at any of them. This makes him sound like the perfect spare, but he’s just far too good to wait until round 20 to draft; he deserves a regular shift. In a 10-12 team draft he’d be ideal spare material.

seventieslord on Mohns' usage:

As promised, here is the info I uncovered. There are plenty more articles on Mohns; these are just the ones that speak of his positional changes that season.

A glimpse of what kind of player he was as a forward and as a defenseman. Very interesting. What historical comparison even exists for such a player?

By December of 1959-60 he was already playing forward:

When speedy Doug Mohns was playing left defense for the Bruins, it was fashionable here to refer to him as a “4th forward”. Since Mohns has been playing left wing it has become the mode to call him a “3rd defenseman”. As far as playing tactics are concerned, the latest description is surely accurate. The Bruins may have taken Doug out of the defense but they have not been able to take the defense out of Doug. He’s the only forward in the NHL who plays his check while skating backwards.

Mohns quite definitely is a better player on defense than on the wing, The Bruins, obviously, must have had good reason for the drastic move back to his old position.

Every time he gets moved, it is his speed/agility or strength/physicality that is cited as the reason why. I get the impression they wish they could dhave made a carbon copy of Mohns. Forget switching within the 1959-60 season, he switched within games:

The Bruins have a competent left defenseman taking a turn at left wing. His name is Mohns. They also have a competent LW taking a turn on defense. His name is also Mohns.

Is Mohns embarking on a new career, as a major league left winger? Or will he resume the career on defense to which he turned three years ago?

…it was Mohns, the good hockey player, not Mohns, the good left wing, who was helping the Bruins. The speed, muscle and maturity which were needed were assets he was able to provide… but if the Bruins’ forward situation was brighter with Mohns there, not so their defense situation. The defense lacked speed and agility which he furnishes, on both offense and defense. It also lacked the protection against breakaways which he supplies.

But Schmidt may have come upon a resolution of the situation in a game in which Doug scored a second period goal as a left wing. In the third period ***** receivd a 10 minute misconduct. Schmidt substituted for him by dropping Mohns back on the defense, and the speedster was great. The more he played, the better he played, and instead of being on the ice for two of every six minutes, he was on for two of every four.

again in 1959-60. As you can see he was back to defense fairly quickly.

The Bruins’ Man in Motion is Doug Mohns, whose speed and agility give him unique qualifications for the role. Mohns first went in motion in late November, shifting from his customary left defense position to left wing… ****** needed a strong-armed linemate…. Less than a month later, the Bruins’ defense needed patching… he returned to his old positon.

…As for the man in motion, Mohns also observed his switch with a fitting display, setting up a goal with a rush and finishing up with his 12th goal of the year. “We need his ability to get the puck out of our zone too much to keep him at left wing… but it’s nice to know he can step up front and do the job he did.”

Again late in the season, back to LW. Also clearly notes that a minimum of 7 of his 20 goals were scored as a forward this season:

…when Milt Schmidt becamse desperate for a left wing last November he moved Mohns back to his old position. Doug responded with 7 goals in 9 games. Then Schmidt had to put Mohns back on defense where that department required his great speed. But when the Bruins coach reorganized his lines in late February for a desperation bid for the playoffs, the first player to figure was Mohns. Schmidt put him at left wing, where he had played three months earlier… “He should help give our forward squad more power and I’ll go along with him there as long as our defense holds up without him. “

Mohns plays left wing with a bizarre touch. He comes back on defense like a defenseman, turning as he enters his side of the ice. He has other defenseman’s reflexes. But he is such a good hockey player that he has obviously strengthened his team at that position.

The following season we call him a defenseman, but it's worth noting that he played at least the first 11 games as a winger:

note the career synopsis which matches what we know by now:

The most recent experiment with Doug Mohns as a forward may be over for this season. Then again, the latest experiment with Mohns as a defenseman may only be temporary… Mohns has gone home from Boston Garden a left wing, only to find on his return the next day he has become a left defenseman. Or a right winger. Or a combination of two or more.

Mohns was put back on defense the other day after injuries to Leo Boivin and ******. He had started his previous 11 games this season as a forward.

The Bruins’ Mr. Versatility has done some traveling in his eight seasons here:

1953: started with the Bruins as a 19-year old wing

1956: moved to left defense.

1957: played regularly on defense but at left wing in emergencies.

1959: Began the season as a defenseman and finished it as a left wing, playing the point on powerplays.

1960: started the season at left wing, moved to right wing, moved to defense.

The Bruins’ coach made a defenseman of Doug originally to give his defense corps the advantage of Mohns’ speed and agility… Schmidt transferred him last season in an effort to beef up his forward squad. And the versatile player has gone back on defense to fill another need… After extended trials at forward and defense, there isn’t much doubt about what Mohns does better. “He’s better on defense…he’s adequate at forward but better on defense.”

Mohns adjusted to defense so rapidly four years ago that he was a leader in the voting for all-star defensemen less than three months later.

And during the 61-62 season, another reference to his 20 goal season that was aided by time as a forward, while acknowledging he could probably score 20 as a defenseman. Already he had dome some switching (8 goals, 6 as a defenseman). Note the last line. He was so far ahead of the defense pack in points that it sounds like it wouldn't even matter if he had a few games at forward:

Doug Mohns may score goals at a record pace this season – if he remains a defenseman all season… his recent goal gave him eight on the season, and six as a defenseman.

…Mohns has scored 20 goals in a season before, but that was two seasons ago, when he played left wing a good part of the time.

He began as a RW this season, but they needed a defenseman after they traded *******, so the versatile Mohns was shifted back to the position which he plays best, even if he was unorthodox. The Bruins’ offense improved with Mohns joining the rushes from the defense positon. Doug’s scoring totals mounted until by late November he was far ahead of all other NHL defensemen in both goals and points.

One thing that caught my eye here:

1957: played regularly on defense but at left wing in emergencies

So for these seasons, everyone may take a different approach. I think we know for sure from all this, Mohns was a forward for 3 years ('54, '55, '56), then a defenseman for a full season (57), and in '60 played too much wing to be called a defenseman. But in between, we have '58 and '59 described as above. I would personally let this go and call those defenseman seasons. Mohns is already not getting credit for 1960 despite being probably 50/50 and despite being an outstanding producer from the blueline nonetheless.

Moving forward from there, at first glance the '61 and '62 seasons appear to be mostly "clean". Definitely some forward, but it looks infrequent enough to let those go as well.

Final answer (for now): Mohns was a defenseman in 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, and 64. )The latter two are not based on in-depth research but also his numbers that season give us little reason to doubt it). And then, of course, in 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75.

Some insight into Mohns' 1960 season:

Alright, full season of Doug Mohns in 1960 and which positions he played according to newspapers:

Oct 08, 1959 - defense source
Oct 10, 1959 - defense source
Oct 11, 1959 - defense source
Oct 14, 1959 - defense source
Oct 17, 1959 - defense source
Oct 18, 1959 - defense source
Oct 22, 1959 - defense source
Oct 24, 1959 - defense source
Oct 29, 1959 - defense source
Oct 31, 1959 - no information available - 0 points
Nov 01, 1959 - unclear source - 1 point
Nov 03, 1959 - unclear source - 0 points
Nov 05, 1959 - defense source
Nov 08, 1959 - defense source
Nov 11, 1959 - no information available - 1 point
Nov 12, 1959 - defense source
Nov 14, 1959 - defense source
Nov 15, 1959 - defense source
Nov 21, 1959 - defense source
Nov 22, 1959 - defense source
Nov 25, 1959 - forward source - 1 point
Nov 26, 1959 - forward source - 2 points
Nov 28, 1959 - forward source - 0 points
Nov 29, 1959 - forward source - 2 points
Dec 02, 1959 - defense source
Dec 05, 1959 - no information available - 0 points
Dec 06, 1959 - forward source - 2 points
Dec 10, 1959 - defense source
Dec 12, 1959 - no information available - 0 points
Dec 13, 1959 - forward source - 1 point
Dec 16, 1959 - no information available - 0 points
Dec 20, 1959 - forward source - go to page 18 - 0 points
Dec 25, 1959 - defense source
Dec 27, 1959 - defense source - page 19
Dec 29, 1959 - defense source - page 18
Jan 1, 1960 - forward source - 3 points
Jan 2, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 3, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Jan 7, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 9, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Jan 10, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 14, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 16, 1960 - no information available - 1 point (likely on the point on the PP)
Jan 17, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Jan 20, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Jan 21, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 23, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Jan 24, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Jan 30, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Jan 31, 1960 - no information available - 2 points (1 on the PP, likely on the point)
Feb 04, 1960 - defense source
Feb 06, 1960 - defense source
Feb 07, 1960 - did not play source
Feb 11, 1960 - defense source
Feb 13, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Feb 14, 1960 - did not play source
Feb 17, 1960 - did not play source
Feb 20, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Feb 21, 1960 - defense source
Feb 27, 1960 - no information available - 3 points
Mar 01, 1960 - forward source - 0 points
Mar 03, 1960 - forward source
Mar 05, 1960 - forward source - 1 point
Mar 06, 1960 - forward source - 1 point
Mar 10, 1960 - defense source
Mar 12, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Mar 13, 1960 - no information available - 0 points
Mar 16, 1960 - defense source
Mar 19, 1960 - did not play source - page 19
Mar 20, 1960 - unclear source - page 19 - 3 points

This is not getting any more accurate unless someone wants to buy a subscription to New York Times to check the missing games.

So I further modified this by figuring out how many points he scored in the games we don't know which position he played at. Of those games, here are my conclusions:

We know for sure he scored at least 13 points at forward.

Nov 01, 1959 - unclear source - 1 point
Nov 11, 1959 - no information available - 1 point

The above 2 are definitely at defense. He didn't start at forward until Nov. 25th.

Jan 2, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 7, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 10, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 14, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 16, 1960 - no information available - 1 point (likely on the point on the PP)
Jan 21, 1960 - no information available - 1 point
Jan 31, 1960 - no information available - 2 points (1 on the PP, likely on the point)

At some point between the beginning of Jan. and Feb. 4 (my guess is Jan. 16 or 17 based on the points spread in January), he went back to playing defense on a fairly consistent basis. I'm going to give him credit for 4 points here on defense (the 1 point on Jan. 16, the 21st and 31st)

We're now at 17 points at forward.

Feb 27, 1960 - no information available - 3 points

This game was sandwiched between a game at defense and a game at forward, at which point he went on a string of games at forward. Given that he never scored 3 points in a game at defense up to this point, I'm leaning towards this game being played at forward. Now we're at 20 points at forward.

Mar 12, 1960 - no information available - 1 point

The above game was sandwiched between games played at defense, so I will credit this as a game played at defense.

Mar 20, 1960 - unclear source - page 19 - 3 points

The above, the last game of the season, was preceded by a number of games played at defense. It was likely unusual for a defenseman to score 3 points in a game, however, given the fact in the first sentence, I will credit this as a game at defense.

My final estimate for Mohns' point total at defense for 1960 is 25, good for 9th place. If I am understanding seventies VsXD system correctly, he would get a score of 76 for this season (25 / 33, Stanley's 2nd place point total).

This would not materially affect the VsXD scores that seventies previously computed for him, but it does add an extra season of longevity that some people may not give him.

As for his Norris voting that season, here's what it looked like:

NORRIS: (324/324, 144-153)
1. Doug Harvey, Mtl 129 (66-63)
2. Allan Stanley, Tor 42 (15-27)
3. Marcel Pronovost, Det 39 (19-20)
4. Pierre Pilote, Chi 33 (6-27)
5. Tom Johnson, Mtl 32 (18-14)
6. Bill Gadsby, NYR 22 (20-2)
7. Bob Armstrong, Bos 12
8. Doug Mohns, Bos 8
9. Carl Brewer, Tor 5

If Doug Mohns did indeed score 25 points on defense that season, this voting passes the smell test for me. He obviously had other attributes which would have lifted him above some others on the points leaderboard in the eyes of voters. That he was able to place this well in Norris voting despite playing a significant amount of games at forward is impressive.

The one swing game potentially is Feb. 27. This would put him at 28 points at defense, which would have given him 85% of Stanley's 33, which would bump his total score up about 13 points.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Frank Patrick
​

- 5'11, 185 lbs.
- With 70's fudge - 6'3, 225 lbs
- Stanley Cup (1915)
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1918, 1923)
- PCHA First Team All-Star (1912, 1914)
- PCHA Second Team All-Star (1917)
- PCHA Assist Leader (1913)
- Top-10 in PCHA scoring 4 times (2nd, 4th, 6th, 10th)
- PCHA defense scoring leader all 4 full PCHA seasons he played (1912, 1913, 1914, 1917)

Statistics

First Lets Look At the PCHA (Source Empire of Ice)

1912 Season
Frank - 24 Goals (Points) - 4th League Wide
Lester - 10 Goals (Points) - 11th League Wide
Johnson - 9 Goals (Points) -12th League Wide

Notable forwards he outscored: Tommy Phillips, Fred Taylor

1913 Season
Frank - 12 Goals - 20 Points - 4th League Wide
Lester - 14 Goals - 5 Points - 5th League Wide
Johnson - 6 Goals - 10 Points - 13th League Wide

Notable forwards he outscored: Fred Taylor, Eddie Oatman

1914 Season
Frank - 11 Goals - 20 Points - 6th League Wide
Lester - 5 Goals - 10 Points - 16th League Wide (was injured though)
Johnson - 3 Goals - 8 Points - Tied for 17th

Notable forwards he outscored: Didier Pitre, Frank Nighbor, Smokey Harris

1917 Season
Frank - 13 Goals - 26 Points - Tied for 10th
Lester - 10 Goals - 21 Points - Tied for 12th
Cook - 13 Goals - 22 Points - Tied for 11th
Jonhson - 12 Goals - 21 Points - Tied for 12th

Notable forwards he outscored: Jack Walker, Tommy Dunderdale (tie)

Looking at the scoring in these four years and arbitrarily picking the best defenceman each team in the PCHA had that season (L.Patrick, L.Cook and E.Johnson) it's fairly clear that Frank was on a level above them in terms of offensive production. PCHA all-time defense points-per-game leaders, min. 80 GP

Name|GP|Pts|PPG
Frank Patrick|87|101|1.16
Lester Patrick|142|127|0.89
Lloyd Cook|223|166|0.74
Art Duncan|159|102|0.64
Si Griffis|110|64|0.58
Ernie Johnson|191|92|0.48

Finally to make it as apples to apples as I can, in these 4 seasons Frank played 68 games, so taking those other defencemens ppg over their best seasons as close as I can get to 68 games gives

This is from SIHR
F. Patrick - 1.32 Pts/Game
L. Patrick - 1.10 Pts/Game
L.Cook - 0.97 Pts/Game

So you might ask, four legendary seasons so what? Well he has is previous two seasons in NHA/ECHA

In 1908, he was behind Taylor (12), Ross (10), Hall (10) and another guy (10). He had 9 goals in 8 games

In 1910, he was behind Hall (15), Ross (13), Taylor (9) and another guy (9). He had 8 goals in 11 games

So besides 4 years as the best offensive defenseman in the PCHA he was also 5th and 4th in D scoring back East. Taking his finishes amongst D at face value for a moment:

1, 1, 1, 1, 4, 5

And league wide

4, 4, 6, 10, 25, 27

I feel that Frank Patrick is undervalued in this draft, his record is solid for a 4D and gun to my head he would be on my list of top 100 D all time. The following selection of quotes are from modern and first hand sources. They show how highly his services were sought and just overall how great he was when he took off the suit and stepped onto the ice.

...When Frank was introduced as a Millionaire, he was called the best defenseman in the world.

In his earlier days, Patrick was a top-notch defender... never shied away from the rough stuff... a strong skater whose stickhandling ability allowed him to indulge his fondness for the rush... Frank was a standout for teams such as the Montreal Victorias, Renfrew Creamery Kings and Vancouver Millionaires.

Frank Patrick, president of the Pacific Coast hockey league, who starred on defence more years ago than it is polite to remember will oppose the Victoria forwards in the game here next Monday night.

He was not the equal of Lester as a player but nevertheless he was a very good defenseman. A rugged and well-built athlete, he did not mind mixing it up with players like Joe Hall. He holds one record that has stood for 50 (now 90+) years, being the only player to score six goals in a game while playing defence... He performed as a regular player himself on the Vancouver team. He was good enough to make the PCHA All-Star Team... In 1915 he decided to devote full time to his official duties. When his team was headed for the championship he could not keep off the ice. He played a few games of the regular schedule and then when Si Griffis broke his leg, Patrick took over his defense position and swept Ottawa in three games, Patrick scoring two goals.

Frank does not want to play but he is going out after the championship and Vancouver fans are hoping that he takes his place in front of Hugh Lehman for when in condition, Patrick is one of the most effective defence players in the game and is also one of the most efficient stickhandlers in the country.

Lehman played good hockey in the nets while Frank Patrick divided the individual honors with Taylor. The Ottawa defence men tried to sandwich Patrick on one occation when he hurled through like a flash and both Merrill and Shore crashed to the ice.

The $5000 limit may be right for the clubs but the imposition of a salary limit has chased a few of the greatest hockey players in the business to the bushes, and it is likely that before another year has gone by, that the teams will have to build up their squads with juniors who are willing to play for reduced wages. Frank and Lester Patrick announce that they will not play again...

There is talk of Frank Patrick succeeding Lester on the Wanderer defence but at the cover point position. Frank has developed into a dashing player much of the style of Art Ross.

Possibly there is something in his contention (that 6 man hockey ruins combination plays), but the players with the speed and stick-handling abilities of Ernie Johnson, "Cyclone" Taylor, Frank Patrick, Tommy Dunderdale, etc. do not require a half-acre sheer of ice in order to evade a body check. - Saskatoon Phoenix, Apr. 3, 1913

The retirement of (Frank) Patrick from the game means the passing of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, player who ever handled a puck in Canadian hockey. ... As a defence player there are few better than Patrick. A wonderful stickhandler, fast on his skates and possessing wonderful judgment, he has played brilliantly during the many years of services with the various teams. ... Patrick and Griffis proved the most formidable pair of defence players in the Coast League since the inception of the game in these parts. Patrick has not only proved himself one of the most wonderful puck chasers of the last decade, but he has clearly won honor as one of the best leaders in the history of the game. - Calgary Daily Herald, Dec. 10, 1917

Frank Patrick and Griffis were in the limelight with many speedy rushes. - Morning Leader, Mar. 21, 1913 (during exhibition game between NHA and PCHA)

Frank Patrick played a great game, and time after time he carried the puck from end to end, only to be foiled by the wonderful work of Lehman. Patrick's stick-handling and skating was a revelation to the fans, and they applauded it heartily. - Calgary Daily Herald, Mar. 18, 1913

The outstanding feature of the Renfrew team's performance was the gilt edged work of Frank Patrick at point. Patrick was head and shoulders over any other player on the ice, his sensational goal-to-goal rushes being directly responsible for three or four Renfrew goals. Frank seems to have hit his championship clip for in every movement, he showed the same speed and cleverness which made him such a tower of strength to the Montreal Victorias two years ago. With Lester he electrified the crowd time after time. - Ottawa Citizen, Jan. 20, 1910

Fred Whitcroft at left wing put up a fine game, nevertheless, he and Frank Patrick often making many a dangerous rush. Several of the Renfrew goals were scored on individual rushes. In this respect Frank Patrick, Lester Patrick and Fred Taylor shone. - Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 5, 1910

The rushes of Joe Power and Frank Patrick were features of the team's play, and their clever stick-handling and fast skating won them applause. - Montreal Gazette, Jan. 1, 1908

The brothers, Lester and Frank Patrick, were really good ones. Lester was a classical player in every phase of the game whereas Frank was strong defensively. But Frank could also carry the puck from one end of the rink to the other if he had to, and he often did.

- Cyclone Taylor

The Victoria forwards were unable to do much against the Vancouver defence, Griffis and (Frank) Patrick, intercepting many rushes, while Taylor was to the fore in leading attacks on the Victoria goal. - Saskatoon Phoenix, Dec. 19, 1912

Seattle put up a better brand of combination than they have shown this season; they checked back as hard as ever, but they lacked the power to finish work well begun, largely because Lehman and (Frank) Patrick and Griffis put up their usual line of defence. - Morning Leader, Jan. 31, 1916

The thing that sticks out at me from the above is the "usual" part, which implies that, at the very least, the group that Patrick was a part of normally were very steady defensively.

Frank Patrick was easily the most conspicuous man on the ice, the youngster showing up in brilliant form. His long combination rushes with Whitcroft were features of the game, while his defence play was of a high class. - Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 5, 1910

Cook and Frank Patrick were in great form on the defence and were hard to beat. The rushes of both of them were of the spectacular order. - Backcheck: A hockey retrospective, regarding game 3

One night Lester went down on the ice under a mass of kicking, struggling players, among them Bad Joe Hall, one of the roughest hockey players of all time. Frank leaned over the prostrate Lester, his eyes focused on a gash on his brother's forehead. "Who did it, Lester?" he asked grimly. "Was it Hall? Never mind answering. I'll take care of him." Actually Lester didn't need any help at all. He was bigger than Frank to begin with. But in less time than it takes to tell the tale Frank had Bad Joe stretched out on the ice, listening to the sweet tune the birdies sing. - New York Times, Nov. 18, 1943

More rivalry with Bad Joe:

Through the contest, Hall and Patrick had been exchanging pokes and chops, and already bloodied by a swipe from Patrick, Hall had had enough. After taking one more of these knocks, Joe went splashing up the ice after Frank, who hit him again. Hall stopped and struck back with his stick, slicing Frank's cheek. A lively scrap ensued, during which Hall received yet another nasty gash, this time over his eye. - The Patricks: Hockey's Royal Family

Bod Joe was constantly running at the Patricks... Frank had fought back, too hard, insisted Hall, who said that he had been crosschecked by Patrick earlier, without a penalty being called... Hall was continually frustrated in his attempts to corner Frank Patrick. The latter was retaliating... Their lively scrap terminated when Hall dropped his stick and hit Patrick, who retaliated with a Jeffreys punch. - The Renfrew Millionaires

He also didn't mind taking on Lalonde either:

For some reason, perhaps because of his deceptively quiet manner, Frank was always being "tested" by the opposition, and Newsy was one of the best testers in the business. On this particular occasion, it was Lalonde, frustrated at what he felt to be Frank's overenthusiastic checking, clubbed him on the side of the head with the butt of his stick, opening a gash beside the ear. Staggered by the force of the blow, Frank had wheeled, reeled, and while going down had expertly countered with an almost identical blow to the base of Lalonde's skull. Newsy also went down, and out. It may have been the first time that both protagonists in a two-man brawl were carted off the ice together. - The Patricks: Hockey's Royal Family

An outstanding defenseman and equally outstanding as a keen student of hockey. - The Renfrew Millionaires

Although Ernie Russell scored five times for the victors, Frank, who bagged a pair of goals for the losers, was named the outstanding player. - The Patricks: Hockey's Royal Family

The score was tied 1-1 when Frank Patrick broke through the entire Ottawa team to score a sensational goal. The Senators never recovered, and were beaten 6-2. - The Stanley Cup, quoting The Vancouver Sun's account of game 1

Frank Patrick was born on December 21, 1885, two years after Lester, and grew up in Montreal. He attended McGill University and earned varsity letters in hockey, track and football before his graduation with a bachelor of arts degree. During his university days, he was also prominent as a referee, officiating in the Montreal Senior Hockey League. He refereed his first Stanley Cup game at the age of 20. As a player, Frank was revolutionary, much like Lester, who was then a star with the Montreal Wanderers. In the years prior to the Patricks' rise, the position of defense was used strictly to protect a team's own goal. Together, they were the first defensemen to rush with the puck and play an offensive role. The family moved to Nelson, British Columbia, where the brothers continued to win converts to their rushing style.

Frank Patrick: Hockey's Greatest Innovator


Frank, like Lester, excelled at the game as a defenseman. He would rush the puck much like a later day Bobby Orr or Paul Coffey. He would win the Stanley Cup in 1915 with the Vancouver Millionaires. But he slowly left the ice to run the team behind the bench and an entire league in the front offices.

Invited to the Hod Stuart Memorial Game

The All Stars invited to play were Percy LeSueuer, Ron Kennedy, Frank Patrick, Joe Power, Grover Sargent, Eddie Hogan and Jack Marshall. Stuart's younger brother Bruce, a star down in the United States leagues at the time, was a special invite but he could not participate due to an injury. Jack Laviolette also could not play, allowing Patrick a roster spot.

The Wanderers line up included Riley Hern, Walter Smaill, Frank Glass, Ernie Russell, Cecil Blatchford, Ernie Johnson and, replacing Hod Stuart on defense, a young Art Ross.

The family moved to British Columbia in 1907, where the family patriarch further pursued his lumber business. Lester and his equally talented brother, Frank, played with the Nelson Hockey Club. But Lester's talents did not go unnoticed that season and he became a much coveted free agent. He joined Edmonton for several games in 1908-09 and both brothers left BC to play with the Renfrew Creamery Kings (also known as the Millionaires because of their penchant for signing high-priced free agents) of the newly-formed National Hockey Association, the predecessor of the National Hockey League.

Frank and Lester Patrick were adamant: Nelson was going after the Stanley Cup.

Between them and the talented Bishop brothers, they felt they had the nucleus of a championship team. All it would take was a few roster additions and a new rink.

-----

In Ottawa, Lester’s brother Frank — a superb player with McGill University — made Art Ross an offer to join Nelson. Then, on Sparks Street one evening, he instantly recognized the game’s greatest player, though they had never met off ice. Cyclone Taylor said he was interested in moving to B.C., and Frank replied he would be welcome in Nelson.

http://www.nelsonstar.com/news/122683974.html

In 1910, local tycoon M.J. O'Brien bankrolled a new hockey league, the
National Hockey Association (NHA), then launched a bid to bring the Stanley
Cup to Renfrew. He recruited stars like Lester and Frank Patrick and
"Cyclone" Taylor to the Renfrew Creamery Kings with extravagant salaries
that earned the team the nickname of the Millionaires.

---

The situation was exemplified by the case of the Patrick brothers, Lester and Frank, two
of the greatest stars of their day. Courted by six different teams – on one day alone –
Lester was offered $1,200 by the Montreal Wanderers, $1,500 by the Ottawa Senators
and $3,000 by Renfrew, an unheard of salary at the time. He signed with Renfrew on
the proviso that they also take his brother.

http://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/CorporateSite/media/oht/PDFs/Renfrew-Millionaires-ENG.pdf

Lester and Frank Patrick both loved hockey and in the years after the turn of the century they became great stars. Lester played a season with Brandon in 1904, where he set a precedent for defensemen by rushing the opposing goal. From 1906 to 1908 he played with the Montreal Wanderers when they won the Stanley Cup three times. During that time Frank played with McGill University and the Montreal Victorias and he and Lester were often opponents. It was not until the Patrick’s moved to Nelson that they played together and in 1909 signed contracts with the fabulous Renfrew Millionaires.

http://victoriaroyals.com/history

 

[ResilientBeast]

Frank Patrick
​

- 5'11, 185 lbs.
- With 70's fudge - 6'3, 225 lbs
- Stanley Cup (1915)
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1918, 1923)
- PCHA First Team All-Star (1912, 1914)
- PCHA Second Team All-Star (1917)
- PCHA Assist Leader (1913)
- Top-10 in PCHA scoring 4 times (2nd, 4th, 6th, 10th)
- PCHA defense scoring leader all 4 full PCHA seasons he played (1912, 1913, 1914, 1917)

Statistics

First Lets Look At the PCHA (Source Empire of Ice)

1912 Season
Frank - 24 Goals (Points) - 4th League Wide
Lester - 10 Goals (Points) - 11th League Wide
Johnson - 9 Goals (Points) -12th League Wide

Notable forwards he outscored: Tommy Phillips, Fred Taylor

1913 Season
Frank - 12 Goals - 20 Points - 4th League Wide
Lester - 14 Goals - 5 Points - 5th League Wide
Johnson - 6 Goals - 10 Points - 13th League Wide

Notable forwards he outscored: Fred Taylor, Eddie Oatman

1914 Season
Frank - 11 Goals - 20 Points - 6th League Wide
Lester - 5 Goals - 10 Points - 16th League Wide (was injured though)
Johnson - 3 Goals - 8 Points - Tied for 17th

Notable forwards he outscored: Didier Pitre, Frank Nighbor, Smokey Harris

1917 Season
Frank - 13 Goals - 26 Points - Tied for 10th
Lester - 10 Goals - 21 Points - Tied for 12th
Cook - 13 Goals - 22 Points - Tied for 11th
Jonhson - 12 Goals - 21 Points - Tied for 12th

Notable forwards he outscored: Jack Walker, Tommy Dunderdale (tie)

Looking at the scoring in these four years and arbitrarily picking the best defenceman each team in the PCHA had that season (L.Patrick, L.Cook and E.Johnson) it's fairly clear that Frank was on a level above them in terms of offensive production. PCHA all-time defense points-per-game leaders, min. 80 GP

Name|GP|Pts|PPG
Frank Patrick|87|101|1.16
Lester Patrick|142|127|0.89
Lloyd Cook|223|166|0.74
Art Duncan|159|102|0.64
Si Griffis|110|64|0.58
Ernie Johnson|191|92|0.48

Finally to make it as apples to apples as I can, in these 4 seasons Frank played 68 games, so taking those other defencemens ppg over their best seasons as close as I can get to 68 games gives

This is from SIHR
F. Patrick - 1.32 Pts/Game
L. Patrick - 1.10 Pts/Game
L.Cook - 0.97 Pts/Game

So you might ask, four legendary seasons so what? Well he has is previous two seasons in NHA/ECHA

In 1908, he was behind Taylor (12), Ross (10), Hall (10) and another guy (10). He had 9 goals in 8 games

In 1910, he was behind Hall (15), Ross (13), Taylor (9) and another guy (9). He had 8 goals in 11 games

So besides 4 years as the best offensive defenseman in the PCHA he was also 5th and 4th in D scoring back East. Taking his finishes amongst D at face value for a moment:

1, 1, 1, 1, 4, 5

And league wide

4, 4, 6, 10, 25, 27

I feel that Frank Patrick is undervalued in this draft, his record is solid for a 4D and gun to my head he would be on my list of top 100 D all time. The following selection of quotes are from modern and first hand sources. They show how highly his services were sought and just overall how great he was when he took off the suit and stepped onto the ice.

...When Frank was introduced as a Millionaire, he was called the best defenseman in the world.

In his earlier days, Patrick was a top-notch defender... never shied away from the rough stuff... a strong skater whose stickhandling ability allowed him to indulge his fondness for the rush... Frank was a standout for teams such as the Montreal Victorias, Renfrew Creamery Kings and Vancouver Millionaires.

Frank Patrick, president of the Pacific Coast hockey league, who starred on defence more years ago than it is polite to remember will oppose the Victoria forwards in the game here next Monday night.

He was not the equal of Lester as a player but nevertheless he was a very good defenseman. A rugged and well-built athlete, he did not mind mixing it up with players like Joe Hall. He holds one record that has stood for 50 (now 90+) years, being the only player to score six goals in a game while playing defence... He performed as a regular player himself on the Vancouver team. He was good enough to make the PCHA All-Star Team... In 1915 he decided to devote full time to his official duties. When his team was headed for the championship he could not keep off the ice. He played a few games of the regular schedule and then when Si Griffis broke his leg, Patrick took over his defense position and swept Ottawa in three games, Patrick scoring two goals.

Frank does not want to play but he is going out after the championship and Vancouver fans are hoping that he takes his place in front of Hugh Lehman for when in condition, Patrick is one of the most effective defence players in the game and is also one of the most efficient stickhandlers in the country.

Lehman played good hockey in the nets while Frank Patrick divided the individual honors with Taylor. The Ottawa defence men tried to sandwich Patrick on one occation when he hurled through like a flash and both Merrill and Shore crashed to the ice.

The $5000 limit may be right for the clubs but the imposition of a salary limit has chased a few of the greatest hockey players in the business to the bushes, and it is likely that before another year has gone by, that the teams will have to build up their squads with juniors who are willing to play for reduced wages. Frank and Lester Patrick announce that they will not play again...

There is talk of Frank Patrick succeeding Lester on the Wanderer defence but at the cover point position. Frank has developed into a dashing player much of the style of Art Ross.

Possibly there is something in his contention (that 6 man hockey ruins combination plays), but the players with the speed and stick-handling abilities of Ernie Johnson, "Cyclone" Taylor, Frank Patrick, Tommy Dunderdale, etc. do not require a half-acre sheer of ice in order to evade a body check. - Saskatoon Phoenix, Apr. 3, 1913

The retirement of (Frank) Patrick from the game means the passing of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, player who ever handled a puck in Canadian hockey. ... As a defence player there are few better than Patrick. A wonderful stickhandler, fast on his skates and possessing wonderful judgment, he has played brilliantly during the many years of services with the various teams. ... Patrick and Griffis proved the most formidable pair of defence players in the Coast League since the inception of the game in these parts. Patrick has not only proved himself one of the most wonderful puck chasers of the last decade, but he has clearly won honor as one of the best leaders in the history of the game. - Calgary Daily Herald, Dec. 10, 1917

Frank Patrick and Griffis were in the limelight with many speedy rushes. - Morning Leader, Mar. 21, 1913 (during exhibition game between NHA and PCHA)

Frank Patrick played a great game, and time after time he carried the puck from end to end, only to be foiled by the wonderful work of Lehman. Patrick's stick-handling and skating was a revelation to the fans, and they applauded it heartily. - Calgary Daily Herald, Mar. 18, 1913

The outstanding feature of the Renfrew team's performance was the gilt edged work of Frank Patrick at point. Patrick was head and shoulders over any other player on the ice, his sensational goal-to-goal rushes being directly responsible for three or four Renfrew goals. Frank seems to have hit his championship clip for in every movement, he showed the same speed and cleverness which made him such a tower of strength to the Montreal Victorias two years ago. With Lester he electrified the crowd time after time. - Ottawa Citizen, Jan. 20, 1910

Fred Whitcroft at left wing put up a fine game, nevertheless, he and Frank Patrick often making many a dangerous rush. Several of the Renfrew goals were scored on individual rushes. In this respect Frank Patrick, Lester Patrick and Fred Taylor shone. - Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 5, 1910

The rushes of Joe Power and Frank Patrick were features of the team's play, and their clever stick-handling and fast skating won them applause. - Montreal Gazette, Jan. 1, 1908

The brothers, Lester and Frank Patrick, were really good ones. Lester was a classical player in every phase of the game whereas Frank was strong defensively. But Frank could also carry the puck from one end of the rink to the other if he had to, and he often did.

