ATD 2013 BIO Thread (quotes, stats, pics, sources, everything)

[Rob Scuderi]

D, Willie Mitchell

(thanks to Hedberg for the Hockey Writers article and TDMM for the hockey anaylsis article)

The singers can sing and the dancers can dance, and Willie Mitchell will be quite content with his role in the Vancouver Canucks’ production of winning hockey this season. Mitchell is a stagehand—a well-paid stagehand, mind you—happy to do the heavy lifting far from the spotlight but secure in the knowledge that the show can’t go on without him.

Through the Canucks’ first 52 games, Mitchell had one goal and three assists and was minus seven—hardly the type of numbers for Canucks fans to get excited about. But the affable Mitchell is able to laugh at his offensive output because he knows that’s not why the Canucks made such an effort to land him last summer.

“I have fun with it and I don’t care about it, to be honest,†he says of his defence-as-an-art philosophy during a dressing-room interview after a GM Place practice. “What I care about is stopping the other teams’ top players, and if I can do that, then I feel like that’s scoring goals—and really, it is. If they’re not scoring, it’s like scoring one, and for me that’s what I take pride in. That and the penalty kill. And if I can go out there and successfully keep the other teams’ best players off the scoresheet and successfully kill penalties, then I like our chances.â€

Mitchell brings a presence to the Canucks blueline that is clearly lacking when he’s not in uniform, and he is one of the reasons the Canucks penalty-killing is tops in the NHL. He also restores the natural order of things on the back end, allowing players like Kevin Bieksa and Mattias Ohlund to join the rush safe in the knowledge that Mitchell is ready to bail them out.

One of the most impressive things about Mitchell’s contribution has been his ability to play with an edge yet remain almost always under control.

“I think any time you’re running to hit someone, you’re exposing yourself. Any time you’re outwaiting your opponent and letting them come to you, they’re exposing the puck and you poke it and transition the other way. Ask Daniel and Henrik [Sedin] or anyone who’s really good down low—they want you to come into the corner after them. You’re leaning, and they roll out the other way and that’s when they’re effective and then they beat you,†Mitchell explains. “Obviously, you want to play physical when you can, but it’s a fine line of knowing when you can and when you’re not going to leave yourself exposed defensively.â€

http://www.straight.com/news/willie-mitchell-crucial-part-canucks-crew

Willie Mitchell is one of the best defensive defensemen in hockey. All it took was 719 NHL regular season games, 71 NHL postseason games, and stops in New Jersey, Minnesota, Dallas, Vancouver, and Los Angeles for most people to find out. Wherever he has gone in his hockey career, he has brought with him an insatiable will to win, a quiet confidence in his abilities, a tenacity to defend his own goal, and a really long hockey stick.

To his teammates, he is a defensive rock and a calming presence on the ice. To the goaltenders that play behind him, he is a safety net. To his coaches, he is a player they can lean on in difficult situations. To the media, he is a breath of fresh air in a sport full of scripted answers and clichés. To opponents, he is a physical and formidable foe. And most importantly, he is now a Stanley Cup Champion.

He is finally receiving the credit he has so long deserved for being one of the elite shutdown defensemen in a sport that glorifies beautiful goals, hard hits, and dazzling saves. His stick positioning is as good as Steven Stamkos’s wrist shot, Pekka Rinne’s glove, or Sidney Crosby’s backhand, but you won’t find clips of his defensive abilities on the highlight reels.

Mitchell brought with him a focus on the defensive craft not seen in Vancouver in a long time. He quickly emerged as the top shutdown defenseman on the team. He logged heavy minutes on the penalty kill, and was matched up against the top opposing forwards each night. It wasn’t a coincidence that the team emerged as one of the best in the league during Mitchell’s four seasons.

Mitchell played almost five minutes per game on the penalty kill in 2006-07. Across the league, only Derian Hatcher (5:37 per game) and Adam Foote (4:58 per game) played more.

In the next three seasons, Mitchell’s role on the Canucks was very consistent. He logged an average of 4:15 per game on the PK, and 0:17 on the PP. He played the toughest minutes among any Canuck defensemen for those three seasons.

http://thehockeywriters.com/overtime/hard-working-willie-mitchell/

On the other end of things, over the last 5 years Willie Mitchell has played a whopping 59.2% of his teams 4v5 PK ice time which is might actually be more impressive considering how much more demanding playing on the PK is.

http://hockeyanalysis.com/2013/01/25/ilya-kovalchuks-power-play-ice-time/

Little study I spent three hours on...

- Determine the top-5 teams defensively each season from 1968-1979, the top-6 each season from 1980-2000, and the top-7 each season from 2001-2012. these are defined as elite defensive teams.
- create a new column in the TOI spreadsheet (1967-2006)that sums up only the total of ES and PK ice time, eliminating PP from the equation. Use NHL.com for 2007-2012
- count the number of times a player is either the leader in non-PP TOI on an elite defensive team, or 2nd place and within one minute.

What I'm left with is a list representing which players since expansion have tended to be the bulwark of a very strong defensive team.

177 players showed up at least once. These are the 85 that showed up at least twice.

Bourque | 15
Stevens | 14.5
Chelios | 11
Potvin | 9
Robinson | 8
Mitchell | 8
Lidstrom | 7
Desjardins | 6
D.Hatcher | 6
Chara | 6
Hajt | 5
Howe | 5
Ramsey | 5
Johnsson | 5
D.Smith | 4
Laperriere | 4
Orr | 4
White | 4
Savard | 4
Schoenfeld | 4
O'Connell | 4
Langway | 4
Macoun | 4
Leetch | 4
Zhitnik| 4
(undrafted 90s defenseman) | 4
(undrafted 90s defenseman) | 4
Foote | 4
Gibbs | 3.5
Park | 3.5
Zubov | 3.5
Jo.Watson | 3
Horton | 3
Neilson | 3
Stapleton | 3
Baun | 3
Seiling | 3
Lapointe | 3
McCrimmon | 3
U.Samuelsson | 3
(undrafted 90s defenseman)| 3
S.Smith | 3
Weinrich | 3
Pronger | 3
Niedermayer | 3
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 3
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 3
Hannan | 2.5
Tremblay | 2
Arbour | 2
A.Brown | 2
Harris | 2
(undrafted 70s defenseman) | 2
Harper | 2
Ji.Watson | 2
Salming | 2
Dupont | 2
Milbury | 2
Dailey | 2
D.Wilson | 2
Hartsburg | 2
Engblom | 2
Marois | 2
(undrafted 80s defenseman) | 2
Butcher | 2
K.Hatcher | 2
Konstantinov | 2
Cote | 2
(undrafted 90s defenseman) | 2
Ragnarsson | 2
(never drafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(undrafted 90s defenseman) | 2
Regehr | 2
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 2
Boyle | 2
Keith | 2
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(never drafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(never drafted 00s defenseman) | 2
(undrafted 00s defenseman) | 2
Doughty | 2

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Thanks to Eagle Belfour and Nalyd Psycho for providing some of the stats and quotes for this bio

Art Duncan
Defenseman
6’0” (hockey-reference lists him as 6’1” and an article below says 5’11”)
190lbs
RHS


PCHA First Team All-Star: 1920, 1922,1924
PCHA Second Team All-Star: 1919, 1923


PCHA League Champion: 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924
Stanley Cup Finalist: 1918, 1921, 1922

Pacific Coast Hockey League [1915-16;1918-24] *REGULAR SEASON*
Top-10 Scoring (1st, 9th, 10th)
Top-10 Goalscoring (1st, 8th)
Top-10 Assist (1st, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th)

Top-10 Scoring Among Defenseman (1st, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 4th, 7th)
Top-10 Goalscoring Among Defenseman (1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th)
Top-10 Assist Among Defenseman (1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th)
Top-10 Penalty Minutes Among Defenseman (6th, 6th)

Pacific Coast Hockey League [1915-16;1918-24] *PLAYOFFS*
Top-10 Scoring (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd)
Top-10 Goalscoring (1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th)
Top-10 Assist (1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd)
Top-10 Penalty Minutes (1st, 3rd, 6th)

Top-10 Scoring Among Defenseman (1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd)
Top-10 Goalscoring Among Defenseman (1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd)
Top-10 Assist Among Defenseman (1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd)
Top-10 Penalty Minutes Among Defenseman (1st, 1st, 3rd)

National Hockey League [1926-30] *AGES 35-39*
Top-10 Scoring Among Defenseman (7th, 10th)
Top-10 Goalscoring Among Defenseman (7th, 9th)
Top-10 Assist Among Defenseman (5th, 8th)
Top-10 Penalty Minutes Among Defenseman (4th)


Link to Hockey Historysis Article with Proof that Art Duncan Did Play Defense for his Amazing 1924 Season in which Duncan Led the PCHA in Goals and Points.


Dreakmur's Consolidated Points among Defensemen
1st(1920), 2nd(1924), 6th(1929), 7th(1922), 7th(1926), 8th(1923), 9th(1916), 9th(1928), 10th(1921)



Legends of Hockey

Art Duncan was with the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association in 1915-16, but enlisted for military service in World War One the following year. He played on the 228th Battalion hockey club that began the 1916-17 season in the NHA before being sent overseas.
Duncan returned from the Great War decorated with the Military Cross. He returned to playing hockey, joining the Vancouver Millionaires in 1918-19. He remained in the Pacific Coast League for several years before looking at moving up to the NHL. He had a five-year NHL career with the Detroit Cougars and Toronto Maple Leafs in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

A scouting report on the Vancouver Coast champions from 1922. Written by a Toronto writer for a Toronto readership...

Toronto Star, March 15, 1922

Anyway Lester Patrick has a mighty smart looking bunch along with him and figures on handling George O’Donoghue’s newly crowned champions a bigger surprise than “Happy” Mellroy got the morning he found a quart of Irish where the bottle cow sap was usually parked.
Here they are:
…
RIGHT DEFENSE: Art Duncan, the Soo boy. Five feet 11 inches he stands, and he is the star of the team. He played here with the 228th Battalion team along with the McNamara’s. The fans remember him. He is one sweet hockey player and a boy they will love to cheer.

The Vancouver Sun - Feb 4, 1922

The sterling performances put up by Art Duncan in recent games at the Arena have been the talk of fandom. Duncan has cut loose with a burst of speed which has often left many a lighter forward standing still. There are not many men of Duncan's stature who can break away as fast as the big Millionaire defence man can. He is a strenuous checker but very seldom does the referee find it necessary to even warn Art.

On Friday evening at Victoria Tommy Dunderdale started out to get Duncan's goat. He did not succeed in doing so until the third period. Then Art took the naughty Tommy in hand and boxed his ears in such a manner that the Victoria winger will think twice before starting anything with Lloyd Cook's partner.

The Vancouver Sun - Feb 20, 1922

The big fellow who holds down the right defence position on the Vancouver Millionaires, Art Duncan, is playing the game of his life this season. The P.C.H.A. boasts some pretty good defence players and the fact that Mickey Ion selected Arther for a place on his mythical all-star septette speaks for itself. Duncan is also high man in scoring among defence men.

The Morning Leader - Mar 10, 1922

Regina fans will see in Art Duncan, defense star of the Vancouvers, one of the cleanest and most effective puck propellers in hockey history. Standing over six feet in height and weighing around 185 pounds, Duncan has starred throught the Coast League season.

Fredrickson, former Winnipeg star, prior to leaving home a few days ago, informed the writer that he considered Duncan the cleanest and most gentlemanly player he had ever gone against

The Morning Leader - Mar 13, 1922

Art Duncan, as clean and fine a player as ever skated on any ice, was the outstanding star of both aggregations. Individually the flying ace accounted for three of his team's tallies. He seemed at home on the heavy ice and time after time swept down the length of the rink and generally finished by testing Laird by a rifle shot from his stick.

The Morning Leader - Oct 25, 1924

The peerless defence leader of the Maroons will be back at his old place in front of Hugh Lehman, and once again will inspire his team-mates to greater prowess on the ice by his gallant example. Duncan's record in Canadian hockey annals lest season when he led the PCHA in goal scoring, and Duncan's driving power, which so often carried him through opposing defences, gave him a grand final of 30 points, exclusive of playoff games and world series battles, 21 goals and 9 assists.

It was Duncan's big year. Not only did he show the scorers the way from a defence position, but he captained the club and bore the brunt of attack and defence.

Standing well over six feet, built in proportion, heady and a clever stick-handler, Duncan is the terror of opposing defenders. He is about as easy to shift from the puck as a mastiff from a snippy "pom." He shoots with dead accuracy and although he takes many falls in the course of a strenuous season and sometimes mops up acres of ice and athletes, he is certainly the outstanding defence star in wester hockey circles, and stands out as one of the great modern super-stars of the game.

The Calgary Daily Herald - Mar 17, 1924

To lead all others in such a league of stars is a remarkable and rather unusual scoring record for a defense man, and suggests that such a one must be possessed of at least two qualities which are essential for candidates to the "perfect player" class. First he must be wonderful on the attack, since as a defense man he has opportunity to attack much less frequently than his scoring competitors: secondly he must be a great defense man and must not neglect that department in order to keep his rivals down and in order to help win a championship.

If he were a dirty or hot tempered player he would not be on the ice long enough to accomplish what he has to: and if he were not clean of life as well as play he would not have the stamina to play practically the whole time, as he has done.

Had he not brains in plenty he could not have taken advantage of openings and he could not have made the wonderful openings for others to score, and so credit himself with assists. He is adept at drawing the opposing defense to one side so that a team-mate will have an easier passage. To do this sucessfully he must be a clever stick-handler and a good shot, so that opponents will be greatly concerned when he is on the rampage or else using his strategy in their territory.

He must be unselfish enough to pass the puck to a contender for scoring honors like Mackay and he has the nerve to draw punishment his own way so that a less robust team-mate may be spared. He must also be a fast skater to get back to his position in proper time. He is a good passer and a good one-hand artist.

Lovers of clean sport everywhere admire him and wish him all kinds of luck when he does not happen to be opposing their favourites.

The Calgary Daily Herald - Mar 12, 1924

Art Duncan will be going great guns as usual and the fans will get plenty of excitement when he starts off down the ice and he will give them plenty of thrills when he lets drive one of his wicked shots.

The Calgary Daily Herald - Dec 14, 1925

Vancouver is anxious to see how Art Duncan, stury defense man, once held as the pride of the Maroons, will perform against his former mates.

The smart shooting of Duncan thrilled the crowd.

The Montreal Gazette - Feb 3, 1928

Toronto were without big Art Duncan, the 200-pound defence star, who has been the chief block on the Leafs' guard.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Mar 2, 1928

Duncan threw a scare late the Pirate camp when he carried the rubber to the net, only to see the perfect pass fanned by Cox.

Ottawa Citizen - Nov 20, 1928

Hap is back in his best form teaming with Art Duncan to make one of the best defences in the National Hockey League.

The Vancouver Sun - Mar 22, 1921

Darragh and Nighbor staged several excursions toward the Vancouver goal, but either failed to get by Cook and Duncan or were turned back by Hughie Lehman.

Art Duncan cashed in on one of his sensational solos and made it two to nothing for the home crew.

The Vancouver Sun - Mar 4, 1922

The five-man defense of the Millionaires was always up there, always intact and always properly set. Once in a while they'd let Mickey Mackay or Cook or Duncan go down with the puck, but always two men would drop back to take his place and the break the Mets sought for was impossible.

Seldom do hockey fans get such an exhibition of defensive brilliancy as the Millionaires showed them tonight and the big house rocked with shrieks as the Mets piled in time after time trying to break down that board wall.

The Vancouver Sun - Mar 7, 1922

Over 8000 raving fans saw Lloyd Cook and his huskies present a five-man bulwark over which the Mets could not hurdle.

Vancouver's five-man defence arrayed against the three-man rushes of the Mets was effective as the French defence at Verdun.

During the closing minutes of play Cook's men did everything they knew to keep the puck away from their net.

Cook and Duncan had the Mets talking to themselves before the first period was halfway through.

