AAA 2011 Bios Thread

[VanIslander]

After a pick is made, place full bios here, the more complete the better.

It can be a valuable resource for future drafts,
especially for overlooked, underapreciated potential MLD worthy selections​

Click to read more...

 

[VanIslander]

Igor Romishevsky, the two-time Olympic gold medalist (1968, '72), four-time world championship winning (1968, '69, '70, '71) defenseman on the Soviet national team from 1965-1972, a three-time Soviet all-star (two 2nd team all-stars and a 3rd team all-star) in '68, '69 and '71, a 9-time league champion on the Red Army blueline (1961, 1963-66, 1968, 1970-72). He scored three points in each of the 1969, 1970 and 1971 World Championships. He scored at least a half dozen goals per season over a 5-year span up to 1966, with only 11 over the following half decade:
http://www.eurohockey.com/player/28265-igor-romishevsky.html

...absence of several world-class players affected the performance of the Soviets in the 1972 Summit Series. Obviously, the Olympic Champions Igor Romishevsky, Vitaly Davydov and, especially, Anatoly Firsov could have been a powerful addition to the Soviet team in the 1972 Summit.

http://www.chidlovski.com/personal/1972/stats/howru72.htm

The great Soviet coach Anatoli Tarasov, in his Road to Olympus(1969), describes, praises and criticizes Igor Romishevsky very astutely. Romishevsky was part of the fastest unit on the Red Army team in 1965, Tarasov says (pg. 30 of RtO). Tarasov goes on and on about the value of passing and decision making, after first introducing the topic with an example of Romishevsky's play: "... to Romishevsky who picks up speed and the line spreads out for the attack. The Spartaks fall back. There is an opening in front of Romishevsky, he can go in by himself, but he passes..."

Tarasov chose Romishevsky to be the 'halfback' in a new 1-2-2 system which had 1 defensive defenseman, 2 forward wingers and 2 'halfbacks' which - on how he describes it seems a lot like the 'halfbacks' were basically offensive defenseman and backchecking center. Romishevsky was chosen for the 5-man unit for his 'speed stamina' and 'explosive qualities' (111):

"Igor Romishevsky performs his role of 'halfback' with a creative approach. There is something in him that makes his game thrilling, above all, his ability to transform himself in a split second" (116)

This praise is followed by a long paragraph description of the skill of transformation, as one of good decision making and capitalizing on opportunities for transition, immediately followed by a short paragraph:

"I remember how in an exhibition game against the national Swedish team, Romishevsky, displaying unparalleled skill and daring, went down the whole rink, outplaying four Swedes and changed the score to 2:1 in our favour. I think everyone who saw that game will never forget that goal."(117)

Tarasov said the unit came undone when the players tried to switch roles, as Romishevsky like the others couldn't make all the key decisions outside of their strengths and well practiced roles. Romishevsky as the 1 in the 1-2-2 system made mistakes trying to counterattack too early when his role was to be the defensive '1' in the system. Tarasov accepts the blame for the unit's poor play in a game and then regains his pride when the unit went +3 in a game back in their original roles, Romishevsky as a halfback, in the role of rusher who determines when to pass and when to carry the puck deep (basically a precursor to the modern day offensive defenseman it seems to me).

--------

Aside - interestingly:

Plante was forced to come up with the big save on Igor Romishevsky just before the two-minute mark, after Andre Boudrias had missed the net twice from close in for the home club.

http://forums.internationalhockey.net/showthread.php?t=8354

The above quote is from arguably one of the most important games in Soviet hockey history as the Soviets took on the Montreal Junior Canadiens in 1965, dominating the play but losing 2-1 because of spectacular goaltending by Plante, the game important because it is said to have taught the Soviets the importance of improving their goaltending (it is said set the priority and focus to find and develop a Tretiak).

The roster included a lot of all-time greats. On defense: Ragulin, Kuzkin, Romishevsky, Davydov. Forwards: Loktev, Almetov, Alexandrov, Starshinov, Mayorov, Firsov, Vikulov, Yakushev.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

Mike Walton

x1 NHL All-Star Game (1968)
x1 WHA 2nd All-Star Team
x1 WHA Bill Hunter Trophy
x2 Stanley Cup Champion
WHA HOF Member
x1 NHL Top 10 Goals (9th)
x2 WHA Top 10 Goals (1st, 7th)
x1 WHA Top 10 Assists (4th)
x1 NHL Top 10 Assists Per Game (10th)
x2 WHA Top 10 Points (1st, 10)
x1 Led NHL Shooting % (77-78)

281 points in 211 career WHA games
448 points in 588 career NHL games

Mike Walton was best known as "Shakey" a nickname that he inherited after his father, a hockey star in his own right back in England who would shake his head to deke out an opponent. Young Mike was blessed with the same great skill set, and probably better. After all, he went on to become a Stanley Cup champion.

Mike was selected by Los Angeles Sharks in the 1972 WHA general draft, his rights were then traded to the Minnesota Fighting Saints. Minnesota managed to lure Mike over to the WHA and he was an instant hit, leading the league with 117 pts (57+60). He also led the league in playoff scoring (10 goals), making the 2nd All-Star team. The next season he had 93 pts and once again scored the most goals in the playoffs (10 goals). As most WHA clubs Minnesota ran into financial problems and eventually folded in March 1976. Mike had scored 71 pts in 58 games for Minnesota until they folded.

Mike was very good around the net, always dangerous. Longtime NHL goalie Glenn "Chico" Resch said " I've never run into anyone who's smarter around the net. He doesn't do the obvious. He comes at you a different way each time. "

His coach in Vancouver Phil Maloney described Walton. "He has good speed, especially in bursts. He makes good passes - at the right speed, to the right man, at the right time. Very alert around the net. Never turns his back on the play. "

http://mapleleafslegends.blogspot.com/2007/02/shakey-walton.html

In 1963-64, Mike Walton joined the Toronto Marlboros of the OHL and immediately established himself as a top-flight offensive forward. Among a lineup that included future NHLers Ron Ellis, Pete Stemkowski, Gary Smith, and Jim McKenny, the club banded together to secure a Memorial Cup victory by season's end.

Walton survived and after periodic stints in the CHL and AHL secured a regular shift with the Leafs. By the tail end of 1966-67, he enjoyed his first Stanley Cup victory and, by the following season, established himself as a solid NHL sniper.

After a slow start in Beantown, he gradually regained his confidence and again became a solid NHL scorer. He won his second Stanley Cup in 1972. Walton stuck with the Bruins until 1973. It was at that time that he signed with the Minnesota Fighting Saints of the WHA. There he finished his first season as the league's top scorer with 117 points in 78 games. He played one additional offensively prolific season and then returned to the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks in 1975-76.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14632

"To beat the Saints, we're going to have to stop Walton," Bill Dineen said Wednesday. "Not only is he a great shooter, he has breakaway speed and he's smart."

"But there's no question that Walton is the key to their success."

-Bill Dineen

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tLoyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xOwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3416,1064129&dq=mike+walton&hl=en



Mike Palmateer

x5 Top 10 GP
x4 Top 10 Wins
x2 Top 10 GAA
x5 Top 10 Shutouts
x3 Top 10 SV%

4x Top 9 Goalie All-Star voting (3, 7, 8, 9)
5th in Hart Trophy Voting (1978-79)

OMJHL First All-Star Team (1973)

The Leafs did finally bring Palmateer into the chain in 1974. He was promptly dispatched to the minors where he tended goal for the Saginaw Gears of the IHL and the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CHL. It wasn't until early in the 1976-77 campaign that he was brought to Maple Leaf Gardens for an extended stay. Suddenly, fans, analysts, and the club's management were all struck by the little fireball between the Leafs' pipes.

Some described him as a leprechaun in goal pads while others claimed he was brash and overrated and carried a chip on his shoulder. But whether people liked him or not, they couldn't help but be entertained by his dynamic exploits in the crease. He could make saves like a vaudeville dancer falling to the ice and then in an instant, be right back on his feet, ready for the next attack. He was colourful, cantankerous, and cocky while playing his daring game close to the edge.

From 1977 to 1979, with Palmateer in goal, the Leafs fortunes began to rise up from the depths of ineptitude. During the playoffs of 1978, he was a standout as the Leafs ousted the up-and-coming Islanders from the playoffs. But in 1980, Palmateer engaged in a contract dispute with the Leafs. He wanted a three-year deal while the club would offer only two. As a result, he was traded to the Washington Capitals.

He was put on the shelf to have arthroscopic surgery at a local hospital. He was already dressed in hospital linen, on his way into the operating room when an urgent call came through from the Caps. Their other goalie, Wayne Stephenson, had just gone down with an injury. They needed Palmateer, bad knee and all, for the evening's game. So, he was packed back into the ambulance and delivered the stadium in time for the match. His surgery was then completed several days later.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=18650

Mike Palmateer was hailed as Toronto Maple Leafs savior by Torontonians even before he played in the NHL.

Born in Toronto, Palmateer was a junior standout with the hometown Marlboros of the OHA. Drafted 85th overall in the 1974 Amateur Draft by the Leafs after Palmateer backstopped the Marlies win of the Memorial Cup in 1974-75 during his last year of junior hockey.

