2016 ATD Bio Thread

[tony d]

Post your bios here.

Click to read more...

 

[BraveCanadian]

With our 3rd selection in the 2016 ATD (77) the Guelph Platers have selected: D, Duncan Keith

Career Highlights

Stanley Cup Champion - 2010, 2013, 2015
Norris Trophy Winner 2009-10, 2013-14
NHL First Team All Star - 2009-10, 2013-14
NHL All Star Games - 2008, 2011, 2015

Olympic Gold Medal Winner - 2010, 2014
World Championships Silver Medal - 2008


Vitals:

Position: D
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200 lbs.
Born: July 16, 1983 (Winnipeg Manitoba)
Draft: Chicago Blackhawks, 2nd round (54th overall), 2002 NHL Entry



Regular Season

As of mid season 2015-16, Duncan Keith has the following Norris record:

Season|Norris Finish
2007-08| 11th
2008-09| 6th
2009-10| 1st
2010-11| 9th
2012-13| 6th
2013-14| 1st
2014-15|7th

Norris summary: 1, 1 ,6, 6, 7, 9, 11.

Keith also helped Canada secure a gold medal at the 2014 Olympics this year.

GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|PIM
807|82|363|445|150|475

Playoffs

In 2010, Keith famously lost a pile of teeth and quickly returned to the ice to help the Blackhawks clinch their series against the Sharks:

The chicklets came pouring out of his mouth, and one even got stuck in the back of his throat. Duncan Keith lost seven teeth in all, three on the top and four on the bottom, when the puck came off Patrick Marleau's stick and hit him square in the mouth.

That was with 12:30 remaining in the second period of Sunday's series-clinching win over the San Jose Sharks. Seven minutes later, after some pronto dental work behind closed doors, Keith was back on the ice for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Wow.

"It's just missing teeth," Keith said through his bloodied and swollen mouth. "It's a long way from the heart."
...

Source

Duncan Keith was an absolute horse during the Chicago Blackhawks three Stanley Cup championship runs, playing obscene minutes - and in all situations - for a very strong team:

2010 - 4 minutes / game over #2

Player|ES|PP|PK|Total
Duncan Keith|21:47|2:52|3:31| 28:11
Undrafted|19:37|2:38|2:09|24:10
Undrafted|17:18|3:37|0:05|21:00

2013 - 4+ minutes / game over #2

Player|ES|PP|PK|Total
Duncan Keith|21:38|2:58|3:01| 27:37
Undrafted|19:22|3:32|0:05|23:14
Undrafted|18:30|2:14|2:19|23:04

2015 - ~4 minutes / game over #2

Player|ES|PP|PK|Total
Duncan Keith|25:36|3:03|2:27| 31:06
Undrafted|22:48|1:44|1:44|26:17
Undrafted|23:24|0:09|2:28|26:02

GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|PIM
116|15|60|75|34|58

After the 2015 Stanley Cup win, Duncan Keith was the unanimous winner of the Conn Smythe trophy after averaging over 31 minutes per game, leading the playoffs in scoring by defensemen and leading the playoffs in assists and +/-.

Quotations & Perspectives:

Keith offers a heady mix of high-end speed, smart reads and courage without any noticeable holes, unless you count the chasm where seven of his front teeth had been rooted until they intercepted a puck two weeks ago at the end of the Western Conference final.

Keith might soon have a Cup, with a side order of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP.He already has that other modern measure of success—6,824 members of the Facebook group Duncan Keith's Missing Teeth. The Blackhawks, who faced a possible clincher on Wednesday after a wild 7--4 win over Philadelphia in Game 5, have been chasing a Stanley Cup dream that has languished since before the age of color television. The genesis of the revival of an Original Six franchise from moribund to incandescent, from patsy to powerhouse, probably started in 2002 when the team drafted Keith in the second round. Although Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are the faces of the franchise, Keith, a Norris Trophy finalist, is the face of playoff hockey. In the finals against a Flyers club with almost cartoonlike resilience, Keith has been more than a missing piece of the puzzle. He is the whole damn Jigsaw.
...

Source

...
Offense pays the bills in the NHL, and Keith's 69 points this season (Seabrook had 30) was second among all defensemen in the league. His upside remains enormous. A couple of years ago, when the team went through physicals, former Blackhawks skating coach and retired Olympic speed skater Dan Jansen noted that the only person he's seen with a higher VO2 max (a measure of aerobic capacity and fitness) than Keith was Lance Armstrong. It's safe to say that the 28 minutes of ice time Keith averaged during these playoffs (about four minutes more than Seabrook; for one thing, Keith generally gets additional time on the power play) didn't take a toll on his body. Keith's athleticism and ability to recover have always set him apart. "When we saw him at Michigan State, he skated like his feet never touched the ice," Tallon says.

Yet for all his dynamic ability—he has drawn comparisons to Norris Trophy winner and skating wizard Scott Niedermayer—and all his deceptiveness with the puck, Keith understands and appreciates what Seabrook does to help trigger his game. Just as Rangers great Brian Leetch thrived next to Jeff Beukeboom and the Oilers' Paul Coffey was helped by being alongside Charlie Huddy, Keith benefits from the security Seabrook brings.
...

Source

Scouting report from Mich. State days (Keith at age 19):

...
"Keith's an exciting guy to watch," says one impressed Eastern Conference scout, "he's not only a great skater, he's a fluid and effortless one as well. His acceleration allows him to join the rush, and his passing will bring a solid transition game to any team he's on."
...
Keith is well aware of this despite his 5-11, 168-pound frame that some traditionalists might consider less than desirable for a defenseman.
...
"His size isn't a problem with me," Mason explained, "even though it may not be preferred at the pro level, they're finding out in the NHL that skills are being more appreciated and recognized in players his size. He'll fill out, and by the time he's up to 180, he'll have everything he needs."

"He does need to get stronger," said another scout bluntly, "but with the tools he has, a guy his size can be successful because of his skating ability."
...
Gazing into his crystal ball, Keith hopes to someday become the finest mixture of Bobby Orr, Brian Leetch, and Nicklas Lidstrom.

"Those three are pretty much my idols," said Keith, who rooms with fellow 2002 draft hopeful Jim Slater. "I've watched old tapes of Bobby Orr, and try and bring part of his game to mine, but I also like how Leetch jumps up and anticipates the play and gets open for a shooting lane or pass, and I like Lidstrom's calm on the ice, and how he controls the play."
...

Source

Assets: Is as good a skater as you can find from the back end. Can log ridiculous amounts of ice time effortlessly. Excels at using his mobility to shut down opposing forwards. Has above-average two-way instincts for the blueline position. Plays a very cerebral game, too.

Flaws: Is a little undersized to play against giant-sized NHL forwards. May not be capable of taking his offensive game to the next level, as he's not a natural power-play quarterback. Could also stand to improve his shot from the point.

Career Potential: Elite all-round defenseman.

Source


How is this for a breakout pass?


​

 

[Dreakmur]

Bryan Trottier !!!


Awards and Achievements:
6 x Stanley Cup Champion (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1991, 1992)

Conn Smythe Trophy (1980)

Hart Trophy (1979)

2 x First Team All-Star (1978, 1979)
2 x Second Team All-Star (1982, 1984)

Hart voting - 1st(1979), 2nd(1978), 2nd(1982), 3rd(1984), 5th(1981), 12th(1980)

Selke voting - 2nd(1984), 8th(1981), 8th(1988), 10th(1986), 12th(1985), 13th(1983)

All-Star voting - 1st(1978), 1st(1979), 2nd(1982), 2nd(984), 3rd(1981), 4th(1980), 7th(1976)

Offensive Accomplishments:
Points - 1st(1979), 2nd(1978), 5th(1982), 6th(1980), 8th(1984), 10th(1981), 12th(1976), 14th(1987), 17th(1986), 19th(1983)
Goals - 5th(1978), 5th(1979), 8th(1982), 14th(1980), 19th(1984)
Assists - 1st(1978), 1st(1979), 4th(1987), 5th(1980), 5th(1981), 5th(1982), 5th(1984), 8th(1976), 13th(1986), 18th(1983)

Play-off Points - 1st(1980), 1st(1982), 2nd(1981), 10th(1984)
Play-off Goals - 1st(1980), 4th(1981), 6th(1984), 9th(1983), 9th(1987)
Play-off Assists - 1st(1981), 1st(1982), 2nd(1980), 7th(1983)

IIHF Points - 2nd(1981)
IIHF Goals - 4th(1984)
IIHF Assists - 2nd(1981)


5-Year Peak: 1978-82
2nd in Points, 99% of 1st place Marcel Dionne
3rd in Goals, 84% of 2nd place Marcel Dionne
1st in Assists, 110% of 2nd place Marcel Dionne

10-Year Peak: 1978-87
4th in Points, 92% of 2nd place Mike Bossy
4th in Goals, 70% of 2nd place Wayne Gretzky
2nd in Assists, 67% of 1st place Wayne Gretzky


Scoring Percentages:
116, 113, 92, 88, 87, 81 80, 76, 72, 69, 68, 63

Best 6 Seasons - 577

In the 1974 NHL amateur draft, Isles' GM Bill Torrey selected Bryan Trottier, a rough, had-driving kid from western Canada. It was a wise choice.

....

Trottier could have played in any era. He was a rare mix of speed, skating, checking, passing, and shooting ability. He was also a fabulous hitter. He was never the biggest man in the NHL, but he didn't back down from anybody. His fire, his burning desire to win, figured big in the New York Islanders' run of four straight Stanley Cups between 1980 and 1983.

At a time when Wayne Gretzky was breaking all availale National Hockey League scoring records there remained a significant group of players, coaches and general managers who publicly asserted that the one man they would prefer having on their team in a crunch was not Gretzky but rather Bryan Trottier, the New York Islanders' centre.

Unlike Gretzky, who is obsessed with scoring, Trottier has ripened into the most effective total forward since Gordie Howe.

While Gretzky limits his play to the offensive half of the ice, Trottier is equally concerned with offense and defense. He will take his regular turn at centre, work the power play, kill penalties and take all key face-offs in the defensive zone.

....

Many hockey historians have tried to compare the rugged Trottier to superforwards of other years. His body-checking ability has caused some to liken his play to that of Hall of Famer, Milt Schmidt, who starred for the Boston Bruins during the late 1930s and through the early 1950s.

There is a fluidity about his play that suggests Gordie Howe... At times Trottier appears more concerned with bodychecking that scoring although his statistics indicate otherwise.

....

Unselfish to a fault, Trottier cruises around the rink, seemingly unemotional and unaware of the abrupt changes in the ebb and flow of play. Yet, he invariably is the first one where the puck happens to be and, though he masks his feelings, plays with an intensity rare among his colleagues or foes.

Bryan Trottier was a modern-day player with old-fashioned attributes. At a time when specialists were beginning to take over from the all-round player, Trottier was a throwback. He was a defensively sound centerman with the vision and instincts of a pure scorer

....

After 11 games, he had 20 points and word began to spread, especially after his rugged defensive work shut down opposing stars.

Best Defensive Forwards

....

10. Bryan Trottier: A latter-day Gordie Howe, Trottier has been the hardest-checking forward of the 1980's. No offensive ace in history has ever been called on to do as many defensive chores, particularly face-offs.

1979 Coaches' Poll
1st Most Valuable Player
1st Best Playmaker
1st Best Passer
2nd Player to Start a Franchise
2nd Best Stickhandler
2nd Smartest Player

1981 Players' Poll
1st Best Centre
3rd Player to Start a Franchise

1984 Coaches' Poll
1st Best on Faceoffs
4th Smartest Player
5th Best Defensive Forward
5th Hardest Worker

Bryan was an overall player. He could do anything, and everything, and he could adapt his game to any kind of game.

Bryan is a tremendous skater who controls the puck extremely well. His main strength is that he's always coming up with the puck in the corners. He's so good at causing the other team to make a mistake. He anticipates so well that he's often able to intercept passes. But he rarely makes mistakes himself.

The one thing that always struck me about Bryan was the sheer power of his body. I don't think many people realize how strong and how big he was until they got run over.

The M.O. for a Bryan Trottier game... win the first draw, right off the bat against you. The first time he had the chance, run over you. The first chance he had to make a big play, score early. Get it in your mind that it's going to be a long, hard, tough game against me. He player every game like it was his last. It wasn't personal, it was just the way hockey was supposed to be played.

Trottier's hidden talent is that he looks like an alter boy and hits like a monster.

Bryan could play with any man on any team in any era. When there's a loose puck, he's always there to get it.

He's rugged like Howe. Gordie liked to play a physical game and so does Bryan.

He has an amazing variey of shots and moves that give goaltenders trouble.

He does everything well.

He has magic hands and magic feet.

He could pass the puck left or right, knock somebody off the puck and then make a wonderful play. He had the nice soft touch but he also could knock over a moose.

Bryan Trottier was one of those guys where I'm sure at the end of the game, most of the players who played a lot of minutes against Bryan did not enjoy the game very much. It's not only because he hurts you with his ability, or because his line hurts you, or because his team was too good for you, but he made life tough on you and he did it in a clever not to be noticed way most nights.

He was very deliberate. He was tenacious. Just a great player. Four Stanley Cup rings with the Islanders, and then, when many of us though maybe he had seen better days, he proved that he hadn't by going to Pittsburgh and becoming a pretty important roleplayer on two Stanley Cups, so that's six rings for Bryan Trottier.

When you have a leader like Bryan Trottier playing so relentless shift after shift, game after game, play-off series after play-off series, it rubs off to other people.

The thing that gets me about Trottier is his coolness. Hell, he's just a baby and he's out there with grown men who are trying to take the puck from him and the kid doesn't get nervous.

He's the best pure bodychecker on our team.

He's the best all-around player in hockey.

That whole unit of the Islanders thrived on everybody taking shift and being better than the last one, and a lot of it was from the leadership of Bryan Trottier - there's no question in my mind. When he stepped on that ice, I'll tell you one thing, when he stepped on that ice, something happened.

....

There isn't any question that Bryan Trottier was a man posessed to be one of the great players of all time in the National Hockey League. He's in his own little category, but that category is huge as far as people who have watched the game of hockey. He did things that a lot of players don't do. He had the ability to be physical if he wanted to be. He had the ability to be a playmaker. He had the ability to score. He had the ability to win - he had a great desire to want to win, and he did that night after night.

The greatest fan of Bryan Trottier would have been Issac Newton, who discovered the law of gravity, and the reason why is because the law of gravity suited Bryan Trottier's body better than any player who ever lived. You could hit Bryan Trottier any way you want, but he simply would not go over. He would tilt this way, he would tilt that way, but he had mastered the law of gravity.

Scouting Reports:

Rugged two-way centre who can give and take punishing bodychecks... Strong forechecker and powerful skater...Outstanding playmaker who excels on power plays

The Islanders have excellent face-off men in Bryan Trottier and Ed Westfall...

....

The centre of attention... The best two-way pivot around... A tough checker who has a natural goal-scoring ability as well... Suffered broken jaw in second game of Stanley Cup quarterfinal series but did not miss a game...

Clever play-maker and dependable goal-scorer... Best two-way centre in game... Shoots hard, checks hard, plays hard... Quiet and modest... One problem - he becomes invisible in the playoffs...

Has both crushing shot and crushing checks... Plays extremely well at both ends of the ice... Good stick-handler who likes to navigate power-play from behind the net... Quieted choke criticism with outstanding playoff last season... Incredibly modest...

There is Bryan Trottier, the best two-way player in the NHL.

....

The best two-way centre in the league... Strong and determined... There isn't anything he can't do... Wonderful passer... Terrific bodychecker... Scores key goals...

Strong, durable, relentless checker... So strong his bodychecks can leave opponents dizzy from the impact... Tireless worker who excells as foreckecker, backchecker and penalty-killer... May be best centre at winning face-offs...

Outstanding two-way player and top-notch centre ever since debut at 19... Hard-nosed and relentless... Good on face-offs...

Considered best all-around centre in the NHL... Dynamic checker and hitter... Outstanding playmaker and scorer... With retirement of Flyers' Bobby Clarke, undisputed faceoff-winning king in NHL... Can jar opponents with devastating checks...

One of the all-time greats could be at a cross-roads... Excellent playmaker, incredibly sturdy on his skates, physical and smart... One of the finest ever at faceoffs... Soft-spoken and impassive off the ice, fierce and unyielding on it...

This is his 13th season in the NHL, and he's still regarded as one of the best two-way players in the game... Veteran penalty-killer, excellent play-maker, strong on his skates...

 

[ResilientBeast]

Bill Cook, RW

WCHL career
Overall Points: 8th (1923), 1st (1924), 3rd (1925), 1st (1926)
Overall Goals: 1st (1924), 3rd (1925), 1st (1926)
Overall Assists: 1st (1924), 5th (1925), 6th (1926)

NHL career
Points: 1st (1927), 10th (1928), 7th (1929), 4th (1930), 4th (1931), 4th (1932), 1st (1933)
Goals: 1st (1927), 10th (1928), 6th (1929), 6th (1930), 2nd (1931), 1st (1932), 1st (1933), 5th (1935)
Assists: 8th (1929), 3rd (1930), 6th (1933)

WCHL "Art Ross" - 1924, 1926
NHL "Art Ross" 1927, 1933
NHL Goal Leader 3 times
Championships
(Minimum 1 playoff game)
1928 New York Rangers (NHL)
1933 New York Rangers (NHL)
Hart Voting 2nd (1927), 2nd (1933)

[QUOTE="Ultimate Hockey]Bill Cook was a remarkable blend of brains, beauty and brawn. He was an outstanding stickhandler, a hard and fast skater and had an incredible shot. He was a huge physcial presence with a mean streak.

Ranger boss Lester Patrick praised his star winger "I need Bill Cooks. The other players, when it comes right down to it, will follow the Bill Cooks."
[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE="Who's Who in Hockey]Many old timers regard Willian Osser 'Bill' Cook as the finest right winger of all time. Certainly he ranks among the greatest past or present including Gordie Howe, Bernie Geoffrion and any other old goldies.

But Bill was best remembered as a player, and nobody remembered him better than his old pal Boucher who described him this way.
"Bill would do most of the talking. He'd say "Now look Bunny (and I knew that although he was adressing his words to Bunny he damn well meant for me too.) when I want that puck, I'll yell for it, and you get that damn puck to me when I yell.' On the ice, Bill's cry was the most amazing half grunt, half-moan, half-yell I ever heard. He'd let this weird sound out of him, meaning that he was in the clear. [/QUOTE]

A burly right winger with the desire of Rocket Richard and the physical prowess of Gordie Howe…played a very similar style to that of Gordie Howe - a hard and physically dominating style, overpowering his opponents, going through them instead of around them. But like Gordie he had some great skills as well, especially his nose for the net.

He had it all - he was an intelligent hockeyist, charismatic, and a physical force. If he were around for us to see play today we would be in awe of his uncanny stickhandling skills, his "hard and fast" skating, and his fantastic shooting ability. And if you were an opponent of him you surely wouldn't want to get on his bad side for his temper and mean streak were among the most volatile of his era.

“He was a remarkable blend of brains, beauty and brawn. He was an outstanding stick-handler, a hard and fast skater, and had an incredible shot. He was a huge physical presence with a mean streak.â€

“He was a remarkably gifted and rugged competitor who served as the catalyst on the New York Rangers' famous Bread Lineâ€

Right wing on the team would be filled by the far-famed Bill Cook, who knows all that’s needed about the game, can adapt himself to a clean or rough game as occasion may call for and is an exponent of combination play at all times.

“He's my choice for the best right winger hockey ever knew. He was better than The Rocket and, in my estimation, better than Gordie Howe as well……he had a very hard wrist shot from close in and could score equally well backhand or forehand"

One of his pet tricks was to fake a shot on one side of the net, but hold the puck and go right across the mouth of the goal and then let fly with that backhand into the other corner. I used to pretend that I had fallen for that fake and then crowd the near side of the net. But before the puck had left Bill's stick on his favorite backhand shot, I'd have swung over to the other side and was ready for it.

Newsy Lalonde selected Bill Cook as one of two RWs on his "All-Time Meanest-Toughest Team:"

Bill Cook, Ranger ex-great and Hall of Famer, has the right wing spot on Newsy's second-stringers "because of what I saw him dish out during the three years I played with him in Saskatoon."

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...zwyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MOUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5290,1877673

He (Joliat) picked an all star team (at the request of W.A. Howard, a writer for Canadian National Magazine) confined to players who played against him during his 16 years as a professional. He puts Benedict or Gardiner in goal; Shore and Noble on defense; Nighbor at centre; with Cook and Jackson on the wings. It's a well balanced unit.

]Boucher tapped for his all-time, all-star team goalie Chuck Gardiner of the Chicago Black Hawks, defensemen Eddie Shore of the Boston Bruins and Ching Johnson of the Rangers, center Frank Nighbor of Ottawa, left winger Aurel Joliat of the Montreal Canadiens and right winger Bill Cook.

Muzz Patrick, general manager, New York Rangers - "When you think of Bill Cook, formerly of the Rangers, Gordon Howe of the Red Wings and Jean Beliveau, it's hard to say one is the greatest. But the Rocket is awfully close to it. No one will argue with me when I say he is the most entertaining, exciting and explosive player of all time."

Frank Boucher, general manager, Brandon Regals - "He ranks with the greatest in hockey. As a scorer, from the blue line to the net, he is in a class by himself: As a popular player he's also on a par with the late Howie Morenz. However, I nominate Bill Cook, my old teammate, as the greatest all-round player of all time."

Bulk of the quotes from thedevilmademe

 

[tony d]

Goalie Patrick Roy

(Photo courtesy of joe pelletier's website)

Personal Info and Stats Courtesy of hockeyreference.com:

Position: G ▪ Catches: Left
Height: 6-2 (188 cm)
Weight: 185 lbs. (84 kg)

Born: October 5, 1965 in Quebec City, Quebec

- Career Record of 551-315-131
- Career playoff record of 151-94
- 11 time All Star
- 3 Time Conn Smythe Trophy winner, 3 time Vezina Trophy Winner
- 66 career shutouts

Legends Of Hockey:

In the AHL playoffs, Roy established what was to be his finest attribute -- the ability to play under pressure.
n his rookie season of 1985-86, he played 47 games and took over the starter's role when the playoffs arrived. By that point in the season, Roy could not be beaten. Montreal won an improbable Stanley Cup in 1986 and Patrick Roy was named recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy for his outstanding playoff play. Roy's heroics in the 1986 playoffs were celebrated all over Montreal. He was dubbed 'Saint Patrick' for his play, but now was expected to consistently keep up the level of play to those high standards, even though the team around him was struggling. In ensuing years, Patrick won 30 games, but it was not until 1993 that he was able to win another Stanley Cup for Montreal. Again, Roy won the Conn Smythe for his remarkable play in 1993.

Joe Pelletier:

He imposed his style on the game, and legions of hockey fans and goalies everywhere were grateful. It is not just that his method was effective, that the revolutionary quick drop-n-slide of a pad could stone the wickedest snap shot. Roy's way was also fun, dramatic, cocky, marvelous, at times even beautiful. Far beyond the statistics, Patrick Roy entertained us and thrilled us while he emerged so dazzlingly as the best.

While he was very good in the regular season, it was in the playoffs that St. Patrick worked his miracles.

Final Thoughts:

Wanted to start my team with a goalie this year, glad I got the best when I did that.

 

[tony d]

Centre Joe Sakic

Photo courtesy of Legends Of Hockey:

Biographical Information and Stats courtesy of hockeyreference.com

Position: C ▪ Shoots: Left
Height: 5-11 (180 cm)
Weight: 195 lbs. (88 kg)

Born: July 7, 1969 (Age 46.208) in Burnaby, British Columbia

-1641 points in 1378 career games
-188 points in 172 career playoff games
-12 time all star, 3 time post season all star
-5 100 Point Seasons
-2001 Hart Trophy Winner

Legends of Hockey:

Sakic served as the captain of the Nordiques/Avalanche franchise for 17
seasons, making him the second longest serving captain in NHL history.

A quiet captain, Joe Sakic let his dedication and skill speak for him, and is remembered as the humble but outstanding leader of the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise.

Joe Pelletier:

Sakic joined a Nordiques team clearly on the decline. By 1988, Quebec had clearly fallen out of the top tier of NHL teams. The new decade saw the team's two franchise players, Peter Stastny and Michel Goulet, playing elsewhere. Young Sakic quickly found himself carrying les Nords all alone.

In spite of that, Joe performed remarkably well. He notched 102 points in 1989-90, not bad for a second-year player under any circumstance, but quite extraordinary considering he did it playing for a team that posted a pathetic 12-61-7 record. The next season, Quebec went 16-50-14 as Sakic scored 109 points, coming just two goals shy of a 50-goal season in the process (a distant second in scoring on the team, at 59 points, was a promising Swedish rookie named Mats Sundin).


It wasn't until Joe’s Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance with the Avalanche in 1996 when he finally got his due from the mainstream sports media. Since then, Sakic has been the team player everyone wants to have. Neil Smith and the New York Rangers tried to lure him away in the 1997 off-season, but Colorado matched the Rangers’ offer sheet – and their multi-million dollar signing bonus up front – to keep him in Denver despite being in the middle of constructing a new arena at the time. It’s worth noting that it was Joe Sakic, not John Elway, who captained a Colorado-based team to a major sports championship first.

Final Thoughts:

Didn't plan on getting Sakic this year, was planning on getting Milt Schmidt at 39 but got offered a trade, saw Sakic could be available and took it from there. Sakic's going to be my captain and a very valuable member of the 2016 New York Bobcats.

 

[jarek]

Thanks to Dreakmur and TheDevilMadeMe.

Vladimir Martinec !!!


Awards and Achievements:
Olympic Silver (1976)
Olympic Bronze (1972)

Canada Cup Runner-up (1976)

WC Gold (1972, 1976, 1977)
WC Silver (1971, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979)
WC Bronze (1970, 1973, 1981)

Extraliga Championship (1973)
Izvestia Tournament Championship (1970, 1977)

IIHF Best Forward (1976)
4 x IIHF All-Star (1974, 1975, 1976, 1977) (all over prime Boris Mikhailov)
Izvestia Tournament Best Forward and Top Scorer (1979)

Golden Stick voting - 1st(1973), 1st(1975), 1st(1976), 1st(1979), 3rd(1974), 4th(1977), 5th(1980), 6th(1981), 7th(1972), 7th(1978)

Domestic Scoring Accomplishments:
Points - 1st(1973), 2nd(1976), 2nd(1979), 3rd(1972), 4th(1974), 6th(1971), 6th(1975), 9th(1977), 10th(1970)

International Scoring Accomplishments:

Olympic Points - 5th(1976), 11th(1972)
Olympic Goals - 2nd(1976), 8th(1972)
Olympic Assists - 7th(1976)

World Championship Points - 1st(1976), 2nd(1974), 3rd(1977), 9th(1975), 11th(1978), 12th(1972), 12th(1981)
World Championship Goals - 1st(1976), 3rd(1974), 7th(1978), 8th(1975)
World Championship Assists - 1st(1976), 2nd(1972), 2nd(1977), 4th(1974), 6th(1981)

- 7th all-time leading scorer in World Championships, with 110 points (52 goals and 58 assists) in 102 games, 1st among Czech players

Point Scoring Vs2:
Domestic - 107, 100, 100, 98, 85, 78, 78, 78, 78, 70, 69, 66, 56, 52
Olympics - 90, 55, 14
World Championship - 125, 100, 84, 69, 65, 57, 57, 57, 29, 24, 17
Canada Cup - 63

More showing Martinec was both a playmaker and a goalscorer
Here's how Vladimir Martinec's 1.12 assists per goal ratio (58A:52G) at the WC's compares to some of the other stars of his generation…
Alexander Maltsev: 1.16 (89A:77G)
Valeri Kharlamov: 1.15 (85A:74G)
Vladimir Martinec: 1.12 (58A:52G)
Vladimir Petrov: 1.08 (80A:74G)
Boris Mikhailov: 0.72 (71A:98G)​

- inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame (2001)
- the only player to win 4 Golden Hockey Sticks (given to the best Czechoslovakian/Czech player), until some guys named Jaromir Jagr (9) and Dominik Hasek (5) came around

Originally Posted by Greatest Hockey Legends
Vladimir Martinec was one of the smartest and most technically skilled European player ever. It is doubtful if there has ever been any player in Europe as eager to improvise as Martinec. He was extremely creative with the puck and drove his opponents crazy.

Few players were treated more brutally than Martinec. This small (5'9" and 178 Ibs) right wing somehow always seemed to bounce back totally undisturbed and more often than not with a smile on his face. His constant smile was a sort of a trademark and frustrated his opponents even more. A lot of reporters used to ask him why he always was smiling, even after a vicious crosscheck in the back. He said that he did it because he enjoyed the game so much and always had fun.

It was evident that he loved the game as he always did something extra with the puck that left the fans absolutely stunned. Martinec was known as "The Fox" for his cleverness around the net as he simply outsmarted his opponents. He was extremely popular among his teammates who knew him as "Marcello".

Originally Posted by The Hockey News: Century of Hockey
He was one of the Czechoslovakia’s greatest pure finesse players of all-time and all but impossible to stop 1-on-1.

People’s Republic of China, Issues 63-84
Furious at their fiasco in the first encounter, players of the Soviet team deliberately injured ace Czechoslovak player Vladimir Martinec with sticks 2 minutes after the match began.

Ottawa Citizen – Dec. 29, 1978
Vladimir Martinec has been selected the outstanding Czechoslovakian hockey player in a poll conducted by the youth daily. Mlada Fronta. Second in the survery was Ivan Hlinka followed by Marian Stastny, Bohuslav Ebermann and Jiri Holocek.

Triffy on the HOH board made a great argument that Martinec had to have been at least very close to Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov, and Maltsev, since the Czechs went 5-7-3 against the Red Machine, and Martinec was their best skater.

Originally Posted by Triffy

The Czechs weren't that far behind the Soviets in the 70's, when Martinec earned his reputation. That was somekind of golden era for Czechoslovakian hockey. They won gold in WCHs in 1972, 1976 and in 1977. That was when the Soviet Union hockey was shining. Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov, Maltsev and Vasiliev, to name a few, weren't enough.

Martinec started his international career in 1971. He played his last WCH tournament in 1977. I'll list the games played during Martinec's time between Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia below.

1971: CZE-USSR 1-6, CZE-USSR 3-3, USSR-CZE 2-5
1972: CZE-USSR 3-3, CZE-USSR 3-2,
1973: USSR-CZE 3-2, USSR-CZE 4-2
1974: CZE-USSR 7-2, USSR-CZE 3-1
1975: CZE-USSR 2-5, USSR-CZE 4-1
1976: USSR-CZE 2-3, CZE-USSR 3-3
1977: CZE-USSR 1-6, CZE-USSR 4-3

During the time span, Czechoslovakia won 5 times. The Soviets won 7 times. The games were tied 3 times. Remember that in 1968 the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia. So the games had very strong political tone in them. Martinec won the Best Czech player award three times during the same time span. So I think it's reasonable to say he was their best player.

Because the Czechs were close to Soviets as a team, their best players must have been close to the best Soviets such as Kharlamov, Petrov, Mikhailov and Maltsev. I have Martinec ranked slightly below Stastny and Stastny is somewhere around 50-60 on my list.