The Vancouver Sun - Mar 13, 1922

Duncan and Cook teamed up in wonderful style, checked and rushed like fiends and were easily the pick of both teams.

Here are several accounts from the 1923 and 1924 Stanley Cup Playoffs that not only call Art Duncan Vancouver’s best player (on a team that included Mickey MacKay and a young Frank Boucher), but also mention him being specifically targeted by both opponents…

Report from game 2 of Semi-Finals Vancouver vs. Ottawa
Calgary Daily Herald: March 20, 1923

Stanley Cup Semi-Final Series Evened Up When Maroons Completely Outclass NHL Champions in the Second Game. Frank Boucher And Duncan Star

The Maroons were masters of the situation one minute and eighteen seconds after the initial faceoff, when Duncan swept down the ice in one of his irresistible rushes and parked the disk behind Benedict for the west's first goal in two games. Thereafter the Maroons were never in danger. Skinner worked the puck down shortly after and passed back to Boucher from the extreme right corner behind Benedict, and Frank snapped the puck into the corner of the net.
…
Benedict got another hard crack, when MacKay's shot hit him on the mouth from two or three feet out; he fell to the ice and the game was halted while he was being patched up. But he played fine hockey, as did Art Duncan, Mickey MacKay and Frank Boucher.

Photo Caption: (Top) At Top Form When Ottawas Are Beaten
(Bottom) Art Duncan; Who Excelled for Vancouver last night in the second game of the Stanley Cup series.

Report from game 5 of Semi-Finals Vancouver vs. Ottawa
The Vancouver Sun – Mar. 27, 1923

Duncan failed to put the finishing touch to his rushes that marked his work last week.

Harris and Duncan both slammed a number of hot ones at the nets, but with one exception, Benedict handled them all.

Report from game 1 of the Western League Finals Vancouver vs. Calgary
Calgary Daily Herald - March 11, 1924

DUNCAN EXHIBITS STYLE

That being done with lauding Boucher, let the light sweep around and stare on Art Duncan for a while. He did a lot of stuff and it was all good. He did a neat strut step through the Calgary make-up on several fast sweeps, and the boys appeared to be at a loss to figure out his style. He made a way for himself with apparent ease, the left side of the Calgary defense being the most popular course to follow. Cook also veered the course of his straddling pins in that direction and broke in a few times, especially with the first goal, that should have been clamped. Duncan’s drive follwed the same route, just 17 seconds after the third period started and before the stretch was spent, the rangey chief of the red sides slipped around the port side of the protection again, and his pass to Mackay was a cinch opening for Mickey to slap the cake into the coop. The shot beat Reid all the way, as did Duncan’s drive in the opening when he fired the puck across Reid’s front like a crack from a rifle.
…
Photo Caption: (Top) Leads Vancouver to Victory Again
(Bottom) Art Duncan; Captain and star defence man, who turned in a brilliant performance last night

Report from game 2 of the Western League Finals Vancouver vs. Calgary
Calgary Daily Herald - March 13, 1924

Series Now Evened Up And Saturday Will Decide
Individually, Vancouver works well, the bulk of the club’s power lying in the defense, where most of the offensive originates.

Report from game 3 of the Western League Finals Vancouver vs. Calgary
Calgary Daily Herald - March 17, 1924

Tigers Evolve Scheme to Hold Big Art Duncan and Their Tactics Bring Results

Duncan Watched Closely
Art Duncan, Vancouver’s ace, was hounded on most of his trips down the floor. The Tigers evolved a successful scheme of controlling this “big boy” and it worked quite as effectively Saturday as it did last Wednesday in Calgary. The checks pestered him from the time he started out to attack and they skated all the way down with him. At that, the Maroon skipper was troublesome to the defense, and he led off several strong drives against the plainsmen. Had MacKay and Boucer played the combination style of the Tigers, the Maroons would probably have Calgary’s position today.

Aggressiveness beat the Vancouver Maroons out of the bye into the final round of the Stanley Cup series here Saturday night when the Calgary Tigers swept in on Hughie Lehman with a system of fast combination that resulted in a toll of three counts and the Tigers finished in front 3-1...

Boucher and MacKay were mighty annoying and they drew all kinds of attention. Boucher's hook checking was extremely clever, and he worried the Tigers when they swung into position for attacks. Duncan and Cook were stout obstacles and it was apparent that the Maroons were providing for a stiff weight battle as they started off with Bostrum and Skinner on the forward line, two of the heftiest customers on the coast makeup. They had the weight, but not the speed and the Tigers were soon breaking away from them, but Duncan and Cook blocked many rushes in the early part of the show.

Report from game 2 of Semi-Finals against Montreal
The Calgary Daily Herald – Mar. 21, 1924

Dunacn being closely guarded, more particularly by Joliat, who insisted on annoying the “big boy” all through the show

Fun Facts
- Duncan is the only defenseman to ever win a goalscoring title in a professional league
- Aside from Bobby Orr, Art Duncan is the only other defenseman to ever win the scoring title in a professional league
- Duncan was the first ever captain of the Detroit Red Wings franchise, called the Detroit Cougars at the time

 

[BillyShoe1721]

RW Ron Stewart

4x NHL All Star Game Participant(one based on merit)
3x Stanley Cup Champion
4x Top 10 SHG(3, 4, 8, 10)
VsX Scores: 57, 55
SH TOI Rank(only last 6 years of 21 year career, note quotes about earlier PKing): 3, 2, 1, 2, 2, not relevant

This is Ron Stewart, a long time, industrious hockey player throughout the 1950s, 1960s and into the 1970s. Teammates loved Stewart because he was hard working on the ice, and fun loving off of it.

Stewie got serious 70 times a year once the opening face-off took place, and was a very durable and often underrated hockey player.

http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2011/01/those-were-days-ron-stewart.html

Toronto Maple Leaf coach and general manager Punch Imlach described Stewart as being "one of the smoothest and most competent right wings around."

http://hockeythenandnow.blogspot.com/2012/03/ron-stewart-1932-2012.html

“He was one of the best defensive forwards in the N.H.L.,” said Emile Francis, who coached Stewart for the Rangers and later, as their general manager, turned the coaching over to him. “He was an excellent penalty-killer, one of the best in hockey.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/29/s...star-with-role-in-fatal-fight-dies-at-79.html

Stewart was one of those guys who just seemed to skate effortlessly. He was faster than he looked, but was one of those players who looked like he played the game for fun. He was a naturally gifted athlete.

He was a very good penalty-killer, too. But the thing about Stewart that probably wasn’t talked about much was how versatile he was. It wasn’t just that he could play any forward position. But he had actually played primarily as a defenseman early in his career, and he morphed into a forward as years went on.

http://vintageleafmemories.blogspot.com/2012/03/ron-stewart-mr-versatility-in-fine.html

Ron Stewart was a hard working versatile player who could play defence as well as anywhere on the forward line but, his regular position was right wing. He was a tireless skater and coupled with being a good checker, made him a steady and reliable penalty killer.

He was particularly effective in the playoffs of 1963 when, despite cracked ribs, he scored four goals as the Leafs eliminated Canadiens and Detroit to win the Cup.

A defensive forward who also could play defense.

The sturdy right winger [...] Stewart's main strenghth was his effortless skating style. He was also a relentless checker, and he could play that way all season long.

Excerpts from Hockey Cards on Stewart:

Ronnie made the big jump into pro ranks look easy. Playing right wing with Teeder Kennedy and Sid Smith, he has developed the knack of taking his man out and yet keeping up with the play. He has a good shot and is a pretty good stickhandler. Needs a little more polish around the nets, which will come with experience. Did an outstanding job in a penalty killing role for the Leafs last season.

Ron is the "cool" type of player never getting rattled when the going gets tough. He has a good hockey brain and quick to size up situations and can adapt himself quickly because of his poise. This year the Leafs moved Ron back on defense and he has excelled there. He drops in front of shots just like Goldham used to do for Detroit. He carries the puck well and skates so strongly with such ease that people sometimes feel that he is not giving his all. This is not true as "Stew" gives 100% at all times.

However, this year with the new defensemen added it looks like he may spend the winter up on the forward line where his strong shot and excellent skating ability will help him to score many important goals for the Leafs. He has started out well this season by scoring in the early games which seems to have given him added confidence. He is excellent at killing penalties and is teamed up with Rudy Migay for this purpose.

Stewart is one of the finest all-around players on the Toronto team. He is an excellent goal scorer and has notched 119 goals in 8 seasons and was playing defense for a major portion of that time.

A smart penalty killer, sometimes a spare defenseman, Ron generally plays a wing with a smooth skating style. Owns one of the better shots in hockey.

Ron spent 13 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is one of hockey's most versatile players. Very effective in killing off penalties and is an all round utility man.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=26355220&postcount=7

A versatile all-around forward, Ron Stewart reached the 20 goal plateau just once during 13 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but his value to the team cannot be measured in statistics. stewart was a crafty forechecker and relentless worker who was one of Punch Imlach's prized food soldiers. He consistently created the openings that let the Leafs stars shine.

Stewart was a hard-working player who could handle defense as well as any of the three forward positions. He played mostly at right wing, and his tireless skating and strong forechecking made him a valuable penalty killer on Toronto teams that won the Stanley Cup in 1962, 1963, and 1964. He could also contribute offensively, scoring four goals in 11 games during the 1963 playoffs despite playing with cracked ribs.

http://books.google.com/books?id=8m...EwADgK#v=onepage&q=ron stewart hockey&f=false

But Stewart is a solid, all-round hockey player who always gives it his best. Coach Punch Imlach must have had his reasons for keeping him on the bench and he knew that when he did remove Stewart's shackles, the latter would go out on the ice, and do the job.

Imlach especially liked to employ Stewart as a defensive specialist guarding against such Stars as Bobby Hull of the Hawks or Ted Lindsay of the Wings. In these situations, Stewart sometimes used his wit as a weapon.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...284,2500738&dq=ron+stewart+penalty+kill&hl=en

The downfall in the penalty killing department has hampered Leafs most. In 70 games last season, the quartet of Dave Keon, Ron Stewart, George Armstrong and Bob Pulford had the best record in the league - allowing rival power plays fewer than 30 goals.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...213,4639265&dq=ron+stewart+penalty+kill&hl=en

Francis assigned Ron Stewart to Hull, a defensive maneuver that has paid off handsomely for the Rangers this season. It paid off Thursday in the game's first goal.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...BAJ&pg=3703,306150&dq=ron+stewart+check&hl=en

The man who will get the assignment of keeping a tight check on Hull is veteran Ron Stewart.

Coach Milt Schmidt, who has made it plain he wants a victory as much as Chicago, described Stewart as a man "who plays a very good defensive game himself."

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AJ&pg=7078,2473438&dq=ron+stewart+check&hl=en

The superstitious Toronto coach and general manager knocked on the wooden dressing room door when he talked about the excellent performance of penalty killers George Armstrong, Dave Keon, Ron Stewart, and Bob Pulford, especially Pulford.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AJ&pg=7168,3260601&dq=ron+stewart+check&hl=en

 

[VanIslander]

goaltender Tom Paton, the first great goaltender in hockey history, winning the first ever Stanley Cup in 1893, nine years after he had won hockey's first award, medals in 1885 when he backstopped the winning team in the Montreal Winter Carnival, posting three shutouts in four games, including one in the final. He again won the carnival championship two years later, then the championship of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) in 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892 and 1893. While it was common for hockey players to retire early - Mike Grant at age 28 and Graham Drinkwater at 24 as two examples of many - Paton actually began goaltending at age 30 and had a successful nine-year career (six years with the lowest goals against average in all of organized hockey), ending with a 7-1 record and the Stanley Cup in 1893. Ultimate Hockey says Paton deserved the Vezina in 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891 and 1893 (they didn't cover pre-1887) and that he deserved the Hart in 1889 as the best player in all of hockey.

At the start the puck was carried down to the Montreal end of the ice and shot after shot was made at the goal, but Paton stopped them with his hands, stick or feet. He seemed to be in every part of the goals at once, and every time the puck was shot in it was as speedily returned, and finally Cameron scooped it up to the other end of the rink.

Paton was a wizard, Allan Cameron says, at stopping shots.

Thomas Laird Paton (1854 – February 10, 1909),.. played the position of Goaltender for the Montreal HC (Montreal AAA) and was a member of the first Stanley Cup Winning Team in 1893 - Tom was a pioneer goaltender in organized Hockey.. a founding member of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association Hockey team (Montreal HC).. regarded in many history texts as being undefeated in 1890 and 1891..

“He was a stellar goalkeeper, putting together solid efforts from 1887 through the 1894 season. The short time he did spend playing for the AAA was well spent indeed. He was, simply put, a gem.

In the 1889 final match, the AAA bashed the Montreal Victorias 6-1, thanks in large part to his work between the pipes. According to records, he singlehandedly kept the AAA in the game long enough to ensure the victory.â€

“After losing its first match to Ottawa, the AAA swept its remaining seven games to finish ahead of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada pack. He was rock-solid between the pipes, or "flags," leading all net-men with a 2.25 goals-against averageâ€

“The 1888 schedule culminated in an exciting one-game playoff between the Montreal AAA and Montreal Victorias. The former took the title, winning 2-1 on the strength of some fine goaltending by him.â€

... Paton was on the alerts and sent it down only to be returned to him to defend his charge which he did well.. Paton was keeping a sharp lookout it was sent up again where another spell of open play occurred...

Hockey's first recorded award, medals to the champion goaltender of the 1885 Montreal Winter Carnival:

The first Stanley Cup championship ring of Tom Paton's from 1893:

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Ryan Kesler
Center
6’2â€
202lbs
RHS


Selke Record: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 11th

Hart Record: 8th

All-Star Record: 4th

NHL Regular Season
568Gp – 154G – 188A – 342Pts

NHL Playoffs
53GP – 10G – 26A – 36Pts

Vancouver 2011 Cup Run
3rd in Points
1st among forwards in ice time (despite getting injured)

2010 Olympics: Silver Medal


Legends of Hockey

Ryan Kesler was born August 31, 1984 in Lovonia, Michigan. The first round, 23rd overall selection of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Kesler is a graduate of the US National Junior Program.

In the fall of 2002 Kesler enrolled at Ohio State University where in his freshman year tallied 31 points (11-20-31) before opting to turn professional in 2003-04. After only one season at Ohio State, the Lovonia, Michigan native split his first professional season with the Canucks and their AHL affiliate in Manitoba.

In 2005-06 Kesler, became a mainstay in the Canucks line-up appearing in 82 games with the club tallying 23 points.

With the Canucks Kesler emerged as one of the NHL's most complete centres. His tenacious play, attention to defensive responsibility and offensive production made him one of the toughest players in the league to play against. For his efforts, following the 2008-09 season, he was nominated for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.

In February of 2010, Kesler was part of the US Olympic team that brought home the silver medal in a thrilling overtime final at the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

The 2010-11 season would be a good one for Kesler. For the first time in his career he reached the 40-goal mark, finishing the season with 41. His defensive play continued to impress as well. He was finally able to break the three-year-long stranglehold Pavel Datsyuk had on the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward. Kesler finished the season with a +24 rating and was an impressive 57% on face-offs. His 41 goals are the most ever by a Selke Trophy winner.

THN Scouting Report

Assets: A polished two-way performer, he displays both offensive acumen and shutdown capability. Can play wing if need be and has tremendous determination. Has the size teams crave at the center position. Gets under opponents' skin. Is money standing in front of the opposing goal on power plays.

Flaws: Is a little inconsistent when it comes to both producing points and playing the body. Will occasionally cross the line in his attempt to get opponents off their game, and has become increasingly reluctant to drop the gloves. Injuries have crept up due to his rugged style of game.

Career Potential: Excellent two-way center.

The Guardian - January 30, 2009

The trio had a few shifts together in Wednesdays 5-3 loss to Nashville and produced an unassisted goal by Burrows early in the second period. The alignment means moving Kesler from centre to right wing, something he has done in the past.