- Cyclone Taylor

The Victoria forwards were unable to do much against the Vancouver defence, Griffis and (Frank) Patrick, intercepting many rushes, while Taylor was to the fore in leading attacks on the Victoria goal. - Saskatoon Phoenix, Dec. 19, 1912

Seattle put up a better brand of combination than they have shown this season; they checked back as hard as ever, but they lacked the power to finish work well begun, largely because Lehman and (Frank) Patrick and Griffis put up their usual line of defence. - Morning Leader, Jan. 31, 1916

The thing that sticks out at me from the above is the "usual" part, which implies that, at the very least, the group that Patrick was a part of normally were very steady defensively.

Frank Patrick was easily the most conspicuous man on the ice, the youngster showing up in brilliant form. His long combination rushes with Whitcroft were features of the game, while his defence play was of a high class. - Ottawa Citizen, Feb. 5, 1910

Cook and Frank Patrick were in great form on the defence and were hard to beat. The rushes of both of them were of the spectacular order. - Backcheck: A hockey retrospective, regarding game 3

One night Lester went down on the ice under a mass of kicking, struggling players, among them Bad Joe Hall, one of the roughest hockey players of all time. Frank leaned over the prostrate Lester, his eyes focused on a gash on his brother's forehead. "Who did it, Lester?" he asked grimly. "Was it Hall? Never mind answering. I'll take care of him." Actually Lester didn't need any help at all. He was bigger than Frank to begin with. But in less time than it takes to tell the tale Frank had Bad Joe stretched out on the ice, listening to the sweet tune the birdies sing. - New York Times, Nov. 18, 1943

More rivalry with Bad Joe:

Through the contest, Hall and Patrick had been exchanging pokes and chops, and already bloodied by a swipe from Patrick, Hall had had enough. After taking one more of these knocks, Joe went splashing up the ice after Frank, who hit him again. Hall stopped and struck back with his stick, slicing Frank's cheek. A lively scrap ensued, during which Hall received yet another nasty gash, this time over his eye. - The Patricks: Hockey's Royal Family

Bod Joe was constantly running at the Patricks... Frank had fought back, too hard, insisted Hall, who said that he had been crosschecked by Patrick earlier, without a penalty being called... Hall was continually frustrated in his attempts to corner Frank Patrick. The latter was retaliating... Their lively scrap terminated when Hall dropped his stick and hit Patrick, who retaliated with a Jeffreys punch. - The Renfrew Millionaires

He also didn't mind taking on Lalonde either:

For some reason, perhaps because of his deceptively quiet manner, Frank was always being "tested" by the opposition, and Newsy was one of the best testers in the business. On this particular occasion, it was Lalonde, frustrated at what he felt to be Frank's overenthusiastic checking, clubbed him on the side of the head with the butt of his stick, opening a gash beside the ear. Staggered by the force of the blow, Frank had wheeled, reeled, and while going down had expertly countered with an almost identical blow to the base of Lalonde's skull. Newsy also went down, and out. It may have been the first time that both protagonists in a two-man brawl were carted off the ice together. - The Patricks: Hockey's Royal Family

An outstanding defenseman and equally outstanding as a keen student of hockey. - The Renfrew Millionaires

Although Ernie Russell scored five times for the victors, Frank, who bagged a pair of goals for the losers, was named the outstanding player. - The Patricks: Hockey's Royal Family

The score was tied 1-1 when Frank Patrick broke through the entire Ottawa team to score a sensational goal. The Senators never recovered, and were beaten 6-2. - The Stanley Cup, quoting The Vancouver Sun's account of game 1

Frank Patrick was born on December 21, 1885, two years after Lester, and grew up in Montreal. He attended McGill University and earned varsity letters in hockey, track and football before his graduation with a bachelor of arts degree. During his university days, he was also prominent as a referee, officiating in the Montreal Senior Hockey League. He refereed his first Stanley Cup game at the age of 20. As a player, Frank was revolutionary, much like Lester, who was then a star with the Montreal Wanderers. In the years prior to the Patricks' rise, the position of defense was used strictly to protect a team's own goal. Together, they were the first defensemen to rush with the puck and play an offensive role. The family moved to Nelson, British Columbia, where the brothers continued to win converts to their rushing style.

Frank Patrick: Hockey's Greatest Innovator


Frank, like Lester, excelled at the game as a defenseman. He would rush the puck much like a later day Bobby Orr or Paul Coffey. He would win the Stanley Cup in 1915 with the Vancouver Millionaires. But he slowly left the ice to run the team behind the bench and an entire league in the front offices.

Invited to the Hod Stuart Memorial Game

The All Stars invited to play were Percy LeSueuer, Ron Kennedy, Frank Patrick, Joe Power, Grover Sargent, Eddie Hogan and Jack Marshall. Stuart's younger brother Bruce, a star down in the United States leagues at the time, was a special invite but he could not participate due to an injury. Jack Laviolette also could not play, allowing Patrick a roster spot.

The Wanderers line up included Riley Hern, Walter Smaill, Frank Glass, Ernie Russell, Cecil Blatchford, Ernie Johnson and, replacing Hod Stuart on defense, a young Art Ross.

The family moved to British Columbia in 1907, where the family patriarch further pursued his lumber business. Lester and his equally talented brother, Frank, played with the Nelson Hockey Club. But Lester's talents did not go unnoticed that season and he became a much coveted free agent. He joined Edmonton for several games in 1908-09 and both brothers left BC to play with the Renfrew Creamery Kings (also known as the Millionaires because of their penchant for signing high-priced free agents) of the newly-formed National Hockey Association, the predecessor of the National Hockey League.

Frank and Lester Patrick were adamant: Nelson was going after the Stanley Cup.

Between them and the talented Bishop brothers, they felt they had the nucleus of a championship team. All it would take was a few roster additions and a new rink.

-----

In Ottawa, Lester’s brother Frank — a superb player with McGill University — made Art Ross an offer to join Nelson. Then, on Sparks Street one evening, he instantly recognized the game’s greatest player, though they had never met off ice. Cyclone Taylor said he was interested in moving to B.C., and Frank replied he would be welcome in Nelson.

http://www.nelsonstar.com/news/122683974.html

In 1910, local tycoon M.J. O'Brien bankrolled a new hockey league, the
National Hockey Association (NHA), then launched a bid to bring the Stanley
Cup to Renfrew. He recruited stars like Lester and Frank Patrick and
"Cyclone" Taylor to the Renfrew Creamery Kings with extravagant salaries
that earned the team the nickname of the Millionaires.

---

The situation was exemplified by the case of the Patrick brothers, Lester and Frank, two
of the greatest stars of their day. Courted by six different teams – on one day alone –
Lester was offered $1,200 by the Montreal Wanderers, $1,500 by the Ottawa Senators
and $3,000 by Renfrew, an unheard of salary at the time. He signed with Renfrew on
the proviso that they also take his brother.

http://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/CorporateSite/media/oht/PDFs/Renfrew-Millionaires-ENG.pdf

Lester and Frank Patrick both loved hockey and in the years after the turn of the century they became great stars. Lester played a season with Brandon in 1904, where he set a precedent for defensemen by rushing the opposing goal. From 1906 to 1908 he played with the Montreal Wanderers when they won the Stanley Cup three times. During that time Frank played with McGill University and the Montreal Victorias and he and Lester were often opponents. It was not until the Patrick’s moved to Nelson that they played together and in 1909 signed contracts with the fabulous Renfrew Millionaires.

http://victoriaroyals.com/history

 

[Dreakmur]

qqqq

Don McKenney !!!


Awards and Achievements:
Stanley Cup Champion (1964)

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1960)

Hart voting - 9th(1959)
All-Star voting - 3rd(1959), 5th(1961), 7th(1957)
Lady Byng voting - 1st(1960), 3rd(1958), 3rd(1962), 4th(1957), 4th(1959), 4th(1961), 7th(1963)

6 Consecutive "Earned" All-Star Games (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962)


Offensive Accomplishments:
Points - 7th(1957), 8th(1959), 8th(1960), 10th(1958), 15th(1963), 16th(1962), 17th(1955)
Goals - 6th(1959), 7th(1958), 10th(1955), 10th(1961), 12th(1957), 15th(1962), 17th(1960), 17th(1963)
Assists - 1st(1960), 6th(1957), 12th(1963), 16th(1962), 18th(1958), 19th(1959)

Play-off Points - 2nd(1958), 6th(1964), 10th(1957)
Play-off Goals - 2nd(1958), 8th(1964)
Play-off Assists - 4th(1958), 5th(1964), 7th(1957), 9th(1959)


5 Year Peak: 1957 to 1961
7th in Points, 76% of 2nd place Andy Bathgate
6th in Goals, 78% of 2nd place Dickie Moore
8th in Assists, 75% of 2nd place Gordie Howe

6th in Play-off Points per Game, 85% of 2nd place Fleming MacKell


10 Year Peak: 1955 to 1964
8th in Points, 71% of 2nd place Jean Beliveau
7th in Goals, 69% of 2nd place Jean Beliveau
8th in Assists, 69% of 2nd place Gordie Howe

9th in Play-off Points per game, 83% of 2nd place Stan Mikita


Scoring Percentages:
Points - 86, 82, 78, 75, 70, 65, 57, 54, 53

Best 6 Seasons: 456

Noted as a smooth and classy hockey player

...

Don McKenney's clean, elegant style gained formal recognition among the NHL elite, when awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1960 as the player adjudged to have shown the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high level of performance in play. McKenney's distinguished frontline presence, an exemplar of white collar finesse, ensured several inclusions among the Lady Byng award finalists during his years in Boston. Don McKenney's seemingly nonchalant stance and slick brand of maneuvering, individualistic traits of a flashy and dashing marauder, coalesced with the more defensive minded qualities of a versatile team player, such as effective checking skills and positional acuity. "The Quiet Producer" excelled on both the power play and periodically, the penalty killing special units. A natural centreman with a good face-off record, rangy number 17 patrolled left wing in select instances. Often critically at odds with a faction of the Boston Garden faithful, McKenney's phlegmatic manner stood in contrast to the rugged, hard hitting image traditionally associated with the Boston Bruins. His lanky demeanor gave the deceptive impression of a fragile player; Don "Slip" McKenney was in fact a solid and steady performer, appearing in 266 consecutive games amid his halcyon period with the Black and Gold. As a study in savvy stoicism befitting his reserved, self-possessed nature, Donald Hamilton McKenney eschewed serious injuries and consequently, missed few matches throughout his NHL career.

Creative élan and intelligent fairplay are hallmarks that well define the gallant Bostonian's legacy.

Highly touted by Bruins' management upon his arrival in Boston, voted the Calder Trophy runner up as rookie of the year, Don McKenney initially centered the power unit composed of wingers Leo Labine and Real Chevrefils in 1954–55 and again in 1956–57, with great aplomb, as the surging Bruins competed for first place in the NHL standings. McKenney, along with later linemate, the dauntless Fleming MacKell, led the epic 1958 Stanley Cup playoffs in scoring, a salient factor in the Bruins' serious challenge to the dynastic Montreal Canadiens for NHL supremacy.

1958–59 witnessed a banner 32 goal campaign that left Don McKenney one vote shy of being selected to the 2nd All Star team. Following a very close, hard fought Stanley Cup semi-final loss in the spring of 1959, Donald McKenney embarked with the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers on a groundbreaking exhibition tour of Europe. The 1959–60 season of his Lady Byng Trophy win concluded with Don McKenney, at his career zenith, leading the NHL in assists with 49, a club record at the time. He was selected an alternate captain of the Boston Bruins in 1960.

A sterling talent gifted with elusive speed and prescient mobility, Don McKenney's sleek playmaking dexterity proved him a tactically inventive strategist on attack. The high flying raider led an early version of the fast charging, open breakaway Torpedo system, the exciting mode of hockey later adapted by the Swedish national hockey team. The polished Bostonian comprised, along with the vaunted Uke line, an integral cornerstone of the Bruins' prolific offense of the late 1950s. Don McKenney ascended to Boston's spearhead in goals scored during four seasons and the vanguard of Bruins' total points for three years. The clever triggerman finished among the NHL top 10 scoring leaders on four occasions and appeared in seven All Star games. Along with a centreman's flair for feathered passes and cagey drop feints, seminal elements of intricately designed plays, McKenney's deft scoring touch allied a lethal backhand shot with stealth like opportunism around the net, often in the form of subtle deflections. Despite sporadic periods of lethargic output, only once in eight full campaigns with the Bruins, his sophomore season of 1955–56, did Don McKenney fail to tally 20 or more goals, a remarkable accomplishment for a centre of the Original Six era.

McKenney quickly established himself as a good goalscorer and excellent playmaking center who could also play solid defensive hockey. He led the Bruins, and ranked 7th in the NHL with 60 points in 1956-57, and was a top 10 scorer again each of the next 3 years.

Don McKenney was a very steady and clean hockey player throughout his NHL career...

....

The 6' tall winger quickly established himself as a good two-way player.

McKenney put in just over two seasons with the Barrie Flyers of the OHA before turning pro with the Hershey Bears in 1953-54. A season later, he was summoned to play for the Boston Bruins where he quickly established himself as a smooth skater and slick playmaker. During his nine seasons in Boston, he topped the 20-goal level seven times.

In 1960, McKenney enjoyed his best season, netting 69 points in 70 games while taking home the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play.

Tall and rangy, he was a clean and elegant center, winner of the 1960 Lady Byng Memorial trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player. He was noted for his excellence at both ends of the ice. He was a polished offensive talent, known for good speed and play-making ability. He was equally as brainy while defending, relying on great anticipation skills and strong positioning.

....


McKenney's game improved come playoff time. Three times he was in the top 10 in Stanley Cup scoring, twice for goals scored. With the Bruins he was never more prolific than in 1958 when he and Fleming MacKell led the offensive charge in the memorably epic Stanley Cup final against Montreal, a championship series narrowly won by the mighty Montreal Canadiens.

I would have voted for him as my (All-Star) center. He has done a tremendous job this year and he has been overlooked because he's playing with a last place club.

​

 

[jarek]

Huge credits to Theokritos and Sturminator for a lot of this

Vyacheslav Starshinov, C

Height/Weight: 5'9, 181 lbs
Shoots: Right

Captain of the Soviet National Team (1969-1972)

Soviet League Champion (1962, 1967, 1969)
USSR Cup (1970, 1971)

He was ranked first on the list of the top scoring Soviet leader for decades till Boris Mikhailov broke his scoring record. As a part of the famous Spartak's line where he played with Boris Mayorov (and undrafted), Starshinov was famous for his goals scored in front of the net and on the rebounds. His trademarks were wicked shot on the net from any angle and a feisty character, his love to play physical and hard-hitting hockey.

As a player of Moscow Spartak, Starshinov was one of the most valuable players in its championships of the 1960's. On both national and club level, he was a team leader and enjoyed an enormous respect among his teammates.

Starshinov, the most outstanding of the three forwards, was a man of peasant stock whose bear-like strength allowed him to hold position in front of the enemy goal. His style approximated that of Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers, but he had twice the heft of Clarke. He was probably the most effective Russian against Canada in the decade. In the Soviet league, where careers were usually shorter than in the NHL, especially for forwards, Starshinov was an exceptional iron man. He played from 1957 to 1975, scoring 404 goals in 510 league games.

Awards
Soviet League MVP* - 2nd (1968), 3rd (1969), 3rd (1970)
Soviet League All Star Team - 1st place finish 8 years in a row (1963-1970)**

*Voting unavailable prior to 1968
**1970 placement at left wing

Some insight by Batis regarding Starshinov's MVP voting relative to the high end 70's Russian stars:

To weigh in on the Starshinov discussion I would like to add that during some of the years leading up to the Summit Series Starshinov did in my opinion show that he could hold his ground very well against the new generation of Soviet players. Both in 1969 and 1970 Starshinov finished 3rd in the Soviet player of the year voting while competing with all of the new stars for example.

For what its worth here is the top 5 among forwards when it comes to Soviet player of the year voting shares during the 5 seasons leading up to the Summit Series (67/68-71/72).

1. Anatoli Firsov: 209,2
2. Alexander Maltsev: 160,5
3. Valeri Kharlamov: 142,8
4. Vyacheslav Starshinov: 132,0
5. (Undrafted player): 77,2

Other notable forwards.

Alexander Yakushev 23,9
Boris Mikhailov: 20,7
Vladimir Petrov: 2,5

Now the new generation of Kharlamov, Mikhailov, Petrov, Maltsev and Yakushev did not really start to hit their stride until the 68/69 season but on the other hand Starshinov was clearly out of his prime at the time of the 71/72 season. So to make it more of a head to head comparison lets only look at the 68/69-70/71 time frame.

1. Anatoli Firsov: 110,3
2. Alexander Maltsev: 88,3
3. Vyacheslav Starshinov: 77,1
4. Valeri Kharlamov: 70,6
5. (Undrafted player): 57.8

Boris Mikhailov: 20.7
Alexander Yakushev: 13,3
Vladimir Petrov: 2,5

Just to be clear I am not saying that I think that Starshinov is greater than any of Kharlamov, Mikhailov, Petrov, Maltsev and Yakushev but I personally think that it is clear that Starshinov during the 68/69-70/71 time frame showed that he could compete with the new generation of Soviet forwards.

World Championship Scoring
Goals - 1st, (1962), 1st (1966), 2nd (1964), 2nd (1965)
Points - 2nd (1964), 3rd (1966), 4th (1961), 4th (1963)

seventieslord Soviet Equivalency Study

The purpose of this analysis is to convert Soviet regular season scoring numbers into something that more closely resembles what we have for VsX for NHL players. Note that this does NOT include international competitions, and in the case of Starshinov specifically, it may flatter him a little bit due to him being a goal scorer in an era of Soviet hockey that didn't have assists recorded consistently.

NOTE: This should NOT be taken as what Starshinov's 7 year VsX would look like in NHL terms. It is an approximation using a mathematical formula that is subject to revisions going forward.

Best 7 scores: 95, 90, 88, 78, 76, 62, 60, avg. 78.4

Sturminator did an offensive analysis of the 60's Soviet stars:

- the 1960-61 to 1969-70 timeframe captures basically the entire peaks of the following players: Veniamin Alexandrov, Boris Mayorov, Alexander Almetov, Vyacheslav Starshinov and Anatoli Firsov. This is not perfect...Alexandrov and Mayorov both have single good seasons in the late 50s, and Firsov played well into the early 70s, though he was clearly past his peak (at least in terms of domestic league scoring) by then.

- this is meant only to be a Soviet-league-in-the-1960s-internal scoring comparison. Any resemblance to VsX numbers for post-consolidation NHL scoring is just a matter of formatting. I know that any intelligent person can understand this, but I want to make it completely clear.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alexandrov:
159, 100, 100, 95, 94, 88, 78
Total: 714
7-season average: 102

Firsov:
138, 100, 100, 94, 92, 83, 70
Total: 677
7-season average: 96.7

Mayorov:
107, 100, 100, 92, 90, 88, 81
Total: 658
7-season average: 94

Starshinov:
110, 108, 100, 87, 85, 84, 80
Total: 654
7-season average: 93.4

Almetov:
103, 100, 100, 84, 83, 69, 67
Total: 606
7-season average: 86.6

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Notes on the above:

- Alexandrov, Mayorov and Almetov benefit from somewhat softer competition over their first couple of peak seasons (Firsov didn't really start peaking until 1963-64), and Firsov and Starshinov are hurt by stiffer competition in their last couple of peak seasons when the K-P-M line stars started to peak.

- Alexandrov, Mayorov and Firsov are hurt by the lack of complete assist records, and by the generally quite stingy Soviet league assist tabulation, in general. Starshinov is clearly helped by these factors, while the effect on Almetov is probably neutral.

- so, in general, Firsov is disadvantaged twice by the above, and Almetov is advantaged, while the net effect on Alexandrov, Mayorov and Starshinov is roughly neutral, I'd guess.

Vyacheslav- a typical center/forward, who has greatly developed his defensive game. The second such player, perhaps in the entire the hockey world... a center/forward who could, with such great desire and skill, perform the task of neutralizing strong rival players.

We must also discuss another aspect of Starshinov's play: with the possible exception of Victor Yakushev – there was never before and has never been since a center who was able to win physical battles against opponents of great strength as Starshinov could.

The following is work done by Sturminator found here.

Clean English version of Vyacheslav Starshinov's profile at the Russian site Championat:

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Vyacheslav Starshinov was born in Moscow on May 6, 1940. As all boys of that era, he was obsessed with soccer, kicking a ball in the yard (to the horror of his mother, even destroying his last pair of shoes), and in the winter, of course, hockey. At the age of 17, he began a brilliant hockey career at Spartak Moscow, where he would spend the next 15 years, scoring 405 goals in 540 games. He became Soviet league champion three times at Spartak (1962, 1967, 1969), and twice won the Soviet Cup (1970 and 1971).

Starshinov centered the famous Mayorov - Starshinov - Mayorov Spartak line, one of the best units in Soviet hockey. Combination play, improvisation, unpredictability, and irresistible attack - all of these things characterized these talented players.

Twice, Starshinov became Olympic champion as part of the Soviet national team – in 1964 and 1968. He captained the national team from 1969 to 1972. In 182 games for the national team, Starshinov scored 149 goals. In the World Championships and Olympics, he scored 64 goals in 78 games.

The best proof of the brilliance of this surprising player comes from the words of his national team coach, Anatoli Tarasov:

"He was quiet, with massive shoulders - reserved and a bit clumsy - but Vyacheslav changed when he took the ice, became angry and ruthless – both to his opponents and to himself. He was filled with an unbending will to win, not only in games, but also in practices.

In battles in front of the opposing goal, he was unstoppable. The Canadians always believed that they could closely "check" opposing forwards with their own, and did not wish to admit that they could do nothing with Starshinov. With the sturdiness of a tree trunk, strong on his skates, Vyacheslav never hid his intentions – moved straight towards the goal and challenged his opponents to stop him. The effect of this directness on defenders was like that of a boa constrictor on a rabbit.

The quality of Starshinov pushed us, the coaching staff of the national team, to consider what could be done to expand his role on the team. At Spartak, he often fired goals from some distance. We suggested that he start trying to finish in tight, closer to the goalkeeper. And in this way, in combination with his quick and decisive stick-work, Starshinov became a thunder-storm for opposing goalkeepers.

We must also discuss another aspect of Starshinov's play: with the possible exception of Victor Yakushev – there was never before and has never been since a center who was able to win physical battles against opponents of great strength as Starshinov could.

This outstanding player possessed an incredible amount of strength, and an unshakable desire to achieve glory for himself and his team. Starshinov's dependability would be the envy of even the great masters of hockey - he played practically without injury, without missing a game, from his youth to the end of his storied career.

From whence did he draw his great strength? I answer the question thusly: Vyacheslav loved to train, and his training was constant and severe. I cannot remember that Starshinov even once complained of excessive weight or difficulty in team training exercises. And in games – in basketball by hockey rules or in soccer, which we let the hockey team play as a reward - there was almost no equal to Vyacheslav. We, the trainers, held him up as an example to others. I think that the present generation of players could learn a lot from Vyacheslav Starshinov."

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Assorted Tarasov quotes:

"However, there are specialists who rebuke him for not working enough. They claim that Almetov works less than, say, Starshinov, that he seems to have lead in skates when it comes to pulling back to help his teammates in defense."

"It would, of course be good if Almetov had the strength and power of Starshinov. He was truly a unique master. But...

Vyacheslav Starshinov's courage is also unique. In this department he really shone in the last two seasons, when he started playing right in front of the net, instead of at long range. For it is in this 'kill zone' in front of the net where the toughest battles are fought, where the defense is especially hard-hitting, that Starshinov most fully displays his qualities as a fighter. In the last and most crucial game of the 1966 World Championship tournament, when the USSR played Czechoslovakia, Starshinov was the sparkplug of the team and did the hat trick in the first 4 minutes of the game!

Playing farther away from the enemy net, Starshinov spent up to 2 and 3 minutes on the ice before being replaced. Now, when he plays in the 'hotspot' in front of the enemy net, Starshinov gets his fill in a minute. He began to play better and brought more goals for his team.

Sometimes they say that Starshinov is an absolutely undisciplined player. That is both right and wrong. When playing for the Army club team, it is true that Starshinov sometimes takes a quaint attitude towards the rules and can interpret them quite freely. In fact, he simply plays rough. But when he plays for the USSR National team, Starshinov transforms into an absolutely different man. He knows how high the requirements are, and he knows the price the team will have to pay if he is penalized. That is why he plays clean game, without losing control of himself, without acting up. Therefore, it is not surprising that in all the games of the 1965 World Hockey Championship he had only one two-minute penalty."

"Before they went back on the ice, I gave Starshinov a little pep talk, reminding him that we expected him to produce results, that we have faith in him and that he was doing a good job in neutralizing the Nielsson line."

All of the following are anecdotes dug up by Theokritos in this post.

General comments on his game:

Anatoly Tarasov (1987):
"He was quiet, with massive shoulders - reserved and a bit clumsy - but Vyacheslav changed when he took the ice, became angry and ruthless – both to his opponents and to himself. He was filled with an unbending will to win, not only in games, but also in practices. In battles in front of the opposing goal, he was unstoppable. The Canadians always believed that they could closely 'check' opposing forwards with their own, and did not wish to admit that they could do nothing with Starshinov. With the sturdiness of a tree trunk, strong on his skates, Vyacheslav never hid his intentions – moved straight towards the goal and challenged his opponents to stop him. The effect of this directness on defenders was like that of a boa constrictor on a rabbit. (...) This outstanding player possessed an incredible amount of strength, and an unshakable desire to achieve glory for himself and his team. Starshinov's dependability would be the envy of even the great masters of hockey - he played practically without injury, without missing a game, from his youth to the end of his storied career."

Note: I used the existing translation provided by Sturminator.

В жизни богатырь – широченнейший в плечах и спокойный, внешне чуть неуклюжий, на льду Вячеслав преображался. Становился злым, беспощадным – и к сопернику и к себе, поражал неуемной силушкой, желанием во всем быть первым. Причем не только в матчах, но и на тренировках.
***В сражениях перед воротами соперника был неудержим. Уж на что канадцы, казалось, умеют чужих форвардов и близко к своему «пятачку» не подпускать, а со Старшиновым и они ничего поделать не могли. С железным хватом клюшки, крепко стоящий на ногах Вячеслав своих намерений никогда не скрывал – бросал сопернику открытый вызов и рвался к цели по прямой. И этой своей прямотой действовал на защитников, как удав на кролика. (...) У этого выдающегося игрока был необычайный запас прочности в силе, в напоре, в непреклонном желании добиться желаемого и прославить себя и команду. А стабильности Старшинова могли позавидовать и самые именитые мастера – он играл практически без срывов. И в молодости, и к концу своего верного служения хоккею.

Nikolay Sologubov:
"Somewhat inferior to Boris Mayorov in regards to flashy individual skills (but only really in the early days) was Vyacheslav Starshinov, a player with extraordinary stamina and capacity for work and great tactical prowess. Starshinov is incredibly bold and his strong shot has earned him the reputation of being one of the most productive forwards in our hockey."

Несколько уступал Борису Майорову (впрочем, разве что на первых порах) в блеске индивидуального мастерства Вячеслав Старшинов, хоккеист удивительной работоспособности, выносливости и большого тактического мастерства. Старшинов беспредельно смел, а сильнейшие броски снискали ему славу одного из самых результативных форвардов нашего хоккея.

Anatoly Tarasov (1971):
"Starshinov is a passionate player with a great range of activity. He has the hug of a bear, his physical strength would be enough for three. Now, if you consider his strength it would seem as if he didn't even need much technical skills on top of it, but Starshinov is actually a very skilled player, although he doesn't catch one's eye immediately. His talent is not apparent right away, you need to watch him in action to recognize it. (...) Vyacheslav possesses the highest level of technical skills: His handling of the puck is technically excellent, he has a wide vision, a great pass and a phenomenally strong and accurate shot that he makes use of from almost anywhere. He has a good awareness of the rink and makes the best decision in the most difficult and dramatic situation. But on top of it he still maintains his trump card: his extraordinary strength and self-confidence. He reminds me of a cruiser, steadily cutting its way through the waves of the sea. (...) Again, Vyacheslav's technique is very peculiar. Sometimes I wonder how he manages to get past one opponent after the other. He doesn't use any distinguished dekes. And yet, when you try to stop him, you recognize he has a firm grip on the puck, even though it doesn't look like anything you're used to."

Старшинов - игрок с большим диапазоном действий, страстный, с медвежьей хваткой, физической силы у него хватает на троих. Казалось бы, с такой силищей ему уже и не очень нужна техника. Но Вячеслав - хоккеист высокотехничный. И что интересно - в глаза ои бросается не сразу: талант Старшинова сразу не распознаешь, его нужно увидеть в настоящем бою. (...) Вячеслав обладает высоким, самым высоким техническим мастерством: он отлично владеет техникой ведения шайбы, у него широкая ориентировка, великолепный пас и феноменальный по силе и точности бросок, причем бросает он по воротам практически из любого положения. Он хорошо ориентируется на площадке, находит наиболее верное решение в самой сложной, драматической ситуации, но все-таки главный его козырь - необыкновенная силища, уверенность в себе. Он напоминает мне крейсер, уверенно разрезающий морские волны. (...) Повторяю, техника Вячеслава крайне своеобразна. Порой я даже удивляюсь: как это он умудряется обходить одного соперника за другим, если практически не использует никаких особых финтов. Однако попробуйте остановить этого замечательного мастера, в вы убедитесь, что его обводка очень надежна и... не похожа ни на что привычное.

Viktor Konovalenko:
"His talent was undeniable. God-given. On the ice he was a battering ram, crushing everyone and everything. And if he didn't put the puck in the net himself, he still came up with an accurate pass."

Он был талантлив, факт. Хоккеист от бога. На площадке – таран, сомнет всех и вся. И если сам не забьет, то уж пас-то отдаст точно.

Anatoly Tarasov (1968):
"Vyacheslav Starshinov's courage is also unique. In this department he really shone in the last two seasons, when he started playing right in front of the net, instead of at long range. For it is in this 'kill zone' in front of the net where the toughest battles are fought, where the defense is especially hard-hitting, that Starshinov most fully displays his qualities as a fighter. In the last and most crucial game of the 1966 World Championship tournament, when the USSR played Czechoslovakia, Starshinov was the sparkplug of the team and did the hat trick in the first 4 minutes of the game! Playing farther away from the enemy net, Starshinov spent up to 2 and 3 minutes on the ice before being replaced. Now, when he plays in the 'hotspot' in front of the enemy net, Starshinov gets his fill in a minute. He began to play better and brought more goals for his team."

Note: I used the existing English translation from "Road to Olympus".

Своеобразно мужество и Вячеслава Старшинова. И особенно засверкала эта его грань таланта в последних двух сезонах, когда он стал играть не на дальнем, как прежде, а на ближнем пятачке. Именно здесь, у ворот соперника, где вскипают самые яростные схватки, где защитники особенно жестки. Старшинову удается наиболее полно проявлять лучшие бойцовские качества своего характера. В заключительном и самом ответственном матче чемпионата мира 1966 года СССР â€“ Чехословакия Старшинов был душой команды и в первые четыре минуты матча забросил две из трех шайб, по существу решивших исход матча. Играя вдали от чужих ворот, Старшинов проводил на поле без замены по дветри минуты. Сейчас, находясь на самом горячем месте, он «наигрывается» за минуту. Больше, полнее стала его отдача игре, большую пользу стал приносить он своему коллективу.

Anatoly Tarasov (1987):
"The quality of Starshinov pushed us, the coaching staff of the national team, to consider what could be done to expand his role on the team. At Spartak, he often fired goals from some distance. We suggested that he start trying to finish in tight, closer to the goalkeeper. And in this way, in combination with his quick and decisive stick-work, Starshinov became a thunder-storm for opposing goalkeepers."

Note: Again made use of the existing translation provided by Sturminator.

Эти качества Старшинова натолкнули нас, тренеров сборной, на мысль о том, что амплуа Вячеслава следует расширить. В Â«Спартаке» в завершающей фазе атаки он действовал с дальних позиций, со страховкой, мы же предложили ему идти на добивание, создавать помехи вратарю. И такая манера в сочетании с внезапными и хлесткими бросками-ударами силищи необыкновенной сделала Старшинова грозой для вратарей.

David Bauer (1968):
"Both [scil. the Soviets and the NHLers] have their own qualities. It would be difficult for the players to play on the team of the opponent. In my opinion the only Soviet players who wouldn't be at loss [when switching to an NHL team] would be Firsov and Starshinov."

У каждого есть свои хорошие качества. Тяжело было бы хоккеистам играть в команде соперников. На мой взгляд, из советских хоккеистов лишь Фярсов и Старшинов не растерялись бы.

Physical game:

Anatoly Tarasov (1971):
"The passion that distinguished Starshinov from all of his peers (and not only among the Soviets) over many years is his passion for the physical game. He loved to get involved in the battle, reveal all of his gigantic strength and have a fight within the boundary of the rules. (...) The opponents obstructed him, tortured him and pushed him away from the goal, but he didn't back down. He didn't wait for the opponent to give him a quarter, what he desired was to score a goal and he didn't retreat from that target. In this regard Starshinov compares favourably with Almetov, although Almetov had a clear advantage over him when it came to elegance, finesse and surprising ideas. Starshinov didn't hide what he was on to, but he acted with such power and skill that no counter-measure could save the opponent."

Страсть, которая выгодно отличает Вячеслава уже долгие годы от всех его коллег, и не только советских,- страсть к единоборству. Он любит ввязаться в борьбу, сполна показать свою гигантскую силу, любит подраться в рамках правил. (...) Соперники мешали ему, терзали его, увозили, отталкивали от ворот, а он все-таки добивался своего. Он не ждал от соперника пощады, но у него была желанная и манящая цель - взятие ворот, и он от нее не отступался. В этом плане Старшинов выгодно отличался от Альметова, хотя Александр имел несомненное преимущество перед Вячеславом в изящности, тонкости и внезапности своих игровых решений. Старшинов все делал открыто, но с такой мощью и с таким искусством, что никакие контрмеры не спасали соперников.

Boris Mayorov (1971):
"I can't for the life of me imagine Starshinov's game without his physical play. He batters down any defence."

Вообще я не представляю игру Старшинова без силовой борьбы. Таранит любую защиту.

