Throwback Poll #1: Which of these players from the 05-06 playoff run would you add to the roster?

[Mr Sakich]

most of the guys on that list are too old to be much help now

 

[Soundwave]

I'm not sure Roloson could put up .927 behind this D, so I'd probably choose Stoll. He'd be another 60 point player who is a right shot center that would really beef up our bottom six.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

From the regular season, Stoll is the easy choice.

Samsonov was a nice fit for that team, but he was a talented guy on a team that didn't have a lot of pure skill beyond Hemsky. He was always a guy that needed others to make room for him vs. someone that played well with skill: It's one of the reasons he didn't vibe in Montreal afterwards. He was in a better fit as the undisputed puck carrier with Stoll and Dvorak retrieving and digging pucks out for him, than playing with someone like Koivu or a young Plekanec.

Peca in 05/06 had a meh season where Horcoff and Stoll stole a fair bit of his thunder offensively. Though he is a close second for me in this poll, as his still outstanding defensive play freed Horcoff and Stoll to grow offensively. Pronger gets a ton of (deserved) credit for helping team a team with sub 885 SV% stay afloat, but Peca also did a ton to help keep that leaking boat from sinking.
**Imo that's one reason they went to far in the playoffs that spring. The team was forced to play such good defence (and had the personal to) all season that come playoffs it was second nature to them.**

Playoff Roli was amazing. However Roloson in the regular season was still trying to find his game after losing the starter job in Minny and adjusting to not playing behind JacquesLemaire's pure trap. At the time he was still regarded as a question mark going into the playoffs.

Torres would be suspected in today's game. Even at the time he avoided getting the book thrown at him, as he toed and crossed the line.


Stoll meanwhile really had no weakness that season. He was outstanding on the dot, was on the 2nd unit PK (after Peca) and top PP (until the TDL when Samsonov arrived). But why I go with him over Peca is flexibility, even if I would like the elite defensive play. He fills the hole as a RHS caused by Yams and Pulju taking a step back this season, all while still bringing quality defensive play. Imagine adding a Boone Jenner, Charlie Coyle or Joel Erikson Ek-type, but with a massive slapshot, to this team.

 

[WaitingForUser]

Peca was great in the playoff run but honestly he sucked for most of that season. I'm also a little iffy on what Roloson would look like on this team instead of what was statistically the best defensive team in the NHL.

I'll take Stoll because he's just the best player on the list and it's by a margin IMO.

He sucked for most of the year because he was being used as a number one Center. As soon as he told MacT he was being used wrong and was put on the third line he thrived here. Too bad he never wanted to be here and was all too quick to jump to the leafs the following year. He was an elite 3rd line center

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

I'm not sure Roloson could put up .927 behind this D, so I'd probably choose Stoll. He'd be another 60 point player who is a right shot center that would really beef up our bottom six.

Yeah I think people seem to be blinded by the Pronger effect. Team defense as a whole was elite though.

 

[WaitingForUser]

Yeah I think people seem to be blinded by the Pronger effect. Team defense as a whole was elite though.

Team defense is always better when you have the best D man in the NHL on your back end though. I hate CFP but that cup run was really all on his and Rolis backs

 

[Chet Manley]

Not sure how to express this. Roloson was great, but part of that was the team in front of him allowing shots that he was really good a handling. It was like the team would allow shots from areas that Roloson could stop all day. A good match. Playing behind this current team defence maybe not a good match.