The Province - Sunday, February 08, 2009
Sundin, Demitra, Kesler a perfect fit

If some eyebrows were raised a week ago when head coach Alain Vigneault put together a curious mixture of Sundin with shutdown-line centre Ryan Kesler and streaky winger Pavol Demitra, there are no doubters now.

But it's also obvious that Kesler's inspired play since switching to right wing two games ago has been the catalyst. With his speed, edge and work ethic, he's been the perfect complement to Sundin and Demitra.

"It's weird, sometimes you have chemistry with guys and sometimes you don't," said Kesler, who with a 2-1-3 night has five goals and eight points in his last three games. "With those two guys, they see the ice really well and they're strong down low. It's an easy game to play when we're all working hard."

Bleacher Report – May 10, 2011
NHL 2011 Playoffs: Ryan Kesler Leading Conn Smythe Race Through Two Rounds

The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded to the player judged most valuable to his team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Typically, it is given to a player on the winning team, but on occasion it has been awarded to a player on the losing team in the Stanley Cup Finals.

If it was awarded after two rounds, Ryan Kesler would walk away with it—at least if the voters followed Don Cherry's advice on Coach's Corner after seemingly every Canucks game.

The NHL itself has put out two "History Will Be Made" commercials starring Ryan Kesler performances, titled "History Leads by Example" and "History is Unstoppable."

Those two titles tell the story right there.

Kesler has simply excelled in the playoffs after a breakout, 41 goal and Selke-nominated regular season.

As the second round winds to a close (only Detroit and San Jose are still playing), Kesler leads the NHL in scoring with five goals and 10 assists for 15 points.

Two of his goals were game winners, but he doesn't just bring offense.

Through the first round, Kesler neutralized Jonathan Toews of the Blackhawks, the reigning Conn Smythe winner, holding him without a goal in the series until the dying minutes of Game 7.

Likewise Kesler negated Mike Fischer of the Predators in the second round. Fischer had five points in the first round against Anaheim, but only a single point against Vancouver.

Toews and Fischer are both excellent faceoff men, but Kesler went head to head against them and won 53.8% of his draws.

Kesler leads the Canuck's forwards in ice time, averaging 23:23 per game, including 3:08 short handed and 3:04 with the man advantage.

He is second in the NHL for playoff hits by a forward with 42. (Teammate Maxim Lapierre leads the NHL with 49).

Kesler also has 12 blocked shots (5th amongst forwards) and 16 take aways. Only Pavel Datsyuk, long regarded as the best two way forward in the game, has more take aways with 17.

In Kesler's favor, though, is that he only has two give aways, while Datsyuk has five.

He also plays a key role on the Canucks powerplay, which is operating at 22.2 percent and on the penalty kill, which is running at 86.0 percent.

One of the unwritten requirements for the Conn Smythe is to steal games for your team. Well, Kesler stole an entire series.

In the second round, without the burden of a superstar to neutralize, Kesler exploded offensively and scored five of the 13 Canucks goals. Of the eight goals he didn't score himself, he assisted on six of them.

In other words, he was on the scoresheet for 85 percent of the Canuck's goals against a very stingy Nashville team known for their tenacious defence.

The Predators simply didn't have an answer to Kesler, who was all over the ice as he also recorded 16 hits and 12 takeaways in the series.

"He's turned into a world-class player," said former Canucks and current Predator Shane O'Brien. "He's got some hunger. He obviously wants to win bad."

If the Canucks make the Stanley Cup Finals (and they still need to defeat either the Red Wings or Sharks), the NHL might as well start engraving Kesler's name on the Conn Smythe already.

USA Today – May 31, 2011

A look at some of the early candidates from each team:
•Ryan Kesler (FSY) , Vancouver Canucks: Kesler contributes with faceoff wins, hard checks and defensive work besides offense. Still, it was noticeable when he was held without a goal for the first nine games. Then he erupted for five goals and 11 points in the final five games of the second-round series against the Nashville Predators. Against the San Jose Sharks, he scored in each of the final two games, including the tying goal in the final minute of the clincher.

"He literally put the team on his shoulders and scored huge goals for us," teammate Mason Raymond (FSY) said of Kesler's performance in the second round. "Last series he was a horse again."

Kesler had scored in Game 5 despite leaving the game for a while with a leg injury. "Ryan has been a warrior all year," Raymond said. "He's been through a lot, and he continues to produce and be a leader for our team."

National Post – April 10, 2012

Last spring, Kesler was a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate in the playoffs until he tore the labrum in his hip in the last game of Canucks’ Western Conference final win against the San Jose Sharks. He returned to that game on one leg and scored the tying goal with 13.2 seconds remaining in regulation time.

 

[tony d]

Centre Jonathan Toews

Position: C ▪ Shoots: Left
Height: 6-2 ▪ Weight: 208 lbs.
Born: April 29, 1988 (Age 24) in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Toews' stats:

-159 Goals and 195 Assists for 354 Points in 391 Career Games
-50 Points in 52 Career Playoff Games
-2 Time All Star
-2010 Conn Smythe Trophy Winner
-Led 2010 Playoffs in Assists with 22 Points

Legends Of Hockey

A talented and highly skilled forward, Toews spent two seasons at the University of North Dakota where in 76 games he scored 40 goals, 45 assists for 85 points. He also led North Dakota to a 2007 Frozen Four appearance after he captured gold at the World Junior Championships with Canada.

Upon his arrival in the NHL, Toews would score a point in each of his first ten NHL games (5 goals, 5 assists). Despite being limited to 64 games due to injury, Toews led all rookies in goals (24) and managed to record 54 points. Only two NHL Rookies had more points than Toews, but both had played 18 games more than the former Fighting Sioux. At the NHL Awards, Toews was named one of the three candidates for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, however the prize was captured by his teammate Patrick Kane.

Bleacher Report

Toews was part of the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, and it’s likely they may not have made it without him in the lineup.

Some of the honors that Toews has received during his career in hockey overall include, at the top of this list, winning the Stanley Cup back in 2010, named team captain making him the third-youngest team captain in NHL history and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy that same year as the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Really glad to have gotten Toews on the Blades. He may be a little young but his accomplishments thus far justify his placement. This guy is only going to get better, glad I got him.

 

[tony d]

Right Winger Milan Hejduk

Position: RW ▪ Shoots: Right
Height: 6-0 ▪ Weight: 190 lbs.
Born: February 14, 1976 (Age 37) in Usti nad Labem, Czechoslovakia

Some stats on Hejduk:

-375 Goals and 429 Assists for 804 Points in 1014 Career Games
-76 Points in 112 Career Playoff Games
-3 Time All Star
-4 Top 10 Finishes in Goals for a Season (Led League with 50 in 2002-2003)
-8 Seasons of 10 or more Power Play Goals

Legends Of Hockey

A winger with clever evasive skills and an accurate shot, Hejduk is not especially tall or broad. He never played too hard, but he entered the NHL like a whirlwind. He could assert himself mainly through his agility and his clever play. In the following season Colorado was without its greatest offensive pillars, Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic, who were injured. But young players such as Hejduk and Drury did an excellent job of substituting for them.

Hejduk's role on the team will be to help on the power play and to score key goals late in games for the Blades, whatever the role for Hejduk he'll fill it well I'm sure.

 

[Sturminator]

Bobby Rowe

Position: RW/D
Shoots: L
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 160 lbs.

Stanley Cup champion 1917 - Seattle Metropolitans
Stanley Cup undecided 1919 - Seattle Metropolitans (Cup finals ended with teams tied 2-2-1)

PCHA Defensemen All-Star placements*:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?p=10258267&highlight=rowe#post10258267

Name|1st AST|2nd AST|Years between first/last AST
Ernie Johnson|8|1|10
Lester Patrick|4|2|8
Lloyd Cook|3|3|8
Bobby Rowe |3|2|7
Art Duncan|3|2|6
Frank Patrick|2|1|6
Clem Loughlin|1|3|4

*for every defenseman with at least one 1st AST placement

PCHA Scoring Record: 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5 [among defensemen]

28.3.1920 Toronto World - Cup Finals game 1 summary:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...&pg=4764,5704197&dq=rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Holmes saved off Darragh. Benedict saved off Riley. He knocked down another hot one from Foyston. Rowe stopped Denneny with a hard body check.

...

Rickey stopped a nice rush by Cleghorn. Nighbor and Gerard combined, but Rowe stole the disc.

...

Rowe tripped Darragh and was banished. He was given a major foul.

29.3.1920 Toronto World - Cup Finals game 3 summary:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...&pg=1234,6430998&dq=rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Manager Muldoon was laid up with an attack of bronchitis and did not see the game, but Captain Walker and Bobby Rowe handled the westerners in great style, making frequent changes and keeping the men going at full strength. Walker was, perhaps, more responsible for the victory than any other player. He never tired and entered into every play. Holmes, Rowe and Foyston were in fine form, and Riley put in a most useful game. Rickey and Rowe showed the best defense work of the series.

2.4.1920 - Toronto World - Cup Finals game 5 summary:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...43,6984873&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Bobby Rowe, who was playing a sterling game for the western team, had to retire in the second period, when Gerard's stick laid open a bad cut under his left eye. Rowe had to go to the hospital to have it stitched up, and the Seattle team were weakened by his loss.

Rowe scored the first goal on a pretty individual effort. Rowe dashed down and hurdled the sticks of the two defensemen and continued on to the net, Benedict going down, but being unable to save.

24.12.1921 - The Vancouver Sun:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...&pg=1312,5558675&dq=rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Bobby Rowe, star defense player for the Seattle Metropolitans, was suspended by Frank Patrick, president of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association, as a result of his attack on Ernie (Moose) Johnson during the second period of the Victoria-Seattle match in the Sound City on Wednesday night. Rowe will be eligible to play with his team at the next Seattle fixture, which will be when the Millionaires go south on Wednesday, December 28.

In commenting on the Rowe episode, Frank Patrick stated: "I have received very full advices from Seattle concerning the Rowe-Johnson melee and I have reached the decision that the best interests of hockey can be served by the suspension for one game of this player. Naturally I hesitated to take such drastic action, but we have striven for the past 10 years to elevate the game of hockey and eliminate deliberate rough play. Rowe has an excellent record in the league and I regret very much that it has been necessary to suspend him for even one game."

2.2.1922 - The Vancouver Sun:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...&pg=1305,3379366&dq=rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

To Bobby Rowe, the grandest old veteran of them all, must go a big share of the credit for the Mets play. The game little warrior played sixty minutes of hockey after his doctor had told him not to. And he played mighty good hockey, too. Not only did he break up rush after rush, but he also scored his first goal of the season, Seattle's second score, and the one which made victory certain.

Rowe's New Pads

When they were talking about how it was too bad that he couldn't be in, Bobby Rowe was sawing wood. First he repaired himself to a shoe store, carrying with him one of the usual shin guards worn by all hockey players. When he came back he was armed with an invention of his own, a sort of a cross between a shin guard, a bed spring and a pillow. He hasn't patented it yet, but from the way he stopped shots on his sore leg without even wincing, the invention is certainly worth at least a "patent pending" sign.

It was a purely defensive game that the Mets played tonight. They didn't bother the Aristocrats in their own end of the rink. They paid all their attention to keeping a man well covered. How well they succeeded will be confirmed by one Thomas Dunderdale, who failed to get the puck even past the defense. Frederickson, too, was well covered, and while he and Halderson each managed to shoot at Happy Holmes now and then, the Seattle net guardian was in front of every shot.

8.3.1924 - The Calgary Daily Herald:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...925,978965&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Ion is Impartial

Ion was firm and impartial. He refused to permit the players to clash indiscriminately, once sending Riley away for repeating his attempt to remove Duncan's feet from under him and again sending Bobby Rowe twice to the cooler for over aggressiveness.

Seattle served eight minutes to Vancouver's four, Rowe serving half this for temporarily running wild. The lion-hearted old boy skated desperately and was repeatedly dangerous. Bostrum laid him out with a stiff check and later performed the same duty for Jack Walker.

...

Bobby Rowe went through and Lehman kicked his shot aside as it dived for the net corner. It was a close thing.

...

Rowe went all the way up, circled the defense and the goal and came out for a shot, only to be dumped by the weighty Bostrum. Rowe lay prone on the ice while the play went to the other end. He was finally carried off, but was back in the thick of the fray in a few minutes.

Riley came on and then promptly set himself for Bostrum, and the pair met in a crash which sent both sprawling. Rowe came on and he and Fraser sandwiched Bostrum for a pretty fall. Rowe was sent off and then Harris and Matte followed him for juggling their sticks too truculently.

...

Rowe went off again for crashing MacKay and Cook and MacKay then worked right in on Holmes. Jack Walker got the puck and defied half a dozen Maroons to take it from him.

2.9.1925 - Edmonton Journal:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...J&pg=3114,190120&dq=rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

The managership of the Portland team lies between Bobby Rowe, long a northwest hockey star, and Pete Muldoon, who managed the Portland Rosebuds eight years ago.

22.5.1928 - The Calgard Daily Herald:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...81,2896758&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Bobby Rowe was as enthusiastic as Pete about the new coast circuit. "Portland is a great hockey town," Bobby said. "Last winter our amateur league drew 78,000 fans and there was scarcely a night in which the rink was not packed."

Bobby, by the way, was something of a hockey player himself not so long ago. He starred for many years at defense for the Seattle Mets in the old Pacific Coast League. Of late years he has been managing the rink at Portland and promoting amateur hockey.

22.11.1928 - The Vancouver Sun:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...87,2762691&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Bobby Rowe has informed all and sundry that while he is in accord with the dictum of President Patrick for clean hockey, he does not quite see how his fighting cohorts are to be kept in a state of even near pacification. "They are strong young huskies, full of fight and puck ferocity," he said, "and we intend to win hockey games. I guess the boys will just have to do their best and the opposition take chances. Hockey is no parlor game and there'll be some bumping around when my Buckaroos start to sift."

When Pilot Joe Smith heard of this defiant Roweism, he said it was just too bad but that he wasn't afraid with his group of Cubs in there snarling. "We've got the weight, we've got the speed and we've got the elan too," said Joseph amiably. "It will be just too bad for Mr. Rowe's Buckaroos if they start toying unceremoniously with these Cubs."

However, Mickey Ion will be in there when these bounding Buckaroos go into action, and Mickey is plenty tough himself when the boys get to wrangling. He has tamed chaps like Duke Keats, Cully Wilson, Spunk Sparrow, and even the gyrating Bobby Rowe. He'll probably nip incipient rioting very emphatically in the first bud.

12.2.1931 - The Vancouver Sun:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2126,1208412&dq=bobby+rowe&hl=en

From Portland, aye, even from the pages of the sedate and dignified Oregonian, comes the astonishing word that Bobby Rowe, "Battling Bobby" of another hockey day, is preparing for a return to the ice wars. You may recall a regretful wish of Bobby's recently noted in these columns that he could get out there on the ice against "those so-and-so Eskimos, just once more, baby, just once more!"

It seems that Robert repaired to Rose City still nursing that thought which broke into a rash the other day when Roberto stripped and hit the ice decks somewhat fatly, as you might say, yet in rull regalia and even fuller of fight.

The Oregonian coldly warns its readers to prepare for a slaughter of the Eskimos, if not this evening, then just as soon as Bobby gets his second wind. Of course, as Jack Walker said of our stories of the rough game in Seattle last week, Bobby may find that his punch as well as his wind has gone, but, in any event, it makes "darn good reading" for hockey fans with a yen for the old blood and bones type of hockey.

17.10.1933 - Saskatoon Star-Phoenix:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...41,4407020&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Bobby Rowe and Frank Foyston in particular were renewing acquaintances with their Saskatoon friends from the time they registered at the King George Hotel. Foyston will be well remembered here playing for Victoria, while Rowe was one of Seattle's stalwarts in the old Western Canada Professional Hockey League.

20.10.1933 - The Calgary Daily Herald:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...57,5158103&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

This is how they looked when Foyston was star centre and Rowe was bowling 'em over on the defense for the Seattle Mets in the old Pacific Coast Hockey League.