Palmateer apprenticed in the Central Hockey League for a couple of seasons before making his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs in 1976-77. He had a solid rookie year, going 23-28-8 in 50 games as the Leafs starting goalie, taking that role from Wayne Thomas.

The following year he was Palmateer's best season. He played a career high 63 games played, 34 wins and 5 shutouts. Most importantly, he was a key figure in the club’s drive to the Stanley Cup semifinals. He recorded 2 more shutouts in the playoffs. It was the first time since 1967 that the Leafs had become serious contenders for the Stanley Cup.

In those 1978 playoffs Palmateer was at his best during the Leaf's quarter final upset of the New York Islanders.

Mike was an acrobatic goalie, always flopping around on the ice like a fish out of water. He was exciting to watch but every shot seemed like an adventure. He could make an ordinary save look spectacular, but at the same time he often looked bad as an easy shot got past him.

"Palmateer doesn't play text-book goal," said then-Toronto GM Mike Nykoluk. "But he is awfully quick and has great hands and a wonderful sense of anticipation. The idea is to stop the puck, and that's what he does."

Palmateer was extremely confident in his abilities.

"That's my style, and I think that scrambling and challenging the shooter is best for me. I can play with any goalkeeper in the NHL. No one is better than me, and I'm better than most."

Despite the excitement surrounding the Leafs, turmoil ruined that team. Owner Harold Ballard decided to get rid of most of the young budding superstars - Darryl Sittler, Tiger Williams, Lanny McDonald and yes Mike Palmateer. All four of these players had terrible relations with GM Punch Imlach, especially at contract time.

Prior to the 1979-80 season, Palmateer was traded to the Washington Capitals with a third round pick (Torrie Robertson) for Robert Picard, Tim Coulis and a 2nd round pick (Bob McGill). He played in the United States capital for two seasons.

Palmateer recorded 17 shutouts and a goals-against average of 3.53 over an impressive eight-year NHL career. His career totals - 149 wins, 138 losses and 52 ties.

http://mapleleafslegends.blogspot.com/2007/06/mike-palmateer.html



Al Dewsbury

x1 NHL All-Star Game ('51)
x1 AHL Second Team All-Star ('50)

x2 Top 5 PIM (5th, 5th)
x4 Top 10 Points by a defenseman (9th,5th,7th,6th)
x1 Top 15 Points by a defenseman (14th in 37 GP, '55-'56)

x1 Stanley Cup Champion ('50)

Dewsbury was one of the giants of the game in the 1940s and 1950s. By today's standards, he would be considered just an average-sized player, but back then a 6'2" 202-pound rearguard was a very imposing figure to many of the smaller players in the game.

Dewsbury played for the USHL's Omaha Knights in 1945-46, starting in 41 games and scoring six goals and six assists. The following year his time was split between the AHL's Indianapolis Capitals and the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. In 23 games with the Wings, he had two goals and an assist. One of the main reasons he was so attractive to the Wings was his aggressive style of play. In 34 games with Indianapolis, he had 80 minutes in penalties.

After a couple more seasons with the Indianapolis Capitals, Dewsbury drew a permanent assignment with the Chicago Blackhawks where he would remain for six seasons. In three of the first four years, he played in 69 games and saw action in 67 in the other. From an offensive perspective, his best year was 1951-52 when he scored seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points. Dewsbury and the Hawks never were able to make it to the Stanley Cup finals, which were for the most part dominated at that time by the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens.

Dewsbury did win a Cup while playing with the Red Wings during the 1949-50 with teammates such as Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay spearheading the win, beating down a tough New York Rangers club in a tough seven-game series. The Wings also made it to the Cup finals with Dewsbury on the defense in 1948, but they were swept in four games by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 1955-56 season was his final year in the NHL. He played in 37 games with the Hawks, scoring three goals and 12 assists for 15 points. He remained playing professional hockey for another two years with the Hershey Bears of the AHL before retiring. Dewsbury played in 37 NHL games, scoring 30 goals and 78 assists for 108 points.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12451

During 1949-50, Al split the season between the Capitals and the Red Wings. During the regular season, he played 11 games with Detroit, but was a key addition during the playoffs that spring.

Al Dewsbury was summoned to join the team for Game Three of the final, April 15, 1950, and quickly made his presence known as he picked up an assist on George Gee's goal late in the first, and also picked up two minor penalties in a 4-0 Red Wing win.

Detroit hosted again, for a third straight contest, in Game Six. Dewsbury earned an assist on Sid Abel's winning goal as the Red Wings edged New York 5-4 to set up a seventh game, do-or-die situation.

Al dressed for Game Seven at the Olympia in Detroit on April 23, 1950. The Rangers went up 2-0 in the first period to set Detroit back on their heels, but they rebounded with two goals in twenty-one seconds early in the second period; the second Wing goal scored by Sid Abel with an assist by Dewsbury.

http://www.hhof.com/htmlSTCjournal/exSCJ05_10.shtml

...Al Dewsbury of Chicago Blackhawks emerged as heroes of overtime Stanley cup playoff games. Dewsbury broke up the game at 5:18 of the overtime. He took George Gee's pass-out and slammed it in from 30 feet out.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dwpUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZTkNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6902,4403427&dq=al+dewsbury&hl=en

Defenceman Al Dewsbury opened and closed Chicago's scoring...His second goal came while the Hawks were a mans short.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ISBUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EzoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6930,1141286&dq=al+dewsbury&hl=en

The bruising work of rearguards Leo Resie and Al Dewsbury won commendation from manager Jack Adams.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAAAIBAJ&pg=3517,1870746&dq=al+dewsbury&hl=en

...while Buffalo's Al Dewsbury hung on to his "bad boy" title with 48 minutes served in the penalty box.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NQhHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n_IMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5853,2170833&dq=al+dewsbury&hl=en



LW Dutch Gainor

x1 Top 10 Goals (8th)
x1 Top 10 Assists (2nd)
x2 Top 15 Points (13th and 10th)

Norman "Dutch" Gainor came up through the ASHL ranks before playing with the Duluth Hornets of the CHL in 1925-26. That catapulted him to Calgary for one year before he was sent to the Boston Bruins by Minneapolis, who owned his AHA rights.

Gainor appeared in 42 games with the Bruins in his first NHL season in 1927-28 and contributed eight goals and 12 points. He played four years in Beantown and his most productive NHL season occurred in 1929-30 when he tallied 18 goals and 49 points in 42 games. It was often said Gainor was plagued with the worst set of varicose veins known to mankind. But cosmetic appearance never seemed to bother Gainor, and it definitely did not effect his play as he was considered one of the top left wingers in the NHL in the mid to late 1920s.

In the summer of 1931 Gainor was stunned to learn he had been traded to the New York Rangers. He played just one year in the Big Apple and was traded to Ottawa after a sub-par offensive season. His last NHL stop was in 1934-35 when he dressed for 35 games with the Montreal Maroons.

In 246 NHL games Gainor scored 51 goals and 107 points. He died in 1960 at the age of 56.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12668

They were led by Hall of Famers Cooney Weiland (league leading 43 goals, 73 points) and Dit Clapper (41 goals, 61 points), two thirds of the "Dynamite Line." The other member of that line was Calgary, Alberta's Dutch Gainor. Gainor, a slick playmaker, scored 18 goals and 31 assists (second in the league to Frank Boucher's 36 helpers) for 49 points in his 3rd NHL season.

Gainor joined the Bruins in 1927 prior to the three zone rule changes, and became a significant contributor the Bruins first Stanley Cup Championship in 1929. Gainor scored 14 times in the regular season and added two more in 5 playoff games.

The Dutchman was maybe the greatest four-year hockey player who ever skated, but he lived fast and was finished quick.
The thing about Gainor was his two-way shift, left and right. He’d shift left and one defenceman would be faked out of his jersey. He’d fake right and the other defenseman would be deked out of his jockey shorts. Then Dutch would swoop in, unmolested, ramming the puck at the goalie or passing it to a flying winger.
Oldtimers still talk about the Gainor shift, it was that memorable. Most players can shift one way, but not one in a hundred can do it both ways.

A compliment by Ching Johnson in 1929-30 where he picked Gainor as a wing man on his all-star team help’s Gainor’s case:

"On the wings? Lemme see. Well, I guess "Dutch" Gainor of the Bruins would do. He's awfully tricky and deceptive. Fast, too."
In explaining why he would pick Gainor over Morenz or Joliat:
"He's different. Howie depends entirely on his speed. He doesn't stickhandle at all. You can figure Howie, but you can't figure a fellow like Gainor. You never know whether he's going to the right or left, or over or under you."

http://bruinslegends.blogspot.com/2007/12/norman-dutch-gainor.html



C Viktor Yakushev

x2 1st Soviet League All-Star Team
x1 3rd Soviet League All-Star Team

x1 Olympic Gold Medalist
x5 WC Gold Medalist
x1 WC All-Star Team ('63-'64)

x1 Russian League Goal Leader ('59)
- 162 Goals in 400 Russian League Games
- Led Russians In Goals at 1964 Olympics
- Led Russians In Goals at 1959 Worlds
- Led Russians In Assists, 2nd in Points, at 1965 Worlds
- 28 Goals, 29 Assists, 57 Points in 57 International games
- 36th in goals, 31st in games with Russian National Team

Viktor Yakushev was a unique hockey player not only in the Soviet Union but internationally. The circumstances of his career are even more remarkable than the many pecularities of the game. He played for only one team Lokomotiv Moscow, which in 1961 was among the top three in the SSR. he played until age 42, by which time Lokomotiv was reduced to a minor league team that folded after he left.

