ATD 2011 Draft Thread II

[EagleBelfour]

Joliat is more well rounded but Ovechkin is more able to lead an offense

I agree with that. I would still take Joliat ahead of Ovechkin in about every situation (I'm bias), but it's still speaks about Ovechkin first few years in the NHL.

 

[EagleBelfour]

Can someone tells me if Elmer Lach any accolade in Ultimate Hockey? Like Maurice Richard received:

- Named the best instincts of the 1940's by Ultimate Hockey
- Named the best sniper of the 1940's by Ultimate Hockey
- Named the best sniper of the 1950's by Ultimate Hockey

---

My biographies never seems to be entirely complete without those little tidbits

 

[Dreakmur]

Can someone tells me if Elmer Lach any accolade in Ultimate Hockey? Like Maurice Richard received:

- Named the best instincts of the 1940's by Ultimate Hockey
- Named the best sniper of the 1940's by Ultimate Hockey
- Named the best sniper of the 1950's by Ultimate Hockey

---

My biographies never seems to be entirely complete without those little tidbits

Biggest nose to face ratio of the 1940s.

 

[Reds4Life]

What's up with the hate for Ovechkin?

The guy has been playing for only few years, but despite that he has:
2x Pearson Trophy + 1x Lindsay trophy
2x Hart trophy
1x Art Ross trophy
2x Richard trophy
5x Kharlamov trophy
5x First team All Star
1x World Champion

He is better than Joliat ever was. He's done more than Dickie Moore too.

The guy has done more in those 5 years than most Hall of Famers in their whole career. He is easily top100 player ever. He is not good defensively, but that's why he's playing with Sergei Fedorov - one of the best two-way player ever. Also, Valeri Vasiliev will make sure to keep Ovechkin's spirits up.

Personally, I don't see why Lafleur, Dryden and numerous other players with very short career get a free pass, but Ovechkin is somehow considered a black sheep. Unless someone is heavily biased against active players, that is. Which is just stupid and unfair.

 

[Nighthawks]

While I don't think he's quite the BPA, he is among the top handful. He is, however, the best fit by far, and I think I need a player like him.

We're happy to select a well-rounded complete player who brings a little bit of everything...

Norm Ullman !!!

mother ****er

 

[hungryhungryhippy]

HHH's controversial statement of the day: Ovechkin should be the #4 (arguably #3) ranked left-winger in the ATD behind Hull, Lindsay, and (Mahovlich).

 

[jarek]

Anyone gonna be around in the morning that I can leave a list with?

 

[seventieslord]

The point I'm trying to make is that I have a huge pet peeve when it comes to people being condescending.

oh please. don't be such a spaz.

no one wants to have to walk on eggshells around you all draft.

I'd take your list but I'll be heading to bed around 4 and waking up around noon... Regina time.

 

[Sturminator]

HHH's controversial statement of the day: Ovechkin should be the #4 (arguably #3) ranked left-winger in the ATD behind Hull, Lindsay, and (Mahovlich).

I dunno...that's going pretty far. We're talking about a guy with 5 elite seasons to his credit...and this season, which is merely very good. I don't think that compares well to Kharlamov's six elite seasons in which he completely dominated the Soviet League (before the first car crash) plus the rest of his career, or to Mahovlich's very long production at a very high (arguably not elite) level. One can argue that Ovechkin's peak is already better than both of those guys and perhaps that is true, but it's the only thing he's got going for him in the argument, as the other two have both longevity and playoff glory on their sides.

I think Ovechkin is definitely in the conversation once you get to talking about the 5th best LW of all-time, but he's not in the top-4 yet. I don't think he does well in comparison to Dickie Moore, either, whose offensive peak was just as good as Ovie's, and who played a much more complete game and has a ton more playoff glory to his name. Yeah...Ovie is definitely not on Moore's level yet, either. He's no better than #6, in my opinion.

- I can take your list, jarek. Just woke up.

 

[EagleBelfour]

I can take list for the next 8 hours.

 

[jarek]

Well, that was an unexpected turn of events.

I will select the BGA, and probably the BPA..

 

[hungryhungryhippy]

I thought Nighithawk was up?

 

[jarek]

I thought Nighithawk was up?

He traded his pick to me.

 

[hungryhungryhippy]

Oh, it's hard to tell now that trades don't get posted in this thread.

lol jarek, it's a good thing you didn't see my comment before I edited it (and the photo of the china wall showed up). I tweaked cause I thought you were influencing the draft trends

 

[jarek]

Oh, it's hard to tell now that trades don't get posted in this thread.

lol jarek, it's a good thing you didn't see my comment before I edited it (and the photo of the china wall showed up). I tweaked cause I thought you were influencing the draft trends

I saw the post.. I just wasn't sure what the hell you were talking about, lulz.

