BobRouse
Registered User
- Mar 18, 2009
- 10,144
- 374
Feel like being a curmudgeon and living in the past. For those who remember this time frame it will give you a kick and for those who weren't around it will provide you with valuable history knowledge
87-88 was the first FULL year I had HTS. I watched ESPN every night. I believe the next year the NHL went to Sportsnet as opposed to ESPN and HTS showed games every night.
Dissappointing end to 87-88 (That was offsides!! Damn you Ridley skate!). During that year I followed the NHL closely. Russ Courtnalls brother seemed to make the highlights for the Bs alot. He had a cannon shot and some speed. Outside of Neely he was their most dangerous forward.
I was BAFFLED when Boston traded him to Edmonton for Andy Moog (Lemelin was pretty decent I thought)
Courtnall goes to Edmonton and can't crack an offensive role with their stacked forward group. He hardly plays in the playoffs but Edmonton wins Cup over Bs.
That offseason he was a restricted free agent meaning Edmonton had rights to match any offers.
Neil Smith (I believe he just took over Rags job..could be wrong) signed him to a contract that Edmonton wasn't going to match. Dave Poile said "Yo dawg...I'll give you a draft pick for Courtnall's rights!" Edmonton agreed.
Caps matched. Rangers moaned and went to arbitration. Courtnall awarded to Caps.
He's the 2nd best left wing we ever had. Monster year in 88-89. He had 42 goals and many of them very nice ones. He was scrawny but played like a physical beast with grit and touch.
We had a great team that year. 3 40 goal scorers and a 37 goal scorer.
We were undone by Pete frickin Peeters in the playoffs. Awful.
Next year the team struggled. We didn't have Langway and/or Stevens for stretches during the year. Beaupre was injured some and Hrvnak played some. Not good. Pulled it together.
Courtnall was excellent in the playoff run but we couldn't compete without Dino, Hatcher, Beaupre and a compromised Stevens playing with one shoulder.
We were on our way to being excellent the next year. Then Limo incident and the best LW we ever had at the time asked for a trade.
Sad. But those two years he gave us were insanely good. What a player for us!
87-88 was the first FULL year I had HTS. I watched ESPN every night. I believe the next year the NHL went to Sportsnet as opposed to ESPN and HTS showed games every night.
Dissappointing end to 87-88 (That was offsides!! Damn you Ridley skate!). During that year I followed the NHL closely. Russ Courtnalls brother seemed to make the highlights for the Bs alot. He had a cannon shot and some speed. Outside of Neely he was their most dangerous forward.
I was BAFFLED when Boston traded him to Edmonton for Andy Moog (Lemelin was pretty decent I thought)
Courtnall goes to Edmonton and can't crack an offensive role with their stacked forward group. He hardly plays in the playoffs but Edmonton wins Cup over Bs.
That offseason he was a restricted free agent meaning Edmonton had rights to match any offers.
Neil Smith (I believe he just took over Rags job..could be wrong) signed him to a contract that Edmonton wasn't going to match. Dave Poile said "Yo dawg...I'll give you a draft pick for Courtnall's rights!" Edmonton agreed.
Caps matched. Rangers moaned and went to arbitration. Courtnall awarded to Caps.
He's the 2nd best left wing we ever had. Monster year in 88-89. He had 42 goals and many of them very nice ones. He was scrawny but played like a physical beast with grit and touch.
We had a great team that year. 3 40 goal scorers and a 37 goal scorer.
We were undone by Pete frickin Peeters in the playoffs. Awful.
Next year the team struggled. We didn't have Langway and/or Stevens for stretches during the year. Beaupre was injured some and Hrvnak played some. Not good. Pulled it together.
Courtnall was excellent in the playoff run but we couldn't compete without Dino, Hatcher, Beaupre and a compromised Stevens playing with one shoulder.
We were on our way to being excellent the next year. Then Limo incident and the best LW we ever had at the time asked for a trade.
Sad. But those two years he gave us were insanely good. What a player for us!