News Article: Mystery players referenced

[Djp]

Saw this article this morning. any idea who the mystery buffalo players could have been?

http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/24491/tortorella-cryptic-about-adjustments

To wrap up the day, Tortorella ended his news conference with critical thoughts on veteran players being hurt by not playing in the lockout.

"Some guy that didn’t go and play, it has affected," he said. "I think older players should’ve played. I think older players, even if it’s not a lockout, need to do even more as far as conditioning, as far as being on the ice."

It’s hard not to interpret such comments as an indictment against alternate captain Brad Richards. The veteran center is known for a steadfast commitment to conditioning, but he did not play during the lockout. He has struggled at various points throughout the 2013 season, and most recently, he was demoted to the fourth line.

Tortorella referenced but did not name two players he coached as an assistant in Buffalo in 1994-95 that might have jeopardized their careers in abstaining from playing during the 1994 lockout.

"Some guys feel because they’re veteran and they’re up in age that they need to rest. I’ve seen guys’ careers end quickly because they’re not doing enough," he said. "They need to be on the ice more. That’s the way I feel about it. People may not agree with it, but I really believe that."

Click to read more...

 

[Paradigm]

Hannan? Hawerchuk? Don't know who played in the lockout or not but I don't think we had too many over 30 players

 

[Chainshot]

Maybe Sweeney and Hannan? They only had one more season in the NHL after the '94 season.

 

[Paxon]

The idea that it'd jeopardize their careers is ridiculous, but it's easy to understand how it could negatively affect play in the resumed season -- we've all seen it. The full year off in the '05 lockout seemed to actually rejuvenate many veterans' careers (coupled with rule changes), and that went for guys who did and did not play much during the lockout.

 

[Jame]

The idea that it'd jeopardize their careers is ridiculous, but it's easy to understand how it could negatively affect play in the resumed season -- we've all seen it. The full year off in the '05 lockout seemed to actually rejuvenate many veterans' careers (coupled with rule changes), and that went for guys who did and did not play much during the lockout.

well, if it negatively affected their play in the resumed season, then it could jeopardize their career (old + terrible season = potential end of career)

 

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Kind of on topic.....

It looks like we'll see next year with Tim Thomas.

 

[CaptPantalones]

Maybe Sweeney and Hannan? They only had one more season in the NHL after the '94 season.

nope both played the full lockout

 

[Paxon]

well, if it negatively affected their play in the resumed season, then it could jeopardize their career (old + terrible season = potential end of career)

True, but that'd be pretty limited in how many guys it could reasonably affect. I was more talking about how it would impact their hockey ability going forward rather than how it'd impact opportunities.

 

[Chainshot]

nope both played the full lockout

The point Torts hinted at was the guys were vets who jeopardized their careers. Those two were the only two were quickly out of the NHL compared to the rest, even if it was another full season after the lockout ended. It seems thin compared to what Tortorella is saying.

And for whoever mentioned Hawerchuk -- degenerative hip condition ended his career. Unlikely that playing in '94 would've helped that in any way.

 

[Paxon]

The point Torts hinted at was the guys were vets who jeopardized their careers. Those two were the only two were quickly out of the NHL compared to the rest, even if it was another full season after the lockout ended. It seems thin compared to what Tortorella is saying.

And for whoever mentioned Hawerchuk -- degenerative hip condition ended his career. Unlikely that playing in '94 would've helped that in any way.

Torts is probably just wrong about what he's saying, either in his assumptions or in his recollections. Maybe he should recall wasting the best goalie in the world instead

 

[Chainshot]

Torts is probably just wrong about what he's saying, either in his assumptions or in his recollections. Maybe he should recall wasting the best goalie in the world instead

Ha! Or slapping a fan.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

nope both played the full lockout

I think he means playing (in Europe or such) during the lockout, as opposed to waiting for the half season to begin.

 

[wunderpanda]

http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/BUF/1995.html