 

[EagleBelfour]

Well, that was an unexpected turn of events.

I will select the BGA, and probably the BPA..

I'll argue that he's not the best goaltender available. Nonetheless, it's still a very nice selection.

EDIT: Trades should be announced in both thread, although the 'Bla-Bla' should be kept on the other thread.

 

[Reds4Life]

I dunno...that's going pretty far. We're talking about a guy with 5 elite seasons to his credit...and this season, which is merely very good. I don't think that compares well to Kharlamov's six elite seasons in which he completely dominated the Soviet League (before the first car crash) plus the rest of his career, or to Mahovlich's very long production at a very high (arguably not elite) level. One can argue that Ovechkin's peak is already better than both of those guys and perhaps that is true, but it's the only thing he's got going for him in the argument, as the other two have both longevity and playoff glory on their sides.

I think Ovechkin is definitely in the conversation once you get to talking about the 5th best LW of all-time, but he's not in the top-4 yet. I don't think he does well in comparison to Dickie Moore, either, whose offensive peak was just as good as Ovie's, and who played a much more complete game and has a ton more playoff glory to his name. Yeah...Ovie is definitely not on Moore's level yet, either. He's no better than #6, in my opinion.

- I can take your list, jarek. Just woke up.

What playoff glory does Kharlamov have? He won 11 USSR titles with CSKA, by far the best team in USSR. Kharlamov won goals and points scoring title only once = not really dominating performance.
I am not saying Ovechkin is better by the way.

If he's not on Moore's level, how come he has won a lot more awards? The players themselves voted him the best player in the NHL 3 times in a row. Who else has done that? Lafleur and Gretzky, no one else.
Moore won all his Cups in a 6 team league, that is just much easier than winning in a 30 team league. It's not like Ovechkin's production goes down in the playoffs, he has done his job and scored points.

 

[jarek]

OK, my list for 96 is sent to EB, 70s and Sturminator, and I will also send it to Stoneberg cause he picks right after me.

 

[EagleBelfour]

Since when we can't delete our own posts?

 

[Sturminator]

What playoff glory does Kharlamov have? He won 11 USSR titles with CSKA, by far the best team in USSR.

He was a thoroughly dominant international player. Even if you want to completely throw out the Soviet League results (which is not a bad idea...it was terribly unbalanced), Kharlamov's international dominance in very meaningful games (not like crappy IIHF hockey these days) counts for a hell of a lot more than anything Ovechkin has done in the postseason.

Kharlamov won goals and points scoring title only once = not really dominating performance.

And yet he completely dominated the Soviet League MVP voting over the six year period of his peak (ended in 1976 by the car crash). We know that Kharlamov was his line's primary playmaker and puckcarrier and we also know that the Soviet League didn't count second assists. You do the math.

If he's not on Moore's level, how come he has won a lot more awards?

Define "a lot more". Ovechkin has two Harts and an Art Ross vs. Moore's two Art Ross awards. Ovie's other awards (the Ted Lindsay, for example) aren't worth a damn, and didn't exist in Moore's time, anyway, so counting them in a comparison is pretty cheap. As far as Hart trophy voting is concerned, Moore's situation was much more difficult than Ovechkin's. He was competing with his own teammates, as well as with a peak Gordie Howe and Andy Bathgate, among others.

I find it very strange that you denigrate Kharlamov's scoring although he dominated the MVP voting during his peak and then turn around and denigrate Moore (who dominated the league in scoring at his peak) because he doesn't get enough MVP voting.

Moore won all his Cups in a 6 team league, that is just much easier than winning in a 30 team league. It's not like Ovechkin's production goes down in the playoffs, he has done his job and scored points.

Hey man, no one credits Dickie Moore for simply being on those teams. I am the furthest thing from a Cup counter you will ever meet. We credit him as a great playoff performer because he was one; as in, he performed very well and consistently so during those Habs Cup runs. Dickie Moore's playoff credentials are many times more impressive than Ovechkin's. A lot of that is because Ovie hasn't had the opportunities Dickie had, but that's just hockey. All of Ovechkin's ifs and buts don't count for a tenth of what Dickie Moore actually did in the postseason.

 

[advantage2006]

What's up with the hate for Ovechkin?

The guy has been playing for only few years, but despite that he has:
2x Pearson Trophy + 1x Lindsay trophy
2x Hart trophy
1x Art Ross trophy
2x Richard trophy
5x Kharlamov trophy
5x First team All Star
1x World Champion

He is better than Joliat ever was. He's done more than Dickie Moore too.

The guy has done more in those 5 years than most Hall of Famers in their whole career. He is easily top100 player ever. He is not good defensively, but that's why he's playing with Sergei Fedorov - one of the best two-way player ever. Also, Valeri Vasiliev will make sure to keep Ovechkin's spirits up.

