ATD 2012 Bios Thread (as complete as possible: pic, quotes, stats, sources, etc)

[Nalyd Psycho]

Bill Gadsby

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-Three time First Team All-Star (1956, '58 & '59)
-Four time Second Team All-Star (1953, '54, '57 & '65)
-Three time Top 10 in NHL Assists (3rd: 1956 & '59, 7th: 1957)
-Once Top 10 in NHL Scoring (9th: 1956)
-Thirteen times Top 10 in NHL scoring by a defenceman (1,1,1,2,2,2,2,2,4,4,6,7,7)
-Twelve times Top 10 in NHL assists by a defenceman (1,1,1,2,2,2,3,4,4,4,7,8)
-Eleven times Top 10 in NHL goals by a defenceman (1,1,2,2,2,3,3,4,6,6,9)

While playing with the Hawks, Gadsby established himself as a terrific competitor who was equally adept at leading a rush as he was on the defensive aspects of the game. Bill could be an aggressive player on the ice (a (clean) bodycheck on Tim Horton in 1955 broke the Leafs' player's leg and jaw, almost ending his career) but whose calm demeanour off the ice was a paradox.

Bill reflected on an outstanding career that saw him named one of The Hockey News's Top 100 NHL Players of All-Time, and in 1970, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. "In reviewing my career, I'm proud that I left the NHL as the highest scoring defenseman in NHL history. I'm more proud of the fact that Gordie Howe and I were the first players to play 1,000 games. In the days of Original Six hockey, to play through injury, pain and discomfort was expected as much as it was admired. The tradition passed down from generation to generation. When I came up with the Black Hawks in 1946, I watched John Mariucci slather liniment over his body to reduce the pain he would endure just to play. He played on nights when he could barely walk into the dressing room. He was the toughest man I ever met. I feel quite good that I left the game with a reputation of a man who played through many injuries. When the Red Wings acquired me at age 34 in 1961, (Boston Bruins' great) Eddie Shore said, 'He will play three to five more years. He is virtually indestructible.' That kind of praise means plenty to me because it meant that I never cheated on my effort."

Source

I asked him who was the toughest defensive forward he faced and he demurred on the question, telling me the term defensive forward was not applicable to that era. He told me forwards were expected to be two-way players. However when asked which defenseman gave him trouble I was delighted to hear him tell me that it was Bill Gadsby who gave him trouble. I won't repeat what he called Gadsby but it confirmed what Gadsby told me when I interviewed him in 2007.

Source

In Detroit, Bill Gadsby was one of the best at it when I was a kid in the early and mid-1960s. My Dad, who hated the Red Wings, used to complain that Gadsby blocked more shots than did the Red Wing goaltenders.

Source

Think of great shot blockers and Bill Gadsby, Al Arbour, Mike Ramsey, Dave Lewis, Ken Morrow and Guy Carbonneau come quickly to mind.

Source

in a New York uniform he blossomed into one of the great defencemen of his time. The only rearguard who was consistently rated better was Doug Harvey of Montreal.

Source

Appraising Gadsby, en nefligee in the Detroit dressing room, you wonder why he exposes himself to the annual torture. He's 39 years old and his battered physiogomy resembles a topographical map of Alberta's rugged terrain. He has a spinal column which is strung together with pieces of binder-twine and his toothless mouth resembles the entrance to the five-mile Connaught Tunnel.

Yet, you should have seen that old buzzard flying in the second period of Sunday's game when the Black Hawks suddenly came to life and played their best offensive hockey of this entire series.

Gadsby was magnificent as the Red Wings played shorthanded while Marshall served a penalty. He extinguished the flames of the Chicago attack as he scurried about, committing larceny and borderline assault.

Four times, calmly he shot the puck to the other end of the rink. Once, he risked murder at the hands of the maddened Chicago fanatics as he delayed the game when he went to the Detroit bench and, with meticulous care, selected a new bludgeon.

To cap it all, Gadsby dumped Stan Mikita with a thump which must have caused earth tremors to rattle the fishes at Mikita's birthplace in Soheice, Czechoslovakia.

Tremblay rates Detroit's Bill Gadsby and Toronto's Allan Stanley as the toughest opposing defencemen in the league.