Aleksandr Ragulin:
"Playing against pure finesse forwards is easier for me. The guy wants to deke – so let him deke. I keep him in check. The next time I won't miss his move... Slava is more difficult to play against. He throws himself right into the battle. And then it looks as if he has lost the puck. But no, somehow he picks it out and gets it on goal."

С "хитрыми" нападающими мне полегче. Он финтит — пускай себе финтит. Я слежу за ним. Тут лишь бы не прозевать его следующий ход... Со Славой труднее. Он сам лезет в борьбу. Вот уж кажется, все — проиграл он ситуацию. Нет, вывернется как-то шайбу выковырнет и — к воротам.

Anatoly Tarasov (1987):
"With the possible exception of Viktor Yakushev – there was never before and has never been since a center who was able to win physical battles against opponents of great strength as Starshinov could."

Note: Used the existing translation provided by Sturminator.

Пожалуй, не было – возможно, за исключением Виктора Якушева – прежде, нет и сейчас у нас такого другого центрфорварда, который умел бы с таким огромным желанием и сноровкой, как Вячеслав, выполнять задания по нейтрализации сильных игроков соперников.

Playmaking:

Jack McLeod (1968):
"The Soviet players pass around a lot. Almetov and Starshinov are true kings of the pass."

Советские хоккеисты делают очень много передач. Альметов и Старшинов - подлинные короли паса.

Anatoly Tarasov (1971):
"Remember the way Vyacheslav Starshinov or Veniamin Aleksandrov played. They saw the whole ice: what was going on ahead and what was going on at the side. That's why it was easy to play with them."

Вспомните манеру игры Вячеслава Старшинова или Вениамина Александрова. Они видят все поле-и то, что. происходит впереди, и то, что рядом или на краю площадки. Вот почему с ними легко играть.

Anatoly Firsov:
"In the last match against Sweden [at the 1970 Izvestia Cup], our team went in with a makeshift first line: Right wing Vladimir Vikulov, center forward Vyacheslav Starshinov [instead of Vladimir Polupanov] and I was the left wing. (...) I scored two goals after excellent passes by Starshinov that were both remarkably similar and after the game my friends wanted to know when I had trained these simple combinations with Slava. 'There wasn't enough time after the team workout', they wondered. Actually we didn't train together at all."

На последний матч против сборной Швеции первое звено нашей команды вышло в неожиданном составе: справа – Володя Викулов, центральный нападающий – Вячеслав Старшинов и слева – я. (...) Две шайбы я провел после превосходных передач Старшинова, пасы эти были удивительно схожи, и по окончании матча мои друзья интересовались, когда же успели мы со Славой отрепетировать эту незамысловатую комбинацию, – «ведь одной тренировки недостаточно!». Не было ни одной совместной тренировки.

Anatoly Tarasov (1971):
"His remarkable selflessness enables Vyacheslav to always feed his partners with excellent passes, although he can and will also shoot from the most difficult positions."

Удивительная человеческая добропорядочность позволяет Вячеславу всегда отлично "питать" партнеров, но он умеет и сам забрасывать шайбы из самых сложных положений. Часто - решающие шайбы.

Viktor Konovalenko:
"Towards the end of his playing career in the [late] 1960s, he couldn't keep up with his younger linemates anymore. But the passes he set them up with were such that it was a shame if they didn't score."

В конце своей спортивной карьеры он не поспевал, как в шестидесятые годы, за молодыми партнерами. Зато снабжал их такими передачами, после которых стыдно было не забить гол.

Two-way game:

Anatoly Tarasov (1971):
"He's always involved in the defence. Whenever Spartak Moscow or the Soviet national team are defending, Vyacheslav can always be found in his own end, near the goal. I can't remember any case where Starshinov failed to catch up with the opponent or to block the shot by throwing himself in front of the puck."

Он постоянно участвует в обороне. Если спартаковцы или сборная СССР защищаются, Вячеслав всегда сзади, у своих ворот. Не помню случая, чтобы Стар-шинов не догнал соперника, не подставил себя под хлесткий бросок, не пожертвовал собой, чтобы ликвидировать опасность, отобрать шайбу.

Arkady Chernyshov:
"He is an organizer and leader: the first to attack, the first to defend."

Он организатор, вожак — первый в атаке, первый в защите.

Anatoly Firsov:
"Now, let's remember, how often have you seen Vyacheslav take a gamble ahead of the goal of the opponent? Try to remember. You struggle? Of course, for as often as Slava attacked the opponent's goal and slot, he never for a moment forgot that he was a center forward, that he wasn't allowed to get carried away, that in case the puck was lost he had to get back in position in time."

Ну-ка вспомните, часто ли видели вы в матчах «Спартака», как Вячеслав играет за воротами соперника? Попробуйте, попробуйте вспомнить! Трудно? Конечно, ибо Слава чаще всего атакует ворота противника с пятачка, ни на секунду при этом не забывая, что он центрфорвард, что ему нельзя увлекаться, что он в случае неудачи, потери шайбы должен успеть вернуться в оборону.

Anatoly Tarasov (1971):
"The Spartak line was not only dangerous in attack but also great on defence, thanks to the special talent of Starshinov. (...) Some even said Starshinov is a universal player. They said he could be used as a defenceman. No! Vyacheslav is an exemplary center forward with a very accomplished defensive game, that's what he is."

Спартаковское звено умело не только искусно атаковать, но и, благодаря особому таланту Старшинова, великолепно обороняться. (...) Говорят, Старшинов универсал. Говорят, что он мог бы сыграть и защитником. Нет! Вячеслав - типичный центральный нападающий, у которого очень сильно развиты навыки игры в обороне.

Arkady Chernyshov:
"It's for good reasons that Starshinov is on the ice whenever we are short-handed."

Недаром Старшинов выходит на поле всякий раз, когда мы остаемся в меньшинстве.

Anatoly Tarasov (1974):
"Since the retirement of Vyacheslav Starshinov our hockey is lacking a center forward or halfback who combines the handling of the vast dirty work – including the accurate execution of defensive tasks – with the ability to attack most pointedly. [Vladimir] Petrov is probably the closest thing we have to the Spartak forward, but he lacks the mass and physical strength to scare the opponent."

С уходом из хоккея Вячеслава Старшинова у нас не стало центрального нападающего — хавбека, в котором уживались бы объемные черновые действия, в том числе четкое исполнение защитных функций, с умением атаковать максимально остро. Петров стоит, пожалуй, ближе всех к спартаковскому форварду, но армейцу недостает массы и физической силы, которой можно было бы попугать соперника.

Attitude:

Arkady Chernyshov:
"Starshinov can be relied on. He's one of the very few who doesn't have to be told to train, observe the sporting regime and play."

И, конечно же, Старшинов надежен. Один из немногих, кого не надо заставлять тренироваться, соблюдать режим, играть.

Anatoly Tarasov (1987):
"Vyacheslav loved to train, and his training was constant and severe. I cannot remember that Starshinov even once complained of excessive weight or difficulty in team training exercises. And in games – in basketball by hockey rules or in soccer, which we let the hockey team play as a reward - there was almost no equal to Vyacheslav. We, the trainers, held him up as an example to others."

Note: Used the existing translation from the post by Sturminator once again.

Вячеслав очень любил сложные и объемные тренировки. Не припомню, чтобы Старшинов хоть раз пожаловался на чрезмерную тяжесть или сложность нагрузок. А уж в играх – в баскетболе по хоккейным правилам, в футболе, которые мы давали хоккеистам в занятиях «на сладкое», Вячеславу почти не было равных. Мы, тренеры, на его примере учили других.

Boris Mayorov (1971):
"Slava is never satisfied with his own performance and when a game really doesn't go well, he is capable of stepping up. He's always at his best when it's crunch time."

Слава всегда неудовлетворен своей игрой. А когда игра действительно не идет, умеет быть выше обстоятельств. И к решающему турниру всегде готов лучше всех...

Arkady Chernyshov:
"He's a courageous and fearless player. When he took a puck to the head and had his cheek cut open at the 1969 World Championship in Stockholm, the doctors told him not to play, but he still begged us coaches to let him on the ice. And he played great when it mattered most. And [in 1967] at the Vienna World Championship? Our players were having a hard time playing against Canadian defenceman Carl Brewer and Slava asked Tarasov and me to let him play against Brewer. He didn't know what the outcome of their duel would be, but in order to stand up for his team he was ready to take the challenge."

Смелый и мужественный хоккеист. Когда в 1969 году в Стокгольмько ему шайбой рассекли щеку и врачи запретили играть, он все же упросил нас, тренеров, выпустить его на лед. И в критический момент сыграл здорово. А в Вене? Нашим игрокам очень насолил тогда канадская защитник Карл Бровер. И как Слава просил меня и Тарасова разрешить ему "поиграть" против Бревера. Он не знал, чем кончится их поединок, но горел желанием постоять за команду, сознательно шел на риск.

Temperament and discipline:

Anatoly Tarasov (1968):
"Sometimes they say that Starshinov is quite an undisciplined player. That is both right and wrong. When playing for his club team, it is true that Starshinov sometimes takes a quaint attitude towards the rules and can interpret them quite freely. In fact, he simply plays rough. But when he plays for the USSR National team, Starshinov transforms into an absolutely different man. He knows how high the requirements are, and he knows the price the team will have to pay if he is penalized. That is why he plays a clean game, without losing control of himself, without acting up. Therefore, it is not surprising that in all the games of the 1965 World Hockey Championship he had only one two-minute penalty."

Note: I used the existing English translation from "Road to Olympus" (1969), but made some corrections.

Иногда говорят и пишут, что Старшинов – игрок совершенно недисциплинированный. Это и так и не так. Действительно, играя в клубной команде, Старшинов порой позволяет себе слишком уж вольно трактовать существующие правила, иногда попросту грубит. Но тот же Старшинов, выступая за сборную команду страны, совершенно преображается. Там к нему предъявляют высокие требования, он прекрасно знает цену удаления и потому действует на поле корректно, не теряя контроля над собой. Не удивительно, что во время розыгрыша первенства мира по хоккею 1965 года он за все игры был лишь однажды удален с поля на две минуты, как говорится, «по собственной инициативе».

Boris Mayorov (1970):
"Starshinov was always a much more relaxed guy than we [scil. the Mayorov brothers] were. Perhaps you could even classify him as phlegmatic. It's not that he was indifferent to the referees' sanctions or remained silent. But while the rest of us yelled so that the entire arena could hear us, he only mumbled to himself and no-one could make out whether he was bad-mouthing the referees or he was dissatisfied with himself or he was complaining about the quarrelsome temper of us, his linemates. Yet the reputation of the whole trio cast its shadow on Starshinov too and he also became subject to the sermons of the press and the Sports Technical Commission."

На самом же деле Старшинов всегда был человеком куда более спокойным, чем мы. Его можно даже, пожалуй, отнести к категории флегматиков. Не то чтобы он равнодушно относился к судейским «репрессиям» или молчал на площадке, но такая уж у Старшинова манера: все, что мы кричали на весь стадион, он бубнил себе под нос, и никто не мог разобрать, то ли он действительно ругает судей, то ли недоволен собой, то ли осуждает за вздорный нрав нас, своих партнеров. И все же тень всей тройки с ее репутацией падала и на Старшинова, и ему не реже нашего приходилось выслушивать нотации прессы и членов спортивно-технической комиссии.

Taken from a post about Yevgeny Mayorov, the following passage gives some insight into the character of Starshinov.

Anatoly Firsov:
"Yevgeny Mayorov was a fine player in his own right, but he was still a class below Vyacheslav and Boris. He made more mistakes than his partners and I do not remember one case where they took the blame on themselves during a game. (...) Let it be particularly clear that I'm not talking about the team meetings, where the coaches discuss the performance of the lines and lecture the players on their mistakes and lack of tactical discipline, and I'm not talking about a calm match analysis where it's simple for mature players to pin down the reasons for their own mistakes. On such occasions, the leaders of the Spartak trio [scil. Starshinov and Boris Mayorov] of course recalled the tactical mistakes they had made and in this or that situation where everyone thought Yevgeny was to blame, Boris and Vyacheslav actually explained that it wasn't his fault but theirs. No, I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about the nervous and tense atmosphere during the game. If Yevgeny gave a bad pass, Boris or – more rarely – Vyacheslav started to reproach their partner. On the rink they didn't forgive him the slightest error. "

Евгений Майоров был очень хороший хоккеист, но все-таки он уступал в мастерстве, в классе и Вячеславу и Борису и, наверное, ошибался чаще, чем его партнеры, но я не припоминаю случая, чтобы спартаковские лидеры брали в ходе матча вину за неудачи тройки на себя. (...) Оговариваюсь специально, что вспоминаю я сейчас не собрания команды, где тренеры разбирают действия звеньев и отчитывают своих подопечных за промахи, за нарушения тактической дисциплины, не спокойный анализ матча, когда опытные мастера легко находят причины собственных ошибок и когда, конечно же, лидеры прекрасной спартаковской тройки вспоминали свои неверные тактические решения и объясняли тренерам, что в той или иной ситуации виноват был не Евгений, как всем показалось, а Борис или Вячеслав. Нет, нет, сейчас я говорю только об игре, о нервной, напряженной атмосфере матча, о контактах тройки на площадке. Дал Женя пас неточно, не вовремя – и тут же Борис или, реже, Слава начинали корить партнера. Они не прощали ему на площадке ни малейшей ошибки.

Little bit more about his leadership and character:

"In this tournament, Starshinov not only played a masterful game, but also proved to be a great teammate. He did everything he could to make sure that Anatoli Ionov's debut with the team went well. Vyacheslav understood the young man's anxieties, and so gave – imperceptibly, unostentatiously – signals to Tola to help him understand that he was in no way inferior to his veteran linemates. This helped Ionov to assert himself on the line as a full partner, and allowed him to play at his best."

As captain:

Boris Mayorov:
"On the ice he's able to move mountains and perform miracles, but to say the right words at the right time is not his part. He isn't good at encouraging others."

В моих ушах до сих пор монотонный голос Славки Старшинова, капитана сборной. Сам он способен своротить горы и совершить на площадке любое чудо, но сказать в нужный момент нужные слова — это не по его части. Подбадривать других он не умеет.

QUOTED LITERATURE (in order of publication date):
Anatoly Tarasov: Совершеннолетие (1968=2nd edition)
Boris Mayorov: Я смотрю хоккей (1970)
Vyacheslav Starshinov: Я â€“ центрфорвард (1971)
Anatoly Tarasov: Хоккей грядущего (1971=2nd edition)
Anatoly Firsov: Зажечь победы свет (1973)
Viktor Konovalenko: Третий период (1986)
Anatoly Tarasov: Настоящие мужчины хоккея (1987)

Notes:
Arkady Chernyshov and Aleksandr Ragulin quoted after Starshinov (1971).
Jack McLeod and David Bauer quoted after Tarasov (1971). The original Czechoslovak source (an interview McLeod and Bauer gave to sports journalist Ladislav Krnáč) is not available to me.

 

[Dreakmur]

Dick Irvin Sr. !!!


Coaching Achievements:
4 x Stanley Cup Champion (1932, 1944, 1946, 1953)
12 x Stanley Cup Finalist (1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955)

3 x First Team All-Star (1944, 1945, 1946)
6 x Second Team All-Star (1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1941)

All-Star voting - 1st(1944), 1st(1945), 1st(1946), 2nd(1931), 2nd(1932), 2nd(1933), 2nd(1934), 2nd(1935), 2nd(1941)

In 1940-41, Irvin was hired to revive a Montreal Canadiens franchise that was floundering on the ice and at the box office, and became one of the key reasons behind the club's return to prominence. In fact, it has often been said that his leadership and vision helped him to save the team from bankruptcy by turning its fortunes around in short order. Irvin was demanding but fair as a bench boss. He quite enjoyed seeing the players practise with vigor and take their frustrations out on one another. The bottom line was that his teams skated with passion. Soon after he took over as coach, Maurice Richard emerged displaying the level of conviction on the ice that Irvin was looking for.

When he was named head coach of the Canadiens in 1940-41, Dick Irvin Sr. was already an accomplished NHL bench boss. Montreal, however, was where he reached new professional heights.

With 11 years of coaching experience on his résumé from his two seasons with the Blackhawks and nine campaigns with the Maple Leafs, Irvin was hired by Canadiens GM Tommy Gorman and given the mandate to reverse the team’s fortunes.

Inheriting a Habs squad in the midst of a lengthy Stanley Cup drought that saw the team miss the playoffs in two of the previous four seasons, Irvin was determined to return the Canadiens to glory. He did exactly that when, under his tenure, the Habs responded by winning three Stanley Cups, including triumphs in 1944, 1946 and 1953.

Never afraid to make tough decisions, Irvin surprised many when he decided to entrust the Habs’ crease to undrafted instead of regular starter Jacques Plante during the 1953 Stanley Cup Finals. The move paid off, as undrafted twice blanked the Bruins on his way to securing Cup No. 7 for the Canadiens.

During his time in Montreal, Irvin had the pleasure of welcoming a young Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau to the NHL, while he also played a pivotal role in the early mentoring of such other future Hall of Famers as Emile Bouchard, Doug Harvey, Dickie Moore and Bernard “Boom Boom†Geoffrion.

Irvin’s 15 seasons behind the Canadiens’ bench remain the longest tenure of any coach in franchise history.

-Ranked as #3 coach, behind Scotty Bowman and Toe Blake-

Dick Irvin Sr. is an obscure figure in Montreal Canadiens history; a hockey coach overshadowed by more luminous personalities like Scotty Bowman and Toe Blake; a rather unfair view especially when you look at his record. He was the most successful NHL coach during the 1930s and 1940s and was third best in the 1950s. In 1945 he surpassed Lester Patrick as the most successful head coach in hockey history and remained so until the mid-1990s. When his coaching career ended in 1956 he was the greatest hockey coach that ever lived at that time.

Irvin took two struggling franchises and made them not only contenders but flagship franchises as well. He was rebuilding a third struggling franchise when his career and life were cut short suddenly. He was the most innovative hockey coach of his time—indeed, a coach way ahead of his time—using systemic approaches to the game that put most other hockey coaches to shame. He was the greatest coach of offensive hockey of his era; and he introduced hockey fans to some of the greatest players that ever stepped on the ice.

It was Irvin who established the traits that defined the Habs for decades to come: speed; depth; superb two-way skills for his forwards; aggressive checking from his defensemen; and superb goal-tending in the nets.

Dick Irvin Sr. led his teams to seventeen consecutive playoff appearances (an NHL record) and made twenty-four playoffs appearances overall in twenty-seven seasons of coaching. Sixteen times his teams reached the Stanley Cup finals. Not only is that an NHL record (which will never be broken). It is also a record in all four major North American sports. No other head coach in the history of professional baseball, football, basketball, or hockey has made that many championship finals appearances.

The Montreal Canadiens were the worst team in 1939-40 (last in the NHL with a 10-33-5 record) and on the verge of folding, with very poor attendance the major problem. Fortunately, the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted to change their coach, and manager Conn Smythe phoned Canadiens owner Donat Raymond about hiring their bench boss, Dick Irvin. Raymond knew a good thing when he heard one and shortly thereafter Irvin was signed on as Habs coach. For the next 15 seasons, Irvin would patrol the Canadiens banch, giving the team three Stanley Cup wins and some of the most exciting hockey Montreal has ever seen.

The first thing Irvin did was to give the Canadiens clear objectives and a winning attitude, which he brought with him from his successful tenure as Leafs coach. An admirer of legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, Irvin stressed conditioning, discipline, and a work ethic.

A full-fledged NHL star with the Blackhawks, Dick Irvin's career was curtailed when he suffered a fractured skull... It was then that he turned to coaching., first with the Blackhawks and then with the Maple Leafs. Toronto's young crew was well suited to Dick's accent-on-speed philosophy. "As long as they play this game on skates, " Irvin would say, "you have to be able to skate to win. Personally, I'll take a young pair of legs over an old head anytime."

Let me say something about your dad. When I first went to Montreal, players would tell me a little about this. Many of them told me that Lach, Bouchard, Richard, Durnan, Blake, and ********* all said they'd never have been the hockey players they turned out to be if it wasn't for Dick Irvin. And I can say the same thing. Even today, when I go back and I'm day-dreaming while doing a job or have some sort of problem, I can always relate to Dick.

People ask me who was the best coach and of course I have to say Toe Blake, because we won all those Stanley Cups with him. But in the next breath I say that it's only because he was taught by your dad.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Fred "Smokey" Harris​

Honors

Member of Western Team in 1913 All Star Game
League Leader in Assists 2x (1919-20 and 1923-24)
League Leader in Points (1920-21)
League Leader in Penalty Minutes (1913-1914)
Stanley Cup Playoff Points Leader (1915-1916)
Stanley Cup Playoff Assists Leader (1915-1916)
PCHA Playoff Goals Leader (1920-21)
PCHA Playoff Points Leader (1920-21)
4 x PCHA League Champion (1916, 1921, 1922, 1923)
PCHA First All-Team (1913, 1916, 1919, 1920)
PCHA Second All-Star Team (1922)



Statistics

1912-13 - 14 Goals - 20 Points - 2nd League Wide
1913-14 - 14 Goals - 17 Points - 10th League Wide
1914-15 - 14 Goals - 17 Points - 10th League Wide
1915-16 - 10 Goals - 16 Points - 11th League Wide
1916-17 - 18 Goals - 31 Points - 7th League Wide
1917-18 - 5 Goals - 11 Points - 12th League Wide (missed half the season)
1918-19 - 20 Goals - 26 Points - 3rd League Wide
1919-20 - 14 Goals - 24 Points - 4th League Wide
1920-21 - 15 Goals - 32 Points - 1st League Wide
1921-22 - 10 Goals - 14 Points - 10th League Wide
1922-23 - 10 Goals - 16 Points - 13th League Wide
1923-24 - 8 Goals - 18 Points - 7th League Wide

Summary of Points Finishes: (bolded might have been skewed by playing with Taylor though Harris outscored Taylor in their first full season together)
1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 7, 10, 10, 10, 11, 12, 13

Summary of Goals Finishes:
2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 9, 9, 12, 13* 14, 16

Summary of Assist Finishes:

1, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6*, 6, 9, 11, 11, 16, 18

(*1918-19 Season where missed half the games)

The three seasons Harris was playing with "peak" Taylor (1912-1914, 1918-19) Ages (22, 23, 28)
Goals: 48 - 0.94117 G/game
Assists: 15 - 0.29411 A/game
Points: 63 - 1.235 Pts/game
Games Played:51

Seasons in Portland (1914-1918) Ages (24 - 27)
Goals: 61 - 0.884 G/game
Assists: 25 - 0.3623 A/game
Points: 86 - 1,2464 Pts/game
Games Played: 69

The seasons after Taylor was passed his prime (1919-1924) Ages (29-33)
Goals: 57 - 0.47899
Assists: 47 - 0.3949
Points: 104 - 0.8739
Games Played: 119

What we can see is when he wasn't playing with Taylor his assists per season increased and while in his prime he was a competent scorer when not playing with the greatest player in the league.

Consolidated Scoring Finishes

1913 - 7th - 21.949 - Vs2: 70.035
1914 - ? - 14.063 - Vs2: 41.477
1915 - ? - 13.465 - Vs2: 37.766
1916 - ? - 15.305 - Vs2: 49.853
1917 - ? - 25.82 - Vs2: 55.999
1918 - 6 - 26.88 - Vs2: 68.746 (assumes he would have been healthy)
1919 - 4 - 23.40 - Vs2: 89.655
1920 - 5 - 27.28 - Vs2: 86.219
1921 - 3 - 32.00 - Vs2: 100

Those not in the thread I figured out myself using Taylor as a baseline

7 Year Total (Vs2): 520.507
Vs2 Seven year average: 74.358

Compared to VsX this result makes him the 33rd highest scoring LW

7 Year Total (Vs1): 476
Vs1 Seven year average: 68

Compared to VsX this makes him the 50th highest scoring LW

Take from this what you will but he is very clearly a good 3rd line left wing in a draft this size.

Playoff Scoring

Overall playoff data
24 Points in 26 Games
PCHA Playoff
14 Points in 12 Games
Stanley Cup Games
10 Points in 14 Games

Comparing to Taylor and MacKay

Taylor St Cup: 1.818 Pts/Game
Mackay St Cup: 1.3076 Pts/game
Harris St Cup: 0.7142 Pts/Game

Taylor PCHA: 0.9285
MacKay PCHA: 0.900
Harris PCHA: 1.166

Take from this what you will but Harris appears to have been a pretty solid playoff performer as well.

Physicality

Now there are quotes below that discuss his checking and hitting but they aren't nearly as wide spread as some other players from this era. So taking seventies power forward study and we'll see how Harris stacks up.

Name | Height | Weight | GP | PIM | PIM/GP | Top-3 In Goals
Newsy Lalonde | 5'9" | 168 | 330 | 957 | 2.90 | 7
Harry Hyland | 5'6" | 156 | 163 | 435 | 2.67 | 3
Punch Broadbent | 5'7" | 183 | 401 | 850 | 2.12 | 2
Tommy Dunderdale | 5'8" | 160 | 289 | 567 | 1.96 | 4
Jack Adams | 5'9" | 175 | 271 | 517 | 1.91 | 1
Gord Roberts | 5'11" | 180 | 179 | 315 | 1.76 | 5
Rusty Crawford | 5'11" | 165 | 260 | 442 | 1.70 | 0
Smokey Harris | 5'11" | 165 | 276 | 466 | 1.6884 | 2
Tommy Smith | 5'6" | 150 | 154 | 252 | 1.64 | 2
Didier Pitre | 5'11" | 185 | 317 | 476 | 1.50 | 3
Odie Cleghorn | 5'9" | 195 | 327 | 456 | 1.39 | 2
Jack Darragh | 5'10" | 168 | 273 | 376 | 1.38 | 0
Dick Irvin | 5'9" | 162 | 261 | 245 | 0.94 | 1
Cy Denneny | 5'7" | 168 | 513 | 475 | 0.93 | 7
Cyclone Taylor | 5'8" | 165 | 219 | 196 | 0.89 | 5
Mickey MacKay | 5'9" | 162 | 444 | 364 | 0.82 | 4
Frank Nighbor | 5'9" | 160 | 479 | 363 | 0.76 | 4
Joe Malone | 5'10" | 150 | 288 | 212 | 0.74 | 5
Bernie Morris | 5'7" | 145 | 239 | 162 | 0.68 | 4
Frank Foyston | 5'9" | 158 | 407 | 233 | 0.57 | 4
Jack Walker | 5'8" | 153 | 504 | 127 | 0.25 | 0
AVERAGE | 5'8.5'' | 165 | 316 | 401 | 1.27 | 3.2

As you can see above Harris was quite large for his time, and counting his time just in the PCHA put up pretty high penalty totals, not quite Dunderdale or Adams numbers. And his goal scoring numbers are slightly below what one would expect on such a list but I think the case could be made for him being a pretty physical player even for the time.

First Hand Sources

Fred Harris named to the PCHA first All Star team (he was in Portland)
Comments on his selection

Fred Harris of Portland formerly of Kenora has been the same old Fred in every game this season always a persistent and relentless check and a pretty handy man to have round on the attack too, as the figures will show. Fred goes at top speed from the start to finish as well as his willingness to work in combination with the other men on the forward line gives him the call.

Still Going Strong
"Smokey" Harris who plays left wing for the Millionaires and who tied with Frank Frederickson for the individual honours last season started with his Coast League career with Vancouver and after a couple of seasons with Portland came back to his home town. Time does not appear to have slowed him up and last year he gave one of the best displays of his career being a prolific scorer and one of the most agressive forwards in the game.

None of the members of the Portland Rosebuds Hockey Club in the Pacific Coast Hockey League have so far signed their contracts for the season of 1915-16 and it is definitely known that Ernie "Moose" Johnson and Fred Harris are holding out and positively refused to sign the contracts presented by the Portland hockey magnates. Both of these players demand better terms and according to a report from Portland their is just the bare possibility that the two stalwarts will remain cut of the game unless the PCHA magnates see fit to give them the terms asked.

Fred Harris, Ernie Johnson, Eddie Oatman, Fred Taylor, Mickey MacKay, Lloyd cook and Ran McDonald are known to have received offers from the eastern circuit which exceed the amount of money they have been guaranteed by the coast association.

But all the players mentioned turned down the N.H.A proposition with the exception of Fred Harris is said to have been promised $1500 but he asked for $300 in advance

Harris and Oatman, the latter replacing Pitre were brilliant for the visitors

A great exhibition of skating and combination work was given by Vancouver in the initial period, when Taylor, Harris , Oatman and Nichol made many sweeping rushes.

Captain Oatman, of the Portland club together with Harris and Tobin were at top speed. Harris snagged two goals and a pair of assists and all three were in fine form from the start

All the Seattle men played good games. It seemed as though the defence was the outstanding part of Pete Muldoons team. They were steady and secure and the Eskimo attacks that pierced would have fooled any defence. Foyston, Walker and Harris all played admirable games....

Then there is Happy Holmes who has caused much grief to sharp shooters on all opposing teams. Jack Walker, Gordon McFarlane and Smokey Harris all of whom are capable of turning in games of the finest quality.

Harris went on for Frank Boucher, his heavy body checking was immediately felt by Ottawa forwards.

Harris as usual has been driving ahead with his regular speed and usual fighting form

Fred Harris, veteran of the old Pacific Coast League.played his first game of the season hereand was given a cordial hand by admirers

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bk...l=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&fp=9ead8e1c4fcfb156

Frank Boucher, Mickey MacKay, and Smokey Harris, three tricky performers, rank high in the esteem of the coast admirers...

Boucher is turning in a big year with the Patricks and Harris as usual has been driving ahead with his regular speed and usual fighting form.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...pg=1495,2513251&dq=smokey+harris+hockey&hl=en

Hollywood at present is in second place in the California Hockey League, ... including those two high scorers, xxx and "Smokey" Harris

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bk...l=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&fp=9ead8e1c4fcfb156

Local hockey fans are expecting "Smoky" Harris and Austin Cresawell to resume their bitter feud and to- morrow night their every move will be watched

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bk...l=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.&fp=9ead8e1c4fcfb156

Time after time, Benedict saved in remarkable style terrific shots from the sticks of Mickey MacKay, Alf Skinner, Smokey Harris, Lloyd Cook, and others.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...pg=2858,2928860&dq=smokey+harris+hockey&hl=en

Smokey Harris is the most notable in the Hollywood lineup

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bk...tart=10&sa=N&bav=on.2,or.&fp=9ead8e1c4fcfb156

A lineup consisting of Smokey Harris veteran of many campaigns

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bk...tart=10&sa=N&bav=on.2,or.&fp=9ead8e1c4fcfb156

Smoky Harris star forward of the Maroons and formerly with the Regina ...

http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bk...tart=20&sa=N&bav=on.2,or.&fp=9ead8e1c4fcfb156

This will give the Maroons Cooks, Duncan, Harris and Patrick to choose from in building their defense.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAIBAJ&pg=1506,5127067&dq=harris+hockey&hl=en

Second Hand Sources

Smokey Harris, the master hook-checker...

Fred Harris, the roughest and toughest boy in the league

... showed wonderful stamina and skated at a terrific pace.

He was a fast skater and smooth stickhandler…

 

[ResilientBeast]

Anatoli Firsov​

Must of this won't be original information and will compile everything that has been posted on Firsov as of late, thanks to Eagle Belfour, Sturminator and Batis

Russian Name: Анатолий Фирсов
Height: 5'9''
Weight: 154 lbs
Position: Left Wing / Centre
Shoots: Right
Date of Birth: February 01, 1941
Place of Birth: Moscow , USSR
Date of Death: July 24, 2000 (Age: 59)

Soviet League Champion (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973)
Soviet League Finalist (1967, 1969)
European Cup Champion (1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973)
Olympic Gold Medalist (1964, 1968, 1972)
IIHF WEC-A Gold Medalist (1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971)
Soviet First All-Star Team Left Wing (1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969)
Soviet Second All-Star Team Left Wing (1971)
IIHF WEC-A Best Forward (1967, 1968, 1971)
IIHF WEC-A All Star Team1 (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971)
Soviet Most Valuable Player (1968, 1969, 1971)
Olympics Most Valuable Player (1968)
Russian Hockey Hall of Fame (1964)
IIHF Hall of Fame (1998)
#11 retired by the Soviet Hockey
1- The best 3 forwards were selected on the team, independently of their respective position

Domestic League:

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
16| 224 |347| 65 |412| 181

No Data:
Game Played: 1958-1967
Assists: 1958-1961, 1963-64, 1967-1971
Penalty minutes: 1958-1961, 1963-64, 1968-71

Top-10 Scoring (1st, 1st, 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 6th, 9th, 9th)
Top-10 Goalscoring (1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 5th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th)
Top-10 Assist (1st, 1st, 1st, 1st, 9th)
Top-10 Penalty minutes (2nd, 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th)

Finishes in his last two complete hockey season, only complete database available
- His scoring finishes are affected positively due to having his assists total record in 1961-62, 1962-63, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67
- His scoring finishes are affected negatively due to not having his assists record 1958-59, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1963-64, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71

Assists Results in Detail:

Years|Age|Ass.|Rank on Total|Notable(Age)
1961-62|20|3|21 on 61|
1962-63|21|7|1 on 21 (+0%)| Vitali Davydov(23) Alexander Ragulin(22)
1963-64|22||| NO DATA
1964-65|23|13|1 on 22 ( +46.2% )| Vitali Davydov(24) Alexander Ragulin(23)
1965-66|24|11|1 on 22 ( +27.3% )| Vitali Davydov(25) Boris Mikhailov(21) Vladimir Petrov(18) Alexander Ragulin(24)
1966-67|25|11|1 on 23 ( +18.2% )| Vitali Davydov(26) Boris Mikhailov(22) Vladimir Petrov(19) Alexander Ragulin(25)
1967-68|26||| NO DATA
1968-69|27||| NO DATA
1969-70|28||| NO DATA
1970-71|29||| NO DATA
1971-72|30|10|9 on complete|
1972-73|31|8|20 on complete|

International Games:

(Exhibition Game, Olympics & World Championship)
Games by Opposing Countries

----|Country|GP|G

|Canada|35|26|

|Sweden|31|24|

|Czechoslovakia|28|16|

|Finland|25|15|

|United States|15|14|

|West Germany|12|16|

|East Germany|10|13|

|Poland|6|2|

|Switzerland|1|1|

|Japan|1|1|

|Italy|1|4|

|Hungary|1|2|

World Championship:

# Participation|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
6|47|46|39|85|26

Years in Detail:

Years|GP|G|#|A|#|PTS|#|PIM
1964-65|6|5|11th|4|6th|9|8th|8
1965-66|6|3|22nd|2|21st|5|25th|4
1966-67|7|11| T-1st |11| 1st ( +27.3% )|22| 1st ( +13.6% )|2
1968-69|10|10| 1st ( +10% )|4|10th|14| T-1st |6
1969-70|8|6|11th|10| 2nd |16|5th|2
1970-71|10|11| 1st ( +9.1% )|8| 2nd |19| 1st ( +10.5% )|4

Olympics:

In the 1960's and 1970's, no professional hockey player from North America were playing in the Olympics. Therefore, the World Championship and the Olympics should be viewed as equal tournaments in term of quality.