Personally, I don't see why Lafleur, Dryden and numerous other players with very short career get a free pass, but Ovechkin is somehow considered a black sheep. Unless someone is heavily biased against active players, that is. Which is just stupid and unfair.

Bold statement.

Aurele Joliat was a pretty damn good player for his time as well. Four times he was top-five in goal-scoring and four times he was top-five in assists. Sure, he may not have brought as much as the awards in but there weren't as many awards at that time either. On top of that, Joliat played at a time when there was much more compeitition. Many guys who will soon be drafted along with guys like Howie Morenz, Sprague Cleghorn, King Clancy and Frank Nighbor.

Add in the fact that Joliat >>>>>>>>>>> Ovechkin defensively and I'll take Aurele ten times out of ten.

 

[Reds4Life]

He was a thoroughly dominant international player. Even if you want to completely throw out the Soviet League results (which is not a bad idea...it was terribly unbalanced), Kharlamov's international dominance in very meaningful games (not like crappy IIHF hockey these days) counts for a hell of a lot more than anything Ovechkin has done in the postseason.

Ovechkin's team, yes. An individual can do only so much.

And yet he completely dominated the Soviet League MVP voting over the six year period of his peak (ended in 1976 by the car crash). We know that Kharlamov was his line's primary playmaker and puckcarrier and we also know that the Soviet League didn't count second assists. You do the math.

Which is precisely why I think Kharlamov is tied with Lindsay for 2nd best LW.

Define "a lot more". Ovechkin has two Harts and an Art Ross vs. Moore's two Art Ross awards. Ovie's other awards (the Ted Lindsay, for example) aren't worth a damn, and didn't exist in Moore's time, anyway, so counting them in a comparison is pretty cheap. As far as Hart trophy voting is concerned, Moore's situation was much more difficult than Ovechkin's. He was competing with his own teammates, as well as with a peak Gordie Howe and Andy Bathgate, among others.

Have you forgotten Ovechkin's Rocket Richard trophies?
As for the competition argument, Ovechkin is competing with more players than Moore. It is arguable at best that Moore faced tougher competition.

I find it very strange that you denigrate Kharlamov's scoring although he dominated the MVP voting during his peak and then turn around and denigrate Moore (who dominated the league in scoring at his peak) because he doesn't get enough MVP voting.

Moore dominated the scoring?

Top10 finishes in scoring
Moore: 1,1,8,8
Ovechkin: 1, 2, 3, 3

I don't even have to post Hart trophy voting and it's apparent that Ovechkin is the better offensive player.

Hey man, no one credits Dickie Moore for simply being on those teams. I am the furthest thing from a Cup counter you will ever meet. We credit him as a great playoff performer because he was one; as in, he performed very well and consistently so during those Habs Cup runs. Dickie Moore's playoff credentials are many times more impressive than Ovechkin's. A lot of that is because Ovie hasn't had the opportunities Dickie had, but that's just hockey. All of Ovechkin's ifs and buts don't count for a tenth of what Dickie Moore actually did in the postseason.

Of course Moore's credentials in playoffs are more impressive, but that does not make him a better player.

 

[Reds4Life]

Bold statement.

Aurele Joliat was a pretty damn good player for his time as well. Four times he was top-five in goal-scoring and four times he was top-five in assists. Sure, he may not have brought as much as the awards in but there weren't as many awards at that time either. On top of that, Joliat played at a time when there was much more compeitition. Many guys who will soon be drafted along with guys like Howie Morenz, Sprague Cleghorn, King Clancy and Frank Nighbor.

Add in the fact that Joliat >>>>>>>>>>> Ovechkin defensively and I'll take Aurele ten times out of ten.

Joliat was never the offensive force Ovechkin is. It is not that close either, Joliat may have been better defensively, but Ovechkin's offensive ability makes his defense basically irrelevant, especially when he's paired with Fedorov.

As for competition, Joliat played only against Canadians, Ovechkin competes with the whole world.

 

[EagleBelfour]

With our second selection, the 77th overall in this year All-Time Draft, the Detroit Falcons are very please to select Monsieur Elmer James Lach

Nickname: The Nokomis Flash, Elegant Elmer
Height: 5'10''
Weight: 165 lbs
Position: Center
Shoots: Left
Date of Birth: January 22, 1918
Place of Birth: Nokomis , Saskatchewan, Canada

Awards received and feat accomplished during the World War II
Stanley Cup Champion (1944, 1946, 1953)
Stanley Cup Finalist (1947, 1951, 1952, 1954)
Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League First All-Star Team (1940)
NHL First All-Star Team Centre (1945, 1948, 1952)
NHL Second All-Star Team Centre (1944, 1946)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1948, 1952, 1953)
Art Ross Trophy (1945, 1948)
Hart Memorial Trophy (1945)
Conn Smythe Trophy (1946**)
Stanley Cup Game Winning Goal (1953)
Pantheon des Sports du Quebec (2000)
Hockey Hall of Fame (1966)
#16 Retired by the Montreal Canadiens (4th of December, 2009)