At the World Championships, he played for the USSR eight times in six different lineups. It is worth noting the character of the time, the lineups and the morals that prevailed then. Anatoli Tarasov, the virtual ruler of the nationals, had whipped into shape a whole detachment of candidates from his own local CSKA club for the national lineup, capitalizing on the competitive pride of each candidate. tarasov virtually ignored the forwards from Chernyshev's club, even though as Dynamo coach he was the senior coach of the nationals. Dynamo's best forward, Yurzinov, only made it to the Worlds twice. Tarasov also seemed to enjoy breaking up the talented lines of Spartak Moskow in order to weaken his competitors in the domestic championships.

Tarasov used Yakushev as a pawn in his political game because he wasn't a threat to his CSKA club. Yet Tarasov valued the Lokomotiv forward because Yakushev played a key role for the nationals, not just by handling problems and performing well. In 1963, when the Canadians managed to bring the score from 4-0 to 4-2 in the final game, the Soviets faced losing the Championship if they allowed another goal. Yakushev fought for the gold right to the final seconds of the game. A year later at the Olympics, the extremely loyal and conscientious Yakushev was assigned the job of guarding the eminent Tumba Johansson. Yakushev scored 9 goals and became the leading scorer of the team.

One of Yakushev's cohorts, Boris Mayorov, said of his partnership with Yakushev at the 1966 World Championship: "Yakushev was an outstanding player who simply had to be in the nationals lineup. It is with a special feeling of pleasure that I recall the seven games played shoulder to shoulder with Yakushev in Ljubljana." At that championship, Yakushev posted 11 assists, proving he was an invaluable partner on the ice.

What did Yakushev have that the nationals couldn't do without? What was it that made Yakushev feel at home on any forward line? If Yakushev had been playing for a team like Lokomotiv in the media frenzy of today, there is little doubt that he would be heralded as the best player ever. There is no denying that Yakushev was an outstanding player with an exceptional ability to collaborate with other players. Flexibility, adaptibility, and compatibility were Viktor Yakushev's strength. "Compatibility established right at our very first training workouts.", he once said. "no matter with whom. After that, I did my best to work out with the particulars of real teamwork."

On the ice, Yakushev played common sense hockey. When he celebrated his 40th birthday, coach ******** of Novosibirsk, noted "If I could accomplish the impossible and somehow tempt, win over or purchase Yakushev, I would bring him up her to Siberia and say to him, 'You can play for me as long as you want in any game. If you want to play more, go ahead. Less? Go ahead. if you want, you can play till you're 60. In short, do what you feel is necessary. Every minute you are on the ice, every minute of your caliber of hockey is worth more than a dozen training sessions and 30 sermons.'"

But Yakushev remained loyal to Lokomotiv. In those days, that kind of dedication and loyalty to family, home, and team eas genuinely and widely shared.

Yakushev appeared on the ice at most of the major hockey competitions in the world. At the end of his career, he played in a minor league in Tashkent. Words such as "popularity", "image", and "ambition" weren't in his vocabulary. What he loved most was playing for Lokomotiv - nothing else mattered as much. Yakushev played the game longer than any Soviet hockey player. When he continued to play in minor leagues, he ignored the many comments about his age. Throughout his more than 20 years as a hockey player, Viktor Yakushev missed only three training workouts.

RW Wayne Connelly

x1 Top 10 NHL Goals (6th in '68)
x3 Top 10 WHA Goals (9th, 6th, 4th)
x1 Top 10 WHA Assists (8th)
x1 Top 5 WHA Points (5th in '74)
x2 WHL Second All-Star Team (1965, 1966)

Wayne Connelly began his major junior hockey career as a member of the OHA's Kitchener Canucks in 1955-56 at the age of 16, appearing in nine games. The following season he played for the Peterborough TPT's, dressing for 52 games, scoring 18 goals and 37 points.

Connelly began his pro career with the Montreal Royals of the EPHL, playing 64 games, scoring 28 goals and 49 points. Late in 1960-61, he dressed for three games for the Montreal Canadiens.

The 1961-62 season was Connelly's rookie year in the NHL, when he played in 61 games for the Boston Bruins, collecting 21 points. Connelly was inserted into the Bruins' lineup for about half the games in each of the next two seasons. For two years, he played exclusively in the WHL with the San Francisco Seals. In 1965-66, he put up strong offensive numbers, scoring 45 goals and 86 points in 72 games. It was that production which earned him another look from the Bruins, who elevated him to full-time status with the club in 1966-67. He had 13 goals and 30 points in 64 games.

With the advent of expansion, Connelly was selected by the Minnesota North Stars for the 1967-68 campaign. He had the distinction of being the first NHL player to have jumped to the new rival league. In 74 games, he scored an NHL career-high 35 goals and 56 points. Midway through the following season, Connelly was traded to the Detroit Red Wings where he played for a just over a year and had a career-high 59 points in 1969-70 before being dealt to the St. Louis Blues. He found himself on the move again early in the 1971-72 season, being sent to the Vancouver Canucks.

The arrival of the WHA gave options to many players such as Connelly, who opted to try his luck with the fledgling league, signing a lucrative contract with the Minnesota Fighting Saints, which was guaranteed through the first three years. Minnesota was also the offseason home for Connelly and his family. In his first season, he scored 40 goals and 70 points in 78 games, finding the wide-open style to his liking. In 193-74, he improved on those statistics, scoring 42 goals and 95 points. He once scored five goals in one game, which tied the league record. On that magical evening, Connelly provided all of Minnesota's scoring in a 5-3 victory over the Cincinnati Stingers. Connelly joined the Cleveland Crusaders in 1975-76. However, his tenure lasted just 12 games, before he was back in a Saints uniform for the final 59 games of the season.

Connelly's final WHA season was split between the Calgary Cowboys and the Edmonton Oilers. His biggest regret during his nine years in the NHL was not getting the opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup. The closest chance came in 1968, when the North Stars lost a tough deciding seventh game in the semi-finals.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12310

Wayne Connelly, the Detroit Red Wings' forward with the machine-gun slapshot, fired 23 goals and added 36 assists...

Why, just two years ago, the five-foot, 10 inch speedster from Rouyn, Quebec, rifled in 35 regular season goals, while wearing the gear of the Minnesota North Stars. That same year, in post-season play, he shared the lead in playoff goals with eight, as the Stars stormed to the Western Divisional final...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Uy5gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n28NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1060,1550649&dq=wayne+connelly&hl=en

Connelly's tip-in of Mike Walton's pass from short range at 1:35 of the third period proved to be the game winner.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1pcuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3826,2800595&dq=wayne+connelly+mike+walton&hl=en

His best season in the WHA came after Minnesota acquired Mike Walton

D Poul Popiel

3rd Career WHA Points by a Defenseman
x2 WHA 2nd All-Star Team (75,77)

x3 Top 3 WHA Points by a Defenseman (2,3,3)
x2 Top 10 WHA Points by a Defenseman (6,9)

Offensive defenseman with some grit who bounced around the NHL before having a very successful career in the WHA. He's not a WHA HOF'er like Plumb but I think he's the best guy after him and finished a handful of points behind him for third all-time scoring by a defender. He also averaged over 100 PIMs a year in the WHA and very briefly played as a forward when his teams wanted him to provide some physicality.

As a journeyman defenseman though, it was difficult for Popiel to catch on with an original-six lineup. So it was back to the minors after only three Bruin games, this time with the Hershey Bears of the AHL. In 1967, as the NHL expanded, the Los Angeles Kings who tucked him away with their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Kings, claimed Popiel. But the following year he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings where he finally got his first full season in the NHL before splitting 1969-70 between the Wings and their minor-league affiliate in Cleveland.

In 1970-71, the Vancouver Canucks who used the veteran to stabilize their newly formed blueline corps again claimed Popiel in an Expansion Draft, this time. But as was always the case in the NHL, he tended to be used as a defensive stopgap who was useful only so long as there were injuries or short-term holes to be filled on the roster.

Not long after the start of the 1971-72 season, Popiel was dispatched to the Rochester Americans where he stayed only long enough to work out a deal with the Houston Aeros of the newly formed World Hockey Association. In Houston, he finally found a stable home as a blueline regular for six seasons. But by 1978, he felt he'd had his fill of the WHA. So he was quick to jump at an offer to play for Innsbruck in Austria for one season.

The Aeros have made it a rough series by their determination to give as good as they get, and Poul Popiel, converted to winger from defence to improve checking, has promised that Houston won't be taking any dives tonight.

Popeil, who hit the showers early Sunday because of his second slashing penalty fumed: "They pushed me around the whole game, I don't have to take that. If that's the way they want it, well take it right back to them."