Originally posted by VMBM

In the Finnish sports book Talviurheilun sankarit (hockey writer: Jyrki Laelma), there is a little more detailed information about the Soviets’ brutality towards Martinec and also about his good work ethic on the ice (also defensively):

Jyrki Laelma in the book Talviurheilun sankarit (1977)
Martinec's significance in a game is demonstrated <by the fact> that every time the Soviets have had difficulties with Czechoslovakia, Vladimir has been the man who has been taken out first: in Moscow 1973, Vasiliev hit him in the neck with his stick and Martinec was carried off the ice on a stretcher; in Helsinki 1974, Gennady Tsygankov cross-checked Martinec in the face; in the 1975 Izvestia tournament, Petrov butt-ended Martinec in the mouth.
After that Jan Starsi had had enough <and> he snapped: "The Soviets always talk about how cleanly they play compared to the professionals. But I would just like to know why Martinec always ends up in a hospital, when CSSR is leading a game <versus the Soviets>."
"(...) He has a good hockey sense, and he always plays for the benefit of the team. The most important thing is that Martinec's work capacity is unbelievable - even a simpleton can see that he is always able to carry the puck over the blue line, but his defensive contribution is never understood," said a journalist from Pardubice in Düsseldorf.

The full quote/post here: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=101863603&postcount=123

A long time coach of Team CSSR (1967-73) Jaroslav Pitner talking about Martinec and his smartness in a documentary on Czechoslovak hockey (translated by the poster Cruor):

Jaroslav Pitner
(...)Martinec, in my view is one of the smartest hockey players we've had. I'm saying the best, the smartest because that was...that guy had everything figured out"

The full post: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=88129043&postcount=322

Of course, Martinec's smartness is mentioned in many other sources too, but Jaroslav Pitner is quite an authority, having trained numerous Czechoslovak hockey greats.

My post about Martinec and his ability to steal pucks (with lots of video evidence): http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=106327837&postcount=119

VMBM: http://hfboards.com/showpost.php?p=30795932&postcount=41
TDMM during the HOH wingers project: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=92733299&postcount=37
Batis during the HOH wingers project: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=92805503&postcount=128
Theokritos during the HOH non-NHL Euros project: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=109781971&postcount=12, http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=110021873&postcount=41
VMBM during the HOH non-NHL Euros project: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=110012599&postcount=36, http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=110057709&postcount=49

 

[ResilientBeast]

Duke Keats, C

​

Ultimate Hockey Awards
WCHL 'Art Ross' - 1922
WCHL 'Hart Trophy' - 1922
All Star/HHOF
WCHL/WHL First All-Star Team (1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926)
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958 (before peer Cy Denneny)

Scoring Statistics
NHA
1915-16 NHA 5th in Points
1916-1917 NHA 5th in PPG before leaving for WWI
The Big 4
1919-20 - 1st by 10 Points (14 over non teammate)
1920-21 - 1st by 4 Points (8 over non teammate)
WCHL
1921-22 - 1st by 18 Points
1922-23 - 2nd to his linemmate (tied in PPG however)
1923-24 - 3rd in scoring
1924-25 - Tied with Bill Cook for 3rd
1925-26 - 6th in Scoring
NHL
1926-27 - Tied for 9th (10th Goals, 8th Assists)
1927-28 - Tied with Bill Cook for 10th (10th Assists, 10th Points)

Now using Dreakmur's consolidated scoring finishes, Keat's adjusted finishes

1916 - 8th Goals, 7th Assists, 7th Points
1922 - 2nd Goals, 1st Assists, 1st Points (Possible Art Ross In Consolidate League)
1923 - 8th Goals, 10th Assists, 7th Points
1924 - Just outside 10th goals, 4th Assists, 4th Points
1925 - 7th Goals

Below is a summary of his top 10s from 1916, 1922-1928
Goals ( 8, 2, 8, 7, 10)
Assists (7, 1, 10, 4, 8, 10)
Points (7, 1, 7, 4, 9, 10)

5/6 top 10 finishes in goals, assists and points is very solid for player taken around here.

Not adjusting for him leaving mid 1917 (where he was 5th in PPG over halfway through the season, losing two prime years to the war and playing in the Big 4 League before it became the WCHL)
Keats is an amazing offensive force in the early days of hockey, however as this bio will show he was an all around physical force with a temper and willingness to play at both ends of the rink.

10 Points in 12 WCHL Playoff Games

Some sources say he played with a 'clean' style, this is almost certainly untrue
Penalty Minutes
1921-22 - 2nd - 47
1922-23 - 1st - 72
1923-24 - 3rd - 31
1924-25 - 8th - 63
1925-26 - 1st - 140

Part 1

Summary: What to make of Keats' time in the Big-4? It was obviously a weak league, but Keats seems to have been something of a "ringer" who was likely paid under the table by the Edmonton team. And he did exactly what you'd expect from a great player in a weaker league - he dominated the league in scoring. And Toronto was willing to shell out the big money to bring Keats back east to the NHL.

So how good was Keats during these years? Is there any reason to suspect he was any worse than he was before the first World War, when he was a top 5 scorer in the NHA in his first two years of professional hockey? His subsequent performance in the professional WCHL supports this idea.

Part 2

Summary: Keats was a star in all 5 seasons of WCHL play. In 1922, he absolutely dominated the league and may have been the best player in the world. In 1923, he was only outscored by one player (a teammate) because of injury, and the press indicates that his team was absolutely lost without him. By 1924, the WCHL had clearly surpassed the PCHA, and Keats finished 3rd in scoring in the league. The best PCHA players joined the WCHL in 1925, and Keats scored at a similar level to Mickey MacKay and Frank Fredrickson. In 1926, a 29 year old Keats finished 6th in the WCHL, which probably translates into 10th in the world, since the WCHL was probably a little stronger than the NHL by this point.

Keats was a notoriously physical player and well-known as an "on ice general" and difference maker this whole time. There is also evidence that he was a strong backchecker, as well. His only weakness was lack of footspeed (which was more evident later in his career in the NHL).

Part 3
Summary:Keats was a top 10 scorer in the consolidated NHL at the ages of 31 and 32, and while he was slow as dirt by this time, he still seems to have been considered a committed back checker.


Summary of Keats' career:
Top 5 scorer in the NHA in 1916 and 1917 when the NHA was one of two professional leagues. (1917 is projected from where he was when he left to fight WW1)
Missed 2 more full years due to WW1.
Came back and dominated the Big-4 semi-amateur league and was offered a huge contract to come back East to the now-NHL (which he seems to have declined). The Big 4 contained several HHOFers in their 20s and was likely paying its stars under the table.
Star in the professional WCHL for 5 straight seasons
Might have been the best player in the world in 1921-22 - hard to tell, the league was clearly the weakest of the 3 professional leagues at this point, but Keats flat out owned it.
Definitely the best forward in the WCHL in 1922-23 - the league was a bit weaker than the PCHA still.
Top 3 scorer in the WCHL in 1923-24 (when it was much stronger than the PCHA), and again in 1924-25 when it had absorbed the PCHA.
6th in scoring in the WCHL in 1925-26 as a 30 year old.
After the fall of the WCHL, Keats finished 9th in 10th in a consolidated NHL at the ages of 31 and 32.

Keats was a dominant player in the Big-4 and WCHL for most of his career. His accomplishments in more known leagues bookending this time - the NHA as a rookie and sophmore player (top 5 offensive player in the NHA both seasons) and the NHL as a 31 and 32 year old (top 10 offensive player in the consolidated NHL both season) - is pretty compelling evidence that Keats was probably a top 10 offensive player in the world in every season that he played hockey between 1915-16 and 1927-28. He may have been the best offensive player in the world in 1921-22, but it's hard to tell. We also have evidence that Keats was considered a strong back checker over the course of his career, beginning with his rookie season.

Quotes on Style and Overall Skill (Thanks to Tdmm for a lot of these)

The Duke is an ideal type of athlete, of husky build, quick on his skates, and possessing a good abundance of grey matter. He has one fault and that is temperament

Keats hit his peak in Edmonton. The "Iron Duke", hailed on all sides as one of the most dominating forces ever seen, was the best player in the league. Throngs of people clamored to see this big, strong center perform miracles with the puck. He shot as well as anyone anywhere, combining unparalleled offensive ability with a hard, clean style to become the greatest player to play in Edmonton before Gretzky.

Keats, playing centre, showed the Toronto crowd a brilliant performance. His stick-handling was superb, and he pestered everybody in sight with backchecking.

"Duke" Keats was the star of the encounter and it is no wonder that the Toronto pro team is after this "bird" as it was worth the price of admission alone to see this player perform. His stick handling was marvellous. How he did it the way he was hooked and checked during the encounter is a mystery

Duke Keats was dangerous both on attack and defense although he somewhat marred his record by continual holding and tripping. He was penalized twice during the fray. He was checked closely all night for it would not do to let him run wild. He is too dangerous a shot.
[

Of all the positions in The Leader's All-star prairie hockey team, none caused us more profound meditation than the center ice job. We weighed the pros and cons of our two best bets - Duke Keats and Dick Irvin - until we were beginning to order Keats sandwiches and Irvin pie along with our coffee at the restaurant across the way. First we thought Irvin would be our ultimate choice; then the Duke popped up with an overlooked asset. Barney Stanley crossed their path for a minute; then Irvin again looked like a winner, until finally we had the merits and demerits of the two candidates trimmed down to such a nicety that we knew exactly where we stood. And we gave Keats the call. Both Keats and Irvin are pretty much invalids right now, but this fact was entirely overlooked in selecting the best man for the job. What turned the balance in favor of the Edmonton bad man was his back-checking ability. He is a two-way man, while Dickenson has a tendency toward a one-way ticket. Irvin is a better shot than the Duke and a better stick-handler, but Keats himself is far from being a slouch on the attack; he is an ideal pivot man, plays his position to perfection and knows all there is to know about combination. And his vigorous back-checking adds all kinds of strength to his team. There is no better shot in professional hockey than Dick Irvin. The Regina boy is a wizard at finding the treasured spot in the net. And his wonderful manipulation of the puck had won him friends wherever he has played. It is unfortunate that such a star as Dickenson should have to be passed up in favor of another; but backchecking is an invaluable asset to a hockey team, and just as we were on the point of awarding the position to Irvin, we recalled this very important factor and could do nothing else in fairness but to give Duke the job. Keats originally played hockey in the east but acquired little prominence until he burst into the limelight with the Eskimos last year. Ever since he has been one of the biggest noises in prairie hockey. The Duke is an ideal type of athlete, of husky build, quick on his skates, and possessing a good abundance of grey matter. He has one fault and that is temperament. ... There are man who will think Barney Stanley deserves the call. The General has been playing wonderful hockey lately while Irvin has been resting up. He is the most unselfish player in the league and one of the most effective. But he can't shoot like Irvin or check back like Keats.

This is against the Nighbour led Sens

Edmonton scored several shots without Ottawa being able to retaliate. Keats' tricky stickhandling in centre ice was particularly annoying to the Ottawa forwards. -

He was the hero of Edmonton and undoubtedly one of the greatest center icemen who ever laced up a skate

Duke is the possessor of more hockey grey matter than any man who ever played the game. He is the most unselfish superstar in hockey. I have watched him innumerable times. In one game, I especially checked up on his play. He gave his wingmen thirty chances to score by perfectly placed passes. He's the brainiest pivot that ever pulled on a skate, because he can organize plays and make passes every time he starts

The "Duke" was a stickhandling wizard. Men who have watched them come and go for 20 years say that in his prime there was none like "Duke" - and yet it was the howling of the crowd rather than the cheers that spurred him on. "I'd rather play hockey in Saskatoon than any other place in the country." Keats once told us, yet he probably came in for more razzing in that city than anywhere in the west. Many the night Keats had to duck rotten eggs, lumps of coal, oranges, peanuts - and even chairs - and on more than one occasion he exchanged punches with half a dozen fans before reaching the Edmonton dressing rooms. But nobody loved a fight more than Keats. He used to skate up and down the sidelines before a game, feinting blows at fans with his stick, slamming the boards to scare some sky-gazer - anything to tantalize the crowd. Seldom did he fall and the harder the crowd howled and booed the harder "Duke" played. It's not likely he tried to get away with such tactics in the American Association, but he did out west for years and both on the prairies and coast they'll tell you Keats was the most hated hockey player that ever stepped on a rink - and the greatest stickhandler of them all.

Of all the positions in The Leader's All-star prairie hockey team, none caused us more profound meditation than the center ice job. We weighed the pros and cons of our two best bets - Duke Keats and Dick Irvin - until we were beginning to order Keats sandwiches and Irvin pie along with our coffee at the restaurant across the way. First we thought Irvin would be our ultimate choice; then the Duke popped up with an overlooked asset. Barney Stanley crossed their path for a minute; then Irvin again looked like a winner, until finally we had the merits and demerits of the two candidates trimmed down to such a nicety that we knew exactly where we stood. And we gave Keats the call. Both Keats and Irvin are pretty much invalids right now, but this fact was entirely overlooked in selecting the best man for the job. What turned the balance in favor of the Edmonton bad man was his back-checking ability. He is a two-way man, while Dickenson has a tendency toward a one-way ticket. Irvin is a better shot than the Duke and a better stick-handler, but Keats himself is far from being a slouch on the attack; he is an ideal pivot man, plays his position to perfection and knows all there is to know about combination. And his vigorous back-checking adds all kinds of strength to his team. There is no better shot in professional hockey than Dick Irvin. The Regina boy is a wizard at finding the treasured spot in the net. And his wonderful manipulation of the puck had won him friends wherever he has played. It is unfortunate that such a star as Dickenson should have to be passed up in favor of another; but backchecking is an invaluable asset to a hockey team, and just as we were on the point of awarding the position to Irvin, we recalled this very important factor and could do nothing else in fairness but to give Duke the job. Keats originally played hockey in the east but acquired little prominence until he burst into the limelight with the Eskimos last year. Ever since he has been one of the biggest noises in prairie hockey. The Duke is an ideal type of athlete, of husky build, quick on his skates, and possessing a good abundance of grey matter. He has one fault and that is temperament. ... There are man who will think Barney Stanley deserves the call. The General has been playing wonderful hockey lately while Irvin has been resting up. He is the most unselfish player in the league and one of the most effective. But he can't shoot like Irvin or check back like Keat

Keats and Joe Simpson are players who could make the grade in any club playing major hockey. Keats has earned his reputation as the best centre ice man in the four prairie league clubs. He also holds the doubtful honors as the league's bad man. In physique he is a small but thoroughly aggressive and has figured in many a wild fracas on the ice.

 

[jarek]

Thanks a lot to TDMM for a lot of this!

Harry Cameron

Cameron was the finest rushing defenceman and goal-scorer of hockey's early pro years.

• Right handed shot for the PP
• Stanley Cup winner (1914, 1918, 1922)

Charles Coleman, author of Trail of the Stanley Cup, Vol 1 selected Sprague Cleghorn and Moose Johnson as his All-Star pre-1926 defensemen with Eddie Gerard and Harry Cameron the alternates.

Cameron was a dominant offensive defenseman (his stats at the bottom of this profile alone tell that), but it's hard to tell how good he was overall, as there were no NHA or early NHL All-Star Teams. But here are data points I've found:

• In 1913 (Cameron's first season in the NHA), he and Frank Nighbor were the two Toronto players selected to the NHA All-Star team that would play the PCHA All-Stars in the second annual All-Star Game between the two of them (Source). Given the fact that each team only carried 2-3 defensemen, this is as close as we have to the equivalent of a First Team NHA All-Star.
• The Montreal Daily Mail polled readers to create a 1914 All Star Team. Cameron was selected All-Star Point (12 votes at point, 5 at coverpoint). Cleghorn was All-Star Coverpoint (10 votes at coverpoint, 6 votes at point) Source
• Harry Cameron was the highest paid player on Toronto's 1918 Cup winning team at $900. The rest of the players' salaries ranged from $450 to $750. (Source).
• 3/21/1919 (Calgary Herald): "Who is the greatest defense player in professional hockey today? Pacific Coast students of the puck chasing game would name Rowe, Johnson or Duncan, but according to eastern critics, Harry Cameron of the Ottawa team carries off the crown. The Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal press rate Cameron as the best in the game today. In the world's series a year ago he was one of the big stars, and Vancouver attributes its defeat chiefly to his wonderful work."

Cameron was considered one of the first great rushing and scoring defencemen.[1] He scored 88 goals in 121 games in the NHL. He was also famous for his "curved shot" similar to that of today's curved hockey sticks, although he played with a straight blade.[1] He was the first player in NHL history to achieve what was later called a "Gordie Howe hat trick", doing so on December 26, 1917

He was considered the first man to be able to curve his shot--with a straight stick, no less!--and long before Bobby Orr flew end to end with the puck Harry Cameron was the finest rushing defenceman and goal-scorer of hockey's early pro years.

One of the great defence players of all time who scored more goals than any other defence man in the history of Stanley Cup competition to the end of 1926.

Harry Cameron was quite a boisterous fellow on and off the ice...

Harry Cameron was the first defenseman to shoot from the point in earnest and developed the so-called "curve-shot."

Some more about his offensive game:

Toronto World - Jan. 2, 1913
Cameron showed speed in going up the ice and made a number of game attempts to bore thru the Ottawa defence, but both McLean and Davidson were slow in clearing.

Toronto World - Jan. 6, 1913
The man of the night was Harry Cameron, the sturdy point player, who has all kinds of speed and can handle a stick to perfection. He had those Wanderer forwards slashing everywhere, trying to land him, but he simply played rings around them, much to the dissatisfaction of his opponents, who showed their disapproval by trying to lay out other players when they could not get him. He seems to know just where to get that puck and invariably was in the road of the aforesaid forwards. Note: The last sentence also seems to support his defensive game

Toronto World - Jan. 16, 1913
Cameron got the hand several times for his individual rushes.

Toronto World - Jan. 23, 1913
Harry Cameron was the bright shining star with individual rushes, and the fans gave him a liberal hand.

Toronto World - Feb. 10, 1913
Harry Cameron electrified the crowd time after time with his rushes

Toronto World - Feb. 17, 1913
Harry Cameron put up a nice game, and his zig-zag rushes were always to the fore when things looked doubtful.

Toronto World - Feb. 5, 1914
Cameron opened up several thrilling lone rushes and was given a rough passage. Duford at last got him with a healthy wallop over the stomach, but the Toronto defence man was able to continue as soon as he got his breath.

Toronto World - Feb. 12, 1914
Cameron was again a star with individual rushes

Toronto World - Jan. 28, 1915
Harry Cameron lived up to his reputation as the best puck-carrier in the pro circuit. He went up time after time and shot, and was responsible for one of the two Toronto tallies.

Toronto World - Feb. 1, 1917
Cameron rushed time after time and he was the most brilliant man on the ice.

Toronto World - Feb. 12, 1917
Cameron tried his scintillating end-to-end rushes, but always without success, and invariably he beat the defence. He was really robbed of two goals by Benedict's luck. One couldn't call it anything else. Cameron came thru from end to end on one of these occasions, outskated his checks, beat the defence and shot dead on, only to have what looked like an almost certain tally careen off the point of Benedict's skate well to the side of the goal.

Toronto World - Dec. 24, 1917
Harry Cameron rushed time after time, and Benedict had considerable luck in stopping several of his shots. Cameron passed the rubber many times, and these passes resulted in scores. Cameron has seldom played better hockey.

Toronto World - Dec. 27, 1917
Harry Cameron and Harry Meeking saved the day. It was Cameron's thrilling rushes and Meeking's work around the net that turned in the victory. ... Cameron was the busiest man on the ice and his rushes electrified the crowd. Harry tore down alone and worked right thru and beat Vezina from close corners.

Toronto World - Dec. 24, 1918
Cameron and Randall were the defence, and Cameron broke out with a few of his oldtime rushes. He tired, but played a strong game.

Toronto World - Jan. 1, 1919 (page 8)
Cameron opened up three or four good rushes and fitted into a pretty play with Denneny to get a goal.

Toronto World - Jan. 8, 1919
Cameron broke away several times and fitted into two plays to get himself goals.

Toronto World - Jan. 29, 1919 (page 8)
Harry Cameron, the Pembroke boy who was let go for his bad habit of trying to make a wet town out of a dry one beat Charlie Querrie's pets all by himself. ... Cameron broke away from a press and went up the ice at a terrific pace, slipped over to the side and beat Lindsay with a hard shot.

Montreal Gazette - Dec. 27, 1920
However, Harry Cameron, who had been playing an excellent brand of hockey, with but a few minutes of the first period remaining, let loose a wicked shot from outside the defence and beat the "wizard of the nets" for St. Patricks initial score.

Toronto World - Jan. 27, 1921
Cameron was also brilliant with his rushing, and was not adverse to giving or taking a pass.

Montreal Gazette - Feb. 10, 1921
St. Pats allowed Cleghorn and Cameron to do the greater part of the rushing, both showing marked ability to beat the Canadiens' line.

Toronto World - Feb. 17, 1921
Cameron was the outstanding player. His rushes were brilliant and effective and he put the punch into the Saints time after time when the forwards were fading. He stick-handled his way thru the defence three times in the first period in whirlwind fashion and should have had a tally each time, and only the hardest kind of luck beat him out of scores.

Toronto World - Mar. 8, 1921
Cameron was another prominent player. Every time the Saints looked like they were going to fold up their tent, he put the tabasco back into them with a couple of rip-roaring rushes and had his poke at Vezina each time.

Toronto World - Mar. 11, 1921
Cameron, on the visiting defence, was the outstanding player on their team. His speedy corkscrew rushes often proved dangerous, and, altho he had trouble carrying the puck over the sticky ice, his work in this respect was very effective.

Stats

NHA scoring among defensemen:
Goals: 1st (1914), 2nd (1915), 4th (1913), 4th (1916), 6th (1917)
Assists: 2nd (1915), 4th (1917), 5th (1913), 5th (1914), 5th (1916)
Points: 2nd (1914), 2nd (1915), 4th (1917), 5th (1913), 5th (1916)

NHL scoring among defensemen:
Goals: 1st (1918), 1st (1919), 1st (1921), 1st (1922), 2nd (1920), 4th (1923)
Assists: 1st (1918), 1st (1921), 1st (1922), 2nd (1919), 3rd (1923), 5th (1920)
Points: 1st (1918), 1st (1921), 1st (1922), 2nd (1919), 2nd (1920), 3rd (1923)

NHL scoring among all players:
Goals: 6th (1918), 7th (1919), 7th (1922), 8th (1921)
Assists: 1st (1918), 1st (1922), 4th (1921)
Points: 4th (1922), 6th (1918), 6th (1921), 10th (1919)

*In 1923, Cameron got hurt on Feb. 3rd and largely missed all but the last 2 games of the season, missing a total of 7 games. Most stats sites have him missing only 1 game.

Consolidated scoring finishes, courtesy of Dreakmur:

1st(1918), 1st(1921), 2nd(1915), 2nd(1922), 3rd(1914), 3rd(1919), 5th(1920), 7th(1913), 7th(1924), 7th(1925), 10th(1923)

Here's who he was behind each year.....

1913 - Frank Patrick, Lester Patrick, Sprague Cleghorn, Howard McNamara, Si Griffis, Art Ross
1914 - Frank Patrick, Sprague Cleghorn
1915 - Sprague Cleghorn
1916 - Lester Patrick, Howard McNamara, Art Ross, Trooper Box, Si Griffis, Sprague Cleghorn, Ken Randall, Dave Ritchie, Art Duncan, Ed Carpenter
1917 - Dave Ritchie, Frank Patrick, Sprague Cleghorn, Joe Hall, Moose Johnson, Lester Patrick, Bert Corbeau, Hamby Shore, Howard McNamara, Bobby Rowe
1918 -
1919 - Lloyd Cook, Ken Randall
1920 - Art Duncan, Lloyd Cook, Sprague Cleghorn, Harry Mummery
1921 -
1922 - Joe Simpson
1923 - Joe Simpson, Lloyd Cook, Georges Boucher, Amby Moran, Eddie Gerard, Clem Loughlin, Joe Matte, Sprague Cleghorn, Art Duncan
1924 - Georges Boucher, Art Duncan, King Clancy, Bert Corbeau, Gord Fraser, Ken Randall
1925 - King Clancy, Joe Simpson, Georges Boucher, Ken Randall, Sprague Cleghorn, Herb Gardiner

See also the table at the bottom of tarheel's quote.

____________________

Cameron provides elite level puck movement for a second pairing, and provides that highly sought after right-handed shot for the powerplay.

The biggest knock on Cameron (and the main if not only reason he was ranked below Georges Boucher on the HOH Defensemen project) was that he was a flake at times and often undisciplined off the ice, but I don't see that being a huge problem on a team loaded with leadership (Bill Cook, Toe Blake, Babe Siebert, Red Kelly)

____________________

Quotes involving defensive plays

There is a fair bit of speculation as to the quality of Cameron's defensive game, so here is my attempt at providing as clear a picture as possible. I have went through every available game recap for Cameron and grabbed the quotes that specifically refer to defensive play, both good and bad.

Following two quotes from JFA87-66-99's profile

When it comes to calling stars, little XXX cannot be well overlooked for he did some clever work, while Harry Cameron, who was only fair on Tuesday, showed his old-time form. His defence work was wicked and his rushes dangerous all the time. He was mixed up in a dozen fierce clashes with XXX, XXX, XXX, but he came right back fearlessly

XXX, the big defence man, played grand hockey until he was laid out by a heavy body check by Cameron. XXX got a rough passage every time he started and was mixed up in many of the little skirmishes, but he looked as good as any man on the ice until Cameron laid him low.

Good:

Toronto World - Dec. 26, 1912
Davidson and Cameron look as good a defence as could be wished for, and, with Harry Holmes in goal, it is going to be hard for the other N.H.A. teams to find the net.

Toronto World - Dec. 29, 1913
The Torontos, altho they won, achieved their victory only with the loss of one of their gamest and best players, Harry Cameron. ... His loss will be felt badly, as he is one of the surest and coolest men the blue shirts have. Note: I don't actually know what this is referring, but the description of him being "sure" might be talking about his defensive game

Toronto World - Jan. 2, 1913
Toronto's defence was fairly good, and Holmes in goal made a number of fine stops. Davidson and McLean showed fair form, and Cameron at cover was the best man on the team by a wide margin. They failed to block the men either with their bodies or sticks. Note: the last part may refer to when the defence would transition to offense, which seemed to be a common tactic used by Cameron

Toronto World - Jan. 6, 1913
Allan Davidson also was in the limelight and he combined with Cameron in putting up a wonderful defence.

Toronto World - Jan. 16, 1913
Marshall and Cameron made a defence that could not be improved upon.

Toronto World - Jan. 23, 1913
Cameron tore off three nice lone rushes, and after relieving at the Toronto end, went right thru the whole champion team and tallied from in front. It was a pretty piece of stick-handling. Note: relieving in those days meant breaking up an opponent's rush

Toronto World - Jan. 27, 1913
Shore made it 4-0 on an end-to-end rush, but Cameron stopped him ten feet out from the goal. The puck, however, kept under way and Holmes came out and took a nervous slash at it and missed.

Toronto World - Jan. 8, 1914
Marshall and Cameron used their bodies with telling effect and the Murphy squad could never get inside.

Toronto World - Jan. 19, 1914
Marshall and Cameron put up a sturdy defence, and Holmes stopped any amount of shots.

Toronto World - Jan. 22, 1914
Cameron and Marshall worked their usual good game on the defence.

Toronto World - Jan. 18, 1915
Cameron showed clever work in staving off Crawford's rush.

Toronto World - Jan. 28, 1915
Cameron and Carpenter make an ideal defence, and the former is playing under a big handicap with a badly-bruised heel.

Toronto World - Feb. 1, 1915
Carpenter and Cameron formed a defence that is as good as any seen at the Toronto Arena.

Toronto World - Feb. 8, 1915
Torontos showed improvement over their last appearance, with Cameron back on the defence. Note: It doesn't specifically mention defensive play, but Toronto won this game 4-3, and lost the previous game 6-2

Toronto World - Dec. 23, 1915
Merrill started a rush, but was brought up short by Cameron

Toronto World - Jan. 3, 1916
Sure the locals had no particular license to win on their showing thru the whole game, for in the first two periods nobody outside of Cameron and Cor. Denneny (and the latter was all in most of the time) was carrying the puck effectively and when Quebec rushed there was never anybody to stop them but the defence.

Toronto World - Jan. 13, 1916
The only goal of the game was scored in the second period by Cyril Denneny after the prettiest piece of combination play seen at the Arena this season. Harry Cameron relieved an Ottawa press and set sail for Benedict, with Cyril in tow. Cameron went straight, circled to the side when he came to the defence, drew Merrill and Ross over, and passed neatly to Denneny. Cyril had nothing to do but skate up to the net and put it in the corner. Note: This is a wonderful demonstration of Cameron's ability to transition quickly from defense to offense

Toronto World - Feb. 8, 1916
Tommy Smith was well watched and the Toronto defence did nice work when the Quebec forwards got in close.

Toronto World - Feb. 17, 1916
The forwards followed their men right back, and the defence was sturdy at all times.

Toronto World - Feb. 28, 1916
Keats and Denneny brothers also did their share, while Cameron played his usual steady game, and protected Lesueur, whose acitivites were none the less marked. Note: Cameron is described as playing his "usual" steady game, suggesting he was quite consistent on the defense

Toronto World - Jan. 17, 1917
Kyle, Randall and Cameron proved effective on the defence.

Toronto World - Jan. 4, 1917
Lockhart kept up his good work, and Cameron and Randall or Kyle worked like heavers keeping out the never-tiring soldiers.

Toronto World - Jan. 25, 1917
They kept up their pretty combination and the defence was working like a machine.

Toronto World - Dec. 20, 1917
Randall and Cameron made an excellent defence.

Toronto World - Dec. 24, 1917
The Torontos were accorded fair goaltending, and, with Cameron and Randall driving out the Ottawa forward, it was not a hard night's work for Brooks.

Toronto World - Dec. 27, 1917
The Torontos were traveling too fast at close quarters, but Cameron and Randall drove out that pesky red-shirt forward line time after time.

Toronto World - Jan. 10, 1918
Mummery and Cameron make an ideal defence. It takes a mighty good man to get past Mummery and Cameron is the man to break with the rush. Note: This one seems more about Cameron's ability to transition

Toronto World - Jan. 29, 1918
Cameron showed some of his old time form in rushing and played a fair defensive game.

Toronto World - Feb. 25, 1918 (page 8)
Their attacks were mostly of the one-man variety, and rarely, indeed, did they get a shot on Holmes from inside Mummery and Cameron. ... and was helped because Mummery and Cameron, unlike their opponents, never let a rebound hang around the front of the net long enough for the Ottawa forwards to get their sticks on it.

Toronto World - Mar. 12, 1918
Every man went for all that was in him and it was the grand checking that stopped the Canadiens. Holmes and the two men out in front of him were in great form.

Toronto World - Jan. 1, 1919 (page 8)
He (Cameron) was strong on the defence. ... Ottawa found the Toronto defence sturdy, and Lindsay handled all the efforts easily.

Toronto World - Jan. 8, 1919
Cameron and Noble did yoeman service on the defence for the Arenas.

Toronto World - Jan. 29, 1919 (page 8)
It was a greatly strengthened Ottawa team. Cameron is the man that made it possible for the Senators to get strength both on the defence and forward line. ... With Cameron to line up beside Cleghorn, the Ottawa outfit have a nifty defence. ... Cameron and Cleghorn put up stubborn opposition to the Toronto forwards.

Toronto World - Dec. 24, 1919
while Cameron and Randall both furnished strong defence games.