Source

It was unfortunate that Gadsby was the miscreant whose incarceration gave the Leafs the opportunity to score that fourth insurence goal. He had been a valient villain all evening, robbing the Leafs on numerous occasions. Sawchuk was credited with 29 stops. However, Gadsby must have stopped another dozen shots and, additionally, he saved three possible goals; deflecting goal-mouth drives by Eddie Shack and Bob Nevin and intercepting a pass from Pulford to Shack, who was gleefully waiting to fire the puck down Sawchuk's throat.

In fairness, I must report that Gadsby also got away with mayhem, A Leaf seldom skated over the Detroit blueline without finding of of Gadsby's knees in his lap.

Source

 

[BillyShoe1721]

D Borje Salming

NHL Accolades

9x Top 14 Norris Trophy Voting (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 10, 14)
10x Top 13 All Star Voting (2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 7, 9, 12, 13)
2x Top 7 Hart Trophy Voting (4, 7)
1x 1st Team All Star
5x 2nd Team All Star
3x NHL All Star Game Participant
2x Top 8 Assists, all players (3, 8)
5x Top 9 Goals Among Defensemen (4, 6, 7, 9, 9)
7x Top 13 Assists Among Defensemen (1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 7, 13)
7x Top 15 Points Among Defensemen (2, 3, 3, 4, 7, 7, 15)

International Accolades

1972 WC Bronze Medal
1973 WC Silver Medal
1973 WC All Star Team
1976 Canada Cup All Star Team
Elected to IIHF Centennial All Star Team
3x Viking Award Winner(best Swedish player outside Sweden)

Coaches Polls

Finished 2nd in 1974 Coach's Poll: Best defensive defenseman
Finished 3rd in 1979 Coach's Poll: Best defensive defenseman
Finished 4th in 1979 Coach's Poll: Best passer (all players)
Finished 4th in 1979 Coach's Poll: Best playmaker (all players)
Finished 2nd in 1979 Coach's Poll: Best skater (all players)
Finished 4th in 1979 Coach's Poll: Most Natural Ability

Nicknamed “The King†Borje Salming was one of the premier defensemen of his era and was the first European born player to make a big impact in the NHL as well as the top scoring defensemen in Leafs history, ranks first on my list for all-time greatest Toronto Maple Leafs. Salming’s amazing 620 assists still ranks #1 in Maple Leafs history and outside 49 games played for the Detroit Red Wings, Salming played his entire 17 season career in blue & white.

After making the all-star squad of the 1973 World Championship the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Salming as a free agent for the 1973/74 season and he scored 39 points and an impressive (plus 38 +/-) in his rookie season and was voted the Leafs rookie of the year. In sixteen seasons with the Leafs Salming put up 768 total points and was among the game’s best defensemen and one of the most popular players in Leafs history.

Carrying the torch for aspiring European born players was never easy and Salming was constantly finding himself as the target of opposing players and fans. Often referred to as “Chicken Swedeâ€, however Salming, was a fearless player and that reputation and misconception quickly faded. Salming played in the rough and tumble 1970s and he remembers his visits to Philadelphia where he was quoted “you would even stay away from the boards because they would try to grab you and yell at youâ€. Salming was built like a mack truck (and is still in great shape in his late 50s) and never shied away from the constant attention and attempted physical (often cheap) intimidation.

http://tdotsports1.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/top-5-all-time-maple-leafs/

Borje Salming helped eradicate that stereotype. Six years after he retired in North America, the name of the "King" - his nickname in Toronto - was immortalized in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Salming was the first Swede to be so honoured.

Salming ended up in Canada quite by accident. In 1973 the Toronto Maple Leafs were interested in a different Swede, the winger Inge Hammarstrom. Leafs scout Gerry McNamara, who happened to be in Sweden at the time, saw Salming in action and immediately called his boss in Canada to tell him about another Scandinavian genius. Salming was too modest. In his first game with the team, Toronto defeated Buffalo 7-4 and he was voted the best player. At the end of his first season, the Swedish rookie had 39 points - an excellent result for a defenseman.

In 16 seasons with Toronto, Salming made 620 assists (a club record) and scored 148 goals for 768 points. He was included on the First All-Star Team once and fives times on the Second All-Star Team, again a Toronto record. In 1980 he came up a few votes short for the Norris Trophy as the season's best defenseman. In the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, only two players appeared in more games than Salming - George Armstrong and Tim Horton. The King appeared in 1,099 games. He added two goals and 17 assists to his personal scorecard after a season with the Detroit Red Wings as a free agent. Afterward, the 39-year-old veteran returned home and played for three seasons with AIK of Solna. The owner of a brewery and a garment factory, Salming has since abandoned hockey for business.