- #68 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players (1998 edition)
- #76 on History of Hockey list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players (2008 edition)
(ULTIMATE HOCKEY, please)

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
14|664|215|408|623|478

Top-10 Scoring (1st, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th)
Top-10 Goalscoring (2nd, 6th, 10th)
Top-10 Assist (1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 5th)

Playoffs|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
11|76|19|45|64|36

Top-10 Playoff Scoring (1st, 3rd, 3th, 9th, 10th)
Top-10 Playoff Goalscoring (3rd, 6th, 10th, 10th)
Top-10 Playoff Assist (1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th)


Awards Nomination:

Hart Memorial Trophy:
1944-45: 1st position (+31.9%)
1947-48: 3rd position (xxx) (-63.9%)
1951-52: 2nd position (Gordie Howe) (-25.8%)

One of the top playmaking centers ever to compete in the NHL, Elmer Lach spent his entire 14-year career with the Montreal Canadiens. He helped "les glorieux" win the Stanley Cup three times and gained much acclaim as the center on the club's dreaded Punch Line with xxx and Maurice Richard. Lach also received accolades for his determination on the ice and his resilience in battling a host of serious injuries.

Most observers were particularly impressed with his blinding speed and devotion to defensive play. He was brash and confident but quickly earned the respect of the coaching staff and his peers through his dogged work ethic, which was evident on every shift.

A tireless and fearless style of play also became characteristic of the Nokomis Flash. (Lach had) a reputation as one of the game's toughest competitors.

Lach's wizardry and spirit were crucial to the team's good fortunes. Many in the league felt his touch with the puck and ability to flip it to teammates were unrivaled.

The rookie scored 7 goals and 14 assists that season, but impressed with his dogged determination; battling in the corners, backchecking and pursuing the puck at all costs.

Few NHL'ers have been able to match the determination to return to the ice after suffering a major injury like Lach did throughout his extraordinary career.

The toughness and talent of the Punch Line led the Canadiens.

But the points, as impressive as they are, reflect but one aspect of an outstanding career. The skilled centre was master of the faceoff and was effective defensively as he was in the offensive zone.

Lach was, above all else, a great playmaker. His incredible hockey sense and intelligence, combined with blessed skating skills were the perfect match for the Rocket. He was able to spring perhaps the greatest goal scoring machine of all time on countless occasions. Playing most often with xxx on left wing, Lach was centering the famed Punch Line.

While he was an excellent offensive threat himself, Lach proved to be an ultimate team leader as well. Playing with Richard and xxx for much of his career, Lach was the best of the three defensively. He often sacrificed his own offensive output and personal achievements in order to help his team win. The 5'9" Lach was never afraid of the physical game either, drawing comparisons to a fire hydrant because he was small but incredibly hard to budge.

In many ways Lach was an early day Jean Beliveau. He was a classy person and a classic center iceman. He was very humble, which perhaps explains why history remembers him only quietly.

Spending his entire career under the direction of xxx, Lach played 14 years of the hardnosed brand of hockey that distinguished the NHL play of his era. When he went into the corners for the puck, Lach almost invariably emerged with it, often leaving opponents with a painful memory of the encounter.

Lach quickly established himself as hockey’s top playmaker, doing the heavy lifting and effortlessly making the puck appear on his linemates’ sticks.

Lach asked for no quarter and gave none, be it in practice or against other teams. He paid the price for his approach to the game without complaint or recrimination, despite suffering a number of career-threatening injuries.

While he played in the large shadow of the Rocket, Lach's skills were more appreciated by his teammates and coach, xxx.

No. 16 has already been raised to the Bell Centre rafters, in honor of the very worthy Henri ‘The Pocket Rocket’ Richard. The oversight, in my opinion, has been not paying similar homage to an equally worthy No. 16, Elmer Lach.

And one of the things I learned was Lach’s value to the Habs teams of the 1940s. Probably the greatest testament to his merit is the fact he won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1944-45, the season ‘Rocket’ Richard registered his legendary 50-goals-in-50-games performance. Lach was Richard’s center and had seven more points than his “Punch Line” right winger.

From a heart perspective, he was also a giant, willing to do whatever it took to win. He suffered seven broken noses, a broken jaw, a badly broken arm and won the scoring title a season after suffering a fractured skull.