Monteal Gazette - Feb. 26, 1920
Darragh and Cleghorn rushed, but Cameron and Corbeau backed in close and stopped their shots.

Montreal Gazette - Mar. 1, 1920
and shortly after the face-off he made another attempt to score, but Cameron relieved and started off towards Drophy. ... Mummery, a few minutes later, came down the ice, but Cameron was his stopping point.

Montreal Gazette - Mar. 8, 1920
Cameron and Corbeau played a good game on the defence

Montreal Gazette - Mar. 11, 1920
With St. Pats forcing the play Vezina was given a busy session until Cameron relieved. ... Cameron checked Noble, and after an end to end rush put Canadiens in the lead. ... Denneny replaced Randall, and started a rush that was stopped by Cameron.

Montreal Gazette - Dec. 23, 1920
Noble and Cameron on the defence stood out as best of the St. Patricks.

Montreal Gazette - Dec. 27, 1920
For St. Patricks, Cameron and Dye divided the honors. Cameron, besides breaking up several likely-looking rushes, contributed his team's first goal in the initial period and otherwise proved effective. He relieved the strain on the forward division by his timely rushes.

Montreal Gazette - Jan. 10, 1921
Cameron and Randall broke up several likely-looking rushes.

Montreal Gazette - Jan. 13, 1921
Hamilton outskated the Saints, but had trouble in getting by the Toronto defence.

Montreal Gazette - Jan. 10, 1921
Another big factor in the victory was the tightening up of the local defence. Randall was back beside Cameron and they were air tight in their work. ... Randall and Cameron kept Canadiens shooting from outside and Forbes handled all efforts easily.

Toronto World - Feb. 7, 1921
Cameron showed his best form of the year, and had plenty of speed. ... Cameron and Cleghorn were none too strong defensively, and Forbes had some tough stuff to handle from Arbour and Lalonde, who were right in on top of him, but they tightened up for the remainder of the evening. Note: He was a little inconsistent in this game but seemed to get better as the night went along

Toronto World - Feb. 17, 1921
The Saints' defence held them up for two rounds. ... Ottawa relieved and then Cameron broke up a rush, was away like a flash and swept behind the goal. Note: Again showing his ability to transition

Toronto World - Feb. 28, 1921
Cameron and Cleghorn worked hard on the defence

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 6, 1922
The Irish defence showed a vast improvement and went better than at any time so far this season. Cameron played a whale of a game

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 9, 1922
The Irish displayed the speed backchecking and combination that were the features of the win against Ottawa and showed no signs of the staleness that was prominent in the first clash against Hamilton several weeks ago. ... Stuart and Cameron kept the Tigers out most of the time and long-range shots of the visitors were easy for Roach to handle

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 12, 1922 (page 6)
Cameron and Randall served up great hockey and kept the Irish in the fight. Note: Cameron and Randall were the defensemen so I infer this is talking about their work on the defense, but it would also be referring to something else

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 23, 1922
In spite of Toronto's solid defence and back-checking, Canadiens had lots of chances. Note: I wasn't sure what to think of this but it seems like Toronto was simply being outplayed despite their best efforts

Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 2, 1922

Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 6, 1922
Cameron, Randall and Noble turned in a grand performance Note: Like above, Cameron and Randall made up the defense and Noble often played defense for Toronto as well

It was one of the closest checking games of the season with both defences standing out. ... In the first two periods the defence players of both teams were the more prominent. They presented Stonewall fronts to the opposing attackers and broke away for many rushes. ... Cameron was at his best

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 4, 1923
Cameron skated faster and checked more determinedly than ever ... Clancy sifted through for the first rush but Cameron stopped him

Montreal Gazette - Jan. 15, 1923
Leo Dandurand presented a team that will give all-comers a race for the N.H.L. title, and Saturday night they held the Irish at bay, and broke even in the scoring, which is no easy feat when it is considered that, with Cameron, Stuart and Noble at the top of their form once more, St. Patricks are fifty percent more formidable than at the beginning of the season. ... Harry Cameron flashed up and down the ice, and the improvement in his play was pronounced. He and Stuart relieved many tight situations by end-to-end excursions, and both checked like fiends in front of Roach.

Montreal Gazette - Jan. 29, 1923
With Cameron at his best and Stuart almost impossible to stop, the two defence men relieved many bad situations and sallied forth into enemy territory at top speed. ... Boucher hooked up with Cameron in sensational sprints several times, but the veteran was too fast for him. ... These goals gave them an opportunity to press the attack, but St. Pats' defensive methods saved the day.

Bad:

Toronto World - Dec. 26, 1912
Laviolette stole the puck and went down all alone, going thru Davidson and Cameron, who seemed bewildered, and scored.

Toronto World - Jan. 12, 1913
The McNamara brothers had it over Cameron and Davidson like a tent, and, except for a few rushes by Cameron, they did not show anything like their form of the Wanderer game. Cameron tried hard, but the Soo twins butted him all over the ice. Note: I am uncertain if this really means anything at all. It seems more like Cameron was targeted in this game and couldn't really do much because of it.

Toronto World - Mar. 3, 1913
Marshall and Cameron blocked the view of Holmes, and the latter did not see the puck until it landed in the net.

Toronto World - Feb. 8, 1915
The play of the home team was very disappointing, only Holmes, Wilson and Foyston being anything like up to form. Note: This doesn't mention Cameron specifically but it can be inferred he did not have a good game.

Toronto World - Dec. 23, 1915
Gerard replaced Merrill, and signalized his appearance by going by both Cameron and McNamara and notching another in 30 seconds.

Toronto World - Jan. 11, 1917
Torontos played Kyle, Randall and Cameron back for the first five minutes, but it was found that two forwards could not check the whole Wanderer team.

Toronto World - Jan. 15, 1917
On the other side, Canadiens solved the Toronto defence thruout and easily deserved their victory. Mummery and Corbeau were much more effective than Cameron and Randall. Cameron had a lot taken out of him by a jam into the boards in the second period.

Montreal Gazette - Mar. 1, 1917
Hague, despite the score recorded against him, played a good game in goal, but was obliged to stop the Quebec onslaughts single handed most of the time.

Toronto World - Jan. 17, 1918
Cameron spent two short sessions on the ice and could never get under way. Note: It doesn't specifically mention his defensive play, but it can be inferred that he wasn't at his best in that area either

Toronto World - Jan. 21, 1918
Cameron, who only subbed on rare occasions, could not get going.

Toronto World - Feb. 19, 1918
After the first ten minutes of play they bunched in centre ice, forgot to check and the defence lost their bearings.

Toronto World - Jan. 13, 1919
The Toronto forwards and defence played far below their standard, and left the greater portion of the work to be done by goalkeeper Lindsay.

Toronto World - Jan. 24, 1919
The defence was loose, failing to block the man the way they ought to have done, and the forwards lacked speed and staying power. Note: Cameron was noted as having a good game this game, despite this quote. He was also banged up earlier in the game pretty badly, which may have contributed to him not having as good a game as he could have.

Toronto World - Jan. 1, 1920
Cameron simply let the Frenchmen walk around him in the opening period, and was then retired for the night.

Toronto World - Feb. 2, 1920
Canadiens moved Harry Cameron up to the line and used Howard McNamara on the defence. They failed, however, to stop the cyclonic rushes of the Senators.

Ottawa Citizen - Dec. 30, 1920
For St. Patricks, Mitchell was decidedly off color. He let eight goals go by. But the failure to stop them cannot be entirely attributed to him alone. His defense did not work as well as usual.

Montreal Gazette - Jan. 17, 1921
The St. Patrick's defence is undoubtedly weak and opposing teams are not slow in recognizing this fact. ... The Ottawa forwards evaded the defence with ease

Montreal Gazette - Jan. 18, 1921
From the face off Canadiens continued on the offensive and forced the play with St. Pats well disorganized and crowding back on the defence.

Toronto World - Feb. 21, 1921
Forbes had to foray out several times to meet the Ham. forwards, who had got right behind the defence. ... Cameron and Cleghorn were poor defensively, and the Hams got in behind them quite too often to suit the fans.

Montreal Gazette - Feb. 20, 1922
Canadiens kept up their apparently well-planned attacks, and time and again broke through St. Patricks defence.

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 11, 1923
The stickhandling of Mickey Roach was a treat, the diminutive wing man was through the Toronto defence several times, but only succeeded in getting the one counter.

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 18, 1923
To make matters worse, the local defence was not up to form. Cameron injured his ankle early in the game and his play was noticeably affected. ... Harry Cameron returned to the fray and stopped Prodgers' promising dash abruptly. Note: Although it seems Cameron didn't have his best game, that might have been due to the ankle injury

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 25, 1923
Boucher and Denneny beat the defence ... Denneny went around Cameron but missed

Ottawa Citizen - Mar. 5, 1923
and only the good goal keeping of Roach prevented the locals from being eliminated.

So there it is, everything I could find about Cameron's defensive game. There was a lot more positive than negative about him. I am unsure how this compares to the consistency of a typical strong defensive defenseman, but he seems like he was very good defensively in real life. This is pretty impressive when you consider he very likely played a game similar to Erik Karlsson's, always given the green light to go on the rush because he was so important to his team's offense.

____________________

I also found a bit on his physicality and aggressiveness. I imagine this was pretty common for the era but he seemed to be pretty dirty at times and I found a couple of instances of him seemingly getting upset at a player and retaliating violently. He was also a courageous fellow that bounced back quickly from injuries and violence used against him.

Toronto World - Jan. 16, 1913
Harry Smith was banished from the game and is $25 poorer for handing Cameron the butt-end of his stick in the mouth. ... Cameron gamely returned to the game after getting patched up.

Toronto World - Feb. 10, 1913
Cameron stopped a hard shot on his ankle, which crippled him for a few minutes, but he gamely continued.

Toronto World - Mar. 3, 1913
Cameron and McGiffen wasted a lot of valuable time in tripping and slashing.

Toronto World - Jan. 5, 1914
It is hard to pick an individual star from among their lineup, especially as Walker, Davidson and Cameron were so good. This trio stayed with the battle all the way, and the latter inadvisedly tried out again, altho only a week ago he had his shoulder dislocated. He weathered the rough play well, altho at the end of the second period his stomach began to trouble him because of the enforced excitement. ... Moran hooked Cameron as he came in and the local boy retaliated with a stiff crack over the head.

Toronto World - Jan. 8, 1914
Doherty and Cameron staged a bout with their sticks and went to the side for five minutes.

Toronto World - Feb. 8, 1916
Keats and Ritchie were the first to use their fists and Cameron and McDonald had a couple of punches to trade.

Toronto World - Feb. 17, 1916
Cameron killed any chance Ottawa had by hitting Nighbor a back-handed slap over the face with his stick and putting the Ottawa man out for the game.

Toronto World - Jan. 11, 1917
Cameron was rightly benched when he hit Roy over the head when the latter checked him.

Toronto World - Dec. 31, 1917 (page 8)
Randall and Cameron were others who participated in roughing things up during the early stages of the game.

Toronto World - Jan. 3, 1918
Mummery and Cameron paid visits to the penalty bench

Toronto World - Jan. 24, 1919
Harry Cameron, former cover-point and star speed merchant of the champion Torontos, made his debut with the Ottawas, and as was to have been expected, he got a hot reception from his ex-teammates. Play had only been in progress a few minutes when Alf Skinner jabbed Cameron over the right eye, inflicting a gash which required three stitches to close. Cameron was knocked out, but he was helped off the ice and attented by a doctor, after which he came back and finished the match, with his face covered with court-plaster. Cameron played great hockey while he was on the ice and proved a big factor in the Ottawa victory.

Montreal Gazette - Feb. 23, 1920
It was off Carey's stick, however, that the pass went over to Malone to tap the puck past Vezina for the winning goal while Canadiens were playing a man short, Cameron drawing a major penalty for bringing down Joe Malone, when the latter was through with Vezina out of the nets in the start of the overtime. Note: This also supports his defensive game a bit, he was willing to use an illegal tactic to save a goal

Toronto World - Feb. 21, 1921
Shortly afterwards Cameron tried to carve a chunk out of little Carey's top-piece, and got a major also.

Ottawa Citizen - Jan. 23, 1923
Broadbent mixed it with Cameron and both were penalized just as full time was announced.

Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 1, 1923
joined Cameron who was serving five minutes for dumping Denneny

And here is a great season-by-season breakdown of Cameron done by tarheel:

Season by Season archives search

Here's what I can find on Cameron.

Pre-NHA

Cameron played for the Pembroke Debaters as an amateur from 1908-11. He first went pro with the Port Arthur Lake City team of the Northern Ontario Hockey League. Very little information is available about these years, other than that Cameron insisted that teammate and boyhood friend Frank Nighbor also be offered a pro contract.


1912-13

Cameron entered the NHA with the Toronto Blueshirts, and made an immediate impact. It's noteworthy that while Cameron was the spectacular rusher from the back line, it was coach Jack Marshall's role as a stabilizing force that allowed Cameron to be maximize his talent.

The Toronto World 1/16/1913
Marshall and Cameron made a defence that could not be improved upon. Cameron got the hand [ed: applause] several times for his individual rushing.

The Saskatoon Phoenix 1/17/1913
Coach Jack Marshall got into a uniform and made a great improvement to the defence with Cameron. The latter's rushing was sensational... Cameron, Wilson and Neighbor (sic) were Toronto's stars, with Marchand playing brilliantly in goal.

The Toronto World 2/6/14
Harry Cameron was again the favorite last night. His lone rushes are regular things every night the Torontos play at home.

The Toronto World 2/10/14
Harry Cameron electrified the crowd time after time with his rushes and Marshall kept taking the puck away from his opponents until they looked rather sick.

The Toronto World 2/17/1913
The Torontos displayed laxness at times, but Jack Marshall, who has proved himself the life of the team, time after time, was there with an opportune word, and kept the boys hustling. Alto he is not the best player on the team his generalship is the blue shirts' biggest asset. Nighbor was the star of the game...
... Harry Cameron put up a nice game, and his zig-zag rushes were always to the fore when things looked doubtful.

GP | G | A | P
20 |9| 0| 9

1913-14

The major change to the Blue Shirts this season was the departure of Frank Nighbor and adding George Macnamara as a substitute on defense. They gelled as a team and won the first Stanley Cup in Toronto hockey history. On this team, Cameron had risen to the point of being a legitimate star.

The Toronto Sunday World 2/22/1914
Cameron was the best man on the ice, and his all-round good work did more to put the locals on top than anything else. He scored one of the Torontos' goals and sent about ten more hard ones right at Vezina, who was forced to step lively to clear them. Every time a rush was started at his nets he was there in all his element, and he blocked and saved well. He did a lot of rushing also, and relieved in places when things looked dangerous.

GP | G | A | P
19 | 15 | 4 | 19

1914-15

Jack Marshall came down with appendicitis mid-season, and after his departure the Blue Shirts quickly dropped out of contention. Their 1-8 streak to finish the season is an indication of how important Marshall was to this club. His next game in Toronto would be as a member of the Habs.

GP | G | A | P
17| 12| 8| 20

1915-17

The sale of the Blue Shirts to Eddie Livingstone in 1915 signaled a turning point for the team and for Cameron's career. Judging by the amount of press coverage they received, the sorry team lost the attention of the Toronto hockey public. In turn, it's a lot more difficult to find details of Cameron's performance.

Cameron ended up briefly with the Montreal Wanderers after Livingstone's feud with the NHA led to the demise of the Blue Shirts.

Season | GP | G | A | P
1915-16 | 24 | 8 | 3 | 11
1916-17 | 20 | 9 | 5 | 14

1917-18

Cameron returned to Toronto when the Arenas franchise began play in the NHL. Around this time, he began to feud with manager Charlie Querrie. That feud would play out in the media and the court of public opinion, but Cameron proved a bit too valuable to be disposed of easily.

The Saskatoon Phoenix 12/27/1917
To Harry Cameron, Querrie's sterling defence player, belongs the lion's share of the credit. Three of the goals were directly due to his clever skating and stick handling, while he notched another on a pass from Meeking. On the defence he stopped Lalonde, Malone and Laviolette time and again, and on several occasions he out-skated the whirlwind "Newsy".

The Toronto World 1/29/1918
Cameron showed some of his old time form in rushing and played a fair defensive game.

The following three quotes are from the Stanley Cup Finial series between Toronto and Vancouver.

The Toronto World 3/27/1918
Cameron was the outstanding player for the locals. He rushed in his old time style and the game needed these thrillers at times to liven it up. The good defence man grabbed two goals himself and paved the way for two more.
... Cameron was especially brilliant with his rushes, and he dodged the checkers nearly every time.
... Cameron received a pass and set sail down the ice alone. He shoved the puck ahead of him and when he hit the defence, skated around Griffis, and then picked it up and beat Lohman from close range. It was a pretty goal.
Cameron rushed right back, passed over the defence, and sent the puck across the goal mouth, but Meeking failed to reach it.
... Cameron tore down, skated around the defence and passed to Skinner at the goal mouth. Lohman didn't have a chance to save.
... Cameron got this one back for the Toronto Club with a beautiful lone rush. When Cameron hit the defence he shoved the puck along, went on and grabbed it and scored.
A three-man Toronto rush was next in order and Cameron missed the net by inches only from a good pass.

The Toronto World 3/29/1918
Torontos were simply lost at the seven-man, no offside in centre ice stuff. Vancouver ran all over them with speed and had a bag of tricks that left the blue shirts gasping.
... Cameron was a strong rusher for Toronto, but had hard luck with his shots.

The Toronto World 4/1/1918
Individual rushes were the order, and the work of Cook and Cameron featured.

While it certainly would appear that he was less oustanding as the series wore on, Cameron appears to have been one of the only Toronto players to impress in every game and he was perhaps the single most important player in the first game.

Note the reference to rushing "in old time style". One gets the impression that he was seen as something of a relic at age 28, playing a rushing game that was increasingly less common among younger defensemen.

GP | G | A | P
21 | 17 | 10 | 27

1918-1919

The Calgary Daily Herald 1/31/1919
And the honor of netting the winning goal and of breaking up the big battle again fell to Harry Cameron who had already made himself famous by scoring the deciding point in the Ottawa-Toronto grind at the Queen City arena two nights before.
... Cameron took [Frank Nighbor's pass] perfectly, swerved slightly to his left and then let go a high shot which landed in the twine behind Vezina. ... Cameron kept right on skating after slamming in the goal which brought victory to Ottawa, and was in the dressing room, tired and panting before the majority of spectators realized that it was all over.

The quote above paints a nice picture of an offensive force in his prime. One gets a sense not only of the gracefulness of his skating, but that he had grown into that stage where players seem to operate at a level slightly above the opponent.

Cameron was briefly traded to Ottawa that season... alas, if any reactions to that trade exist in print I can't find them.

GP | G |A |P
14 | 11 | 3 |14

1919-20

This was an interesting season for Cameron. He returned from a brief sojourn in Ottawa. Querrie, his longtime nemesis in management, bought the team in December and renamed them the St. Patricks. Note the following series of events.

The Toronto World 12/24/1919
Mitchell was very good in the Toronto nets, while Cameron and Randall both furnished strong defence games.

The Toronto World 12/29/1919
[several others played well, as did] Cameron, tho the latter was not at his best owing to a bad gash he received in the preliminary practice when he crashed into the goal post with his head, requiring medical assistance.

Edmonton Journal 1/15/1920
Noble and Cameron were away below form. Cameron gave a listless exhibition and was taken out near the close of the first period. Immediately following the game the locals traded him to Canadiens for "Goldie" Prodgers.

The Montreal Gazette 1/19/1920
Harry Cameron, who was recently secured from St. Patrick's in trade for Goldie Prodgers, made his initial appearance with Canadiens and acquitted himself in a creditable manner. Cameron was not only used as a substitute defenceman, but was sent in to relieve players on the forward line.

The Montreal Gazette 1/21/1920
Cameron is playing better hockey with Canadiens than he did with St. Patrick's, and fits well into his new position.

Within a month's time he goes from solid, to severely injured, to listless, to expendable, to a success with a new team.

Brings a few questions to mind. Who the hell goes head-first into the goal post during warmups? Why was he so listless after that injury? Why was the team so quick to pull the trigger on trading a 5-year star? Was he in a concussion-like state, or something else along the lines of a Lionel Conacher situation? Or was he simply disinterested in playing for Querrie, who had the leverage to unilaterally send Cameron packing for the second time.

It's a very interesting drama indeed.

GP| G | A | P
23 | 15 | 5 | 20

1920-21

Cameron, of course, returned to Toronto the next season (more questions spring to mind) and appears to have been right back to form.

The Toronto World 1/24/1921
... Harry Cameron skated from goal to goal, shot and slapped in the rebound...

The addition of Sprague Cleghorn gave him a defense partner comparable steadiness to Jack Marshall, and the results were notably similar.

The Toronto World 1/25/1921
Cleghorn and Cameron will be a hard defence to score on. It was Harry Cameron's defensive work which helped materially to beat Ottawa in the overtime period. Harry saved the situation twice in the overtime period by good headwork.
... [Cleghorn] will steady the defence and improve the play of Cameron.

The Toronto World 1/27/1921
Cameron was also brilliant with his rushing, and was not adverse (sic) to giving or taking a pass. ... Cameron fitted in nicely with [Cleghorn] in the rushing.

GP | G |A | P
24 | 18 | 9 | 27

1921-22

With Cameron leading all defensemen in goals, assists and points, the St. Pats finished second in the league and beat the heavily-favored Senators in the playoffs on the way to the Stanley Cup. Unfortunately, much of the summary of the first game of the series is unreadable on the Google archive. It appears that Cameron had a hand in a controversial goal. In the second game, apparently played in "inches of water", the St. Pats played suffocating defense against a Senators club that could be described in Terry Murray's words as experiencing a choking situation. The Montreal Gazette seemed scandalized that the Cup would be defended by a team which was "not truly the best representative team of eastern professional hockey". I suppose we should take that kind of talk with a grain of salt, but it does say something about the degree to which the St. Pats stepped up their game in the playoffs while the juggernaut Sens faded.

Cameron was 3 points shy of Babe Dye for the team lead that season.

GP | G | A | P
24| 18 |17 |35

1922-23

The Calgary Daily Herald 12/2/1922
Cameron for the visitors stood out conspicuously in the already conspicuous performance of the St. Pats. All three of Toronto's goals went to his stick. He faithfully contributed one in every period.
... Noble, Denenny and Rye were responsible for some brilliant work and they were only prevented from piling up a handsome score by the work of Fowler. Old Harry Cameron was the only man that had Fowler's number.
... Then Cameron showed the lads something flashy and beat Fowler.

Cameron was clearly still a force to be reckoned with, but I think it says something when a player starts to be referred to as "old so-and-so" and talked about as showing "the lads" a trick or two.

This was his final season in the NHL. When the Pats missed the playoffs in 1923, Cameron departed for Saskatoon where, as I understand it, he made a transition to forward.

GP | G | A | P
22 | 9 | 7 | 16

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

The following table shows the top 5 defensemen in scoring from 1917 through 1923. Note that it does not include two seasons (1914 and 1915) when Cameron was a point-per-game scorer.

Rk | Name | GP | G | A | P | PIM
1 |Harry Cameron | 128 | 88 | 51 | 139 |189
2 |Eddie Gerard|128 |50 |48 |98 |108
3 |George Boucher | 109| 50| 39| 89 |207
4 |Sprague Cleghorn| 100 |52| 33 |85 |257
5| Bert Corbeau | 127 |45 |30 |75 |291

Starting in 1917-18, Cameron led all NHL defensemen in the following categories:

1917-18: Goals, Assists, Points
1918-19: Goals, Points (tied with his partner Randall)
1919-20: Points (tied with his partner Randall) and 2nd in goals to Cleghorn
1920-21: Goals, Assists, Points
1921-22: Goals, Assists, Points


Best I can tell, Cameron was likely the premier puck-rushing defenseman in hockey during the early years of the NHL. He took the solo-rushing sensibility of early hockey and applied it to the "modern" game. The major weakness in his game was the need for a steady partner, a Marshall or Cleghorn, to give him a bit of space to roam. Still, he was by no means a one-way player and if we had plus-minus numbers from back then, they would probably show very favorably for him.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=42979705&postcount=41

 

[Dreakmur]

Valeri Kharlamov !!!


Domestic Awards and Achievements:
11 x Soviet League Championship (1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)

2 x Soviet League MVP (1972, 1973)
7 x Soviet League All-Star (1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978)

MVP Voting – 1st(1972), 1st(1973), 2nd(1975), 2nd(1976), 4th(1969), 4th(1971), 5th(1970), 5th(1974)

Domestic Scoring Accomplishments:
Points – 1st(1972), 2nd(1971), 3rd(1969), 3rd(1970), 4th(1975), 4th(1978), 5th(1976), 5th(1979), 6th(1974), 9th(1977), 10th(1973)
Goals – 1st(1971), 2nd(1972), 3rd(1969), 4th(1978), 5th(1970), 5th(1974), 7th(1976), 7th(1977), 9th(1973), 9th(1975), 12th(1979)
Assists – 1st(1972), 2nd(1975), 3rd(1969), 3rd(1970), 3rd(1978), 4th(1976), 5th(1971), 5th(1979), 6th(1973), 9th(1974), 12th(1980)


International Awards and Achievements:
2 x Olympic Gold Medalist (1972, 1976)
8 x World Championship Gold Medalist (1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979)

IIHF Centennial All-Star Team

IIHF Best Forward (1976)
4 x IIHF All-Star (1972, 1973, 1975, 1976)

International Scoring Accomplishments:
Olympics
Points – 1st(1972), 5th(1976), 5th(1980)
Goals – 1st(1972)
Assists – 1st(1972), 1st(1976), 1st(1980)

World Championships
Points – 2nd(1971), 2nd(1979), 3rd(1973), 4th(1975), 4th(1977), 5th(1969), 7th(1970), 8th(1972), 10th(1974)
Goals – 2nd(1977), 2nd(1979), 4th(1969), 4th(1970), 4th(1973), 4th(1975), 8th(1972)
Assists – 1st(1971), 2nd(1973), 3rd(1969), 3rd(1979), 4th(1972), 4th(1978), 6th(1974)

Summit/Super Series’
Points – 4th(1974), 5th(1972), 5th(1976)
Goals – 4th(1972)
Assists – 1st(1976), 3rd(1974), 4th(1972)

Kharlamov combined superior hockey intelligence with outstanding natural talent and established himself as one of the most formidable weapons in the dominant Soviet arsenal during the decade.

Many will best remember Valeri Kharlamov for his role in the 1972 Summit Series versus Team Canada. So effective was the high-flying winger that in Game Six, Canada's Bobby Clarke took an aggressive chop at his ankle. Although he finished the game, Kharlamov's ankle was cracked. He missed Game Seven and was clearly playing injured in the pivotal final game. Still, Valeri scored three goals and four assists in the seven games he played. Kharlamov also played in the 1974 Pro Classic against the WHA stars, scoring two goals and six assists in the eight-game tournament. In 40 games played against North American professionals, Kharlamov collected 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points.

Valeri Kharlamov played during the 1970's prior to the arrival of Larionov and Makarov and co. His skating was unequaled and his passing and shooting was simply uncanny. He perhaps had the greatest arsenal of skill of any player ever, maybe even more so than Gretzky or Lemieux, but we never had the chance to really determine that. One European hockey expert described Kharlamov as a combination of Mike Bossy and Pavel Bure... Valery Kharlamov gained international fame in 1972 when the Soviet Union played the NHL All-Stars in a series of games. He had an excellent series, but his fame was cemented when he was anointed by the redoubtable Bobby Hull, who said that Kharlamov was “the best winger in the world.”

Kharlamov enjoyed respect of his fellow players — without exception — and was the team’s informal leader.

Valeri Kharlamov awed Canadian audiences. His slick foot and stick work and amazing speed and shot accuracy places him as perhaps the single most talented player in the entire tournament. It is arguable that Kharlamov was as talented as Gretzky or Lemieux. Kharlamov was also feisty, leading the Soviets in penalty minutes with 16.

Kharlamov made the Canadian defenders look like they were old-timers, minor-league wannabes or something. What he was doing to them was very intimidating. The Canadians were always looking at Kharlamov with their mouths open. But they just couldn't accept it. He was just this skinny guy. But on the ice, a magician... He was definitely one of the most talented players in the history of the game. Despite a relatively small size even by hockey standards of the 1970's, Kharlamov was an author of unforgettable 1-on-1 moves that left the best defense players in the world wondering how he managed to outsmart them. He had simply amazing skating and stick handling skills. But, he wasn't just a fast skater. He was able to constantly change the gears of his skating speed depending on his on-ice maneuvers... Being very creative and unpredictable on ice, Kharlamov was one of the major attractions to the game when he played hockey.

The game ended with Kharlamov doing some magnificent stickhandling in the Team Canada end. Watching him in this game, and remembering what I had seen him do in Games One and Two, I was convinced - and still am - that he is the best winger I have ever seen in my life.

At 14:16 it happened, the inevitable - Kharlamov with a beautiful "school" pass got the puck to Vikulov..

Valeri Kharlamov, a dazzling left-winger who could stickhandle and pass with breathtaking precision, was so fast that he could beat two Canadian defenseman just by skating around them... Whenever an NHL team would have an exhibition game against the Red Army, Kharlamov was a target of cheap and dirty play. They would brutally dominate the small Russian because they feared his ability. Stop Kharlamov from scoring was half the battle against the Soviets...

When the Soviets’ elegant and fearless Valery Kharlamov burned the Canadiens for three goals and four assists in five games…

Kharlamov was a wizard at managing the new style of play. His mark of greatness lay not in scoring fantastic goals...In fact, his claim to fame had nothing to do with scoring goals. Kharlamov was at his best when the opposing defenseman got him up against the boards. The defenseman would bear down on the forward at full speed in an attempt, if not to hurt him, then at least to slow him down for two or three seconds. He would prepare to throw a hard bodycheck, but it usually didn't happen. Kharlamov would skate away without even flinching.

....

The Mikhailov-Petrov-Kharlamov line was different from the classic Canadian pattern of playmaker-triggerman-soldier. Any of that Soviet lines three players could function in any of the three roles.

He was fast and so hard to defend against out there. I admired the way he kept everyone on their toes. He was simply outstanding.

Every member of the Russian team could play in the NHL, but Kharlamov would be outstanding.

If I could do half of what Kharlamov did, my name would be heard everywhere - morning, day, and night.

In my NHL career, I had to shadow a number of superstars – Bobby Hull being one of them. I would certainly put Kharlamov on the same level as Hull in terms of talent and ability.

What hurt the Russians badly was losing their best player, Kharlamov. He was their best goal scorer; their best player to go wide around a not-too-mobile Canadian defense, and that was a big blow to the Russians.

His talents were God-given and he could do practically everything - a smart play, a tricky pass, a precise shot...Everything he did looked so easy, so elegant. His execution of hockey was aesthetic and he amazed millions.

Any coach, having Kharlamov on his team, would simply be obliged to create a first-class forward line. He was a great all-round hockey personality

He was our primary target. Every night it was, 'who's going to take care of that guy?' He was dynamite. He had the skill and the ability of any player in the NHL at the time. Serge Savard figures he's one of the greatest players he's ever seen, and that's good enough for me.

Kharlamov was killing us. I called Clarke over to the bench, looked over at Kharlamov and said, 'I think he needs a tap on the ankle.' I didn't think twice about it.