Salming is remembered for his slalom rushes across the rink and his powerful wrist shots in the style of Bobby Orr, as well as for his tricky but accurate passes so typical of the European game. Al Arbour, the great coach who in the early 1980s led the New York Islanders four times to the Stanley Cup, once commented on Salming when he was at the peak of his career. He called him a great athlete with an ability to perform excellently on both defense and offense. Yet, for a hockey player capable of gaining points on the offensive, his eagerness to be a human shield and stop a slapshot was quite incredible. And he did it without much hesitation. Arbour saw him for the first time in Moscow in 1973 and was highly impressed with his performance back then. But when his own team went up against Toronto, he lamented all those same qualities that made Salming a great player.

Another of Salming's strengths was his phenomenal stamina. Even at 38, while Salming was playing out his last season in Toronto, he would spend 30 to 40 minutes on the ice per game. In 1986, in a game against the Detroit Red Wings, he was badly injured when his face was cut with a skate. In photos taken at the time, Salming looked like a character out of a horror movie. But three days later he was back on the ice.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/Lege...er.jsp?mem=p199602&type=Player&page=bio&list=

Salming enjoyed seventeen years in the NHL as one of the top two-way defenseman, and was the first European trained player to make a significant impact in North America, thus paving the way for today's stars.

After an outstanding junior and domestic career in his native Sweden, the Toronto Maple Leafs took a chance on him after watching him play in exhibition games against Canadian junior teams. Salming showed his immense skill but it was his willingness to play the rough North American style that had convince the Leafs to take the chance. It turned out to be one of the best risks ever taken.

Time and time again Salming was tested by the NHL's toughest players, especially the Philadelphia Flyers gang of Broad Street Bullies. xxx and xxx laid beatings on him after jumping him in a fight, but Salming held his own. Not only did he stand up for himself, but he was able to dish out a few vicious shots himself. He earned the respect of the Flyers, especially their leader, Bobby Clarke.

"He was tough." admitted Clarke. "And he could use his stick too."

Salming had a respectable rookie season, earning 39 points but more importantly establishing himself as a hard nosed player as well. By his second season he was an all star.

In 1,148 NHL regular season games spread over seventeen seasons, Salming totaled 150 goals and 787 points. He also accumulated 12 goals and 49 points in 81 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He was voted on to the NHL First All-Star Team once and the NHL Second All-Star Team on five occasions. Twice he was runner-up in the voting for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman. In 1976, 1977 and 1979 he was the recipient of the Viking Award as the top Swedish player in the NHL/WHA as chosen by a poll of players from his own country. On the international stage he represented Sweden with distinction at the 1976, 1981 and 1991 Canada Cups.

Salming would join the Detroit Red Wings for one season as a free agent in 1989. He left as Toronto's all time leader in points, goals and assists by defensemen, as well as one of the Maple Leafs most popular players of all time. Salming would continue playing in his native Sweden until 1992.

Salming was undoubtedly great. He could do it all, and was perhaps the best shot blocker of his era. While he was able to gain the highest respect on the ice, he didn't quite get it off the ice. Salming was always considered to be just a tad lesser than the top North American defensemen throughout his career - Larry Robinson, Denis Potvin, xxx and later Paul Coffey and Ray Bourque.

http://mapleleafslegends.blogspot.com/2008/02/borje-salming.html

Borje Salming was the first European player to be a superstar in the NHL, despite many threats from opposing teams that he wouldn't last and that he could not adapt to the NHL style of play. Salming proved all his doubters wrong, as he anchored the blueline in Toronto.

http://leafsfanclub.homestead.com/bioborjesalming.html

"We hated to lose, in a battle, of any kind, I would always wanna have Börje by my side" -xxx

