New Back Check Episode: Rafalski, Niedermayer and Boucher

[rnhaas]

Hi all,
We have a new episode of our podcast up, once again focusing on defencemen and, as usual, featuring an eligible player, a recently inducted played and an old timer.

• Eligible player: Brian Rafalski, who some stats paint as the 2nd best defenceman of the first decade of the 20th century, as long as you didn't watch him play or look at his ice time
• Recently inducted player: Rafalski's sometime partner Scott Niedermayer
• Old Timer: Georges "Buck" Boucher

Listen on iTunes or here. Full show notes can be found at the above links.

I hope you enjoy it. And thanks, as always, for allowing us to post it here.

Click to read more...

 

[Nick Hansen]

Rafalski, eh? Very good career but not someone for the Hall. He used to be money on the powerplay.

I was slightly surprised by his playoff history, does any one recall how he was regarded as a playoff performer? More points than Scott Niedermayer in 37 less games. 100 pts in 165 games. Sure, Rafalski played on some pretty damn good teams but so did Niedermayer.

 

[rnhaas]

But Rafalski only ever played on good teams; 11 seasons in the league, 11 seasons in the playoffs with only 2 first round exits, but 3 Stanley Cups and 4 Finals. I don't remember pairs from these teams but I'm pretty sure he was paired with Niedermayer or Lidstrom relatively frequently unless I just hallucinated that.

 

[Nick Hansen]

But Rafalski only ever played on good teams; 11 seasons in the league, 11 seasons in the playoffs with only 2 first round exits, but 3 Stanley Cups and 4 Finals. I don't remember pairs from these teams but I'm pretty sure he was paired with Niedermayer or Lidstrom relatively frequently unless I just hallucinated that.

Yes, he sure was blessed with great teams.

During his period in the NHL 99/00 to 10/11 only Lidstrom bested him in playoff scoring amongst defensemen. Pronger a close third.

Player Season Finder | Hockey-Reference.com

 

[Michael Farkas]

Remember that time Rafalski held the puck in at the line...? Me neither.

For whatever reason, befuddling for this player type, he could not hold pucks in at the blueline nearly as well as you'd expect...

 

[Brodeur]

But Rafalski only ever played on good teams; 11 seasons in the league, 11 seasons in the playoffs with only 2 first round exits, but 3 Stanley Cups and 4 Finals. I don't remember pairs from these teams but I'm pretty sure he was paired with Niedermayer or Lidstrom relatively frequently unless I just hallucinated that.

1999-04 Rafalski was typically paired with Scott Stevens. Niedermayer would anchor the right side on the other pairing with Ken Daneyko or Colin White. Post-lockout, I think Rafalski was paired with Colin White but my memory is a bit fuzzy for those years. Rafalski was the QB for the top PP unit while Niedermayer was usually on the second unit, so that would help explain the point differences between the two during their Devils years.

 

[sr edler]

Remember that time Rafalski held the puck in at the line...? Me neither.

For whatever reason, befuddling for this player type, he could not hold pucks in at the blueline nearly as well as you'd expect...

You have a beef with 'mericans taking the route through the SEL to the big scene? First T. Thomas and now Rafalski...., I think I've noticed a pattern....

 

[Michael Farkas]

Dude, that's really offensive...of course, I don't have a problem with Americans going through the Swedish League....I have a problem with Americans going through the Finnish Luga...

 

[sr edler]

That's what you have to do when your technique's not naturally up to par. Everything gets straightened out in Finland. (supposedly)

 

[rnhaas]

1999-04 Rafalski was typically paired with Scott Stevens. Niedermayer would anchor the right side on the other pairing with Ken Daneyko or Colin White. Post-lockout, I think Rafalski was paired with Colin White but my memory is a bit fuzzy for those years. Rafalski was the QB for the top PP unit while Niedermayer was usually on the second unit, so that would help explain the point differences between the two during their Devils years.

Thanks