Ziggy Palffy Calls It A Career

[leeroggy]

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/31/ziggy-palffy-calls-it-a-career/

Maybe the most underrated Islander of all-time.

Click to read more...

 

[PK Cronin]

I still have his jersey from when I was like 9.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Surprised he didn't want another crack at the Olympics...

 

[Giuseppe Franco]

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/31/ziggy-palffy-calls-it-a-career/

Maybe the most underrated Islander of all-time.

To have 3 straight 40 goal seasons in a low-scoring era with Robert Reichel and Travis Green as your centers is quite the achievement. Just about the only reason to watch the Isles in the mid to late 90's.

 

[Islanders1932]

I thought he retired about 10 years ago

 

[Dutch Frost]

I loved him on the Islanders and I remember when we traded him.. I threw my chair against the wall in my room. lol

You have Teemu Selanne and Jagr still making money and this guy goes to Europe. He could of won a cup if he stayed in the NHL.

 

[redbull]

I thought he retired about 10 years ago

Palffy is one of the very few hockey players who can excel, offensively, even with minimal effort. He could play on the perimeter, selectively back-check, pace himself during the game (aka "LAZY") and still put up numbers. Very talented player.

I don't think he dogged it as much on the Islanders, even though we had some bad teams, but he seemed to pace himself nicely into LA and for the last ten years.

Incredible talent though.

And like Jagr, I have no doubt he can play in the NHL even now. And yes, I would try him on the JT line, just for fun.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I knew he's been playing in Europe for a while now.. Congrats to him on his retirement funny seeing all the tweets from writers saying how when he first came over here the only English he knew was swear words

 

[JTforPres2012]

Wish he'd come over and try coaching for a bit, but it sounded like he was relatively content on just settling down in Slovakia and starting the next chapter in his life.

Can you imagine men like Palffy and Jonsson both on the staff? Two class acts.

 

[giddy up*]

I thought he retired about 10 years ago

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer retires.

"I'm retiring"

"From what?"

"The grind- who needs it"

 

[SouthShore91]

Would love to see him in the Isles Hall of Fame and I think his numbers warrant it. Didn't realise he was a PPG player on those terrible teams. I also would love to track down a Palffy fishermen jersey cause that would be AWESOME.

 

[koyo]

My favorite goal where Ziggy sets Lubo Visnovsky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsogEAWPrSk

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

The shoulders prevented him from continuing in the NHL. Back in Slovakia, where he was seen as a folks hero, teams tended to go soft on him while he just did his damage primarily from the perimeter.

Considering how much the Slovakian league has dropped into irrelevance, it's no surprise that he still put up over 80 points in 46 games last season.

He was a big favorite back in the day, I must admit!

 

[alko]

its not sure, that he will retire. IMO in december or in january he will make another comeback. Something like Zdeno Ciger did few times in the past. For Slovak league is he still too good.

 

[bstash19]

as a kid going to games when ziggy was on the team, he was easily my favorite islander. and still holds a special place in my fanhood.

 

[Fantom]

WHy is this any type of news lol.
HE has not been in the NHL for a number of years.
I have no hate for the guy i liked him but he retired years ago from the NHL

 

[isles31]

WHy is this any type of news lol.
HE has not been in the NHL for a number of years.
I have no hate for the guy i liked him but he retired years ago from the NHL

 

[mrislander82]

I tried to follow him even after the NHL as he is my favorite hockey player of all time. Saying I was crushed is an understatement, when he was traded form the isles... In fact I even left a vm for milbury lmao.. those were the days...

I wish him well,

 

[scott99]

Loved Ziggy, was always a big fan. I still remember that 1991 draft, the Rangers drafted Alexei Kovalev 15th overall, and the press was making such a big deal because he was the highest drafted Russian ever at that point. And in the 2nd round, we picked Ziggy, and I loved the fact that he wound up the better player. Plus, what a player he was, great skill at high speed. I remember watching him play for the first time, for Slovakia in the 1994 Olympics. I think he played on a line with Peter Stastny. He had 3 glorious years for the Islanders despite us not having great teams.

1996-97 seemed to be the year the Isles were going to turn it around. Ziggy with 48 goals and 90 points, Smolinsky had 28 goals and a good season, Berard won rookie of the year, Kenny Jonsson's first season with the Isle's, Bryan McCabe's second season, Robert Reichel was brought in on a trade and produced, Tommy Salo played well, Eric Fichaud's rookie season. Todd Bertuzzi's 2nd season. Really looked like we were building something good. Oh well.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

the Rangers drafted Alexei Kovalev 15th overall, and the press was making such a big deal because he was the highest drafted Russian ever at that point. And in the 2nd round, we picked Ziggy, and I loved the fact that he wound up the better player.

I think that's highly debateable.

 

[Dutch Frost]

On the bright side his trade for Ollie Jokinen left us with the chance to obtain the Mighty Oleg Kvasha!!

 

[scott99]

I think that's highly debateable.

Kovalev had ONE 40 goal season, on a completely stacked Penguins team. Played for Ranger's teams that were usually stacked with talent. Ziggy had THREE 40 goal seasons and a basically below average team. And played for a bad Kings team as well.

Ziggy

684 gp 329 goals 713 points .481 goals per game, 1.04 points per game.

SIX 30+ goals seasons

Kovy

1316 gp 430 goals 1029 points .327 goals per game, .782 points per game

THREE 30+ goal seasons.

I'll take Ziggy every time.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Kovalev had ONE 40 goal season, on a completely stacked Penguins team. Played for Ranger's teams that were usually stacked with talent. Ziggy had THREE 40 goal seasons and a basically below average team. And played for a bad Kings team as well.

Ziggy

684 gp 329 goals 713 points .481 goals per game, 1.04 points per game.

SIX 30+ goals seasons

Kovy

1316 gp 430 goals 1029 points .327 goals per game, .782 points per game

THREE 30+ goal seasons.

I'll take Ziggy every time.

Had Ziggy played 7 more seasons their GPG and PPG averages would be a lot closer as no doubt Ziggy's production would have declined. You're right about Ziggy having more seasons with bigger numbers. You're also right about him playing for much worse teams than Kovalev. The question I have for you is, what do you value more; an environment where the team is so poor that most games are essentially meaningless or a winning environment where there is much more pressure to succeed? Scoring more goals individually in games where your team gets blown out vs still scoring plenty (albeit less) but in highly competitive games and contributing to TEAM success as well…

If you put a gun to my head I’d probably pick Ziggy, but it is debatable no doubt.

 

[Fan101]

Honestly perhaps the last thing on my mind when I got up this morning.

 

[IceAce]

I loved him on the Islanders and I remember when we traded him.. I threw my chair against the wall in my room. lol

Remember the day we traded Ziggy to the Rangers, but then we didnt because Milstein and Gluckstern wanted more coverage on the cable deal and Dolan said "no"? That was a fun day for Isles fans.

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/15/sports/hockey-tv-arrangements-stall-the-palffy-trade.html