2.1.1934 - The Montreal Gazette:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...3,201744&dq=turning+back+hockey's+pages&hl=en

Taylor averaged nearly two points a game. This record was compiled against such stars as Ernie (Moose) Johnson, Lester Patrick, Bobby Rowe and a host of other hockey greats.

Taylor was the Morenz of his day; many think he was faster than the Stratford flash. Certainly he was as spectacular. Frank Patrick says that when he was the idol of the coast, the fans would rise in a body and roar as soon as he started up the ice with the puck.

31.12.1937 - The Vancouver Sun:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...59,4530076&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

The Buckaroos have played in the past few years under Rowe's direction, tight hard-biting hockey, giving no quarter and asking none. It doesn't sound like Rowe, who could dish it out and take it as a player, to become a referee-nagger in his later years, as a cover-up for the nose-dive his Oregonians have taken since last winter.

22.9.1947 - The Bulletin:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...04,2741431&dq=bobby+rowe+seattle+hockey&hl=en

Bobby Rowe, 60, Portland sports promoter for the last 20 years, died last night at his home here being ill for more than a year.

...

Canadian-born Rowe was, himself, one of hockey's "greats" before he turned to the promotional field. He began his career with Toronto at the turn of the century, and later moved to Seattle in the old Pacific coast hockey loop. Despite his small stature, Rowe was named outstanding defenseman in hockey five times.

Bobby Rowe was one of the first players to jump from the NHA to the PCHA, joining Victoria for the league's inaugural season in 1911-12. Rowe went on to become a fixture in Seattle, playing in all nine of the Mets' seasons and ranking second on the all-time games played list with the team at 201.

Despite his small size Rowe was known as a tough customer, willing to drop the gloves and go at it whenever the need arose. He was also well known for playing through constant shoulder and leg injuries. During the 1919 Stanley Cup finals Rowe's ankle was injured so badly that he sat out the fourth game of the series under doctors orders, but when the game went into overtime and his banged up teammates began to falter Rowe took to the ice and helped to hold of the Canadiens to preserve the 0-0 tie.

Sold to Boston of the NHL when the Mets folded, Rowe played briefly with the Bruins in 1924-25 before coming back out west and settling in Portland. He became a fixture of the local hockey scene there, coaching a number of Rose City teams into the 1940s.

 

[BubbaBoot]

Tomas Vokoun
goalkeeper

• Catches: Right • Height: 6-1 • Weight: 210 lbs. •
• Born: July 2, 1976 • Karlovy Vary, Czechoslovakia •
• Draft: Montreal• 9th round (226th overall) • 1994 NHL Entry • from: HC Kladno (Czech Extraliga) •
• Played: 1996/97 - 2012/13 (NHL) \\\ 1993/94 - 1994/95, 2004/2005 (CZECH Extraliga) \\\ 1995/96 (ECHL) \\\ 1996/97 - 1997/98, 2013/14 (AHL) \\\ 1998/99 - 1999/00 (IHL) \\\ 2004/05 (FINN Liiga) \\\ 1996 (WORLDS JR) \\\ 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010 (WORLDS) \\\ 2005 (World Cup) \\\ 2006, 2010 (OLYMPICS) •

• International Medals •
2005 Gold • World Championships (Vienna)
2010 Gold • World Championships (Cologne)
1994 Bronze • European Jr. Championships (Finland)
2004 Bronze • World Cup
2006 Bronze • Olympics (Turin)
- - (23-4 / 1.46 / .942 / 5 shutouts in 29 World Championships games)

• Awards •
2005 Best Goaltender • World Championships
2009-10 Golden Stick Award (Czech Player of the Year)

• Golden Stick Awards Voting •
2004 (2) / 2005 (3) / 2010 (1) / 2011 (8)

• Honors •
2005 All-Star Team • World Championships (1st)

• All-Star Team Voting •
NHL • 05-06 (4th) / 08-09 (10th) / 09-10 (8th)

• All-Star Games •
NHL • 2004 / 2008

• Calder Trophy Voting •
- 98-99 (13th)

• Vezina Trophy Voting •
- 02-03 (T10th) / 03-04 (8th) / 05-06 (4th) / 08-09 (9th)

• Hart Trophy Voting •
- 05-06 (16th) / 09-10 (T23rd)

• Achievements •
• Games
- 2002-03 NHL 69 (3)
- 2003-04 NHL 73 (2)
- 2005-06 NHL 61 (8)
- 2007-08 NHL 69 (7)
- Career NHL • 700 (24th all-time)
- Career NHL PLAYOFFS • 22

• Wins
- 2003-04 NHL 34 (3)
- 2005-06 NHL 36 (6)
- Career NHL • 300 (31st all-time)
- Career NHL PLAYOFFS • 9

• GAA
- 2002-03 NHL 2.20 (8)
- Career NHL• 2.55 (T22nd all-time)
- 1994 ECs U-18 2.20 (2)
- 1995 ECHL PLAYOFFS 2.61 (2)
- 2003 WCs 2.16 (6)
- 2004 WCs 1.14 (2)
- 2005 WCs 1.08 (2)
- 2004 NHL PLAYOFFS 2.02 (6)
- 2010 OLYMPICS 1.78 (2)
- 2010 WCs 1.57 (6)
- 2013 NHL PLAYOFFS 2.01 (5)
- Career NHL PLAYOFFS • 2.47

• Save Percentage
- 2005-06 NHL .919 (5)
- 2006-07 NHL .920 (5)
- 2008-09 NHL .926 (2)
- 2009-10 NHL .925 (3)
- 2010-11 NHL .922 (9)
- Career NHL • .917 (8th all-time)
- 1994 ECs U-18 .916 (2 - by .001%)
- 1995 ECHL PLAYOFFS .903 (2)
- 2003 WCs .925 (6)
- 2004 WCs .944 (2)
- 2005 WCs .953 (2)
- 2004 NHL PLAYOFFS .939 (T1)
- 2010 OLYMPICS .936 (2)
- 2010 WCs .944 (T4)
- 2013 NHL PLAYOFFS .933 (4)
- Career NHL PLAYOFFS • .928

• Goalkeeper Win Percentage
- Career NHL • .484 (300-288-78)
- Career NHL PLAYOFFS • .409 (9-13)

• Shutouts
- 2005-06 NHL 4 (7)
- 2006-07 NHL 5 (6)
- 2007-08 NHL 4 (9)
- 2008-09 NHL 6 (6)
- 2009-10 NHL 7 (3)
- 2010-11 NHL 6 (6)
- Career NHL • 51 (T23rd all-time)

• Minutes
- 2002-03 NHL 3974 (3)
- 2003-04 NHL 4221 (4)
- 2005-06 NHL 3601 (6)
- 2007-08 NHL 4031 (7)
Career NHL • 39695 (25th all-time)

• career stats •

| gms| W |L |T/0TL | GAA |SAVE %| SO| G | A|PIMs
NHL | 700 |300 |288 |78 |2.55 |.917 |51 |0 |9|111
NHL PLAYOFFS| 22 |9 |13 | |2.24 |.928 | 2 | 0 | 0|2
International | 87|60|21 |2|| |12|0|5|2

• all-time team records •
Nashville Predators (NHL)- 383 games (1) / 161 wins (2) / GAA 2.54 (2) / save% .913 (2) / SOs 21 (2)
Florida Panthers (NHL) - 248 games (3) / 101 wins (3) / Ties-OTL 30 (3) / GAA 2.57 (1) / save% .923 (1) / SOs 23 (2)
Czech Republic (WCs)- 29 games (7) / 23 wins () / GAA 1.46 () / save% .942 () / SOs 5 ()

• Accolades •

Is extremely tough to get a read on from a shooter's perspective because he's unpredictable. Plays a very active, unorthodox style. Can get red-hot for long stretches and has a lightning-fast catching hand. Often makes highlight-reel stops.

Vokoun is a smallish goalie with a lightning fast glove hand. Owns terrific lateral movement in his crease and can handle a heavy workload. Is hard for shooters to read.

Vokoun was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the ninth round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, 226th overall. He remained in the Czech Republic for another year, playing with Poldi Kladno.

Vokoun moved to North America for the 1995–96 season and played for the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. He was called up to the Fredericton Canadiens of the American Hockey League (AHL) and played one playoff game. Having proven himself in the ECHL, Vokoun spent the 1996–97 season in Fredericton and played in his first game for Montreal; it was not a stellar debut as he allowed four goals in only twenty minutes of play against the Philadelphia Flyers.

After another season with Fredericton, Vokoun was chosen by the Nashville Predators in the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft on June 26, 1998.

Vokoun played 37 games for Nashville in their debut season and played nine games for the Milwaukee Admirals in the International Hockey League (IHL). Although he again split time between the two clubs the following season, by 2000, Vokoun was in the NHL to stay.

Vokoun acquitted himself well when given the chance to start, and he shouldered a heavy load for the Predators. His play was good enough in 2003-04 to send him to the All-Star Game for the first time. Possibly more important to Vokoun, though, was the chance to go to the playoffs, and the Predators earned their first trip in 2004.

On the day of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Vokoun was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a first-round selection in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, a second-round selection in the 2007 draft (no. 58) and a conditional second-round selection in either 2007 or 2008. Vokoun was selected to play for the Eastern Conference team in the 2008 NHL All Star Game in Atlanta.

During the 2008–09 NHL season, Vokoun recorded 26 wins for the Panthers as they battled for their first playoff berth since 2000. Though they ultimately fell short, the Panthers' being in position to qualify was due in large part to the goaltending of Vokoun and fellow goaltender Craig Anderson.
Vokoun was injured by teammate Keith Ballard in a game on Monday, November 30, 2009, when Ballard hit Vokoun with an errant stick in the head. Vokoun was carried off the ice on a stretcher and was treated at a nearby hospital for an ear laceration. Vokoun had just given up a goal to Ilya Kovalchuk of the Atlanta Thrashers and Ballard went to break his stick on the goal post in frustration, but caught Vokoun instead.

Vokoun signed a one-year contract with the Washington Capitals on July 2, 2011, for $1.5 million.[1]
Vokoun had a rough 2011–12 NHL season with the Washington Capitals, plagued by injury and inconsistent performance. On June 4, 2012, Vokoun was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 7th round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and was subsequently signed to a two-year, $4 million dollar contract.[2] Since his customary sweater #29 was being worn by Marc-Andre Fleury, Vokoun opted to wear #92 with the Penguins. Vokoun is the first goaltender since Daren Puppa to wear a sweater number from 90-98.

Vokoun has represented the Czech Republic many times over the course of his playing career. His first international experience came with the under-20 team at the 1996 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where the Czechs finished in 4th place. His first senior experience came at the 2003 IIHF World Championship, where the Czechs again finished in 4th place. Overall he has played for the Czechs at four IIHF World Championships, two Winter Olympics Games and also in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He backstopped the Czechs to a 3rd place finish at the World Cup, gold medals at the 2005 and 2010 World Championships, and won bronze with the team at the 2006 Olympics.

Vokoun Turns Tables on U.S. Team at Worlds

Andy Roach nearly struck again in the shootout.

Roach held the United States's hopes on his stick, but Tomas Vokoun stopped his backhander, giving the Czech Republic a 3-2 victory Thursday in the quarterfinals at the World Hockey Championship.

Martin Rucinsky netted the lone shootout goal, sending the Czechs into Saturday's semifinals against Sweden, the runner-up the past two years. Sweden beat Switzerland, 2-1, on Thursday in Innsbruck, Austria.

A year ago in Prague, Roach knocked the host Czech Republic out of the quarters with the only goal in that shootout. Vokoun took a lot of blame for that loss.

Vokoun was beaten last year by Roach's left-right move that created an open net. But this time, Vokoun snagged Roach's shot with his glove and immediately raised his arms in celebration.

Goalies Tomas Vokoun of the Florida Panthers and XXXXXXXX XXXXX of the Montreal Canadiens, both of whom have been superb over the last couple of months, were strong and acrobatic — especially Vokoun, the N.H.L. save percentage leader, who stopped 34 of 35 Slovakian shots.

This year, however, the Czech Republic had more of everything. World Cup Tournament top goalie Tomas Vokoun could not be beat.

Hasek, one of the NHL's top goalies again this season for Ottawa, will undergo an MRI exam Thursday in the Olympic Village to determine whether his hamstring is torn.

Hasek doesn't know how long he will be sidelined in a tournament that has the Czechs playing four more times in the next week. The Czechs, who beat Germany 4-1 behind backup goalie Tomas Vokoun, play Switzerland on Thursday, take Friday off, then play again Saturday and Sunday.

Losing the 41-year-old Hasek would be a blow to the Czechs because of his international experience and a standout career that has seen him win the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie six times. The Czech Republic is considered the top threat to gold medal favorite Canada.

However, Vokoun is considered the best backup goalie in these Olympics. He stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced after replacing Hasek.

The gold-medal game should have been a rout, but it didn't turn out that way. For two periods, Jaromir ... For almost the next 40 minutes, the Russians dominated play but could not beat Czech goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

In Florida, Vokoun continued his strong play and established himself as one the top goaltenders in the NHL. Despite being one of the busiest goalies in the league, both in terms of games played and shots faced, Vokoun never registered a goal-against-average over 2.68 in four season with the Panthers.

"For me, having a medal from the Olympics is great," Vokoun said after stopping 28 shots for the shutout, the second game in a row Russia failed to score. "If I never play again for the Czech team, I have a medal from the World Championship (gold last year) and now the Olympics."

 

[Hobnobs]

Markus Näslund

Awards and Achievements:
Lester B. Pearson Award (2003)
3 x First Team All-Star (2002, 2003, 2004)

Hart voting – 2nd(2003), 5th(2002), 5th(2004), 11th(2001)
All-Star voting – 1st(2002), 1st(2003), 1st(2004), 3rd(2001)


Scoring Accomplishments:
Points – 2nd(2002), 2nd(2003), 4th(2004)
Goals – 2nd(2003), 5th(2002), 7th(2001), 7th(2004), 15th(1999)
Assists – 4th(2002), 8th(2003), 9th(2004)


Scoring Percentages:
Point – 100(2002), 100(2003), 97(2004), 78(2001), 75(2006), 69(2000), 62(1999), 53(2007), 52(2008), 46(1996), 42(2009), 38(1997), 37(1998)

Best 6 Seasons: 519
Nest 6 Seasons: 293


5-Year Peak: 2001-2006
3rd in Points, 99% of 2nd place Joe Thornton
2nd in Goals, 96% of 1st place Jaromir Jagr
8th in Assists, 87% of 2nd place Jaromir Jagr

10-Year Peak: 1999-2009
6th in Points, 87% of 2nd place Joe Thornton
4th in Goals, 96% of 2nd place Jaromir Jagr
17th in Assists, 76% of 2nd place Jaromir Jagr


Team Scoring:
Points – 1st(1999), 1st(2000), 1st(2001), 1st(2002), 1st(2003), 1st(2004), 1st(2006), 3rd(2007), 3rd(2008)
Goals – 1st(1999), 1st(2000), 1st(2001), 1st(2002), 1st(2003), 1st(2004), 1st(2009), 2nd(2006), 2nd(2007), 2nd(2008)

He's probably on television as much as the prime minister. And he's probably... definitely more popular!

Before he was injured late in the 2000-01 season, right-winger Markus Naslund emerged as one of the NHL's elite players as well as the on-ice leader of the improved Vancouver Canucks. After entering the league in 1993-94, he showed glimpses of his potential and eventually became an above-average scorer before taking his game to the next level.

Thanks to Dreakmur for helping me with the scoring stats.

 

[Hobnobs]

Dino Ciccarelli

Dino Ciccarelli was hockey's version of a sanitation engineer. He scored over 600 NHL goals, seemingly all of them by parking himself in front of the net and banging away at rebounds and loose pucks. Meet Dino Ciccarelli - garbage man.

Dino the Dinosaur retired with 608 goals, 2 shy of Bobby Hull's 610. There is no doubt that Ciccarelli ranks high on the all time goal scoring list. There is also no doubt that Dino belongs among the game's all time best.