# Participation|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
3|20|20|12|32|6

Years in Detail:

Year|GP|G|#|A|#|PTS|#
1964|8|6|14th|3|14th|9|10th
1968|7|12| 1st ( +50% )|4|11th|16| 1st ( +25% )
1972|5|2|28th|5| 3rd |7|7th

Top-10 All-Time Scorer at the Olympics

Rank|Players Name|# Participation|Country|PTS
1|Harry Watson|1|Canada|46
2|Vlastimil Bubnik|4|Czechoslovakia|37
2|Teemu Selanne|5|Finland|37
4|Valeri Kharlamov|3|Russia|35
5|Boris Alexandrov|3|Russia|33
6| Anatoli Firsov |3|Russia|32
7|Vladimir Krutov|3|Russia|31
8|Wally Halder|1|Canada|29
8|Viacheslav Fetisov|3|Russia|29
8|Sven Johansson|4|Sweden|29

- Different sources indicate different results for Vlastimil Bubnik and Harry Watson

All-Time Top 10 Soviet Players at the Olympics

Ranked by the IIHF (2002)

Rank|Players Name|Pos
1|Vladislav Tretiak|G
2| Anatoli Firsov |LW
3|Slava Fetisov|D
4|Vitaly Davydov|D
5|Boris Mikhailov|RW
6|Valeri Kharlamov|LW
7|Sergei Makarov|RW
8|Vladimir Krutov|LW
9|Alexei Kasatonov|D
10|Alexander Maltsev|RW

- All-Time Winner of most Olympics Gold Medal (3), alongside Vitali Davydov, Viktor Kuzkin, Alexander Ragulin and Vladislav Tretiak
- Since 1952, no one has scored more goals in a single Olympics tournament than Firsov 12 goals at the 1968 Olympics
- Anatoli Firsov is the All-Time goalscoring leader at the Olympics, with 18
- Firsov is 2nd All-Time in Olympics scoring by a left winger, with 32 points in three Olympics. He's only bettered by Valeri Kharlamov 36 points in 17 games


Awards Nomination:

Most Valuable Player

Seasons|Ranking
1967-68|1st
1968-69|1st
1969-70|7th
1970-71|1st
1971-72|6th

- The award was first presented in the 1967-68 season

Sturminator Analyse Firsov's MVP Nomination:

We begin to see an interesting incongruity between Firsov's scoring finishes in the Soviet League and his MVP voting finishes in same. He finishes 2nd in goals on the way to his 1st MVP award (67-68) - ok, no problems so far. He finishes 5th in goals and again wins the MVP the next year (68-69). Ok. He finishes 5th in goals again in 69-70, but drops to 7th in MVP voting. He wins his 3rd Soviet League MVP award the next season (70-71) without placing in the top-5 scorers, and is not even an all-star. [sic 2nd All-Star]So what's happening here? Firsov's third and final MVP award is particularly interesting, given that he wasn't one of the league's top scorers, nor was he a 1st team all-star. It is reminiscent of Ted Kennedy's Hart season, or Bobby Clarke's first Hart in 72-73, in which he was only a 2nd team all-star at center. Was Firsov that kind of player? The differences between his performances in 68-69 and 69-70 seem to have nothing to do with scoring (both times he placed 5th), and yet in one season he was 1st in MVP voting and in the other 7th. Are the Soviet MVP voters taking more than scoring into account when casting their MVP votes? It appears so.

To weigh in on the Starshinov discussion I would like to add that during some of the years leading up to the Summit Series Starshinov did in my opinion show that he could hold his ground very well against the new generation of Soviet players. Both in 1969 and 1970 Starshinov finished 3rd in the Soviet player of the year voting while competing with all of the new stars for example.

For what its worth here is the top 5 among forwards when it comes to Soviet player of the year voting shares during the 5 seasons leading up to the Summit Series (67/68-71/72).

1. Anatoli Firsov: 209,2
2. Alexander Maltsev: 160,5
3. Valeri Kharlamov: 142,8
4. Vyacheslav Starshinov: 132,0
5. (Undrafted player): 77,2

Other notable forwards.

Alexander Yakushev 23,9
Boris Mikhailov: 20,7
Vladimir Petrov: 2,5

Now the new generation of Kharlamov, Mikhailov, Petrov, Maltsev and Yakushev did not really start to hit their stride until the 68/69 season but on the other hand Starshinov was clearly out of his prime at the time of the 71/72 season. So to make it more of a head to head comparison lets only look at the 68/69-70/71 time frame.

1. Anatoli Firsov: 110,3
2. Alexander Maltsev: 88,3
3. Vyacheslav Starshinov: 77,1
4. Valeri Kharlamov: 70,6
5. (Undrafted player): 57.8

Boris Mikhailov: 20.7
Alexander Yakushev: 13,3
Vladimir Petrov: 2,5

Just to be clear I am not saying that I think that Starshinov is greater than any of Kharlamov, Mikhailov, Petrov, Maltsev and Yakushev but I personally think that it is clear that Starshinov during the 68/69-70/71 time frame showed that he could compete with the new generation of Soviet forwards.

- the 1960-61 to 1969-70 timeframe captures basically the entire peaks of the following players: Veniamin Alexandrov, Boris Mayorov, Alexander Almetov, Vyacheslav Starshinov and Anatoli Firsov. This is not perfect...Alexandrov and Mayorov both have single good seasons in the late 50s, and Firsov played well into the early 70s, though he was clearly past his peak (at least in terms of domestic league scoring) by then.

- this is meant only to be a Soviet-league-in-the-1960s-internal scoring comparison. Any resemblance to VsX numbers for post-consolidation NHL scoring is just a matter of formatting. I know that any intelligent person can understand this, but I want to make it completely clear.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alexandrov:
159, 100, 100, 95, 94, 88, 78
Total: 714
7-season average: 102

Firsov:
138, 100, 100, 94, 92, 83, 70
Total: 677
7-season average: 96.7

Mayorov:
107, 100, 100, 92, 90, 88, 81
Total: 658
7-season average: 94

Starshinov:
110, 108, 100, 87, 85, 84, 80
Total: 654
7-season average: 93.4

Almetov:
103, 100, 100, 84, 83, 69, 67
Total: 606
7-season average: 86.6

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes on the above:

- Alexandrov, Mayorov and Almetov benefit from somewhat softer competition over their first couple of peak seasons (Firsov didn't really start peaking until 1963-64), and Firsov and Starshinov are hurt by stiffer competition in their last couple of peak seasons when the K-P-M line stars started to peak.

- Alexandrov, Mayorov and Firsov are hurt by the lack of complete assist records, and by the generally quite stingy Soviet league assist tabulation, in general. Starshinov is clearly helped by these factors, while the effect on Almetov is probably neutral.

- so, in general, Firsov is disadvantaged twice by the above, and Almetov is advantaged, while the net effect on Alexandrov, Mayorov and Starshinov is roughly neutral, I'd guess.

Batis on the HOH board did a video study on Firsov trying to flesh out his game a little more ()

Based on watching these games focusing on him I would personally say that one of Firsovs most important qualities when it came to prevent the other teams from scoring was his ability to help out his defencemen with the transition from defence to offence by giving them support along the boards and make great passes from his own zone. Firsov also had the ability to use his stickwork to steal pucks from his opponents and regain puck possession for his team. Firsov was also a player who was not afraid to get his nose dirty. He was a hard worker along the boards both offensively and defensively and he was most of the time very responsible on the backcheck when he had to cover up for when some player had been caught out of position.

First I will show some examples of Firsovs ability and willingness to help his defencemen with the transition out of the defensive zone. Firsov was very good at making himself available for receiving passes along the boards close to the blueline (in his own zone) and from there make a play to breakout of the defensive zone.

* Tarasov: "Nobody trained like Firsov. Not even Kharlamov, who often stayed after practices to train some more. But nobody -- nobody! -- trained like Firsov. When Yuri Vlasov, the weightlifting champion, saw what Firsov does with the weights, he walked up to him and asked: "Are you alive?""

* "If the opponents treated me fairly, I never touched them. But if they played dirty, I always kept my stick on the level of their teeth" (cross-checking motion)

Tarasov always admired Firsov, and together they were a fortunate combination. They both valued hockey above anything else in their lives. For them, hockey was where you could be creative and invent new strategies every day.For Tarasov, Firsov's total dedication to hockey was backed by a unique combination of abilities. Firsov's style of play was based on his speed in several aspects of the game. The first was his ability to think fast. Firsov's game was a continuous flow of actions. In tough situations, he got his bearings instantly and came up with the most unexpected solutions. He also displayed uncanny speed in executing any technical maneuver in handling or passing the puck. And finally there was his terrific skating speed.

Each of these abilities compounded the others. During a play, his thoughts and actions were synchronous and usually resulted in a complete and correct solution.Firsov's game on the ice consisted of a blend of his own peculiar manner of back and forth skating, stickhandling and sudden and covert passes topped of with a variety of shots on goal. He moved all the time without knowing it, even when taking a shot on goal. He was especially good at the trick of "losing" the puck by letting it slide towards his foot. Naturally the opposing defenseman would make a grab for it, but Firsov would pass the puck with his skate up to the blade of his stick, all the time picking up speed.

No one was as selflessly dedicated to hockey as Firsov or as hard on himself and fanatical in workouts. He even augmented the tough drills designed by Tarasov. Coming down the ice with the puck, he would perform a variety of hops, skips and jumps at the same time.

Of all the Russian players Seth Martin faced in the 1960s, none, he said, compared with Firsov. To Martin, he was the Gretzky of his time, a creative scoring machine. Firsov wasn't a big man but possessed a whiplash shot. An unselfish player, he enjoyed setting up goals as much as scoring them. The Soviet coaches had tried teaching their players a "skate-stick" feint. The player would pass his stick over the puck, as if missing it, and then, when the defending player went for it, kick it around him with the skate. Only Firsov would perfect it.

It is a common argument by proud Canadians that if Bobby Orr was not unable to play due to injury, the 1972 Summit Series would have been a much different story. Orr was at the prime of his career and the best in the world. Russia too was missing one of their biggest stars, if not their biggest: Anatoli Firsov

Firsov was perhaps faster than Kharlamov, who of course wowed Canadian audiences with awesome speed. It was Firsov's scoring exploits that helped establish the Soviet Union's dominance of the international hockey scene. Firsov, along with names like Vyatcheslav Sharshinov, Vsevolod Bobrov and Victor Populanov paved the ways for the powerfully awesome Red Army squads that would prove that they were the equals of the professionals in the National Hockey League.

In all fairness, by the time 1972 rolled around, Firsov was near the end of his career and was not the dominant player in Soviet hockey at that time. The torch had been handed to Valeri Kharlamov earlier in 1972 as Kharlamov led the Red Army to Olympic Gold. The Soviets believed that young hockey players were better because of their fitness level and biological clock, and almost as a rule would retire hockey players in their early 30s. That changed after the 1972 and 1974 Summit Series after they saw first hand the greatness Canadian aging stars like Gary Bergman or Gordie Howe.

Firsov likely would have been a part of the 1972 series had Anatoli Tarasov been the coach. Tarasov and Vsevolod Bobrov, who ended up coaching the 1972 team, were undergoing a power struggle at the time, and Bobrov was winning at that point and time. Firsov however was a staunch Tarasov loyalist, and refused to participate in the series against Canada. The official reason for his absence was injury.Anatoli Firsov never had the chance to prove to the world that he could play and excel against North American professionals. That's a shame because that means only a precious few saw perhaps the greatest Russian hockey player ever.

Anatoli Firsov also missed the 1972 Summit Series showdown between the Soviets and the NHL. He is of legendary status in Russian hockey. Some old time Russian observers will tell you he was the best ever. Legendary coach Anatoli Firsov was probably his biggest fan. Then again, he was also Tarasov's most dedicated disciple.

Firsov was perhaps a faster than Kharlamov, who of course wowed Canadian audiences with awesome speed. It was said that Firsov's fast skaters were only out-paced by his mind, as he was always a play or two ahead of everyone else on the ice. He was also known for creativity, especially in his variety of shot selection.

No one was as selflessly dedicated to hockey as Firsov or as hard on himself and fanatical in workouts. He even augmented the tough drills designated by Anatoli Tarasov. Coming down the ice with the puck, he would perform a variety of hops, skips and jumps at the same time.

He strengthened his body by choosing the roughest, toughest defense men as his opponents, Alexander Ragulin and Viktor Kuzkin.

Anatoli Firsov One of the great early Soviet forwards, Firsov was named a Directorate Award winner at the World Championships three times in five years (1967, 1968, 1971) and led the Worlds in scoring three consecutive years (1967 to 1969).

Hockey fans appreciated Firsov’s professionalism that often helped him score eyebrow-raising goals, which was, for example, the case with one scored during the decisive match between the USSR and Canada at the 1968 Olympic Games in Grenoble. He managed to score a goal from a long distance without even looking at renowned Canadian keeper Seth Martin.

Being himself was Firsov’s trait that helped him to adequately perceive his skyrocketing popularity ratings in the 1960s, and that was especially thumbed up by his fellow players, fans and journalists.

The next torch-carrier of Soviet hockey was Anatoli Firsov. He was a forward and played from 1958 to 1974. Firsov was one of the best hockey players ever because of his brilliant skills and extremely hard slapshot. He also innovated many of the moves that today’s forwards use to beat defenders.

Anatoli Firsov, the hard shooting Russian centre, played a strong, vigorous game, consistently setting up linemates Vladimir Vikulov and Victor Popupanov.

Known for his booming slapshot, Firsov might have rivalled Canada's Bobby Hull if he had been permitted to play in the NHL; enjoyed three straight Olympic gold medals from '64 to '72.

A perfect hockey player? To me Anatoli Firsov was one. Anatoli had it all. [...] That man (Firsov) was a shooter, skater, passer, playmaker. And he was tough - which was rare among the Russian forwards at the time. [...] A top player in every way; he had incredible vision.At his best, Kharlamov might have been a better 'solo artist' and a better dangler, but he lacks Firsov's skills in many other areas.

Soviet MVP Award Domination

 

[BenchBrawl]

JAMIE BENN

Information

Position: LW
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-2
Weight: 210lb
Born: July 18, 1989

Top 10 Finishes

Goals: 3, 9, 9
Assists: 6
Points: 1, 2, 6

Goals-Per-Game: 3
Assists-Per-Game: 8
Points-Per-Game: 2, 3

VsX Best-7 Score

79.2

Awards

Art Ross Trophy (14-15)

All-Star Team Selections

1st, 1st, 2nd

(Competition: Late-20s/early-30s Alex Ovechkin, peak Joe Pavelski)

Quotes

“He’s unbelievable,” says teammate, Alex Goligoski. “He can play the game any way you want to play it. If it’s a real hard-nosed game, he can be the best player on the ice, and if it’s an up-and-down skill game, he can be the best player on the ice. For me, if I’m starting a team, he’s probably the guy I want on it right now.”

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/how-jamie-benn-grew-into-the-nhls-leading-scorer/

Because Tuesday in Philadelphia, Jamie Benn was the Godfather. He was the leader of the Stars. He was the guy who talked with his shoulders. He was the guy who set the tone.

Jamie Benn announced to the hockey world that we can do this any way you like. You want to call him for a ticky-tack crosscheck, then he'll come out of the box with a vengeance. You want to ask him to kill a few penalties, he's your man. You want to ask him to mix in just enough skill to make last season's Art Ross look like it was earned on two bad hips, he's ready to fly now.

That's how good Jamie Benn was Tuesday in the City of Brotherly Shove.

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...e-benn-telling-nhl-stars-just-getting-started

He's not a dirty player, he's a hard working player, a physical player. I admire the way he plays. He finished the check and it was a bang-bang play."

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dal...e-benn-telling-nhl-stars-just-getting-started

“He’s a beast,” said Jordie, his older brother and teammate on the Stars. “He’s one of those guys who you’d say he doesn’t even know his own strength.”

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/a...ut-theres-no-denying-hes-one-of-the-nhls-best

“I think he was kind of a hidden commodity in discussions leading up to the Olympics,” Ruff said. “I was a huge supporter of Jamie, because I didn’t know a lot about him either when I got here, I just thought his play on the ice dictated almost everything.”

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cam-cole-the-stars-star-jamie-benn-no-hidden-gem-any-more

“He ended up not only scoring but negating other teams’ top players. Lindy had so much trust and confidence that he was a 200-foot player and he really sold us on that, and at the end of the day he was right.

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cam-cole-the-stars-star-jamie-benn-no-hidden-gem-any-more

“You know, we brought him on (to play for Team Canada), quite frankly, as a young player to learn — and he ended up carrying us,” Hitchcock said. “Lindy’s comment was, ‘He’s oblivious to pressure.’ And having seen him, he was right.”

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cam-cole-the-stars-star-jamie-benn-no-hidden-gem-any-more

he truly is a natural leader

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cam-cole-the-stars-star-jamie-benn-no-hidden-gem-any-more

But at the Olympic Games, he was a guy that in the big, pressure-filled moments in tight games, he played his best hockey. Scored a huge goal for us against the Americans. It really opens your eyes when you get to play with him every day. His game is really well-rounded, he doesn’t really rely on being a shooter, a passer, a physical player, he does all of those things well.

http://vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cam-cole-the-stars-star-jamie-benn-no-hidden-gem-any-more

There’s nobody that wants to fight Jamie Benn

http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2015/05/11/theres-nobody-that-wants-to-fight-jamie-benn-says-stars-gm/

"He's really grown into the captaincy. I'm really just so proud of that for him," Nill said. "It's refreshing to see a guy where the light switch turns on and he realizes who he is and what he can do and how he affects the people around him without changing himself."

 

[BenchBrawl]

FRANK FREDRICKSON

The work in this bio was mostly done by Sturminator and Hawkey Town 18.I consolidated their material and added quotes from The Daily Colonist and from some books/online sources.

Summary of Fredrickson's AST Finishes

20-21: 1st AST Center (PCHA)
21-22: 1st AST Sub (PCHA)
22-23: 1st AST Center (PCHA)
23-24: 1st AST Center (PCHA)
24-25: 1st AST Sub (WCHL) OR Not on any AST (contradictory sources)
25-26: 1st AST Center (WHL)
26-27: 1st in Hart voting among centers

Source: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1912553

Quotes & Newspapers

Frank Frederickson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1895.

Upon return to Canada [after WWI], Frederickson looked to resume playing hockey, though mostly for the love of the game. He rejoined the Winnipeg Falcons, and shocked many by claiming the Allan Cup for the senior championship of Canada, defeating the famed University of Toronto.

Moreover, the Allan Cup championship winners would represent Canada at the 1920 Olympics - the first year hockey would be a medal sport.

Frederickson captained the Falcons, who also boasted North American speed skating champion Mike Goodman and giant Slim Halter, long time Falcons like goalie Wally Byron, defensemen Bobby Benson and Connie Johannesson, forward Chris Fridfinnson and rover Huck Woodman. The team easily won the gold medal, outscoring the opposition 29-1 in three games. Frederickson led the way with 12 tallies.

I received a letter from Lester Patrick, the Old Sliver Fox of hockey, who was in Victoria, British Columbia, where he had a team in the old Pacific Coast League. It was top notch hockey and Lester offered me what was a substantial contract in those days - $2500 for 24 games. I call it substantial because the rest of the boys were playing for $800 and $900. I couldn't resist the offer and so found myself right back in the middle of hockey again."

Frank spent the next 6 years in the British Columbian capital. His best year was easily in 1922-23 when he led the league in all major statistical categories with 39 goals, 16 assists and 55 points in just 30 games. In 1925 Frederickson scored 6 goals and 9 points in 8 playoff games as the Victoria Cougars became the last non-NHL team to capture the Stanley Cup.

Patrick's hockey league had to fold in 1926. The Victoria Cougars were purchased and moved to Detroit, where they became the NHL's Detroit Cougars. Frederickson too moved to Detroit, playing just 16 games (4 goals and 10 points) before being traded to the Boston Bruins with Harry Meeking for Duke Keats and Archie Briden on January 7, 1927.

Frederickson spent parts of 3 seasons in Boston, his best coming in 1927-28 when he scored 14 goals in 28 games. Frederickson was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Mickey MacKay and $12,000 on December 21, 1928.

A dynamic offensive center, Frank Fredrickson followed up a brilliant amateur career with an impressive tenure as a professional. Along the way, the Winnipeg native won an Olympic gold medal and a Stanley Cup and played his way into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The crafty forward debuted as a professional with the Victoria Cougars of the PCHA in 1920-21. The league's wide-open style suited Fredrickson's offensive gifts and he continued to score at will.

One of the greatest amateur stars in Canadian history and an excellent pro, Fredrickson was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.

Typical of the new breed was the rookie over there in Victoria, with Lester Patrick's Aristcrats. He was Frank Fredrickson, the twenty-five year old from Winnipeg, the superlative center of that city's Falcons, who was hailed on the prairies as the game's brightest star. That assessment was certaintly not far off, if off at all.

The Vancouver-Victoria game was scheduled for New Year's Day in 1921. It was billed as the battle of the World's Greatest Professionel (Cyclone Taylor) versus the World's Greatest Amateur (Frank Fredrickson). Victoria won the game 3-1 as Frank Fredrickson scored 2 goals.

"Frank Fredrickson was about as fine a player as I've ever seen. He was fast, shifty, smart, and had a wonderful shot

Boston's big star is Frank Fredrickson, another temperamental chap. Frederickson's frequent outbursts of temperament in other seasons gained him the name Temperamental Freddie. Frederickson is an Icelander. Although he weights 190 pounds he can play a full sixty minutes of hockey at top speed. He has inherited strength and endurance from his ancestors who played a game called "Glima", a form of wrestling in which the grapplers use their legs to obtain the desired holds.

But the same Slim [Halderson], with his great puck carrying ability, his tenacity of purpose and his unselfishness when he saw a chance to pass, together with Frank Fredrickson with his speed, weight and exceptional ability in shooting these two whose thoughts and actions were as one, made a great combination on the attacking line. Add to this Mike Goodman's sensational skating proclivities (he was at the time Canadian speed skating champion) and one need not wonder at the power of their attack and their superb defensive play.

http://www.winnipegfalcons.com/falcons/

Returning from Iceland, Frederickson was wooed west from Winnipeg by the late Lester Patrick and signed a $2,700 contract with the professional Victoria Cougars of the Pacific Coast League. The musclebound centre powered the Cougars to an upset Stanley Cup victory in 1925 over Montreal Canadiens - no mean feat considering the Canadiens roster included such greats as Georges Vezina, Aurel Joliat, Howie Morenz, xxxxxxx and the Cleghorn brothers.

The following year the Cougars lost out in the Stanley Cup final to Montreal Maroons and the Patricks, Lester and xxxxxxx, sold their PCHL interests to the National Hockey League. Frederickson was sold to Boston but quietly signed a $6,000 contract with Detroit for the 1926 season, $2,000 more than the Bruins offered. It produced a major verbal brawl after Boston general manager Art Ross threatened to have Frederickson suspended for life.

The Winnipeg centre weathered the storm, but ironically was anything but happy in Detroit. Midway through the 1927 season Fredrickson got himself sold back to Boston, then in the NHL cellar. Quickly regaining his form, Fredrickson rocketed the Bruins into the Stanley Cup final against Ottawa, though the Senators took the series. In 1930 the Bruins sold him to Pittsburgh Pirates where he became the NHL's first player-coach-manager, receiving $8,000 a season. Early in the 1931-32 season, Fredrickson took a hard check by Bill Cook of New York and suffered a torn knee cartilage which ended his professional career.

It's interesting to note what they think of Frank Fredrickson out on the coast, where he performed for many years as a member of the Victoria Cougars. Here's what a Vancouver paper says of the tempermental Icelander traded by Detroit: Frank Fredrickson has been traded by Art Duncan of Detroit to Boston for Duke Keats and Archie Briden, and Duncan has sold Russell Oatman to Montreal Maroons, a club that desired him months ago but couldn't get him because he was still part of the Victoria Cougars, sold en bloc to Detroit for $100,000 smackers by the Patricks.

It is doubtful that Fredrickson was happy under Duncan. There are few men in hockey who can get the best out of Fredrickson. Lester Patrick could, but he did it by closely fraternizing with the highly strung Icelander whose principal bent in life is hockey and music. Fredrickson is as tempermental as Suzanne Lenglen is suspected to be by her American contemporaries. Lester knew this and was usually the first to dig up Freddy's "uke" when the Cougars were on the road and his centre star was indulging in a fit of the blues. In a moment Fredrickson would be striding up and down the aisle of the flying railway coach, tawnging the beloved strings, plaintively wondering what had become of Sally, while Lester's fine baritone led the boys in hot pursuit.

Other times Patrick would talk to Fredrickson to the absolute exclusion of all others. Again the pair would rag each other unmercifully or Lester might tell at length, before all the team, one of Freddy's innumerable foibles, real or imagined. Yet there was a deep affection between them. Fredrickson would do anything, reasonable or freakish, that Lester could ask and it was for the tall grey-haired skipper of the Cougars that the brilliant and erratic Icelander played his finest hockey. Every summer Fredrickson announced himself out of hockey. Every fall he was the first to report to Lester. With Duncan, phlegmatic and centred on his first managerial job, it was hardly to be expected that Fredrickson would be happy.

He will probably fit in much better with Art Ross in Boston. Ross is an experienced pilot who knows his hockey players. He is a stickler for discipline but if he pays a little direct attention to Fredrickson and his idiosyncracies, press wires will soon be carrying stories of Boston's brilliant centre. Fredrickson is a great hockey player. But not for every manager. That Keats and Briden should figure in an even trade for him, however, is surprising. It probably means that Ross has too many stars elsewhere, but not enough speed in centre ice. Keats has more hockey brains than Fredrickson, perhaps, but he hasn't the high-strung temperament, or the flashing speed net-wards that is Fredrickson's forte. Fredrickson broke into professional hockey with Victoria and this change is his first since he led the Winnipeg Falcons to a world's amateur championship at the Olympic games.

Frank Fredrickson's skating and stick handling and especially his shooting skills were utilized to the best advantage. Frank, therefore, was up with every rush.

Frank Fredrickson has made a name in hockey that will live forever.Freddie, one of the main cogs in the local machine, whose remarkable performances with the Victoria Cougars has earned for him an enviable reputation in the hockey realm, has played a stellar brand of hockey on the Coast, and has impressed the many thousands of fans who have seen him in action with his splendid ability.

Victoria fans are not unmindful of the form he displayed the first season he was with the local team, after coming from Winnipeg, where he was captain of the famous Falcon club, which won the Allen cup and Olympic championship in 1920.His dash, speed and daring were sensation of the hockey world.He led the league in scoring one year, tied Bernie Morris' record for the scoring laurels for the circuit, and has been the biggest goal getter on the Cougars' roster.

Packing around with him a healthy telling shot, Freddie is the worry of rival goalies.They realize that when he travels up or down the ice in their direction, trouble is at hand.Freddie is very cunning in his shooting, and enjoys outwitting his opponents when it comes to sagging the hemp with the elusive rubber.

Fredrickson was a mighty factor in Victoria's success last year, in first capturing the championship of the Western Canada Hockey League, and later the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the world's hockey title.Frank labored indefatigably to bring victory to Lester's club, and aided valiantly by his teammates.Patrick succeeded in landing the world's hockey honors for Victoria, BC.

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist1125uvic_4#page/n9/mode/1up/search/frank+fredrickson

"Genial Frank", one of the most brilliant hockey players of Canada, centre forward and pivot of the Cougars' attack, is to speak tonight at the Victoria City Temple, giving a seven-minute talk on "Clean Sport".

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist0325uvic_24#page/n14/mode/1up/search/frank+fredrickson

Frank Frederickson, the Cougars' flashy center, puck-chaser and one of the greatest players that hockey has ever produced

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist1123uvic_7#page/n9/mode/1up/search/frank+frederickson

These two lads (including Fredrickson), who are as popular as any other pond experts in the country.

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist1123uvic_7#page/n9/mode/1up/search/frank+frederickson

Frank Frederickson, or as the fans would say "Freddie", showed the hockey fans a few things about the hockey sport last year, and he is looking forward to enjoying an even greater season this winter.Freddie was the sensation of the loop in the 1922-23 season.

[...]

Frank has always been ambitious...

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist1123uvic_7#page/n9/mode/1up/search/frank+frederickson

...and Frank Frederickson, the latter regarded by many devotees of hockey as the most brilliant player that ever put on a pair of skates and pushed around a puck, will be in Cougar uniforms this Winter.

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist0923uvic_42#page/n9/mode/1up/search/frank+frederickson

Two former Canadian Olympic hockey captains took part in the world's series which has ended.They were Frank Fredrickson, leader of the famous Falcons of 1920, and now with the Victoria Coughars, and Dunc Monroe...

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist0326uvic_31#page/n9/mode/1up/search/frank+fredrickson

It arrived on two legs, the powerful and speedy limbs of Frank Fredrickson, world-famous skipper of the Winnipeg Falcons and perhaps the greatest amateur puck chaser in history, whom Lester Patrick has taken into his Aristocratic fold.

[...]

The veterans greeted the new addition warmly and are keen to see how he behaves himsel on the ice."It's going to be a hard graft for him to live up to his reputation under altered conditions, but Freddy will deliver the goods O.K." hefty Clem Loughlin, who knew Fredrickson of yore, assured his team mates.

And those who saw the center ice man on the steel blades in the course of a workout with the Senators, last night, agree with Clem.Maybe Fredrickson wasn't quite up to his lofty standard after a trip across the country from the 'Peg, and may not be feeling as full of peop in this new climate as he is amid the snows of the prairies, but he looked like a million big, bright silver dollars as he went like a thunderbolt through the astonished amateurs; and Lester, watching every move with hawk-like gaze, grinned from ear to ear."This lad'll do," he said, as Frederickson sagged the net with one of the red-hot, blistering shots for which he is famous.Time after time he zig-zagged down the ice, sometimes shooting to score and at others lifting the puck into the goal tender;s tummy, and then sailing in and jamming the rubber against the netting - his favorite and deadly method.

Lester wised Frederickson up to some of the fine points of the seven-man game, for they play six men on the prairies.The mysteries of the blueline and no man's land were explained, so that Freddie will be able to handle himself properly when he blossoms forth into a full-fledged pro, tomorrow afternoon under Lester's wing.

[...]

A clean cut, powerfully built lad, Frederickson turned out to be when, at last, Victoria fans got a squint at him.About five feet ten inches in height he is unusually broad and possessed of an almost perfect physique.And instead of being all puffed up over his reputation he is blushingly modest and wasn't making any promises when seen last night.

"I'll do my best, and if you please, no alibis," was all he would say for publication.

http://archive.org/stream/dailycolonist62y324uvic#page/n10/mode/1up/search/frank+frederickson

From the first time he contacted Frank Patrick after the 1926 Stanley Cup Final, Art Ross had, according to Eric Whitehead, expressed "a special admiration for Frank Fredrickson"

https://books.google.ca/books?id=LdCMBgAAQBAJ&pg

The game was less than a minute old when Frank Frederickson, the marvelous Icelandic Canadian forward, moved the puck into the Toronto zone.Frederickson dropped his head one way and lurched the other way, leaving Horner immobilized like a statue.The shot went wide, and the puck skittered back to Pittsburgh territory, where Frederickson recaptured it and launched another attack

https://books.google.ca/books?id=4MCHCgAAQBAJ&pg

Fredrickson was a well-known and unique hockey figure

http://pittsburghhockey.net/historical-timeline

Both were good hockey players and Fredrickson was a standout later when he joined the Boston Bruins, even though he did wait a long time to make the jump to pro ranks

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=IpkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7031,3300537&hl=en

Fredrickson was a quiet fellow, at least on the surface.If we remember rightly, his only aberration was that he used to play the violin, which is one way to cool out after a hockey game.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=IpkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7031,3300537&hl=en

Some days ago we commented on the fact that present day big league hockey performers are not the "he men" of the heroes of other days.We pointed out that the short time they are allowed in there has much to do with the fact that headliners don't get built up as in other days.

The Christian Science Monitor carried the following note yesterday along the same lines:

"It wasn't so many years ago that Frank Fredrickson, a great center in his day, complained because modernized hockey did not permit him time enough on the ice to "warm up".He would be pulled off with his line after three or four minutes and stoutly asserted he needed five minutes or more to get under way right.Today the players are worn out in three minutes and look toward the bench appealingly."

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=J2oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=779,1618838&hl=en

1925 Cup Finals

Frank Fredrickson was an accomplished defensive forward who, in a Stanley Cup finals of 1924-25, drew the role of checking the great Morenz. He did, too, and the Victoria Cougars triumphed 3 games to 1."

In his great days with the Canadiens, Morenz ws almost impossible to stop. Lester Patrick thought he had the answer in the Stanley Cup final of 1925 when the defending Cup holders went west to engage Lester's Victoria Cougars. Patrick instructed his versatile 29-year-old center, Frank Fredrickson, to hound Morenz every move he made. Fredrickson had long been a star, and eye-catching player with his tall, lean build - an all elbows-and-knees kine of frame - and his long-striding skating style.

Indeed, he did stalk Morenz as the Cougars went to work on the visiting Habitants. They won the opening game 5-2 and the second 3-1, with Morenz and his famout No. 7 jersey rarely able to shake Fredrickson. But in the third game, with the possibility looming of a humiliating sweep, Morenz shook loose from his nemesis and scored a three-goal hat trick. The Canadiens won 4-2 and prolonged the series.

Fredrickson was far too experienced to regard Morenz's outburst as more than a temporary fluke. Back went the blanket in Game 4 as Morenz tired in the 60-minute ordeal. The Cougars won the Stanley Cup with a 6-1 clincher."

Frank Fredrickson gave the finest exhibition of superlative centre ice work of the year. He skated rings around the Canadiens, snaked the puck from under their very feet, lost it, recovered by sheer speed, and fought right in to Vezina time after time. He tricked the veteran Cleghorn time after time. In fact, the Cougars did most of their penetrating in Cleghorn's territory, tricking him and skating aside as the old boy shot the body at them.