Quotes:

- ''When I came to training camp, I had no intention of staying or being offered a contract. I came with an overnight bag. I talked with the manager back in Moose Jaw and he told me, 'You can't make that kind of money ($4,000 a season) here!' That was a lot of money back in 1940. He told me to try it because if it didn't work out, I could always come back. So my girlfriend went to my house, picked up all my clothes and sent my wardrobe.'' - Elmer Lach, on his first training camp with the Montreal Canadiens

- ''The three of us did like to win. We made sure that we didn't have any goals scored against us. We hated that more than wanting to score. As for Rocket, he enjoyed scoring the goals and I enjoyed watching him.'' - Elmer Lach on his linemates

- ''xxx and I were tied going into the last game. We played Chicago the night before in Montreal and headed to Boston for our last game. I got a high stick that cut my eye and when I went to Boston, it was completely closed. We liked Bill Head, our trainer, to sew us up because he did a better job than the doctors. Bill got the swelling down so I could see. That night, I was very fortunate that I scored two goals against xxx. He didn't move on any one of my shots, so he was on my side [laughing]. I was able to win by one point.'' - Elmer Lach, recalling the final moment of the 1948 season, the year he won the inaugural Art Ross Trophy

- ''Just get in the clear, keep your stick on the ice and I'll get you the puck'' - Doug Harvey, talking on Elmer Lach before the last game of the 1948 season

- ''I never saw it go in!" - Elmer Lach, yelling at his teammate after scoring his Game Winning Stanley Cup goal

- ''I took the hardest check of my life when the Rocket jumped on top of me when the puck went in.'' - Elmer Lach, after scoring the Game Winning Goal of the 1953 Stanley Cup final

- ''I would say scoring the winning goal when we beat Boston in overtime to end the series in 1953. It doesn't get any better than that!" - Elmer Lach, when asked for the highlight of his playing career

- ''The greatest centerman that ever came into this league.'' - xxx

Biography & Personal Life:

Elmer James Lach was born January 22, 1918 in Nokomis, Saskatchewan, a small town 133 kilometres north of Regina. Lach played a couple of games in junior with the Regina Abbotts in 1935-36, then played two seasons with the senior Weyburn Beavers followed by two seasons with the Moose Jaw Millers, both in the Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League.

In 1938-39, he led the loop in assists (20), also scoring 17 goals. That spring, Lach was the leading playoff scorer. The next season, he scored 15 goals and added 29 assists, then followed by leading the playoff scoring parade for a second straight spring: he was firmly established as the loop's top star.

The next year, Lach was invited to sign with the New York Rangers, but a member of that team told the prospect to steer clear because the Rangers were ''too cheap.'' Instead, Lach participated to the Montreal Canadiens training camp, held in Ste-Hyacinthe. Elmer was excellent, made the team and on October 24th 1940, he signed with them. The New York Rangers were not the only team disappointed about Lach's decision: ''He came east to play hockey at St-Michael's College in Toronto, a Leaf-sponsored team,'' recalled Conn Smythe.'' He agreed to sign with me. But he deserted, went back home without saying a word to play some senior hockey, and then returned to star for Montreal.''

Lach debuted with a respectable 21 points in 43 games as an NHL rookie. He was brash and confident but quickly earned the respect of the coaching staff and his peers through his dogged work ethic, which was evident on every shift.

In the 1943-44 season, an experiment in practice by head coach xxx yielded a bountiful return when Lach combined beautifully with Maurice Richard and xxx to form a forward line. The trio became known as the Punch Line and served as one of the most potent units in league history.

Unsurprisingly, his first experience of Stanley Cup glory came the same season. First, ''Les Habitants'' beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in a five-game semifinal. After losing the first game against the Maple Leafs 3 to 1, the Canadiens dusted the Leafs in four straight games, including an 11 to 0 thrashing in Game 5, to move from the semis to the Stanley Cup final. Elmer Lach collected 8 points in the series.

In the Stanley Cup finals, the Montreal Canadiens were facing the Chicago Blackhawks. Game 1 ended in a 5 to 1 win for Montreal. The line of Maurice Richard, xxx and Elmer Lach was unstoppable, and single-handedly beat the Hawks in Game 2. After Richard's third goal, the game had to be halted. It was the contention of Chicago coach xxx that Elmer had held xxx on the play that resulted in the tally, and the Chicago fans agreed, showering the ice with programs and other debris. A win in Game 3 set up the final game of the 1943-44 season. Lach scored 2 goals and xxx scored the game winner in overtime, beating xxx.

The following year, ''Elegent Elmer'', as he was called by his coach Irvin, reached the pinnacle of individual accomplishments. He won the NHL scoring title with 80 points and led all playmakers with 54 assists. He was one of the key reasons behind linemate Richard's becoming the NHL's first 50-goal shooter. Lach was also presented with the Hart Trophy and voted to the NHL First All-Star Team. In addition, the Punch Line accumulated a startling 220 points as a trio, an NHL record that lasted until the late 1960s.