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1S9mAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E4sNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4783,617584&dq=poul+popiel+hit&hl=en

Our defence is playing unbelievably good. The biggest improvement overall on the club has to be the play of xxx and Poul Popiel.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6zQ_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=flEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5691,182664&dq=poul+popiel+hit&hl=en

Only Houston's Poul Popiel and Mark Howe were able to penetrate the net guarded by octopus moves of the Whalers' rookie goaltender.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yuQLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=T1gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1791,175388&dq=poul+popiel+aeros&hl=en

Paul Popiel scored two first period goals and his brother Jan had one goal Tuesday night, sparking the Houston Aeros to a World Hockey Association playoff victory...

Paul Popiel's goals both came on slap shots from the left point during power plays...

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=woAeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fMoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2979,4134381&dq=poul+popiel+aeros&hl=en


C Larry Popein

5 consecutive 30+ point seasons but it's his two-way play, hustle, and physicality that I really liked.

Popein, a man of few words and a grim facial expression, quickly established himself as a hustling, two-way centreman, flanked by Bathgate and Dean Prentice. The line became the Rangers' best although Prentice and Bathgate got the lion's share of points while Popein remained, as he often called himself, the scoreless pivot.

He stayed as a Ranger regular until 1961 when he was sent back to the Vancouver Canucks of the WHL. There he contentedly played for his adopted hometown for seven seasons. But in 1967, the NHL doubled in size, opening up a need for experienced vets like Larry Popein. The Oakland Seals made him a cash offer that was hard to refuse. He joined the NHL for one final run of 47 games before heading back to the minors where he rounded out his on-ice career with Vancouver and Omaha.

A 5-foot-9, 170-pounder whose 20 seasons as a professional player encompassed the 1950s and ’60s, you know he had to scratch and claw for everything he got.


Devout hockey fans will remember Popein as a smallish centre who played 449 NHL games, all but 47 of those with the New York Rangers in the six-team NHL.


How good was he?


In hockey parlance, Popein brought his lunch bucket and his hardhat to work every single day. It is said that he could hit like “thunder.†He put up 221 points and was the middleman on one of the NHL’s top lines, skating between Andy Bathgate and Dean Prentice.

http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/20110601/KAMLOOPS0201/110609996/-1/kamloops/canucks-have-the-pope-in-their-corner


RW Gerry Couture

NHL All-Star Game (1950, unmerited SC winner appearance)
WHL First All-Star Team (1955)
x3 Top 15 Goals NHL (7th, 15th, 13th)

Gerry Couture joined the NHL's Detroit Red Wings for the 1944-45 season but did not suit up for any games with the war effort not yet completed. In 1945-46, he took to the ice on 43 occasions, scoring three goals and ten points.

The 1946-47 season was split between the Red Wings and Indianapolis of the AHL, where he posted 24 goals and 42 points in just 34 games. He rejoined the Red Wings on a full-time basis the following two years, posting 29 and 31-point seasons, respectively. The 1950 Red Wing club proved to be the best in the NHL, coming away with the Stanley Cup. A drop in production in 1950-51 had the team and Couture believing that a change was in order. He played for the Montreal Royals of the Quebec League, the Cleveland Barons of the AHL, and ten games with the Montreal Canadiens in 1951-52 before moving on to the Chicago Blackhawks for the 1952-53 campaign. That season, he played in 70 games, scoring 19 goals and 37 points.

The final NHL season for Couture was 1953-54 when he scored eleven points for the Blackhawks. He continued to play professional hockey for another four years in the WHL, three with the Calgary Stampeders, and finally with the Saskatoon Royals in 1957-58.

D Don Sweeney

Don Sweeney was drafted out of high school by the Boston Bruins in 1984 but went on to attend Harvard University for four years, while becoming an NCAA East All-American team member in 1988 as well as an ECAC First Team All-Star team member.

He made his NHL debut in the 1988-89 season but split the year with the team's AHL affiliate in Maine. Sweeney saw his first action in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1990 when the Bruins went all the way to the finals, but the team fell to the mighty Edmonton Oilers. The next season saw the Bruins fight their way to the Conference Finals only to run into the Penguins, who dispatched the Bruins on their way to the championship.

A member of Canada's Gold Medal winning team at the 1997 World Championships, Sweeney entered his 15th season with the Bruins organization in 2002-03 and surpassed 1,000 games played.

Although small in stature for a defenceman, over the years Sweeney has not shied away from the physical aspect of the game while chipping in offensively. The St. Stephen, New Brunswick native entered the 2002-03 season tenth on the Bruins all-time point list.

After 15 seasons in Beantown, Sweeney signed as a free agent with the Dallas Stars where he would conclude his NHL playing career. In the summer of 2006, Sweeny would return to Beantown as he was named as the Director of Player Development with the Boston Bruins.

Many defensive defensemen rely on strength and size to last in the National Hockey League. Not Sweeney. He is all of 5'10" tall, though is very strong and sturdy. He was a shrub in the forest of NHL defensemen, but as new statistics point out what NHL forwards already know, he was a hard hitting body checker. He added some nice mobility to his repertoire, and possessed great hockey sense. All in all, he was a very clever hockey player, and incredibly underrated.

"I've always felt like I've been up against the wall -- I don't want to say overachieve -- in terms of finding a way to battle despite my size and such," says Sweeney. "I've learned to play within my limitations and to try to be a better player."

His limitations in the defensive zone were few in far between. The offensive zone was a bit of a different story, as Sweeney rarely contributed there. That was not so much because of a lack of offensive skills, but more because of his dedication to defense.


"He's a true professional in how he approaches everything: the game, his life and his dedication to whatever he does," says Bruins captain Ray Bourque. "He's a hard-working guy, on and off the ice. He prepares really well and he's a smart kid."

Bourque would know. He played with Sweeney much of Sweeney's career. Sweeney helped make things a lot easier on Bourque, one of the game's all time greats.

http://bruinslegends.blogspot.com/2008/08/don-sweeney.html

 

[BenchBrawl]

ALEX SEMIN

Top 10 goals: 7th
PLus/Minus: 5th
Even Strenght Goals: 3rd , 9th
PP Goals: 4th
Goals Per Game: 4th , 5th
Assists Per Game: 9th
Points Per Game: 4th , 7th
176 goals & 178 assists for 354 points in 392 games
30 points in 37 playoff games

 

[BillyShoe1721]

RW Jeff O'Neill

1x NHL All Star Game Participant
3x Top 26 Goals in NHL(7, 24, 26)
17th in goals in NHL over 3-year peak(00-01 to 02-03, top 24 all selected previously)
Relevant Vs2 Goals: 76, 76, 63, 57
7th in PPG, 00-01

Jeff O'Neill comparing himself to Jason Bonsignore: "Basically the difference between Jason and I is that he's chicken and I'm not. No, seriously, Jason is more of a finesse player and I'm more aggressive."

http://oilersnation.com/2011/6/15/scouting-reports-from-days-or-yore

Sharp-shooting forward Jeff O'Neill is now a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Carolina Hurricanes sent O'Neill to the Maple Leafs as part of a draft-day swap Saturday in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2006 NHL draft.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2005/07/30/oneill_leafs050730.html

An explosive scorer in junior, Jeff O'Neill started slowly in the NHL but eventually came into his own with the Carolina Hurricanes. His strong skating and playmaking ability were accompanied by a nasty streak that would not allow opposing checkers to take liberties with him.

A native of Richmond Hill, Ontario, O'Neill scored 190 points in 78 games in Midget then starred for Thornhill in the MTHL. As he progressed his offensive prowess continued with 120 goals in three seasons with the Guelph Storm of the OHL. O'Neill was selected fifth overall by the Hartford Whalers at the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He returned for one last year of junior and helped his team reach the Memorial Cup tournament. He also helped Canada win its third consecutive gold medal at the 1995 World Junior Championships.

O'Neill debuted with the Hartford Whalers in 1995-96 and remained with the franchise when it relocated to Carolina in 1997. During his first three seasons his goal total increased slowly from eight to 14 to 19. O'Neill rebounded from a 31-point season in 1998-99 with 25 goals and 63 points in 1999-00 then burst forth as one of the NHL's elite snipers with a 41-goal effort in 2000-01.

After leading Carolina to their first Stanley Cup final in franchise history in 2002, O'Neill notched his third consecutive 30 plus goal season and fourth straight 20 plus in 2002-03. Injuries limited O'Neill offensive output in 2003-04, as the former OHL star had his lowest point total since the 1998-99 season.

Following a lock out year in 2004-05, O'Neill was acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the summer of 2005. Over two seasons with the Leafs, O'Neill at times found himself on the club's top line alongside Mats Sundin and was one of the Leafs most dedicated forwards. However, toward the end of the 2006-07 season O'Neill had been benched on a number of occasions after having troubles contributing offensively with the club.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=10928

And not surprisingly, there's nothing fancy about his hockey, either; he plays a simple game of booming shots and crunching bodychecks. Simple but effective: With 72 goals over the past two seasons, O'Neill has vaulted into the ranks of the league's top young power forwards. His 13 postseason points and team-high eight goals, put together as the Hurricanes crashed the Stanley Cup finals, brought O'Neill the attention he had craved in his seven seasons in Hartford and Carolina. "You only get the attention you deserve when you win," O'Neill says. "If you're on a losing team, nobody cares about you anyway—as they shouldn't. When you start winning, that's when you get respect."

