ATD#7 Unrestricted Free Agents

[VanIslander]

Bert Marshall (defense)

198 points in 868 NHL games (26 points in 72 NHL playoff games). NHL captain of Seals (1972-73).

... a rugged stay-at-home defenceman who could also provide crisp outlet passes to his forwards. He played nearly 900 games for four different teams in the 1960s and '70s when his consistency was a useful part of the team.

The young blueliner played 61 games as a rookie in 1965-66 and helped the Wings reach the Stanley Cup finals. He played the last year of the Original Six Era in Motown and joined the expansion Oakland Seals halfway through the next season.

Marshall did his best to stabilize the shaky blueline of the Seals for nearly six seasons before he was traded to the vastly superior New Rangers in March 1973. The steady rearguard lasted only a few regular season and playoff games before the New York Islanders in the Intra-League Draft claimed him.

The reliable defensive play and leadership provided by Marshall helped the Islanders develop into a competitive squad by the mid-'70s. He was a member of the team when it reached the semi-finals in 1975 and 1976. He helped the younger players like Bryan Trottier, Clark Gillies, and Mike Bossy learn to win and be professional.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13542

 

[MXD]

BTW VanI, Dubbie Bowie also played as a rover...

 

[pitseleh]

Here are the top names that were still left on my list:

LW Perk Galbraith

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=12670

He never scored much at all, but he was an excellent penalty killer and defensive forward.

D Harry Mummery

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13798

A giant of a man for his day, he wasn't overly physical, but he was a good rushing defenseman.

D Bert Corbeau

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

Tough as a junkyard dog, he was a fierce hitter (but also a penalty machine).

D Jim McKenny

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13658

Though he was a bit of a defensive liability, he was a top notch offensive defenseman and would have been a good 7th defenseman/PP specialist.

 

[VanIslander]

BTW VanI, Dubbie Bowie also played as a rover...

Yeah i know but there's no such position in all-time competition since most of hockey history hasn't that position, he could be played at any forward position, roving around. The fact that he did play centre at times helps indicate what position he'd probably play if teamed up with players from every other era of hockey in hypothetical competition.

 

[MXD]

D Jocelyn Guèvremont
307 PTS in 571 Games. 21 PTS in 40 playoff games. Played in 1974 All-Star Game

The newly-formed Vancouver Canucks made the young rearguard their first-ever amateur selection in the 1971 Amateur Draft. And although he lacked defensive skills during the early going, he applied himself steadfastly to balance his game. As such, he finished his rookie campaign with a league-record 51 points, the most, up to that time, scored by a rookie.

As an offensive specialist, Guevremont continued his industrious efforts to shore up his defensive game. The results came to fruition after his trade to the Buffalo Sabres in 1974. There he succeeded in maintaining his offensive output while landing on the positive side of the plus/minus scale year in and year out

.

He was finally sent down to the New Haven Nighthawks of the AHL. But before he left, he warned the Rangers' management that unless he got some ice-time on his next invite the NHL, they could consider him to have a chronic shoulder ailment.

As a result, word traveled across the league that the veteran defender was damaged goods. The fallout came in the form of no offers from other NHL clubs, such as the St. Louis Blues, who would have otherwise picked him up. Tired of waiting by the phone, Guevremont retired at the close of the 1979-80 campaign.

 

[MXD]

D Sheldon Souray

Underated penalty-killer. Liability when skaters are actually allowed to...well, skate? All-time season leader for PP Goals.

 

[VanIslander]

Marc Bergevin (defense)

181 points in 1191 NHL games with 1090 PIM.

Since making his NHL debut in 1984-85, defenceman Marc Bergevin has played over 1,000 regular season games for eight different clubs. He was respected for taking the body in his own end and moving the puck up ice effectively.

...rugged blueliner... steady rearguard... Bergevin anchored the young Lightning defense corps for three seasons. He was a favourite of coach Terry Crisp who convinced his team to play sound defensive hockey to remain competitive. In August 1995, the veteran blueliner was acquired by the powerful Detroit Red Wings. Bergevin kept the front of the Wings' net clear for 70 games and played 17 playoff games when the team reached the semi-finals. Following the season he was signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Blues and played four seasons there as the club rose to the upper echelons of the league. Part way through the 2000-01 season he was picked up by the Pittsburgh Penguins to add some defensive awareness to the fast-skating club... looked upon to guide a very young Penguins roster who struggled

On the international stage, Bergevin represented Canada at the 1994 World Championships.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=10101

 

[MXD]

LW Eric Vail

476 PTS in 591 Games. Calder Award in 1975, played ASG in 1977. Nicknamed "Big Train".

.