Hockey's the only sport where you don't really celebrate anything unless you win the Cup. So, if you don't win a Cup you kind of feel that you didn't get a chance to win anything.

 

[Dreakmur]

Saku Koivu !!!


NHL Awards and Achievements:
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (2002)
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2007)

2 x NHL All-Star (1998, 2003)

Montreal Canadien Captain (1999-2009)

In 2008 Impact! Magazine named Saku Koivu the 10th best Captain of all time


NHL Offensive Accomplishments:
Assists – 15th(1998), 15th(2003)


Scoring Percentages:
Points – 68(2003), 66(2007), 63(1998), 63(2004), 58(2006), 53(2008), 51(1997), 49(2001), 48(2010), 45(2009), 45(2011), 41(1999)

Best 6 Seasons: 371


5-Year Peak: 2003-2008
28th in Points, 74% of 2nd place Jaromir Jagr
15th in Assists, 84% of 2nd place Marc Savard

10-Year Peak: 1997-2007
57th in Points, 58% of 2nd place Joe Sakic
22nd in Assists, 68% of 2nd place Joe Sakic


Team Scoring:
Points – 1st(2001), 1st(2003), 1st(2007), 2nd(1999), 2nd(2006), 3rd(1998), 3rd(2004), 3rd(2009)
Play-off Points - 1st(2002), 1st(2004), 1st(2009), 2nd(1997), 2nd(2008), 2nd(2011)





International Awards and Achievements:
Olympic Silver Medalist (2006)
3 x Olympic Bronze Medalist (1994, 1998, 2010)

World Cup Silver Medalist (2004)

World Championship Gold Medalist (1995)
2 x World Championship Silver Medalist (1994, 1999)
World Championship Bronze Medalist (2008)

Olympic All-Star (2006)

World Cup All-Star (2005)

World Championship Best Forward (1995, 1999)
World Championship All-Star (1994, 1995, 1999)
World Championship 2nd All-Star (1997)

Finland National Team Captain (1998-2010)


International Offensive Accomplishments:
Olympic Scoring – 1st(1998), 1st(2006), 11th(1994)

World Championship Scoring – 1st(1999), 3rd(1994), 3rd(1995), 4th(2004)





Domestic Awards and Achievements:
SM-Liiga Championship (1995)

Player-voted Best Player (1995)

MVP (1995)
Play-off MVP (1995)


Domestic Offensive Accomplishments:
Points - 1st(1995), 4th(1994)
Goals - 2nd(1995), 5th(1994)
Assists - 1st(1995), 6th(1994)

Play-off Points - 1st(1995), 2nd(1994)
Play-off Goals - 3rd(1995), 8th(1994)
Play-off Assists - 2nd(1995), 2nd(1994)

Not large at 5’10†and 180 pounds, Koivu nevertheless plays a fearless game. Early in his career he tended to run at larger opponents – perhaps trying to prove that he belonged in the NHL – but the Habs coaching staff wisely steered him away from doing that regularly. He plays an intense but smart brand of hockey, his game built around strong skating and good speed, Koivu can dish the puck off to his linemates very effectively – 43 assists in 1997-98 marked his career best – and he shows good hands when close around the net. With good vision on the ice, he’ll dart all around the rink for a loose puck. His excellent snap shot gets him goals.

Diminutive but fearless, Koivu was often injured. It was, however, exactly that trait that endeared him to teammates and fans… Montreal did not make the playoffs for much of his early tenure, but his skills, and heart, were world-class.

Assets: Makes things happen on the ice and tends to make his teammates better. Never backs down from a challenge, on or off the ice. Has plenty of leadership qualities. Is good on face-offs and still a quality playmaker.

Flaws: His fireball style leaves him vulnerable, while his small stature limits his effectiveness against bigger centers. Injuries and illness have wreaked havoc on his NHL career, and slowed down production over time.

 

[Velociraptor]

Sven Johansson, C

Position: Centre
HT/WT: 6'3", 210 lbs
Shoots: Left
Nickname(s): "Tumba"
Born: August 27th, 1931 in Stockholm, Sweden

Accolades: Inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997 and voted the "Best Swedish Ice Hockey Player Throughout Time"

• 1950-63: 8-time Swedish Champion (1954, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
• 1952: Olympic bronze, Oslo, Norway.
• 1953: World Champion, Zurich-Basel, Switzerland.
• 1954: World Championship Bronze, Stockholm, Sweden
• 1956: Olympic 5th place, Cortina, Italy.
• 1957: Test player for Boston Bruins.
• 1957: World Champion (nominated best forward.)
• 1958: World Championship Bronze, Oslo, Norway.
• 1960: Olympic 5th place, Squaw Valley, USA.
• 1962: World Champion (nominated best forward.)
• 1963: World Championship Silver
• 1964: Olympic Silver
• 1965: World Championship Bronze
• 1989: Nominated the best Swedish ice hockey player throughout time.

Tumba represented Sweden internationally 245 times and scored 223 goals, more than anybody else in the history of the Swedish national team.

The long time captain played in 14 World Championships, more than any other Swedish player, as well as four Olympic tournaments.

He was a three time World Champion and was selected as the best forward in the 1957 and 1962 World Championships.

His 127 points (including 84 goals) is the 5th best result in World Championship history. Only four Russians are ahead of him - Boris Mikhailov, Valeri Kharlamov, Alexander Maltsev and Vladimir Petrov. His 84 goals ranks second only behind Mikhailov.

Quotes

Have you ever heard of Maurice Richard, the Rocket? The world's best player from the blue line to the net. Tumba is our swedish counterpart to him. Tumba is almost as rough.

Greatest Hockey Legends

One of the greatest legends of early European hockey was center Sven Johansson, better known as "Tumba". He got the nickname from his birthplace in Tumba, in the suburbs of Stockholm, Sweden where he was born on August 27, 1931.

Tumba was a big fellow at a solid 6'3" and 210lbs. He had a little Gordie Howe in him. He was very hard to stop and impossible to separate from the puck. Tumba's strength was his heavy and quick shot that always seemed to be on target. With his combination of physical strength and good hands he was a scoring threat whenever he had the puck.

His weakness was that he didn't pass the puck as much as he should have. He didn't use his teammates very often which in one way made him a little bit of a one dimensional player. But why should he pass when he scored seemingly at will? His teammates didn't seem to mind, as was was very well liked because of his easy going attitude off the ice.

Tumba was a gift athlete, also excelling particularly in soccer and golf, representing his country in both sports.

Wikipedia

In 1997 he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame and was in 1999 awarded the "Best Swedish Ice-hockey Player of All Times", outvoting prominent players such as Peter Forsberg and Mats Sundin.

canadiangolfer.com

Before Salming, there was Sven Tumba, maybe the best hockey player from Sweden.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Ed Sandford, LW(F)​

In hockey, the best fighters seldom fight. The establish their reputations early, and therefore nobody takes them on. Of course, some tough guys made a living out of stirring up trouble. Dave Schultz and Terry O'Reilly were leaders in this category. I recall Ed Sandford, a solid Bruins winger, clearly beating up a brash Montreal rookie, Dickie Moore, at the Forum. He did it so decisively that few players challenged him for the rest of his career

page 14

A versatile performer who was adept at playing all three forward positions, Ed Sandford was a fan favorite in Boston

page 212

Sandford will be the Swamp Devils' enforcer, but he's an enforcer who can play - he was solid defensively, won battles in corners, and can chip in offensively.

Awards and Achievements:
Retro Conn Smythe Winner (1953)
Second Team All-Star (1954)
5 x NHL All-Star (1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955)

Boston Bruin Captain (1954-55)

Allan Cup Champion (1948)
Red Tilson Trophy (1948)

Scoring Accomplishments:
Points – 8th(1954), 21st(1949), 21st(1953)
Goals – 19th(1954), 23rd(1949)
Assists – 10th(1954), 18th(1953), 19th(1949), 24th(1955)

Point Percentages – 70, 55, 49, 46, 42
Goal Percentages – 62, 48, 44
Assist Percentages – 84, 49, 48, 47, 42

Play-off Points – 1st(1953), 8th(1952)
Play-off Goals – 1st(1953), 7th(1952)
Play-off Assists – 8th(1949), 10th(1952)

All-Star Breakdown:
1951: 1 of 4 LWs named to First All-Star Team (Doug Bentley, Ted Lindsay, Ed Sandford, and Gaye Stewart)
1952: 1 of 4 LWs named to First All-Star Team (Tony Leswick, Ted Lindsay, Marty Pavelich, and Ed Sandford)
1953: 1 of 4 LWs named to All-Star Game (Ted Lindsay, Ed Sandford, Sid Smith, and Harry Watson)
1954: 1 of 2 LWs named to All-Star Game (Ed Sandford and Sid Smith)
1955: named as member of Detroit Red Wings

The opposition started to pound us. The Bruins sent big fellows like Eddie Sandford and Cal Gardner after us. They hit us, leaned on us, and fouled us whenever possible.

Once captain and centre ice star for St. Michael's College Majors, Edward Sandford was a four time Junior "A" OHA winner and was awarded the Red Tilson Award for his outstanding play in 1947. Sandford spent his NHL career split between Boston, Chicago and Detroit where he led all scorers in the 1952-53 playoffs.

He is regarded as a true sportsman and one of major hockey's truly great team players. After signing a contract in 1950 he crossed out the amount named and told his General manager, Art Ross, "I'm not worth it, Mr Ross. Pay me after the season what you think I've earned."

Sandford played in 502 regular season games, scoring 106 goals and assisting on 145 goals. He also played in 42 playoff games registering 12 goals and 11 assists.

Sandford played his junior hockey for the renowned St. Michael's Majors program, leading his team to the Memorial Cup playoffs in 1946 and 1947. In 1947, Sandford devastated the Ontario Hockey Association with 67 points in 27 games, adding a Gretzkyesque 52 points in nine OHA playoffs and ten Memorial Cup games en route to St. Michael's third Memorial Cup title. For his efforts, he was awarded the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHA's most valuable player.

Sandford was signed by the Bruins in 1947. In the low scoring era of the late 1940s and 1950s, Sandford was no sniper - save for the 1953 season, when he led all scorers in the playoffs with eight goals and eleven points - but proved to be an effective and tenacious defensive left winger, and was named to play in the NHL All-Star Game in five consecutive seasons starting in 1951.

His best scoring season was 1954, when he scored 16 goals and 31 assists for 47 points, finishing in the top ten in league scoring, and earned citation as a Second Team All-Star, one of the lowest scoring forwards to do so in the post-War era. The next season he was named to succeed the retiring Milt Schmidt as Bruins' captain.

Ed Harrison and the smooth-moving Ed Sandford in particular, laid siege to the Galt net.

The only goal of the game was scored one minute 25 seconds after it started. It was caged by shifty Ed Sandford.

Ed Sandford was St.Mikes top forward performer. Not alone becasue of his game-winning goal, but because he was a going concern all the way.

It was Sandford, a superb hockey player, who set up Irish first goal.

Ed Sandford, dynamic playmaking team captain of the Memorial Cup Champion. Sandford, one of the greatest junior star developed in Canada.

Sandford Is Key To Bruin Future

Boston Bruins went into a first-place tie in the National Hockey League last night – and pulled young Ed Sandford into first place in the league scoring race.

The young centre from Toronto – playing his second year in the big time – scored two goals and two assists as the Bruins slammed Chicago Black Hawks 803 in the league’s only scheduled game.

Rookie Eddie Sandford gave a battling display, looked better than at any time this season against Toronto. He duelled most of the game with Kennedy and it ended up with Kennedy getting thumbed with a minor penalty.

Bruins Wallop Wings 5-1, To Clinch Playoff Spot; Babando, Sandford Star.

It was Dumart who scored the Winning goal: it was Sandford whose important tally was the most cleverly executed play of the evening.

Big Ed Sandford, policeman of the playoff for Boston.

Big Ed Sandford, scoring leader in this year’s Stanley Cup play, whipped in two goals Saturday night and Boston Bruins rolled to a 4-1 victory over Montreal Canadiens with a revived display of offensive and defensive strength.

…

Rough play cropped up. There were several high-sticking and roughing penalties, and just before the game ended Sandford and Canadiens’ Dickie Moore came out of a lusty sugging match with bloody faces and major penalties.

The second lead was provided by Eddie Sandford at 8:52 of the third period. Sandford dug the puck out of the corner, back to Leo Boivin, and was in front of the crease to deflect Boivin's shot from the point into the corner.

 

[EagleBelfour]

*I don't have time to finish this biography, so I'm posting the statistical part only*


Gordon Arthur Drillon

Nicknames: Gordie
Height: 6'2''
Weight: 178 lbs
Position: Right Wing
Shoots: Right
Date of Birth: October 23rd, 1916
Place of Birth: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Date of Death: September 23rd, 1986

Stanley Cup Champion (1942)
Stanley Cup Finalist (1938, 1939, 1940)
First All-Star Team (1938, 1939)
Second All-Star Team (1942)
Third All-Star Team (1940, 1941)
Art Ross Trophy (1938)
Maurice Richard Trophy (1938)
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1938)
Retroactive Conn Smythe Trophy (1938)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1939)
New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame (1970)
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1975)
Moncton Sports Hall of Fame (1983)
Canada Sports Hall of Fame (1989)


National Hockey League:

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
7|311|155|139|294|56

Full Career Scoring (1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 17th)
Full Career Goalscoring (1st, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 5th, 7th, 15th)
Full Career Assist (3rd, 9th, 12th, 18th, 29th, 29th, 31st)

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
7|50|26|15|41|10

Top-10 Playoff Scoring (1st, 2nd, 10th, 10th, 10th)
Top-10 Playoff Goalscoring (1st, 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th)
Top-10 Playoff Assist (2nd)


All-Star Selection:
1937-38: 1st position
1938-39: 1st position (27 points, 2nd position 2 points)
1939-40: 3rd position
1940-41: 3rd position
1941-42: 2nd position


Awards Nomination:

Calder Memorial Trophy:

1936-37: 2nd position (Syl Apps Sr.) (-65.3%)

Hart Memorial Trophy:

1937-38: 4th position (Eddie Shore) (-58.8%)

Lady Bing Memorial Trophy:

1936-37: 2nd position (Marty Barry) (-12.5%)
1937-38: 1st position (+23.4%)
1939-40: 4th position (Bobby Bauer) (-52.9%)
1940-41: 2nd position (Bobby Bauer)
1941-42: 2nd position (Syl Apps Sr.) (-44.0%)

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Al Arbour
Defenseman
6’0”
180lbs


Stanley Cup: 1961, 1962, 1964

All-Star Record: 5th, 5th
Norris Record: 5th, 6th

AHL All Star: 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
AHL Defenseman of the Year: 1965

Blues Captain: 1968-1970


Legends of Hockey

But while Arbour is recognized as one of the greatest (and winningest) coaches of all time, he is also remembered as the journeyman defenseman who played for 19 years pro hockey while wearing glasses.

Arbour was a classic defensive blueliner. He had neither the speed or hands to do much with the puck but became a stalwart without it. His patented move was his incredible shot blocking. He'd often sacrifice his body to stop the puck from ever reaching the net.

Arbour played parts of 4 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings before finally making the squad on a full time basis in 1957. However the next season he was left unprotected by the Wings and the Chicago Black Hawks picked up 6'0" 180lb Sudbury, Ontario native. Arbour would play 3 years in the Windy City but was again left unprotected in 1961 and was picked up by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs were a very strong team during the 1960s. Arbour had trouble sticking with the Leafs and spent most of his time in the AHL as opposed to the NHL when the Leafs were winning Stanley Cups. But Arbour's defensive excellence didn't go unnoticed as he was named a 4 time all star and the 1965 Defenseman of the Year in the AHL while playing with the Rochester Americans.