THIRD PERIOD

Frederickson secured the puck at the faceoff everytime tonight

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G-0tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yosFAAAAIBAJ&hl=fr&pg=6521,3580499

Five minutes after the start Fredrickson, whose flashing attack was the bright light of the first period

fooled Vezina with a wicked shot. Despite the terrific pressure by Victoria, Vezina failed to ease up on any more shots.

"All the sportswriters had conceded the series to Montreal", said Frederickson, a Hall of Famer who played for Victoria."But they didn't bargain for Lester's analytical mind, and we wound up beating the Canadiens."

https://books.google.ca/books?id=H2a4CgAAQBAJ&pg

*We will see later that Frank Fredrickson was considered a good two-way player, but in the context of this Cup series, the credit for keeping the Canadiens and specifically Howie Morenz under wraps (other than his Game 3 hat trick) has to be spread around. Jack Walker, the old hook check master, was the Vics' best defender in open ice, and surely helped defend not only his own lane, but also the entire ice with his hook checking. Frank Foyston also got half of the icetime against Morenz, and seems to have played quite well. And then of course there is Lester Patrick, the old fox, the brain behind the system. So while it's a nice feather in Fredrickson's cap to have been part of a tight defensive pressure system that shut down the Flying Frenchmen, he was far from alone in the effort. - Sturminator

Sturminator's Research on Fredrickson from the Top 60 Centers Project

Part I
Part II
Part III

Frank Fredrickson Part I

We move onto the big Icelander. Fredrickson's is a really interesting story, and I find him fascinating as a hockey player and person. His career is ultimately more well-documented than MacKay's - that is, we have more primary sources saying this-or-that about Frank over the course of his peak, and based on the evidence, he comes out ahead in terms of "star power". To what extent this is a result of luck (the roll of the dice in Google Archives queries), and to what extent a reflection of how the players were viewed by their contemporaries is something we all have to decide for ourselves. I tend to think that Fredrickson's star burned brighter than MacKay's, though not for quite as long.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Frank Fredrickson grew up in Winnipeg in an Icelandic household, and didn't learn English until he started school. He was evidently a highly intelligent person, however, and eventually mastered the language to the point that he is described in later years as being someone whose speeches on the bench were filled with "five dollar words" and only half-comprehensible to the other players. He played the violin (apparently quite well), had many interests outside of hockey, and was said to be somewhat high-strung and hard to handle as a player, though he always got on famously with the also cerebral Lester Patrick, his longtime coach in Victoria.

Frank started his hockey career playing for the Winnipeg Falcons, an all-Icelandic amateur team. He enlisted in the Canadian military during the first world war, and ultimately served for three years, becoming a combat pilot and, as it seems to have been with most things he did in life, apparently quite a good one. After returning from the war, Fredrickson took up hockey again with the Winnipeg Falcons, and led them to the Allan Cup, and then the first ever gold medal awarded for men's ice hockey in the Olympic games. He caught the attention of the Canadian public at this time, and was apparently the bright star of the amateur hockey world.

17.3.1920 - The Toronto World:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...3cDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tSkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1981,4942890

Frank Fredrickon, centre - the captain of the team and centre ice expert without a peer. Nearly fifty percent of the goals netted by the Falcons in their fourteen games this winter have come from Frank's trusty club, while the rangy star has figured in many more tallies by timely assists. His stickhandling is always a treat to behold, and his snappy combination breakaways down the ice with a teammate are probably the most dangerous factor in the Icelandic attack. Age, 24; weight, 157 lbs.; height. 5 feet 10 inches.

How to credit Fredrickson's performance in this season and its historical significance is an open question. He was absurdly dominant, essentially a man amongst boys at the amateur level, and was considered a star already before signing his first professional contract. As we will see in Frank's first professional season, this estimate of his abilities was probably accurate. I think there is something of a Peter Stastny factor with Fredrickson, where the level of play demonstrated in the first season of professional North American hockey makes one want to place some value in the season which precedes it, which was also dominant though in a lesser league.

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1920-21: Fredrickson had no particular plans to play professional hockey, and dallies on the way home from the Olympics (played in Antwerp, Belgium), stopping in Iceland to demonstrate some flying techniques. He had actually planned to continue his career in the nascent RCAF (still a part of the Canadian army at the time), but was dispossessed of this idea when he received a contract offer from Lester Patrick that was simply too good to pass up. His signing with Victoria made the national news.

23.12.1920 - The Vancouver Sun:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ifIdVpG6JtcC&dat=19201223&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Frank Frederickson to Join Aristocrats

Winnipeg, Dec 22 - (By Canadian Press) - Frank Frederickson, captain of the Falcons hockey team, announces that he has accepted an offer from Lester Patrick of Victoria to play in the Coast League. Frederickson will leave immediately for the Coast.

Fredrickson agreed to this contract on the same day that Victoria played their first match of the season, and he would end up missing the team's first three games en route to the coast. In spite of the missed time (3 games in a 24 game season being the equivalent of 10 games in an 82 game season), Fredrickson ended the season tied for the lead in points in the PCHA, and was named 1st team all-star at center. Even more impressively, referee Fred "Mickey" Ion had this to say about Fredrickson's play that season.

12.3.1921 - The Toronto World:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...F8oHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kDQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6479,772999

Three Vancouver, two Seattle and two Victoria players are given places on the P.C.H.A.'s All Star team on 1920-21, selected by Referee Fred Ion. Playing his first season in professional hockey, Frank Frederickson, the former captain of the Winnipeg Falcons, wins a place on the All-Star squad. Ion gives him the centre berth job, and in so doing, adds that the newcomer has played a dazzling and effective game at all times and that no other player approaches him for all-around effectiveness. Another player to reach the honor ranks this season is Jack Adams of the Vancouver Millionaires.

This is heady stuff. Ion was essentially the "league referee" for the PCHA, and officiated all of the league's games, as well as picking its yearly all-stars. For him to say that "no other player approached" Fredrickson in effectiveness in his rookie season is really something. It makes you wonder how good Fredrickson must have already been as an amateur if he could come into the PCHA, without any kind of offseason preparation and missing the first 1/8th of the season due to a late signing, and immediately be easily the best player in the league. Fredrickson seems to have been a superstar right out of the box.

1921-22: A good scoring season for Fredrickson, but nothing outstanding. He is third in the league in scoring, one point behind MacKay in second place, and is listed as a 1st team all-star "sub", making him essentially a second teamer behind Jack Adams, who got the nod at center.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Gw9kAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2XoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3902,6068563&dq

Although he scored well, this was something of a down season for Fredrickson, and MacKay seems to have been the dominant player in the PCHA this year. Fredrickson led the Victoria offense, but not by a huge margin, and he got help from Dunderdale and Oatman, both of whom were 1st team all-star starters for Victoria in 1921-22.

1922-23: This is probably Fredrickson's best season as a professional. He led the PCHA in scoring by a stupid margin, with 55 points, far ahead of MacKay in second place at 40 points. He was apparently not just a scoring star, but also a very strong all-around player at this point in his career.

4.3.1923 - The Vancouver Sun:

Victoria's Convincing Victory Over Seattle Makes Team Dangerous Contenders for Title - Frederickson Playing Game of His Life - Maroons Practice New Stuff

"The Cougars on Friday went as the Maroons went last Monday - and then some," declared Referee Mickey Ion on Saturday. "They were a pack of going hounds from whistle to whistle, and Frederickson pulled the greatest line of stuff he has ever shown. The big boy stickhandled his way through for lone scores, drew the defense and passed to others for combined goals, backchecked his opponents till they were dizzy and generally played hob with Seattle. Halderson was also in top form, and Fowler was the grasshopper's top-hat in goal. The rest of the Victoria team came through in good style."

Some more description of Fredrickson's play from that season:

27.3.1923 - Regina Morning Leader:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HgRTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yTcNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4009,4206900&hl=en

Fans who had never seen Dick Irvin and Frank Fredrickson on opposing teams were afforded this opportunity last night, and in all due respect to Fredrickson's great reputation it must be said that Dick earned a shade on the night's play. Irvin was directly reponsible for three of his team's goals and on two occasions stick-handled his way clear through the Victoria defense to lash the rubber past Fowler. Fredrickson, however, was a marked man all night and in spite of the fact that he was watched closely and given little chance to bore through he managed to notch two counters and was far more effective in the art of back-checking than his elusive rival.

Clearly, Fredrickson was a fine two-way player at his peak, though I would not put him in the category of a guy like MacKay. Frank was, I think, an offense-first center who could check, not a hook-checking defensive dynamo who could score, like MacKay. One final piece of information on Fredrickson from this season which I consider the most impressive of all:

12.3.1923 - The Ottawa Citizen:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=QBJtjoHflPwC&dat=19230321&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Former Falcon has Enviable Record

Frank Frederickson, pride of the Icelandic race, is back in Winnipeg today, after winning the right to be called the greatest player in the Pacific Coast Hockey League. Before the fascinating and sensational playing of the big blonde, the work of such former stars as Mickey MacKay of Vancouver and Frank Foyston of Seattle wilted like the morning glory under the blaze of the noonday sun. Frank is very modest about his achievements, but says he gave hockey his best attention and got results.

Frederickson was the big factor in putting Victoria playoff for the PCHA championship..."Freddie" won the two-fold honor of leading the scorers in the PCHA and also in the inter-league series better than his nearest rival. In the PCHA, he ran in 39 goals and 15 assists during the season for a total of 54 points, which put him 17 points ahead of his closest rival, Mickey MacKay...

There is no player on the coast and none on the prairie that can be put in the class with Frederickson, say coast critics. The NHL may have a candidate, but even the great Frank Nighbor would undoubtedly find it difficult holding his own with the Icelander.

Neither Dick Irvin of Regina nor "Duke" Keats of Edmonton rank with "Freddie". Keats has a good head, but Freddie can skate rings around him and out-stickhandle him, and when it comes to shooting, the honors all go to the former Falcon skipper. Irvin is not capable of going over more than half the route, and while still tricky, clever and fast, he is not the pivot man that Frederickson is.

Frederickson looms as the greatest hockey player that is alive today. His four goals against Edmonton and his four goals and two assists against Seattle brand him as a star the like of which has not been seen in the hockey firmament for many years.

Now this is quite remarkable. The Ottawa Citizen just comes out and says plainly that Fredrickson is the greatest hockey player in the world, and states that even Frank Nighbor would have trouble with him. Anyone who has read much from the Ottawa Citizen sports desk of this period (as I have while researching the old Sens dynasty) should recognize what an amazing compliment it really is for any player to be compared favorably to Frank Nighbor, who was generally treated as a hockey god by that paper.

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Fredrickson had clearly climbed the mountain by this point, and if the Ottawa Citizen calls him the best player in the world, I think they were probably right. Given the fact that Ion had also called him easily the best player in the PCHA as a rookie in 1920-21, there may be an argument for him being best in the world over a period longer than just the one volcanic season.

Frank Fredrickson Part II

So we see from the above that Fredrickson had considerable star power. We also see, in the article comparing his performance to Dick Irvin's, the beginnings of something else that would become something of a theme for the rest of the Icelander's western league career: after the decline of Oatman and Dunderdale, Fredrickson was the only offensive threat that Victoria had, and was targeted by opposing checkers at every turn. Here is a quick breakdown of Fredrickson's scoring and that of the next best Victoria scorer during his career out west:

Year|Fredrickson|Next Best|% of Fred's Score
1920-21|32|20|63
1921-22|25|19|76
1922-23|55|26|47
1923-24|28|16|57
1924-25|30|14|47
1925-26|24|17|71

As you can see, Frank received at least a decent amount of offensive help in his first two seasons in the PCHA, but carried an absurd offensive burden over the next three before Jack Walker's good 1925-26 season. These are unusual numbers even for what was generally an unbalanced era of hockey. The only other PCHA player whose share of team scoring reached these levels was Cyclone Taylor. The other stars of the league - MacKay, Foyston, Morris, Dunderdale, etc. - were always cogs in relatively balanced attacks. Not so with Fredrickson, and this should be kept in mind when we look at his scoring numbers on the whole.

1923-24: this looks like another strong season for Fredrickson. He ends up second in PCHA scoring on the season, tied with MacKay (in the season when defenseman Art Duncan won the scoring title), which isn't overly impressive until you consider that the next best scorer on Victoria was Clem Loughlin, a defenseman not much known for his scoring. It would be hard to place Fredrickson above Duncan in the latter's best season, but he was a 1st team all-star center this year, and was quite probably the best forward in the league, at least.

The somewhat less impressive campaign of the previous season doesn't seem to have dimmed Fredrickson's star much, if at all, and we see him described as the best western player again in the lead-up to the 1924-25 season:

30.10.1924 - Christian Science Monitor:

*as this is a CSM document and protected by a paywall (yes, I had to buy it), I cannot provide a link

Sale of four former stars of the old Seattle Metropolitans of the Victoria Cougars and the Vancouver Maroons, of the Western Canada Hockey Association, was recently announced. Walker, Holmes and Fraser will join the Victoria lineup and the opening of the season, while Foyston will go to Vancouver.

Purchase of Walker, Holmes and Fraser means that the Victoria team, contrary to all expectations, will be almost completely changed this year. Holmes will replace Fowler in goal, the former Victoria goalie being slated for one of the prairie teams, probably Edmonton, which recently released its goaltender. Fraser's playing on the Seattle defense last year was so spectacular that he is expected to take a regular place on the Victoria team, probably replacing Halderson, whose work last season was disappointing. Walker, though one of the veterans of the old Coast League, is regarded as one of the greatest strategists in the game in the west and is credited with inventing the hook check now used everywhere. He always played in rover's position before the introduction of the six-man game and has never been as effective on the wing as in his old position.

Foyston is expected to replace Frank Boucher in center on the Vancouver lineup. For the last half dozen years Foyston has been considered one of the greatest forwards in the game, being excelled in the west only by Frederickson, the crack Victoria center ice man. He is in the veteran class now and has lost a good deal of his old speed. As a stickhandler, however, he has few equals.

The transfer of Walker, Foyston and Fraser breaks up a trio who have made hockey history. Foyston and Walker have been playing together since 1915 and in that time have developed remarkable combination play. With Arbour of Edmonton playing on the wing, and the three former Seattle players in the lineup, the Victoria team will be scarcely recognizeable. Frederickson, Loughlin and Hart are expected to wear the blue Cougar jersey this season, but no definite announcement on his plans has been made yet by Lester Patrick, Victoria manager.

There seems to have been little doubt in the eyes of the press, as seen from multiple sources, that Fredrickson was the greatest of the western forwards. He is held up by multiple sources as the standard against which others are to be judged. The above article is also an important part of our narrative because it describes a radical change in the organization of hockey in the west, and specifically with respect to the Victoria roster, which received a large influx of talent from the Seattle veterans.

1924-25: this appears to be another very strong season for Fredrickson. He ends up 5th in the WCHL scoring race, but is only four points behind the leader Bill Cook, and once again more than doubles the offensive output of the next best scorer on the Victoria team. The seeming incongruity between Fredrickson's scoring relative to the league leaders and his "star power" during this period is, I think, explained by his role as offensive catalyst of what was otherwise a defensive team, not unlike another Frank, Mahovlich, several decades later.

But Lester Patrick, great coach that he was, had a hole card to play with what was now a very deep Victoria lineup. He seems to have implemented the first real "shift" system in hockey history in Victoria during the 1924-25 season, rotating his forwards every few minutes and getting them to play a fast, up-tempo style which other teams found difficult to handle.

26.12.1924 - Regina Morning Leader:

The Christmas game served to introduce the Cougars to the home fans. It was their first appearance here and they certainly have a lineup of champions. Vancouver tried the three-man defense, but the consistent rushing of the Cougars was too smart for ever these stalwart defence tactics. Victoria placed every reliance in the two defense man system and had three men breaking abreast on each rush. The result was that the Cougars were on top of the Maroons all the way and only some splendid net guarding by Charlie Reid prevented the score from going higher.

Frank Fredrickson, Icelandic Cyclone, turned in his best game on local ice since turning pro. He notched three goals and missed others simply because he was skating so fast that he was on the top of the goal before he knew where he was. Frank Boucher, MacKay, Duncan and Arbour worked hard to bring on scores, but the severe back-checking of the Victoria line ruined a lot of their efforts.

Those Cougars would sneak into the playoffs in 3rd place in the WCHL, and remarkably get through the west and defeat the Montreal Canadians 3 games to 1 in the finals, becoming the last of the western league teams to win the Stanley Cup. Descriptions of how they did it, and Fredrickson's role in that process, are of great interest. Because I have already written a relatively large amount of text on this subject, I refer the reader to these posts:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=32224669&postcount=125

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=32224802&postcount=126

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=32291027&postcount=127

Long story short, Fredrickson was what looks to have been the main cog in a (for that time) short-shift pressure checking system implemented by Lester Patrick and put to great use against Howie Morenz in the finals. Jack Walker is also said to have played very well during those playoffs, but Fredrickson is specifically given most of the credit for the work done on Morenz, and was picked by at least one western sportswriter as the best center in the hockey world in that year.

21.4.1925 - Regina Morning Leader:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_QtTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-jcNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5154,2882156&hl=en

Which one of the following players is the best - please name them in the order they stand - Duke Keats, Howie Morenz, Frank Frederickson? Who is the best goaltender in the world?

- Anxious, Stoughton

Your questions, of course, cannot be answered finally. In my opinion Frederickson outshone either Keats or Morenz for the 1924-25 season. He was right at the top of the W.C.L. scoring list and starred when the Victoria Cougars outclassed the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final, Morenz being the pick of the Montreal team. Vezina was recently picked for an all-star team but on last season's play Happy Holmes, of Victoria, would be my selection as the best goaltender.

Whether or not we believe that Fredrickson was better than Morenz and Keats in this season, it was self-evidently a very good season for him.

1925-26: a curious season for Fredrickson. He ends up 8th in WHL scoring (in what was easily the worst scoring season of his peak) way behind the leader Bill Cook and also far back of the top scoring center Dick Irvin, but is named a 1st team all-star over Irvin and Keats, who also narrowly outscored him. This is most likely due to two factors: the fact that Fredrickson received less icetime as a part of the Victoria shift system and the fact that he was a vastly superior defensive center to Irvin. This appears to have been a strong season for Fredrickson in spite of the unusually low scoring numbers for him, and Victoria got back to the Cup finals this year, though they bowed out to the Montreal Maroons, who lifted the Cup on the back of Nels Stewart's epic postseason performance.

Frank Fredrickson Part III

Bringing the Fredrickson story to a close, we have his transfer to the NHL and subsequent appearance in what would be his third straight Cup finals, this time with the Boston Bruins.

1926-27: After the western league folded and was sold in detail to the NHL, Fredrickson came over with several other players to a new hockey team that was set to open for business in Detroit, taking its name, the Cougars, from the Victoria team that provided the seed of its roster. Interestingly enough, this team would eventually become the Red Wings, and insofar as we consider the Detroit Cougars a contiguous entity with the Victoria Cougars of the western leagues (which is at least half-true, I think), Frank Fredrickson could be considered the first superstar of the Red Wings franchise.

At any rate, he came to the NHL with considerable fanfare.

19.11.1926 - The Pittsburgh Press:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...UAqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IEoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7021,4432403

Fredrickson is Real Star in Ice Sport

Detroit Cougars' Center Man, Who Plays Here Tomorrow, Has Stamina, Speed and Skill

Frank Fredrickson, center man of the Detroit Cougar hockey outfit that makes its national league debut debut (sic.) against Odie Cleghorn's Pirates at Duquesne Garden tomorrow night, is hailed by Pacific coast critics as the greatest player ever seen in western Canada.

Fredrickson played with Victoria in the Coast league last season and with his mates were sold to Detroit interests for $100,000. He is said to be drawing $10,000 for his work with the Michigan outfit.

Fredrickson is a descendant of one of the Icelandic families that settled in Canada years ago, and first achieved fame as a member of the Winnipeg Falcons, who won the world amateur hockey championship in the Olympic games of 1920 at Antwerp, being captain of this aggregation, and playing against Herb Drury, local star, who was a member of the American Olympic sextet. The following year Fredrickson turned professional.

From the first he proved a great star in the money game. He was the leading scorer of the Pacific Coast league several seasons, and it was generally conceded that for all-around ability he outclassed every other man that ever played in that league.

The Detroit pivot is sometimes called the "Babe Ruth of hockey", on account of the tremendous speed of his shots and his general outstanding skill. He combines stickhandling ability with his speed and his shots are said to be harder that those of Babe Dye, considered the hardest shooter in the national league.

Fredrickson is known as one of the cleanest players in the "pro" sport and because he will submit to a lot of rough handling without letting his temper get the better of him, is seldom off the ice through penalties. His stamina is remarkable and he has played ?? of the 60 minutes on many occasions. He will command a lot of attention when he starts against the Pirates tomorrow night.

Not long after the start of the season, Fredrickson was traded with another player to Boston for Duke Keats and another player. The Boston Bruins were in last place at the time, but turned around their season after the trade for Fredrickson, ending up in the Cup finals where they would eventually be defeated by the Ottawa Senators in what was the final championship of that great dynasty. Fredrickson ended his first NHL season 4th in scoring and 3rd in Hart trophy voting, highest among all centers.

Here is what the press had to say of him towards the end of the season:

3.11.1927 - The Pittsburgh Press:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...yQkbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LkoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1545,305435

Howie Morenz, Hooley Smith, Aurel Joliat, Bill Cook, Billy Burch, Frank Nighbor and Frank Fredrickson comprise the most brilliant and effective group of forwards in hockey today, in the order named, according to a Canadian expert.

...

Fredrickson is an Icelander. He was captain of the 1920 world's champion Canadian Olympic team. A tall, broad-shouldered, powerful lad, he is gifted with extreme speed, and flashes about the ice at a terrific pace, with long, powerful strides. He was a big factor in the pace set by the Boston Bruins last winter, carrying them into the playoffs with Ottawa. Fredrickson is a wicked shot and a fine goal-getter.

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1927-28: Fredrickson came into the season considered one of the superstars of the now-consolidated NHL. He would ultimately get traded to a terrible Pittsburgh franchise and suffer the first in a series of knee injuries which would rob him of his speed, effectively end his peak, and eventually force his retirement. But we can at least judge something of his "star power" from what is written about him early in the season before the first knee injury.

22.12.1928 - The Pittsburgh Press:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...0sbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J0sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6098,3882578

Acquisition of Fredrickson by Local Hockey Club Real Tenstrike

Benny Leonard took a lot of worry off his mind when he closed the deal that brings the famous Frank Frederickson, Boston center, to the Pirates in exchange for Mickey Mackay and $12,000. The acquisition of this sterling puckman just about "makes" the local outfit, and from not on better results should be forthcoming.

Fredrickson is rated No. 1 among the National League pivots, he being voted this post by a canvass of critics in 1927.

Now, it's not readily apparent what this "canvass of critics" in 1927 entailed, but it appears that Fredrickson was picked above Morenz and Irvin (both of whom outscored him by a bit) as the best center in the previous NHL season, for whatever that's worth.

And finally this bit, another reference to his defensive reputation, from the time of his trade to Pittsburgh:

29.12.1928 - The Pittsburgh Press:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...EsbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=J0sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4314,5554015

Blame Linemen for Weak Buc Defense

A two-game winning streak was the best the Pittsburgh hockey team could maintain, but even the defeat by Toronto could not dispel entirely the idea that the club now is ready to make a real fight to get somewhere in this year's race. Frank Frederickson failed to maintain the stride on Thursday evening that he showed on his first appearance with the local skaters, but his class is not to be denied, and his off-color exhibitions will be far overbalanced by the clever games he will play.

In connection with the defensive weaknesses that the Pirates have usually displayed, a competent hockey man says:

"Don't blame the two defensemen always. Sometimes they have plenty of excuses for apparently leaving Miller unprotected in the nets. When the first line fails to meet a combination assault by the opposing team it drops back in a kind of demoralization on the defensemen. This screens from them the movements of the attacking line, and they have no chance to make plans to meet the assault. Pittsburgh's trouble so far on the defense has been poor checking by the line, and not sloppy work by the defensemen."

Frederickson's experience, and the fact that Milks is again playing a wing, his natural position, should go far toward remedying the faults pointed out by the critic.

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That's basically it for the interesting part of Fredrickson's career. He would go on to be player-coach of the Pirates and coached for a while, but his days as an elite player were basically over. What shall we make of Fredrickson's career, on the whole? He seems to have been an excellent scorer, and was one of the most physically impressive and robust players of his era, combining great size, speed, strength and stamina. He seems also to have been a good all-around player and backchecker, and to have adapted well and quickly to the schemes in which he played.

Fredrickson seems to have had star power somewhat out of proportion to his raw scoring exploits, likely resulting from his team situation. He is consistently described by a variety of sources as the outstanding forward of the western leagues, even called the all-time best western forward a couple of times, though this is somewhat galling in light of what we know about Taylor. There is obviously some hyperbole mixed in with accounts of Fredrickson's greatness, but I think it is clear enough that he was the consensus pick as best western forward over the period that he played out west, which includes most of Mickey MacKay's and Duke Keats' respective peaks.

His excellent performance in a consolidated NHL sort of puts a bow on his career, and should reduce skepticism about the extent of his "greatness" in unfamiliar western leagues. Compared to MacKay, I think Fredrickson clearly peaked higher and was considered "greater" by his contemporaries. But MacKay played longer than the big Icelander, who really only had seven peak seasons as a professional, as opposed to the ten year peak MacKay enjoyed. Ultimately, I would have put Fredrickson in before MacKay in this project, though I think they are ultimately close, and it would be no great injustice if Frank is inducted right after MacKay.

Sturminator's Statistical Analysis

I start off by only evaluating top-5 finishes in goals, assists and points. I think this fairly reflects the fact that scoring talent was split fairly evenly (and I believe it was) between the east and west during this era.

- For top-5 split-league finishes, in converting them to a modern equivalent, I use the following system:

(highest finish x 2 ) - 1
(second highest finish x 2)
(third highest finish x 2) -1
(fourth highest finish x 2)
(fifth highest finish x 2) -1
...etc.

This done to mathematically represent the fact that, for example, a 1st place finish in a split-league scenario can realisitically represent either a 1st or a 2nd place finish in a consolidated format. A 2nd place finish can be either 3rd or 4th place, etc. I round up for the highest scoring finish, round down for the second highest, round up for the third highest, etc. I think this is the most rational system possible, though granularity based on known facts must also enter the equation at some point.

Ok...onto the statistical analysis. Jarek will again have to forgive me, but Duke Keats is really the perfect foil to Frederickson for a variety of reasons. They were born within three months of each other, both played their best years out west and competed against one another during the final two seasons of the western leagues after the PCHA folded in 1924, everybody migrated to the WCHL for the next season, the WCHL renamed itself the WHL in 1925 and then collapsed, itself, after the 25-26 season. Both men have one superdominant season out west - 21-22 for Keats and 22-23 for Frederickson. Both men, at the age of 31, also came over to the newly consolidated NHL and played with varying levels of success. At any rate, I hope everyone will recognize that the following comparison is not an attempt at competition with jarek, but rather simply the most apt comparison available.

Frank Frederickson's top-5 scoring placements - with modern conversions:

- Goals: [3rd (20-21), 4th (21-22), 1st (22-23), 3rd (23-24) -- PCHA years] ; [3rd (24-25) -- WCHL] ; [5th (26-27) -- consolidated NHL] : modern equivalent: 1st, 5th, 5th, 6th, 6th, 7th

- Assists: [4th (20-21), 2nd (21-22), 1st (22-23), 2nd (23-24) -- PCHA years] ; [3rd (26-27), 8th (28-29) -- consolidated NHL] : modern equivalent: 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 8th, 8th

- Points: [1st (20-21), 3rd (21-22), 1st (22-23), 2nd (23-24) -- PCHA years] ; [5th (24-25) -- WCHL] ; [4th (26-27) -- consolidated NHL] : modern equivalent: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th

Frederickson's scoring record seems to indicate that he was a fairly balanced scorer, with a stronger emphasis on playmaking than goalscoring. His PCHA finishes of 1st, 2nd, 2nd in assists are pretty much validated by his 3rd place placement in assists during his first NHL season. His points more of less follow his assists record, and the PCHA dominance (including the 22-23 season in which he roflstomped the league, scoring 55 points when the 2nd place finisher, Mickey MacKay, put up 40) is pretty well validated by his 4th place points finish in his first consolidated NHL season. It is, on the whole, I think a pretty impressive resume for an offensive center at this point in the draft.

Duke Keats' top-5 scoring placements - with modern conversions:

- Goals: [1st (21-22), 4th (22-23), 5th (23-24), 2nd (24-25), 4th (25-26) -- WCHL and WHL years] ; [10th (26-27) -- consolidated NHL] : modern equivalent: 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th

- Assists: [1st (21-22), 4th (22-23), 2nd (23-24) -- WCHL and WHL years] ; [8th (26-27), 7th (27-28) -- consolidated NHL] : modern equivalent: 1st, 4th, 7th, 7th, 8th

- Points: [1st (21-22), 2nd (22-23), 3rd (23-24), 4th (24-25) -- WCHL and WHL years] ; [9th (26-27), 10th (27-28) -- consolidated NHL] : modern equivalent: 1st, 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th

I was a bit shocked by Keats' scoring record because the book on him is that he was a brainy playmaking pivot, but the numbers tell a different story. I find it odd that Keats would have this reputation when he only placed top-5 in assists in three out of five seasons spent out west. Anyway, the Duke seems to have been a fairly balanced scorer, as well, but with more of an emphasis on goalscoring than playmaking.

Comparing the results shows pretty plainly, I think, that Frederickson was the superior offensive player. He was the better playmaker by a fairly wide margin and the better goalscorer by a smaller margin. Frederickson's very high level of play in his first NHL season (which saw him finish 3rd in Hart voting) is also pretty telling, and should make it clear that his dominance out west was not compiled against "soft" competition. Keats would also have scoring success in his first two seasons in the NHL, but nothing on the level of Frederickson's 26-27 performance.

A closer look at both players' super dominant seasons out west is also enlightening. Frederickson's big season was 22-23 when he crushed the PCHA scoring race with 55 points with Mickey MacKay in second place at 40 points, an undrafted in 3rd, Frank Foyston in 4th , an undrafted in 5th and an underrated guy (who I also compared numerically to Frederickson) who will be drafted very soon in 6th. Keats' big 21-22 season in the WCHL is rather less convincing. The Duke scored 55 points vs. a second place finish of 33 points, but all of the other players on the leaderboard are undrafteds, and the best of the bunch won't be taken for another hundred picks, or so. Now I realize that using ATD draft position as a barometer of offensive prowess is a very shady form of analysis, but I think the difference in competition is quite clear in this case.

At any rate, going by the numbers, Frederickson beats Keats pretty handily, especially in playmaking. I'll leave Duke Keats alone now. The rest of what I have on Frederickson is descriptive newspaper clippings which should help to flesh out who he

My post on Fredrickson's prime years from the ATD2017 Finals.Obviously some overlap with Sturminator's research since I relied on it:

More Details on Fredrickson's Prime Years

20-21

Right off the bat he led the PCHA in scoring and got on the 1st AST at center.Fredrickson is 25 years old by then.

Here's what Ion said (Ion was league referee and officiated all of the league's games):

Ion gives him the centre (Fredrickson) berth job, and in so doing, adds that the newcomer has played a dazzling and effective game at all times and that no other player approaches him for all-around effectiveness.

Here's the Top 5 scorers of all leagues from 20-21:

league | player | pts | league | player | pts
NHL | Newsy Lalonde | 43 | PCHA | Frank Fredrickson | 32
NHL | Babe Dye | 40 | PCHA | Fred Harris | 32
NHL | Cy Denneny | 39 | PCHA | Frank Foyston | 30
NHL | Joe Malone | 37 | PCHA | Jack Adams | 29
NHL | Frank Nighbor | 29 | PCHA | Jim Riley | 28

It's unclear where Fredrickson ranks in a consolidated league taking everything into account (not just scoring).But at least he was dominant in the PCHA and Ion's words are flattering.

21-22

Third in PCHA scoring, an unimpressive year for Fredrickson.Finished 1st AST but as a sub.

Here's the Top 5 scorers of all leagues from 21-22:

league | player | pts | league | player | pts | league | player | pts
NHL | Punch Broadbent | 46 | PCHA | Jack Adams | 30 | WCHL | Duke Keats | 56
NHL | Cy Denneny | 39 | PCHA | Mickey MacKay | 26 | WCHL | George Hay | 34
NHL | Babe Dye | 38 | PCHA | Frank Fredrickson | 25 | WCHL | Joe Simpson | 34
NHL | Harry Cameron | 35 | PCHA | Bernie Morris | 24 | WCHL | Ty Arbour | 33
NHL | Joe Malone | 31 | PCHA | Frank Foyston | 23 | WCHL | Barney Stanley | 31

22-23

Most likely the best season of his career, led the PCHA in scoring by a huge margin.Arguably the best player in the world.Obviously finished 1st AST at center.

Here's the Top 5 scorers of all leagues from 22-23:

league | player | pts | league | player | pts | league | player | pts
NHL | Babe Dye | 37 | PCHA | Frank Fredrickson | 55 | WCHL | Art Gagne | 43
NHL | Cy Denneny | 34 | PCHA | Mickey MacKay | 40 | WCHL | Duke Keats | 37
NHL | Billy Boucher | 31 | PCHA | Lloyd Cook | 30 | WCHL | George Hay | 36
NHL | Jack Adams | 28 | PCHA | Frank Foyston | 28 | WCHL | Newsy Lalonde | 34
NHL | Mickey Roach | 27 | PCHA | Jim Riley | 27 | WCHL | Harry Oliver | 32

Some quotes from that year involving his defensive play and the comparison with Nighbor (from an Ottawa newspaper!):

"They were a pack of going hounds from whistle to whistle, and Frederickson pulled the greatest line of stuff he has ever shown. The big boy stickhandled his way through for lone scores, drew the defense and passed to others for combined goals, backchecked his opponents till they were dizzy and generally played hob with Seattle.

Fredrickson, however, was a marked man all night and in spite of the fact that he was watched closely and given little chance to bore through he managed to notch two counters and was far more effective in the art of back-checking than his elusive rival.

There is no player on the coast and none on the prairie that can be put in the class with Frederickson, say coast critics. The NHL may have a candidate, but even the great Frank Nighbor would undoubtedly find it difficult holding his own with the Icelander.