Valery Kharlamov was born to play hockey. He was the smartest even among star players... a diamond in the crown of Russian ice-hockey.

Take a look at Kharlamov, at his specifications - how much does he weigh? Not much. But look at the way he goes to battle. He is practically always the first one who gets control of the puck.

I have never seen anyone, other than Orr, as fast as Valeri Kharlamov. He’s the only guy I’d mention in the same breath as Orr.

Bobby Clarke of the Philadelphia Flyers says the player he remembers best in the Team Canada-Russia series is Valery Kharlamov, the tough young winger.

Paul Shmyr, who was in trouble most of the night, couldn’t handle Valery Kharlamov in the corner.

 

[Dreakmur]

Dominik Hasek !!!



NHL Awards and Achievements:
2 x Stanley Cup Champion (2002, 2008)

2 x Hart Trophy Winner (1997, 1998)
6 x Vezina Trophy Winner (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)
6 x First Team All-Star (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001)

Hart voting - 1st(1997), 1st(1998), 2nd(1994), 3rd(1995), 3rd(1999), 8th(2001)
Vezina voting - 1st(1994), 1st(1995), 1st(1997), 1st(1998), 1st(1999), 1st(2001), 5th(2007), 6th(2002), 7th(2006), 8th(1996), 8th(2000)
All-Star voting - 1st(1994), 1st(1995), 1st(1997), 1st(1998), 1st(1999), 1st(2001), 3rd(2007), 4th(2002), 7th(1996), 7th(2006)


International Awards and Achievements:
Olympic Gold Medalist (1998)

Olympic Best Goaltender (1998)
World Championship Best Goaltender (1987, 1989)
World Championship All-Star (1987, 1989, 1990)
5 x Golden Hockey Stick Winner (1987, 1989, 1990, 1997, 1998)
5 x Czech League Best Goalie (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990)

Golden Stick (Best European) voting - 2nd(1989), 3rd(1984), 3rd(1987)


NHL Statistical Accomplishments:
Save Percentage - 1st(1994), 1st(1995), 1st(1996), 1st(1997), 1st(1998), 1st(1999), 2nd(2006), 3rd(2000), 5th(2001), 7th(1993), 9th(2002)

Goals Against Average - 1st(1994), 1st(1995), 2nd(1999), 2nd(2006), 2nd(2007), 4th(1997), 4th(1998), 4th(2001), 4th(2008), 6th(1993), 6th(2000), 7th(2002)
Saves - 1st(1998), 2nd(1995), 2nd(1997), 2nd(2001), 3rd(1997), 7th(2007)

Save Percantage vs. League Avergae

Season | Average | Hasek | Difference
1994|0.895|0.930|+0.035
1995|0.901|0.930|+0.029
1996|0.898|0.920|+0.022
1997|0.905|0.930|+0.025
1998|0.906|0.932|+0.026
1999|0.908|0.937|+0.029
2000|0.904|0.921|+0.015
2001|0.903|0.915|+0.018
2002|0.908|0.915|+0.007
2004|0.911|0.907|-0.004
2006|0.901|0.925|+0.024
2007|0.905|0.913|+0.008
2008|0.909|0.902|-0.007
Average ||| +0.0175 7-Year Peak ||| +0.0271

Domestic Awards and Achievements:
Czechoslovak Extraliga Championship (1987, 1989)
Czechoslovak Extraliga Playoff MVP (1989)
Czechoslovak Player of the Year (1987, 1990)
Czechoslovak Extraliga Goalie of the Year (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990)
Czechoslovak Extraliga Best Goalie (1989, 1990)

Czech Extraliga Champion (2010)
Czech Extraliga Player of the Year (2010)
Czech Extraliga Best Goalie (2010)
Czech Extraliga Playoff MVP (2010)

​

 

[Dreakmur]

Bill Quackenbush !!!


Awards and Achievements:
Lady Byng Trophy Winner (1949)

3 x First Team All-Star (1946, 1948, 1951)
2 x Second Team All-Star (1947, 1953)


Hart - 10th(1948)
All-Star - 1st(1948), 1st(1949), 2nd(1951), 3rd(1947), 3rd(1953), 5th(1946), 7th(1950), 9th(1944)


Offensive Accomplishments:
Points - 2nd(1946), 2nd(1947), 2nd(1948), 2nd(1949), 3rd(1951), 4th(1950), 4th(1956), 7th(1952), 7th(1955), 9th(1945), 10th(1953)

Play-off Points - 1st(1952), 3rd(1949), 3rd(1953), 3rd(1955)


5 Year Peak: 1946 - 1950
1st in Points among Defensemen, 111% of 2nd place Pat Egan
1st in Goals among Defensemen, 106% of 2nd place Pat Egan
1st in Assists among Defensemen, 101% of 2nd place Ken Reardon

10 Year Peak: 1946 - 1955
3rd in Points among Defensemen, 96% of 2nd place Doug Harvey
3rd in Goals among Defensemen, 76% of 2nd place Bill Gadsby
4th in Assists among Defensemen, 90% of 2nd place Jimmy Thomson
3rd in Play-off Points among Defensemen, 69% of 2nd place Doug Harvey


Scoring Percentages:
Points among Defensemen - 100, 100, 100, 100, 81, 71, 65, 54, 53
Best 6 Seasons: 552

Ultimate Hockey's Best Poke-Checker of the 1950s

To the eyes of experts, Quackenbush was in his prime on the night of April 8, 1952. His defense work was as technically correct as any backliner of the post-World War II era, and his combative thirst was camoflaged by a seemingly mild disposition.

Bill Quackenbush, a defenseman with both the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, was just such a gentleman. Like Red Kelly, another decorous Red Wings defenseman, Quackenbush was clean enough and competent enough to win the Lady Byng Trophy in 1949 while playing for a Detroit club notorious for such sluggers as Terrible Ted Lindsay and Black Jack Stewart.

Although the temptation to join the brawlers always was quite apparent, Quackenbush resisted the lure and played a pure defense. In so doing, he made a greater impact on the game than some of his more violent teammates.

More than anything, Quackenbush was an extraordinary practitioner of his art.

 

[Dreakmur]

Shea Weber !!!


Awards and Achievements:
2 x Olympic Gold Medalist (2010, 2014)
World Championship Gold Medalist (2007)

Olympic All-Star (2010)
IIHF Best Defenseman (2009)
IIHF All-Star (2009)


2 x First Team All-Star (2011, 2012)
2 x Second Team All-Star (2014, 2015)


Hart - 13th(2012)
Norris - 2nd(2011), 2nd(2012), 3rd(2014), 4th(2009), 4th(2015), 7th(2010), 8th(2013)
All-Star - 2nd(2011), 2nd(2012), 3rd(2014), 4th(2015), 5th(2009), 7th(2010), 7th(2013)

Offensive Accomplishments:
Points - 3rd(2014), 6th(2012), 8th(2009), 9th(2013), 9th(2016), 10th(2011)
Goals - 1st(2012), 1st(2014), 2nd(2009), 3rd(2010), 4th(2011), 4th(2016), 5th(2007), 5th(2013), 6th(2015)

Olympic Points - 5th(2014), 10th(2010)
Olympic Points among Defensemen - 2nd(2010), 2nd(2014)

IIHF Points - 3rd(2009)
IIHF Points among Defensemen - 1st(2009)


5 Year Peak: 2010 - 2014
3rd in Points - 98% of 2nd place Duncan Keith
1st in Goals - 114% of 2nd place Mike Green
2nd in Power Play Goals - 90% of 1st place Mike Green

10 Year Peak: 2006 - 2015
7th in Points - 94% of 2nd place Nicklas Lidstrom
1st in Goals - 114% of 2nd place Zdeno Chara
2nd in Power Play Goals - 87% of 1st place Zdeno Chara


Scoring Percentages:
Points among Defensemen - 92, 92, 83, 77, 75, 74, 73, 68, 60
Best 6 Seasons: 493

 

[BenchBrawl]

Paul Thompson, LW.

Thanks to Hawkey Town 18 for providing most of the information in this biography.New quotes were added.

Basic Information

Shoots: Left
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 180lbs
Born: 11/2/1906

Regular Season Statistics

GP|G|A|Pts
582| 153 | 179 | 332 |

Playoffs Statistics

GP|G|A|Pts
48| 11 | 11 | 22 |

VsX

Years |Score
7 | 82.6

Top 10 Finishes

Goals: 3, 6, 7, 10
Assists: 4, 7, 10
Points: 2, 3, 8, 10, 10

Goals-Per-Game: 3, 6, 10
Assists-Per-Game: 4, 9
Points-Per-Game: 2, 3, 10


Achievements

- Stanley Cup: 3 (1928, 1934, 1938)
- All-Star Award Finishes: 1st , 2nd, 3rd
- Top 5 Hart Voting: 2nd (lost to Eddie Shore 68 to 61)

Playoffs

Thompson was a meaningful contributor to the Blackhawks first two Stanley Cup Championships:

1934 Stanley Cup Playoffs
T-3rd overall in Points (T-2nd on Team)
T-2nd overall in Goals (T-2nd on Team)
T-3rd overall in Assists ((T-2nd on Team)

1938 Stanley Cup Playoffs
T-2nd overall in Points (T-2nd on Team)
T-3rd overall in Goals (3rd on Team)
T-8th overall in Assists (T-4th on Team)

Thompson's time on the Blackhawks (1931-32 to 1938-39):

Top 5 Scorers Regular Season

Name|GP|G|A|Pts|PPG
Paul Thompson | 365 | 118 | 146 | 264 | 0.72
Johnny Gottselig | 364 | 111 | 136 | 247 | 0.68
Mush March | 364 | 86 | 104 | 190 | 0.52
Doc Romnes | 279 | 56 | 112 | 168 | 0.6
Tom Cook | 243 | 46 | 64 | 110 | 0.45

*6th in NHL scoring over this time period behind Marty Barry (308), Busher Jackson (302), Nels Stewart (282), Charlie Conacher (275), and Cecil Dillon (271)

Top 5 Scorers Playoffs

Name|GP|G|A|Pts
Doc Romnes | 24 | 5 | 13 | 18
Johnny Gottselig | 24 | 9 | 8 | 17
Paul Thompson | 24 | 8 | 9 | 17
Mush March | 23 | 6 | 9 | 15
Earl Seibert | 12 | 7 | 2 | 9

About Thompson:

Paul Thompson was one of the top players in the National Hockey League during the tough days of the 1930s. He led the Chicago Blackhawks in scoring six times in his eight seasons in the Windy City.

Often toiling on the second line notably with Murray Murdoch and Butch Keeling and sometimes with Alex Gray and Reg Mackey, Thompson's line always played second fiddle to the Frank Boucher-Bill Cook-Bun Cook trio that dominated the entire league in those days.

It wasn't until Thompson joined the Chicago Blackhawks that his offensive numbers took off. Traded for Art Somers and Vic Desjardins, Thompson slotted in nicely on the Hawks top line with Doc Romnes and Mush March. Thompson would twice top the 20 goal mark. In both of those seasons, 1934 and 1938, he led the Hawks to Stanley Cup championships.

A two time all star, Thompson totaled 153 goals and 179 assists for 332 points in his 582 game career. He would turn to coaching the Hawks in retirement, lasting 6 seasons.

"Paul Thompson was an excellent player," recalled former teammate Cully Dahlstrom. "He was great around the net and shooting the puck.

Not sure where that guy got his information for the quote below:

Thompson scored 20 goals twice in Chicago and he scored 15 or more goals in 7 out of his 8 season with the Blackhawks. Thompson was a 2-time all-star but his biggest contribution during his playing days was being on both the 34 and 38 Stanley Cup winners in Chicago. Thompson was an all around good player that didn’t shy away from any aspect of the game. He played physical, played in front of the net, and still had an excellent shot.

http://blackhawkup.com/2014/08/01/blackhawks-top-100-69-paul-thompson/

Paul Thompson was a skillful left-winger during his 13 years in the NHL beginning in 1926-27. He was a well-rounded player who could check as well as contribute on offense in a career that yielded three Stanley Cups. The slick forward was also the younger brother of star netminder Tiny Thompson.

He was a solid role player for five years and helped the club win its first Stanley Cup in 1928. In October 1931, he was traded to the Chicago Black Hawks for Art Somers and Vic Desjardins.

Thompson hit the 20-goal mark twice during his eight years with the Hawks. In 1933-34, he formed an effective line with Doc Romnes and Mush March when Chicago won its first Stanley Cup. Four years later, he scored a personal-best 22 goals and notched four post-season markers to help the club win its second Cup of the decade. He retired during the 1938-39 season to coach the Hawks for the last 27 games of the schedule.

Conacher thought that when he went into the locker room between periods that I was going to go with him. [Along with linemates Paul Thompson and Butch Keeling] We shadowed them pretty good. When that line came on the ice, we had to go on against them.

Newspapers:

They (NYR) still must play without Bun Cook, regular left winger, but Paul Thompson turned out to be a first class substitute.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=nJoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5316,6627960&hl=en

Paul Thompson's good batting eye and an air-tight defense gave the Hawks the decision.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=UdoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1861,3985106&hl=en

[...]when xxx took the puck in close and Paul Thompson got it in a scrimmage and slapped home the shot.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=0GkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5228,6817738&hl=en

The five goals and six assists put him only four points back of Paul Thompson, the Chicago Blackhawks' ace.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=PSIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4683,5184902&hl=en

xxx had a great goalkeeper in xxx, an outstanding two-way defenseman in Earl Seibert; one of the league's cleverest and most scintillating forwards in Paul Thompson, [...]

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=ZqgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6478,3844505&hl=en

The Hawks made several determined bids thereafter but their only dangerous stickman was Paul Thompson, speedy brother of the Boston goalie, who came here leading the league’s scorers.

The very rapid Paul Thompson scored the first two Hawks goals in the space of less than a minute in the first period

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/...ticle/blackhaawks-win-4-0-detroit-goalie-hurt

The game was enlivened by a free for all battle between Paul Thompson of the Hawks and Hal Cotton of the visitors, from which both drew a major penalty

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/...s-cards-lose-pro-leads-review-of-weeks-sports


Seems that Thompson was stuck behind the Bread line in New York for the first part of his career, but then really flourished when he was traded to the Blackhawks and was given an opportunity to play on the top line.

Paul Thompson had to work hard for his unassisted goal, as he zig-zagged the length of the ice, through every defender before slamming a close-quarter shot into his brother "Tiny's cage!"

http://www.sihrhockey.org/new/p_hhh.cfm

Paul Thompson and John Gottsf lig of the Blackhawks spend the summers as farmers

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1935/03/27/page/17/article/talking-it-over

Gottselig played hockey with such remembered Hawks notables as Cahrley Gardiner, Paul Thompson, Mush March, Doc Romnes and Lionel Conacher.

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1963/09/13/page/51/article/in-the-wake-of-the-news

...the game was one of the roughest of the year [...] Paul Thompson bad several teeth knocked loose

http://archives.chicagotribune.com/.../crippled-hawks-need-rest-after-roughest-game

 

[tony d]

Defenseman Borje Salming

Biographical information and stats courtesy of hockeyreference.com:

Height: 6-1 (185 cm)
Weight: 193 lbs. (88 kg)

Born: April 17, 1951

-768 points in 1099 career games
-3 time all star
-6 time post season all star
-3 time Norris finalist (2 time runner up)
-2 top 10 assist finishes

Legends of Hockey:

Salming is remembered for his slalom rushes across the rink and his powerful wrist shots in the style of Bobby Orr, as well as for his tricky but accurate passes so typical of the European game. Al Arbour, the great coach who in the early 1980s led the New York Islanders four times to the Stanley Cup, once commented on Salming when he was at the peak of his career. He called him a great athlete with an ability to perform excellently on both defense and offense. Yet, for a hockey player capable of gaining points on the offensive, his eagerness to be a human shield and stop a slapshot was quite incredible. And he did it without much hesitation. Arbour saw him for the first time in Moscow in 1973 and was highly impressed with his performance back then. But when his own team went up against Toronto, he lamented all those same qualities that made Salming a great player.

Joe Pelletier:

Salming was undoubtedly great. He could do it all, and was perhaps the best shot blocker of his era. While he was able to gain the highest respect on the ice, he didn't quite get it off the ice. Salming was always considered to be just a tad lesser than the top North American defensemen throughout his career - Larry Robinson, Denis Potvin, Rod Langway and later Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque.

Salming enjoyed seventeen years in the NHL as one of the top two-way defenseman, and was the first European trained player to make a significant impact in North America, thus paving the way for today's stars.

Happy to have Salming on my team, he'll make a good #1 defenseman for the Bobcats for sure.

 

[BraveCanadian]

C, Anze Kopitar

Kopitar (6-foot-2, 224 pounds) has become the complete package, the prototypical franchise center. He has Evgeni Malkin's size, but also Toews' defensive ability. - NHL.com



Personal Info:

Height: 6'3"
Weight: 225lbs
Shoots: Left
Birth: August 24, 1987 Jesenice, Slovenia (Yugoslavia)


NHL Accomplishments:

Top 10 in assists: 8, 9, 9 (2015-2016 partial season as of writing)
Stanley Cup Champion 2012, 2014 (LA)
NHL All Star Game 2008, 2011, 2015


International Accomplishments:

Kopitar was the only NHL player for Slovenia during the 2014 Olympic games and led their team to a surprising quarterfinals berth.


​

Regular Season:

Kopitar started his NHL career off running, placing 4th in Calder voting during 2006-07 and finishing with 61 points.

Kopitar has led the Kings in scoring during the regular season for 8 straight seasons from 2008-2015 and is currently leading them for a 9th straight season so far in 2015-2016.

As of 2015 he has compiled a VsX 7 year of 75.4

Anze is also a strong defensive player who drives possession on the Kings team:

Selke record: 2, 3, 4, 9, 9


As voted by the Kings media, Kopitar has been the recipient of the following team awards:

Award|Description|Seasons
Mark Bavis Award|Best Newcomer|2007
Bill Libby Award|Team MVP|2008, 2010, 2011, 2014
Best Defensive Player||2011,2013,2014,2015
Leading Scorer||2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015

While always solid positionally with his great hockey sense, an important turning point for Kopitar was the spring of 2009, when he was tasked by LA Kings management to take an even bigger step in his commitment to an all around game and take on even more responsibility for the team:

EDMONTON -- Anze Kopitar altered his off-season conditioning program after being challenged by Los Angeles Kings management last spring.

The result has been impressive.

Kopitar has advanced from being a sporadic sniper to consistent point producer, while also improving his play in the defensive zone.
...
"They wanted me to play at a high level for 20, 25 minutes a game," he said. "I felt confident I could take the next step and I think I've shown it so far. There's still a lot of work to be done, (but) being on top right now is something I'm really proud of.

"There are a lot of really good hockey players in this league, so just being on top, I know I must be doing something right. I'm getting the puck more in stride this year. In previous years, I'd have to go and get it. Now we're playing more of a possession game, which is really good."
...
"I did some different conditioning, more running than I have in the past, and I think it's helped me out this year. I feel good on the ice, that's the most important thing," Kopitar said.
...
"(Kopitar) really paid attention to the detail part of the checking part of the game last year and, to me, he clearly made a decision over the off-season that this was an opportunity to show what he can do on the offensive side," Kings coach Terry Murray said.
...
Kopitar was minus 12 in his first season, and a combined minus 32 the next two years. This season? He's improved his defensive responsibilities to the point where he was plus 5 in the first 24 games.
...

Source


Kopitar is now among the best centers in the world.

...
This has been an incomparable season for Kopitar. He won the Stanley Cup and led the NHL playoffs in scoring for the second time in three seasons, but this was also a coronation as one of the world's best players.

No one symbolized the incredibly difficult path to a championship for the Kings more than Kopitar, who his coach consistently matched against some of the best centers in the sport. In each of the three rounds to survive the Western Conference, Kopitar outplayed the world-class player expected to contain him.

First it was Joe Thornton and (mostly) Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks. Next it was Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks. Then it was Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks.

After Kopitar and the Kings were done eliminating Toews in the Blackhawks, Wayne Gretzky went on national television in Canada and said Kopitar is the third-best hockey player in the world, behind Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Toews. Kopitar finished the postseason with 26 points, a total behind only by Gretzky in Kings playoff history.

Kopitar's play in this postseason, combined with an analytics-based look at his body of work, could help someone form a convincing argument that the 26-year-old is, in fact, not behind Toews.
...
Kopitar participated in the 2014 Sochi Olympics for his native Slovenia with his father, Matjaz, as his coach. That alone would make for memories that last a lifetime, but the Kopitars helped Slovenia to the two greatest victories in the country's hockey history, defeating established Slovakia in the preliminary round then advancing to the quarterfinals by defeating Austria.

On a team with no other NHL players, Kopitar was magnificent. He remained at that level in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Kopitar (6-foot-2, 224 pounds) has become the complete package, the prototypical franchise center. He has Evgeni Malkin's size, but also Toews' defensive ability.

Kopitar glides past defenders with long strides or bullies past them with underrated strength. At one point Friday during Game 5, Kopitar went into the corner with Rangers forward Rick Nash and muscled him off the puck like he was someone who weighed 40 pounds less.
...
Kopitar is an advanced-statistics marvel. He faces the toughest competition and Sutter dares opposing coaches to avoid using their stars against Kopitar. He and Jarret Stoll field all of the tough faceoff assignments.

The Kings dominate possession of the puck when Kopitar is on the ice. The game slows down for everyone when he is dictating the play.

He is the talisman, the fulcrum of what makes the Kings so difficult to play against.
...

Source


For a front line center, Kopitar has been counted on heavily since even his rookie season as a penalty killer. Whether the Kings overall unit has been weak or strong Kopitar's reach, positioning and hockey sense have made him a key member of their PK:

Season|SH TOI / G|Team PK Rank
2006-07|2:05|30
2007-08|1:09|30
2008-09|1:28|7
2009-10|1:35|20
2010-11|2:03|4
2011-12|2:14|4
2012-13|1:29|10
2013-14|2:00|11
2014-15|1:40|21
2015-26*|2:15*|9*

*=in progress


Voting Records:

AS: 6, 6, 8, 11
Byng: 4, 8, 10, 10, 14, 19, 52
Calder: 4
Hart: 8, 17
Selke: 2, 3, 4, 9, 9


Playoffs:

Kopitar led the playoffs in scoring each time the Kings have won the Stanley Cup and added in great two-way play as well. He was a Conn Smythe candidate in each victory:

...
Here are this week’s top five candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy:
...
ANZE KOPITAR, C, LOS ANGELES KINGS: With two goals and four points in the final, Kopitar has moved into a tie with New Jersey’s Ilya Kovalchuk for the playoff scoring lead. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Kopitar has emerged as the Kings’ best forward and has been solid at both ends of the rink throughout the playoffs. Despite the fact he was minus-1 on Wednesday night, he remains second in plus-minus in the post-season at plus-14.

Source

With Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs starting to heat up, here’s our list of the top 10 Conn Smythe candidates:

1) Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings – Kopitar ranked No. 2 on last week’s list, but he jumped past Toews with four points in the Kings’ two road victories against Anaheim. Not only does Kopitar lead the playoffs in scoring (14 points), he’s also contributed a point in every one of his post-season games this year.

Source

...
Generally the search begins with the goaltender, because they have won the award 33 percent of the time. The Kings have a Conn Smythe–winning goaltender on their roster, but he has been mediocre to bad all playoffs.This is where the debate really begins this season, because over the last 20 seasons, a post-season like Quick’s registers so poorly that he is not even a realistic candidate.
...
the most deserving King is Anze Kopitar. Not only does he meet the criteria of leading his team in scoring, but he has also managed to dominate traditional and #fancystat categories while facing elite competition.

Kopitar has outperformed his expected output while driving the Kings’ play. His possession numbers are strong considering the match ups he’s face during this Kings playoff run. Kopitar struggled early at 5 on 5 as the Sharks matched him up against Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Matt Nieto, but as the series wore on the Slovenian began to take over. When the Kings knocked the Sharks out, his assignment became Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Devante Smith-Pelly. His task against the Hawks? Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Bryan Bickell. In the Finals it is more of the same.

Kopitar isn’t just negating the top of the other teams’ lineups, he is dominating those match ups. He has always been underrated playing on the West Coast, but I do find it interesting that, after defeating Jonathan Toews—the man that inherited Sidney Crosby’s best player mantle in the Conference Finals—the imaginary belt went right past Kopitar to Drew Doughty. It is possible Doughty steals the Smythe, I can live with that, but Kopitar should win it because it is time he is recognized as a superstar.

Source


Analysis:

For those that think Kopitar has only now put it all together and had a coming out party with all the good press after his absolutely dominant 2014 season.. here is some press from the previous time he was finally discovered (not coincidentally when he led the playoffs in scoring and won a Stanley Cup -- people were watching!):

Meet Anze Kopitar, one of the best players in the NHL who very few seem to know about.

The basics are simple. The 24-year-old Slovenian center led the Los Angeles Kings in scoring for the fifth straight season, notching at least 25 goals each time. His career-high 51 assists this season were eighth-best in the league.

But when you keep a low profile and play hockey in Southern California, it is easy to avoid the spotlight. That is quickly changing as the Kings close in on their first Stanley Cup title.

"When we're starting our games at 7:30 on the West Coast, a lot of people are sleeping," linemate Justin Williams said Friday of the sixth-year forward. "In that aspect, he obviously flies under the radar. The important things are that we know how good he is. If the rest of the world wants to find out, they are doing it right now."

....

Kopitar, with his size and scoring ability, gives the Kings an advantage and luxury that teams crave but have a tough time finding.

"There are not many No. 1 powerful centers in this league. There is only maybe one a team, if that," Williams said. "Kopy's skill level and his work ethic and his defensive-zone responsibilities are something that set him apart from a lot of the other players."

Kopitar excels in his own end, too. He was ninth in the NHL with 76 takeaways.

"I've always had the mindset of going out to perform to the best or to the potential that I have," said Kopitar, the No. 11 pick in the 2005 NHL draft. "If people notice me or not, it doesn't really matter except for me knowing that I do lay out there every night and do my best."

The two-way game he plays is certainly not lost on stellar goalie Jonathan Quick, who is likely the biggest obstacle in Kopitar's path to the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP should the Kings capture the Cup.

"It was a little disappointing for quite a while," Quick said of Kopitar's relative anonymity. "You see how well he's played for the past few years and it seems like he doesn't get as much praise as he definitely deserves. He is definitely one of the best players in the league, and I'm glad to see he's finally getting some press and attention.

"He's unbelievable."

...

Source

Two Stanley Cups and 550 points into his career, Anze Kopitar is the pride of Slovenia. And the NHL’s most underrated superstar.

...

For nearly a decade, Kopitar has been one of the best all-around players in the game. And yet, it seems, not everyone knows who Kopitar is. Playing on the West Coast in a city of stars, his local celebrity is naturally muted. And though he’s been one of the most consistent and effective two-way centres in the game, he is routinely left out of discussions about hockey’s greatest players.
...

If there is indeed a traditional-puck-market bias in the collective hockey conversation, Kopitar is its biggest victim. Nearly a point-per-game player since he entered the league as a 19-year-old, Kopitar is also one of the game’s most reliable penalty killers and his possession numbers are exceptional. Yet he has never won a major NHL award—aside from those two Stanley Cups.
...
Under coach Terry Murray, Kopitar developed into one of the best two-way centres in the game, fully utilizing his six-foot-three, 225-lb. frame.

Source

Kopitar is the most underrated center in the NHL. We see him all the time, unfortunately. Because he combines size, strength and intelligence, he’s as difficult to play against as any player in the league. When we’re up against the Kings, I try and play like him. He’s very responsible defensively and checks very well, especially with his stick. He’s one of the best in the league at anticipating where the puck is going and jumping in to cut off cycles.

Offensively, his strength presents a problem. If he gets speed coming through the neutral zone, he’s tough to contain. I try to push him to the outside as much as possible. More than anything you have to take away his space. You can’t let him get his eyes up. If you give him a second on the puck to look up, he’s going to find someone in a dangerous spot.

Source

...

Kopitar has long been an under-appreciated player, to the point where he gets talked about enough for the label to fade. He has never quite been a point-a-game player, but is a possession machine who, over the last three years, has been on the ice for 59.9 per cent of all available shot attempts at even strength. It’s a staggering number; over that span, he’s 0.4 per cent behind Boston’s Patrice Bergeron, another purist’s two-way star. Kopitar, like Bergeron, vastly improves every teammate’s possession numbers, as well.

And for the old-school stats, Kopitar led the Kings in playoff scoring in 2012, and was leading them heading into a potential Cup-clinching Game 5 in Los Angeles Friday night, with 26 points in his first 25 playoff games. The Kings, for their part, seem to appreciate him properly.

Source

...
This is the first time Kopitar is a finalist for the award — he finished ninth in 2011 and 2012, then fourth last season — but he has been deserving for quite some time.
...

Source

Is this the year that Kings center Anze Kopitar solidifies his lofty position in the NHL in the view of people … outside of L.A.?

That might sound a bit odd when talking about someone who led the NHL in playoff scoring in 2012 when the Kings won the Stanley Cup, but it has taken this long for Kopitar's two-way excellence to get him into the Selke Trophy conversation. Perhaps voters were staying up later on the East Coast to watch Kings games during the regular season.

Source

Here’s an image from the good people over at Extra Skater. They are a fantastic resource and should be a go-to for hockey fans. This is an image of the deployment (offensive or defensive zone) and quality of competition (TotTm% QoC). The further up-and-to-the-left a player is, the tougher the zone starts and competition the player faced:

(An excellent usage chart that has undrafteds so I won't post but shows Kopitar way off by himself )

In the hockey sense of the phrase, Kopitar is quite literally on an island for the Kings.

Kopitar had the lowest rate of offensive zone starts among all regular Kings forwards (33.4-percent) and the third-highest rate of defensive zone starts (30.6-percent). This led to Kopitar having the second-lowest O/D ratio among all Kings forwards (only Jarret Stoll was lower).

Kopitar led all regular Kings forwards in CorsiFor at 5-on-5 at 61-percent and was on the ice for just 25 goals against at 5-on-5 all year (Bergeron was at 29, for what it’s worth). He was also second among their forwards in short-handed ice time, finishing behind Stoll by a whopping six seconds. He also led the entire NHL in CorsiOn, or the differential expressed as a 60-minute rate. It is absurd how good Kopitar was this year, playing all 82 games.

Source

...
One of these years we have to get a Selke into Kopitar's hands, who is truly one of the NHL's premier two-way forwards. But his own inconsistent play early in the season, plus his team's overall struggles until lately, will likely hurt his case. But man, he is honestly one of the top two or three two-way forwards in the world, and one day he'll get his.

Source

 

[BenchBrawl]

Joe Hall, D/W.

Here's a colored picture of the Quebec Bulldog team, Joe Hall is fifth from the left.

Position: D
Shoots: Right
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175 lbs.

Newspapers (In Chronological Order)

1904

(source to be verified)

One early instance was in a January 1904 game at the Winnipeg Auditorium as a member of the Brandon Rowing Club team. Some in the crowd were taunting him with calls of "Butcher" and "lobster" for his dirty play and Hall made "an alleged breach of etiquette towards the audience"

That 1904 team went on to challenge for the Stanley Cup final but lost to the Ottawa Silver Seven. Soon after, he was offered a pro contract with Portage Lake of the International Hockey League in Houghton, Michigan but turned it down to keep the Brandon lineup intact for another shot at glory.

http://westenddumplings.blogspot.ca/2009/11/1919-stanley-cup-off-and-death-of-joe.html

1905

(source to be verified)

In one of his first games on December 14, 1905, he was ejected for chopping a player with his stick. A couple of games later, against the same team, he went on a verbal tirade using profanities against a referee who then sent him off. When his outburst continued off the ice, the opposing team walked off in protest and forfeited the game. The management of the team said that he would be barred from ever entering their arena again

http://westenddumplings.blogspot.ca/2009/11/1919-stanley-cup-off-and-death-of-joe.html

1906

Joe Hall, the big ruffian who plays rover on the international hockey league seven, got ample revenge last night on Hod Stuart, the clever coverpoint of the Pittsburgh team, for the attack which the smoke city man made upon him on tuesday night.