Arbour got his chance to return to the NHL when expansion hit in 1967. The St. Louis Blues eagerly snatched up the veteran blueliner. It is in St. Louis that Arbour is perhaps best remembered as a player. He was the first captain in St. Louis history, and under his leadership he guided the St. Louis squad to the Stanley Cup finals in each of their first 3 seasons of existence (never winning the Cup, however).

Legends of Hockey – One on One with Al Arbour

Even as a player, Al Arbour distinguished himself from the rest of the National Hockey League. A defensive defenceman par excellence, the Sudbury, Ontario-born Arbour was at his best protecting his netminder by blocking shots, in spite of the fact he wore glasses while playing.

Signed by the Detroit Red Wings, Al joined the junior Windsor Spitfires just shy of his seventeenth birthday. The goaltender he protected there was Glenn Hall, while teammates included other future Red Wings Earl Reibel, Glen Skov and Eddie Stankiewicz. During his four seasons in Windsor, Al would also play with Cummy Burton, Don Cherry, Larry Hillman, John Muckler and Dennis Riggin.

After winning a WHL championship with the Edmonton Flyers in 1952-53, Arbour saw his first NHL action the next season, playing 36 games with the Red Wings in 1953-54. Although he saw no action during the playoffs that spring, Al got his name engraved on the Stanley Cup for the first time following the Wings' seven-game series with the Montreal Canadiens in the final.

During that dynastic era for Detroit, the Red Wings had a surplus of fine defenceman, with Warren Godfrey, Bob Goldham, Larry Hillman, Red Kelly and Marcel Pronovost all earning time on the blueline, and Arbour anxiously waited for his chance, biding his time predominantly with the Edmonton Flyers. In 1954-55, he was named to the WHL's Second All-Star Team, but it wasn't until the playoffs of 1955-56 that Al saw NHL action again.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch – Feb. 9, 1988

Arbour and Barc were the perfect team, on the ice and as roommates on the road. “Al was a lefthanded defenseman who had a hard time playing left defense...”

Ellensburg Daily Record – May 8, 1970

While the Boston squad was in peak physical condition, the Blues were missing several key players headed by hard rock defenseman Al Arbour

The Montreal Gazetter – May 12, 1984

While playing Arbour kept notes on opposing forwards – their moves, their moods. Dickie Moore was one of Arbour’s favorites.

 

[Sturminator]

Sergei Kapustin

Position: LW
Shoots: L
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 194 lbs.

World Champion: 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983
IIHF World Championships All-Star: 1978, 1981, 1982*
IIHF World Championships Goals leader: 1974, 1982
Olympic Champion: 1976

Soviet League Champion: 1974 (Krylia), 1978 (CSKA), 1979 (CSKA), 1980 (CSKA)
Soviet League All-Star: 1981

*virtual tie for 1st place with Bill Barber. Listed as 2nd team all-star

These are the Soviet scoring leaders in the World Championships over the period that Kapustin skated with the 70's era Soviet team (1974 - 1979):

Player|Goals|Assists|Points|Games|Points-per-game
Boris Mikhailov|47|40|87|57|1.53
Valeri Kharlamov|39|40|79|57|1.39
Vladimir Petrov|27|42|69|46|1.5
Sergei Kapustin |44|18|62|53|1.17
Aleksandr Maltsev|23|30|53|43|1.23
Aleksandr Yakushev|31|17|48|40|1.2
Helmut Balderis|24|21|45|37|1.22
Vladimir Shadrin|19|21|40|39|1.03
Viktor Zhluktov|17|19|36|37|0.97

Information on his physical game:

NYT - Feb 5, 1979:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive...DA405B898BF1D3

Balderis plays the "off wing", that is, he is a left-handed shot playing the right side. He is the goal scorer. His center is the rangy, playmaking Zhluktov, and his left wing is Kapustin, a digger in the corners. Together, they are a classic combination, and they form the top Soviet line.

Chidlovski's profile of Kapustin:

http://www.chidlovski.net/1974/74_pl...?playerid=ru08

Fast skating, great puckhandling skills, mastery of hockey improvization and obvious scoring talent of an 18-year old native of a small town Ukhta quickly brought him to play hockey in Moscow. In addition to obvious technical skills, young prospect loved to play physical hockey.

General Info:

Chidlovski's profile of the Kapustin - Zhluktov - Balderis line:

http://www.chidlovski.com/personal/1...ners/index.htm

Often overlooked by hockey historians, they were one of the most productive lines in the USSR in the late 1970s. Brilliant offensive wingers and a rock solid center - what else would one need for a line? Unlike many lines in the Soviet hockey, this one was built when all three players were in their prime. The line was throughly orchestrated by Victor Tikhonov. Fast and graceful Balderis joined this Red Army line after several sensational seasons in Riga. Powerful skater Kapustin was brought from the Soviet Wings. Zhluktov was neither a graceful skater nor an impressive stickhandler. He cemented the line with consistent and reliable performance in the center.

A nice video profile of Kapustin, I believe from before the 1979 Challenge Cup:



26.9.1974 - Montreal Gazette:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...n+hockey&hl=en

Sergei Kapustin, the 21 year old speedster who led all scorers in last year's world championships in Helsinki, spent the sessions skating in lazy circles waiting for the finger he fractured in Toronto to heal to the point where he can once again hold a stick.

1.5.1982 - Youngtown Vindicator:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...n+hockey&hl=en

Barber, who led the Canadian team with eight goals, edged Sergei Kapustin of the Soviet Union, 161-160. Barber had 19 first-place votes and 22 second-team votes, with Kapustin getting 26 and 10, respectively.

15.9.1974 - Dimanche \ Dernière Heure:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...n+hockey&hl=en

Le journaliste sportif de l'agence Tass Vladimir Dvorzov, pour sa part, est d'avis que "Sergei Kapustin est devenu la plus grande étoile de hockey de l'Union soviétique. Il est très jeune et peu connu, mais il a un magnifique coup de bâton". Kapustin, âgé de 21 ans, a appris le hockey sur les patinoires découvertes de la république Komy dans le nord de l'URSS. Billy Harris a lui-même admis que Kapustin a une accélération foudroyante et qu'il se sert de multiples tactiques qu'il réalise toutes avec une grande rapidité.

...in English:

The sports journalist Vladimir Dvorzov of the magazine Tass, for his part, believes that: "Sergei Kapustin will become the biggest hockey star in the Soviet Union. He is very young and not well known, but he is a wonderful stickhandler." Kapustin, aged 21, was discovered playing in Karelia, in northern USSR. Billy Harris, himself, admits that Kapustin possesses lightning acceleration and is able to execute multiple tactics, all at great speed.

1976 - Sports Illustrated:

"According to the statistics, your Wings are the most penalized team in the league with 8.3 penalty-minutes per game."
"What can I do? My players are very young, and it is very difficult to reach the young minds."
"The Philadelphia Flyers average a little more than 25 penalty-minutes a game. In fact, any of your Wings would win the Lady Byng award for clean play if they were in the NHL . Do you know Dave Schultz ?"
"I've heard of him."
"Sergei Kapustin is Dave Schultz , you know, because he is the most penalized player in the Soviet league."
"Ridiculous."
"Well, he does have 24 minutes in 18 games with your Wings. Of course, Schultz sometimes gets 24 minutes a game."
"A game?"
"Sometimes, yes."

The above was obviously meant in jest, although Kapustin leading the Soviet league in penalties in 1975-76 appears to be a fact.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Frank Brimsek was a workhorse, so I don't think the Swamp Devils' backup goalie will play a lot. But he'll be a much-needed countryman and speaker of the Czech language to keep Milan Novy from getting homesick. Probably the second best European goalie of the first half of the 1980s after Tretiak:

Jiri Kralik, G

Domestic Awards
•CSSR Golden Stick winner (1985)
•CSSR Golden Stick 1st Among Goalies (1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985)
•CSSR Golden Stick Top 10 finishes: 1st (1985), 2nd (1983), 4th (1979), 4th (1980), 5th (1982). He also received multiple votes in 1972, 1978, 1979, 1981, and 1984.
•Tip Magazine CSSR best goalie (1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985)

International Awards
•World Championships Best Goalie (1982, 1985)
•World Championships All Star (1982, 1985)

•Awarded the Izvestia Golden Stick for the best player in Europe (1985)
•Izvestia Golden Stick voting: 7th-1982, 5th-1983, 1st-1985

Domestic competition included a young Dominik Hasek starting in 1982, and International competition included Vladislav Tretiak until 1984. Competition for the Izvestia Golden Stick included all the Soviet greats of the 1980s, including the Green Unit.

Team Success

• Czech League Champion (1982, 1983)
• WEC Gold Medal (1985)
• WEC/Olympic Silver Medal (1979, 1982, 1983, 1984)

Kralik played in 4 World Championships and one Olympics, plus another game in another Olympics (which he won) for a total of 39 games. That's pretty sweet.

He was top goalie in two of those tournaments, and won a gold and four Silvers. Based on his GP and tournament records, it appears his W/L record was 25-7-7, with a 2.25 GAA. Tretiak's average in this period, in the same tournaments, with a much stronger defense, was 1.67.

1985 was really his crowning moment, though. After a middling preliminary (4-2-1, 16 GA), Kralik allowed just 2 against USA (who averaged 3.42 per game in the prelims), 3 against Canada (who averaged 4.71), and 1 against the Soviets (who averaged a whopping 7.43 in the prelims).

Statistical Domestic Dominance

- Statistical Domestic Dominance:

Kralik's post-1976 seasons saw him rack up some very dominant goals against averages, three of them more statistically dominant than Dominik Hasek ever had in Czechoslovakia:

(I realize GAA is a team stat and many other factors apply here, and Hasek is much much better, but this is the best we have)

- 1977: 43% below average
- 1979: 41% below average
- 1980: 29% below average
- 1981: 20% below average
- 1982: 42% below average
- 1983: 39% below average
- 1985: 34% below average

The Ups and Downs of Relegation:

Kralik had an interesting career path. He started with the lowly club team Gottwaldov at age 16 in the 1969 season, playing what appears to be one game (it says he had 3 GA that year, so I assume one game). The next season was the start of a rollercoaster ride for a team that couldn't decide whether it was the worst premier division team or the best of Division 2. It is assumed that Kralik played every game but I can't say for sure. His actual GAA was likely better, by virtue of empty net goals and that he most likely had an understudy that he was better than, who played some games with a higher GAA:

- 1970: 7-22-7, 4.92 team GAA, last in division 1, relegated
- 1971: 22-3-1, 1.96 team GAA, first in division 2, promoted
- 1972: 8-20-8, 3.44 team GAA, last in division 1, relegated
- 1973: 20-4-2, 2.27 team GAA, 2nd in division 2 (2 pts behind leader)
- 1974: 34-5-5, 2.00 team GAA, first in division 2, promoted
- 1975: 9-29-6, 4.30 team GAA, last in division 1, relegated
- 1976: 34-4-6, 1.75 team GAA, first in division 2, promoted

Then he moved to Dukla. This was a team that had a strong history already and had the lineup to finally make Kralik a winner. The previous season they were 24-17-15 with a 2.41 GAA, 24% lower than the division 1 average.

- 1977: 32-7-5, 2.05 GAA, 43% below division 1 average (Gottwaldov went to 3-35-6 in Division 1 without Kralik, averaging 5.73 GAA)
- 1978: 14-29-1, 3.73 team GAA, 11th in division 1, narrowly escaped relegation (not sure what happened here)
- 1979: 24-11-9, 1.91 team GAA, 41% better than division 1 average (Kralik's stats are available, and it says he played just 33 of the 44 games with a 1.77 GAA. He actually outperformed the league average by 45%)
- 1980: 31-8-5, 2.57 GAA, 2nd best in league, 29% better than division 1 average)
- 1981: 26-18 (ties were eliminated), 4th in league, 3rd-best team GAA, 2.98, 20% better than division 1 average
- 1982: 37-7, easily 1st in league, 2.02 GAA tops in league, 42% better than division 1 average
- 1983: 28-10-6, 1st in league, 2.27 GAA tops in league, 39% better than division 1 average (17-18-year old Dominik Hasek averaged 2.67 GAA this year)

Then Kralik went back to where it all started: Gottwaldov. They had slowly battled their way up to 7th in the first division since he left. In 1983 they had been 5% over the league average GAA.

- 1984: 14-26-4, 3.55 team GAA, 11th in Division 1, narrowly escaped relegation (Kralik played 24 of 44 games and SIHR says his GAA was 3.42, meaning any other goalies for this team would have averaged 3.71 - not the best year for Kralik, but he at least topped the league average of 3.49) (Dukla continued to be great, but beat the league average by 29% instead of the 39% with Kralik the year before) (18-19-year old Dominik Hasek averaged 2.81 this year)
- 1985: 22-14-8, 2.34 GAA (tops in div1), 3rd in Division 1 despite being 9th/12 teams in scoring. What a difference a full season of Kralik makes! He was 34% below the league average this year. This was the season he earned the golden stick (Cze) and the golden hockey stick (europe) (19-20-year old Dominik Hasek averaged 3.25 this year)

Kralik then left the Czech league. Gottwaldov sunk down to 6th in Division 1 without him. Their 3.00 GAA wasjust 15% below the league average as opposed to 34% below the year before.

Dominik Hasek's 5 dominant Czech league seasons began at this time. Let's take a look at how much lower than the league average his GAA was, in these 5 seasons he spent as top goalie, three of them as the golden stick winner:

1986: 10% better
1987: 24% better
1988: 7% better
1989: 24% better
1990: 39% better (in this season Hasek joined Dukla Jihlava. The previous season they were just 15% below the league average in GAA. Paradubice actually got relegated without Hasek, with a GAA 31% above the average, a massive swing without Hasek.)

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

A gigantic hard-hitting defenseman with a booming slapshot who saw big minutes in all situations and who could have been much more if it weren't for injuries.

Bob Dailey, D

At 6'5" Dailey had the size and strength to patrol the defense with a remarkable amount of agility for a man of his size

• 6'5, 220-230lbs
• Right-handed shot
• averaged 25.25 minutes in his best 5-year segment and 24.49 in his 561-game career
• Played 52% of his teams' powerplay minutes and 38% of his teams' shorthanded minutes over his career for fairly average special teams units
• All Star voting: 10th (1978), 16th (1975), 17th (1980), 18th (1979)
• 1978 & 1981 NHL ASG participant
• 1975: Named Vancouver Canucks' top defenceman (Team was 9th in the league)
• 1979: Named Philadelphia Flyers' top defenceman (Team was 4th in the league)
• 1981: Named Philadelphia Flyers' top defenceman (Team was 6th in the league)

He received this recognition, despite missing major time with injuries.
1975: missed 10 games, received a handful of AST votes, named Canucks best defenseman in his 2nd NHL season.
1976: missed 13 games
1977: missed 4 games, traded midseason
1978: missed 4 games, 10th in AST voting, ASG participant
1979: missed 10 games, received a handful of AST votes, named Flyers best defenseman
1980: missed 19 games, received a handful of AST votes
1981: missed 27 games, ASG participant, named Flyers best defenseman
1982: forced to retire early in the season at the age of 28.

Scoring (via Stoneberg's profile)
-Scoring finishes among D: 9, 11, 17, 20, 22, 26
-D scoring on team: 4th, 1st, 2nd*, 2nd**, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 2nd***
*67 games
**Was traded, his total production would have been good for 2nd on each team
***53 games
-He raised his game in the playoffs going from .58ppg to .73 ppg
-4 times over 100 PIMS

Bob Dailey was selected 9th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft after a successful junior career with the Toronto Marlboros. At 6'5" Dailey had the size and strength to patrol the defense with a remarkable amount of agility for a man of his size...

In his rookie season with the Canucks in 1973-74, Dailey suited up for all 76 games, scoring seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points while spending 143 minutes in the penalty box. The following year, Dailey played in 70 games, improving his statistics to 12 goals and 36 assists for 48 points as the Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in their short history.