http://members.tripod.com/tre_kronor/salming.htm

Salming played 16 of his 17 seasons in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, during which time he established himself as one of the greatest two-way defencemen in NHL history. However Salming's defensive legacy began well before he appeared with the in blue and white. He played with Sweden at the World Championships in 1972 and 1973 and displayed a gritty style of hockey that opened the eyes of Leafs scout Gerry McNamara. Toronto decided to sign Salming following a tour of Europe by the Barrie Flyers. He was signed because of his unwillingness to back down and his scrappy style of play. In his rookie campaign, Salming scored 39 points and received the inaugural Molson Cup based on points accumulated in the three star selections at the end of each game. The Cup found a familiar home with Salming, who went on to win the award three out of the following six years. After earning a spot on the NHL's Second All-Star Team in his second year, the following seasons were the most offensively productive seasons in his career when he put together four consecutive 70-plus point seasons and a 66-point season. Consistently Salming was Toronto's top blueliner and together with xxx the duo were one of the top defensive lines in the NHL during the mid 1970s. Salming quickly became a fan favourite in Toronto and in 1976 he played in his first NHL All-Star Game. In the 1980s he reached several milestones -- on January 4, 1988, Salming became the first European player to appear in 1,000 NHL games. After the 1988-1989 season he became Toronto's all-time leader in assists (620) and goals (148) by a defenceman. His stellar career with the Leafs finished in 1989 when he signed with the Detroit Red Wings as a free-agent.

Salming was the first Swedish player to ever dress in a Maple Leaf uniform. He excited North American fans with a brand of European hockey they had never seen before. Of his 17 NHL seasons he spent 16 of them with the Leafs and by doing so, he broke a barrier that had prevented Europeans from playing with the club. Following in the tradition of great Maple Leaf defencemen, Salming's reputation as an attacking defenceman compared to those of Hall of Famers Tim Horton and xxx. His offensive skills were only matched by linemate xxx and the pair defined themselves as two of the most offensive-minded defencemen that ever skated for the Leafs organization.

http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=42174

During the 1976 Canada Cup tournament most of the Swedish play was built up around Börje Salming. He played over 30 minutes in each game and did it admirably.

He scored two goals against USA in the opening game. In the next game against the Soviets he made a beautiful pass to xxx for the tying goal.

" Börje Salming is more Canadian in his playing style than the Canadians themselves."

This 'mining boy' is today ranked as probably the greatest defenseman in Swedish history, and hockey history in general.

http://www3.telus.net/worldcuphockey/borjesalming.html

During a rewarding career that spanned seventeen NHL seasons, Borje Salming earned a place as one of the best two -way defencemen in the game.

By his second NHL campaign he was among the NHL's elite blueliners. Salming's exemplary play as a sophomore earned him selection to the NHL Second All-Star Team.

Salming combined remarkable puck handling skills with superior defensive play and became one of Toronto's most respected and popular players. In 1976 he appeared in his first of three consecutive NHL All-Star Games. A measure of Salming's immense popularity was clearly evident at the inaugural Canada Cup tournament in 1976. During the player introductions prior to the Canada vs. Sweden game, Salming received a louder ovation than anyone on the Canadian squad. He was brilliant throughout the tournament and was chosen to the Canada Cup All-Star Team.

http://www.hhof.com/htmlinduct/indWoind96b.shtml

Börje Salming is known for being a real tough guy. One of the first European hockey players to star in the NHL, he boasted a seventeen-year career with the Toronto Maple Leafs and earned a reputation as one of the strongest and best-respected defencemen in the game. He became known as “ The King.â€

Back in Sweden, Salming is still known for his defensive skills, but even more for his grill skills. There, he’ s known as “ the King of the Barbecue.â€

http://books.google.com/books/about/Grilling_with_Salming.html?id=kdFTNLmPbAQC

Salming had the tougher time because he was supposed to be a rushing defenceman, a great skater, and a slick puckhandler.

Orr was also tough as nails and fought his own fights, and that’s just what the rest of the NHL was going to put Salming through. The Leafs’ first away game of the season was against the Broad Street Bullies, the Philadelphia Flyers, and Salming was virtually assaulted all night long. Battered and bruised, he held his own, and over time the attacks became more infrequent and his ability to dominate the game became more obvious.

Salming, though, earned his stripes one shift, one hit, one fight at a time. He was so perfectly conditioned that the long season and 30-minutes of play every night were demands he could handle. He proved the scouting reports correct with his end-to-end rushes, great passing, one-timer from the point on the power play, and gritty play inside his own blueline. Salming did this not for a game or a season, but for 17 seasons. It was his ability to survive first and excel thereafter which gave the next generation of all Europeans the confidence to know it could be done

http://www.iihf.com/iihf-home/the-iihf/100-year-anniversary/100-top-stories/story-30.html

One of the best European hockey players to make the trip across the Atlantic, Borje Salming was the steadiest defenseman on the struggling Maple Leafs during the 1970s.