[...]

The players grew more furious as the game progressed, and it was noticed that Hall was making an effort to get at Stuart.Towards the end of the second, Stuart came down the ice with the puck, when Hall made a spurt, and, skating down along the Pittsburgher, clouted him a terrific blow with his stick.Stuart went down and doubled up with pain.When his teammates reached his side he was unconscious and had to be carried off the ice.Hall was ordered out of the game, but the supporters of the local team howled their disapproval of the disciplining of Hall, and cries of "Do it again, Joe!" and "Kill Him!" were heard on all sides.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=r0gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1576,804225&hl=en

The management of the latter team declared that it will not let Joe Hall enter it's rink

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=r0gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4403,1845235&hl=en

Though Hall will make his first appearance in Pittsburgh Tuesday night he is already known by reputation to every follower of hockey.No player breaking into the league has become as notorious in so short a time.He is a good player, but his habit of getting rowdy is particularly responsible for his notoriety.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=q0gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3158,4909283&hl=en

Joe Hall, who has been the talk of the league circuit, will come in for his share of criticism tonight.Hall is rather a good looking chap and does not bear any signs of being the "rowdy" reports made him.There is no question but that he is a heavy checker; this was apparent in the practices.His teammates say that Hall never starts trouble.Being a big fellow he takes many bumps without complaint, and if he is protected by the referee he never tries to "get back".

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=q0gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3408,5548220&hl=en

1907

(source to be verified)

Hall's one drawback as a hockey player is his temper, which, on the ice, he appears to be unable to control.Joe possesses the qualities of a great hockey player and if he could only dampen this feature, his worth would be doubled

http://westenddumplings.blogspot.ca/2009/11/1919-stanley-cup-off-and-death-of-joe.html

Joe Hall, who has been expelled from the Manitoba Hockey League for rough work, has quite a record in that line of work in Ottawa.When the Winnipeg Rowing club came East aftert he Stanley Cup, Joe was on the team.Five minutes after the first game was started Joe and Alf Smith clashed, and both were cut up considerably.Five minutes later Hall skated (? illegible) (?) to put the Ottawa man out of business.(?)

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAAIBAJ&sjid=0dgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6958,54754&hl=en

1911

Joe Hall got out of a hospital cot(? illegible), where he was laid up with ulcerated teeth, and played an excellent game for Quebec.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAAIBAJ&sjid=3X4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6582,64125&hl=en

...and Joe Hall, who is a "knight of the grip" with a Brandon firm, will again take the road...

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=PtkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4146,5013359&hl=en

1912

Joe Hall showed dandy condition, and appears to be better than ever.He had lots of fun with one of the "Heavy Weights", who was out reducing weight.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=KNQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1882,3193384&hl=en

1913

JOE HALL OCCUPIES A UNIQUE POSITION IN HOCKEY WORLD

Called the "Bad Man" he is the most marked player in the sport- goes on ice to play clean games and is expected to shoot up somebody

Every time Joe Hall makes his appearence in a hockey arena there are scores of people who crane their necks and try to discover if Joe has a couple of shooting irons and a larlat(?) concealed in his uniform.

Joe is termed the "Bad man of the west".Coming out of environments where "Injuns" once speckled the land now devoted to the cultivation of grain, it is a simple matter for those who believe everything bad of the man to associate pistols and other weapons with Hall.

http://westenddumplings.blogspot.ca/2009/11/1919-stanley-cup-off-and-death-of-joe.html

...and passed it to Joe Hall, who made it five to two.

[...]

Joe Hall played great hockey for Quebec throughout

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=_YQFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4201,3302476&hl=en

The teams roughed it up and the crowd began to yell "get Hall".

The latter, on one occasion, skated down the east side of the rink, stopped with the puck in his possession, put his hand to the side of his face and shouted to his would-be annoyers: "Why don't you come down here on the ice and get Hall yourself?"

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=d4YFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2774,1021826&hl=en

Hall and xxx formed a stonewall...

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=d4YFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2774,1021826&hl=en

Joe Hall, who did not even draw a minor, was as fast and effective as ever.

[...]

xxx, who was doing fine work on the defence with Joe Hall, put Quebec in the lead...

[...]

Joe Hall, who had been attacking frequently, carried the puck again into the Sydney territory.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=HdQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1799,436773&hl=en

This was probably where the visitors had the superiority.Hall and xxx cleared well on shots and managed to slap the puck away from the nets...

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=LdQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1808,6561246&hl=en

1914

Joe Hall, coverpoint of the Quebec hockey team...

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAAIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1814,66607&hl=en

Joe Hall is about to institute actions for damages against several newspapers for their reports of his encounter with Lalonde in the game in Montreal last Wednesday.Joe, as already, announced in these columns, states that he gave Lalonde a fair body check and the whole affair was accidental.The two were bound to come in contact and if it had happened at any other part of the Arena there is little doubt that Lalonde would have escaped without injury.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1703,708903&hl=en

Joe Hall was in the most delicate position of any man on the ice, thanks to the successful methods taken by Kennedy of the Canadiens, when he sent out the warning through the public press before the last Quebec-Canadien match, (? illegible) alleged feud existing between Lalonde and Hall.The result was that Hall, in Saturday's game, realizing that he would receive more attention than any man on the ice was forced to be as gentle as a lady in his defensive work.As far as Joe was concerned he could offer but little resistance to the Toronto rushes "in the way of body checks as were handed out by the youngsters" defence.Hall's rushes were good, but he will likely be at a terrible disadvantage in his defensive work for the balance of the season with the officials watching him so closely

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1862,750273&hl=en

xxx,xxx and Hall on the defence and xxx in goals contributed their share to the victory

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1831,886949&hl=en

xxx and Hall took occasional excursions to Canadien Land and they also made it decidedly unpleasant for the visitors

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4770,1472919&hl=en

Joe Hall and xxx could never quite agree on who was to the aggressive work and who the defensive.The result was that the play of both deteriorated

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=_igDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2489,1404752&hl=en

Joe Hall also played well, breaking up the rushes of the visitors, and, like xxx, made several rushes, almost scoring.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1759,2219627&hl=en

Ontario secured the puck at the start, and xxx sent in a hot one, which xxx stopped.Hall secured it, rushed up the ice, passed to Joe Malone, who scored the first game for Quebec in 2.45

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1759,2219627&hl=en

Hall brought the puck almost from his own goals, and shot.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1759,2219627&hl=en

Just after the start (of the 2nd period) Hall was given a major (five minutes and three dollars) for using his knee on xxx.

...

Joe Hall came on again (in the 3rd period) in place of xxx

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1759,2219627&hl=en

With their last chance for the championship fading away under the sun of a one-goal lead, Quebec launched a terrific attack in the closing minutes of the game.Defence was thrown to the winds.xxx and Hall pithed themselves into a head-long assault upon the fortress of Vezina.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3019,2096092&hl=en

Joe Hall most popular player on Quebec team.

---

Joe Hall, the well known defence man of the Quebec team was presented with a handsome silver cup at the beginning of last night's game against Ottawa at the Arena.The cup which was donated by the Quebec Realty and Loan Company to be awarded to the most popular player on the Quebec team, was presented to the star defence man by (? illegible) Geo. Belanger and Alex. Plante amid a storm of applause from the spectators.

Hall won the popularity voting content, which was so arranged that each voter had to pay a certain amount for the right to vote, and the total amount of the receipts will be divided among the players on the "Bulldog" team.

Joe Hall richly deserves the cup, for he has certainly played fine hockey all season.He is out to win every time he gets on the ice, and puts every ounce of his energy into the game, from the first minute to the last.

He is well known in senior hockey circles, having played with Brandon, Winnipeg and other Western teams.He has been with Quebec for several seasons past, and has always shown himself to belong to the very highest grade of hockey players in the dominion.

He is about 33 years old, and looks good for any amount of hockey yet.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1538,2655946&hl=en

Benedict, xxx and Gerard had a hot session in warding off Quebec's rushes, but Hall and Smith outmanoeuvered them and scored the only two goals in the period.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=6ygDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3500,3542751&hl=en

Then Joe Hall, opponent blocking, took the puck, and, deftly dodging, rushed from end to end and counted.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=J9QEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1880,2654635&hl=en

The Quebec team were faster and played together much better than the Wanderers.Crawford and Malone, the wings, and Joe hall, the cover-point, kept up a continual attack on the Wanderer goal.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=6ygDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4239,5994334&hl=en

1915

Joe Hall put some life into the play near the end of the period with a spectacular lone rush all the way down, the only Toronto player he didn't beat was xxx (goalie)

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=iSgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4097,1927089&hl=en

''We will beat them'', said Joe Hall in discussing the match with Ottawa a short time ago, ''if we don't beat that bunch we will give them their bumps,'' he continued.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=HEEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1642,147657&hl=en

Joe Hall, the man who put the "bull" in bulldog, cover-point extraordinary and exclusive holder of the title of "bad man", [...]

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAAIBAJ&sjid=XDQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2504,76097&hl=en

Joe Hall is now a second string man in Quebec, having given way to Dave Ritchie, who is said to be a great improvement over the former bad men

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=1SkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1520,4581731&hl=en

1916

The game was exciting, but not so much so as a free fight which followed immediately after the game.Joe Hall of Quebec's defence, started the trouble by striking xxx, who substituted for xxx on the Canadie defence.Players on both sides rushed into the melee and a number of spectators also were in the mix-up.The police were hastily summoned, and succeeded in stopping the row without making any arrest.Inasmuch as the fight took place after the playing time had expired the hockey officials could not penalize the offenders

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAIBAJ&sjid=aDQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1572,998091&hl=en

"They must have thought I wasn't going to play hockey this winter," said Joe Hall at Quebec the other day, "when they decided to have a one-referee system.It always seemed to me that one referee's duty was to watch the game and the other to watch Joe Hall."

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=_igDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3170,3211458&hl=en

Apparently his declined play around 1915 in Quebec was temporary, as this article indicates he bounced back strong in Montreal while a veteran.

1918

Everybody is remarking these days on the quality of hockey being dished up by Joe Hall.

As the years of an athlete go, Joe is past his prime.But he doesn't seem to have heard the clarion call of old Pa Time summoning him to job along the road leading to Has-been-ville.

Hall is playing this season the best hockey he has ever shown in the east.Years may have robbed him of some of the fire which sparkled forth so frequently in those old days as to earn him the title "Badman Joe", but they haven't robbed him of any of his hockey skill.Years of experience, which ranged from one coast to the other, have given him a knowledge of hockey's finer points excelled by no one and behind this he has the physical stamina and the speed - plus the heart.For no one ever accused Hall of having the slightest tinge of ochre in his make-up.

That Hall has so gallantly stood the gaff of a more than usually strenuous hockey career is the greatest tribute of all his gameness and fighting spirit.Hall isn't a big man, in fact, he is rather slight of physique, and is probably the lightest man, in poundage, on the Canadie team.Joe thinks that his old bones are getting brittle now, so he's heavily padded when he goes into the fray, but without the pads, he shrinks to almost lightweight proportions.

Always a turbulent spirit, Hall's battered frame bears a scar or two from every league in which he has played, and not the least of them from the Soo league, where every game was a stand-up-knock-down battle.

But he can still show the youngsters something.If this is his last flash before expiring, athletically, then it's a mighty strong and brilliant flash.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=lSkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6550,5436931&hl=en

In the final session Ottawa started fast, but Vezina, Hall and Corbeau stood firm in the face of bombardment

(unverified from another bio)

Joe Hall, just out of the clutches of the Toronto police, drew down the only major foul of the night when he tripped Cy Denneny and saved a probable goal in the third period

(unverified from another bio)

Hall and Corbeau played nice defence hockey, but they were outplayed and outguessed by the Toronto forwards.- March 12, 1918

(unverified from another bio)

He has advised the local club to sign one of the Cleghorns or to purchase Joe Hall in order to strenghten the defence.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=XdkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7054,1021269&hl=en

Corbeau relieved the situation by making several clever rushes, and Hall was also prominent with his blocking.

(unverified from another bio)

1919

Perhaps one of the most noticeable features was the grand playing of old Joe Hall on the Canadien defense.Hall was in rare form and his blocking was masterful.He was also a strong rusher and grabbed two pretty goals.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=xSgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4381,1929478&hl=en

Seattle and Canadians staged one of the greatest battles in hockey history last night [...]

"The hardest played game in hockey", was the exclamation of League President Patrick, aftert he close, and everyone of the large crowd present agreed with the veteran official.

[...]

The game was the roughest of the series.Penalties were frequent on both sides, but Joe Hall, the Canadian defence man, drew the ire of the fans by his rough checking.Two Seattle players are nursing injured ankles from Hall's wicked stick [...]

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=XWgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6059,4732488&hl=en

Article just after his death:

The news of the death of Joe Hall from influenza Saturday afternoon at Seattle was received as a shock.Joe Hall's career as a hockey player was a long and checkered one, lasting from the season of 1900 until the time of his death, without a break.It is safe to say that Hall played in more competitions for the historic Stanley Cup than any of the players surviving him, and he played for it as an amateur, as well as a professional.

[...]

He first learned to play hockey with the Brandon intermediate team in the winter of 1900, and played at times, until 1902, when he became a member of the Winnipeg Rowing Club.Hem oved up the senior ranks that season, and when the Winnipeg Rowing Club team journeyed to Ottawa to play for the Stanley Cup, Hall played on the defence for the Rowing Club.

From Winnipeg. Hall returned to Brandon and played on the team of that city until he went to the international League, playing for Houghton, Mich. with marked success.From Houghton Hall returned to Winnipeg, and afterwards to Montreal to play for the team of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association.From the M.A.A.A. team he went to Shamrocks, and played with them for one season.Then he joined the Quebec hockey club on the formation of the National Hockey League, in 1910, and played on the team when they won the championship in 1912 and 1913.He continued as a member of the Quebec team until two seasons ago, when the club decided to suspend operations, and the National Hockey League was organized to replace the National Association, which suspended operations.When Quebec abandoned hockey the players were pooled, and in the draw for them Hall became a member of the Montreal Canadiens, with which team he was playing for the Stanley Cup when he contracted influenza, and developed pneumonia, which resulted in his sudden death.

When the war was being carried on between the National Hockey Association and the Pacific Coast league, Hall stood for Quebec and refused to jump to the west.He played consistent hockey thruout his career, and at various times figured well up on the list of goalscorers.

Hall was one of he few professional athletes who saved his money.He worked on the railroad during the summer months, and this, with his hockey earnings, enabled him to purchase property in Brandon, which will leave his wife and three children, two sons and a daughter, in comfortable circumstances.

Hall played the game for all there was in it, and, although he checked hard and close, he was never known to take a mean advantage of a weaker opponent.He was popular with his clubmates, and had many friends in the cities in which he played hockey.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...IBAJ&sjid=cSsMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1298,11157024&hl=en

Pneumonia takes Joe Hall, oldest player in hockey

http://assets.sbnation.com/imported_assets/51643/hall_article.jpg


Posthumous (1920-Present)

Hockey fans who have attended the games regularly will have no difficulty in remembering the great work of Joe Hall, an Eastern Canadian product, who was one of the greatest defense men that ever carried a stick.

Hall was a rival of the famous Hod Stuart and one night in Pittburgh Hall cut Stuart down.Hall is not playing anymore, but [...]

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=lkkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4341,1465226&hl=en

Title: "Bad Joe" Hall sent Patrick and Gerard to Hockey Cleaners

"He laid on the wood," say the old-time hockey men, gingerly feeling of their scalps and bridgework, where the stick of Bad Joe Hall landed.

Like Georges Vezina, Bad Joe Hall is dead, struck down in all his arrogant prime by an enemi he couldn't check into the boards or fight with his stick - the flu epidemic of a decade ago.But wherever referees' whistles blow and players go on laggard skates to the penalty box Bad Joe Hall is remembered.Many a time he took the short journey to the jeers of crowded Canadian crowds.

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57346441/?terms=joe+hall

Hall was cruel, loyal and repentent.Once Lester Patrick was slashed viciously across the eyes by the bad one and spent the next ten days in a dark room.But that same afternoon Patrick had gone shopping with him to buy a dress for his wife- Joe had wanted him to pick it out.Bad Joe knocked loose four of Eddie Gerard's teeth on another memorable occasion and came around the hotel, sobing like a baby, to apologize.

"If somebody told him to go out and get you he would do it- if you were his best friend," Patrick sims up Hall's character in a handful of words."But he would sob his heart out in remorse in the dressing room."

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57346441/?terms=joe+hall

[...]the little town of Brandon in Manitoba.That was the prairie home of Bad Joe hall.But he wasn't Bad Joe Hall then.He was laughing Joe Hall.

And Laughing Joe he remained for years after he entered hockey.He had a vast appreciation for a funny story.

[...]

It wasn't until they took him off the forward line and placed him back on the defense that Joe Hall's temper was spoiled.

[...]

It was when they changed Joe's position that they also changed nicknames.

Hockey didn't have the rules then it has now.When players fought on the ice they didn't receive a major penalty.The police jumped over the dasher and they really went to jail appearing in the Canadian courts in the morning.The clerk would often call the name of Joe Hall.

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57346441/?terms=joe+hall

On the Lalonde-Hall "war": The whole story of that war can never be written.Some of it couldn't be passed by any censor.But it was give and take from the first.

[...]

Lalonde was calculating, trickey, remorseless.Hall slashed and maimed, but the next minute he was sorry.

"You ought not to do that, Joe," a soft-hearted teammate would remonstrate as the latest Hall victim was cut down."That kid's got a mother who thinks the world of him."

The bad man's eyes would fill up and he would turn away without saying a word, all the fight knocked out of him for the rest of the evening.He was just a big boy who fought to live, who was in deathly fear of being thought a coward.The last words he whispered were that all the boys be told that he died game, a look of intense anxiety in his fading eyes.

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57346441/?terms=joe+hall

Built like a tomcat, with long arms and legs, Joe Hall was a fast, hard-riding forward in the old days of seven-man hockey.He was a scoring defense man, too, and a hard blocker.

Always he took vast pride in his work.If a game was scheduled to begin at 8:30 of an evening Hall was in the dressing room four hours before the blowing of the whistle- picking out his sticks, running his thumb along the edge of his skates.It was sharp skates that took him into trouble and strong sticks that got him out of it.

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57346441/?terms=joe+hall

Hall was twice a Stanley Cup player.

[...]

...and sickness broke out among the squad.Player after player went down.Bad Joe Hall the sickest of them all.

It was a short, hard fight, the kind Joe loved best.

"I'm growing old for Hockey, Lester," Bad Joe told Patrick just before the end."I'd like to play here in Vancouver for you.This is my wife's hometown, you know.I'd like to have her see me play," a little wistful.

Joe wanted his wife to see him play, so he couldn't have thought in the simple, forthright soul of him that he was doing anything wrong when he hit an enemy charging down upon him and sent him, groaning, to the hospital.It was all just a lawless part of the game.

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57346441/?terms=joe+hall

...Bad Joe Hall lost his life as a result.Hall was one of the great and picturesque players of the past

http://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/57401573/?terms=bad+joe+hall

Lester Patrick broke with the puck and set sail for the Montreal goal.Suddenly Hall, tired of chasing him, desperately hooked his stick around Lester's neck and into Lester's left eye.

"I thought I'd lost the eye for sure", says Patrick."The blood gushed forth in a stream".

Just then Hall skated up, "What's the matter, Lester?" he asked, as sweet as you please.

"Nothing, Joe" Patrick said, "I'm going to have my picture taken".

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=paQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5995,5745869&hl=en

Another account of Newsy Lalonde vs Joe Hall (and some quotes on Harvey Pulford)

The game got pretty rough at one stage and, when Newsy Lalonde made one of his usual rushes from end to end, trying to push his way through the defense, Joe Hall did not even bother to body-check him.He let the weight of his stick down on Newsy's collar bone .

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=3EgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2243,6619431&hl=en

...Joe Hall tried one of his remarkable rushes from the end of the ice...

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=3EgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2243,6619431&hl=en

Veteran of violence himself, Edouard Charles "Newsy" Lalonde doesn't allow his natural dignity as ine already enshrined in hockey's Hall-of-fame to interfere with his memories.In picking for WEEKEND his "all-time, meanest, toughest team,"he has named himself to the position of coach.

...

But old-timers seem more in awe of the bloody duels he had with such players as Joe Hall.

Hall, as a star of the Quebec Bulldogs, had nearly severed Newsy's windpipe in Quebec.The next game, in Montreal, saw bloody-hungry crowds batter down the gates of the old Westmount Arena only to see Hall carve Newsy for 18 stitches.But Newsy redeemed himself with the fans.As soon as the doctor got him back in one piece he returned to the ice and shattered Hall's collarbone.

"But there was nothing personal about it", adds Newsy."When Hall later joined Canadiens we became friends and roomies."

Newsy picks Hall on defence - with, of course, the late Sprague Cleghorn as partner.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AIBAJ&sjid=MOUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5290,1877673&hl=en

...and the Quebec Bulldogs rose to fame, with such a fine goaler such as xxx, and players like Joe Hall, xxx, xxx, xxx, Joe Malone, xxx, xxx, xxx

Online Sources:

Later, they moved on to the small city of Brandon and it is here that Hall developed into a gifted hockey player. Tough as nails, Joe found a perfect fit for his punishing style of play as a defenseman, though early on in his playing career he patrolled the ice as a forward and rover.

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

In 20 games from 1902-1905, Joe amassed 25 goals, and became widely known not only for his scoring prowess and gregarious off-ice manner, but also for his rough style of play.

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

but with respect for Hall and his rugged style of play

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

In November of 1905 Hall did get paid, joining Jack Gibson's Portage Lake Professionals of the International Pro Hockey League (I.P.H.L.), where he scored 33 goals in only 20 games and was named as a first team all-star. He also led the league in penalty minutes, amassing the incredible total of 98 and earning the ominous moniker, "Bad Joe". Portage Lake issued a challenge to the Silver Seven for the Stanley Cup, but the request was denied by the trustees because the Lakers were openly pro. Hall was disappointed, and, probably figuring he could still be paid (under the table) while at the same time being able to compete for the famed Lord Stanley, he moved back into the world of "amateur" hockey by joining and playing the last quarter of the 1906 season with the E.C.A.H.A. Quebec Bulldogs.

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

Due to a series of violent outbursts that season, Hall was expelled from the Manitoba Hockey League for his rough play. Hall, by no means the only tough customer in organized hockey, did most of his rough stuff out in the open, as opposed to other players who took cheap shots while the referees weren't looking

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

For the next three seasons, Hall and Mummery continued to be the most feared defensive pairing in the league

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

Hall and Mummery's crushing style of defense allowed the team's offense to shine

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

He was a very physical defender and, despite what his supporters said about him, he could be savage

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

Joe Hall was in an especially surly mood, making full use of his complement of defensive tactics

http://www.oocities.org/kinhobo/hall.html

... in 1905-06 with the Houghton-Portage Lakes of the International Hockey League. He was an IHL first team All-star that year, scoring 33 goals in 20 games and leading the league with 98 penalty minutes. At this stage of his career he played as a forward but would leave his mark on the hockey world as a warlike defenseman who himself met a tragic end.

Hall was a rough and tumble defenseman in professional hockey's early days but at times he regretted his violent outbursts, saying once that he was "giving a dog a bad name." He played with the Stanley Cup champion Quebec Bulldogs during the 1911-12 and 1912-13 seasons and had developed a nasty feud with the Montreal Canadiens star forward Newsy Lalonde since the early days of the National Hockey Association.

[Years later] Hall's services were picked up by the Canadiens and the old adversaries, now teammates, roomed together and became the best of friends.

Hall who contracted pneumonia as a result of the flu and died in hospital on April 5, 1919.

Joe Hall was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/Lege...er.jsp?mem=p196105&type=Player&page=bio&list=

Though he was just 5'10" and 175lbs, rough and tumble defenceman Joe Hall was one of the most feared players of his time. "Bad" Joe Hall was known for his hard hitting, violent outbursts and sometimes less than clean play.

He learned to play hockey in Manitoba, playing for teams in Winnipeg and especially Brandon, before cutting his teeth with Portage Lake in the infamously rough International Hockey League in 1905-06. Bad Joe was the baddest of them all, leading the league with 98 penalty minutes. He was also good, very good. He was an all star who scored 33 goals in 20 games. (as a forward)

[...]

Hall joined the Quebec Bulldogs, bringing his mayhem-causing play with him, not to mention Stanley Cup championships in 1912 and 1913.

[...]

Bad Joe Hall, one of the first English-only speaking players in Montreal Canadiens history, joined Newsy Lalonde in the Hall of Fame in 1961.

http://habslegends.blogspot.ca/2008/07/bad-joe-hall.html

A rugged right-handed defenseman, "Bad Joe" Hall earned his nickname from his aggressive style of play. While he was hardly known for dropping the gloves, Hall's talent took care of striking fear in the hearts of his opponents.

http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/player/Joe-Hall

In the articles below, I made a rough translation from french sources.

Quebec Prime Minister Sir Lomer Grouin, in the 1.50$ lodge, was witness to the 5-4 victory and of a game which contributed to the legend of Joe Hall.During an attack in the first period, Hall throws himself into Vezina with such force that he breaks the iron bar which supports the net.

Hall and Lalonde spend the whole period fighting each other, a dispute which Hall concludes by hitting Lalonde in the head.

Later in the second period, referee Tom Melville punishes Hall again, with no apparent reason this time.Hall invectivates him, hit him with his skate and encourage the amateurs (crowd) to go after him.Kicked out of the game, "Bad Joe" is suspended for a week by the NHA and ends up with a 100$ fine.

http://quebecbulldogs.com/?s=joe+hall&submit=Recherche

The name Quebec "Bulldogs", probably comes from journalist Tommy Gorman of the Ottawa Citizen, like we can read for the first time in page 8 of the Feb. 10, 2013 edition.It's the title associated with a 4-1 victory in Ottawa: "Quebec "Bulldogs" trebled score and tightned grip on Stanley Cup".The first few lines of the text explains the link."Joe Hall's Bulldogs, surname frequently used by the players brotherhood, didn't have too much difficulty approaching the Stanley Cup when they met and beat Ottawa by a 4-1 score.

A portion of that article is re-taken in the Calgary Daily Herald in the same way.The Toronto World writes "Bulldogs" in a single word.Finally, the Quebec Chronicles also employs "Joe Hall's Bulldogs", just like The Citizen the day after and many days after that.On Februrary 18, the Quebec Chronicle finally dares: "The Quebec Bulldogs hang onto the Stanley Cup with determination".

The systemic use of the expression definitely spreads in fall 1913 and in the francophone newspapers in 1915.Contrary to what many source pretends, the origin of the name doesn't date from the first steps of the Quebec Hockey Club.No mention has been found in the first 35 years.The Chronicle somewhat confirms it in February 11, 1916: "[...] the club has been surnamed "Bulldogs" a couple of years ago for the quality of it's combattants and finishers.They don't deserve this name this season."The surname thus comes from the courage and cold-blood of this club, inspired by it's leader, the "dur à cuire" Joe Hall, probable owner of Togo, the bulldog starring in the Club's Stanley Cup Victory photo.

http://quebecbulldogs.com/?s=joe+hall&submit=Recherche

About "Bad Joe" Hall, he probably had his worst season in Quebec in 1911, seriously injured to the shoulder in the first match of the season

http://quebecbulldogs.com/?s=joe+hall&submit=Recherche

After being behind by two goals in between the first and second period, it's permitted to think Joe Hall concocted a plan.During a melee for the puck in the next period, Hall throws a elbow hit at xxx's head, one of the best scorer in the league.Xxx's replies back and the referee warns him.Hall continues to "talk to him" and xxx starts to chase him and gives him a vilent punch.Instead of fighting back, Hall goes directly to the ref to complain, and xxx is thrown out of the game as a result.

Angry, xxx (the other team's goalie) also tries his luck at Hall.All this time, xxx begs Hall to keep his cool, which Hall does.His plan depends on it.

Hall's plan is rewarded when he scores a moment later, and then imitated by Malone to even the score 2-2.

At the end of the third period, Ottawa lead 5-4.Then Joe malone scores the tying goal by accepting Hall's pass.

In overtime, Malone passes to Joe Hall and Hall scores! Hall thus scores the most important goal of his career, and the most important goal in the Quebec's franchise history.

http://quebecbulldogs.com/?s=joe+hall&submit=Recherche

Statistics

Regular Season Statistics

Season | Team | League | GP | G* | A* | PTS | PIM
1901-02 | Brandon Hockey Club | MNWHA-Int | 10 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 8
1902-03 | Brandon Elks | MNWHA | 6 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
1903-04 | Winnipeg Rowing Club | WCAHA | 6 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 10
1904-05 | Brandon Elks | MHL | 8 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
1905-06 | Portage Lakes | IHL | 20 | 33 | 0 | 33 | 98
1906-07 | Brandon Elks | MHL-Pro | 9 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 32
1907-08 | 2 Teams | ECAHA | 8 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 17
1907-08 | Montreal AAA | ECAHA | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 11
1907-08 | Montreal Shamrocks | ECAHA | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6
1908-09 | Edmonton Professionals | APHL | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 6
1908-09 | Montreal Wanderers | ECHA | 5 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 18
1908-09 | Winnipeg Maple Leafs | MHL-Pro | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0
1909-10 | Montreal Shamrocks | CHA | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6
1909-10 | Montreal Shamrocks | NHA | 10 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 47
1910-11 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 24
1911-12 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 18 | 15 | 1 | 16 | 43
1912-13 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 18 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 78
1913-14 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 19 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 61
1914-15 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 20 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 52
1915-16 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 23 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 89
1916-17 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 19 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 95
1917-18 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 21 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 100
1918-19 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 16 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 135

Playoffs Statistics

Season | Team | League | GP | G* | A* | PTS | PIM
1903-04 | Winnipeg Rowing Club | St-Cup | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
1906-07 | Brandon Elks | MHL-Pro | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5
1908-09 | Winnipeg Maple Leafs | MHL-Pro | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9
1911-12 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0
1911-12 | Quebec Bulldogs | St-Cup | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2
1912-13 | Quebec Bulldogs | NHA | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
1912-13 | Quebec Bulldogs | St-Cup | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0
1917-18 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12
1918-19 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26
1918-19 | Montreal Canadiens | St-Cup | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6

source: http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/halljo01.html

Below is seventieslord's ATD2017 introductory post of Joe Hall.

Joe Hall, D.