In that final year of junior, Vail scored 48 goals and 105 points, and impressed NHL scouts enough that in 1973, he was the third choice (twenty-first selection overall) of the Atlanta Flames who had just completed their first season. 'Big Train' split the 1973-74 season between Atlanta and their CHL affiliate in Omaha, but only played 23 games in the NHL. To be eligible for the NHL's Calder Trophy as its rookie of the year, rules stipulate that players can not have played in more than 25 games, so in 1974-75, now a full-time leftwinger for the Flames, Eric Vail was still considered a rookie. That season, he fired 39 goals and finished with 60 points, winning the Calder Trophy -- the first Flame to win a major NHL award. Teammate Willi Plett would win the Calder two years later following the 1976-77 season. Vail continued to play a major offensive role with the struggling Atlanta Flames through the remainder of its existence. In 1976-77, Eric was chosen to play in the All-Star Game, and represented Canada at the World Championship. His most productive season in Atlanta was 1978-79, when he collected 83 points, finishing just outside the top 10 scorers that season. In 1980-81, Vail moved to Calgary when the team relocated there and continued to contribute offensively to the team. In November 1981, Vail was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Gary McAdam and a draft choice and finished the season, and his NHL career, with that year in Detroit

 

[VanIslander]

Brendan Witt (defense)

100 points in 724 NHL games with 1234 PIM.

One of the most prolific hitters in the game, he's consistently Top-10 in hits and even led the league with 322 hits in 2000-01.

At his best, Brendan Witt is everything a team could want out of a physical defensive defenseman.

Witt has the ability to be a presence on the ice, the sort of intangible that is so poorly appreciated in salary arbitration or on the stat sheet. He is at his best when putting up triple-digit PIMs, playing a tough, in-your-face style of play. Witt's skating is average but perfectly sufficient for a defensive defenseman, and his point production is negligible. He dishes out crushing hits but does not take himself out of the play to do so, and his judgement in this regard improves yearly. When he is on his game, Witt will clear the crease assiduously. When not, he will stand aside and watch. The skillset is not the problem with Witt, but rather attitude and focus.

There are times when Witt seems to have a chip on his shoulder a mile wide, and others when he can carry the team. Personal difficulties have led to long stretches of indifferent play from a player whose effectiveness depends on his willingness to clear the crease and keep opposing players honest after the whistle.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/bmarshall63/witt_profile.html

 

[MXD]

Centre Patrick Sundstrom
588 pts in 679 NHL games. Swedish player of the year - 1982.
26 PTS in 37 playoff games, including 20 in 1988 (18 games, with the Devils)

 

[VanIslander]

Vladimir Malakhov (defense)

346 points in 712 NHL games (27 points in 75 NHL playoff games).

The 6'4 injury-prone blueliner is an impressive +57 in his NHL career. He began on the NHL all-star rookie team (1993), had best offensive season the following campaign with 47 assists and 57 points, and won the Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2000. He also won Olympic gold in '92 and bronze in '02.

 

[MXD]

Goaltender Doug Favell
Sole player selected in the two first expansion drafts.
Was at the right place at the wrong time for most of his career, however.

With the Flyers Favell split the duties with another former Bruin, Bernie Parent. His first season in Philadelphia was a success with Favell posting a .500 record with 15 wins and 15 losses. Over the next three and a half years Favell and Parent continued to split the goaltending duties for the rapidly improving Philadelphia club. However, midway through the 1970-71 campaign Parent was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Favell became the undisputed starter. In 1972-73 the Flyers really began to show signs of becoming a league power and Favell back-stopped them during their first extended venture into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. When the Flyers bowed out 11 games into the post-season, management decided to reverse a previous descion.

Favell was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal that saw his former partner Bernie Parent return to the city of brotherly love. With the Leafs Favell was one of three veterans that handled the goaltending duties, though Favell's 32 appearances led the team. The following season he again played the lion's share of games, but struggled with just 12 wins in 39 games and the worst goals against average of his career. His third season in Toronto saw him play just three games with the Maple Leafs and he was unable to manage a win. An elbow injury that required surgery put him on the shelf for a stretch of the season and he spent four games in the minor leagues. In the end, his year was a write-off with just seven games played for Favell.

In September of 1976 the Maple Leafs sold Favell's rights to the Colorado Rockies. Favell spent that first season backing up Michel Plasse, another netminder the Rockies had acquired in the off-season. During his second year in Colorado Favell wrestled the starting job away from Plasse and he played 47 games and posted 13 victories. Much like his time with the Maple Leafs, he ran into trouble during his third season with the club. Favell was unable to post a victory during seven games with Colorado and spent the rest of his season toiling in the minors.

 

[MXD]

RW Randy McKay

363 PTS in 932 games. 1732 PIMS. Stanley Cup in 1995,2000. 43 PTS in 123 playoff games. Provided grit and leadership, and often dropped the gloves.

 

[vancityluongo]

Andre Boudrias

Andre Boudrias
When the St. Louis Blues sold Andre Boudrias for an undisclosed amount of cash in June, 1970, little did they know that the diminutive centre would go on to lead Vancouver in scoring in four of the club's first five seasons in the NHL. He had already played six seasons with Montreal, Minnesota and Chicago before playing briefly with the Blues. The 5-foot-8 pivot, nicknamed "Superpest" for his buzzsaw style of play, was amazingly consistent in point production, collecting 66, 61, 75 and 78 points from 1970-71 through 1974-75. He was voted the team's Most Exciting Player in both 1970-71 and 1971-72. His 62 assists in 1974-75 helped propel the Canucks to a first-place finish and remains a club record to this day. He also has second place in that department with 59 assists in 1973-74. Boudrias retired at the conclusion of the 1975-76 season having scored 388 points in 458 games. He is seventh in all-time Canuck scoring.