Little by little, O'Neill has assembled the elements of an elite player's game. He's proved to be consistent, with three consecutive seasons of 25-plus goals and 60-plus points. He's grown into his 6'1", 195-pound frame and become a physical force. But perhaps the strongest indicator of his development is his play on the road. Some marquee scorers struggle when, as visitors, they're forced to go head-to-head against the home team's top checkers, but O'Neill is more effective in that situation than he is playing at home. Last season O'Neill scored 20 of his 31 regular-season goals in away games, a 64-5% mark that ranked fourth in the league. Over the past three seasons he has scored 55 goals on the road, 56.7% of his total output.

"Lots of skill players don't want to go through a 60-minute game fighting like a dog for every shot, and they rely on the coach to get them a more favorable matchup so they can have an easier night," says Carolina coach Paul Maurice. "Jeff's not like that."

For O'Neill, thriving on the road begins with a streamlined approach on the ice. "We keep our game simple, a tight-checking, physical style," he says of his line, which has Ron Francis at center and Sami Kapanen at right wing. "Sometimes we get fancy at home, making passes we aren't capable of." On the road against a checking line, O'Neill's unit puts an emphasis on gaining the offensive zone and then establishing a forecheck, a hallmark of Maurice's conservative system. Because the first priority of the opponent's checking line is typically to separate the slick-passing Francis from the puck, O'Neill and Kapanen attempt to get the puck to him in one of several key spots: behind the net, where Francis can use the cage as a shield and feed either wing in the slot; coming across the blue line, where he can accelerate with the puck and make it difficult for defenders to mark him; or down low, where he can quickly feed O'Neill or Kapanen near the far post. What's more, because checking lines rarely attempt a rush and usually dump the puck, O'Neill's line can think offense almost all the time, aggressively pursuing the puck to set up a second or third chance during a possession.

Though O'Neill can often fight through defenders, he's more effective when he picks his spots. "Playing against some 6'2" kid who wants to bash everything in sight wears on you," says O'Neill. As a result, he conserves his energy on the road by curbing his skating inside the blue line. Praised early in his career for his speed, O'Neill was too often spinning his wheels, overpursuing the puck or taking the long route around defenders. With experience has come the knowledge of the tendencies of both opponents and teammates.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1027005/1/index.htm

 

[BillyShoe1721]

C Mickey Roach

6th in Goals, 22-23 (65% of 1st place)
2x Top 6 Assists(4, 6) (77% and 60% of 1st, 90% of 2nd)
5th in Points, 22-23 (73% of 1st place)
2x AAHL 1st Team All Star
USNHL 1st Team All Star, 1918
OHA-Sr. 1st Team All Star, 1919
Led OHA in scoring in 1918-1919

Mickey Roach was an early example of an American-born player who made it to the NHL. He did so on the strength of his excellent offensive skills and ability to manoeuvre his tiny little frame with great speed and agility.

He turned pro with the Boston Arenas of the AAHA in 1914-15. He completed his first campaign by becoming the league's scoring champ. He was less successful, however, at lighting the scoreboard over the three seasons that followed. He left the Arenas after two seasons to put in a year with the New York Crescents and the New York Wanderers of the USAHA.

It wasn't until Roach came to Canada to skate for the Hamilton Tigers of the OHA Seniors that his stick began to heat up again. He finished the 1918-1919 season as the league's top scorer.

The following year, the speedy little centreman joined the Toronto St. Pats of the NHL. Over the next seven years, Roach performed as a steady scorer, especially for the Hamilton Tigers who had joined the NHL by 1920. In 1922-23, in a Tigers' sweater, he put in his personal-best campaign, garnering 25 points in 23 games.

In 1925-26, Roach made the transfer with the Tigers to New York as the franchise was sold. The team's new incarnation was as the New York Americans. The veteran centreman played two more seasons with the Amerks before heading to the minors in 1927.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14138

Outstanding players on the team included Joe Malone, Goldie Prodgers, Mickey Roach and Jake Forbes

http://www.google.com/search?q=mick....,cf.osb&fp=48f8c01b6b57e07f&biw=1366&bih=616

Mickey Roach, rover of the Wanderers, held a skating party of his own at St. Nicholas Rink last night and glided over the ice so fast that the Knights of Columbus seven from Montreal gazed on him in wonderment as he proceeded to shoot six of the ten goals which the Wanderers tallied against a lone one for the outclassed lads from the Dominion.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00A16FB3D5E10728DDDAA0994D9405B888DF1D3

Ed. Bouchard and Mickey Roach, a couple of the speediest of tho New York American contingent

http://www.google.com/search?q=mick....,cf.osb&fp=d4e5d42df5db18f8&biw=1366&bih=616

Players like Billy Burch, the Green brothers, Red and Shorty, "Bullet" Joe Simpson, Mickey Roach and xxx depend almost entirely upon their speed and stickhandling to win games.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...&pg=6970,2550652&dq=mickey+roach+hockey&hl=en

Mickey Roach put spirit into the Americans' attack as their desperate ...

http://www.google.com/search?q=mick....,cf.osb&fp=d4e5d42df5db18f8&biw=1366&bih=616

 

[BillyShoe1721]

D Tom Kurvers.

1x Stanley Cup Champion
4x Top 23 Points Among Defensemen(9, 13, 19, 23)
15th in Points in 4 year peak(88-89 to 91-92), top 26 all selected already

Tom Kurvers was a pure offensive defenceman with outstanding passing skills and a quick release from the point. In his eleven years in the NHL he was a considered a positive influence on the ice and in the dressing room.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he scored 175 points in four seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth between 1980 and 1984. His talent was noticed by the Montreal Canadiens who drafted him 145th overall in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft.

In 1982 Kurvers represented the United States at the World Junior Championships. His senior year was the most individually rewarding as he scored 76 points and was the recipient of the Hobey Baker Award as the top U.S. collegiate player. Kurvers was also placed on the WCHA first all-star team and the NCAA West first All-American team.

Kurvers enjoyed a fine rookie season with the Habs in 1984-85 when he played a regular shift and scored 45 points. By the start of his third year in Montreal, Kurvers was caught in a numbers game a traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2nd- round draft pick. He scored 23 points for the Sabres down the stretch in 1986-87 then played for the U.S. at that year's World Championships.

An off-season deal in 1987 brought Kurvers to New Jersey where his offense sparked the Devils to an improbable playoff run that finished one game short of the Stanley Cup final. That year Kurvers was the second-highest scoring blueliner in the post-season with 15 points in nineteen games. The next year he recorded a personal high 66 points but, by 1989-90, was considered expendable when the Devils opted to use Bruce Driver to quarterback the power-play.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=10858

Tom Kurvers was an intelligent offensive defenseman. He was not a puck rusher so much as was an outstanding passer and a smart though not overpowering shooter from the point. He had good mobility, anticipation and vision. He was a solid choice to quarterback a power play. Though he had good size, Kurvers was not a physical player.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, he scored 175 points in four seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth between 1980 and 1984 where he majored in communications. He was an excellent student. He was named to the National Honor Society in his last year of high school, and earned a MBA degree part time while playing in the NHL.

Kurvers was also heady on the ice. In his senior year he was named as the Hobey Baker Award winner as the top collegiate player. Kurvers turned pro with the Montreal Canadiens in 1984-85. Playing regularly with Chris Chelios, Kurvers scored 45 points. Kurvers numbers slipped a bit in year two, and he was traded at the beginning of the 1986-87 season to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2nd round draft pick. He struggled to find his game in Buffalo, scoring just 23 points.

The summer of 1987 saw Kurvers join the New Jersey where he found his game. His offense was a major spark in the Devils improbable playoff run that finished one game short of the Stanley Cup final. That year Kurvers was the second-highest scoring blueliner in the post-season with 15 points in nineteen games. The next year he recorded a personal high 66 points but, by 1989-90, Bruce Driver emerged as the Devils top defenseman, making Kurvers expendable.

http://nyislanderslegends.blogspot.com/2011/02/tom-kurvers.html

He was always a highly productive player, especially dangerous on the powerplay due to his wicked point shot and playmaking skills

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kurvers

The defence featured Tom Kurvers, chosen 45th by Montreal back in 1981, who had blossomed into a points- producer

http://www.google.com/search?q=tom+....,cf.osb&fp=48f8c01b6b57e07f&biw=1366&bih=616

The certainty is that the Canadiens will have a winning season as long as the American Connection(defenseman Tom Kurvers is the other half) continues playing as they have thus far.

Kurvers grew up in the heartland of US hockey, and hockey is what he always wanted to excel at - and did particularly last season at Minnesota-Duluth University where he was named the outstanding player in US college ranks.

"When I'm playing well, I'm moving the puck and staying in good position."-Kurvers

"Chelios showed me in the playoffs he could play in this league," Larry Robinson said. "I didn't know anything about Kurvers going into training camp, but what I can't understand about either of them is how they can come into this league, and not let anything bother them."

"I mean...you can't afford to make mistakes out there, particularly on defense. They're supposed to be nervous, but they don't show any signs of it."