Offense: I took a look at every season he played in the east, from 1908 to 1919. First thing I wanted to do was make sure that he didn't have a season or two at forward "tainting" his numbers. But a thorough look at his team's roster every single season satisfied me that he was never a forward after coming east. The only possible exception is 1912, when he greatly outscored a guy who was usually, but not always, a forward. But I think it's remote; I do think he was exclusively a defenseman after 1907. Second thing was check his defense VsX scores. Here are the results:

1908: 83 (10 points to Cyclone Taylor's 12)
1909: 77 (10 points to Cyclone Taylor's 13)
1910: 100 (15 points led all NHA/CHA defensemen)
1911: 3 (1 point, he battled a serious shoulder injury all season)
1912: 100 (16 points, 2nd behind outlier Art Ross with 21)
1913: 44 (a decent 8 points, only half Sprague's total, used PCHA leader as benchmark this season)
1914: 85 (17 points to Cleghorn's 20)
1915: 25 (5 points, he was thought to be losing it at this point)
1916: 18 (3 points)
1917: 48 (12 points to Cleghorn's 25)
1918: 75 (15 points to Gerard's 20, cameron's 27 treated as outlier)
1919: 60 (9 points to Noble's 15)

This would give him a 7 year VsXD score of 100+100+85+83+77+75+60 = 580. For some perspective, this type of metric says that his level of offensive dominance from the blueline is a little higher than a Ryan Suter (534), Eddie Gerard (552), Hap Day (557) or Harry Howell (561), right in line with an Allan Stanley (583) or Shea Weber (587), but not quite a Dan Boyle (607), Tim Horton (608) or Rob Blake (608). I would stop shy of calling Hall a legitimate #2 PP defenseman, but he should be a very good #3 on the 2nd unit. (yes, these numbers exclude Hall's, Gerard's and Day's seasons at forward)

In addition to the numbers, the articles in last year's bio frequently describe him rushing the puck and displaying fine puck skills, not only for a defenseman but for any player of the time. Lastly, his offensive chops were well on display in the preceding 5 seasons as he was a star RW in the west:

1903 MNWHA: 4th in league scoring, 60% of the leader, this was a league that included 3 HHOFers
1904 WCHA: 3rd in league scoring, 42% of the leader, league leaderboard is clearly incomplete
1905 MHL: 5th in league scoring, 42% of leader Tommy Phillips, but nearly led his own team (Rat Portage had a CSKA-type thing going on here with all 4 of the league's HHOFers!)
1906 IHL: 3rd in league scoring, 80% of leader Didier Pitre, league had 6 other HHOFers and one more ATDer
1907 MHL: 2nd in scoring, 65% of the leader Tommy Phillips, 6 other HHOFers besides them played in this league plus Alf Smith for a game)

Defense: Hall was known as a very strong defender and consistently had a strong reputation as an all-around player throughout his career. This is the hardest part to quantify, though, because he was frequently cited for playing good defense, and so were others. All we know is that for his career, he was judged worthy of the HHOF along with Ross, Cleghorn, and Cameron, and a few others weren't. Yearly all-star teams would help to illuminate who, if anyone, was considered more or less valuable than their offense. But nothing in the language used in Hall's bio tells me he had any kind of problem in this area.

Physicality: There's no guesswork here. Hall was very physical and very tough. He was also mean and dirty, but in a weird way, it was almost like he had honour about it, not cheaply attacking anyone vulnerable, offending in a sneaky way out of the ref's view, or being a bully. That said, he still dished out a lot of punishment and by the end of his career was the most penalized player in hockey history. The downside to Hall, is that he's one of those ATD players who is a threat to snap, leading to a major penalty and/or ejection and/or suspension. But, I don't have one of those yet so

Hall was the #1 defenseman on two cup winning teams in Quebec, and from what I can tell, the best defenseman on the 1919 Habs who were deadlocked after a 5-game final, when he passed at age 37. I've counted to the best of my abilities, and Hall ended up with 238 points in 264 senior level games between 1903 and 1919, with 998 minutes in penalties.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Cy Wentworth

Scoring Statistics

1927-28 - 5th in Scoring (CHI), highest defenseman on team, 12th in D Scoring (NHL)
1928-29 - 7th in Scoring (CHI), highest defenseman on team, 21st in D Scoring
1929-30 - Outside the top 10, 26th in D scoring
1930-31 - Outside the top 10, 12th in D scoring
1931-32 - 7th in Scoring (CHI), highest defenseman on team, 9th in D Scoring
1932-33 - 9th in Scoring (MAR), second highest defenseman to L.Conacher, 7th in D scoring
1933-34 - Outside the top 10, 19th in D Scoring
1934-35 - 9th in Scoring (MAR), highest defenseman on team, 8th in D scoring

Despite being a physical player he was quite durable

Games Played
1928-29 NHL 44 (1)
1930-31 NHL 44 (1)
1931-32 NHL 48 (1)
1933-34 NHL 48 (1)
1934-35 NHL 48 (4)
1935-36 NHL 48 (2)
1937-38 NHL 48 (2)


Voting Statistics
1930-31 - 10th in All Star Voting
1931-32 - 8th in All Star Voting
1934-35 - 4th in All Star Voting
1935 -36 - 5th in All Star Voting
1936-37 - 5th in All Star Voting
1934-35 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)
1935 Stanley Cup Champion
Led the 1935 Playoffs in Scoring

Summary (4, 5, 5, 8, 9, 10)

Quotes About Play


This quote best describes his game

Wentworth scored three goals and made the plays for two others an amazing record for a defenceman. All his goals were important ones for they came when Maroons needed tallies most. He was not a prolific scorer during the regular schedule. Cy played tireless hockey in the every game hitting opposing forwards hard and skating them off the puck whenever they did manage to get inside the defense. His display in the seven games marks him as one of the greatest defensemen of modern times. The scribes who did not pick him on their all star team should be hiding their heads in shame today.

Marvin "Cyclone" Wentworth, better known as just Cy, was known as a steady and consistent defensive defenseman with the Chicago Black Hawks (1927-1932), Montreal Maroons (1932-1938) and Montreal Canadiens (1938-1940).

At 5'11" and 175lbs he was not a big player, not even back in those days, but he quickly developed a reputation as a thundering but clean bodychecker. An underrated star who never did anything fancily, it was said he was able to "command the defensive zone." As he matured as a player he developed the confidence to explore his offensive game. In doing so he became a very valuable player.

Following is the third of a Canadian Press serues if NHL all-star selections by sports writters in NHL cities.

Wilbur Wood, New York Sun
First team Goal- C. Thompson (Boston), right defense Shore (Boston); left defense Wentworth (Maroons); centre, Boucher (Rangers) C. Conacher (Toronto); left wing Schriner (Americans); coach, L.Patrick (Rangers).

Tommy Munns, Toronto Globe
Alternate team Goal Hainsworth (Maroons); left defense Wentworth (Maroons); left defense Goodfellow (Detroit); centre Smith (Maroons); right wing, Dillon (Rangers); left wing P. Thompson (Chicago); coach Goldman (Maroons)

Hostilities which had been flaring up briefly throughout the game finally came to a head in the third period when Cy Wentworth of Maroons and Howie Morenz began a battle that drew both of the five minute penalties

1936 Press All Star Team

Shore's first team total was 27 and Babe Siebert's 12. Other defense men mentioned prominently were Earl Siebert of Chicago, Ebbie Goodfellow and Doug Young of Detroit; Cy Wentworth and Lionel Conacher of the Maroons. Art Coulter of Rangers and Ching Johnson of Rangers.

Leafs threw their hearts into a furious attack as soon as the third period whistle started play again. They whirled down the ice five strong. As they milled around inside Montreal blue line, Cy Wentworth broke away clear and spurted with the Leafs in pursuit.

All-Stars Tie Bruin Six

Protecting them were such defensive immortals as Eddie Shore, Ching Johnson, Red Horner, George Owen and Cy Wentworth

I think based on descriptions of the games Wentworth would have won the Conn Smythe had it existed

The hero of the game, without question was Cy Wentworth, the big watchful defense man for the Maroons. Time and again Wentworth stepped into everything that came his way, and it was his fine play that kept the sharpshooting Toronto forwards getting in on Connel more than they did.

In addition to his splendid defensive play, Wentworth took a large part in his team's rushing. He managed to score one goal and received credit for an assist on another.

On the next face off the Leafs got the puck and carried it into Maroon ice. Harold Cotton made an attempt to get around Wentworth but was spilled and lost the rubber to Northcott who quickly turned it over to Wentworth. The latter broke away like a flash and stickhandled across Toronto's line, closed in on Hainsworth and beat him with a straight shot only 12 seconds after Northcott's tally.

They made a valiant effort, but the New York Americans could not beat the Montreal Maroons at Madison Square Garden last night. Red Dutton's men fought desperately kept charging their rivals almost every second but when it was all over they had to skate off the ice on the short end of a 2-1 score.

The Maroons' safety first tactics, their inclination to play purely defensive hockey and wait for the breaks gave them the triumph. With their defense men particularly Lionel Conacher and Cy Wentworth putting forth their best efforts, the Maroons bottled up the rampant American forwards at every turn and it was a wonder that the New Yorkers were able to rifle as many shots at Bill Beveridge Montreal's goalie as they did.

Only in the last period, after Northcott's score did the Quebec aggregation play and close guarding game to exclusion. And the sterling work of the Montreal defensemen, particularly Evans and Cy Wentworth proved more than enough to keep their speedy rivals (The Kid Line) from getting in too close on Connell.

What may bother Maroons in the first half of the schedule is the problem of defence a bugbear that hainted them all last year and almost kept them out of the playoffs. Marvin Wentworth purchased from Chicago may be the man to make the differennce. In practicies he's been a standout and , teamed with Conacher still spry despite his longer years of participation in every sport, Maroons have one of the best starting defense in the league.

Wentworth was one of the steadiest defensemen in big time hockey in his day and was regarded as a stoic who seldom suffered severe injuries, a durable player who went on game after game without taking time out for any cause.

Hooley Pops Off

It seems as though Hooley Smith's crack "they can't beat us out of the playoffs," probably would come true as Maroons showed to find advantage against the back-checking Detroiters. Cy Wentworth Montreal defenseman, stood out with a brilliant display at his position and in fast and dangerous rushes.

Wentworth started the raid that put the game in refrigeration when Northcott converted his pass

The winger got his second early in the third period on a pass from a dashing Wentworth, but the Maroons cause had been well lost by this point.

In the second period Lorne Chabot, Leaf goalie was banged on the nose by a Hawk stick but he made on of the best plays of the game a few seconds later to save a shot by Cy Wentworth who had staged a brilliant solo dash

Morenz did not appear at all in the middle session. He tried to hurdle Wentworth's stick late in the first period and the Maroon defenceman caught him coming in wide open with a jolting check.

Morenz-Wentworth Fistfight Features on Ice

But Chabot saved that one at the expense of a cut face, Archie Wilcox led a sturdy Maroon defence. Wilcox played steadily and strongly throughout going fifteen minutes straight without relief in the third period while Conacher was being treated. Both big Lionel and Marvin Wentworth turned in their usual consistently fine performance.

Other Maroons stars were Marvin Wentworth who played a heady game on defence

Lionel Conacher was a tower of strength on the Maroons defence with Marvin Wentworth.

Little more than a minute after Clancy's goal, Marvin Wentworth batted his way in to close quarters and kept slashing at the puck in a goal mouth scramble until he pushed the puck across the last blue line

Lawrence (Baldy) Northcott, the left wing speedster, was the outstanding figure in the Maroon triumph. He scored one goal, drew assists on two others and did his usual job of checking Chuck Conacher, Toronto's scoring ace. Marvin (Cy) Wentworth, defence stalwart, had a goal and an assist.

Canadiens club physician claims a blow in the stomach caused the abscess which forced George Matha to undergo an operation two weeks ago... George himself traces it directly to a hard body check by Marvin Wentworth in the first Maroon - Canadien game of the season... The younger Mantha had mentioned he still felt the effects of that check a month before the abscess developed...

Adds Weight To Offence

In an effort to get more weight into the Chicago line the shift of Wentworth from a back position to a forward was made. Wentworth weighs more than 190 pounds and several times during the game last Tuesday against the Duluth team and showed ability to carry the puck by dashing up the rink through the Hornet's defense line.

Kerr played a perfect game in the Maroon nets to register his first shutout of the season, was helped by the speedy covering and crashing checking of Cy Wentworth and Teddy Graham both former Chicago Hawks on on the defence

"Then the new purchase will give us five defensemen. We'll be likely keep four. Right now we have Babe Siebert, Walter Buswell, Cliff Goupille and then Evans and Wentworth. I'm inclided to favor Wentworth because of these these five fellows he's the only right handed shot, and we could do with a right hander.

Sturdy Cy Wentworth was the standout of the night with a sterling display of defensive work mingled with fast and dangerous rushes.

Sorrell made a nice play for Pettinger but Wentworth defelected the later's shot over the Montreal cage. Wentworth stopped Pettinger again.

Lionel Conacher to Play in Morenz Benefit Game

Other defensemen who'll line up with Montreal in the all star gam are Babe Siebert and Walter Buswell of Canadiens and Cy Wentworth of Maroons.

They also took Stew Evans, Cy Wentworth and Desse Smith, which gives them an overflow of defensive talent something lacking on most clubs

The howls prompted Clancy to another epic. This time the locale was Montreal back in the locale back in the early 30s and it happened during a Leaf-Maroon game.

I was on the bench when a fight broke out on the ice. From the bench the Leafs started to move out the gate, one by one to join in. As we moved so did the Maroons with a guy from each team pairing off as they got within hitting distance.

"So what happens? Me the smallest guy out there, winds up with Cy Wentworth the biggest player on either team. We meet at center ice and he grabs me, throws me down and sits on me."

"Now what are you doing to do Clance?" chuckled Wentworth
"Not a....thing" managed the suffocating King.
"Clancy has been going on like this for several trips now. He has yet to recount an episode of a Clancy victory

The only real threat however came when Gottselig slipped up the right and passed in to Romnes in front of the Toronto net. Romne's shot was wilde and the visitors staged a drive of their own. Bailey, Blair and Cotton crashed in, but were kept pinched off by Abel and Wentworth and had no real chance to score.

Unlike the Boston Bruins, who had only Eddie Shore and Babe Siebert for the heavy defensive end, Maroons have four first-rate rearguards. From end to end they rate higher than the Bruins -- who were tough enough for the Leafs in the National League finals.

Montreal's rear division men, Lionel Conacher, Allan Shields, Marvin Wentworth and Stew Evans, may break on a rush to relieve pressure but otherwise they are expected to sit tight.

The trouble started at Montreal when Horner boarded Herbie Cain. He was on his way to the penalty box when Stew Evans attacked him and after the fist fight had been quelled Horner and Marvin Wentworth, who was confused with Evans by the officials, each got majors.

Maroons defence made the difference between a cup-winning team and an also ran. Led by Wentworth, Conacher, Shields and Evans played great hockey. The feature of the Maroons play right through the series was their marvellous defensive game, backed by superb goaltending by Connell. In the pinches, Maroons defence stood out as the class of the league.

When Stew Evans came to terms after a short holdout period, the squad was assured its four rearguards would be ready again. Evans paired with Marvin
"Cy" Wentworth last year for one of the best units in hockey.

Although Hooley Smith figured but little in the scoring, he was the mainstay of the Maroons. He played on the defence with Allan Shields and it was his blocking and skillful way in which he fed pucks to his forwards that gave Maroons such effectiveness.

The Maroons defence combinations of Smith and Shields, and Wentworth and Evans put up the neatest defensive display of the season. They confounded Rangers' famous Cook-Boucher line into almost complete submission. Old Bill Cook came off the ice shaking his head slowly and thoughtfully.

 

[jarek]

Ryan Suter, D

Birthplace: Madison, WI, USA
Size: 6'1, 195 lbs.
Shoots: Left

Award Voting:
Hart: 17th (2013), 23rd (2014)
Norris: 2nd (2013), 4th (2014), 8th (2012), 8th (2016), 9th (2015), 11th (2010), 15th (2011)
All-Star: 2nd (2013), 5th (2014), 6th (2012), 7th (2016), 9th (2015), 10th (2011), 15th (2010)

Time On Ice Per Game:
Team
Overall: 4th (2007), 3rd (2008), 1st (2009), 1st (2010), 2nd (2011), 1st (2012), 1st (2013) (+4:04), 1st (2014) (+5:30), 1st (2015) (+4:53), 1st (2016) (+5:55)

Among All Players
Overall: 27th (2009), 21st (2010), 10th (2011), 3rd (2012), 1st (2013), 1st (2014) (+2:20), 1st (2015), 2nd (2016)

PK Usage: From 2006-2015, Ryan Suter has 38% PK usage on teams 5% better than average. (includes first 3 years of his career where he placed 15th, 4th and 8th on his team in SH TOI/GP)

Offensive Accomplishments:
Points among Defensemen: 3rd (2013), 9th (2016), 10th (2012), 16th (2009), 18th (2014), 29th (2011), 31st (2010), 31st (2015), 41st (2008)
Assists among Defensemen: 2nd (2013), 6th (2012), 7th (2016), 12th (2009), 13th (2014), 15th (2015), 16th (2011), 20th (2010), 36th (2008)

From 2008-2016, Suter is 6th in points among defensemen, 89% of 1st place Duncan Keith source
From 2008-2016, Suter is 20th in points per game among defensemen, 66% of 1st place Erik Karlsson (min. 350 games played) source

From 2008-2016, Suter is 2nd in assists among defensemen, 93% of 1st place Duncan Keith source
From 2008-2016, Suter is 10th in assists per game among defensemen, 78% of 1st place Erik Karlsson (min. 350 games played) source

seventieslord VsXD best 7 scores: 110, 95, 90, 86, 84, 82, 80, avg: 89.6

_________________________________________________

Sports Forecaster scouting reports

2006: A smooth skating, attack-oriented defenseman, Suter can play in any situation and lead by example.

2007: A young all-around defenseman, Suter's role with the Predators is sure to grow in the coming season with Kimmo Timmonen now in Philadelphia. He has decent size, though he still needs to fill out, and loves to play the body. Suter also owns a great point shot, which he'll put to better use in 2007-2008.

2008: Coming from a pedigree of excellent defensemen in the Suter family, the nephew of Gary and son of Bob has lived up to expectations thus far. He possesses a blistering shot from the point and loves to make the big hit the way uncle Gary did. Last year, he led Nashville's blueliners in goals (7) and placed second in points (31). As he matures and bulks up, Suter will add more offense and become a vital part of the penalty kill, as well. He's on the cusp of entering his prime.

2009: Year after year, Suter has continued to evolve into an elite NHL defenseman. The 2003 first-rounder ranked 16th among rearguards with 45 points and led the Preds in ice time (24:15) last year. Suter heads into 2009-2010 as a formidable threat alongside Shea Weber, although a team-worst minus-16 rating speaks to some deficiencies.

2010: The American Olympian is one half of one of the best defense tandems in the NHL, if not the best - with Shea Weber. Suter plays in every game situation and is extremely reliable and low maintenance. While he produced eight fewer points last year than in '08-09, he still placed second on Nashville with 33 assists. He's a rock.

2011: One half (along with Shea Weber) of arguably the best defense tandems in the NHL, the silky smooth Suter led the Predators in both assists (35) and plus/minus rating (+20) last year. While Weber has the bigger point shot and more physical approach to the game, Suter eats up minutes with relative ease and is a tremendous puck mover. He's a star.

2012: In his contract year, Suter produced career highs in assists (39) and points (46), while still maintaining a standard of excellence on defense. He wasn't quite as good as a Predator in the '12 playoffs, however, when Nashville bowed out in the second round. Suter plays a clean game from the back end and logs ice time with effortless grace.

2013: The NHL's leader in total ice time by a whopping 41 minutes last season, Suter gave the Wild their ($98 million) money's worth. Defensively, you'll have a tough time finding anyone better. Offensively, the former Nashville Predator is a force with his new team as well. That's why he was nominated for the Norris Trophy.

2014: You could be forgiven for thinking that he never leaves the ice. He won the NHL's unofficial "Third Lung" award as the league leader in total ice time. Even strength, power play, penalty kill - you name it, he logs it, busier than a snowplow driver in Duluth. Suter hasn't missed a game in two years since arriving from Nashville.

2015: Ho-hum. All Suter did was lead the entire league in average ice time for the third straight season. His reservoir is deeper than a Minnesota lake and his value to the Wild is inestimable. He played hard minutes on a shutdown pairing with Jonas Brodin and led the club's D-men in game played, shots, scoring and power-play points.

McKeen's scouting reports

2007: Progressed in leaps and bounds during a sophomore breakthrough in which he matured into a dependable, all-around NHL defender while chipping in an impressive eight goals .. relied on even more by coach Trotz in the playoffs receiving over 23 minutes of icetime per game, second only to Kimmo Timmonen .. a big, skilled workhorse with impressive vision and skating range .. poised puckmover who makes good lead passes and boasts a heavy shot .. alert and instinctive offensively, quick to spot openings to join the attack .. can appear a big awkward at times, yet possesses surprising recovery abilities due to his competitiveness and deceiving mobility .. also could make softer passes - tends to do things a tad too hard at times .. looked notably stronger last season as his game really matured in all areas.

2009: Logged at least 20 minutes in 81 of 82 games during a breakout fourth NHL term in which he finished tied for 16th in scoring among league blueliners with a career-high 45 points .. ranked seventh overall in total icetime (1,989 minutes) .. big, rugged workhorse with deceptive mobility and a heavy shot .. alert offensively - quick to spot openings to join the attack and makes accurate lead passes, albeit doesn't always find the best outlet option .. can be vulnerable to stickchecks when playing pucks close to his body and could make softer passes - does things a tad too hard at times .. did however display better poise and patience moving the puck last season, profiting from a symbiotic partnership with blossoming star Shea Weber .. works hard and competes physically, though is still prone to errors in judgment which can translate into costly positional breakdowns .. will over-commit and then resort to careless stick fouls in reaction - led the Preds with 34 minor penalties .. just 24 and there's so much more.

2010: Did a fine job handling a demanding workload, even if the grind wound up taking a toll .. hampered down the stretch and in the playoffs by a hamstring injury .. played in all 82 games, logging a club-high 24 minutes, and also has a central role on Team USA's Olympic silver medal team .. rugged workhorse with deceptive mobility and a heavy shot .. alert offensively - quick to spot openings to join the attack and makes accurate lead passes, albeit doesn't always find the best outlet option .. continues to develop better poise and patience carrying the puck .. recorded 33 assists last season - second-most on the club .. works hard and competes physically - effective in closing down space and covering gaps .. still prone to errors in judgment at times which lead to positional breakdowns .. his steady development has allowed the team to form a stout top duo .. may forfeit power play time with the likes of Ryan Ellis and Jon Blum in transit.

2011: Posted a team-high plus-20 rating while absorbing a career-high 25 minutes per game (25:12) during his strongest regular season to date .. also led Nashville with 35 assists - despite missing 11 games to an October knee injury .. took his play to an even higher level in the playoffs, and was a commanding force in the Vancouver series .. led all players in average icetime in the postseason (28:51) .. rugged workhorse with deceptive mobility and a heavy shot .. alert offensively - quick to spot openings to join the attack and makes accurate lead passes, albeit doesn't always find the best outlet option .. continues to develop better poise and patience carrying the puck .. works hard and competes physically - effective in closing down space and covering gaps .. may forfeit some power play time at some stage with Ryan Ellis and Jon Blum in transit .. the Preds poised a 4-7-1 record without him in the lineup.

2012: Continued to thrive - and improve - in a powerhouse partnership with Shea Weber - hitting career highs in assists and points .. led Nashville in average icetime (26:30) and logged the NHL's fifth-largest workload (2,093 minutes) - and hitting over 28 minutes in the playoffs (28:49) .. responsible, well-rounded workhorse .. plays all situations .. competes physically, works hard to protect the crease and slot areas .. effective in closing down space and covering gaps, aided by deceptive mobility as well as productive stickwork .. proficient at getting stick into lanes and deflecting shot attempts .. alert offensively - continues to develop better poise and patience carrying the puck .. quick to spot openings to join the attack and makes accurate lead passes .. adds multiple dimensions to the power play - including patient distributions, a high-slot presence, and a heavy shot that arrives quicker than expected .. led the Preds with 25 power play points - including 22 assists - third-most among NHL blueliners .. volleyed his "contract" year into a 13-year, $98 million jackpot this summer - arriving at free agency as the prime defender on the market .. could see a rise in goals - not having to play feeder to Weber's one-timer.

2014: NHL runaway ice time leader led the 2nd overall ranked Erik Karlsson by over 200 minutes, playing an incredibly 2,411 minutes - the most since Nicklas Lidstrom in 02-03 (2,405) while trailing Brian Leetch's 2,449 minutes in 98-99 .. central to the Wild facing playing at a high level against the best players in the league in all zones leading the Wild with 1.201 Corsi Rel QoC .. disjointed scoring pattern - recorded 15 assists in the first 24 games, followed by an eight-game drought (without a shot in half of those games), a seven-game assists streak (7-0-7-7) and then his first goal of the season .. despite a goalless half season, he tied a career high with eight markers .. powerplay production faltered scoring 17 points after tallying 15 in the lockout-shortened season - despite skating similar minutes (3:49) and the Wild efficiency remaining the same (17.95 - 16th in league) .. led the team with 132 blocked shots .. logged just as heavy a workload in Sochi wearing stars and stripes (6-0-3-3) and didn't shy away from critical remarks following a disappointing loss to Canada in the semifinal .. workload increased in the playoff logging 29 minutes a game alongside youngster Jonas Brodin, while leading the NHL in even strength ice time (23:48) - also contributing five powerplay points .. questions have arisen how much longer he can continue at that pace without affecting serious injury .. claims he can log big minutes due to the lack of chasing the puck, conserving energy with smart positioning and method .. top-tier blueliner, durable (has missed 21 games in the past eight seasons) and a solid option in virtually every format.

Hockey Prospectus scouting reports

2010: Ryan Suter had consistently improved in each of his first four season, but took a slight step back last season. VUKOTA believes that 2009-2010 was just an off year for the Madison, Wisconsin native and that he will rebound in 2010-11 - given his track record that seems likely. While Suter doesn't have the offensive game of a Shea Weber, he's still a scoring threat and is capable of netting goals from the point on the power play.

2012: Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, who played all the tough minutes together, averaged seven more minutes per game than any other Nashville defenseman, and arguably constituted the best blue line pairing in the NHL. Though it is hard to separate individual contributions, the US Olympian can't draw penalties and is the less physical of the two, as he had the lowest hitting and shot blocking rates on Nashville's blue line.

2013: No one doubted Ryan Suter's abilities when he signed his massive deal with the Wild as one of the prizes of free agency in 2012, but naysayers questioned whether or not his production would be hindered away from his former partner, All Star and Olympian Shea Weber. Suter put all doubts aside with a monster season in the State of Hockey, getting named as a first team all-NHL defenseman and a Norris Trophy finalist. He also continued to live up to his reputation as a huge minutes eater, averaging more than 27 minutes per game, leading all NHL skaters. The ex-Predator brought much stability to the power play, quarterbacking the first unit as the team's leading scorer, at an output of 4.63 PPP/60.

2014: The co-anchor of team USA's defense posted an overall GVT of 11.9 in 2013-14, putting him in a tie for 94th among NHL players. This second-tier rating might be a surprise, given Suter's starry profile and historic amount of ice-time this past season, a workload that was significantly more than his NHL peers. But there are flaws in his game, perhaps in part stemming from fatigue. His possession statistics are only adequate, as he can get beat to the perimeter and does not quite dictate the tempo of a game like one would expect from an "elite" defensemen. Suter is a very skilled passer, and routinely hits the Wild forwards on nice stretch passes. On the power play, he quarterbacks deftly, knowing who to distribute to and when to fire away from the point. His 35 assists placed him just outside the top 10 in helpers among defensemen, and his eight goals slotted him right outside the top 30. The 2003 seventh overall pick by Nashville is a very skilled offensive player and solid in his own zone, especially on his first pass. If he played less, maybe there would be an uptick in his defensive zone play.

2015: Ryan Suter has an incredible ability to play huge minutes at a very high level; he led the NHL in ice-time at 29:03 per game. Nevertheless, the debate over the long-time Predator is whether he is worthy of a huge contract and All-Star status. While his Relative Corsi over the past three seasons is basically breakeven, opponents have only scored 1.90 goals against per 60 minutes with him on the ice, which is in the top 50 among defenders, despite the grueling minutes he is playing. Adding in his production on the power play and huge penalty-killing ice-time, the 2010 Olympic silver medalist is deserving of being considered a number-one defenseman, even though he may be a shade below the elites.

THN Scouting Report

Assets: Possesses an excellent all-around game. Loves to move the puck swiftly up ice and can rack up points on the power play, mainly due to a heavy point shot and pinpoint passing skills. Loves a heavy workload.
Flaws: Will sometimes chase a big hit, which places himself out of defensive position. Also, he's inconsistent in terms of his overall physical play. Must also prove capable of living up to contractual expectations.

The Players' Tribune

Cerebral. You have to recognize him as one of the smartest defensemen in the league. Suter is probably the player most similar to Nick Lidström that we have in the game today. To have the stamina to play 29 minutes a game in the NHL is ridiculous. If you think about it, that means he’s out there every other shift. Personally, my minutes have gone up this year from 20 to 22, and even that little difference is noticeable. I definitely feel it after games. Adding another seven minutes onto that is almost unthinkable.

Suter is really good at knowing when to conserve his energy during games. As a young player, you tend to get a little horny for the puck and try to do a little too much all the time, and you burn out. The smart vets know how to turn it on and off really quickly. To be able to play as much as Suter does and still be a plus player every year is incredible. (I know you advanced stats fans don’t care about plus/minus anymore but defensemen still do.)

He’s also one of the best I’ve ever seen at making the crucial first pass to start a breakout. Everything is always on the tape and crisp. With how fast the game is now, teams smother you on the forecheck. As a defenseman, when you pick up a puck below your goal line, you have about one second to look up and make a pass. In that one second, there’s a bunch of variables going through your mind: Is my winger stationary or moving? Is he on his forehand or backhand? Do I need to lead him with the pass or put it right on his tape?

One thing that fans just watching on TV might not be able to fully appreciate is that the speed of the pass is really important. A clean first pass creates a flow to the game and allows your team to look a lot faster. Suter is always right on the mark with that. I’ll always remember this pass to Martin Erat to win the game with 10 seconds left when he was with Nashville. The weight of the pass had to be perfect in order for Erat to split the D, and it was right on the money.

http://gfycat.com/PartialDamagedAgouti

A great article to show that it's rather pointless to think of who is better between Weber and Suter. They created an amazing defensive tandem and both suffered when they were separated.

On The Forecheck

One of the consolations that Nashville Predators fans are taking these days is that at least Shea Weber's been playing well, right? Much better apparently than Ryan Suter, who spurned Nashville's overtures in free agency last summer and left for the Midwestern comforts of Minnesota.

Sure, Suter has 1 goal and 14 assists in 22 games for Minnesota, but he's also sporting a -6, so LOL, the reasoning goes.

The problem is, Weber isn't exactly enjoying a fine season himself, and contrary to Barry Trotz's endorsement a few weeks ago, he won't garner serious Norris Trophy consideration unless things turn around quickly. Once upon a time, the pairing of Suter & Weber was a dominant force, eating up huge amounts of ice time against top opposing forwards, while managing to churn out positive results for a Predators team that generally struggled otherwise.