Neither Dick Irvin of Regina nor "Duke" Keats of Edmonton rank with "Freddie". Keats has a good head, but Freddie can skate rings around him and out-stickhandle him, and when it comes to shooting, the honors all go to the former Falcon skipper. Irvin is not capable of going over more than half the route, and while still tricky, clever and fast, he is not the pivot man that Frederickson is.

Frederickson looms as the greatest hockey player that is alive today. His four goals against Edmonton and his four goals and two assists against Seattle brand him as a star the like of which has not been seen in the hockey firmament for many years.

Some comments by Sturminator: "Fredrickson had clearly climbed the mountain by this point, and if the Ottawa Citizen calls him the best player in the world, I think they were probably right. Given the fact that Ion had also called him easily the best player in the PCHA as a rookie in 1920-21, there may be an argument for him being best in the world over a period longer than just the one volcanic season."

23-24

Finished 1st AST at center again.

Here's the Top 5 scorers of all leagues from 23-24:

league | player | pts | league | player | pts | league | player | pts
NHL | Cy Denneny | 24 | PCHA | Art Duncan | 31 | WCHL | Bill Cook | 40
NHL | Georges Boucher | 23 | PCHA | Frank Fredrickson | 28 | WCHL | Harry Oliver | 34
NHL | Billy Boucher | 22 | PCHA | Mickey MacKay | 25 | WCHL | Duke Keats | 31
NHL | Billy Burch | 22 | PCHA | Frank Foyston | 23 | WCHL | George Hay | 31
NHL | Aurel Joliat | 20 | PCHA | Jack Walker | 23 | WCHL | Barney Stanley | 26

A quote from that year:

For the last half dozen years Foyston has been considered one of the greatest forwards in the game, being excelled in the west only by Frederickson, the crack Victoria center ice man.

24-25

This is the year that Fredrickson faced Morenz to go on to win the Stanley Cup.There seems to be a contradiction in the ASTs, with one source having Fredrickson as a 1st AST as a sub and the other not having him at all.

Here's the Top 5 scorers of all leagues from 24-25:

league | player | pts | league | player | pts
NHL | Babe Dye | 46 | WCHL | Harry Oliver | 33
NHL | Cy Denneny | 42 | WCHL | Mickey MacKay | 33
NHL | Aurel Joliat | 41 | WCHL | Bill Cook | 32
NHL | Howie Morenz | 39 | WCHL | Duke Keats | 32
NHL | Red Green | 34 | WCHL | Frank Fredrickson | 30

The opinion of one sportswriter:

Which one of the following players is the best - please name them in the order they stand - Duke Keats, Howie Morenz, Frank Frederickson?

- Anxious, Stoughton

Your questions, of course, cannot be answered finally. In my opinion Frederickson outshone either Keats or Morenz for the 1924-25 season. He was right at the top of the W.C.L. scoring list and starred when the Victoria Cougars outclassed the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final, Morenz being the pick of the Montreal team.

25-26

His scoring takes a hit, but he still gets on the 1st WHL AST as center.

Sturm's comment: "This is most likely due to two factors: the fact that Fredrickson received less icetime as a part of the Victoria shift system and the fact that he was a vastly superior defensive center to Irvin."

Here's the Top 8 scorers of all leagues from 25-26:

league | player | pts | league | player | pts
NHL | Nels Stewart | 42 | WHL | Bill Cook | 44
NHL | Cy Denneny | 36 | WHL | Dick Irvin | 36
NHL | Carson Cooper | 31 | WHL | Corb Denneny | 34
NHL | Jimmy Herberts | 31 | WHL | Art Gagne | 33
NHL | Aurel Joliat | 26 | WHL | George Hay | 31
NHL | Howie Morenz | 26 | WHL | Duke Keats | 29
NHL | Jack Adams | 26 | WHL | Harry Oliver | 25
NHL | Billy Burch | 25 | WHL | Frank Fredrickson | 24

26-27

Fredrickson finished 3rd in Hart voting, highest among all centers.

rk | player | age | votes | %
1 | Herb Gardiner | 35 | 89 | 24.05
2 | Bill Cook | 30 | 85 | 22.97
3 | Frank Fredrickson | 31 | 75 | 20.27
4 | Dick Irvin | 34 | 73 | 19.73
5 | King Clancy | 23 | 48 | 12.97

Here's the Top 5 scorers from the NHL:

league | player | pts
NHL | Bill Cook | 37
NHL | Dick Irvin | 36
NHL | Howie Morenz | 32
NHL | Frank Fredrickson | 31
NHL | Babe Dye | 30

Summary of Fredrickson's AST Finishes

20-21: 1st AST Center (PCHA) [Possible competition (?): Lalonde, Nighbor, Malone] - 3rd?
21-22: 1st AST Sub (PCHA)
22-23: 1st AST Center (PCHA) [Possible competition (?): Keats(1st AST C WCHL), Nighbor, Adam] -1st?
23-24: 1st AST Center (PCHA) [Possible competition (?): Nighbor (Hart Winner), Morenz, Keats (1st AST C WCHL)] - 2nd?
24-25: 1st AST Sub (WCHL) OR Not on any AST (contradictory sources) - 5th?
25-26: 1st AST Center (WHL) [Possible Competition (?): Keats, Stewart (Hart Winner), Nighbor (3rd in Hart), Morenz (6th in Hart)] -4th?
26-27: 1st in Hart voting among centers -1st?

Something like 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th seems reasonable for a consolidated record, but up to you to crack that puzzle as you see fit.

 

[BenchBrawl]

PATRICK ELIAS

The quotes/articles are taken from Rob Scuderi's bio.

Information

Position: LW
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190lb
Born: April 13, 1976, Czechoslovakia

Top 10 Finishes

Goals: 4, 10
Assists: 7, 9
Points: 3, 6, 10

Goals-Per-Game: 4
Assists-Per-Game 8
Points-Per-Game: 8

VsX best 7 years Score

78.9

All-Star Team Selections

1st (00-01)

Awards Voting

Selke: 8, 15
Hart: 6, 14

From the Top 60 Wingers Project

Patrik Elias

Earlier, Frank Mahovlich was voted in quite a bit earlier than a quick glance at his statistics would have him be, largely because he was the best scorer on a very successful defensive-minded team for a large part of his career. It think the same thing more or less applies to Patrik Elias (and said so at the time).

Most times leading the team in points (wingers only)

Name | Number of seasons
Gordie Howe | 17
Jaromir Jagr | 12
Jarome Iginla | 11
Andy Bathgate | 9
Brett Hull | 9
Paul Kariya | 9
Alex Ovechkin | 9
Mark Recchi | 9
Patrik Elias | 8
Guy Lafleur | 8
Teemu Selanne | 8
Pavel Bure | 7
Cy Denneny | 7
Shane Doan | 7
Theoren Fleury | 7
Frank Mahovlich | 7
Markus Naslund | 7
Miroslav Satan | 7
Ray Whitney | 7

1999-00 to 2002-03

It could be argued that the 2000-03 Devils are the closest we've seen to a dynasty since the 80s Oilers, with 3 trips to the finals (2 Cups, 1 game 7 loss) in 4 years.

(The 1995-97 Red Wings went to 3 finals, also winning 2 Cups, but they were swept in the finals in 1995. On the other hand, the wings made it to the Conference finals all 4 years, while an injury-riddled Devils team lost in the first round in 2002).

Patrik Elias led the Devils in regular scoring all 4 seasons during this stretch, and in playoff scoring 3 of 4 seasons (the back to back trips to the finals in 2000 and 2001 and the 1st round loss in 2002).

Leading playoff scorer from 2000-2009

Obviously, playing on a team that always made the playoffs and reached 3 finals plays a big part, but here it is:

1. Elias 102
2. Sakic 94
3. Forsberg 92
4. Lidstrom 88
5. Rafalski 86

http://www.hockey-reference.com/pla...val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=points

Even on a per-game basis, Elias looks good - only Forsberg and Sakic scored more playoff points-per-game over this decade among players with at least 65 playoff games (Elias had 114 games).

Another thing about Patrik Elias is that I don't think many forwards have had their roles changed as many times as he has. Basically, Elias was always the guy asked to fill the gap wherever the Devils were weak.

On the Elias-Arnott-Sykora line of 1999-2001, Elias was the primary puck handler. But then Arnott was traded during the 2001-02 season for being lazy and Sykora was traded after the playoffs for refusing to play through an injury. The two fastest, most skilled players on the team heading into 2002-03 were Elias and Gomez, and Gomez's entire game revolved around puck possession. So Elias not only had to adjust to Pat Burns' more defensive system, but he also had to adjust to playing as more of a shooter while Gomez carried the puck. Probably a big reason his numbers were down in 2002-03 in particular before rebounding in 2003-04 as he got used to his new role (IMO, Elias should have gotten a lot more credit for playing two-way hockey for a defensive-minded club in 2003-04 compared to Kovalchuk and Naslund who put up a few more points playing one-way hockey for more offensive-minded clubs).

Claude Julien took over in 2006-07 and wanted each line to have a forward who played like something of a defensive midfielder in soccer. On every other line, it was the center, but Scott Gomez couldn't play strong defense, so on the Elias-Gomez-Gionta line, Elias was the player who hung back as the defensive safety valve of the line. Then Gomez left via free agency and the Devils were desperate for centers, so Elias starts playing some center. Played center for most of 2011-12, when he finished 10th in overall league scoring and made David Clarkson look like a legit top 6 player (Parise and Kovalchuk played on a different line centered by either Travis Zajac or Adam Henrique).

Anyway, the point of this long-winded post is that for a lot of star forwards (for example, Ilya Kovalchuk), the team bends over backwards to cater to what they do best. For Elias it was the reverse, he had to cater his skills to whatever gap the team had and adjust to various philosophies from the coaching carousal that was the Devils of the era. From primary puck handling winger, to shooting winger, to the defensive winger on his line (while still leading his line in scoring), then constantly switching between C and LW, depending on team needs.

QUOTES/NEWSPAPERS/ARTICLES

Assets: Sees the ice incredibly well, skates superbly and plays a clever game of hockey. Has terrific hand/eye coordination, good goal-scoring instincts and excellent puck-distribution skills. Can play both wing and center.

Flaws: Is somewhat soft in the corners and can be accused of playing a peripheral game at times. Has become more prone to injury over time, which has led to a bit of a decline in production. Isn't a physical player at all.

Career Potential: Versatile, savvy scoring forward.

"I really believe he’s among the top players in the league. And a top player in the league, they do a lot of stuff for their team,'' Lemaire said of Elias. "Maybe I’m a little tough on him, but he’s got so much talent. So much. He does things that other guys can’t do.''

Lemaire admitted he sets the bar high for Elias, as far as what he expects from him, but he doesn't apologize for that.

"I want him to be a leader every game,'' he said. "I want him to control the game every game. I know he won’t do it, nobody does it – but I’d like eight games out of 10 that he does it.''

But when Lemaire was asked about Elias playing center, versus wing, he was blunt in saying Elias is "okay'' at center, and said, "maybe not'' when asked if Elias was good enough at center to remain there when the injured Dainius Zubrus returns to the lineup.

"Again, the expectations,'' he said. "I think on the wing it would help (Elias) to achieve these expectations. He’s going to have more freedom, because the centerman is busy in our own end – he’s got a lot of work to do. And Patrik plays the game – he understands the game extremely well. He knows the weaknesses on the other side, he knows where to go – he feels that the puck’s going to go there, that’s where he goes. And that’s why, sometimes, he’s out of position. But he’s got a reason for it. He just knows what’s coming. And I think he would be even more effective – not that he’s not effective at center – but I feel he would be more effective on the wing.''

Jacques Lemaire called Patrik Elias the Devils' best player this season.

Elias explained that is because he is healthy after a difficult 2009-10 campaign that started with offseason hip and groin surgery and was then interrupted in January with a concussion.

"I told him he's playing better than last year. He's working harder than last year," Lemaire said today. "Not only with me. With Johnny MacLean, too. He's the best player on this team so far from the start of the season to now."

That's high praise.

Elias told Lemaire last season was a struggle because he had hip and groin surgery if the summer and missed the first 13 games of the season. Then, when Elias was finally getting back into form, he suffered a hit from Ryan Wilson during a Jan. 16 game in Colorado and did not play Jan. 18-Feb. 5.

 

[Voight]

Steven Stamkos


Awards and Achievements:
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy 2010, 2012
NHL All-Star Game 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016
NHL Second All-Star Team 2011, 2012
Runner up for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2012.
World Championship All-Star Team 2009
World Cup of Hockey Champion 2016
One of 19 players to score 60 goals in a season, one of 6 post-1990
One of two players to score 60 goals 1996-present

Hart voting - 2nd(2012), 6th(2010), 8th(2013), 11th(2011), 11th(2015)

All-Star voting - 2nd(2011), 2nd(2012), 3rd(2013), 3rd(2010), 4th(2015), 12th(2016)

Offensive Achievements:
Points - 2nd(2012), 2nd(2013), 5th(2010), 5th(2011)

Goals - 1st(2010), 1st(2012), 2nd(2011), 2nd(2013), 2nd(2015), 7th(2016)


Playoff Points - 8th(2011), 5th(2015)
Playoff Goals - 6th(2011), 6th(2015)
Playoff Assists - 9th(2011), 5th(2015)


5 Year Peak: 2009 to 2014
4th in Points, 95% of 1st place Martin St. Louis
1st in Goals, 103% of 2nd place Alex Ovechkin
32nd in Assists, 64% of 3rd place Martin St. Louis

He just hits the net. He's always accurate.

He reminds me of a young Yzerman

I didn't have as hard a shot, and he's a better skater. His skating ability has opened eyes.

No question.

He's elevated his play and scored so many goals that were part of our comeback. He's such a big part of our team, he should get serious consideration, in my opinion.

The name of the game is to win, so generally you're going to look at who had the biggest impact on a winning team, but every now and then a player is so good and so important to his team, even if they don't make the playoffs, you have to take a look at him.

Of course, Stamkos really already had found his place: the left face-off circle.

Study a shot chart of the center's goals since 2009--10. The left circle, around the face-off dot, looks like a Google Earth picture of a shopping mall on Black Friday. He scored 22 from that circle last season, five so far this year. Coach Guy Boucher emphasizes mobility on the Lightning's amoeba of a power play, and Stamkos, a righthanded shot, indeed pops up in the slot, or on the right side, practically everywhere. Ten of his 19 goals in 20 games have come from below the circles—so-called "dirty areas"—which underscores that hockey's best pure shooter is improving as an impure shooter. (Stamkos had five tip-in goals last season, but his first two goals this year came on deflections.) Clearly his sublime hand-eye coordination can produce tip-ins, but that's like saying Pavarotti could also sing Happy Birthday. He is a goal scorer, with one noteworthy distinction. Like Wayne Gretzky's "office" behind the net, Stamkos's playpen is the left dot, launching pad for hockey's biggest weapon—his one-timer.

Skates very well, has awesome hand/eye coordination and can score in a variety of ways. His one-timer when parked high in the slot is deadly. Displays solid playmaking and two-way upside. Plays with enough grit and aggression to keep opponents honest.

Elite scorer with big upside.

The power-play prowess. When Hull scored 50 goals in his team's first 50 games in 1990-91, he finished with 86 on the year and scored 29 on the power play. Stamkos plays the same kind of sniper role on the Lightning power play, and has 10 of his 19 goals with the man advantage. He's lethal when given room to shoot.

Can Stamkos stay healthy and go 50-in-50? It's a distinct possibility. But even if he doesn't, we're witnessing an extraordinary offensive season from what is right now -- and due respect to Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin of the Washington Capitals -- the most exciting player in the NHL.

"He's one of the bright young stars of this league," said Canadian and U.S. TV analyst and former Whalers coach Pierre McGuire, who watched Stamkos get two goals and an assist in Thursday's 5-2 victory over the Senators.

"He's so much quicker, and his legs have more power. He was always good. Now he's about to take it to the next level."

​

 

[jarek]

This is a consolidation of work done by overpass, Leafs Forever, HT18, TDMM, and myself.

Art Ross, D

Height: 5'11
Weight: 190 lbs.
Shoots: Left

Stanley Cup Winner (1907, 1908)

Awards and Achievements
MHL Pro 1st All Star Team (1907)
ECAHA 1st All-Star Team (1908)

Points Amongst Defensemen
MHL Pro (a few notable names): T-2nd (with Si Griffis) (1907)
ECHA: T-1st (1908)
NHA: 1st (1912), 2nd (1913), 2nd (1916), T-4th(1910)*, 5th (1911)

*A newspaper article found states Ross was actually 3rd in this year, and stood alone at 3rd.

seventieslord VsXD scores: 131, 94, 87, 83, 72, 45, 43, avg. 79.3

Legends of Hockey

In addition to an exemplary career as a defenseman, He contributed to the development of hockey through his off-ice endeavors. He recorded 85 goals in 167 regular-season games and provided stability and savvy in the defensive zone.

In 1905 he made his first appearance for a major hockey organization by scoring 10 goals in eight games for the Westmount franchise in the Canadian Amateur Hockey League. He rapidly earned the distinction of being one of the top rushing defensemen in the game.

The following year he skated for Brandon of the Manitoba Hockey League. His play attracted the attention of the Kenora Thistles, who worked out a loan agreement with Brandon in time for their Stanley Cup challenge against the Montreal Wanderers in January 1907. During the two-game set, he received numerous ovations from the Montreal crowd. Although he didn't score, he made a number of quality offensive rushes that contributed to Kenora's Stanley Cup win. A year later, hiss services were purchased by the Wanderers in a move that strengthened an already formidable outfit. He was a key reason the Red Bands finished at the top of the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association standings and then beat back the Stanley Cup challenges from Winnipeg, Toronto and Edmonton.

... two years in Ottawa, where he introduced the "kitty bar the door" defensive alignment that baffled teams preferring a freewheeling offensive game. He then returned to Montreal to close out his playing career with the Wanderers.

In late 1910, he rejoined the Wanderers, putting up four seasons there before joining the Ottawa Senators. "Ross played like an eel," XXXXX once said. "He was one of the greatest stickhandlers I ever saw. He could spin on a dime, and he was so tricky there was no blocking him."

Legends of Hockey - One on One With Art Ross

Ross was pioneering the defence position, and many compare him to Bobby Orr of more recent hockey. He was a rushing defenceman during an era when players in that position either shot the puck down the ice or passed to a forward. Instead, Ross carried the puck up the ice into the offensive zone.

Hockey Blog in Canada

He was viewed as a fearless player who never backed down from a fight in his life. Ross' highest PIM total was in 1913-14 with the Wanderers in the NHA. In 18 games, he spent 74 minutes in the penalty box! From 1912-17, Ross would never spend less than 55 minutes in the penalty box in one season despite only averaging 18 games per season in the NHA.

February 17, 1915 saw Ross square off in a fight with Toronto Blueshirts' player XXXX which ended up with both players being arrested for assault. The fine of $1 each was paid in total by XXXX who lost a coin toss to Ross while in jail. Referee Cooper Smeaton was almost arrested as well for his inability to control the fracas, but he escaped without penalty.

It was while Ottawa was travelling to Montreal for the 1915 NHA championship that Ross invented "kitty-bar-the-door" hockey, thinking that the fast, powerful Wanderers could be stopped by stringing three defensemen across the width of the ice, 30 feet in front of the goalie, defying any Montreal forward to skate through. The confident Wanderers, playing on home ice, even had a fleet of taxis waiting outside the rink to take them to the railway station so they could head west to meet Vancouver for the Stanley Cup. Their pride and Art Ross's defensive shell ensured that the taxis came in handy for the Ottawa Senators instead, who won the round on goals and caught the train to the coast.

During his day, Ross was considered one of the best defensemen to ever lace up the skates:

When Art Ross quits hockey the winter game will lose “the greatest player it ever producedâ€. That batter title has been tossed about a bit, confered on first one and then another, but when they've all been rattled through the sifter Ross stands out as the brainiest, most consistent player over a long period of years that the game has ever known

Six feet in heigh, perfectly proportioned, always in the pink of condition, Ross in his hey-day added these assets terrigic speed and a stick-wizardy that was little short of marvelous. In later days he lost his high flight of speed, but the ability to puzzle opponents with sheer trick skill has not deserted the big Scotsman. Although he doesn't flash and circle about the ice with the meteoric dash of yore, opposing defense still find it a difficult task to get the puck off Ross's elusive stick. Add to this a hockey brain of far more than average keeness which stored up the experience of many years, and Ross is still today a formidable addition to any game.

The ice game has never had a smarter player than Ross. How, when playing with Ottawa, he euchered the Wanders out of the championship of 1914-15 is still fresh in the minds of conetemporary fans....

The dope was that Ottawa would try to make their defensive stand through a strong offense, and that was the style the Wanderers primed themselves for. Instead, when the game started Ross spread out three players in front of the Ottawa net. …

It was a neat a bit of ice generalship as was ever seen, and was a peculiarly gratifying victory to Ross.

Headline: Art Ross, Known as Best hockey Player, to quit

Art Ross, on defense, is the finest player in his position in the east.

ART ROSS Who's work at cover point for the Wanderers is subject to much comment in hockey circles. He has been in the professional ranks for many years and is still considered to be the most formidable defence man in the game.

It is a question if a better defense man than Art Ross was ever seen in the business. He was a terror to all other teams and it was a cry all over the circuit to “Watch Ross and beat the Wanderers.†He was the particular player that the Ottawa watched but with all the precaution that the team took. Ross got away and it was his pair of goals that won the game that gave his team the silverware.

It was said by Jim Coleman that if you wanted to win the Cup, you went out and got Art Ross:

If you wanted to gather a team to win the Stanley Cup it was a good idea to hire Art Ross. That’s the reason he played on so many different teams because when anybody was building for a Cup bid they’d get Ross to anchor their defense

Adding Art Ross was the reason Kenora was able to beat the Ottawa Silver Seven after losing. After Kenora, Ross moved on. The Wanderers hired Ross because he was the main reason they’d been beaten, so it made sense to put the lad in the red Wanderers jersey. The next season they won the Cup.

Comparison of Ross to Hod Stuart and Lester Patrick:

A discussion was started yesterday to the relative merits of Ross and the late Hod Stuart as hockey players. Nearly all who attended the Gardens in recent years have seen the great cover point, who met such an untimely death, play and regard his as the greatest ever. But there are many who declared Ross is superior, and not a few will watch his work tonight to make their own deductions.

(quoting an Ottawa Free Press writer) Reports of Arthur Ross being the sensation of the year have not been exaggerated. He is another Hod (sic) Stuart and then some. Speed, magnificent stick handling, ability to dodge everything and anybody, backed up by a fine shooting arm, places (sic) the celebrated athlete on a pinnacle few may hope ever to attain. Ross has everything. The cool head is ever prevalent. He can work by himself or with the rest of the team, has no disposition to be selfish and is gifted with a powerful physique to round off his other accomplishments.

Lester Patrick is stated to be as in good condition as he was when he played for the Wanderers two years ago, but this is doubtful. It is considered by the challengers that he has finer points in his stickhandling than Ross, but Ross is a stronger man at withstanding attacks and he has almost as spectacular and certainly a more aggresive manner of going up the ice. In Montreal Ross is regarded as the greatest defense player in hockey.

This particular passage suggests Ross was a selfish player compared to Stuart. There may have been some truth to that, but the accounts of him using his teammates exceed any mentions of selfishness.

Far Short of Hod Stewart
Ross fills the place on the team left by the late "Hod" Stewart, but he hasn't the finish that that great player had. His play is too much on the selfish order; he wants to score, and that is where Stewart had it on him. Stewart was satisfied to carry the puck into the opposing side's territory and pass to someone else to do the shooting. Thus he not only made a name for himself but one for the man who did the scoring. As a defence player Ross is not to be criticized, but when he sallies forth to do the scoring, he makes a mistake.

Comments on his defensive game:

Art Ross did the bulk of the work for Halleybury. He alone was successful in warding off the attacks of the Ottawa players...Ross was in game at all time, and had it not been for his sterling work Ottawa would run up a much bigger score.

Hooper (coverpoint), who had been handicapped by a late start this season, showed more speed last night and made one or two last night. He is still weak in blocking, however. For a time Ross and Hooper changed positions last night, but Ross is too strong a man in keeping a forward line out to justify a shift.â€

Art Ross made his first appearance in an Ottawa uniform and was a great factor in their victory He played a brilliant game on the defence- breaking up Torotono rushes on many ocassions when scores seemed certain. He bowled the champions over with his body and there was an excuse for his rough work as he became the target for the Toronto tripping and slashing...Ross was very unselfish and figured in several clever two man rushes with Gerard.

Ross was one of the best men on the ice, his checking and rushing being sensational.

Ross and Cleghorn were never better and their clever defence play had much to do with the result.

As it was, Vics lacked a scorers, and against the good defense that Ross and Howard presented their attacks as a rule were broken up with ease.

With Ernie Johnson and Art Ross forming a great defense in front of the Wanderers' goal, the Ottawa attacks were rudely smashed...

Art Ross and Ernie Johnson, the two highly paid Montreal stars were very much alive. They tore through the Ottawa team repeatedly with irresistible aggressiveness.

There was one bright feature to the game, and that was the play of Art Ross, the Wanderer point. Ross has improved every time out this year, and last evening he gave one of the finest exhibitions of defence playing yet seen at the Arena. In breaking up attacks he was cool and fearless. He waited until the man was in, and seldom missed stealing the disc of intercepting the pass. From the start he kept rushing back into Victoria quarters, and his great speed and splendid stick handling made him too difficult a proposition for the challengers to solve. The crowd was not slow to appreciate the fine work he was doing, and every rush he made was greeted with increasing applause from all sides. Towards the end there was a tremendous call to the big cover-point to "come on yourself" every time he touched the disc.â€

Art Ross, who has starred with spectacular rushes in all his games this year, only once or twice got past centre ice in the first half. Patrick, who starred in the Quebec game with similar plays, was in much the same position as Ross, although more successful for a time. The forwards kept checking back relentlessly and it was almost impossible for one player to advance alone for any distance. In the second half, when there were weak spots on both teams, the individual's chances became better and Ross and Smaill on the one side and Patrick and Gilmour on the other pulled off some long runs.

Ross and (Frank) Patrick, playing much the same style of game, shone in dashes down the ice, but Ross had the shade better of it, as a defence player. Both Ross and Patrick figured for a goal on the score sheet, the result of end-to-end runs.

The defense was its strongest point, and had it not been for the work of Riley Hern and Art Ross, Ottawa would have scored twenty more goals...Ross tried innumerable rushes, his speed and stickhandling proving him to be a star of the first water. Ross, however, found Taylor and Pulford to be an impregenable combination

Ross was easily the individual star of the match and stood head and shoulders above all others, his brilliant work evoking round after round of applause. His speed was phenomenal, his stick handling superb, and his checking very effective.

When they did get in on the poles either Hern or Ross was there to save the day, and both the latter put up a good game.

Great defensive work may be expected of Ross at point, for he knows the game inside and out...

Comments on offensive game:

The Thistles grabbed (Ross) as an up and coming defence star. He could stickhandle and score like a forward, and after an outstanding series against the Montreal Wanderers he soon was back in his home town playing the game.

He later moved to the Ottawa Senators and during his stay there helped evolve the kitty-bar-the-door defence.

Taylor, according to the Ottawa men who saw Thursday night's game, is faster than Art Ross, but not the same finished stick handler.

Sensational plays on the part of the champions were numerous indeed and frequently the crowd arose and cheered enthusiastically the long rushes of Art Ross...Ross was easily the individual star of the match and stood head and shoulder over all others, his brilliant work evoking round after round of applause. His speed was phenomenal, his stick handling superb, and his checking very effective.

Ross was the most effective player of the Easterners, although he played on a strange pair of skates. He scored three goals as the result of end to end rushes right through the opposing team.

Art Ross was back in his old form and time and time again carried the puck from end to end passing it out to his forwards when nearing the opposite goal.

Hern, Ross, and Blachford were the stars...Ross's play was greatly admired by the crowd. Quebec could not solve his serpentine runs.

...all received a warm welcome last night. Especially was this true of the Cleghorn brothers, who once played with one of the local teams, and Art Ross, who for years has been recognized as one of the greatest of hockey players. Although under a tremendous handicap last night, Ross gave an exhibition that scintillated with brilliancy all the way, and his spectacular trips up and down the ice drew forth round after round of cheers.

Several days ago, while playing at home, Ross sustained a serious bruise on his back and right side. He went into this game so heavily bandaged that the protection stood out like huge pads under his heavy sweater. That his playing was affected by this injury could be plainly seen several times, when he was forced to rest after a brilliant display of his cleverness, but the injury was not enough to dim his lustre. His journeys up and down the rink were easily the features of the game that brimmed over with features.

When Ross set out to carry the puck through the opposing team he left the Ottawa players behind him as if they were standing still, cleverly eluding one and then another without any apparent exertion. A massed defense at the goal usually stopped his tries for a goal, but he managed to shoot two past the noted Le Sueur, both of them being at the finish of spectacular juggling.

Next to Ross the star playing for the Wanderers was done by Odie Cleghorn and Hyland...

The game was a series of splendid plays by both teams, the Wanderers easily excelling in spectacular feats. Sprague Cleghorn excelled in dazzling serpentine runs down the ice, for the Ottawa defense watched Art Ross closely and had him boxed when he approached the mouth of the net. In the open rink, however, Ross easily dodged and zigzagged his way through the Ottawa skaters.

Ross, outgeneralling the opposing skaters who crowded about him, toyed and poked the rubber through the Ottawa players' skates, and always came out of the scrimmage with the puck and a broad smile.

Comments on his physicality and toughness:

One exciting encounter took place between Art Ross, of the Wanderers, and Mummery of the Quebecers. Both are 200 pounders, and they came together with a resounding crash. Both tried eachother's skill at tripping, and they were sent from the game for five minutes. Later on they repeated the rough work and were banished again.

Art Ross played against his old team mates and was one of Ottawa's best men. Prodgers prove the individual stud in the early stages but Ross met him with a crash and took all the steam out of the London Man.

The climax arrived when Art Ross and Mummery got into a fight and rolled around the ice, locked in eachother's arms. They were quickly seperated and both sent to the timers to cool off.

Ross was laid out by being struck with a puck over the heart, but the veteran continued pluckily.

Ross and Smaill, the two sturdy defence men, fairly took away the breath of those who were allowed into the preliminary canter. The way these giants sped over the mammoth surface was phenomenal... (sturdy could also be referencing defensive play)

The Wanderer defence was its strong point, Hern being the most effective. Ross was as good at point, although not up to last seasons's form, and Smail at cover was another source of strength.

Art Ross, who has earned a very enviable reputation in the past as a clean, honest player, was a vicious offender in the heavy work, and frequently sent to the side.

A fist-fight marked the closing minutes of the game and some of the spectators rushed on the ice to get a better view of the combat. Ross of the Wanderers and Oatman of Quebec were the principals in the clash.

With Oatman in the lead, the unruly pair skated towards the penalty timer's box and, as the Quebec player started to mount the rail Ross, angered at the crack he received on the head, pulled off his glove and struck Oatman a hard blow over the eye with his bared first. This was the signal for about fifty excitable spectators to jump on the ice but they were soon shooed off by the Westmount police and Arena officials. After Ross had punched him, Oatman was eager to continue the fray, but peacemakers kept the belligerents separated.

The fight occured with but two minutes of play remaining...when the game finished policemen were placed to guard the dressing rooms.

It was not a good game from the hockey point of view...that the Wanderers are fallen idols was plain from the attitude of the crowd. Most of the spectators seemed to support Quebec.

...Ross charged into Cameron, knocking him unconscious...McGiffin finally began to mix things up with Ross and tripped the ex-Wanderer player. Ross waited his opportunity and then sent McGiffin head over heels into the boards with a body. It dazed the Toronto man and took much of his effectiveness away.

Play was rough towards the close. Art Ross and Percy Leseur having several tiffs. Ross persisted in bothering Leseuer and Lake

He did seem to be selfish at times:

Ross, it is claimed, has not been playing his game of last winter, when he was acclaimed as the greatest point in hockey, and his showing in the Saturday night match was not considered satisfactory. It is further said that he might have won Saturday's game for Wanderers had he displayed better judgment and passed the disc to Vair when Lesueur ran out to block him in the thrilling play of the last four minutes of the big match. Ross tried to score the goal off his own stick when he had only Lesueur to elude. Weakness in passing, it is claimed, has spoiled his efficiency this winter and Wanderers have decided on a change.

He had some bad games too:

Ross, Hyland, and Roberts look just about due for the ash heap, while Russell and Millar were sent there some time ago. Ross looked like a sick duck in his dying efforts to break into the limelight, and only once did he break away from the watchful "Minnie" who was working hard to get a chance to put him away.

Performance in the 1915 Stanley Cup Final

Ross seemed to struggle a bit in this series. He was more dirty than usual and had some trouble defensively.

The first goal scored by the visitors came after Lehman had stopped a wicked shot from Art Ross. Darragh caught the rebound and slipped the runner into the net without giving Lehman a chance.

In front of (Benedict) Merril and Ross gave good support, but stellar stick-handling on the part of Vancouver forwards repeatedly beat them. Ross particularly seemed to suffer from the hard-going of the match and if anything marred his work by a little too free use of the stick.

Ross initiated many rushes, but was too much inclined to rough it. Ross went to the penalty bench a couple of times but at that got away with a lot of stuff that escaped the eyes of the officials.

Gerard was the most effective man on the Ottawa line...Merrill and Ross found the Vancouver forwards too speedy for them. Ross initiated many fine rushes down the ice.

 

[Dreakmur]

Mike Ramsey !!!


Awards and Achievements:
Olympic Gold Medalist (1980)


Norris voting - 7th(1990)
All-Star voting - 6th(1984), 8th(1990), 13th(1987), 14th(1985) 16th(1983)


1984 Coaches' Poll
2nd Best Defensive Defenseman

1990 Players' Poll
1st Best Defensive Defenseman

Top 2 DEF Who Had The Most PK Ice Time With That(elite defensive) Teams

....

DEFs Come Up Multiple Times

DEF | #
Chris "Cheli" Chelios |9
xxxx xxxx|6
Denis "Baby Bear" Potvin |5
Ray "Bubba" Bourque |5
Serge "The Senator" Savard |4
Mike "Rammer" Ramsey | 4
Scott "Captain Crunch" Stevens |4
Tim "Superman" Horton |4
Nicklas "Lidas" Lidstrom |4

Ramsey and Van Boxmeer are adept at neutralizing opposing forwards one-on-one and clearing them away from the net and both are talented shot-blockers.

....

Ranks in a class with Ranger's Tom Laidlaw or Islanders Denis Potvin as outstanding shot-blocking defensemen... Outstanding penalty killer... Plays one-on-one situations well, using size to ride forwards out of play...