"Here are a couple kids who don't seem to have nerves. Both can pass. Both can shoot. Both are heady players."

"You're looking at two guys that were the tops at where they played before they came here, who are rookies and don't have a nerve in their bodies. You're looking at two guys who are exceptions to the rule.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4414,143955&dq=tom+kurvers&hl=en

 

[BillyShoe1721]

W Eric Daze

1x NHL All Star Game Participant
2002 All Star Game MVP
95-96 All Rookie 1st Teamer
4x 30 Goal Scorer in the Dead Puck Era
3x Top 26 Goals (7, 15, 26)
19th in points, 02-03(78% of 2nd place Naslund)
59% of 3rd place Elias in 01-02
4 best Vs2 Goals: 55*, 61**, 61***, 93


*Vs3, #1 and #2 were outliers
**Vs3, two-way tie for 1st place
***Vs2, but top 3 were far ahead of everyone else, Vs4 % is 73

Career adjusted GPG: .414
Career adjusted PPG: .727

Daze, drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 4th round, 90th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, was a giant of the hockey arena, standing tall at 6’6″ and 222 pounds, even without his skates. The guy was as strong as a bull, although that left everyone just wanting more. He never backed down from anybody, but on too many nights he failed to initiate much on the physical end of things. As a result Daze always had his fair share of critics calling for a higher compete level from him.

Making him more impressive was his hand skills. He had the soft hands, for shooting and puckhandling, that are usually reserved for players much smaller than him. He had a strong shot without much of a back swing and enough dangle while carrying the puck to draw defenders to him, allowing him to slip the puck into the vacated space to a streaking teammate.

Big number 55 was hardly a speed-demon either, though in his era he had decent skating ability amongst the lumbering big men. He skated well enough to play alongside Alexei Zhamnov and Tony Amonte for some time in Chicago.

http://blackhawkslegends.blogspot.com/2011/03/eric-daze.html

Fans had mixed emotions about Daze over his career. While he possessed amazing talent, a great wrist shot and excellent one-timers, he didn’t use his massive size like a prototypical power-forward or involve himself at all in the hitting aspect of the game.

http://thehockeywriters.com/what-happened-to-eric-daze/

This time, it was Eric Daze of the Chicago Blackhawks who applied the crushing blows, scoring four goals to lead the Blackhawks to an 8-4 victory, ..

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=eedfa8c152ffdf9b&biw=1366&bih=616

There are a handful of players the Blackhawks absolutely need to play well in order for them to succeed. Eric Daze is one of those players. ...

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=eedfa8c152ffdf9b&biw=1366&bih=616

Today, the stars of the Hawks are defenseman Chris Chelios, forward Tony Amonte and newcomer Eric Daze. .

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=48f8c01b6b57e07f&biw=1366&bih=616

For the first few years of his career, Eric Daze looked like a power forward in the making. However, he never quite mastered the "power" part.

Daze started out on a high note: he led all rookies in goals in the 95-96 season and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy.

Due to Daze's size (six feet four, 200-plus pounds), his decent speed, and his excellent puckhandling skills, the Blackhawks thought they had a man that could run people over, drive to the net, and score. Some people were predicting 40 goal seasons.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wp...ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=eric daze&f=false

Eric Daze Left Wing — Chicago Rookie Season: 1995 - 96 Scouts are already comparing Eric Daze to Hall-of-Famer Frank Mahovlich. With his long, smooth skating stride and blistering slapshot, Daze is a gifted goal scorer ...

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=48f8c01b6b57e07f&biw=1366&bih=616

and a fourth-round draft choice who ended up being left-winger Eric Daze. ...

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=48f8c01b6b57e07f&biw=1366&bih=616

Offensively, Eric Daze has been a consistent scoring force. The big winger had 38 goals last year to give him his fourth career 30-goal season. .

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=48f8c01b6b57e07f&biw=1366&bih=616

Quotes stating Daze was a left winger:

The Chicago Blackhawks re-signed left wing Eric Daze, a restricted free agent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/03/sports/plus-hockey-daze-re-signs-with-blackhawks.html

Blackhawks general manager Mike Smith might have downplayed left wing Eric Daze's request for a trade.

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=eedfa8c152ffdf9b&biw=1366&bih=616

CNNSI.com - Hockey - Blackhawks All-Star LW Daze to undergo surgery

Daze, a wing, is the Blackhawks' closest thing to a true power forward at 6-foot-6, 235-pounds.

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=eedfa8c152ffdf9b&biw=1366&bih=616

The playing future of left wing Eric Daze remained on hold Thursday

http://www.google.com/search?q=eric....,cf.osb&fp=eedfa8c152ffdf9b&biw=1366&bih=616

 

[BillyShoe1721]

The Philadelphia Sting select D Murray Henderson

9th All Star 46-47
10th All Star 47-48(one voting point)
AHL 2nd-Team All Star, 1955
4x Top 16 Points Among Defensemen(9, 11, 15, 16)
Vs2 Points Among Defensemen: 77, 63, 60, 48
6th in Points Among Defensemen During 3 year Peak(45-46 to 47-48), 74% of 2nd place Egan(who was an outlier), and 87% of 3rd place Reardon

Henderson then found himself back in a hockey circle desperate for players. His senior aspirations were quickly upgraded to the NHL as the Boston Bruins ushered him straight into their defensive corps. This gave "Moe," as he was known, a year to solidify his position before the rest of the league's absentees returned from military duties. By then, Henderson and the Bruins realized he was a better blueliner than anyone had thought. As such, he was able to squeeze seven NHL seasons out of his opportunity, tending to the Bruins' goal crease in an unspectacular but effective manner.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12909

This shifted the topic to Murray's style of play. "He can best be described as a typical stay-at-home defenceman," said Pete. "A dependable quiet defenceman, not prone to a lot of unnecessary penalties, but could handle himself when he had to."

http://hockeythenandnow.blogspot.com/2011/09/murray-henderson-turns-90.html

Boston was led by Frankie "Mr. Zero" Brimsek, Milt Schmidt and Woody Dumart up front and a capable defense of Jack Crawford, Murray Henderson, Pat Egan, Fern Flaman...

http://books.google.com/books?id=Q4...ook_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA

Missing from the squad was Murray Henderson, whose absence will be felt...

http://www.google.com/search?q=murr....,cf.osb&fp=eedfa8c152ffdf9b&biw=1366&bih=616

 

[BenchBrawl]

Greg Gilbert LW

Left-winger Greg Gilbert played over 800 NHL games with four different clubs in the 80s and 90s. He possessed above average offensive talent but carved a niche for himself as a big leaguer based on stellar defensive work and leadership skills.

Gilbert looked solid while playing ten playoff games to help the Islanders win their fourth straight Stanley Cup. The next season he scored 31 goals while playing...and aided the club's drive to the final where they lost to the Edmonton Oilers. Gilbert eventually settled into a checking role on the club as it began to rebuild in the mid-80s.

In 1992 he was an important role player on the Hawks when they drove all the way to the Stanley Cup final. The veteran winger was signed as a free agent by the New York Rangers prior to the 1993-94 season then contributed to the franchise's first Stanley Cup triumph

 

[BenchBrawl]

Joe Murphy RW

6-0 190 lbs
Drafted 1st overall
1 stanley cup
77 playoff points in 120 playoff games
528 points in 779 games
Tied or 3rd overall in career overtime goal in the playoffs with 4. Clutch player without a doubt
Seven 20 goals seasons
Two 30 goals seasons
Important years in order ( and consecutive ):
27 goals 62 pts in 80 games
35 goals 82 pts in 80 games
7 goals 17 pts in 19 games
31 goals 70 pts in 81 games
23 goals 41 pts in 40 games
22 goals 51 pts in 70 games

 

[BenchBrawl]

Just a mini-bio:

Lowell MacDonald LW ( 2nd line )

390 pts ( 180g 210a ) in 506 games
22 pts in 30 playoff games
Top 10 goals: 6th
Top 10 points: 9th
Bill Masterton Trophy Winner in 72-73
All-star games in 73 and 74
Closer look at Macdonald 4 strong seasons with Pittsburgh:

34 goals 75 pts in 78 games +37
43 goals 82 pts in 78 games +17
27 goals 60 pts in 71 games +16
40 goals 73 pts in 69 games +14

He never took more than 24 penalty minutes a year during this 4 years stretch.

Playing regularly, MacDonald showed the scoring touch he had exhibited in junior

he joined the Penguins for 1972-73, enjoying an outstanding season and winning the Masterton Trophy for his perseverance and dedication to hockey. But after four strong seasons, he injured his shoulder, and MacDonald struggled through two more painful seasons, retiring after 1977-78.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Mini-bio again:

Joe Reekie D

6-3 220 lbs
13 consecutive years with a positive +/- for a +150 in career on a average-to-bad team.
1326 penalty minutes
902 NHL games

Always underrated in my books, Joe Reekie was one of the best kept secrets in the National Hockey League.

The big, aggressive Reekie would appear in 104 games over 4 years with the Sabres. He was already developing a reputation for an uncanny sense of perfect defensive position that was usually reserved for veterans.

In that time he quietly impressed as a penalty kill regular. His combined +45 rating over three years.