Midway through the 1976-77 season Dailey was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, who continued to look for more size and strength for their famed Broad Street Bullies' lineup. The Flyers felt they had lost some of their edginess after having lost in the 1976 Stanley Cup finals to the Montreal Canadiens both on the scoresheet and in the trenches. Reports say the Philadelphia organization was extremely impressed by the Canadiens' 6'4" Larry Robinson, who not only contributed points to Montreal's Cup victory, but also handed the likes of the Flyers' xxx and xxx a humbling lesson in fighting. Looking to obtain their own large, tough, offensive defenseman, the Flyers focused their attention on Dailey. The Flyers sent defensemen xxx and xxx to the West Coast in the deal.

In 1977-78, his first full year in Philadelphia, Dailey did not disappoint. He scored 21 goals and 36 assists for 57 points, career bests in all three categories. However, the playoffs were deemed a failure for the Flyers, who had expected to return to the Stanley Cup finals after an early exit the previous year.

Dailey played one more complete season with the Flyers before a freak injury early in the 1981-82 season ultimately forced his retirement. In November 1981, Dailey fractured his ankle in a game against the Buffalo Sabres when he caught his skate in a rut while being checked.

Years before the likes of Al MacInnis and Rob Blake gained fame and fortune with their blistering right-handed slap shots, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Bob “The Count†Dailey terrorized NHL goaltenders with deadly accurate 100 mile-per-hour blasts from the point. A two-time winner of the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the Flyers’ best defenseman, Dailey possessed a rare combination of imposing size (6’5’’, 220 pounds), remarkable agility and an occasional mean streak that also carried him to a pair of NHL All-Star Game selections and a Vancouver Premier’s Trophy as the Canucks’ best defenseman.

With the sole exception of U.S. and Flyers Hall of Fame inductee Mark Howe, Dailey was arguably the best offensive defenseman in franchise history. During his Flyers career, Dailey averaged two points for every three games played and recorded a 21-goal season during his first full year in the orange and black.

Unfortunately, a series of injuries, including major shoulder and knee injuries, curtailed Dailey’s effectiveness. When reasonably healthy, Dailey was a heavy body checker as well as an offensive force. But he often played at far less than 100-percent, which made his career seem sporadic and inconsistent to those who were unaware of his physical struggles. Even in his All-Star seasons, Dailey was subject to such lofty expectations that he was sometimes branded an underachiever.

Dailey’s injury woes culminated with a shattered ankle suffered in November of 1981. The injury ended the Count’s NHL career at the age of 28 – an age most defensemen are hitting the prime of their careers.

“It’s not often as a coach that you have a defenseman who can change a game by himself. At his best, Bob Dailey could do that,†former Flyers head coach Pat Quinn said in 1994. “If Dailey would have stayed healthier when he was a young player, I think he might have been reached the same type of level in his career as players like Larry Robinson or Denis Potvin. He had that kind of talent, although he wasn’t as consistent."

The Flyers, looking for a mobile yet rugged defenseman, traded Larry Goodenough and Jack McIlhargey to Vancouver part way through the 1976-77 season.

Daily had an incredible first full year in Philadelphia - scoring 21 goals and 57 points in 76 games. That was strong enough to get him a nod in his first NHL all star game appearance. And while he never came close to putting up such strong numbers again, he remained among the top defensemen in the league. He returned to the NHL All Star game in 1981.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Clint Smith, C/LW

Smith patterned his game after the great Frank Boucher, and won the Lady Byng award twice (1939, 1944) back when it was a prestigious award that went to a player who played clean, competitive hockey.

He was a member of the great 1940 Rangers Stanley Cup team and was inducted into the HHOF as a player in 1991.

Points finishes: 3rd, 4th, 5th*, 5th*, 9th
Goals finishes: 4th, 5th, 10th*, 16th, 17th*, 20th
Assist finishes: 1st*, 6th, 6th, 6th*, 12th, 15th

VsX finishes war years asterixed: 96, 94*, 93, 86, 84*, 63, 57, 56, 50, 41
VsX finishes war years as Vs1: 96, 93, 88, 86, 68, 63, 57, 56, 50, 41

Smith played during a weak era, but he was one of the best offensive players during this era. Over his 9 year peak (37-38 to 45-46), Smith was 3rd in total points behind only Bill Cowley and Toe Blake, and slightly ahead of Syd Howe. This time period cuts off Howe's best year and includes one season when he was clearly past his prime, but it does include Howe's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th best season. (It also ignores that Howe spent an unknown amount of time as a defenseman).

For 10 seasons, Clint Smith symbolized the successful combination of high skill level and sportsmanship

...became a key member of their 1940 Stanley Cup team. Smith won the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play in 1938-39 as a Ranger and again in 1943-44 as a member of the Chicago Black Hawks, and totaled a mere 24 penalty minutes in 483 regular season games. He played in the NHL for eleven years and was not signaled off for a penalty in four of those seasons.

In 1943-44, Smith set an NHL record by recording 49 assists in a season while playing on a line with future Hall of Famers Bill Mosienko and Doug Bentley. The line set an NHL scoring record that season with 219 total points. Smith became the first player to score into an empty net after the league had revised the rules to allow teams to pull their goalie, and he shares the NHL record for most goals in a period with four, set on March 4, 1945, against Montreal.

"I really looked up to Frank Boucher. I enjoyed the way he played and wanted to fashion my game after him," Smith says

 

[VanIslander]

center Mike Ricci, the gritty, hard-nosed impact player everywhere he played, morphing from an offensive skilled youngster into a defensive demon veteran. He led his juinior team to the Memorial Cup tourney with 35 points in 17 playoff games, winning gold at the World Juniors his second trip there, with 11 points in 12 games in the two tourneys. He was the CHL player of the year and the top ranked Central Scouting prospect throughout his senior year, then was drafted 4th overall by the Flyers. He scored 20+ goals in each of his two seasons in Philly before going to the Nordiques in the Lindros trade. Ricci scored a career-high 78 points his first season in Quebec, following that the next year with a career-high 30 goals. He scored a couple of goals in winning gold at the 1994 World Championships. In his first 5 NHL seasons he had scored 262 points in 354 NHL games. But then he went to Colorado, where the presence of Sakic and Forsberg meant Ricci had to take on a third line role, and did so very well, molding himself into a different kind of hockey player. Always a leader everywhere he went, he took the initiative to become a defensive-first pivot. In winning a Stanley Cup in 1996, Ricci contributed 17 playoff points, including 6 goals, which was 4th most on the team. More importantly, he was renowned for his play away from the puck and against opposing centers. He would go on to finish 3rd, 4th, 4th in Selke voting and play 1000+ NHL games and record two more 20-goal seasons as a second liner in San Jose, retiring with 605 points in 1099 games.

Mike Ricci, the guts and the grind of the Colorado Avalanche, was all over the ice...

Over the years, Ricci's game has evolved away from the finesse style of his junior days towards a more defensive approach.. a game replete with leadership, character, and dogged defense

...an elite defensive centreman...

Mike Ricci was a fan favorite wherever he went. Known for excellent penalty killing and gritty third line play while with the Sharks, Ricci was also a solid scorer during the early portion of his career with Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche organization. During the 1992-93 season Ricci posted 27 goals and 78 points and followed that up with a 30 goal season both with the Nordiques.

The Scarborough, Ontario native transformed his game to a more defensive minded gritty center while with the Sharks. Fans loved his long hair and missing front teeth as well as his no nonsense/workman-like attitude.

http://insidehockey.com/2004-05-lockout-shortened-former-sharks-careers

To say "Reech" was a gritty guy on the ice is probably unnecessary, but to say he was invaluable to the early Colorado Avalanche is absolutely required. His work as both an antagonizer of opposing top lines as well as a constant scoring threat places him firmly on the list of Top 19 Avalanche Players Of All Time... not only was Ricci an effective defensive forward, but he could score, too... On a team with centers like Forsberg and Joe Sakic, he didn't have to be a constant offensive threat. But his penalty minutes didn't increase with his decline in points. In fact, he became a more disciplined player and improved his effectiveness killing penalties. In 1992-93, his first season with the franchise (78 points), he had 123 penalty minutes. In 1995-96, he had only 52.
When the Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche, "Reech" enjoyed instant Denver fan approval for his nasty, persistent defensive play as much as his iconic face and flowing mullet. His offensive skills weren't totally lost, though, because he scored 17 points in 22 playoff games in 1996, the first year the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup.

Mike Ricci cemented his reputation as a defensive power forward with the Sharks, playing seven seasons with that team and forming the cornerstone of their penalty killing unit. He often led the team's forwards in blocked shots and takeaways... an exciting and iconic hockey player. Mike Ricci was an asset to every team he ever skated for, and will be missed by fans in Denver as much as anywhere else.

http://www.milehighhockey.com/2008/6/24/557711/top-avs-of-all-time-18-mik

From 1997 through 2004, Ricci was the heart and face of the San Jose Sharks. He holds the team record with 228 consecutive games played. Captain Ricci became one of the best defensive centremen in the NHL. Without front teeth, and with a great mullet, Ricci was a rock on the first-and-only Sharks team to reach the Western Conference Finals in 2004...

Mike Ricci is the alternate captain of the San Jose Sharks...An experienced player with the distinction of being on a Stanley Cup winning team, and a leader on all the teams on which he's played, Mike knows a thing or two about teamwork...

 

[BillyShoe1721]

C Mike Richards

1x Stanley Cup Champion
1x NHL All Star Game Participant
2010 Olympic Gold Medalist
5x Top 10 SHG(1, 1, 3, 5, 10)
4x Top 8 Selke Voting(2, 5, 7, 8)
VsX Scores: 73, 71, 67, 57
9th Playoff Goals, 07-08
2x Top 4 Playoff Assists(2,4)
2x Top 6 Playoff Points(4,6)
SH TOI/G Ranks: 4, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 4
Philadelphia Flyers Captain, 2008-2011

Burnside: There was some discussion that perhaps Richards' stock had fallen as his Flyers have struggled, yet he remains one of the top penalty killers in the game and will be asked to bring his strong two-way play to the Olympics.

sports.espn.go.com/oly/olyhockey/news/story?id=4782031

In his first season in Los Angeles, Richards was a key part of the Kings club that stormed through the Western Conference playoffs and defeated the New Jersey Devils to capture the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Along the way Richards chipped in with strong two-way, physical play and 15 points in 20 playoff games.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=20917

Has great hockey instincts, plays a smart two-way game and possesses outstanding leadership qualities. Can kill penalties exceptionally well and also play the point on the power play. A high-tempo competitor, he's not very big but can play a strong physical game.

Career Potential: Elite two-way center and born leader.

http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.php?3483

The addition of center Mike Richards, a two-time 30-goal scorer and one of hockey's best two-way forwards

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1191049/2/index.htm

After a bumpy start as captain last season, the soft-spoken Richards is now firmly entrenched as Philly's quiet, but impactful, leader—one who sometimes leaves both his sentences and his foes in fragments. He led the workmanlike Flyers with 18 postseason points through Sunday, wore out Bruins All-Star defenseman Zdeno Chara in the second round and has thoroughly disrupted the swift Canadiens by finishing checks, cluttering passing lanes and blocking shots. "Mike has been a foundation, and the players feed off what he does on the ice," says Flyers coach Peter Laviolette.

Richards is not Philadelphia's most talented player. He does not have game-breaking skills. And at 5'11", 195, he's more fleshy than flashy. But he has grit. A superb penalty killer, he's the only player in NHL history with three career three-on-five goals. "He has the worst body," says Flyers' forward Ian Laperriere, "but, man, he has heart; taking hits, making hits, never taking a shift off. If we're following Mike, we're winning."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1169992/index.htm

Mike Richards Flyers C Plays with a relentless edge; his open-ice, shoulder-to-the-head hit knocked out Florida's David Booth in October.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1163425/index.htm

Philadelphia bought into Richards's potential. No longer used mainly as a checker, Richards, who turns 23 on Feb. 11, led Flyers forwards in ice time (21:51) and points (52) at week's end. His even-keeled but tenacious on-ice demeanor is the earmark, the team believes, of a future captain. "He'll do anything for you," says teammate Jeff Carter. "He's always first in battle." And coach John Stevens gives the ultimate hockey compliment: "He manages his game for the good of the team."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1109182/index.htm

“It’s not so much the points, but the edge he brings to the game,†Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown explained Thursday. “He can hurt you offensively, he’s really good defensively and he can play mind games with some of your top players.â€

“[Wednesday] night’s game, [Richards] was a force on the ice and we’re going to need to do a better job. He made some solid plays with the puck and he was real physical in certain areas of the ice. We’re going to need to address that.â€

“I think it speaks to the type of player Richards is and the effect he can have not only on our team, but the opposing team’s top players. That’s why we traded for Mike in the first place. He’s just not a fun guy to play against.â€

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/04/13/mike-richards-could-spell-trouble-for-canucks/

Maybe that's why Team Canada coach Mike Babcock entrusted Richards and Toews with one of the more difficult tasks during the Winter Olympics in February. They formed two-thirds of what became Canada's shutdown line. Rick Nash filled it out with his blend of power, speed and grace.

By the end of the tournament, the Richards-Toews-Nash trio was Canada's best line. They stuffed Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Alexander Semin in Canada's 7-4 win over Russia and were a dominant line in the gold-medal game against Team USA too.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=530360

Mike Richards (Philadelphia): Fantastic candidate for a shutdown line who can kill penalties and put up some points.

https://www.google.com/search?q="mi...96,d.dmQ&fp=6ac6e88bef326416&biw=1366&bih=611

Mike Richards is about dirty work, exhausting dirty work, crucial playoff dirty work interspersed with flashes born of effort.

http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-...ger-flyers-line-flyers-coach-peter-laviolette

 

[tony d]

Defenseman Red Horner

Biographical Info:

Position: D ▪ Shoots: Right
Height: 6-0 ▪ Weight: 190 lbs.
Born: May 28, 1909 in Lynden, Ontario

Horner's Stats:

-8 time league leader in penalty minutes
-152 points in 490 career games

Horner's tough, physical style of play earned him the league leadership in penalty minutes for eight of his twelve NHL seasons

Horner played his entire career with the Maple Leafs and served as team captain from 1938 until his retirement in 1940.

Joe Pelletier:

Red wasn't known for being overly aggressive as a junior but took on the role as a policeman on the Leafs team almost immediately.

" We had some smaller players on the team and someone had to protect them, " Red said, " I was that someone."

Red was a solid 6' and 190 Ibs (some sources suggest he was as big as 6'1" and 200 Ibs), which was an intimidating height and weight back then. He had many hard-fought battles with his opponents throughout the league. His most notable rivalries and battles were with Nels Stewart, Hooley Smith and Bill Cook.

Expecting many good things from Horner on my blueline. Think he'll be a great policeman for my team and protect the smaller players in my lineup.

 

[tony d]

Defenseman Craig Hartsburg

Biographical Info:

Position: D ▪ Shoots: Left
Height: 6-1 ▪ Weight: 200 lbs.
Born: June 29, 1959 (Age 53) in Stratford, Ontario

Hartsburg's stats:

-413 points in 570 career games
-42 points in 61 career playoff games
-3 time all star
-3 50 Assist Seasons
-40 Career Power Play Goals

Legends Of Hockey:

In his first professional season, Hartsburg scored nine goals and totaled 40 assists. Minnesota drafted him with their first pick, sixth overall, in the 1979 Entry Draft. He was quick out of the gate with North Stars, earning two assists in his first NHL game, and his first NHL goal came just a few nights later. He continued to impress the coaching staff with his poise and steady point production and so played in 79 games in his debut season. He played the next three full seasons with the North Stars, recording a career-high 17 goals and 60 assists in 1981-82. He also found time that season to represent Canada in the Canada Cup and the World and European Championships.

Joe Pelletier:

Before the injuries riddled him, Hartsburg was a wonderful rushing defenseman. He was an excellent skater, extremely mobile laterally in particular. He would often rush the puck out of the zone, sometimes recklessly and leading to injury susceptibility.

As his career progressed he reigned in his rushing game and proved to be a fantastic passing defenseman, clearing the zone with proficiency but starting the transition offense expertly as well. He also knew how to quarterback a power play. His vision and creativity allowed him to move the puck into the slimmest of passing lanes, and he naturally knew when to pinch to keep the zone.