Few competitors in the NHL history have matched Lach's resolve to return to action after suffering a major injury. This endeared him to the Montreal fans but also contributed to a career-long battle with injuries. Additionally, he earned acclaim by never complaining about his health. In one game against Toronto in February 1947, a Maple Leafs blueliner checked Lach so hard that he fell head-first to the ice and suffered a fracture skull. It was widely felt that his career was over, but Lach persevered and enjoyed a stellar year in 1947-48, winning the very first Art Ross trophy, as the league points leader.

In the last game of the 1948-49 season against Detroit, an opponent's elbow broke Lach's jaw. He first tried to downplay the injury because he desperately wanted to be ready for the upcoming semifinal series with the Red Wings in the playoffs. The fact that he could barely open his mouth to speak was an obvious sign of the severity of his injury, but that didn't stop him from trying to get a plastic helmet/mask device approved by NHL president Clarence Campbell. However, Lach was only able to play one game in the post-season.

After four more productive season, even leading the league in assists for a third time in his career in the 1951-52 season, Lach was forced to retire after the 1954 season because the fractured leg injury he sustained in mid-season robbed him of his speed.

His playing days behind him, Lach accepted an offer to coach the Montreal Royals of the Quebec Hockey League. In his first year with the club, Lach was able to establish his team as the league's best, winning the QHL championship. Still making the playoffs the following season, the Royals were quickly dismissed in straight games. It was Lach's last game behind a bench. The next year, he quickly established himself in business, working in sales and public relations for Maislin Transport.

In 1966, Elmer Lach incredible career was forever recognize as he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame: ''Being elected to the Hall of Fame was the climax for me,'' told Lach. ''I was surprised and I couldn't describe I how felt at the time. When I think about it now, I probably should've shown more emotion, which I didn't.''

But a prestigious honour was still missing on the ''Nokomis Flash'' impressive resume. More than 50 years after the end of his illustrious career, on december 4th 2009, Elmer Lach finally received the ultimate recognition as the Montreal Canadiens retired his beloved #16. This honour was also given to fellow Henri Richard 34 years earlier, playing with the #16 in honour of Lach.

Even today, Lach is a very active man. An always avid golf player, he still plays with his wife, Lise. A couple of years ago, at age 90, Lach's objective was: ''to shoot my age again this summer," happy that the additional candle he put on his cake back in January allowed him one more putt. Last year, he also "shovelled all winter," he said, "and the snow was almost to the top of that fence!"

Elmer's abrasive and reckless style probably hurt his career, considering his many injuries. Indeed, Lach missed over 150 games due to injury, averaging one out of every five games. Only five times was he able to play a complete season. However, there were no regrets for him. And none should he have, as after his 14th and last NHL season, all of them played with the Montreal Canadiens, the Nokomis Flash was the NHL’s all-time leader for assists and total points. Over a half century after hanging up his skates, Lach is still among the top 10 all-time Canadiens in both categories. One can imagine what kind of records and accolade an injured-free Lach could of accomplished. Quite a legendary career for a man who had planned to spend his life as a meter reader for a Moose Jaw power company!


Fun and Interesting Facts:

- The first NHL game Lach ever saw was the first contest in which he played
- On February 6, 1943, Elmer set a team record that still exists by picking up 6 assists in an 8 to 3 game against the New York Rangers
- In the 1945-46 playoffs, Lach recorded 12 assists, an NHL record beaten 12 years later than xxx
- In 1945, Lach recorded 54 assists, an NHL record beaten 6 years later by Gordie Howe
- The same year, although Maurice Richard manage to registered 50 goals in 50 games, Lach was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy
- In the 1946-47 season, Lach was the league leading point producer before a fractured skull prevented him to play any more games that season
- On February 23, 1952, he recorded his 549th point to pass xxx as the NHL's all-time leader in scoring. His record was broken by only three players: Maurice Richard, Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky
- In the 1953 Stanley Cup final, Lach registered the Cup-clinching goal against the Boston Bruins at 1:22 of the first overtime period
- At his heyday, Lach achieved a 4 handicap playing golf


Signing, Trades & Injuries:

- Signed as a free agent by the Montreal Canadiens on October 24, 1940 for an annual salary of 4000$
- On November 1st 1941, the first game of the season, Lach suffered an elbow injury against the Detroit Red Wings and missed the remainder of the season
- In February 1947, he suffered a skull fracture
- In the last game of the 1948-49 season against Detroit, an opponent's elbow broke Lach's jaw
- In 1953, after his decisive Stanley Cup game winning overtime goal, Lach suffered a broken nose and rib, compliment of Maurice Richard over excitement
Over his career, Lach suffered a fractured skull, a badly broken arm, two broken jaws, which he played through, a fractured leg, the same cheekbone shattered twice, a sliced foot, 100s of stitches and 7 broken noses