Salming was widely acknowledged as one of the most talented backliners in the NHL...

Salming bounced back in the 1978-79 season, tallying 73 points and continued to courageously defy the "soft" stereotype of European players...

...Salming remained a durable defenseman on the Toronto back line, and his 1,344 career penalty minutes show he was not intimidated by the North American game.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wp...0CDUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

His rugged, scarred face and his tough, raspy voice brought back memories of one of the most courageous defencemen ever to patrol the Leaf blue line. He was a skillful shot blocker, and on countless occasions he sacrificed his body to prevent pucks from getting to the net. His face is a mass of scar tissue. Many of his teeth are not his own. His nose has been broken many times. During the season, his body was black and blue with bruises almost all the time. Borje Salming's courage was uncontested. He was as tough as they come!

http://books.google.com/books?id=Kr...0CE0Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

When people ask me who was the greatest player I ever played with, I always mention two names: xxx and Borje Salming.

Borje Salming would fit into today's game so well. What a defenseman. He could block shots and control the game.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Yu...0CGIQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

In 1973, Borje Salming became the 1st European player to break through to the NHL. Despite facing scorn and torment from the opposition, Salming persevered and became one of the league's finest defensemen. With a great ability to block shots and be a playmaker, Salming was proficient in Toronto from 1973-74 through 1988-89.

http://books.google.com/books?id=vH...D0Q6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

Billed as a rushing defenseman with speed and stickhandling skills, Salming broke the stereotype of the infamous "Chicken Swede" label by taking on all challengers, including the day's best brawlers such as Dave Schultz. He took more punishment than his peers had to, but he showed that Europeans could survive as stars in the NHL.

http://books.google.com/books?id=k3...EIQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

...The hallmarks of Salming's play-creative flair on offense, gangly ruggedness on defense, intense team loyalty and courage...

http://books.google.com/books?id=cn...FAQ6AEwBDgo#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

Perhaps the greatest realization, though, at least for the fans of the Maple Leafs was that their stalwart defenseman Borje Salming, playing in the tournament for Sweden, might have been at that moment as good as any player in the world. When the tournament all-star team was named, he deservedly claimed one of the two spots on defense.

http://books.google.com/books?id=N9...EUQ6AEwAzgy#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

While my ideal hockey player would be someone who possesses Borje Salming's liquid skating style...

http://books.google.com/books?id=5v...GkQ6AEwCTgy#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

And there was Borje Salming, the great Swedish defenseman. "He was all heart," xxx says. "If you asked him to play 60 minutes, he'd try to."

http://books.google.com/books?id=ur...GEQ6AEwBzg8#v=onepage&q=borje salming&f=false

"Borje Salming," said Leafs exec King Clancy, "is the best defensive defenseman in the NHL.

http://books.google.com/books?id=NX...X&ei=Yw0jT82aJYTM0AGY8_3WCA&ved=0CGEQ6AEwCDha

One exception is Borje Salming of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who can skate backward in a straight line faster than many players, ... Borje Salming skated in a straight line without using crossovers and easily won the race

https://www.google.com/search?q=bor....,cf.osb&fp=5f875ea39545a551&biw=1366&bih=638

Toronto's Borje Salming is hockey's most accomplished defensive defenseman and the darling of the crowds at Maple Leaf Gardens. When Salming was introduced with his Swedish teammates before a game against Team Canada in the recent Canada Cup series, the Toronto fans gave him a thundering five-minute standing ovation, punctuated with cries of "B.J., B.J., B.J."—Salming's nickname. Listening to the roar. Canada Captain Bobby Clarke said, "Don't these people know that we're the home team in this game?"

Salming, though, ranks as the outstanding player from Sweden; he is the Swedish Bobby Orr. Like Orr, Salming maintains a low profile, shielding himself from outside contact and keeping his words to a minimum. Like Orr, he plays with remarkable instinct and flair, displaying a recklessness that seems beyond reason or science. He has speed, a hard and accurate shot and surprising strength concealed in his lanky, wiry frame. He also has excellent balance and leverage on skates.