That effect which Weber & Suter had together is best reflected by Corsi Relative, also known as the difference between the balance of Total Shots For & Against while a player is on the ice, and when he is on the bench during 5-on-5 play. For years, Weber has been a strongly positive force for puck possession, standing head & shoulders above his Nashville teammates in that regard. That's no longer the case this season. Let's review some of those possession measurements and how they've trended over the years (data from Behind the Net):

SEASON| Corsi Relative | Corsi On| Off Zone Start %| Off Zone Finish %| Corsi Rel QoC| Corsi Rel QoT
2007-2008| +3.2| +4.4| 48.3| 49.6| -0.09| -0.01
2008-2009 | +13.3| +5.8| 48.5 | 48.4| +0.62| +2.77
2009-2010 | +7.0| +7.3| 44.2 | 46.5| +0.94| +1.59
2010-2011 | +7.2| +2.7| 45.3 | 48.4| +0.94| +1.89
2011-2012 | +11.2| -0.9 | 44.6 | 47.3| +1.33| +1.46
2012-2013 | -7.5| -12.6| 40.4 | 38.4| +1.78| +0.64

Put simply, when Weber hopped over the boards in years past (usually with Suter by his side), the flow of play turned remarkably in Nashville's favor, but this year he's been forced to scramble in his own end more often than not. Interestingly, Ryan Suter is experiencing the same phenomenon up in Minnesota. Like Weber, his Corsi-based metrics have fallen off the table.

SEASON| Corsi Relative| Corsi On| Off Zone Start %| Off Zone Finish % | Corsi Rel QoC | Corsi Rel QoT
2007-2008| +9.1| +7.6| 53.4| 50.6| +0.13| +2.50
2008-2009| +10.9| +4.4| 48.4| 49.4| +0.66| +3.21
2009-2010| +5.3| +6.7| 44.8| 46.4| +1.01| +1.82
2010-2011| +8.9| +4.3| 44.7| 48.1| +0.97| +1.95
2011-2012| +7.3| -2.9| 45.7| 47| +1.26| +2.05
2012-2013| -5.0| -8.7| 49.3| 45.5| +0.73| +2.68

Neither defenseman is playing at his best right now, and that's hardly shocking. You don't just split up a world class defense pair that had been together for years, and expect both guys to prosper right away independently. It will be worth checking back on these measures at the end of the season, to see if another 20 games or so helps them gain familiarity with their new partners.

Nashville City Paper

What Josi “knows†and “understands†is that — in a manner of speaking — Suter is irreplaceable.

...

“He’s gone and that’s the way it is now,†Weber said. “So we look forward to moving on without him and finding different ways to create offense and to defend and to play the game we have to. … He’s a great defenseman, I think, anyway you put it. To replace him, I think we’ve got a capable group of young players in here that can step in and in time I think they’re going to be very good players.â€

That’s just it. Not one player — at least not right now — will be able to do for the Predators this season all the things Suter did for so long.

Weber’s partner: In an overwhelming number of games during the last six seasons, Suter and Weber functioned as a unit. They grew into the Predators’ top defense pair and unquestionably one of the best in the league.

They both earned invitations to the 2012 NHL All-Star Game. They made Nashville the only team with two among the top 10 in points by a defenseman (Suter finished tied for 10th) last season. They also were two of only five blue liners who averaged more than 26 minutes of ice time per game.

...

“Playing with Ryan in the past, we weren’t perfect early on,†Weber said. “We were never perfect. We were always improving, always getting better and I think this adjustment period is going to take a little bit of time. Hopefully we can speed that up and get used to each other right away.â€

Special teams: Suter was one of only four Predators who scored at least once both shorthanded and on the power play last season, and no Nashville player at any position logged more power play time (an average of 3:41 per contest) or penalty kill time (an average of 2:20 per game) for the team.

...

When it comes to penalty killing, veteran Hal Gill will get the bulk of the work in his first full season with the Predators and free agent acquisition Scott Hannan will play a large part. Josi will be used, but not necessarily relied upon as a true stopper in that role as Suter was.

Leadership: Suter was an alternate captain for the last two seasons, and his elevation to that role was viewed as a critical moment in the franchise’s evolution. In a lot of ways, he was more comfortable than Weber, the captain, as a spokesman who could frame issues in ways that either satisfied the public or applied pressure within the locker room.

Without Suter, Weber’s command of the room is now almost absolute as he enters his third season as captain and his responsibility in that regard is even greater.

...

At the start of this season, the most daunting question for the Predators is whether they can be better without Suter or if his departure creates a void that sets them back, at least for a time.

“It’s got to be a group effort,†Weber said. “Everyone saw him play here. He does everything well and makes the guys around him better.â€

The fact that it takes so many players is precisely why Predators did not want to have to try and replace Suter. He simply left them no choice but to try.

The Score

Despite being handed a near-historic minutes burden, Ryan Suter gets the Minnesota Wild out of the D-zone with an efficiency comparable to hockey’s best D-men

Ryan Suter kind of skates like Philip Rivers throws, for those of you who know football. It ain’t pretty, but damned if both don’t achieve their exact goals with (almost) every motion they make.

The thing is, most hockey fans probably don’t consider Suter a janky skater because, think about it - have you ever really seen Ryan Suter skate? Like, really bust it? Probably not. He goes entire games without doing it, because like Nicklas Lidstrom, he’s effective by being efficient and well positioned (calm down, it’s just a style comparison). You basically have to be to play as many minutes as those two.

As much as we like to put athletes in boxes, it’s tough with him. He’s a “stay-at-home defenseman†who breaks the Wild out of the D-zone like an “offensive defenseman†and plays “shutdown defenseman†competition and gets “Hall-of-Fame defenseman†ice time.

You don’t have to love his contract to acknowledge that without him, the odds of the Wild seeing the second round of playoffs last year, let alone the post-season, were somewhere between Slim and None, with ‘ol Slim having been shoved off the roof of a building.

Ryan Suter logged an average of 29:24 per game during the 2013-14 campaign (2:20 more than the guy in second), making him the first NHL player since Nicklas Lidstrom in 2002-03 to surpass the 29-minutes-per-game mark. Oh, and he missed a total of zero games along the way. Though his relative Corsi-for numbers were in the red, the Wild outscored their opponents handily when he was on the ice.

Suter’s zone entry numbers were fine, if unspectacular. His record defending zone entries was pretty good, but not dazzling. But his ability to get the Wild out of the D-zone? Good gravy.

Suter recorded 1444 defensive zone touches through January 19, almost 350 more than his next closest teammate (Jonas Brodin). His success rate clearing the zone on those touches was an astounding 31.2 percent, which puts him in the company of elite puck movers like Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Keith Yandle, and the St. Louis Blues top three defenders (Pierangelo, Shattenkirk and Bouwmeester). His turnover rate was also an anemic 5.5 percent, and he rarely iced the puck.

You can’t ask for much more than that from your own end.

That Suter managed to be that responsible despite playing every second shift is pretty insane, so, how'd he do it? Is he an underrated puck mover or are his impressive numbers - in part - the result of conserving energy?

In the D-zone, Ryan Suter is two things: efficient and mean. He’s basically bizarro-Justin Schultz, who’s one of a handful of Edmonton Oilers trying so, so hard in the D-zone that he makes life harder than it need be.

Suter is smart in that he reads his partner as much as he reads the opposition. If his partner is being aggressive, he’s content to stand his ground in front. He finds his man, and being that he’s a strong guy, he takes the ice that guy wants and owns it. When that guy tries to take it, he'll treat them to a nice, fresh bruise, and he’ll lay it out tactically enough to avoid sitting in the box (17 minors through 82 games in those minutes is pretty impressive).

He excels at using his body to acquire the puck without skating overly hard. You can see what I mean below. He’s in a race for the puck, and like Fedor Tyutin of the Blue Jackets, he’s able to use mild interference to keep his opponent at bay.

Is it interference? I mean, not reeeally - he’s taking an area of the ice that he has every right to. It’s not gonna get called, but look how effective it is for him.

Look at that leg!

Annnd, his puck. It could’ve been a flat footrace, but nope, he just angles the other guy off the puck.

While he lacks the escapability of Erik Karlsson, he might feel pressure just as well. Below, the Canucks cycle the puck behind the net, which he reads and cuts off.

He takes off with it.

He feels the pressure on his back hip, and sees it up the wall as well.

And instead of banging it around the wall, he cuts back, and the Wild are heading out the other way.

He uses that feel from a defensive standpoint too. I know this isn’t the most exciting clip, but look at what I’m talking about with how he never has to over-skate, at the bottom right of the screen, below.

https://d13csqd2kn0ewr.cloudfront.net/uploads/image/file/94419/animation.mp4?ts=1422033968

What's he take, four strides in that clip? The puck goes up top, and he simply keeps himself on his guy, between him and the net. And when that player goes to make a sharp cut, he doesn’t get burned because he's playing patient. By playing "soft" like this he doesn’t have to skate fast - he can just take better angles to keep the guy on the perimeter.

Below is just another example of feeling pressure, not being rushed, and making a play instead of smashing the puck into the wall and hoping for the best.

https://d13csqd2kn0ewr.cloudfront.net/uploads/image/file/94420/animation.mp4?ts=1422033990

No need to panic, he’s strong on his skates and able to make plays when guys are putting some weight on him.

And once he’s used his body to acquire the puck, he can execute something you’ve heard scouts herald as all important for years on end: he makes “that first pass.â€

https://d13csqd2kn0ewr.cloudfront.net/uploads/image/file/94421/animation.mp4?ts=1422034013

If you move the puck early, hard, and tape to tape, you allow your forwards more time and space to make plays. You let them use their skills.

Ryan Suter isn’t flashy, but that's partially a product of what he’s being asked to do. If he were on a team loaded with D-men maybe he could play less and hit the speed burst button a little more to help on offense - he’s pretty darn good in that zone too - but in the meantime, there’s just no need. What he does works, and it works well.

CBS Sports

The biggest change appears to be one that will now have Ryan Suter skate on the same defense pairing as Jonas Brodin.

One person that was not a fan of that decision: Ryan Suter.

The biggest problem Suter has is the fact that both he and Brodin are left-handed shots, which forces one of them to play on their offside and limits their options with the puck. Suter was brutally honest about it on Monday.

"I guess they decided to change things up. I don't know what they're thinking," Suter said. "It's different, I need to play with a right-handed defensemen to give me more options in the neutral zone, offensively and even coming out of the D zone. It's not fair to put a guy on his offside. I don't know if it's just for practice today or what it is, they didn't say anything."

...

Thing about Suter's criticism on Monday is that since the start of the 2012-13 season he has spent more 5-on-5 ice-time with Brodin than any other player on the Wild roster. From a production standpoint -- both individually and for the team -- there is very little difference in how Suter plays when is paired with Brodin versus any other defensemen on the team.

In more than 2,600 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey with Suter and Brodin paired together since the start of the 2012 season the Wild have outscored their opponents 83-73 and have attempted 49 percent of the shot attempts that were taken during that time. In 2,100 minutes of hockey when Suter has been paired any other defender on the ice the Wild own a 96-83 goals edge and are a 51 percent Corsi team. They are slightly better from a possession standpoint and they score more when Suter is away from Brodin, but they also give up more goals.

Suter and Brodin have been mostly separated this season, playing just 37 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey on the same pairing. The Wild have outscored their opponents 5-1 during that time and have attempted more than 50 percent of the total shot attempts.

Glimpses From an Ivory Tower

What good will he be to the USA in Sochi?

As the NHL leader in time on ice, Ryan can be relied upon to be the backbone of the US defense in Sochi. He will be a defensive rock who can be looked to for success in all situations, because he is quite capable of scoring power play goals or tying goals in the last minute of regulation. There also was that game on January 4th, 2014 against the Washington Capitals where he scored a glorious hat trick, which is a nice feat for a defenseman.

The USA will also be depending on him to provide veteran leadership to youngsters like Faulk and Fowler (both of whom are among the four youngest players that the United States has sent to the Olympics since pros became eligible in 1998) on the blue line.

Ryan will be the cornerstone of the USA defense in Sochi, and he will bring the intangibles of determination, focus, and experience to the blue line, which explains why a letter A for alternate captain graces his 2014 Olympic jerseys.

United States of Hockey

Over the last few years, Ryan Suter has become one of the NHL’s elite defensemen and is paid as such now after signing with the Minnesota Wild in 2012. This season, he is the league’s busiest defenseman, averaging nearly 30 minutes a night for the Wild and may be the most utilized defenseman in recent NHL history when the season is over.

His usage has been that more like a Clydesdale than human being and he’s excelling. Suter has been adamant that he wants to play big minutes. Eric Tulsky of SBNation detailed just how massive Suter’s workload has been this year.

Suter is playing three and a half minutes more per game than what the leaders played in recent years.

If he plays every game, his ice time could be cut by two and a half minutes in the remaining games and he’d still surpass Tomas Kaberle for the most ice time in a decade (2310:14 — 28:10 per game — in 2005-06).

If Wild fans are hoping Suter’s usage will dip at the Olympics, don’t count on it. He probably won’t play quite as much as he does in Minnesota, save for some of those tighter games the U.S. is bound to be in, in Sochi. As a key veteran, he’ll have to be one of Dan Bylsma’s most trusted blueliners.

Suter also is among the most experienced players in international competition on the U.S. roster with 10 IIHF events under his belt including the 2010 Olympics.

Even at just 24 years old in Vancouver, Suter played more minutes than any other defenseman on the U.S. team, averaging over 22 minutes a game. He played more than 31 minutes in the gold-medal game against Canada, four minutes more than any other defenseman.

In 2010, the U.S. had the stingiest defense at the Olympics and the best goaltender. Suter was on the ice for one 5v5 goal against the entire tournament. The only other even-strength goal that came against the Americans with Suter on the ice was Sidney Crosby’s gold-medal winner during 4-on-4 overtime.

The U.S. is getting Suter this year at his absolute best. He’s on pace for a career year with the Wild in a number of categories. The 28-year-old rearguard was a Norris Trophy finalist last season and now has 99 games of experience as a No. 1 defenseman at the NHL level. He is going to have to be Mr. Everything for Team USA and if he’s at the top of his game, the U.S. is going to be really tough to score against when he’s on the ice.

What he’ll bring to Team USA: Suter obviously brings a lot to this team. He’ll definitely be a minutes-eating defenseman who plays in all situations, particularly in those high-leverage situations in tight games.

Suter has been run into the ground this year in Minnesota, but it’s early enough in the year to expect him not to quite be running on fumes yet. He’s going to need his energy as he’s likely to play a ton in Sochi.

The thing that makes Suter so effective in playing such high minutes is how efficient he is with his ice time. There’s not a lot of wasted movement out there, which is something that can really only be acquired over time. Suter has had a lot of practice playing major minutes and that will certainly help.

That efficient style is so much more important on the bigger ice though. With more ground to cover, it’s important to find ways to conserve energy without getting too lax in the defensive zone. Part of that comes in taking better angles, not getting caught too deep and making simple plays, which is something Suter does on the regular in the NHL.

Suter has more experience internationally than any defenseman on the U.S. roster. He also played on a larger ice surface at Wisconsin as well. That will certainly go a long way in terms of how he plays. He’ll know how to navigate the bigger surface, even though it’s been a few years since he’s gotten out there.

Suter is part of Team USA’s designated leadership core and is likely to wear a letter. He’ll have a fairly young group around him and his experience will be so important for whoever he ends up playing with.

There’s no question, Suter is going to be one of this team’s most important players.

Memorable USA Moment: Suter has been on the international stage so many times. His performance at the 2010 Olympics and in numerous World Championship events all are pretty memorable. His play in Vancouver is definitely a highlight, but I wanted to dig a little deeper into Suter’s USA Hockey history, which is long and distinguished.

At just 16 years old, Suter was part of a group that really have become trailblazers in USA Hockey over the last decade-plus.

As the youngest defenseman on the U.S. National Under-18 Team in 2002, Suter had a goal and six assists in eight games at the World Under-18 Championship. Despite his youth, Suter played a sizable role on a team that included future Olympic teammates Zach Parise, Jimmy Howard and Ryan Kesler. They were the first American men’s team to win a gold medal in an IIHF A-pool event since the 1980 Olympic Winter Games.

That same group, with Suter again playing a large role, won the first-ever World Junior Championship two years later. Suter also helped the U.S. National Under-17 Team win the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge that year, so from a very young age, he’s been a big part of USA Hockey.

In the years since, the U.S. has won the World Junior Championship twice, while the U.S. National Under-18 Team has won gold six more times since 2002 including a streak of four straight from 2009-2012. Additionally, the number of American-born players selected in the NHL Entry Draft has spiked and U.S. first-rounders have become more of a norm.

It really wasn’t until that group of player born in 1984 and 1985-born Suter that Americans proved they were on equal footing with the world in terms of player development and international success.

Suter will look to join his father Bob, who won gold at the 1980 Olympics, as the first U.S. father-son duo to earn Olympic gold medals since Dave Christian accomplished that feat as a teammate of Bob Suter’s in 1980. Christian’s father Bill won gold in 1960 with Team USA.

Gone Puck Wild

If you’ve been watching the Minnesota Wild this season, then it’s no secret that Ryan Suter is having career year. Thus far watching the Wild’s top defensemen has been a treat as he’s been tenacious off the ice and backed it up with outstanding play on the ice. The team is feeding off his energy and even for the most casual of observer you’ve got to ask yourself is this the year Suter finally gets over the hump and wins the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best Defensemen? I actually think he’s a got a good shot to do it.

The most obvious change in Suter’s play this season has been his offensive output. Many have said that on the power play he’s a liability on the point, yet this season he continues to surprise with 2 goals and seven assists with the man advantage. Add that total to 3 even strength goals and 10 even strength assists, and you find Suter with 22 points sitting currently 7th amongst NHL Defensemen.

Okay granted there is six defenders with better point totals right now, but it’ the whole package that makes a D-Man great. As usual Suter leads the entire NHL in a very important category Average Time on Ice with 28:13 played on average each game. This says to me that the Wild are successful because for almost half the game Ryan is on the ice. Furthermore, a +8 rating says to me that when he is on the ice he’s doing his part to keep the puck out of the Wild’s net.

Perhaps for me though the reason he stands out from his peers is his leadership. Whenever this team has had a skid this season Suter has been the one who has been vocal in the locker room, and in press interviews setting the tone of resilience and confidence. Few weeks ago when Mike Yeo decided to take a moment at practice to speak sternly to the team and shake up the defensive pairings, it was Suter after the practice speaking about the team’s confidence and second guessed any rash moves by its coach. That took guts and it showed Mike Yeo that he has the leadership to right the ship and answer his challenges. I really think the Wild’s rebound to go on their current 4-0-2 run was because of the confidence and leadership that Suter showed during that critical time.

Today's Slap Shot

With the steady progression of fellow defenders Jonas Brodin and Matt Dumba, as well as Devan Dubnyk established in net, the Wild will lean on their entire defense as they once again run through the NHL’s Central Division gauntlet.

In order to do that, however, Minnesota will look to reduce Suter’s time on ice, which has eclipsed 29:00 the last two seasons.

Craig D. Schroepfer of CBS Minnesota recently added to this dynamic:

The goal is to play Suter an average around 25 minutes per game. Suter struggled at times last season and when he did the Wild struggled as well. A rested Suter should mean more success for Minnesota.

In the fourth year of his massive 13-year, $98 million deal, Suter will remain the team’s top defender. An increase in quality depth will undoubtedly keep the 11-year veteran fresh, while giving more opportunities for others such as Brodin, Dumba and Marco Scandella.

“The first few years Ryan was with us, he was kind of carrying the mail for us,†assistant coach Rick Wilson told Chad Graff of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “We had a lot of young guys. He was asked to do a lot on a consistent basis in every situation. Now these younger players are maturing, and they’re ready to absorb and take on more responsibility.â€

SB Nation

When Brodin broke into the league in 2012, he found immediate success playing alongside Wild star defenseman Ryan Suter. The pair hasn't played as much together this season, but Yeo reunited them recently to give Brodin a boost.

...

On one hand, you can kind of understand where he's coming from. Most defensemen prefer playing with defensemen of the opposite handedness. It makes everything simpler. Suter has played the most with Jared Spurgeon this year and has a robust 53.2 Corsi For percentage with him. He's a legitimate Norris Trophy contender.

On the other hand, Brodin has struggled mightily without the elite defenseman. With Suter, Brodin has posted a 50.7 CF%. Without him, that percentage drops to 45.0.

...

"It does no good to pout and get pissed off at each other," said Suter. "You've got to come together and dig out of this. Now's when you need leadership more than ever. It's easy to be a coach and a leader when things are going good."

 

[Voight]

Pat LaFontaine


Awards and Achievements:
Selected to five NHL All-Star Games: 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1993
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner: 1994
NHL Second All-Star Team selection: 1993
Buffalo Sabres Captain 1992-1997
1.17 PPG 15th All Time (Min. 500 GP), Highest Among American Players

Hart voting - 3rd(1993), 5th(1990), 13th(1992),

Selke voting - 14th(1993)

All-Star voting - 2nd(1993), 5th(1990), 5th(1992)

Offensive Accomplishments:

Career - 858 GP 1,013 P 468 G 545 A
Points - 2nd(1993), 8th(1990),

Goals - 5th (1190), 5th (1992)

Playoffs - 69 GP 26G 36 A


5-Year Peak: 1988-1993
7th in Points, 78% of 1st place Mario Lemieux
5th in Goals, 85% of 2nd place Steve Yzerman
16th in Assists, 68% of 2nd place Adam Oates

10-Year Peak: 1986-1996
12th in Points, 58% of 1st place Wayne Gretzky
6th in Goals, 79% of 1st place Mario Lemieux
25th in Assists, 61% of 2nd place Mario Lemieux

International Stats
1983-1984 US National team 111 Points in 58 GP
1984 Olympics 8 Points in 6 GP
1988 Canada Cup 3 Goals in 5 GP
1992 Canada Cup 4 Points in 6 GP
1996 World Cup Of Hockey 4 Points in 5 GP (Champions)
1998 Olympics 2 Points in 4 GP

"His presence in the league was good for me, it was a challenge and helped me elevate my game. I was as excited as the fans were when we played against each other."

During a time when many young players opted for hockey scholarships at colleges in the United States, St. Louis, Missouri-born/Detroit, Michigan raised Pat LaFontaine decided to play in the Canadian junior system. In his only year in the league, he exploded for 104 goals and 234 points and helped his team reach the Memorial Cup finals. Two of the more prominent records he broke were Guy Lafleur's 40-game point-scoring streak and Mike Bossy's 70 goals by a rookie. He also out dueled future NHL icon Mario Lemieux in the scoring race.
LaFontaine was named the outstanding player of the Memorial Cup even though his team was eliminated in the round robin. After the season, LaFontaine was selected as the Canadian Major Junior player of the year. He capped off an exhilarating year by being chosen the first pick of the New York Islanders, the third selection overall, at the 1983 NHL Entry Draft.

Rather than step directly into the NHL, LaFontaine opted to enrich his experience with the United States national squad, which was preparing to compete in the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics. LaFontaine was one of the team's best performers with eight points in six games, but the U.S. had a disappointing seventh-place finish.

Following the tournament, LaFontaine joined the Islanders. He was allowed to develop at his own pace but was also prevented from playing a major role on a team deep in veterans. In 1986-87, he broke through with 38 goals and scored the memorable fourth overtime period winner against Washington in the seventh game of the Patrick Division semifinals. Later that year he represented the United States at the Canada Cup tournament.

In 1987-88, LaFontaine registered his first of six straight years with at least 40 goals. The following season, he scored eight points in 10 games for the United States at the World Championships. During this period, his exploits went largely unnoticed as the Islanders fell to the lower echelons of the NHL standings. In 1989-90, he led a rejuvenated squad back into the playoffs with his first 50-goal season, but the team fell back out of the post-season picture the next year. In 1991 he was one of the veterans on the U.S. team that lost to Canada in the finals of the Canada Cup. Unable to resolve a contract dispute with New York, he was traded to Buffalo on October 25, 1991, for several players, including scoring star Pierre Turgeon. He exploded during his second season as a Sabre with a team-record 148 points.

LaFontaine was poised to become firmly entrenched as one of the NHL's superstars when a series of injuries began to wreak havoc on his career. He'd already missed 33 games in 1991-92, the result of a broken jaw. In the opening round of the 1993 playoffs against Boston, he banged up his right knee. Pat thought he was fully recovered for play in 1993-94 but lasted only 16 games. He underwent reconstructive surgery for a torn ligament, which cost him the remainder of the season and half of the abbreviated lockout schedule in 1995. His determination to play again earned him the Bill Masterton Trophy at the end of the 1995 season.

Early in the 1996 season, he suffered a concussion that took several months from which to recover. In a cost-cutting measure, the Sabres traded him to the New York Rangers. He wasn't sufficiently healthy to play a full season but did score 62 points in 67 games for the Blueshirts. He also reached the 1,000-point mark on January 22, 1998, a month before he represented the U.S. at the Nagano Olympics. After suffering a second serious concussion, LaFontaine retired at the end of the season with 468 goals and 1,013 points

In June of 2003, LaFontaine was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. "I am truly thrilled to receive this tremendous honour," said Lafontaine upon receiving the news. "Growing up in St. Louis, I always played for the love of the game and never dreamed this could ever lead to my being a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame."

"And LaFontaine? He's magic. You always hear that whenever Gretzky shoots, he scores. Well it's the same with LaFontaine. He's the best player I've ever seen.

 

[Voight]

Rod Gilbert


Awards and Achievements:
Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team (1967–68)
Named to the NHL First All-Star Team (1971–72)
Won Bill Masterton Trophy (1976)
Won Lester Patrick Trophy (1991)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977)
Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982
New York Rangers team record for career goals (406)
New York Rangers team record for career points (1021)
New York Rangers team record for games played by a forward (1065)

Hart voting - 7th(1967), 10th(1972)

All-Star voting - 1st(1972),2nd(1968), 3rd(1975), 6th(1977)

Offensive Accomplishments:
Points - 5th(1968), 5th(1972), 7th(1965), 8th(1975), 9th(1964)
Goals - 4th(1967), 7th(1972), 8th(1965), 9th(1964), 10th(1974)
Assists - 2nd(1968), 6th(1964), 6th(1972), 6th(1973), 7th(1965), 9th(1964), 9th(1975)

Playoffs - 79 GP 34 G 33 A

5-Year Peak: 1968-1973
9th in Points, 87% of 3rd place John Bucyk
18th in Goals, 71% of 2nd place Frank Mahovlich
7th in Assists, 65% of 2nd place Phil Esposito

10-Year Peak: 1967-1977
4th in Points, 90% of 2nd place Bobby Orr
7th in Goals, 87% of 2nd place Yvan Cournoyer
4th in Assists, 75% of 1st place Phil Esposito

Flying down the ice with elan and purpose, Gilbert caught the imagination of Manhattan's sporting public. His movie-star looks and love of the nightlife made Gilbert a natural fit in the Big Apple.

Rod Gilbert was a consistent scorer during an excellent NHL career with the New York Rangers that lasted 18 seasons. He blossomed as the right winger on the famous G-A-G Line (Goal-A-Game) with Jean Ratelle and Vic Hadfield, and although he never played on a Cup champion, he was often at his best in the post-season.
An amateur scoring star with the OHA's Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters, Gilbert was part of a Memorial Cup triumph in 1959-60. In 1960-61, when the team was renamed the Royals, Gilbert led the OHA with 54 goals and 103 points. He came close to winning consecutive scoring titles but lost the scoring crown to Chico Maki on the last day of the 1959-60 schedule. Gilbert had just received word that he was an emergency call-up to the Rangers when disaster struck. In the last junior game of the year, he skated over some debris thrown on the ice that caused him to fall awkwardly into the boards. The impact resulted in a broken fifth vertebra in his back. To repair the damage, doctors removed bone from his left leg and used it to bind the fourth, fifth and sixth vertebrae together.

After recovering from his injury, Gilbert gained some professional seasoning with the Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers of the EPHL. On November 27, 1960, he made the most of a one-game call-up to the big leagues by assisting on Dean Prentice's third-period goal that gave New York a 3-3 tie with Chicago. Following an injury to Ken Schinkel, Gilbert was an emergency recall during the 1962 semifinal series against Toronto. He didn't look out of place and contributed five points in the four games he played with linemates Dave Balon and Johnny Wilson.

Gilbert finally made the team outright at training camp in 1962. He scored 31 points as a rookie, then registered his first of 12, 20-goal seasons in his sophomore year. Gilbert was a deceptively fast skater with an ability to elude many of the league's wiliest checkers. He was blessed with a hard shot that often dipped and he didn't shy away from battling hard in the corners or in front of the opposition net.

Meanwhile, the surgery Gilbert underwent wasn't totally successful. The bone graft loosened over time and eventually disintegrated as a result of the bodily contact so common in hockey. Prior to his third season, it was discovered that the surgically repaired vertebrae were damaged and required further attention.

He tried to play the 1965-66 schedule by wearing a special custom-fitted brace, but the extra equipment affected his breathing and, to some extent, his stamina. In January 1966 he was forced to abandon the season and undergo an operation to save his career. Gilbert came through the surgery and rehabilitation well and scored 28 goals the next year when he led the Rangers into the playoffs for the first time in five years.

It was in 1970-71 that he began playing with Ratelle and Hadfield. The line clicked and helped the Rangers set a franchise record of 107 points. The following season Gilbert set personal bests of 43 goals and 97 points and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup finals. The line made history by becoming the first on which all three members reached the 40-goal mark. Additionally, all three finished in the top five of the NHL's scoring race. Flying down the ice with elan and purpose, Gilbert caught the imagination of Manhattan's sporting public. His movie-star looks and love of the nightlife made Gilbert a natural fit in the Big Apple.

During the Fall of 1972, Gilbert represented Canada in the Summit Series against the USSR. His desire to play for Canada was so great that he ignored the many overtures that were sent his way by teams in the newly founded World Hockey Association. Between 1972 and 1977, he scored at least 75 points five straight years, but the Rangers never made it past the semifinals. On March 24, 1974, his goal against Dave Dryden of the Buffalo Sabres made him the first 300-goal scorer in the history of the New York Rangers. In 1976 Gilbert was presented the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy as a tribute to his dedication on and off the ice.

On December 12, 1976, he celebrated his 1,000th game by setting up three New York goals in a 5-2 home-ice win over the Stanley Cup champion Canadiens. Gilbert was also on hand when professionals were allowed to take part in the 1977 World Championship. He and linemates Walt McKechnie and Guy Charron helped Canada finish fourth in the historic competition. Before the start of the 1977-78 season, Gilbert was engaged in difficult contract negotiations with Rangers general manager John Ferguson. Following a 15-day holdout, Gilbert never really got going and only lasted 19 games before retiring. His output totaled 406 goals and 1,021 points along with a host of New York scoring records.