Coaching:

Season|Position/Team|League|G|W|L|T|Outcome
1955-56|Head Coach|QHL|64|34|23|7|2nd in standing
| Montreal Royals | Playoffs |13|8|5|| Won final vs Shawinigan Cataractes
1956-57|Head Coach|QHL|68|28|34|6|4th in standing
| Montreal Royals | Playoffs |4|0|4|| Lost Semi-Final vs Chicoutimi Sagueneens

Abbreviation:

NHL: National Hockey League
QHL: Quebec Hockey League
SSHL: Saskatchewan Senior Hockey League


Youtube Videos:





Internet Sites:
http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=P196606#photo
http://www.sihrhockey.org/member_player_sheet.cfm?player_id=1914&mode=2
http://habslegends.blogspot.com/2008/04/elmer-lach.html
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/12/02/canadiens-hundredth-lach.html
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articl...abs-hero-Elmer-Lach-deserves-recognition.html
http://www.hhof.com/html/exSCJ05_32.shtml
http://psdq.blogspot.com/search?q=lach
http://www.hhof.com/html/exSCJ05_32.shtml

**Retroactive Award attributed by the Society of International Hockey Research

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I will gladly add any quotes or information a GM send my way

 

[Reds4Life]

Alexander Ovechkin

Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight: 233 lb (106 kg)
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Right
Date of Birth: September 17, 1985
Place of Birth: Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR

Accomplishments

5x First All-Star Team Left Winger
(2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)
- Ovechkin is the only player to earn 5 consecutive First All-Star Team selections since the NHL began the practice in 1931!

2x Hart Memorial Trophy
(2008, 2009)

4x Top-10 Hart Nomination
(1st, 1st, 2nd, 6th)

3x Ted Lindsay Award (formerly Lester B. Pearson)
(2008, 2009, 2010)

2x Maurice Richard Trophy
(2008, 2009)

1x Art Ross Trophy
(2008)

5x Kharlamov trophy

- In 2008, Ovechkin won the Art Ross trophy, becoming the first left winger since Bobby Hull in 1966 to lead the league in points.

- In 2008, Ovechkin became the first player to score 60+ goals in a season since Lemieux and Jagr did it in 1996, and only the 19th player in history to score 60+ goals.

- In 2008, Alexander Ovechkin became only the 4th player in history to win the Hart Memorial, the Ted Lindsay Trophy, the Art Ross Trophy, and the Maurice Richard Trophy (lead league in goals) in one season. The only other players to do so are Gretzky, Lemieux, and Lafleur.

- Only the fourth player to reach the 200 goal milestone in 4 seasons, the others are Gretzky, Lemieux, Bossy.

- Only the fifth player to reach the 500 point milestone in 5 seasons.

- In 2010, Ovechkin became the only other player besides Wayne Gretzky to win the Ted Lindsay award for 3 consecutive years.

NHL Records
- Most goals scored by a left-winger in a season (2007–08) – 65 goals
- Most points scored by a left-wing rookie (2005–06) – 106 points
- Most shots on goal by a left-winger in a season (2008–09) – 528 shots
- Most shots on goal by a rookie in a season (2005–06) – 425 shots

Top 10's
4x Top-10 Scoring (1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd)
5x Top-10 Goals (1st, 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 4th)
2x Top-10 Assists (6th, 10th)

Playoffs
3x Top-10 Playoff PPG (1st, 3rd, 4th)

2008:
Washington scores 20 goals in 7 games, loses in the first round.
Ovechkin has 4 goals and 9 points in 7 games.
Ovechkin is part of 45% of his team's goals for.

2009:
Washington scores 41 goals in 14 games, loses in the second round.
Ovechkin has 11 goals and 21 points in 14 games.
Ovechkin is part of 51% of his team's goals for.

2010:
Washington scores 22 goals in 7 games, loses in teh first round.
Ovechkin has 5 goals in 10 points in 7 games.
Ovechkin is part of 45% of his team's goals for.

40 points in 28 playoff games = 1.43 playoff PPG. That is an increase over his regular season PPG, which is all the more impressive considering that scoring tends to drop in the playoffs.