Despite what his penalty minutes may suggest, Hartsburg was not known as a physical defenseman. He was strong and big, and used that to his advantage to defend. He was not a big splashy hitter, instead relying more on muscles and angles to steer opponents to the boards where he would pin them.

Hartsburg was very sound defensively, playing his defensive angles well and reading the rush well back into his own zone. His active stick broke up a lot of oncoming breaks.

Really glad to have Hartsburg on the team. Injuries derailed what was a pretty good career. As far as 2nd pairing defenseman go in the ATD he's a good option.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Hap Day
Coach

Coached Toronto Maple Leafs: 1940-41 to 1949-50

Stanley Cup: 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949

Memorial Cup: 1936

Regular Season Record
259 – 206 – 81

Playoff Record
49 – 31

Day's teams overachieved in the playoffs, winning 5 Cups, and although he also never made another Final outside of those 5 years, his teams NEVER lost a playoff series to a lower seed. Every time they were eliminated it was by a team that finished higher than them in the regular season.

In the 4 other years that Day's teams made the playoffs but did not win the Cup, all 4 years they lost to the eventual Cup Winner, and 2 of those went to a seven game series. He really has a remarkable playoff record.

For reference, here's where they finished in the regular season during the 5 Cup years: 1, 2, 2, 3, 4

To be fair Day's team did not make the playoffs 1 season, which was 1945-46 (players returning from WW2 may have had an impact).


Legendary NHL Coaches: Stars of Hockey’s Golden Age

Conn Smythe was watching. The situation in Montreal had deteriorated to the point of near-bankruptcy, and the Leafs were underachieving at playoff time. Conn felt it was time to let Dick Irvin go to Montreal and replace him with Clarence “Hap†Day. A glorious era was about to begin in Leaf Nation.

Day grabbed the reins right away.

“We were meticulously trained,†Leafs captain Ted Kennedy said of the system the coach put in place. “It was drilled into us. Day was insistent on doing it his way, leaving as little as possible to chance.â€

Reporters remarked that Day’s training camps more closely resembled prison camps, with the coach clamping down on anyone who made a mistake, most particularly in the defensive zone. They may have cursed him (behind his back, of course) but they learned what they were capable of doing at game time.

Day, having been a defenceman himself, believed in making sure one’s check never got away from him. Some opponents complained that the Leafs were nothing but clutch-and-grab artists during Day’s tenure, but that style of play proved remarkably effective. Day saw to it that his troops got the puck out of their own zone as quickly as possible. Then they could worry about finding creative new ways to score.

Howie Meeker, who became rookie of the year before his celebrated career as a broadcaster, marveled that a young player could earn himself a regular shift on the Leafs by knowing what to do in his own end. Once that player got the puck over his own blue line, he was in charge, not the coach. Nearly half a century later, Meeker said that Day was a joy to play for because he never put pressure on his men to score goals, but all the pressure in the world to keep the puck out of their own net. Hockey is a simple game; Day imparted that to his Leafs and prospered for it.

Given the egos of both Smythe an Day, a clash of wills was inevitable. One year, the Leafs boss installed a telephone by the bench, so that Smythe could send instructions to his coach while the game was in progress. Day balked at that practice and had the phone disconnected. This led to a system of couriers, dispatched from Smythe’s section up in the third tier to behind the bench. The new coach proved he couldn’t be intimidated, which brought him Smythe’s considerable respect.

Day also refused to back down in altercations with officials. He knew the NHL rulebook inside and out and could recite obscure rules verbatim, amking th emend with the whistles roll their eyes. Clearly he was a force to be reckoned with behind the Leafs bench.
…
When Conn returned from the war, he engaged in moving bodies around to make the team Day coached stronger.
…
Day didn’t balk at these attempts to bolster his roster. He knew that the team was defensively sound enough for Smythe to focus on getting a pure scorer. He didn’t bat an eye when the Major went to Chicago management with a plan to pry loose NHL scoring king, Max Bentley, from the Black Hawk roster. Day acknowledged that the Leafs had added a third Stanley Cup to his mantle the previous spring by having two of the game’s finest face-off men in Kennedy and Apps; a third centre who could also put the puck in the net would be icing on the cake.
…
No matter who Conn hired to wear the blue and white, it was Clarence “Hap†Day who was in charge once they threw those proud uniforms on.
…
Looking back at his record, there is a sense that Clarence “Hap†Day never really needed the game. He got into pro hockey to beef up his bank account while waiting to open his own drugstore. By the time he left, 34 years later, his name was counted among the greatest in the game with a record of unparalled in history – Memorial Cup champion coach and Stanley Cup winner as player, coach, and general manager. He may have wanted to forget the aggravation, but hockey fans will never forget how Hap Day led his team from the absolute edge of elimination to Stanley Cup glory, and then, as if to prove it was no fluke, executed the first three-Cup streak in history, providing the Leafs fans of the 1930s and 1940s with many fond memories. Those were Toronto’s glory years!

Legends of Hockey

Fortune smiled on Day in 1940 when Leafs coach Dick Irvin packed up and moved to Montreal to coach the Canadiens. Leafs owner Conn Smythe immediately hired Day as Irvin's replacement, and over the next 10 years he was the most successful coach in the NHL. In his first year the Leafs made it to the semifinals before losing to Boston in seven games. But in 1942 he coached the team to the greatest Stanley Cup comeback of all time. The Leafs lost the first three games of the finals to Detroit but stormed back to win four in a row and claim the Stanley Cup.

Day was a taskmaster who demanded the most from his men. Much to the dismay of some on-ice officials, he knew the rule book inside out and could quote it verbatim. In all, he won five Cup championships as coach of the Leafs: in 1942 and 1945, then three in a row from 1947 to 1949 - the first time in NHL history that a Stanley Cup hat trick was accomplished.

After he gave up coaching in 1950, the Leafs immediately appointed Day assistant to general manager Conn Smythe, although Day in fact had the responsibility of running the team until 1957. He picked up another Stanley Cup with coach Joe Primeau in 1951, and was appointed general manager for 1957-58. Day was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961.

The London Free Press – May 9, 2003
A sound tactic but what a bore

Almost a half-century after Hap Day invented it, it crosses hockey lips that are either curled in disdain or pursed by pouting -- the trap.

Sounds like a deep pit with stakes at the bottom, and in a sense it is. It's driving a stake through the heart of more entertaining hockey.

Day, a Toronto Maple Leafs coach, came up with the neutral-zone "wall" to put the brakes on the Montreal Canadiens' firewagon back in the 1950s. Nowadays, everyone uses it in some form or another, and the result has been a Stanley Cup playoff spring of blunted offences.

Ottawa Citizen - Oct. 11, 1945

Major Smythe was the principal speaker at the dinner at which tribute was paid to the Stanley Cup champions and Coach Clarence (Hap) Day. He said the team was "well briefed" and "well coached in the essentials."

Praise From Adams.
Jack Adams, manager of the Detroit Red Wings whom the Leafs vanquished in a hard-fought final series which went seven games, added a word of praise for Day, saying: "I never saw a club carry out its orders so well. They didn't make a mistake in seven games."

The Milwaukee Journal - Mar 28, 1945

The surprising Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesda were on the verge of scoring the upset of upsets in the National Hockey League. They needed one more victory to eliminate the Montreal Canadiens, beaten only 17 times in 113 games in the last two years, from the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Calgary Herald - April 2, 1945

Maurice Richard slipped away from the close checking with which he had to contend all evening to score the first Montreal goal, and the second went to Emile (Butch) Bouchard

Toronto Daily Star - April 9, 1945

"We'll have to stop them from shooting," said Conn Smythe before the team left Toronto. That's precisely what's being done. The Leafs again played a six-man defence and again they struck at widely spaced intervals and twice through shots of Kennedy and Morris, they scored.
...
It's not kitty-bar-the-door hockey. Kitty's family is now one of eleven and all of them have boxed and foxed the Wings until it appears they have reduced the boys of Adams to a condition of "innocuous desuetude" or maybe "maribundity" is a more fitting phrase to describe the general lethargy of the vanquished.
...
That gives you an idea of the general state of confusion as the [Detroit] audience looked on and twice saw their pets outmaneuvered for the puck, forced to carry it in as best they could only to lose possession, time after time, to Leafs that appeared, finally, to be laughing up the sleeve at the befuddlement of their lethargic haggard rivals

Don't think it has been thrilling hockey. There isn't much to crow about when two teams bat the puck and crazily chase it. Butit's paying off for Leafs and that is the suit such hockey is intended to cut.

Sarasota Herald-Tribune - April 21, 1947

The Leafs, who were given only a slight chance to dethrone the veteran Montreal Canadiens, wrapped up the series in six games by nosing out the Flying Frenchmen, 2-1, before a roaring home crowd of 14,456 fans Saturday night.

The Leader-Post - April 21, 1947

Product of the greatest rebuild job in hockey history, Toronto Maple Leafs today rule as champions of the world, youngest team ever to win the Stanley Cup.

The Telegraph Herald - April 15, 1948

"Never has this team failed to produce when it was needed," exaulted Smythe. "This was the type of club that I never needed to give any pep talks to." The Leafs proceeded about destruction of the Wings in a calm and murderous fashion.

The Windsor Daily Star - April 18, 1949

The Leafs have just finished amazing all but their most ardent backers with their brilliant playoff performance. It becomes more amazing when you contrast it with their showing of the regular season when they were never able to win more than two games in a row and had to stage a great stretch drive to even land the fourth playoff spot.

It was the combined genius of Messrs. Day and Smythe that was responsible for this latest Leafian achievement - and don't let anyone ever tell you differently.

Mid-Season accusations that some of the Toronto players were "fat" from two successive Stanley Cup triumphs were not without foundation. Day and Smythe had to swing he bull whip more than once. Then too, the Leafs had more than their share of injuries during the regular season. There were other things that combined to make the lives of Day and Smythe far from happy. But they gradually go things whipped into shape. By playoff time they had the team rolling in high gear and the result was another championship.

Yes, the Leafs are REAL champions once again. But don't let's forget to place the credit where its due. Come out from the wings Mr. Day an Mr. Smythe - you've got it coming.

Dipping into the NHL files you'll find that the Toronto Hockey Club has one of the greatest Stanley Cup playoff records in history. The current edition of the Leafs has been responsible for most of the marks. Starting against Montreal two years ago, the team has rolled to 12 straight victories in Cup final competition. It lost the first game of the 1947 title series to Canadiens, 6-0, and then rallied to take four in a row. For the past two championship tussles, the Detroit Red Wings have been their victims. Incidentally, they had two earlier conquests in the Cup finals over Detroit clubs, coming out by four-games-to three margins in 1942 and 1945.

The Windsor Daily Star - April 18, 1949

They packed too much speed, too much power, too much punch. Had it not been for the brilliant work of Harry Lumley between the Detroit uprights, plus the fact that the Leafs did not have too much luck around the Detroit citadel, there is no telling what the score might have been. As it was, it was still mighty convincing.

Among the new pages to be insterted in the hockey annals as a result of the Leafian triumph are (1) First club to win the Cup three consecutive times. (2) First to win it six times. (3) First to win it five times in eight seasons. (4) First to score 12 consecutive victories in Cup final play. In addition it was the fifth cup in nine season as coach for Clarence (Hap) Day

LEAFS PACKED POWER
That flicker of the red light signalized the start of a stretch of the roughest, toughest, and probably best hockey of the entire series. But as the tempo increased it became plainly apparent that the Leafs were better prepared for anything that could happen.

Banking largely, as usual, on its Big Line of Lindsay, Abel, and Howe, the Detroit club clung tenaciously to its slender lead until the halfway mark of the second period - but then the fresh and power-laden Leafs got rolling and the hand-writing was on the wall.
...
The Wings were never able to rebound from that shock and with the scent of victory tingling in their nostrils, the Leafs got stronger and better with each stride.

The Windsor Daily Star - April 18, 1949

Smythe thought that one of the determining factors of the series was that Detroits big line of Syd Abel, Gordie Howe, and Ted Lindsay tried to bump his "Three Feathers" line. But Bentley, Ray Timgren and Joe Klukay were too light to be bumped and just bounced away "while the Wings took themselves out of the play."

An account of the legendary 1942 Stanley Cup Finals comeback from down 0-3…
Legendary NHL Coaches: Stars of Hockey’s Golden Age

After eliminating the Rangers in a six-game semifinal, the Leafs had one shoulder on the mat against a hungry Detroit team that seemed to have their number. Their coach had to act, or his team’s season would end before the boys knew what had hit them.

With head honcho, Conn Smythe, away fighting that war, Hap Day went to the Leaf’s board and told them flatly he was benching regulars Gordie Drillon and defenceman, Bucko McDonald. He had decided to slot in Don Metz and Ernie Dickens, a pair of speedier youngsters who could possibly fend off the Wings’ suffocating forechecking.

Then Day went the emotional route with his players. Before game four in Detroit, he took out a letter from a 14 year old girl who said she still had faith in the Leafs and was certain they’d come back. Day read the letter with such conviction that his veterans were galvanized into action and got third period goals from Syl Apps and Don Metz for a 4-3 victory. The series was far from over, and the drama was just beginning.
…
On that Saturday night, April 18, 1942 the attention of the country was focused, not on the street-to-street battles in Stalingrad, nor on the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, nor on how to stop Rommel in North Africa, but on a group of hardy hockey players who were taking their fortunes into their own hands and turning the tide from defeat into victory. It was a night of no small occasion; even Major Smythe obtained leave to come back to Toronto for game seven, along with more than 16,000 excited fans, a larger crowd than had ever attended a hockey game in Canadian history!

Hap Day was in the driver’s seat, and he knew it. As the third period dawned, he called for one more miracle from his enthused troops to bring the Cup home. Only 20 minutes, and Syd Howe’s second-period marker, which had given the Detroiters a 1-0 lead, stood in their way.

Wing player, Jimmy Orlando, helped provide the Leafs with their opening about five minutes in, by dumping Apps and creating a power play on which Sweeney Schriner notched the equalizer. Then Pete Langelle converted passes from Bob Goldham and Billy “The Kid†Taylor to beat Johnny Mowers for the go-ahead goa. Schriner got into the act again, potting the insurance goal in the dying minutes. Final score, Leafs 3, Wings 1, and the Cup was back in Toronto.

General pandemonium reigned on Carlton Street. According to the Toronto Star, Day hopped over the boards like an acrobat, sought out his forward Schriner, threw an arm around him, and playfully nicked him on the cheek with his fist.

“Hello Champ,†said Day.

“Champ yourself.†The giddy Schriner bellowed back above the din of 16,000 delirious fans.

Captain Apps hollered for Major Smythe, who was wearing his military uniform and carrying his riding crop in one hand, “Come on out, Conn. You waited long enough for this Cup. Come and get it.â€

It is a photograph near and dear to Leafs fans everywhere, a moment frozen in time: Smythe,. Staring bug-eyed at the trophy that, to modern eyes, looks quite short and skinny in the hand of NHL President Frank Calder; an exhausted Apps grinning ear to ear; and his coach, the architect of that victory, standing proper in a three-piece suit, looking calm and almost above it all.

It was a moment alost 20 years in the making, and yet, it almost didn’t happen. Clarence Day, nicknamed “Happy†for his sunny disposition, was of a generation of scholar-athletes not immediatey inclined to use athletic skills to make a living.

Joe Pelletier

In 1940 he was hired by Smythe to coach the Leafs. He would coach them for 10 years, winning the Stanley Cup 5 times! Many of his understudies would call him the greatest coach they had ever played for.

He stepped away from the bench in 1950 but remained with the team until 1957 when he retired to pursue business opportunities outside of hockey. During the 1950s he was officially titled as the assistant manger to Conn Smythe, but in reality he was the one doing most the legwork. With highly respected scoring totals for a defenseman of his era (86 goals, 202 points in 586 career games), he was enshrined in Hockey's Hall of Fame in 1961.