 

[ck26]

The Icebreakers are looking for a little more attitude on the back line and have just signed Red Wings cult hero HOWIE YOUNG from Toronto, Ontario.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14738

Young would break into the Red Wings lineup in 1961 and quickly earned a reputation as one of the toughest, most promising, and most troubled young defenders in the sport. Tremendous natural skill and a fearsome bodychecker, he was extremely undisciplined both on an off the ice, and a constant headache to the Detroit organization.

In 29 games as a rookie, he lead the Wings with 108 penalty minutes. In the playoffs, he would excel, appearing in all 11 games and scoring two goals in helping the Red Wings reach the Finals.

He finally established himself as a regular in 1962-63. In his first full NHL season, he would record 9 points in 62 games and demolish the league league record for penalty minutes, recording 273 to eclipse Lou Fontinato's old record of 202. His pugilistic exploits would earn him a place on the cover of Sports Illustrated in January of 1963.

However, his drinking had by this point reached full-blown alcoholism, and despite his popularity in Detroit the team shipped him to the Chicago Black Hawks in the summer of 1963.

A hero to the blue-collar Detroit faithful, a supreme agitator, a budding movie star and a drunkard, Young is a bit better fit for Icebreaker hockey than the level-headed Shawn Chambers. Chambers has been designated for assignment to Omaha's ECHL affiliate, the St. John's Norsemen.

UPDATE: St John's refuses to accept an American player. Chambers has been dropped on his ass and will work at the Food King until further notice.

 

[VanIslander]

The Icebreakers ADD Howie Young and DROP Shawn Chambers.

Chambers is now available as a UFA.

 

[MXD]

C Alexei Zhamnov.

If I'm not mistaken, he the only center with an All-Star Team (2nd) still on the board.

 

[Spitfire11]

How about D Doug Young

He captained 2 Stanley Cup winning teams in Detroit but I can't find any information on him at all in terms of style of play and what not.

 

[MXD]

I deserve a spaking for bringing this name up, but he was selected in EARLIER ATD's in the main draft... So he's an UFA by default.

LW Sergei "Circles" Samsonov

 

[Spitfire11]

Did anyone end up taking goaltenders John Davidson or Earl Robertson?

 

[MXD]

I almost forgot...

Former All-Time leader in PIMs, before surpassed by Schultz (amongst others). Small defensemen who played reasonably well his position, and a ****** pest. Played with 15 in 16 years (!). Absolutely no talent with the puck.

D Bryan Watson

 

[ck26]

I deserve a spaking for bringing this name up, but he was selected in EARLIER ATD's in the main draft... So he's an UFA by default.

LW Sergei "Circles" Samsonov

What is a worse pick -- Samsanov or Yashin?

And whatever happened to ATD 1 and 2? I can't find them in the archives.

 

[VanIslander]

Doug Young

80 points in 388 NHL games. 303 PIM. In all-star game (1939). Three year captain of the Red Wings.

... a member of the 1926 Memorial Cup champion Calgary Canadians prior to moving to the Can-Pro League for the 1926-27 season. By 1930 he was an IHL First Team All-Star with Cleveland and his first NHL appearance was not far away.

Young made his NHL debut in the 1931-32 season with the Detroit Falcons and posted a career-high ten goals in his rookie campaign. In 1935-36, he was a member of the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14737

...playing sound defensive hockey.... defensive talent.. posted a career-high ten goals in his rookie campaign. He would continue to knock in a few goals and play sound defensive hockey for Detroit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Young_(hockey_player)

 

[MXD]

What is a worse pick -- Samsanov or Yashin?

And whatever happened to ATD 1 and 2? I can't find them in the archives.

Samsonov. Yashin's moody, but he can be used. Talent pool is deeper at C, meaning that you can get another center who can play in the playoffs (and relegate yashin to 4th line duties/pp specialist). Samsonov got a few good seasons, but they he was never a top-5 player at his position... And he got some 4-5 seasons less than Yashin. His only salvaging point might be the fact that offensive players at LW aren't exactly many.

 

[VanIslander]

What is a worse pick -- Samsonov or Yashin?

And whatever happened to ATD 1 and 2? I can't find them in the archives.

Samsonov was huge for the Oilers a mere year ago, in on four important goals (and getting 15 points postseason) as Edmonton marched to the Stanley Cup finals. He also was a well-deserving Calder trophy winner, playing a solid two-way game in his rookie season. I saw him the year before on the Detroit Vipers (I was living in Windsor at the time) and Sammy showed real talent at both ends of the ice, winning rookie of the year and defensive player of the year as an 18 year old in the now-defunct IHL, a league of adults in which this tiny Russian excelled at defensively. Sammy is coming off of his worst season on a Habs team that didnt click at all (see: Kovalev). He is not a bad pick as a fourth liner in the minor draft, just make sure you play him as a rookie