"I was basically a defensive defenseman in Sweden, but over here defensemen handle the puck more. I had to learn to turn quickly and go back for pucks that had been dumped into the corners. And I had to get used to all the stuff that goes on in the corners, too. But nothing was too difficult." Indeed. Salming has played in the NHL All-Star Game the last two seasons, and he is the player around whom the Maple Leafs revolve—offensively and defensively.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1091681/3/index.htm

Kelly has been particularly impressed with Salming, Toronto's best defenseman in the season's opening stages. "He has great anticipation," Kelly says, "and he is an outstanding shot-blocker. When he goes down for a shot he doesn't stay on the ice, either, like a lot of players do. He bounces right up and gets back into the play." Against the Canadiens Salming saved a likely Montreal goal when he sprawled in front of a Jacques Lemaire bullet fired from 10 feet away and caught the puck in his stomach.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1087956/index.htm

 

[Hedberg]

Winnipeg Saints C Ted Kennedy

1954-55 Hart Trophy
1949-50, 1950-51, 1953-54 2nd Team All-Star
1944-45, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1948-49, 1950-51 Stanley Cup Champion
3rd (44-45), 5th (46-47), 7th (47-48) in Goals
4th (50-51), 5th (44-45), 5th (46-47), 9th (51-52) in Points
Played in 1950, 1951, 1954 All-Star Game
Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1948-1955; 1956-1957

Legends of Hockey

Never the fastest or smoothest of skaters, Ted "Teeder" Kennedy became a remarkable leader with an infectious combination of determination and confidence. Known as one of the game's great faceoff men and an antagonistic forechecker, Kennedy had the ability to score the important goal, to make the right check at the right time - to do all the little things that win big games and championships, which his Toronto Maple Leafs did on a regular basis.

Kennedy would win four Cups as a Maple Leaf, but individual honours for the Leafs' captain were few and far between. Three times he was selected to the NHL's Second All-Star Team, but Toronto fans and management believed he deserved more recognition in the year-end major awards. In 1953 Conn Smythe created an award expressly for Kennedy, the J.P. Bickell Trophy, which was given to the most valuable Maple Leaf.

Ironically, Kennedy would also win the Bickell in the one year he didn't need to, 1955, when he was finally given the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player. Kennedy retired after that season, saying he still loved the game but his legs were through with it. He did return briefly in January of 1956, playing for 30 games when the Leafs were short-manned due to injuries.

In close games or behind a goal or two, Toronto fans knew their team had a chance if Kennedy could engineer a comeback with a timely goal or faceoff win. One fan in particular, John Arnott, attempted to lift Kennedy and the team with a call from the rafters that became part of the club's history. A quiet man until he entered the usually staid Maple Leaf Gardens, Arnott would cup his hands together and shout, "Come o-n-n-n-n Teeder!" from his seat high above the ice. It was a rallying cry that would ring out even after Kennedy retired from the game

Toronto Star: Ted 'Teeder' Kennedy, 83: Captain of Maple Leafs

Kennedy was a Leaf centre for 12 seasons with five Stanley Cup wins, team captain from 1948 to '57, and the last Leaf to win the Hart Trophy in 1955 as the National Hockey League's most valuable player.

Kennedy succeeded his hockey idol, Syl Apps, as Leafs captain when Apps retired after the '47-48 season, and was noted for his ''lead-by-example'' approach to the job.

Kennedy's hockey success came through hard work. He was not an easy skater, appearing to run, not glide, on the blades, often with a look on his face as if he were in pain, perspiring from the effort.

To compensate for his lack of speed, Kennedy carefully honed his other skills, especially passing the puck.

He was a master at using the players on the ice with him, notably wingers Howie Meeker and Vic Lynn, and most hockey oldtimers regard him as the best-ever at winning the draws of faceoffs.

"I never had much speed, certainly not in the way a Syl Apps or Max Bentley or Milt Schmidt, the great centres did, so I compensated by using my wingers,'' Kennedy once said.

"To be able to pass reasonably well made up for my lack of speed.''

While Leafs owner and manager Conn Smythe never stated it publicly, in private he said that Kennedy was his favorite player, the man who represented Smythe's ideals of hard work, loyalty and tenacity.

"Ted Kennedy was not a superbly gifted athlete the way some players were,'' Smythe said. "But he accomplished more than most of them by never playing a shift where he did not give everything he had.''

Toronto Maple Leafs Legends

Universally known as Teeder (a nickname that stuck since childhood because some people had trouble pronouncing the name Theodore), Kennedy was the ultimate Leaf. While he was a horrendous skater, he made up for it with his competitive zeal that would make him arguably the greatest leader in franchise history, and maybe in hockey history. He led by example, fearlessly battling some of hockey's all time greats. He could shoot and pass and stickhandle with the best of them, yet was a proud defensive player and a superior faceoff specialist.