Mike Ramsey emerged as one of the league's best defensemen.

....

Outstanding all-around defenseman but doesn't always get credit he deserves because he prefers to play a defensive defenseman's role... Seldom caught out of position or beaten one-on-one in defensive zone... Knows how to find forwards for rush-forming breakout passes... Outstanding shot-blocking defenseman who once blocked nine shots in game against Rangers.

Ramsey excels in all areas an is especially adept at blocking shots and taking rival forwards out of the play.

....

One of the best shot-blocking defensemen in NHL... Plays a robust game on defense... Hits hard and makes accurate breakout passes to forwards... Has good sense of anticipation and reads enemy plays well... Outstanding bodychecker... Sabres have him on ice for most critical late-game situations... Makes few mistakes.

An All-Star caliber defenseman... Certainly the most reliable rearguard on the team... Fine shot-blocker... Uses body very well and is quite effective in front of the net... Also good at breakout passes... Good anticipation and reads enemy offenses well... If he has any fault, it's trying to do too much to make up for teammates' inexperience...

Ramsey remains one of the most reliable defensemen in the league.

​

 

[Dreakmur]

Pavol Demitra !!!


Awards and Achievements:
World Championship Bronze Medal (2003)
Olympic All-Star (2010)
Slovakian Extraliga All-Star (2005)


Hart voting - 12th(1999)
Lady Byng voting - 1st(2000), 4th(1999)
Selke - 6th(2000)

LW All-Star voting - 3rd(1999)
RW All-Star voting - 4th(2002), 5th(1999), 6th(2000)
C All-Star voting - 6th(2003)


Offensive Accomplishments:
Points - 6th(2003), 7th(2002), 10th(1999), 14th(2000)
Goals - 12th(2003), 13th(1999), 14th(2002)
Assists - 4th(2003), 10th(1999), 15th(2000)


Olympic Points - 1st(2010), 5th(2006)
Olympic Goals - 7th(2006), 10th(2010)
Olympic Assists - 1st(2010), 10th(2006)

World Championship Points - 5th(2004), 11th(2005)
World Championship Goals - 7th(2004)
World Championship Assists - 10th(2004), 11th(2005)


Slovakian Extraliga Points - 1st(2005)
Slovakian Extraliga Goals - 1st(2005)
Slovakian Extraliga Assists - 1st(2005)

Slovakian Extraliga Play-off Points - 4th(2005)
Slovakian Extraliga Play-off Assists - 2nd(2005)

KHL Points - 5th(2011)
KHL Assists - 2nd(2011)

KHL Play-off Points - 2nd(2011)
KHL Play-off Assists - 1st(2011)


5 Year Peak: 1999 to 2003
8th in Points, 88% of 2nd place Joe Sakic
19th in Goals, 81% of 2nd place Markus Naslund
8th in Assists, 84% of 2nd place Adam Oates

10 Year Peak: 1998 to 2008
11th in Points, 83% of 2nd place Joe Sakic
20th in Goals, 75% of 2nd place Jarome Iginla
13th in Assists, 78% of 2nd place Joe Thornton


Scoring Percentages:
Points - 89, 87 83, 80, 67, 58, 57, 56, 51, 48, 47

Best 6 Season: 464

Team Scoring:
Points - 1st(1999), 1st(2000), 1st(2002), 1st(2003), 1st(2007)
Percentages - 139, 137, 114, 104, 100


Team Time on Ice:
TOI - 1st(1999), 1st(2000), 1st(2004), 1st(2006), 2nd(2003), 2nd(2007), 3rd(1998), 3rd(2001), 3rd(2002), 3rd(2008)
ES TOI - 1st(1999), 1st(2003), 1st(2004), 2nd(2000), 2nd(2006), 2nd(2007), 3rd(1998), 3rd(2001), 3rd(2002), 3rd(2008), 3rd(2009)
PP TOI - 1st(1999), 1st(2000), 1st(2006), 2nd(2003), 2nd(2004), 2nd(2007), 3rd(1998), 3rd(2001), 3rd(2002), 3rd(2008), 3rd(2009)​

 

[jarek]

Big credits to Theokritos, Sturm, TDMM, seventies, VanIslander, Rob Scuderi and Stoneberg

Boris Mayorov, LW

Height: 5'9
Weight: 176 lbs.
Shoots: Right

Soviet League Champion (1962, 1967, 1969)

Soviet National Team Captain (1963-1968)
Olympic/World Championship Gold (1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968)

Awards
Soviet League All-Star (1959, 1962, 1966*, 1967, 1968*, 1969*) *-2nd/3rd team
World Championship All-Star (1961)
World Championship Top Forward (1961)
IIHF's choice for Olympics Top Forward (1964)

Following the Soviet Union’s 3-2 victory over Canada to lock-up the gold medal in the last match at Innsbruck, the International Ice Hockey Federation Directorate chose USSR right wing BORIS MAYOROV for their Best Forward award. The 25-year-old Soviet captain finished the seven-game final round-robin with seven goals and ten points. This left the Spartak Moscow skater tied with four others, including Soviet teammates VYACHESLAV STARSHINOV and VIKTOR YAKUSHEV, for the second-highest point total at Innsbruck.

Soviet hockey officials, meanwhile, took the award and handed it EDUARD IVANOV. This despite the fact that the 25-year-old CSKA Moscow man was, in fact, a defenseman. Ivanov did score four goals in seven round-robin games, which set a new record for Soviet rearguards at the Winter Olympic Games.

Incredible as it may seem today, the IIHF accepted this and, thus, into the record books went Ivanov’s name.

Scoring Accomplishments
Top-5 in Soviet League Scoring 7 Times (2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 5th, 5th)
Top-5 in World Championship Scoring 2 Times (1st (1961), 2nd (1964))

Assist figures 60s Soviet stars

|GP|Assists|Assists Per Game
Boris Mayorov|211|77|.36
Veniamin Alexandrov|203|68|.33
Konstantin Loktev|109|34|.31
Anatoli Firsov|319|92|.29
Alexander Almetov|162|38|.23
Vyacheslav Starshinov|343|68|.20

seventieslord Soviet Equivalency Study

The purpose of this analysis is to convert Soviet regular season scoring numbers into something that more closely resembles what we have for VsX for NHL players. Note that this does NOT include international competitions, and in the case of Mayorov specifically, it may hurt him a little bit due to him being a playmaker in an era of Soviet hockey that didn't have assists recorded consistently.

NOTE: This should NOT be taken as what Mayorov's 7 year VsX would look like in NHL terms. It is an approximation using a mathematical formula that is subject to revisions going forward.

Best 7 scores: 79, 78, 72, 68, 65, 65, 59, avg. 69.4

Crunching some Vs2 numbers from this data. First a couple of points:

- the 1960-61 to 1969-70 timeframe captures basically the entire peaks of the following players: Veniamin Alexandrov, Boris Mayorov, xxxx, Vyacheslav Starshinov and Anatoli Firsov. This is not perfect...Alexandrov and Mayorov both have single good seasons in the late 50s, and Firsov played well into the early 70s, though he was clearly past his peak (at least in terms of domestic league scoring) by then.

- this is meant only to be a Soviet-league-in-the-1960s-internal scoring comparison. Any resemblance to VsX numbers for post-consolidation NHL scoring is just a matter of formatting. I know that any intelligent person can understand this, but I want to make it completely clear.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alexandrov:
159, 100, 100, 95, 94, 88, 78
Total: 714
7-season average: 102

Firsov:
138, 100, 100, 94, 92, 83, 70
Total: 677
7-season average: 96.7

Mayorov:
107, 100, 100, 92, 90, 88, 81
Total: 658
7-season average: 94

Starshinov:
110, 108, 100, 87, 85, 84, 80
Total: 654
7-season average: 93.4

xxxx:
103, 100, 100, 84, 83, 69, 67
Total: 606
7-season average: 86.6

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes on the above:

- Alexandrov, Mayorov and xxxx benefit from somewhat softer competition over their first couple of peak seasons (Firsov didn't really start peaking until 1963-64), and Firsov and Starshinov are hurt by stiffer competition in their last couple of peak seasons when the K-P-M line stars started to peak.

- Alexandrov, Mayorov and Firsov are hurt by the lack of complete assist records, and by the generally quite stingy Soviet league assist tabulation, in general. Starshinov is clearly helped by these factors, while the effect on xxxx is probably neutral.

- so, in general, Firsov is disadvantaged twice by the above, and xxxx is advantaged, while the net effect on Alexandrov, Mayorov and Starshinov is roughly neutral, I'd guess.

The best line in the history of Moscow Spartak and in the world (?) in the late 1960s. Starshinov's line was famous for their aggressive style. Starshinov and, especially, Boris Mayorov loved to fight.

Starshinov lost count of the goals he scored on passes from Boris Mayorov. These passes, according to Starshinov, were extremely opportune and proved totally unexpected for the opposition. His opponents were familiar with Mayorov's style of play, but somehow he always managed to fool them and alert Starshinov through a shared sixth sense when a pass was coming. ... The Starshinov line was distinguished by its synchronous actions and total reciprocal awareness. Boris played LW and the center slot was filled by Starshinov... Boris was able to end his career with the national team with dignity. Before the 1969 Worlds, he was straightforward at a meeting with his teammates, telling them honestly that due to injuries he would be unable to play at his best in all the games... Boris Mayorov was a natural-born leader, and Starshinov cited him as a prime mover and innovator.

captain Mayorov was key to six world championships for the Soviet Union in the 1960s, leading the tournament in scoring in '61 when he was named the tournament's best forward. He won the gold at both the '64 and '68 Olympics and played on a line with ******* ******* and Vyacheslav Starshinov.

Clean English translation of Boris Mayorov's profile at the Russian site Championat:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The man eventually became a seminal figure in the history of Soviet hockey, but there was a time when the great Starostin believed he would become a soccer player...

"He had a great love for the game. He never sat on the bench peacefully, but struggled constantly in the crucible of competition. And when we let him out on the ice, he did not simply skate, but took off as though on wings. He was full of pride and ambition - conceded nothing, to no one. This includes the referees - though Boris was seldom sent off, in my opinion, he never once agreed with the decision when he was."

Anatoli Tarasov spoke thusly of our hero, and it is difficult to disagree with the legendary trainer.

The future two-time Olympic and many-time World Champion was born on February 11, 1938. He did not come into the world alone; his twin brother Evgeny also became a well-known hockey player and won a pile of gold medals, but Boris's career was more conspicuously great. This ingenious man was called Spartak's greatest player; fans of the red-and-white idolized him, and he repaid them with magnificent play. He fit with the team like a favourite stick fits a strong hand, and he never gave reason to doubt his devotion. Boris Aleksandrovich always set lofty goals for himself, and he always achieved them. He won his first medal long before he joined Spartak – at school. At that time, it was silver, but eventually he developed a taste of gold.

Mayorov treated every match against rivals CSKA and Dynamo like the last game of his life, and the legendary red-and-white line was irreplaceable.

The "extraterrestrial" 1961 World Championships in Switzerland were the first serious test for the Mayorov brothers and Vyacheslav Starshinov. Boris and Evgeny were 23 years old at the time, and Vyacheslav only 20, but they were already recognized as leaders of the national team – Tarasov held them in awe, teammates recognized their skill, and opponents were demoralized. This line scored three goals in a victory over Sweden (6:2) and three more in a loss to Czechoslovakia (4:6). The hero of our story became the leading scorer of tournament, with seven goals and ten assists, but that year, they wore only bronze.

"During the game, he liked to receive the puck from the defense and quickly move it through the neutral zone with his linemates, attacking the opponent like a whirlwind. Boris did all of this not only with great passion, but also with a surprising beauty which could not help but leave an impression on the viewer."

This is how Tarasov described him. They say that because of Mayorov, fans at soccer stadiums began to shout "Puck...Puck"...Spartak fans thus supporting the famous hockey player even at soccer matches.

Boris Aleksandrovich was the real driving force of the line. Around the world, defensemen knew that when the puck got to this fast, agile forward, the goal was immediately in danger. After the defeat in 1961, for three World Championships in a row (including the 1964 Olympic Games), Mayorov and his linemates remained at the top of the hockey world. But then Evgeny Mayorov was dropped from the national team, and his place on the legendary line was taken by a succession of different players. None of them gelled completely with Mayorov and Starshinov, but the masters, though they may have grumbled, were true professionals, and did not allow it to affect their style or quality of play. As before, the famous Spartak linemates scattered their opponents and bulged the twine behind opposing goaltenders. After Mayorov's retirement from top-level hockey, no trace of the line's signature style remained. Starshinov's skill allowed him to become a world champion three more times, but Vyacheslav Ivanovich, alone, was not enough to preserve the line's great tradition.

The Spartak captain compiled very impressive statistics. In 400 games in the Soviet League, he scored 255 goals, and in 50 matches between the World Championships and Olympics, he scored 30 goals. Boris Mayorov was a real fighter, one who could not be driven into a corner because he attacked without interruption or rest. Some foreign commentators considered him to be a rude fellow, but Boris Aleksandrovich was simply very emotional. Unfortunately, he could be enraged by the provocation of opponents, but he compensated for going to the penalty box by scoring goals, so much so that provocateurs were left dumbfounded.

His soccer career was also of interest. Twice, Boris Aleksandrovich took the field for the Spartak senior team. This happened in 1961, at the beginning of his career, when the red-and-white played against Pakhtakor and Kayrat. The leaders of the country's sporting association, however, having learned of this decision by the Spartak coaching staff, gave Nikolay Starostin and Nikita Simonyan a real dressing down for letting Mayorov play. "If he is injured and cannot play hockey, we will be sunk at the World Championships", officials said. Starostin was forced to obey, though in personal conversations with Boris Aleksandrovich, he stated more than once: "I am embarrassed to look at you; you are a lost man. What a soccer player you could have become!"

However, soccer remained among Mayorov's favourite sports for a long time: he played for the Spartak senior team in the Moscow championship, and for the second team in the Soviet championships.

Everyone who knew Mayorov well understood his extraordinary dedication. He was always willing to sacrifice himself for the common cause, putting team and teammates before himself. He entered any skirmish, any collision without fear, but with the smile and passion of a man who has lived his whole life on a raging sea, and fears not to jump into the rapids of a small river. Once Boris Aleksandrovich understood the burden of leadership – and that the great "Red Machine" could stall - he became a true leader, fired up his teammates, encouraged them. In the tensest situations, he always kept his focus, inspiring his teammates to smile, and joyfully go out and get one back or score still more goals.

This great forward could lay an absolutely unpredictable pass at the perfect time, could help his team on defense, block a shot, enter a scrum, work in on goal. And what clever passing! Sharp, quick movements allowed Mayorov to escape defenses and create scoring chances literally from nothing. And if he managed to get in on the goalkeeper, the latter was usually doomed – an easy feint, a twitch, an imperceptible movement of the stick - and the puck went into the net as if returning home. Often, he shot without windup, and the goalkeeper simply could not react to the puck flying past him.

General comments on his game:

Anatoly Tarasov (1971): "Boris Mayorov was a well-rounded player, someone who could not only beat any defencemen and trouble any goaltender, someone not only always showing up, but also always a clever and intriguing player with the talent to think several steps ahead. During all of his career, Boris was a team player who readily and skillfully fed the other forwards and the defencemen on his line with passes."

Борис Майоров, хоккеист широкого диапазона, игрок, способный не только обыграть в единоборстве любого опекуна и доставить неприятность самому классному вратарю, игрок, отличающийся не только постоянной результативностью, но и умеющий столь же хорошо, интересно и, я бы сказал, талантливо мыслить на несколько ходов вперед. Борис всегда, во все годы своих выступлений в хоккее, доброжелательно относился к партнерам, много, охотно и умело пасовал, вводил в игру и товарищей по тройке и защитников, играющих с этим звеном.

Leonid Goryanov: "His passing was precise, his reflexes were excellent and his understanding of both his line mates and the game situation were top-notch."

Обладал ювелирным пасом, отличной реакцией, безупречным пониманием партнеров и игровых ситуаций.

Anatoly Tarasov (1974): "He loved to score goals, but was never selfish and passed the puck to his partners frequently. Sometimes it looked as if he deliberately put himself in difficult situations in order to make life easier for his line mates."

Сам забивать любил, но никогда не жадничал – передачами обеспечивал партнеров щедро. Порой, казалось, умышленно ставил себя в сложные ситуации, чтобы облегчить жизнь товарищам по звену.

Vyacheslav Starshinov: "In the technique of Boris Mayorov, all of his athletic talents were on display: his impulsiveness, sharp vision and sound reaction. His technical skills allowed him to make abrupt shifts. How dramatically did he change direction during his attacks and how many surprises did he have in stock! Drive was the fundament of his volcanic game. And how reliable he was! (...) With his long stride and the sweeping motion of his stick blade on the ice, Mayorov was certainly not as elegant as the subtle Veniamin Aleksandrov. Mayorov didn't look for the free ice. He went straight ahead, no matter who was in front of him, an ordinary defenceman or the giant Ragulin. He headed towards the frontal collision without fear, and just before the crash he sharply changed the rythm and direction of his movement [to get away]."

В технике Бориса Майорова были видны все черты его спортивного таланта. Его импульсивность, острая восприимчивость. Безошибочная реакция заметна и на площадке и вне ее. И техника, рассчитанная на мгновенно меняющуюся ситуацию. Как резко меняется направление атаки Бориса, сколько неожиданностей таит в себе его техника — боевая основа его вулканической игры! И как она надежна! (...) Широкий шаг Майорова, размашистые движения крюка но льду, конечно, не так изящны, как неуловимые «переборки» Вениамина Александрова. Майоров не ищет свободного льда. Он идет прямо вперед. И ему все равно, кто впереди — рядовой защитник или гигант Рагулин. Он бесстрашно идет в «лоб» на столкновение. И перед самым столкновением резко меняет ритм и направление движения...

Leonid Goryanov: "Receiving the puck, handling it, passing it, stopping and turning instantly, shooting with his famous backhander – all of this was done with whirlwind pace."

Прием шайбы, ведение ее, пас, торможение, мгновенные развороты, бросок по воротам — его знаменитый бросок с «неудобной» руки — все это исполнялось на вихревой скорости (...).

Vyacheslav Starshinov: "When I didn't manage to give a precise pass, he still received the puck as if I had passed it with perfection. His body, legs and sticks were positioned so that even if the puck akwardly hit his skates, he managed to handle it with one quick move, like only he could."

Далеко не всегда удается передать точно. Но он принимает шайбу, будто я даю пас идеально. Корпус, ноги, клюшка Бориса расположены так, что, даже если я неловко попадаю шайбой в его коньки, он неуловимым, свойственным только ему одному движением умеет удержать шайбу в боевом положении.

Passion and temperament:

Anatoly Tarasov (1968): "What I always liked about Boris was his insatiable love for hockey, his hard work, his passion and his complete dedication to the game. (...) The captain of Spartak Moscow plays a lively game, keeps the puck close, has an active stick and knows how to deke. At high speed, Boris sends the puck far ahead and then picks it up himself. The hotter the battle on the ice, the more likely Mayorov gets involved, without ever betraying his fine skill level, not even in the fiercest battle."

Борис всегда мне нравился своей жадной любовью к хоккею, своим трудолюбием, страстностью, умением отдаваться игре до конца. (...) Играет капитан московского «Спартака» размашисто, шайбу ведет то короткими, то широкими, свободными движениями клюшки, охотно и умело применяет финты. На большой скорости Борис то посылает шайбу далеко вперед, то убирает ее под себя. Чем жарче разгорается бой на ледяной площадке, тем охотнее ввязывается в него Майоров, не теряя при этом даже в самой напряженной схватке своей высокой техники.

Leonid Goryanov: "Nothing he ever did was done half-heartedly, his intense energy and competitive character constantly called him to action. That's why he always played with full strength, passion and heart, and his dedication and fire couldn't fail to carry over to his team mates."

Он ничего и никогда не делал вполсилы, его насыщенная энергией, жаждой борьбы натура постоянно требовала активных действий. Вот почему в любой ситуации он играл в полную силу, горячо, азартно, и в конце концов его увлеченность, его пыл передавались всем.

Anatoly Firsov: "I think it's not a secret to sports fans that Mayorov and Starshinov are more than just temperamental, especially Boris. At the peak of his extraordinary talent, the captain of our national team always seemed like dynamite to me. Once he exploded, it was impossible to stop him: then he easily got rid off the player guarding him and either scored or gave a pass in such a manner that everybody just gasped in amazement. But the 'explosions' of Boris didn't always have a constructive character: he reacted passionately to any wrong-doing, whether it was the roughness of an opponent, a mistake by the referee or a blunder by a line mate."

Думаю, не открою любителям спорта большого секрета, если замечу, что и Майоров и Старшинов – люди более чем темпераментные. Особенно Борис. Динамит, готовый взорваться ежесекундно, – таким представлялся мне капитан нашей сборной в годы наивысшего расцвета своего необыкновенного таланта. Он взрывался в игре, и тогда удержать его было невозможно: он легко расправлялся со своим опекуном и забивал, забивал или давал такие пасы, что все только ахали в изумлении. Но «взрыв» Бориса не всегда имел, так сказать, конструктивный характер: он страстно реагировал на любую несправедливость – на грубость противника, ошибку судей, и на промах партнера...

Boris Mayorov: "Our conduct off the ice was beyond reproach, we were known for strict observance of the sporting regime. But on the ice, we time and time again got into arguments with the referees. No doubt, we went out of our way to strike back to any injustice. In one word, almost every match gave reason to talk about the shortcomings of the character building at Spartak Moscow. (...) We paid a high price for this reputation. Just like someone who once commited a crime is always under special suspicion and special supervision by the police, we constantly felt the suspicious glance of the referees. (...) Once we were about to start playing against Lokomotiv Moscow at the Luzhniki Stadium. Before opening the game, the referee pulls up to our coach Vsevolod Bobrov and says: 'Let me warn you, the slightest violation by Mayorov will be met with strict punishment.'"

Наше поведение за пределами поля не вызывало нареканий — мы были известны спартанским отношением к режиму. Но на площадке мы то и дело вступали в перепалку с судьями, обязательно норовили дать сдачи обидчику. Но на площадке мы то и дело вступали в перепалку с судьями, обязательно норовили дать сдачи обидчику, словом, едва ли не в каждом матче давали повод для разговора о том, что воспитательная работа поставлена в «Спартаке» плохо. (...) Мы расплачивались за свою репутацию очень дорогой ценой. Как старые рецидивисты всегда на особом подозрении и под особым надзором милиции, так и мы постоянно чувствовали на себе подозрительный взгляд хоккейного судьи. (...) Начинается наш матч с «Локомотивом» в Лужниках. Перед тем как дать свисток на игру, судья подъезжает к нашему тренеру В. М. Боброву и говорит: — Предупреждаю, что за малейшее нарушение буду наказывать Майорова особенно строго.

Anatoly Tarasov (1974): "He was too hot-tempered and proud to concede anything to anybody, including the referees. Even though Boris was not sent off frequently, he never seemed to agree with their decisions."

Был азартен и самолюбив – уступать ни в чем не хотел никому. В том числе и арбитрам – хоть удаляли Бориса довольно редко, но, по-моему, ни разу в жизни он с их решением не согласился.

His temperament also led to some public criticism in the sports papers. In 1965 or 1966 Mayorov was stripped of the captaincy of the Soviet hockey team after an incident where had almost gotten into a fight with a fan at a soccer match (Mayorov also played soccer for Spartak). Viktor Kuzkin replaced him, but when Kuzkin was suspended for an off-ice incident himself (November 1966), a team voting made Mayorov captain again.

On his temperament not being an issue in international play:

Boris Mayorov: "First of all, the root of my issues at home were some kind of internal laxity. But when I played for the national team I managed to pull myself together since the consequences would have been too grave. Second, to the foreign referees I was a player like anyone else, not the notorious Mayorov whose name always came up at the meetings of the Sports Technical Commission. And third, most of the foreign referees didn't understand the Russian language so that I couldn't get into the verbal altercations that cost me so dearly at home."

Во-первых, первопричиной «домашних» нарушений была какая-то внутренняя распущенность, а играя за сборную, я умел взять себя в руки, ибо отчетливо представлял себе размеры последствий, которыми грозит команде мое удаление с поля. Во-вторых, для иностранных судей я был игрок как все, а не тот самый Майоров, чье имя вечно склоняют на заседаниях СТК. Ну и в-третьих, иностранцы в большинстве своем не знают русского языка, и словесные дуэли с судьями, которые обычно стоили мне так дорого дома, были в данном случае невозможны.

As captain of the national team:

Viktor Konovalenko: "We could rely on him to go and challenge mistakes we felt the coaches had made if we thought it was necessary."

Знали, что он, если потребуется, если это будет необходимо команде, пойдет и у тренеров оспаривать какое-то, на наш взгляд, неверное решение.

Cooperation with Slava Starshinov:

Anatoly Tarasov (1971): "Our hockey fans are probably aware that Starshinov holds the stick in his left hand which makes it more comfortable for him to receive passes from the right side. But [Boris] Mayorov played on the left wing. And he found a solution how to deliver the puck to Starshinov's stick side: he went behind the net and suddenly – faking a direct threat on goal –, he sent the puck to the his center's convenient side. The cooperation of those two wizards of the game was amazing. However, in my opinion Mayorov should have taken charge of the game more often and to a greater degree, for that would have helped his line mates [even more] and made their task easier."

Наши хоккейные болельщики, видимо, знают, что Старшинов держит клюшку в левой руке, и потому ему удобнее получать шайбу с правого фланга, под правую руку. Майоров же, как известно, играл на левом краю. И вот Борис нашел решение для передачи шайбы Вячеславу справа: он стал идти за ворота и оттуда неожиданно, имитируя непосредственную угрозу воротам, посылать шайбу своему центрфорварду под удобную руку. Согласованность действий этих двух кудесников игры и в своей команде, и в национальной сборной была поразительной. Впрочем, иногда, на мой взгляд, Майорову следовало бы еще чаще и больше брать игру на себя: ведь и такая манера игры помогает товарищам, облегчает действия партнеров.

Nikolay Sologubov: "Boris Mayorov particularly is a master at holding the puck in the corners of the rink, from where he usually gives a sharp and precise pass to Vyacheslav Starshinov."

Борис Майоров особенно виртуозно держит шайбу в углах площадки, откуда обычно дает очень точный и острый пас Вячеславу Старшинову.

Vyacheslav Starshinov: "Here's what a typical Mayorov goal looks like: I send the puck to Boris in our own zone. Already picking up speed, he receives the pass and in a flash he turns up the pace and darts down the boards. He encounters [Aleksandr] Ragulin. Mayorov demonstratively turns towards the corner. Aleksandr is behind him, getting ready to crush him into the boards and stop his daring foray. The rest happens in the fraction of a second: Boris abruptly flips the puck. For a moment it seems to hang in the air, not moving. And Boris makes a sharp turn away from Ragulin, towards the center. I hurry to take his place [on left wing]. We're basically crossing paths with each other. This leads the defenceman and the goaltender astray. They expect Mayorov to pass to me. But it's already too late. The puck lands in the net and Boris rushes to me, jubilating with his stick raised."

А «майоровскнй» гол! Я даю пас Боре из своей зоны. Он принимает пас уже набрав скорость... И сразу — резкое ускорение, рывок по краю. Бориса встречает Рагулин. Майоров открыто демонстрпрует, что движется в угол... Александр — за ним. Там, в углу, он прижмет Майорова к борту, лишит этого агрессивного, азартного бойца маневра... Дальнейшее происходит в доли секунды. Борис резко подбрасывает шайбу, она на мгновение как бы повисает в воздухе, остановившись. И Борис, круто, рывком изменив направление, уходит от Рагулина в центр. Я спешу на его место. Мы как бы пересекаем пути друг другу. Это вводит в заблуждение и защитника и вратаря. Они, видимо, ждут острой передачи мне. Но уже поздно... Шайба бьется в сетке, а ликующий Борис делает крутой вираж и несется ко мне с поднятой вверх клюшкой.

QUOTED LITERATURE (in order of publication date):

Nikolay Sologubov: Мой друг хоккей (1967)
Anatoly Tarasov: Совершеннолетие (1968=2nd edition)
Boris Mayorov: Я смотрю хоккей (1970)
Vyacheslav Starshinov: Я – центрфорвард (1971)
Anatoly Tarasov: Хоккей грядущего (1971=2nd edition)
Anatoly Firsov: Зажечь победы свет (1973)
Leonid Goryanov: Рыцари атаки (1983)
Viktor Konovalenko: Третий период (1986)

Here's a word on Tarasov's influence on the attitude of the Soviet players, from the autobiography of Boris Mayorov:

1961 World Championship:

Boris Mayorov: "For me and my regular linemates, the 1961 World Championship was the easiest and the most fun tournament to play at out of all seven World Championships I had part in. The weight of having to win the title had not yet laid its immense weight on our shoulders. The prospect of losing to the Canadians didn't seem like a tragedy to us. If it happened, it wasn't bad to become second, and if we didn't become second either, then at least we would end up third. Of course, it pained us when the goalkeeper and the defencemen let us down in the match against Czechoslovakia [a 4-6 loss] which we should have won. We were sad, but nothing worse. After receiving the bronze medal, we looked at them with pride and happiness." "

Чемпионат мира 1961 года был для меня и для моих постоянных партнеров самый легкий и, я бы сказал, самый веселый из всех семи мировых чемпионатов, в которых мне довелось играть. Груз чемпионства еще не лег всей своей громадной тяжестью на плечи нашей команды. Перспектива проигрыша канадцам не казалась нам трагической. А раз так, значит неплохо бы быть вторыми, не вторыми, то на крайний случай — третьими. Мы огорчились, конечно, когда вратарь и защитники подвели нас в матче со сборной Чехословакии, который мы должны были выиграть. Огорчились, но не больше. Получив свои бронзовые медали, мы долго с гордостью и удовольствием их разглядывали

1963 World Championship:

Boris Mayorov: "We beat the Finns in the first match but lost against the Swedes in the second. And again [as in 1961], we took the loss pretty easy. After all, we lost to the home team, one of the other favourites, in a game on equal footing, with the honorable score of 1-2 and the silver medal or, at worst, the bronze medal, was still ours to lose. The next morning (...), there was a team meeting. Never before and never since have we received such a severe dressing-down. The coaches berated us harshly and without mercy. Looking back at it today, I realize how reasonable that was on their part. Apparently there was only one way to induce a qualitative shift in our minds: To talk to us as persons who not only have the potential but actually the obligation to become champions and who weren't willing to do their duty.
I don't know whether I'm right, but I do associate that meeting and the upturn it inspired in the attitude towards the game – both my own attitude and the attitude of the other players – with the arrival of Anatoly Tarasov. He returned to the national team as second coach before the 1963 World Championship. The man was restless, extremely ambitious and constantly thought of the upcoming events. He instilled upon us a spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction with ourselves. (...) For me personally, that moment brought an end to my carefree and peaceful days with the national team. They were replaced by a fortunate but very hard life, made difficult by the awareness that we can and must be champions, otherwise our hopes were wrecked and the disaster was irreparable. And the more championships we won, the stronger this consciousness became. I have to admit: from that time on I was not able sleep without sleeping pills before any important match at any World Championship tournament."

Победив в первом матче финнов, мы уже во втором проиграли шведам. И опять мы отнеслись к этому событию довольно спокойно: как-никак уступили мы хозяевам поля, которые считались к тому же главными фаворитами, уступили в равной игре и с почетным счетом 1:2, наше «серебро» или, на худой конец, «бронза» никуда от нас пока не ушла. А наутро (...) состоялось собрание команды. Кажется, такого сурового нагоняя мы не получали ни до, ни после того собрания. Тренеры распекали нас сурово и беспощадно. Теперь-то я понимаю, насколько разумно поступили они в тот раз. Видно, только так можно было добиться какого-то качественного сдвига в нашем сознании. С нами разговаривали как с людьми, которые не только могут, но которые обязаны стать чемпионами и которые этой своей обязанности не желают выполнять.
Не знаю, прав ли я, но я связываю и то собрание и переворот, который оно произвело в моем отношении к игре своей и своих товарищей, с приходом в сборную Анатолия Тарасова. Именно перед шведским чемпионатом он возвратился в команду и занял в ней пост üтренера. Человек неспокойный, необычайно честолюбивый, мыслями постоянно опережающий события, он и в нас вселил дух беспокойства и неудовлетворенности собой. С этого момента для меня лично кончилась эпоха беспечного и спокойного существования в сборной. Ее сменила счастливая, но очень трудная жизнь, трудная оттого, что ее беспрерывно пронизывает сознание: мы можем и обязаны быть чемпионами, иначе — крушение надежд, непоправимое бедствие. И чем больше побеждали мы на мировых первенствах, тем больше укреплялось это сознание. Могу признаться: с той поры, когда я понял, что мы должны быть чемпионами, ни перед одним ответственным матчем, ни на одном первенстве мира я не сумел заснуть без снотворного.

 

[jarek]

Doug Jarvis, C

Height: 5'9
Weight: 170 lbs.
Shoots: Left

Awards
Selke Voting: 1st (1984), 2nd (1985), 4th (1982), 5th (1980), 7th (1978), 7th (1986), 9th (1979), 9th (1987)
Further 2 voting points (1981), 3 voting points (1983)
Lady Byng Voting: 4th (1984)

Intangibles as per coaches poll

Best defensive forward | 1st | 1984
Best on faceoffs | 3rd | 1976
Best on faceoffs | 2nd | 1979
Best on faceoffs | 2nd | 1981
Best on faceoffs | 2nd | 1984
Best penalty killer | 4th | 1979
Best penalty killer | 1st | 1984

Penalty Killing Proficiency

Most times showing up top-5 in PK TOI from 1968-2008

Player | #
Craig "Rammer" Ramsay |9
Don Luce |6
Ed "The Shadow" Westfall |5
Guy "Carbo" Carbonneau |5
Bob "Le Capitaine" Gainey |5
Doug "Ironman" Jarvis | 5
Bobby "Clarkie" Clarke |4
Dirk "Duke" Graham |3
Mark "Mess" Messier |3

Career usage: 55% usage on teams 21% better than average

Greatest Hockey Legends

Jarvis would go on to become the NHL's ultimate iron man, a defensive center extraordinaire and a key member of 4 Stanley Cup championships. But scouts thought he was too small and had little offensive upside. He was a long shot to make the NHL.