From 1994 to 2002 Reekie served as a top four defender. He was often used against the other team's top players because of his strength and seemingly flawless defensive positioning. He was smart and tough, although that brought inevitable injuries that slowed him. Regardless, he always played with a subtle savvy that I always admired, as well as with a tough and physical, yet clean, presence.

The highlight of Reekie's career came in 1998 when he was a big part of the Capitals march into the Stanley Cup finals

Impressive numbers? No. But every coach in the league wish they had a dependable defender like Joe Reekie on their blue line.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Mini-bio:

Dan Quinn C

48 pts in 65 playoff games
685 pts in 805 games
Managed a 0,85 ppg in career
Prime years:
30 goals 72 pts in 78 games
31 goals 80 pts in 80 games
40 goals 79 pts in 70 games
34 goals 94 pts in 79 games
2 other 60 pts seasons and 2 other 50 pts seasons and 31 pts in 44 games

Quinn owned an arsenal of talents - from quick hands to quicker feet, from a good shot to great vision.

Scouts drooled over the possibilities of Quinn's talent but questioned his work ethic. He came off of a 59 goal, 147 point season with the OHL's Belleville Bulls. The potential reward was too tempting.

He was returned to junior in the 1983-84 season - but not for long. After 24 games in which Quinn scored 23 times and assisted on 36 others, the Flames recalled the slick center. He finished the season strongly with the Flames. In 54 games he scored 19 goals and 52 points.

Quinn enjoyed three seasons in Calgary, showing some solid statistical improvements in each season despite playing on a superpower Flames team that was stocked with veterans. By his third year in the league he scored 30 goals and 72 points.

The Flames moved Quinn to Pittsburgh in November of 1986 and got veteran sniper Mike Bullard in return. The move was done on Calgary's part in order to upgrade their immediate chances of winning a championship. Meanwhile in Pittsburgh Quinn was the number 2 center on a team which of course featured the great Mario Lemieux. Quinn put up some good numbers in his stay in the Steel City, even though he rarely played with Mario except on the power plays. In 1987-88 he scored 40 goals including 21 on the power play. In 1988-89 he scored a career high 94 points including 34 goals.

Quinn was very popular among his teammates wherever he went

 

[BenchBrawl]

Mini-bio:

Jude Drouin C

Top 10 assist: 6th
68 pts in 72 playoff games
''Important'' pts seasons: 68 , 56 , 73 , 43 , 54 , 62 , 53

 

[BenchBrawl]

Mini-bio:

Dana Murzyn D

6-2 200 lbs
10 seasons with 100 or + penalty minutes
+138 in career
1 stanley cup

Murzyn was still able to transform himself into a valuable commodity for 14 NHL seasons. How did he do that? By playing a hard working, hard hitting, honest game. He did much of the dirty work that make or break teams and that many players wouldn't do themselves. "Hank," as he was affectionately known as, was a punishing hitter. And although he rarely won a fight, he always showed up.

But more importantly he played an integral part in the Calgary Flames first Stanley Cup championship in the 1989 playoffs. Though he scored only 3 assists, Murzyn was definitely an unsung hero.

For seven years, he and Jyrki Lumme formed the top defence pair on the Canucks

Murzyn made a pretty good living by clearing creases and blocking NHL shots. And while the fans may not have noticed or appreciated Hank's efforts, the players certainly did. Wayne Gretzky, for one, is probably happy to see Murzyn go. The Great One admitted on more than one occasion that he doesn't particularly enjoy playing against Murzyn. Murzyn somehow knew how to get under the skin of Gretzky, and wasn't afraid to rough him up a bit either.

Murzyn was a strong contributor in the Canucks 1994 Stanley Cup run as well. He played really well, even scoring 3 big goals

 

[BenchBrawl]

Patrice Brisebois D

30 pts seasons: 8 ( + a 29 pts )
10 goals seasons: 5
420 pts in 1009 games
32 pts in 98 playoff games
1993 Stanley Cup Champion

Brisebois understood in his junior days that he would have to rely on his attacking and puck handling skills to get noticed.An admirer of top offensive dman like Ray Bourque or Paul Coffey , he tried to imitate their styles.

Brisebois' strenght is his ability to move the puck and make a good, crisp pass.Able to joint the attack at any time , he also has a low , hard drive from the point , useful on the PP.

After having reached the Memorial Cup tournament three times in his junior career (1989, 1990 and 1991), the young blueliner's first full season in the NHL culminated in a Stanley Cup championship. Brisebois scored ten goals in the regular season and demonstrated poise as the club moved deeper into the playoffs. In 1997-98, he scored 37 points, registered a +16 plus/minus rating and helped the Habs reach the second round of the playoffs. As the franchise struggled in the late 1990s, Brisebois was a constant on the defensive brigade. He set a personal high with 15 goals in 2000-01 and was an integral part of the club's playoff hopes in 2001-02.

Brisebois patrolled the Colorado blue-line and proved to be a steady defender with the Avalanche in 2005-06. The following year he suffered a serious back injury in a December 27, 2006 game against the Dallas Stars. The injury kept him out of the Avalanche line-up for the remainder of the season and Brisebois signed as a free with the Canadiens in the summer of 2007.

On the international stage, Brisebois is a two-time member of Canada's World Junior team (1990-1991).

 

[BillyShoe1721]

Philadelphia completes its shutdown 2nd pairing with the selection of D Joel Quenneville

2x Hartford Whalers Most Valuable Defenseman
2x 10th in NHL in Goals On Ice Against
2x Top 8 in NHL in PP Goals On Ice Against
Killed 50.1% of teams PK(from 82-83 to 88-89)
SH TOI/G Ranks Among D(82-83 to 88-89): 3, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2

Joel Quenneville has become a top coach in professional hockey, often referred to as "Coach Q" But Joel also enjoyed a long career as a solid defenseman before he focused his attention towards coaching.

Also known as "Herbie," Joel survived through 13 NHL seasons through intelligence and dependability. A poor skater by NHL standards, Joel learned quickly how to play within his limitations to make himself into a valuable NHL commodity. Although he put up some impressive numbers in junior hockey, Joel played a conservative and unspectacular defensive game at the NHL level, always making the safe play. This didn't win him many accolades with the media or the fans, but his coaches and teammates truly appreciated Quenneville's subtle yet important contributions

Quenneville, who actually considered quitting hockey in junior to study medicine, was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 21st overall in 1978. He had just come off of a 27 goal, 103 point season with the Windsor Spitfires and the Leafs were hoping he could become an offensive presence in the NHL. The Leafs quickly lost their patience with Quenneville however as it became more obvious that at the NHL level he would be more of a role player. The Leafs included Quenneville in the big Lanny McDonald trade to Colorado in exchange for Pat Hickey and Wilf Paiement.

Quenneville played 3 1/2 seasons with the Rockies/New Jersey Devils before he was traded again in the summer of 1983. He actually was traded to Calgary with Steve Tambellini for Phil Russell and Mel Bridgeman on June 20th, 1983. However a couple of weeks later, on July 5, 1983, the Flames moved Joel and Richie Dunn to Hartford for Mickey Volcan.

While it must have been a tumultuous couple of weeks for the Quenneville family, it proved to be a blessing for Joel. He enjoyed his best NHL seasons in "the Insurance City." Twice he was named as the Whalers most valuable defenseman (1984 and 1985) and he played a big role in helping Hartford win the Adams Division championship in 1987.

In 1991 Quenneville quietly finished his NHL playing career. He was sold to Washington where he played only 9 games and spent most of the year in the minors. In 1991 he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. He was to be a playing assistant coach for the Leafs minor league team in St. John's Newfoundland. It was in St. John's that Joel met Marc Crawford. The two worked really well together and both went on to successful coaching careers. In fact Quenneville reached the top of his class in 2000 when he won the Jack Adams award as the NHL's best coach that season after compiling an impressive 51-20-11-1 record for a .695 winning percentage.

Not too bad for a guy who used to spend his summers working as a stock broker in Hartford. Quenneville was an unheralded and under-appreciated player. He scored 54 goals and 190 points in 803 games, but his true worth was helping to develop young defensemen and quietly taking care of his own end. He is going to get more headlines as a NHL coach for many years to come.

http://whalerslegends.blogspot.com/2007/06/joel-quenneville.html

 

[BenchBrawl]

Philippe Boucher D

6-3 218 lbs
300 pts in 748 games
1 stanley cup
16-19 goals seasons

Known for his offensive prowess and hard accurate shot, Boucher became a free agent in 2002-03 and the Dallas Stars jumped at the opportunity to sign the former first rounder. Boucher spent five seasons in Dallas which included his breakout year in which he tied the Stars' franchise record for most goals by a defenseman with 19. His injury plagued 2007-08 season turned out to be his last with the organization as the club dealt Boucher to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Darryl Sydor. A move that would prove fortuitous for both Boucher and the Penguins as the team would go on to win the Stanley Cup that June

 

[BenchBrawl]

Kelly Buchberger RW

6-2 210 lbs

"Everything he did, on and off the ice, was about being a leader, the way he played the game, the way he prepared, the way he treated his teammates and their families. He had respect for not only the authority of the coaches, but the organization. He was very loyal. As a fan, you could see his game, the blocking shots, his will to win, but I saw leadership in every aspect of his life. Every young player who played with him not only had the utmost respect for him, but learned a lot."