The classy winger was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Roy Conacher

Voting Record
1948-49
3rd in Hart Voting
4th in Byng Voting
1st in All Star Voting
1939 Stanley Cup Champion
1941 Stanley Cup Champion
1948-49 NHL Art Ross Trophy


Scoring Finishes

426 Points in 490 Games
30 Points in 42 Playoff Games

1st in Goals - 10th in Points - 1938-39
7th in Goals - Outside Top 10 - 1939-40
2nd in Goals - 10th in Points - 1940-41
2nd in Goals - Outside Top 10 - 1941-42
2nd in Goals - 7th in Points - 1946-47
Outside Top 10 - 10th in Points - 1947-48
2nd in Goals - 2nd in Assists - 1st in Points - 1948-49
6th in Goals - 8th in Assists - 6th in Points - 1949-50
5th in Goals - Outside Top 10

Summary of Goal Scoring Finishes
(1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 5, 6, 7)

Summary of Assists Finishes
(2, 8)

Summary of Points Finishes
1, 6, 7, 10, 10, 10

Top 7 VsX Finishes
126, 86, 86, 84, 82, 81, 76

Vx7 88.67

Year|Goals|BC Assists|MB Assists
1938-39|26|34|0
1939-40|18|27|0
1940-41|24|45|0
1941-42|24|23|0
1947-48|22|0|37
1948-49|26|0|43
1949-50|25|0|33
1950-51|26|0|23

Bill Cowley's 5th NHL season was Conacher's rookie year, and until then Cowley (age 26) posted seasons of 7, 10, 22, 22 assists. According to hockey summary project in Conacher's rookie year he scored 7 goals without Cowley (mainly before they were paired) and 14 with him (data is missing). Cowley becoming a premier playmaker is tied to the introduction of Conacher, playing together Conacher finished top 2 in goals 3 out of the 4 years. Cowley may be giving him great passes but Conacher could certainly put the puck in the net.

Cowley Deserves Cheer For Success of Conacher

Ranked near the top of the National Hockey League rookie list, young Roy Conacher can share his laurels with Bill Cowley, the tireless Bruin centre whom sports writers ranked the best in the league a year ago.

There's no denying Conacher is a star in his own right. his eighteen goals this season giving him first place tie among the league's scorers alone would rank him as a great player with the find team play that makes him such an important cog in the Boston machine.

But somehow or other, back of all those goals and the rapid rise to fame of the blond wingman lies the steadying helping hand of the veteran Cowley.

A small man compared with the general run of the Bruins, Cowley probably won't gain all star honors again this year. He missed a month of play because of a knee injury and other centers moved in to steal the spotlight, but it Conacher gets the nod for the the rookie trophy over Goalie Frank Brimsek, his teammate Cowley can take him some of the credit.

It was just a month ago Manager Art Ross sent Ray Getliffe and Charlie Sands down to the minors and broke up the Sans-Getliffe-Cowley line. He moved bill in between Conacher and Mel Hill and overnight young Roy started to hit the headlines.

League statistics of Feb 5 first after the new line was formed showed Conacher with nine goals for three month's work. The latest records Feb 27, gave him eighteen doubling his total in less than a month. And back of almost all those goals was the playmaking Cowley.

There was that game against New York Rangers early in February when Conacher drove in three goals Cowley assists on them all. He had three assists too last week. When Roy tallied for times against Chicago.

Cowley fared well in the exchange too, benefitting from a wingman who could turn his passes into goals. The Ottawa boy had fifteen goals when he joined Hill and conacher. With the three he gained against Montreal Canadaiens last night he now has twenty-eight more than any Boston player.

Perhaps Ross knew what would happen if he placed a playmaking center beside a wing whose shot travels with speed and accuracy of a bullet. If it was an experiment it was a happy one, ending the way most Ross experiments do.

The arrival of Conacher on the Black Hawks coincides with D.Bentley becoming a premier playmaker. Both of them together ruled the scoring leaderboard during this time frame. Hard to say who benefited the most.

Originally Posted by Ultimate Hockey
While not as well-known as his two older brothers, Lionel and Charlie, Roy Gordon Conacher was an excellent hockey player in his own right.

Like the other Conacher boys, Roy was a big man, through slimmer than his brothers. He was a sure stick-handlerwith a sharp, heavy shot, the trademark of the hockey-playing Conachers.

Peak Years 1939-43
In a Word SHOOTER

Originally Posted by Trail of the Stanley Cup, vol.3
He was a big man like his brothers but somewhat slimmer. He was an excellent stickhandler with a terrific shot.

Originally Posted by HHOF

Roy, quiet and modest about his talents, may have been the most naturally gifted hockey player in the family.

He began skating earlier than his brothers and was therefore much smoother on the ice. He combined speed with strength and was a resourceful goal scorer.

At the age of 22, he was put on the Beantown roster, playing on the left wing alongside center Bill Cowley, a future Hall of Famer whose style meshed perfectly with the talented Conacher's goal-scoring touch and ability to anticipate plays.

Conacher, with all that natural talent easing his transition from his military break.

Originally Posted by Joe Pelletier
The 1998 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies included Roy Conacher, who maybe now will finally get some recognition as a great player in his own right.

Despite his own athletic achievements, Roy Conacher has always been best known as the younger brother of fellow Hockey Hall of Famers Charlie and Lionel.

We have a hunch that Roy hasn't been accorded the proper respect from all of those fine Hawk fans who spend every hockey evening on the Stadium shelves and even down front.

Originally Posted by Times Magazine
The Bruins are tops this season because of the three most spectacular first-year players in the league—Goalie Frankie Brimsek, Defenseman Jack Crawford and Wing Roy Conacher.

Art Ross's other prize performer was 22-year-old Roy Conacher, brother of famed Pucksters Charley and Lionel. Throughout the season Roy has pounded home 22 goals, has the experts saying he might be even better than either Charley or Lionel.

Originally Posted by Art Ross'
My biggest mistake as a coach and general manager was trading Roy Conacher

Charlie started emoting early. On the first turn of forwards. Roy Conacher burst in around the Toronto defense fired. Broda made a dazzling corner kick.

Young Roy Conacher who is a cinch to win the Best Rookie trophy led the league in goal scoring with 26

Roy Conacher was another star, a five-pointer via two goals and three assists

Roy Conacher, highest scoring left wing in the National Hockey League, as acquired from the Detroit Red Wings yesterday by the New York Rangers who sent Ed Slowinski, rookie forward to the motor city team in exchange

A straight swap of Roy Conacher, left wing for Joe Carveth, the Detroit Red Wing's high scoring right wing, was announced by President Weston Adams of the Boston Bruins National Hockey League club

Adams said he has been eager to acquire Carveth, who has totaled 145 points during the past 3 seasons, because the Bruins have been understaffed with right hand shots.

"We have a lot of strength on the left side and Carveth is not only a capable right wing but a center as well," Adams said.

"We disliked giving up Conacher but when you trade for a valuable player you have to give up a valuable player."

The youngster will replace his uncle, Roy Conacher, at left wing. Roy, one of the outstanding shot makers decided to retire because of nervous strain

The Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League were strengthened today by the purchase of Roy Conacher, highly rated left winger, from the Detroit Red Wings.

Roy Conacher and Eddie Shore proved to be too great a combination for the New York Rangers to contend with in their National Hockey League clash with the Bruins at Madison Square Garden last night. With Shore playing an inspired game on defense and Conacher scoring three goals, the league leading Boston sextet handed the Blueshirts a 4-to-2 defeat.

......

For Conacher rounded out his hat trick beating Davey Kerr with a nicely placed shot that gave Boston a league it never relinquished.

Star Acquired From Red Wings Not to Face Bruins in Garden Opener Tomorrow but Deal is Not Officially Off

Roy Conacher, 31 year old top-scoring left winger in the National Hockey League last season was acquired by the New York Rangers last Thursday in a player deal with the Detroit Red Wings, has decided to retire from the game, Manager Frank Boucher announced yesterday.

Brimsek is Chosen For Calder Trophy
.....

Brimsek, Boston 70
Conacher, Boston 64

......
Conacher Well Backed

Thirty of the thirty four writers participating in the poll had Conacher on their lists, twenty eight had Brimsek and twenty seven had Roy Giesebrecht, brilliant center of the Red Wwings. But Brimsek was name for the two spot by eighteen of his selectors and Conacher by only twelve.

Originally Posted by The Leader-Post, Feb 22, 1939

If ever a man broke into the National Hockey League under a handiap it was Roy conacher, who had to live up to the reputations of two great brothers and apparently didn't have the equipment to do it.

Yet slender Roy, with none of the size or power of Lionel or Charlie, has made a start with the Bruins so sensational that people who do these things are now hunting for a name like the tags of "Big Train" and "Big Bomber" they put on his brothers. At 22 and on a team that should be harder to make than any other in the league, Roy is a smashing first-year success.

...

Tough Breaking In
Some of the Conacher Boys Friends were a little sad when they heard Art Ross commissioned Roy for his great Boston machine. The boy had to fit pretty hefty company, they pointed out. Lionel had a reputation as a great all-around athlete when he came to the league with Pittsburgh at the age of 25, while Charlie though only 20 made a good name for himself in the amateur ranks.

Roy was just another good Toronto senior- a professional prospect, no more.

So Roy showed them by becoming the forward-line find of the year. He may never be the great two-way player that Lionel was or the actual scoring menace that Charlie was in his hey-day. But you've got to hand it to him for doing what no one expected.

Originally Posted by The Milwaukee Journal- Jan 5, 1949

The National Hockey League has a new individual scoring leader- Roy Conacher, hard driving right wing of the Chicago Blackhawks.

The youngest member of hockey's Conachers picked up five points last week to replace line mate, Doug Bentley.

The third member of Chicago's high scoring line- Jim Conacher, no relation to Roy- is third.

One of hockey's most succesful holdouts, left winger Roy Conacher surrended today to the lure of folding money offered by Bill Tobin, becoming known as the National Hockey League's biggest ivory dealer in efforts to strengthen his last place Chicago Black Hawks.

The sharp shooting Conacher, youngest member of Toronto's three famed brothers whose playing careers span the NHL's modern history save up the game this season rather than report to New York Rangers when Detroit Red Wing refused to meet his holdout price.

Roy Conacher, Ted Lindsay and Billy Taylor were bellwethers of the Detroit squad. Conacher had four goals and an assist, Lindsay three goals and an assist, Lindsay three goals, while Taylor had seven assists.

Sharpshooter Roy Conacher, playing himself out of a protracted slump that hit him when his playmaking center, Bill Cowley was hurt in January, scored both Boston Goals. Cowley did not get back into action tonight despite some advanced predictions that he would.

But goalie Frank Brimsek rose to the height of his brilliance while Conacher goals were clever

Roy Conacher, hard-driving Chicago right winger last week supplanted linemated Doug Bentley as pacesetter to the National Hockey League's torrid scoring race, picking up five points Bentley's three.

Extra Players Named For NHL All-Star Game

The National Hockey League's board of governors today named the extra players for the first and second all-star teams which meet in the annual game at Toronto, Oct 9.

In accordance with a new ruling after last year's contest this year's game will be the between first and second team as named in the league official newspaper poll. Formerly, it had been between the Stanley Cup winner and all-star contingent named by the coaches

Two-thirds of the receipts go to the player pension funds.

First Team - Goal, Terry Sawchuck Detroit; defense Bill Quackenbush Boston; Len Kelly Detroit; center Milt Schmidt Boston; wings Ted Lindsay and Gordie Howe, detroit; alternates, Harry Lumley Chicago (spare goalie), Bill Gadsby, Chicago; Lee Fogolin, Chicago, Allum Stanely, New York, Don Raleigh New York, Ed Sandford, Boston; Roy Conacher, Chicago, Pete Buhando, Chicago, Johnny Peirson, Boston, Reggie Sinclair, New York, Doug Bentley, Chicago, Coach Joe Primeau, Toronto

The third member of one of the NHL's premier families has taken his place in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Roy Conacher, who played 10 seasons in the NHL and scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Boston Bruins in his rookie year of 1939-40, was inducted into the Hall on Monday night, joining his legendary brothers Charlie and Lionel. His son, Roy Jr., a Kingston lawyer, accepted on his father's behalf and was happy to see his father and his uncles reunited in Canada's hockey shrine.

"We certainly are very pleased," said Conacher yesterday after returning from the ceremony with his family.

The honour may be unique, he said, because all three men were players.

"I'm told that this is the only Hall of Fame anywhere to have three brothers inducted in the same category," he said.

"There might be others with three brothers, but they might be divided between players, founders and so on."

The monument to Conacher, who died in 1984, is a frosted-glass portrait with information on his playing days. Conacher's career totals were 226 goals and 200 assists in 490 games and he won the Stanley Cup twice with the Bruins and led the league in scoring in 1948-49.

His son does not know why it took the Hall so long to induct his father, but suspects the family connection might have led to the delay.

"There are already two Conachers in there, so maybe that had something to do with it."

TORONTO - Since I first heard Foster Hewitt's nasal tones describing a Charlie Conacher rink-length dash in Maple Leaf Gardens and finishing with "The Big Bomber Shoots! He Scores!" I have been a bona fide follower of his remarkable family.

Charlie won a Stanley Cup with the Leafs, the NHL scoring championship in back-to-back seasons, an all-star and leading scorer five times in six years.

Then there was Charlie's elder brother Lionel, "The Big Train," who played with Montreal Maroons and Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup winners, the Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts and Brampton Excelsiors taking the Mann Cup as Canadian senior lacrosse champions -- all accomplished within five years -- 1931 to 1935.

As a sideline, Lionel played the outfield with Toronto Maple Leafs of the Class AAA International League, boxed Jack Dempsey in an exhibition match, was unanimous choice as Canada's athlete of the first half of the 20th century and likely athlete of the full century before the year 2000.

The youngest of the five Conacher brothers were Bert and his twin Roy.

Bert was accidentally blinded in one eye by one of Charlie's bullet-like drives during a street hockey game and became ineligible to pursue a professional career.

Roy helped West Toronto Nationals win the 1935 Memorial Cup, scored the Boston Bruins' Stanley Cup-winning goal against Toronto in 1939 and was a vital part of the Bruins' second title two years later.

He was overseas four years with the RCAF and when he reported back to the Bruins was ruled "too old" and traded to Detroit where his 30 goals were second in the NHL only to Rocket Richard.

Brother Charlie, coaching Chicago, brought him to the Blackhawks where he made the first all-star team in 1948-49 and won the NHL points championship.

While there have been numerous family acts since the NHL was founded in 1917, Charlie and Roy remain as the only brothers to win the points title.

The almost forgotten third Conacher of that generation was finally recognized Monday at the Hall of Fame inductions when Roy Conacher Jr. accepted the plaque and jacket on behalf of his late father.

Thanks to Hall of Fame executive Kelly Masse, I was able arrange an interview immediately after the ceremonies with Roy the younger, a tall, distinguished looking man with gray hair and a smile a mile wide.

"It wasn't always easy growing with the name Conacher," he said. "I suppose it opened a few doors, but there was some pressure for me to perform in a certain way -- like being an athlete.

"You have to remember that my cousins Pete and Brian were also in the NHL, another cousin Lionel Jr. was a great football player at Western (University of Western Ontario) and my uncle Murray Henderson was a Bruin.

"My dad probably hoped I'd follow along the family lines, but he never pushed me into sport, just let me live my own life, and the highest I got in hockey was junior B. I decided to go the academic route, went to law school and have my practice in Kingston."

That didn't mean he wasn't a hockey fan. Even though he was too young to see Charlie or Lionel play, it was a special thrill to see his dad on the ice.

"He wasn't like his brothers. He was reserved about the game. Lionel and Charlie were driven to win. He played rather reluctantly, maybe because it was a family thing.

"I can't make comparisons, but some have told me that he was the most natural player of the three. The game came easily to him; he was always composed. Hockey wasn't a life or death thing.

"If he lived in the shadows of Charlie and Lionel, then he never complained and, tonight, he stepped out of those shadows to take his place beside them."

He also played exceedingly well.

Strictly on career goals Roy was the family leader with 226, one more than The Big Bomber and well ahead of The Big Train's 80 goals, plus a family high of 882 penalty minutes.

Thumbs Up: To the NHL, which has, far and away, the best Hall of Fame induction program of any team sports in North America.

With Drillon in the box young Roy Conacher again began to steak a lot of the show just as he did in Toronto on Thursday. Conacher took Cowley's pass and broke through the Toronto defense. He sprawled full length on the ice after working through, but while lying falt he cooled fed a perfect pass to Mel Hill who was uncovered.

 

[jarek]

Huge credit to Dreakmur for most of this!

George Hay !!!


Awards and Achievements:
4 x WCHL First Team All-Star (1922, 1923, 1924, 1926)
2 x NHL GM-voted First Team All-Star (1927, 1928)

Hart Voting – 4th(1928)
Lady Byng Voting – 2nd(1928), 3rd(1929), 5th(1930)

Offensive Accomplishments:
WCHL Points – 2nd(1922), 3rd(1923), 3rd(1924), 5th(1926), 9th(1925)
WCHL Goals – 2nd(1923), 3rd(1924), 4th(1922), 5th(1926), 8th(1925)
WCHL Assists – 3rd(1922), 3rd(1926), 4th(1924), 6th(1923), 10th(1925)

NHL Points – 3rd(1928), 10th(1929), 13th(1927), 18th(1930)
NHL Goals – 5th(1928), 17th(1929), 18th(1927)
NHL Assists – 3rd(1928), 8th(1927), 8th(1929)

NHL Play-offs Points – 5th(1927)
NHL Play-off Goals – 8th(1927)
NHL Play-off Assists – 2nd(1927)


Consolidated Points – 3rd(1928), 5th(1922), 8th(1923), 8th(1926), 9th(1924), 10th(1929), 13th(1927), 18th(1930)
Consolidated Goals – 5th(1928), 6th(1923), 8th(1922), 9th(1924), 12th(1926), 17th(1929), 18th(1927), 20th(1925)
Consolidated Assists – 3rd(1928), 8th(1922), 8th(1926), 8th(1927), 8th(1929), 17th(1924), 20th(1923)


Scoring Percentages:
Points – 90(1928), 86(1924), 84(1922), 81(1923), 72(1926), 66(1929), 61(1927), 52(1930), 46(1925)

Best 6 Seasons: 479

How important was George Hay to the fortunes of his teams?
WCHL:
1922: Outscored next closest teammate, 27 to 32, 119%. (Dick Irvin)
1923: Outscored next closest teammate, 36 to 23, 156%. (Amby Moran)
1924: Outscored next closest teammate, 31 to 23, 135%. (Dick Irvin)
1925: Outscored next closest teammate, 22 to 18, 122%. (Dick Irvin)
1926: Team leader outscored him, 31 to 36, 116%. (Dick Irvin)

NHL:
1927: Team leader outscored him, 22 to 36, 164%. (Dick Irvin)
1928: Outscored next closest teammate, 35 to 20, 175%. (Johnny Shepard)
1929: Team leader outscored him, 19 to 27, 142%. (Carson Cooper)
1930: Team leader outscored him, 33 to 36, 109%. (Carson Cooper)
1931: Team leader outscored him, 18 to 48, 267%. (Ebbie Goodfellow)
1932: Team leader outscored him, 7 to 34, 486%. (Herbie Lewis)

In the WCHL, George Hay outscored his next best teammate, on average, by 133%.
In the NHL, George Hay was outscored by the team leader, on average, by 233.6% (138.3% during prime years).

In years that George Hay outscored his next best teammate, he did it by an average of 141.4%.
In years that George Hay got outscored by the team leader, they did it by an average of 214% (132.8% during prime years).

His NHL numbers don't look great, but we must keep in mind that by the time he entered the league, he was 29 years old. Duke Keats and Joe Simpson, the other two famous long-time WCHL turned NHL players, did not see nearly the success that Hay did, at least offensively (they were 31 and 32 years old, respectively, when entering the NHL).

None of this is to say that Hay was some elite catalyst for his team, but he clearly drove his team's scoring for 5 of the 9 years of his prime, while contributing significantly in the other 4 prime years.

George Hay was considered the best stickhandler in hockey when he played in the NHL.

Although he was born in Listowel, Ontario, George Hay spent his early amateur days playing hockey in Winnipeg, Manitoba where he was a teammate of future Hall of Fame member Dick Irvin while they both played for the Winnipeg Monarchs in 1915. Hay was one of the so-called little men - he weighed only 156 pounds - who thrived on professional competition. His hockey career was put on hold while he served overseas during World War I but after the war George returned to the game and played senior hockey in Regina with the Vics during the 1920 and 1921 seasons.

Hay turned professional with the Regina Capitals of the Western Canada Hockey League in 1921 and played four years with the Caps before the franchise was transferred to Portland in time for the 1925-26 season. During his time in the WCHL Hay was named to the First All-Star Team on three consecutive occasions, from 1922-24. When the WCHL became the WHL in its final season of 1925-26, Hay was again named a First Team All-Star.

When the WHL ceased operations, Hay continued his career in Chicago with the Black Hawks in the NHL for a year before being traded to Detroit prior to the 1927 season. He was named to the "unofficial" NHL All-Star team, as selected by the managers, in 1927…

George Hay's pain was Detroit's gain.

The left-winger made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1926-27, but was dealt to Detroit after producing just 22 points in 35 games.

Hay was hampered by torn shoulder ligaments that first season and by the time the 1927-28 campaign rolled around, was completely healed, as evidenced by his first game with Detroit, which saw him score twice and set up the game winner in a 6-0 shutout of Pittsburgh.

The 22-13-35 totals he put up that season led the team in scoring and were good enough to leave Hay fourth overall in the NHL scoring race. He was named to an unofficial NHL all-star team selected by NHL coaches and finished second to New York Rangers center Frank Boucher in voting for the Lady Byng Trophy.

Detroit's first 20-goal scorer was considered by many to be the finest stickhandler in hockey. "Hay leaves all checks behind," noted one scouting report.

Hay turned pro with the Western Canada Hockey League's Regina Capitals in 1921-22 and posted 20-goal seasons in each of his first three pro campaigns. The gangly 5-foot-6, 155-pounder led the Western League in goals in 1925-26, potting 19 for the Portland Rosebuds.

It was Hay who was credited with the first playoff goal in Detroit history when he beat Toronto's Lorne Chabot in a 1929 Stanley Cup game.

Named captain this season, he appeared in all 44 games in 1930-31, but Hay's 18-point total was only good enough for fifth in team scoring. He was dropped to the minor-league Detroit Olympics in 1931-32, but returned to the big club for part of the next season and managed to appear in one game in 1933-34 before turning his focus to coaching Detroit's farm club.

Hay was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.

Ottawa Citizen - Feb. 4, 1927
George Hay, one of the most brilliant forwards in the western territory

Hay, an exceptional stick handler...

I've seen a lot of good ones, but none who had more stuff than George. He was in a class with Aurial Joliat, Jack Walker, Bun Cook or Harvey Jackson. He could do everything, that fellow. Besides, he was one of the easiest players to handle I ever had -- always in condition, always on the job, always willing to play any position. He never got into any trouble on the ice and was rarely sent to the penalty box. We've often said in the dressing room that when Hay kicks against a decision, the referee should be run out of the league.

He ranked with the great forwards of the game, combining speed and poise, aggressiveness and finesse, with unsurpassed mechanical ability.

...Moose Jaw strived desperately but could do nothing with Regina’s great defense and the high-class back checking of the local forwards.

....

Less than a minute before the period was over George Hay instituted a line rush which was a wonderful effort and beat Binney.

George Hay had the honor of scoring Regina’s first, his wicked shot from the wing doing the trick.

He was ably assisted by George Hay, who won more fame than ever as a destroyer of enemy rushes. He had plenty to do last night and always acquitted himself with glory to himself and his team mates.

The Frenchman passed to Simpson, and Hay stopped the play by nice checking.

....

Winkler cleared and Simpson rushed, only to be checked by Hay.

....

Arbour took it from the faceoff and was checked by Hay.

....

Hay stopped Trapp’s rush as center ice and shot on goal.

....

Simpson started a rush, but got no further than George Hay.

....

George Hay broke up the rush and passed to Irvin.

....

Simpson was again stopped by Hay in center ice.

....

Joe’s effort was stopped by George Hay in center ice.

....

Trapp’s rush was stopped by Hay.

....

Simpson rushed, but Hay was there in the back-checking.

....

Joe was blocked by Hay in center ice.

GEORGE HAY EASILY WINS LEFT WING POSITION ON STAR TEAM

In selecting Hay we are compelled to drop two strong candidates in the persons of Ty Arbor of the Eskimos, and Foley Martin, of the Tigers. But there is no question as to the best man for the job. Hay has shown himself all season the pick of the left wingers.

Georgie has never played better hockey than he is doing right now. He is going through game after game with added polish. He is handling the stick and puck with the finesse of an artist, and is bagging goals with unfailing regularity.

Hay's work is vigorous and pleasing to the eye. He has an almost uncanny habit of prancing through the hardest game without a bump, and he never lets up all the time he is on the ice. Best of all, he never hogs the puck. His breakaways with Barney Stanley and Dick Irvin are a treat to watch.

Georgie is another graduate from the Winnipeg School of Hockey. He broke into the senior company with the Monarchs after his big brother Reg, and started the fireworks right away. The sporting writers in the 'Peg predicted a wonderful future for the boy if he didn't lose his head at his success. Happily, Georgie is blessed with a good supply of common sense, and he didn't get excited. The result is that he ranks with the best in the game today.

HAY IS REAL STAR

The real star of the game, however, was the youthful George Hay, of the Regina team. Hay steed out like a diamond amid clear darkness. His stick handling, skating and checking were the signal for an enthusiasm to burst from the fans on numerous occasions. He was the main cog in the Regina attack...

....

On the attack Hay was the star....

... with the fast-stepping Georgie again in his accustomed place along the left boards.

Many are of the opinion that Hay is the greatest all around wing man in professional hockey, their opinions being based on his knack of preventing the opposition from scoring as well as his own almost uncanny ability to bat the puck past the league's best net custodians.

Hay was one of the most consistent goal getters in the old Western Canada Hockey League and probably has a higher scoring percentage over the last five years than most. The question arises: Why was Chicago willing to part with him?

The answer is that Hay experienced the worst season since he turned professional when a member of the Chicago National leaguers. A torn ligament in his left shoulder early in the winter of 1926-27 kept him out of the game for weeks and when he did return the speed and accuracy of his shot - he handles the stick from the port side - was so impaired as to lower his effectiveness.

....

Why should Hay be rated as one of the game's best all around forwards? Those who have followed professional hockey in Canada and the United States will cite the following as some of the reasons.

Because he can skate, stickhandle and shoot from any position with almost uncanny accuracy, all attributes essential to goal getting.

Because he drives in his plays close enough to the opposing net to kame them dangerous always.

He is a player capable of "teaming" with any club and gets the best out of his mates irrespective of their abilities and temperaments.

George Hay, fast left wing, will be at his position for the Blackhawks.

[/QUOTE]

 

[Dreakmur]

Bob Gainey !!!


Awards and Achievements:
5 x Stanley Cup Champion (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983)

Conn Smythe Winner (1979)

4 x Selke Trophy Winner (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)

Hart voting - 14th(1979)

All-Star voting -4th(1979), 4th(1980), 6th(1978), 8th(1977), 11th(1981), 11th(1982)

Selke voting - 1st(1978), 1st(1979), 1st(1980), 1st(1981), 2nd(1982), 6th(1983), 6th(1986), 9th(1984), 9th(1985)

Ultimate Hockey's Best Defensive Forward of the 1970s
Ultimate Hockey's Best Penalty Killer of the 1970s
Ultimate Hockey's Best Corner Man of the 1970s

1976 Coaches' Poll
3rd Best Checker

1979 Coaches' Poll
1st Best Defensive Forward
1st Best Penalty Killer
3rd Best Skater
3rd Best Bodychecker

1984 Coaches' Poll
3rd Best Defensive Forward

1981 Players' Poll
1st Best Defensive Forward
1st Best Back-Checker
3rd Best Fore-Checker

It was obvious early on that Gainey would never challenge for the scoring title - he never recorded more than 47 points in one year - but it was just as clear that his great skating skills, size and strength would make him an invaluable checker. In a quiet, efficient manner, Gainey soon specialized in shutting down the opposition snipers - like Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders and Lanny McDonald of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Gainey also contributed an infectious work ethic. He excelled at the mundane duties that make a top checker, and his small-town values - he was born in Peterborough, Ontario - made certain that playing for a glamorous team like the Canadiens would never get to his head. In addition to his checking skills, Gainey displayed a sense of anticipation that got him in the right position to score goals.

Scouting Reports:

A Montreal contender, along with Larry Robinson, for Conn Smythe Trophy last season despite scoring only 4 points in playoffs... Defensive work and hustle were brilliant...

Probably the finest defensive forward in hockey and a super penalty killer... Even on the fastest skating team he is a standout with his moves... With the kind of chances he creates, Gainey has the potential to be a 25-goal scorer...

Winner of Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP for playoffs, he handcuffs foes with relentless forechecking assaults... Acknowledged as strongest checker in NHL, he has won first two Selke Trophies as best defensive forward... Has excellent speed and good stickhandling ability but assortment of shots is only slightly above average... Becomes more dangerous offensively in crucial situations, as evidenced by his 16 points in 16 1979 playoffs games...

Has had only one 20-goal season in seven terms with Canadiens but his all-around skill places him on most lists of the best half-dozen players in the NHL... Has won the Frank Selke Trophy as best defensive forward in all three years it has been awarded...Expert penalty-killer and splendid forechecker who is among the best bodycheckers in the game... Won Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of 1979 playoffs.

Powerful left wing who thoroughly enjoys checking, defensive aspect of the game... Has won Frank Selke Trophy as league's best defensive forward four times and takes great pride in his checking and positional play...

Mr Defense... A hard-nosed and clean bodychecker who wraps opponents in a tangle of arms and legs... Will go down as greatest defensive forward of all time.

Every team would love to have a player like Gainey... Smart, mature veteran and captain... Plays for his team instead of personal glory... One of hockey's best defensive forwards and hardest workers...

One of hockey's best defensive forwards and clucth players...

Leads team both by words and example... Still among the best checking forwards and best penalty killers in the game after 13 seasons...

 

[Dreakmur]

Guy Carbonneau !!!


Awards and Achievements:
3 x Stanley Cup Champion (1986, 1993, 1999)

3 x Selke Trophy Winner (1988, 1989, 1992)

Selke voting - 1st(1988), 1st(1989), 1st(1992), 2nd(1987), 2nd(1990), 3rd(1986), 4th(1991), 4th(1994), 5th(1985)

Ultimate Hockey's Best Defensive Forward of the 1980s
Ultimate Hockey's Best Penalty Killer of the 1980s


1994 Coaches' Poll
2nd Best Defensive Forward
1st Best Best Penalty Killer
1st Best Shot Blocker
HM Best Face-off Man

A good skater, able to check the best opposition players, Carbonneau carved out a niche for himself that few if any in the NHL oculd hope to occupy. A tireless worker on the ice, he was known for his willingness to sacrifice his body to block a shot. A great sense of anticipation always put him in the right position. He thrived on the challenge of making the right defensive play or scoring a key goal. Most often a plus player, he could shift easily from offense to defense. At times he focused too much on his checking role.

Scouting Reports:

Started climb to stardom in playoffs last season...Stopper Boston's Barry Pederson and Quebec's Peter Stastny with tight checking in Montreal play-off wins... Dominated Bryan Trottier in playoffs... Scrappy center not affraid to go down ad block a shot... Outstanding at winning faceoffs... deft scoring touch around net...

Many opposing players believe he is the best defensive center in the NHL...Almost always wins more than faceoffs than he loses... Assigned to check the opposition's highest scoring centre and alwats does a fine job... Forechecks and backchecks with gusto... Reads eemy attacking plays well and often breaks them up to give Canadiens possession of puck... A gifted penalty killer...

Those who know say he's possibly the best defensive forward in the game... Certainly best shot-blocker and one of the best penalty-killers... His playoff performance - especially against Hardford - was incredible... Received serious consideration for Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP... Regularly assigned to check opposing team's top center, was pivot on top defensive unit with Bob Gainey and Chris Nilan... Super on faceoffs...

Disappointing regular season... A perennial Selke Trophy candidate... Still dives face-first in front of slap shots. Best at that craft in the game...