OT: Gradin/Smyl

Megaterio Llamas

el rey del mambo
Oct 29, 2011
11,219
5,929
North Shore
Gradin in the era was considered to be the best Canuck player of the early history of the franchise.

But Steamer's hot dogs. They're the best.
 

David Bruce Banner

Nude Cabdriver Ban
Mar 25, 2008
7,947
3,217
Streets Ahead
If you could have combined the the best traits of the two you would have had a HOFer.

Gradin was definitely more talented, but Smyl had one of the best motors this team has ever been graced with.

Tie?
 
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Hit the post

I have your gold medal Zippy!
Oct 1, 2015
22,288
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Hiding under WTG's bed...
If you could have combined the the best traits of the two you would have had a HOFer.

Gradin was definitely more talented, but Smyl had one of the best motors this team has ever been graced with.

Tie?
Smyl was like a poor man's Linden in his prime. He didn't have the skills/talent Linden had - but he had him fairly matched in the heart/leadership department.

Gradin even though he was a "finesse" player, would've probably punched Marchand back if he tried that stunt on him:



(go to about 4:40 of the video).

I mentioned already Fraser....I think all three "ticked all the boxes" on what you want on a line in the NHL back "in those days". It's no surprise that line 'clicked' even as essentially all NHL rookies/sophmores. Fraser wasn't just a knuckledragger (though as Binose mentioned - I'd argue 'pound for pound' he was along the best fighters in the league - with knockout ability [had some martial arts background I think]), he had some hockey skills, I seem to recall he had a fairly good shot.

I also *think* he was playing with an undiagnosed illness (diabities) at least during his time with the Canucks. Don't know alot about the illness (even less about the treatments available for it during the 80s) but I have to guess it might've affected his performance negatively (re: impacted his physical strength at times if his blood sugar levels were off - food nutrition I don't believe was that big a thing in those days).
 
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cabinessence

Registered User
Feb 18, 2017
1,133
466
I agree. they might be my favorite line of all time. I thought Smyl was vastly underrated. I remember when comparisons between he and Linden were being made I considered Linden a new generation of that type of player (hard working but not as gritty). A times Linden got criticized for backing away from trouble and only dropping the gloves against lesser opponents. His defenders sometimes brought up the fat that he wasn't a "fighter". Yet Smyl wasn't a fighter and still stood up to anyone including Dave Semenko, Troy Crowder, and Bob Nystrom. As eras changed I somehow later saw Linden as a throwback. I guess in my mind the bar in terms of rough and tumble old fashioned players got lowered. Smyl did have an 88 point season, and in his sophomore season led his team in all 4 categories (this was before people got excited about how many almost shot attempts a player had in second halves of third periods).
 

cabinessence

Registered User
Feb 18, 2017
1,133
466
Wasn’t Rota the usual third member... at least until LaForge broke him:mad:?
Yes, he was. At some point when Fraser started struggling Rota became more of a regular. I remember a between periods interview with Smyl back in the Wednesday night BCTV games and he was asked which winger he prefers. Smyl said he liked both but there was something special about Fraser, being that he all broke into the league together.
 

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