BobRouse
Registered User
- Mar 18, 2009
- 10,144
- 374
As Caps fans we all remember Big Al the Wild Thing being a good player for us. But just how good? I watched all those seasons and remember i was happy to hear we traded Zezel (may he RIP) for him (maybe someone else too?). He was coming off some injuries I believe and played several years for awful Toronto teams.
I think the first moment when I realized he was awesome was when he scored a late 3rd period goal in a playoff game for us vs the Pens to win the game. I believe this was the 2nd round of the playoffs after we got by the Rangers.
Now I remember him being good. Big, fast, mean with an evil shot...but in his 4 years with the Caps his average season would have been:
82 GP 19 G + 38A +/- +8 197 PIMs. Thats pretty awesome stat line there!
He also had 11G+5A in 23 playoff games for us.
A couple times we played hockey games at the US Air arena prior to a Caps game on the same night and both times I remember him watching us while smoking a cigarette behind the glass. After one of those games we played the Rangers and won the game something like 8-5. He scored one of the most vicious goals I seen and was flying down the ice and blasted a slap shot right as he crossed the blue line that would have went thru Richters pads had it hit him. I remember the crowd standing up expecting him to score on that right before he did. And then they played the whole "Wild Thing" song and the crowd went nuts.
The main boards had a "best player to wear #34" thread and it made me think of him.
The guy was a beast for us.
While I really did like the Juneau trade it was sad to see him go and then to see his career shut down early.
I remember I was there at his first game back after the trade and he notched a couple goals on us and the Bs won that game.
I think the first moment when I realized he was awesome was when he scored a late 3rd period goal in a playoff game for us vs the Pens to win the game. I believe this was the 2nd round of the playoffs after we got by the Rangers.
Now I remember him being good. Big, fast, mean with an evil shot...but in his 4 years with the Caps his average season would have been:
82 GP 19 G + 38A +/- +8 197 PIMs. Thats pretty awesome stat line there!
He also had 11G+5A in 23 playoff games for us.
A couple times we played hockey games at the US Air arena prior to a Caps game on the same night and both times I remember him watching us while smoking a cigarette behind the glass. After one of those games we played the Rangers and won the game something like 8-5. He scored one of the most vicious goals I seen and was flying down the ice and blasted a slap shot right as he crossed the blue line that would have went thru Richters pads had it hit him. I remember the crowd standing up expecting him to score on that right before he did. And then they played the whole "Wild Thing" song and the crowd went nuts.
The main boards had a "best player to wear #34" thread and it made me think of him.
The guy was a beast for us.
While I really did like the Juneau trade it was sad to see him go and then to see his career shut down early.
I remember I was there at his first game back after the trade and he notched a couple goals on us and the Bs won that game.