"He wanted to justify his position in the lineup every game, and it's that type of work ethic and mental toughness that has distinguished him in his career."

Through sheer determination and hard work, Kelly Buchberger achieved immortalizing fame in the city of champions, far eclipsing his athletic ability and his tenure with the less than great times in the later 1990s.
Yet he is very much an Oilers legend and a fan favorite

Bucky was a kamikaze forward who pursued pucks with vigour. Strong on his skates with a growing but never truly perfected ability to read plays, his checking was relentless and insistent. He was a very physical forward, not afraid to drop the gloves though he was far from a NHL heavyweight.

He was not much of a player with the puck, relying on his speed to drive to the net and bang at loose pucks. He was far from gifted with vision and hands to make plays or score the prettiest of goals. His true value to his team, especially the strong Oilers teams of the late 1980s, was as a ground soldier who opens up space for the better players.

More importantly he inspired teammates with his reckless energy and never-say-die attitude. He played every shift like it was game seven of the Stanley Cup finals, even in pre-season. He was the perfect example for younger players.

Years later they stitched the 'C" on the front of his #16 jersey. Just prior to the 1995-96 season, Buchberger as named as the ninth captain in franchise history. Like his entire career, you could tell he was totally awed, and genuinely honoured and surprised.But it was a surprise to few others. By the mid 1990s he was the last link to the great dynasty teams of 1984 through 1990. His work ethic and passion, his courage and Oilers pride set great examples for teammates and rookies, and made him the obvious choice to wear the "C."

Former teammate Craig MacTavish was an especially big fan of Bucky.
"It just shows you what heart, determination and unselfish play can do for a career in terms of longevity. He's surpassed everybody's expectations in terms of what he's got out of himself. That's his story.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Jim Fox RW

5 time 60 pts scorer
6 time 50 pts scorer
3 time 30 goals scorer

Fox stood just 5'8" though was built solidly at 185lbs.

Fox turned pro in 1980-81 and had a respectable rookie season - scoring 18 times and picking up 43 points. Over the following 4 years he became a consistent 30 goal threat and 70 point scorer. He topped out in 1984-85 when he had a career high 53 assists and 83 points.

Fox blew out his knee which cost him the entire 1988-89 season, which was unfortunate. That was Wayne Gretzky's first year in La-La-Land, and with Fox's speed he may have been a good match on The Great One's right side.

Fox was a very good skater, blessed with speed and a low center of gravity. That made him hard to knock off the puck despite his size. In fact, his size never really hampered Fox. He was pretty effective in the corners and along the boards despite being half a foot smaller than his opponents. And his great finesse skills made him even more valuable, as once he retrieved the loose puck he was able to do something with it in order to create a scoring chance.

Offensively Fox saw the ice very well, although he probably passed the puck a bit too much for his coaches liking.

Defensively Fox was pretty good too. He was very conscious of his defensive duties and used his above average anticipation skills to his advantage. He was used more and more as a defensive forward as his career wound down.

 

[BillyShoe1721]

LW Mark Osborne

4x 100 PIM
3x 60-Point Scorer
531 points in 919 career NHL games
60% of 2nd place Messier in assists, 89-90
57% of 2nd place Messier in points, 89-90

Left-winger Mark Osborne was a solid two-way forward who played over 900 NHL games for four different clubs. Although he scored over 200 career goals, the hard-working winger was best at winning battles in the corners and checking the opposition's top line.

The Toronto native was a junior standout with the OHA's Niagara Falls Flyers where he served as the team captain. He was taken 46th overall by the Detroit Red Wings at the 1980 Entry Draft then scored 39 goals his last year in junior. At the end of that season he joined the AHL's Adirondack Red Wings in time for the Calder Cup playoffs. This was his only minor league assignment until 1995.

In 1981-82, Osborne scored 26 goals for Detroit as a rookie. He slipped to 19 goals the next year after which he was traded to the New York Rangers in a multi-player transaction that featured Ron Duguay and Willie Huber. "Ozzie" was a consistent two-way forward for the Rangers and helped the team reach the semi-finals in 1986.

Prior to the March trade deadline in 1987, Osborne was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He helped the team come within one win of the semi-finals that year and scored a career best 73 points in 1989-90 while playing on the "GEM" line with Ed Olczyk and Gary Leeman. The good fortune did not carry over to the next season as the Leafs stumbled out of the gate and Osborne was traded with Olczyk to Winnipeg.

Late in the 1991-92 season, Osborne was reacquired by Toronto and was an effective checker. He formed a fine defensive trio with Peter Zezel and Bill Berg and helped Toronto reach the Conference finals in 1993 and 1994. Prior to the lockout-shortened season, the veteran signed with the New York Rangers. Osborne retired in 1997-98 after playing parts of three seasons with the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the IHL.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=11238

In his second stint with Toronto he was on an effective checking line with Bill Berg and Peter Zezel and helped the Leafs reach the Conference Finals in two consecutive seasons (1993 and 1994), falling short each time of making it to the Stanley Cup Finals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Osborne_(ice_hockey)

also picked up a few other serviceable and reliable players, including Mark Osborne

http://www.google.com/search?q=mark....,cf.osb&fp=a89586d2bb444145&biw=1366&bih=616

The Rangers' goals came on a breakaway by Sergei Nemchinov and a Washington defensive miscue that was converted by Mark Osborne.

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/06/sports/hockey-two-streaks-collide-and-the-rangers-ends.html

"Mark was a young, strong, strapping guy, and they pegged him for 35 or 40 goals a season," Campbell said. "He kept trying to live up to that." Campbell said Osborne is a "solid, dependable guy" who can be used to protect a lead in the last minutes of a period.

"He's found his peace," Campbell said.

Osborne is listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 205 pounds. He is a left-handed shooter, but also can play right wing.

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/01/s...-guy-osborne-to-return-as-a-ranger-again.html

"That's (the fire) something I've got to work on doing every game," said softspoken Mike Eastwood, who centres the plumbers line. He scored the Leafs' second goal and set up [Kent Manderville]'s game winner. "Each guy on our line gets in the corner and bumps and grinds and it makes it a lot easier for us."

The Stars taste of second place in the Central Division lasted about as long as snow does here. The Leafs' checking line of Mark Osborne, Peter Zezel and Bill Berg, which held sniper Mike Modano's line to a single goal, had a lot to do with it, too.

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar...ws+Leafs+how+to+play+on+the+road&pqatl=google

It would be overstating the case to suggest Gilmour picked up his team and carried it on his back, as he has done on so many occasions. That would be a disservice to the Peter Zezel-Bill Berg- Mark Osborne unit, which pounded San Jose's No. 1 offensive line into submission.

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar...splays+more+spring+in+his+stride&pqatl=google

Maybe the decisive goal was a sign of what's ahead. Craig Janney and Nelson Emerson penetrated the Toronto zone against some of the Leafs' best checkers - [Bob Rouse] and [Jamie Macoun], plus Peter Zezel and Mark Osborne up front.

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar...it+despite+being+badly+outplayed&pqatl=google

 

[Velociraptor]

Jimmy Carson, C

275 goals, 561 points in 626 regular season games.
17 goals, 35 points in 52 playoff games.
2x Top-10 in Goals (3, 7)
2x Top-10 in Points (8, 9)
3x Top-10 in PP Goals (3, 5, 7)
Named to 1986-87 All-Rookie Team
Played in 1989 All-Star Game

From there he was selected 2nd overall by Los Angeles in the 1986 draft and when he played his first game that fall he was the youngest player in the NHL. Just two years later, he set records for most goals (55) and points (107) in a season by an American-born player, and he was just the second youngest player to hit the 50-goal mark (Grtezky was the youngest).

Carson, who was the Kings' No. 1 pick and the second player chosen over-all in the 1986 entry draft, has had two superb seasons with the Kings.

 

[Velociraptor]

Petr Klima, LW/RW

313 goals, 573 points in 786 regular season games.
28 goals, 52 points in 95 playoff games.
Stanley Cup Champion (1990)
1x Top-10 in Shorthanded Goals (7)

Klima was a tremendously talented left winger who played in 773 NHL games, scoring 312 goals and 260 assists for the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins. Despite his breathtaking skating ability, marvelous hands and cannon-like shot, Klima was a lazy player who was too satisfied with decent offensive numbers when he could have posted superstar statistics.

With the exception of an injury shortened 1991-92 season, Klima continued to be a consistent 30 goal threat.

Petr Klima was a multi-talented but enigmatic forward who could play both wings. He was a fast skater with a quick release and superior puck handling skills whose inconsistent play cost him superstardom. One of the most exciting forwards in the league when his head was in the game, Klima played 786 contests for five different teams

 

[Velociraptor]

Al MacNeil, D

17 goals, 92 points in 524 regular season games played.
0 goals, 4 points in 37 playoff games played.

Defenseman Al MacNeil played over 500 NHL games in the 50s and 60s. He was capable of taking the body in his own end and was fairly effective at passing the puck ahead to his forwards.