Scotty Bowman knew better. He trusted his instincts, and his source. It was Peterborough Petes junior coach Roger Nielson who tipped Scotty off about Jarvis, claiming he was hockey's best faceoff man. Not the best in junior hockey, but the best in all of the world.

...

With his incredible faceoff ability and mature defensive game, Jarvis quickly found a home centering fellow defensive standout Bob Gainey and veteran Jim Roberts. They would be a top checking line and ace penalty killers. They were key contributors to Montreal's 4 consecutive Stanley Cup championships to close out the 1970s.

Legends of Hockey

Centre Doug Jarvis was solid in all aspects of the game but developed into one of the best defensive pivots in the NHL. He also managed to avoid the injury bug and set the league's "ironman" record by appearing in an incredible 964 straight regular season games from 1975 to 1987.

...

He formed one of the league's best penalty killing tandems with Bob Gainey. The two friends also played on the NHL's best two-way line with the likes of Jim Roberts, Murray Wilson, and Rejean Houle.

...

Prior to the 1982-83 season, he was traded to the Washington Capitals with Rod Langway and Brian Engblom for Ryan Walter and Rick Green. The classy centre solidified the Caps' penalty killing and, with his ex-Montreal mates, helped transform the team into a competitive and defensively responsible squad. Following the 1983-84 season, Jarvis was presented the Frank J. Selke trophy as the league's best defensive forward.

...

Partway through the 1985-86 season, the veteran was traded to the Hartford Whalers for offensive-minded forward Jorgen Petterson. He played nearly two full years in Hartford and was awarded the Bill Masterton trophy in 1987 for his dogged effort while setting the "ironman" standard.

Style of Play

Basically nothing is known about his style of play despite him being a relatively modern player. So I dug up a few passages from various sources and asked some HFBoards posters. Here's what I've come up with:

Not in Hall of Fame

It is always impressive when a man plays 964 games in the National Hockey League. What made Doug Jarvis’ 964 games so special is that he played them in a row setting the “iron man†mark for consecutive games played. Jarvis didn’t just play in those games: he was a gritty defensive minded forward who was the master of the penalty kill.

Canadiens Legends: Montreal's Hockey Heroes

Hubick played one uneventful season for the Leafs while Jarvis anchored Montreal's top checking units for four straight Stanley Cups.

Bowman had been tipped off about Jarvis, a native of Brantford, Ontario, by his junior coach Roger Neilson. Bowman was intrigued by Neilson's insistence that Jarvis was hockey's best faceoff man. At first Bowmnan thought Neilson meant that Jarvis was tops as winning draws in junior hockey, but the brainy Petes coach insisted that he was the best, period.

...

True to his billing, Jarvis was indeed a top faceoff man and was soon paired with speedy left-winger Bob Gainey to form one of the top checking duos in the game's history. Veteran Jim Roberts was also helpful on the right side. The trio became efficient at shutting down the opposition's best line. A consistent worker, Jarvis was good as positioning himself. His intensity helped to make him a top checker and penalty killer. His faceoff ability allowed the Canadiens to control the puck in their end and to lead the NHL in fewest goals allowed year after year.

...

Sometimes overlooked as a member of the powerful Canadiens teams between 1975 and 1979, Jarvis was well-respected by the opposition, who understood his true value.

Some of the information from the following website is probably rather hyperbolic, but worth noting nonetheless. He clearly wasn't "lighting the lamp on a regular basis", but the rest seems accurate based on what I've learned.

Canadiens - Our History

Skilled, dedicated and reliable, Jarvis spent the first seven years of his career with the Montreal Canadiens. Like many junior scoring sensations before him, Jarvis soon found out that his impact at the NHL level would not be as an offensive leader.

Coach Scotty Bowman was blessed with the best offense in the league, so Jarvis developed into the game’s premier defensive center. Gritty and determined, he checked the top lines from teams around the league, shutting them down game after game.

Pivoting a line with Bob Gainey and Doug Risebrough on the wings, Jarvis played a tough, gritty brand of hockey that rarely went beyond what was permitted by the rules of the game.

A strong skater and adept stickhandler able to slow down opponents with a well-timed hip or shoulder, Jarvis played a major role in the four consecutive Stanley Cup Championships the Canadiens won in his first four seasons with the team.

Rarely losing a draw, Jarvis was the go-to guy when the Habs had to win a late-game face-off in their own zone.

VanIslander also found a wonderful passage that does a nice job comparing the 4 great centers Montreal had at the time.

In Pride & Glory: 100 years of the Stanley Cup (1992) by William Houston, Jarvis is mentioned as the 4th line "defensive specialist" center behind Lemaire, P. Mahovlich and Risebrough. It's noted that having Lemaire allowed Lafleur to move to his natural position of wing and begin the dynasty with his final emergence as an elite player after struggling for a few years at center on a team that had a lot of wingers.

Then in the 1976 Stanley Cup Finals, the Habs met the two-time defending cup champion Flyers and Bowman decided on a new strategy:

The Canadiens, in the past, had used one center, Doug Jarvis, to check Clarke. But in this series, Bowman decided to use three - Lemaire, Risebrough and Jarvis. In Fact, Bowman can remember using all three in one shift against Clarke. "They each brought something a little different," Bowman said. "Risebrough was the toughest against Clarke. Jarvis was the best checker. And Lemaire had the best offensive skills. As the game progressed, I'd give Lemaire more ice time against Clarke because he was more of a threat to score."

Bowman's strategy worked to perfection in the second game of the series. The Canadien centres, all of whom were strong defensively, wore Clarke down. Jarvis, who took the faceoffs against Clarke, won all but four of the 18. Neither team scored in the first but late in the second Montreal struck on a goal by Lemaire. Lafleur gave the Canadiens a two-goals cushion in the third."

And now, HFBoards posters take on his style of play:

All from this thread: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2193905

As the coaches' poll and others have alluded to Jarvis was one of the very best of his era in the faceoff dot, right there with Clarke and Mikita. He was very much a "thinking man's" defensive player, excellent positioning, smart about playing the angles and the man and had an active stick. He could throw the odd bodycheck but he wasn't particularly big and that wasn't his game. He was a very good skater. His face-off prowess, anticipation and skating made him an outstanding penalty killer. Unfortunately, like his linemate Gainey, Jarvis couldn't score. Though he was a heads up player, he wasn't a play-maker. His shot was almost non-existent and he wasn't much of a stickhandler. He got most of his meager points off the forecheck, by forcing turnovers.

In context when compared to other Canadiens centers.

Ralph Backstrom very lite. Without the skating or offensive skills,

Easily replaced by a much better defensive center once traded to Washington. The center was Guy Carbonneau.

Somewhat similar to Tomas Plekanec. Less offensive talent, better defensively. Neither was a banger but did neither was known to shy away. Above average skater, excellent balance, on ice awareness, ability to leverage bigger players.

Basically what at that time was known as a typical Peterborough Petes center. Most effective with the Canadiens when he played with Bob Gainey and Jim Roberts, all were Peterborough Petes Alumni. New the system the proper positioning for the three forwards and executed it perfectly. Gainey was the dominant physical force - able to physically dominate transitioning/first pass defencemen yet get back to cover the dangerous opposing RW. Roberts was the hustling defensive player, first retreating winger. Jarvis was the defensive center setting the geometry and the depth of the forecheck.Neither was much of a shooter, Jarvis and Roberts had wet ammo, Gainey had an excellent shot but no accuracy.

double5son10 in response to me asking for further elaboration about his physicality:

.

Tenacious, but smartly so. Didn't take a lot of penalties. His high in PIM in a given season was 36, in his final full year, when, due to trade he played 82 games. Jarvis had a number of seasons under 20 minutes. He wouldn't cost you. Jarvis was fine along the boards. As I said he had an active stick and was good at angling the man. Was also good with his feet for board play. And of course board play in his day wasn't quite the rugby scrum it is now. Quicker whistles.

he played in all situations and often against the other teams best players. While not overly physical he was a very smart player

C1958 when asked to compare Jarvis to Provost:

Provost could have played with Jarvis and been more effective than Jim Roberts.

Jarvis was a smoother skater, Provost, if you watched the 1960 SCF video had a rather unique skating style that was effective.

Provost was much more physical, yet an honest player as evidenced by some of the Bobby Hull quotes about him. Jarvis had a better appreciation of the on ice geometry, especially from the defensive perspective. Jarvis was more integral to the PK.

Both were strong, team first players.

My take on Jarvis is that he was definitely a very gritty guy that played hard, but rarely did so outside of the confines of the rules. Combined with his lack of size, his disposition towards honest physical play probably meant that he wasn't going to overpower any of the much bigger players. Instead, he seems like he was a very intelligent player who relied on strong positioning and at least above average skating abilities to deal with bigger players.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Peter Laviolette
​

Jack Adams Record: 2, 3, 6, 10, 10, 12, 12
His second place finish he was one vote shy of winning.
14 Seasons coached he has made the playoffs 8 times
5 Seasons he made it to the second round
2 Seasons made it to the finals

“It really feels good today to know that we’re in good hands with a real experienced coach that’s turned franchises around,†Poile said. “In his whole history, when he first started coaching, he took over a team in the ECHL and took them from a very low position into the playoffs to almost winning a championship. When he got his first chance in the American Hockey League, he took a team in Providence that had one of the worst records ever in the league and won 71 games and then won a Calder Cup.â€

Okay, but that’s the minors. What about the big leagues?

“In his first NHL opportunity with the Islanders, he took a team that had 52 points took them to 96 points and a team that made the playoffs,†Poile continued. “When he went to Carolina, they went from 76 points to 112 points in his first year and won the Stanley Cup. Then, in his last job with the Flyers, they went from 88 points to 106 points and they went to the Finals in 09-10. This is exactly what we’d like to have happen here.â€

.....

“I wanted a coach that brought a little bit different style of play,†Poile said. “When you make a change, you expect to have changes. Peter has a system that he plays that he’s had success with. I guess you could call it more up-tempo and more offensive [oriented].â€

https://section303.com/preds-name-new-head-coach-laviolette-to-focus-on-offense-52625

Laviolette is the type of coach that a GM brings in when he wants his team to win now. His hiring is understandable, then, given that pressure was likely put on Poile by ownership to make changes to bring about the kind of wins Nashville hasn’t seen in a while. Nashville’s fans want to see their team succeed; ownership wants to see those fans stay in the seats. What better way to say “We are dedicated to helping your team succeed, Nashville†than to bring in a Stanley Cup winning coach?

But he is also a coach whose style comes with an expiration date. His intense personality and strict, disciplinarian style begin to wear on players, and because of that he tends to lose his effectiveness as a coach over time. Poile is no stranger to Laviolette. He is well aware of this issue, and therefore well aware of the fact that Laviolette is potentially not a long-term solution in Nashville. Looking at it from an outsider’s perspective, I’d give him three or four seasons. I may be wrong, but if I’m not, the situation begs the question: is Poile willing to make the personnel moves necessary to give Laviolette his best chance of winning in that time frame?

http://thehockeywriters.com/laviolette-long-term-option/

Laviolette is an offense-first coach. When asked about his system in his conference call Wednesday with the Nashville media, he said

“My system has been successful for many years. Primarily, instead of having one guy forward, I send two. The main thing I do is send guys in on the attack. I don’t want people to think I’m going to come in and play reckless hockey. We are going to play fast and aggressive, but we’re not going to give up a ton of opportunities either. The more you play offense, the less you have to play defense.â€

http://thehockeywriters.com/laviolette-long-term-option/

Most observers talk about Laviolette's system as an offense-heavy, attack-style system, which certainly seems accurate. But we would have to explain the flaw in his system that causes goals against.

The defensive zone coverage seems to be a style that emphasizes one-on-one matchups along the boards - including defensemen following the puck carrier to the point if need be - with a lot of rotation among forwards and defensemen. We see mistakes, especially turnovers and slow reactions, but those don't appear to be systemic issues.

http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/5/15/3018052/on-peter-laviolettes-system-and-the-call-for-change

Laviolette is considered an offensive-minded coach with his teams finishing in the Top 10 in six of his eight full seasons and not lower than 13th in goals scored. That helps fill a major need for the Predators who scored only 216 goals this season when they finished three points out of the final Western Conference playoff berth.

Poile said he wanted a coach with a different style of play, and Laviolette’s teams play more up-tempo and are more offensive oriented. That’s what Poile wants out of the Predators.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/predators-hire-peter-laviolette-as-their-new-head-coach/article18489284/

Truth is, creativity isn’t dying in the NHL. It’s being murdered by the coaches. Fans here rant about Michel Therrien and his much-maligned system, but that system is the norm. The rarity is a coach like Nashville’s Peter Laviolette or Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper who will give talented players some room for manoeuvre. When there’s no room for a P.K. Subban or a Taylor Hall in your “system,†maybe it’s the system that should go.

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/jack-todd-coaches-systems-are-making-hockey-boring

 

[jarek]

Credit to Rob Scuderi for much of this bio!

Zach Parise, LW

Height: 5'11
Weight: 196 lbs.
Shoots: Left

Awards
Hart Voting: 5th (2009), 13th (2010), 18th (2015)
Selke Voting: 8th (2009), 12th (2010), 18th (2012)
All-Star Team Voting: 2nd (2009), 4th (2010), 7th (2015), 9th (2008), 10th (2013), 11th (2014), 12th (2012)
Olympic All-Star Team: 2010

Scoring Accomplishments
Points: 5th (2009)
Goals: 3rd (2009), 9th (2010), 10th (2015)

Playoff Points: 6th (2012)
Playoff Goals: 1st (2012)

Olympic Points: 3rd (2010)

Has a VsX7 of 70.9. His playoff points per game drops by only 4.45% compared to his regular season points per game.

Team Scoring Accomplishments
Regular Season
2007: 2nd (89.8% of 1st)
2008: 1st (118% of 2nd)
2009: 1st (120.5% of 2nd)
2010: 1st (122.4% of 2nd)
2012: 3rd (83.1% of 1st)
2013: 1st (102.7% of 2nd)
2014: 2nd (93.3% of 1st)
2015: 1st (114.8% of 2nd)
2016: 2nd (94.6% of 1st)

Team regular season scoring percentages: 122.4, 120.5, 118, 114.8, 102.7, 94.6, 93.3, 89.8, 83.1

Playoffs
2007: 2nd (71.4% of 1st)
2008: 2nd (83.3% of 1st)
2009: 1st (120% of 2nd)
2010: 2nd (66.7% of 1st)
2012: 2nd (78.9% of 1st)
2014: 1st (155.6% of 2nd)
2015: 1st (166.7% of 2nd)

Team playoff scoring percentages: 166.7, 155.6, 120, 83.3, 78.9, 71.4, 66.7

Assets: Never stops hustling and possesses the drive, heart and skills of a winner. Has speed to burn defenders one-on-one and owns a true goal-scorer's shot that he loves to unleash at a moment's notice. Is a supremely intelligent player. Scores goals in the clutch and is defensively responsible.

Flaws: Not big, he needs to continue to withstand the constant pounding that comes with being a scoring star at the highest level. Could use a tad more work on his playmaking skills. Knee problems are a concern moving forward, as are injuries in general. May not be able to meet contratual expectations.

Devils coach Brent Sutter says two players stand out as the hardest working he has coached: Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby , whom Sutter had at the 2005 World Junior Championships, and New Jersey left wing Zach Parise . With a team-high 18 goals through Sunday, Parise (right) has become one of the league's top young players...

Parise does a PSA for the state library system.
This hardly seems fair. Crosby has the Stanley Cup, and Ovechkin has the Hart Trophy, while Parise—"the best American forward, for sure," Olympic coach Ron Wilson says—has the Dewey decimal system.

Even the rare Devil with name recognition, goalie Martin Brodeur, the NHL career leader in wins, shutouts and games, suggests Parise needs a grander canvas for his art to be truly appreciated. "I went through that my whole career—[people saying] is it him or is he a product of the system?—until I played for Team Canada and got out of it," said Brodeur, starter for the Olympic gold-medal-winners in 2002. "It's all about how you perform when you go outside this bubble we have here and into the real world. For Zach, the Olympics could be his coming-out. No doubt it will be."

Enter Parise, a hero in the making. "Since the first practice we had this year," Devils coach Jacques Lemaire says, "I can't expect a player to be better than this." Twenty-one of Parise's 28 goals have come at even strength, tied for seventh in the NHL. He is so responsible without the puck that between Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 he was not on the ice for an opposing goal, a remarkable streak for a player who averages nearly 20 minutes. (He's +24 for the season.) Although American fans instinctively gravitate to the goaltender—presumptive starter Ryan Miller has been the NHL's best in the first half of the season—Team USA belongs to Parise. If this quick, small but determined group claws its way to a medal, the fulcrum will be the first-line left wing with a face on loan from a Giotto cherub.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press in November, Steve Yzerman, Hall of Fame Red Wings captain and general manager of Canada's Olympic team, was asked who would he want to be if he could come back as a current player. Yzerman chose Parise. "I really got a good look at him at the worlds in Moscow [in 2007]," Yzerman said in December, before scouting a Lightning-Devils game. "Love the way he plays. Just a great, nifty player. And he works his butt off."

As Lemaire, a contemporary of J.P.'s, says, Zach works like his father but has twice the talent.

"There's so much to like about his game, especially that he's not afraid to play in traffic," Lawton says of Parise, who has scored 14 of his 28 goals from inside 15 feet. "But as a hockey player I think character is his strongest asset. As we've seen recently in today's world of tumultuous events"—Lawton was referencing Tiger Woods, not Afghanistan—"that's a really valuable asset."

"He's all about hockey," Brodeur says. "His commitment to the game is second to none. He started going in early to work on his shot. Then one guy, then another, joined him. He started with the stim machine, and now he's got a bunch of guys in the room doing it. That's leadership. He was a shy kid, but I think he has realized how good he is, which really helps him. It's been my team for so many years here, but now I believe it's his team. I may still be the face, but he's the future."

Brown and Parise, potential Conn Smythe candidates behind Quick (and perhaps high-wire L.A. defenseman Drew Doughty—from London, Ont.—who skated end to end, and through three Devils, in Game 2 to score a goal of utter brilliance), are among the modern exemplars. They possess fourth-line work ethics and, especially in Parise's case, first-line skills. "All you have to do is watch Zach for 30 seconds. You know he expects nothing for free," says New Jersey defenseman Andy Greene (Trenton, Mich.). "Brown looks the same way to me. They don't have the why-did-you-hit-me look when they get hit." Brown and Parise each had seven goals through Game 2, tied for his team's lead.
"Parise just does it right," [Dean] Lombardi says. "You never see him put himself above his team. The competitiveness is off the charts, especially for a smaller guy around the crease. Like [Brown], the game is high level, but it's not one that rings Me-Me-Me. Their games are loud, but they're not loud, you know?"

Bylsma coaches the Pittsburgh Penguins, so his team faced off against Parise often when he played for the Devils. Bylsma said Parise embodies the blue-collar attitude he wants from his team in Sochi.

“Every time we played against Zach Parise, there has been a work ethic, a never quit, a determination, an abrasiveness about a hard-to-play-against type of player -- and it’s every time,” he said. “Regardless of the score, regardless of the situation our respective teams might be in, that’s what you see and that’s what you get every time I’ve coached against Zach Parise."

The Hockey Writers

Why Zach Parise is an Elite Player in the NHL… Again

It’s looking like Zach Parise is becoming the superstar he used to be more and more each day. The 30 year old has had an eventful NHL career, now in his 10th season. He’s had more ups and downs than a roller coaster throughout, but it appears he may be hitting another peak in the 2014-15 season. A great thing for Minnesota Wild fans, and a horrific thing for every other team.

Early Career

In Zach Parise’s draft year of 2003, he was expected to go 10-15th overall. Playing in the NCAA with the North Dakota Fighting Sioux, Parise had been impressing scouts from all over the NHL, all year round. He had showcased tremendous skills, incredible speed and a compete level that was second to none. In what was the most talented draft in recent memory, Parise was expected to be one of the better picks.

However, when it came to Draft Day, teams seemed unwilling to take a chance on him, due to his somewhat smaller stature. Once the New York Islanders and San Jose Sharks also passed on Parise, TSN broadcaster Pierre McGuire began to lose his cool over the fact that no one would take this budding superstar because of a 5’10 frame. Then, at 17th overall, GM Lou Lamerello of the New Jersey Devils refused to pass up the boy wonder.

New Jersey Devils Career

Zach Parise grew tremendously as both a player and as a person in his time in New Jersey.

Zach Parise would go on to have a wondrous career as a Devil. After a somewhat quiet rookie season, he had the opposite of a sophomore slump. In just his second career season he would score 31 goals and 31 assists. A 30-30 season in just your second year is incredible. He followed that up with, guess what, another 30-30 season. Them, in 2008-09, his hard work and determination paid off. He recorded his current career high in goals and points with 45 and 94, respectively. It was now certain, at just 24 years old, Parise was one of the best all around players in the entire league. He slowed down a little, but not much the following season, scoring 38 goals and 82 points. Then, on October 30th, 2010, Parise suffered something that would alter his entire career.

The Injury

Zach Parise suffered a devastating injury. He had torn his right meniscus, an injury that would require surgery and would keep the all star winger out for 5 months. When he returned, he didn’t seem like the same player which was threatening the lead the league in scoring just two years earlier. He seemed to have lost his creativity and ability dangle through opponents, instead focusing more on the puck battle and the type of play that results in ugly goals.

Heading Home to Minnesota

Both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter decided to leave their only ever team for Minnesota in July of 2012.

After a Stanley Cup run with the New Jersey Devils in 2011-12, and a return to a 30-30 year, Parise faced unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career. He was torn between the option of remaining with the only NHL team he’s ever been apart of and heading back home to play in Minnesota. Obviously, he ended up choosing to head home. In 153 games in a Wild sweater, Parise has amassed 64 goals and 64 assists for a total of 128 points. With 0.837 points per game, perhaps Parise is actually playing better than most give him credit for. Not to mention his top notch leadership with his team, he seems to be the one who gets this team going each and every night.

Major Career Accomplishments

Zach Parise is a two-time USA Olympian, capturing Silver in 2010.

In 2009-10, the year before his injury, Parise was the leading scorer on a talented Olympic American team. He led them all the way to the Gold Medal Game and when they were down by one with under a minute left to play, who else but Zach Parise was there to send the game into overtime. He would have to settle for a Silver Medal. Then, in 2011-12, Parise captained the Devils all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals and within two wins of a Stanley Cup. But, again he would have to settle for runner-up. In the past Olympic Games of 2014, Parise was the captain of the American team.

Why He’s an Elite Player Again

After tearing his meniscus and missing 5 months of game action, Zach Parise seemingly never got back up to the level he was at prior to the injury, until 2014. In the remaining 30 regular seasons games in the 2013-14 season, he put up 14 goals and 15 assists. Then, in 13 playoff games, he scored 4 goals and 10 assists. Lastly, from October through December of this season, he posted another 14 goals and 15 assists in 30 games. So, in the 2014 calendar year, Zach Parise played 73 games, totalling 32 goals and 40 assists for a grand total of 72 points. That gives him 0.986 points per game, a pace that would have him 15th overall in league scoring this season.

It’s not only the point totals that are back up for Parise though. He’s becoming noticeably stronger in all aspects of the game. He’s back in those puck battles showing the intensity that scouts raved about before the 2003 NHL Draft. He’s quickly become the heart and soul of the Minnesota Wild, although he’d likely be happier if they were doing better in the standings. But, for now we’re looking at Parise as an individual, however much he may hate that. And as an individual, it’s certain that he is has cemented himself back among the top tier of players in the NHL. Each and every night he brings a passion to the game that is second to none and always has a leader’s attitude. He wants what’s best for the team and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the win. It’s safe to say, Zach Parise is back among the Top 20 players in the NHL today.

 

[Voight]

Pat Burns


Coaching Achievements:
2003 Stanley Cup Champion
1989 Stanley Cup Finalist
3x Jack Adams Award Winner
7x 40 Win Seasons (three more at 39)
Missed The Playoffs Only Once In 11 Seasons
2014 Hockey Hall Of Fame Inductee

“Hiring him 18 years ago was easily my best decision in hockey.â€

“He was a confrère, we stick together. We competed against each other, we yell at each other, but when someone dies in the coaching fraternity, it’s a sad day. Pat Burns should have been in the Hall of Fame this year. Not because he was dying, but because he was a Hall of Fame coach. Five-hundred wins, a Stanley Cup, three times coach of the year — to me, it would have been so special for him, before he died, to be in the Hall of Fame. We got the arena for him but I don’t know why that didn’t happen.â€

“It was a matter of time before we brought him to Montreal. I liked Jean Perron, but at the time we needed a coach that was tougher and that was Pat. He was a hard worker and he had the respect of the players.â€

“He was a great coach for me in New Jersey, and I had my best years under Pat. As a coach he really knew how to get me going and fire me up. He taught me a lot about myself and how to play in this league, so I’m very thankful to have known Pat Burns. I watched him when he coached the Toronto Maple Leafs, being a Toronto boy. He had Dougie Gilmour and [Dave] Andreychuk and Wendell Clark, and I always wanted them to win a Cup. When L.A. beat ‘em out that one time, I hurt just as much as they did when they went out, so when we all won the Cup together in [New] Jersey, it was nice.â€

The first time I went to a Stanley Cup final [in 2003], we lost in Game 7 in New Jersey and Pat was coaching the team. Just watching overall his coaching career, he coached over 1,000 games in the league, won over 500 games and had a great career

Mr. Burns was known for his ability to quickly turn around floundering hockey teams. The knock on him, though, was that his loud, demanding style wore out his players after a few years and they tuned him out. One of those players said Mr. Burns was, indeed, a demanding coach who could wear on people but he was also someone a player could look back on years later and appreciate.

"He was very intimidating," said Doug Gilmour, who starred on Burns's 1993 Maple Leafs team that was stopped one game short of meeting the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final. "He demanded everybody follow the program and have a strong work ethic. He made us that much better.

"He just had to look at me. I'd shake my head and say, 'I'll be better tomorrow.'"

​

 

[jarek]

Ted Harris, D

Height: 6'2
Weight: 183 lbs.
Shoots: Left

Awards
Hart Voting: 14th (1971, 1 voting point)
Norris Voting: 4th (1969), 7th (1972, 1 voting point), 11th (1971)
All-Star Voting: 4th (1969), 7th (1972), 11th (1971), 14th (1966, 3 voting points)

AHL First All-Star Team (1964)
Eddie Shore Trophy (1964)

-1971 coach's poll for best defensive defenseman in the NHL was a three-way tie between Bobby Orr, Ted Harris, and Al Arbour

Post-1968, Harris was used on the PK 44% of the time for teams 6% below average. This does not capture his time spent with the Canadiens from 1965-1967.

Greatest Hockey Legends

Ted Harris spent 8 seasons in the minor leagues before finally becoming an NHLer in 1964. Much of his time was spent with the AHL's Springfield Indians. The Indians were owned and managed by the legendary Eddie Shore. It was Shore who made Harris into an NHL backliner.

Harris was an imposing defenseman at 6'2" and 183lbs, and he liked to use his size. He accumulated over 100 PIMs in 5 of his 8 minor league seasons. His feistiness resembled Shore's, but Eddie showed Harris how to become a stalwart defensive blue liner through perfect positioning.

"He (Shore) taught me how to play the man and the puck. I figure he made me more versatile," said Harris of his mentor.

In June of 1963 Harris was acquired from the Indians by the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Harris would spend the year in the AHL once again with the exception of a 4 game stint with the Habs. Harris would excel and would be named an AHL First Team All Star and winner of the Eddie Shore Trophy as the AHL's best defenseman.

Harris would make the NHL to stay in 1964-65. He scored 1 goal and 14 assists in his first season while accumulating 107 PIMs. For Harris it was the first year of a 6 year stay in Montreal where through his physical play and defensive commitment he was part of 4 Stanley Cup Championships. Harris' excellent play was not overlooked either. He was named an NHL Second Team All Star in 1969.

Though he was generally a role player who was happy to be in the shadows of more talented teammates, once in a while Harris took the center stage spotlight, almost always in terms of a fight. He quickly established a reputation as one of the top rumblers in the league, thanks to a heavyweight battle against Orland Kurtenbach of the Rangers early in the 1966-67 season.

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1936, Harris was claimed by Minnesota from Montreal in the 1970 Intra-League Draft. He played 3 full seasons with Minny where he was a stabilizing influence in the early years of the North Stars existence.

Early in the 1973-74 season the North Stars got off to a bad start. Harris was moved to Detroit in exchange for defenseman Gary Bergman. Harris would play 41 games for the Wings but wouldn't finish the season in Detroit. He was moved to St. Louis late in the season.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers became interested in the services of the veteran Harris in 1974. They bought his contract from the Blues in the off season. Harris' experience and savvy would prove to be a big part of the Flyers repeat as Stanley Cup champs. For Harris it was his fifth Cup victory.

Harris would retire after his Philly Cup victory. After hopping around with 4 teams in a year and at the age of nearly 40 years old, Harris decided it was time to settle down and hang up the skates in the summer of 1975. Harris 11 seasons in the NHL in addition to his 8 in the minors. In total Harris played in 788 NHL games.

He scored 30 goals and 198 points in those game, while accumulating exactly 1000 penalty minutes. He also participated in 100 NHL playoff contests, scoring 1 goal and 22 assists to go along with 230 hard fought penalty minutes.

Canadiens Legends: Montreal's Hockey Heroes

The Canadiens felt they were on the verge of recapturing the Stanley Cup after a five-year drought and believed a rough and tough defender would help them immensely.

...

Harris was comfortable knowing that he wouldn't find himself in the limelight. Best described as a quiet soldier, he was nevertheless capable of on-ice belligerence to help a teammate in trouble or to handle large NHL forwards. He soon developed a feared reputation as one of the better fighters in the league. As a result, Harris gained confidence in his play. In one of his more celebrated fights, Harris took on heavyweight Orland Kurtenbach of the New York Rangers on the opening night of the 1966-67 season. Harris cut his opponent with a left-right combination. But he was much more than just a tough defenseman. He learned how to carry the puck and make a good pass.

...

Shore had taught Harris how to play his position on the blue line and how to take the man out.

...

But with Montreal, Harris emphasized the game's defensive side - 25 points was his highest total as a Hab - and he did this with great consistency for as long as he was with the Canadiens. His long reach and size (6'2", 183 pounds) made him an imposing figure, and his style of play earned him respect around the league.

 

[Voight]

Dustin Byfuglien


Awards and Achievements:
2010 Stanley Cup Champion

Hart voting - 18th(2015)

Norris voting - 7th(2011), 12th(2015), 12th(2016), 13th(2012), 15th(2013)

All-Star voting - 8th(2011), 11th(2012), 11th(2015), 12th(2016), 15th(2013)

Offensive Achievements:

Points Among Defencemen - 4th(2011), 2nd(2012), 5th(2013), 3rd(2014), 12th(2015), 8th(2016)

Goals Among Defencemen - 1st(2011), 5th(2012), 5th(2013), 2nd(2014), 3rd(2015), 4th(2016)

Assists Among Defencemen - 13th (2011), 3rd(2012), 7th(2013), 8th(2014), 16th(2015), 13th(2016)

Playoff Points - 10th(2010)
Playoff Goals - 3rd(2010)
Playoff Assists - 13th(2010)



5 Year Peak: 2011 to 2016
2nd in Points, 80% of 1st place Erik Karlsson
2nd in Goals, 95% of 1st place Shea Weber
8th in Assists, 81% of 2nd place Keith Yandle

Dustin Byfuglien literally came out of nowhere as a 8th round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2003 to emerge as a legitimate NHL prospect, if not a potential top-4 defenseman.

A true diamond in the rough, many scouts recognized Byfuglien’s exceptional physical skills in his draft year, but shyed away due to his horrible physical conditioning. At that time, he weighed 275 pounds and had a very high bodyfat percentage.

To his credit, between 2005 and 2006, he literally transformed his physique and has become actually a bit of a gym rat.

Byfuglien has a booming point shot, measured in excess of 100 MPH. He has also shown unusual puck skills and offensive instincts, with the ability to adeptly man the point on an NHL power play. Another big plus to Byfuglien’s game is his sheer strength and physical presence; he delivers open ice hits that can really only be compared to those of Scott Stevens.

Dustin Byfuglien may have to scratch for things he likes about playing forward but his head coach is certainly sold on the way the former defenceman is performing when he’s on the ice.

“I really like the way he’s into the game on the bench, he’s finishing checks, he’s engaged in what he’s doing,” Paul Maurice said Thursday

“He’s put up big numbers, scored overtime goals, done the things, so he’s impactful in our game,” Maurice said.

Byfuglien was at the forefront of the Jets' first playoff appearance last spring in their fourth season in Winnipeg. At six-foot-five and 260 pounds, Byfuglien is a unique two-way force who can put up points, defend and deliver big hits.

"To see him grow into the family man that he is, he's got a wonderful family, proud to call Winnipeg his home for the foreseeable future here — those are the things of maturity," Cheveldayoff said. "He's obviously a very smart hockey player that has unique abilities on the ice. But I think it's that maturation of a person that has allowed him to understand how he can take his games to other levels, as well."

His improvement has been substantial and it's elevated him to elite status.

Number 33 posted the 5th most goals by a defender this past season with 19 and over the last two seasons his offensive production has tallied up to 0.65 points per game. Last season Byfuglien was second among defenseman in game winning goals with 6, 3rd in shots with 247, all the while logging a team high 25:12 minutes a night for the Jets, which is the 13th most among defenseman.

Byfgulien's improved play garnered the attention of team USA and he was named to team USA's world cup roster where he will be playing among the worlds best against the worlds best.

You can't really compare Byfuglien to other defenseman in the league, because he's one of a kind. He has top 15 offensive numbers for defenseman, he can take the tough assignments and do things the numbers can't show.

While his team leading 222 hits this season may have only been 19th in the league, it's quality over quantity when looking at his bone crushing hits. He possesses the ability to change the course of a game with his intimidating presence. How often do you see someone brave enough to mix it up with Byfuglien between the whistles? Not very often, who would dare to enter a joust with the 6'5, 260 lb defender?

The 4-time All Star is truly one of a kind. He can score the game winning goal, get in the thick of scrap, make the big hit and as of recently, play rather responsibly defensively. A complete game with a sort of grittiness and intensity that rarely crosses the line, but does it ever get the point across to the opposing team.

"His understanding of the game has always been there," Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said over the phone about an hour after the deal was announced on Monday. "His hockey sense is off the charts, his skating, those things are well-documented. But the conversations that we had away from the negotiations themselves -- he wants to win, he wants to be part of what we have going here, his family likes it [in Winnipeg], he's got young kids that are going to be starting school -- all those things factored in."

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