Quotes

"If he got any better he'd be scary. His strength, and he moves so well. He doesn't mind taking a whack to get a shot. Sometimes there's guys that don't like that, they just dump it in. He can absorb a pretty good check to get a shot on net. Any guy that does that for a team is a pretty good man." - Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe

"He's got the hands of Mike Bossy, the on-ice awareness of Jari Kurri, and the physicality of Mark Messier... You know, he's a phenomenal player, and he's been a tremendous influence in the game." - The Great One, Wayne Gretzky

"If you forgot how big he is, he's 230 pounds of pure muscle, speed and competitiveness" - Barry Trotz, Predators Head Coach

"If he hits you, he hurts you. We're gonna put 3 guys on him." - Lindy Ruff, Sabres Head Coach

"Alex is as good as any team player that we have and he wants everyone else to have as much success as he does. He goes out of his way to show it." - Bruce Boudreau, Capitals Head Coach

"You see some highlights of him and it's just unbelievable. He uses his size, he makes some big hits, and he has so much speed he really backs off the defenseman. When you have a step on him, he just has a lethal shot as well." - Joe Thornton

"He's one of those guys that comes down on you one on one and you're actually a little bit scared." - John-Michael Liles, Avalanche defenseman

"I'm very fortunate, or maybe unfortunate, that he's in the same division as us, so he's not fun to play against." - Bob Hartley, Thrashers Head Coach

"He gets the puck, goes hard. And when he doesn't have the puck, he's forechecking -- bang, crash. He's come to us as close to perfect as there is." - Glen Hanlon, Capitals Head Coach

"That guy's crazy. He has tons of fun playing, looks like he's having too much fun and he works hard. It's definitely a game for him and he enjoys every moment of it, that's why he's so good at it." - Ray Emery

"He can take control of a game. He can go through you, around you. He's very exciting to watch and play against." - Patrick Eaves

"He's dynamite. He flies out there. He plays really gritty too... and he doesn't just skate around and try to score goals but he'll go after you which is really impressive." - Derek Armstrong

"Someone who plays hard every shift, it's pretty admirable for a young guy." - Marty Turco

"He just seems to have a real hard passion for the game. He's got an incredible knack for the net. He plays hard, he hits, he's got great finesse, he's got the whole thing." - Bill Guerin

"Seems like he doesn't really need too many players around him. He can move the puck himself and create a lot of things from nothing." - Ruslan Fedotenko

"I would say he's the best (rookie) I've seen. He's unbelievable. He just seems to be on a highlight every night doing something amazing." - Sheldon Souray

"Everybody is coached so well, every defenceman knows how to play the one-on-one. It's very rare that you see it and he can beat people clean. He can create chances from nothing, really. I just think he's got everything you could want. He's a great skater, he's a great stickhandler, good one-on-one and he's got a really good work ethic. He's the best player consistently." - Daniel Alfredsson

"He has a great shot, a really quick release. A couple of goals he's scored, you can't even see the puck." - Sergei Samsonov

"He is young, but he's already a great player. I think he's going to have a huge future. The way he skates, the way he throws the hits. He has size. He has power. What I really like about him: it doesn't matter what the score is. He goes out there and plays hard every shift." - Pavel Bure

"Crosby is a great player, but I'd have to say Ovechkin, who is also a great player but doesn't have the same kind of support, and who does something great on almost every shift." - Jaromir Jagr

"The more you hit him, the more physical he gets and the more into it he gets as well." - Jay Harrison

"He's the best player in the league. That's not saying anything (bad) about a lot of players in this league, but he's the best I've seen. His release on his shot, the way he moves with the puck, you understand why he's the first pick right there." - Curtis Sanford

"He's got more moves... you think you know one move, then he pulls another one on you. Then you look at that shootout goal. It was just off his stick like a rocket." - Blues coach, Mike Kitchen

"I think Ovechkin is the best." - Pavol Demitra

"That was pretty sweet. You know, he's a phenomenal player, and he's been a tremendous influence in the game. It's great to see, because he is that good." - Wayne Gretzky, after AO's 32nd goal.

"That was the best performance I've ever seen, including guys I've played with and played against, by far. It's great for the team, it's great for the league." - Jeff Friesen

"He did everything he had to do to dominate the game, he was a force out there. I think at times we stood around and were in awe of him. We got beat by a very special player. He's the real deal." - Ducks coach, Randy Carlyle

"He wants the puck, he wants to do things with it, and he's good at it." - Scott Niedermeyer

"He's got a tremendous will to score." - Paul Kariya

"He's got great speed, great moves, and he's a great one-on-one guy." - Dany Heatley

"He could really shoot it, he's got an amazing shot." - Leafs coach, Pat Quinn

"Physically it's surprising how many hits he gets, and how he enjoys that side." - Jarome Iginla

"He's got a great shot, and he gets his shot away very quickly." - Rhett Warrener

"There's not a lot of players in the league that will challenge guys 1-on-2 and make a play like that. He has no fear. He goes at everybody and challenges them." - Sean Burke

"Ovechkin has the total package." - Predators coach, Barry Trotz

"Having him has made us feel we can win every game." - Capitals Captain, Jeff Halpern

"If I lived in Washington I'd pay whatever the season-ticket price is just to watch (Ovechkin) play. To me, he's a special player who comes around once every 10 years. He's unbelievable." - Flyers coach, Ken Hitchcock


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Thanks to hungryhungryhippy - I used his Bio as a basis for this one.