Kennedy grew up dreaming of playing for the Leafs and idolizing the great Charlie Conacher. Needless to say, Kennedy was ecstatic when his dream suddenly became true. But come game time he was totally focused, and always played every game at the highest level. For Kennedy every game was played with a level of desperation as if it were game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. Very few players in league history can have that said about them.

Kennedy led the Leafs to an upset victory against the Montreal Canadiens in the 1945 Stanley Cup finals. The Canadiens were a powerhouse led by the unthinkable exploits of Rocket Richard. The Habs top line of Elmer Lach, Toe Blake and Richard - who scored 50 goals in 50 games that season - finished 1-2-3 in scoring during the year and were supposed to tear Toronto apart. But a wondrous defensive effort by a line centered by Kennedy (flanked by Bob Davidson and "Sudden Death" Mel Hill) kept the feared Punch Line at bay for much of the series. In the mean time Kennedy contributed a playoff leading 7 goals to capture the silver chalice.

It was in the playoffs that Kennedy was at his best. Although he put up impressive scoring totals throughout his career, he was hockey's version of Mr. October. In 1947 the Leafs captured another Stanley Cup, thanks Kennedy's cup winning goal against Montreal. The Leafs would repeat as champions in 1948, as Kennedy scored a playoff high 8 goals and 14 points. The following season Syl Apps - to that point probably the most revered Leaf in team history - retired and Kennedy, just 22, became the youngest captain in club history. Even without Apps, Kennedy would lead the Leafs to the first ever Stanley Cup "three-peat".

The Leafs would win again in 1951, making it 4 out of 5 years with the Cup. They were upset in the 1950 Stanley Cup final, otherwise they would have won 5 consecutive Cups and be remembered - as they should still be - as one of hockey's greatest teams.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

RW Bernie Boom Boom Geoffrion

x2 Art Ross Trophy winner
x1 Hart Trophy winner
x1 1st All-Star Team
x2 2nd All-Star Team
x11 NHL All-Star Game
x6 Stanley Cup winner
Calder Trophy winner

Top-3 All-Star Team placements: 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3
Hart voting placements: 1, 7, 12, T13th, T13th
Goal finishes: 1, 1, 3, T3rd, 5, 5, 8, 10
Point finishes: 1, 1, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7
Playoff Point finishes: 1, T1st, 2, 2, T2nd, T3rd, T4th

Ranked 42 on THN Top 100
#5 retired by Montreal Canadiens in 2006

Fiercely determined individual explains his game:

I don't think I was a natural as a hockey player, like for instance Beliveau or Dave Keon for skating. I was a natural as a stick-handler, I was a natural as a shooter, I could put the puck in the net, that's something I had as a talent. A lot of people are great hockey players but they cannot find the net. I could find the net every angle, I want to be humble when I say that. But I always did have confidence when somebody would score two goals, I would say to myself I'm gonna get three. I had to be not better, but I wanted to prove the public, my organization, my teammates that I can play this game of hockey, and you know what I think I did.

Bernie Geoffrion, nicknamed "Boom Boom," gained NHL fame for his hard shot and feisty temperament. Born and raised in Montreal, he played right wing for the Montreal Canadiens' dynasty teams in the 1950s and 1960s alongside Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Jean Beliveau. The powerful combination brought the Stanley Cup home to Montreal an amazing six times during Geoffrion's time there, and he also won the league scoring title twice and the Hart Trophy in 1961.

Many claim Geoffrion invented and perfected the slapshot - not bad for a kid who was once told by the assistant coach of a junior hockey team that he'd never make it in big-time hockey.

Although he and the Rocket were teammates, they were also rivals. In 1955 Richard seemed to have the league scoring title clinched, but he was suspended by NHL president Clarence Campbell for hitting a referee. Fans begged Geoffrion to cut down his scoring so Richard could win the title, but Boom Boom ignored them. And when he beat the Rocket for the title by a single point on the final day of the year, the crowd in the Montreal Forum booed him. But by 1961 it seemed Montreal fans had forgiven him - they gave him a ten-minute standing ovation at the Forum when he scored his 50th goal of the season. Geoffrion became only the second NHL player to hit the 50-goal mark after his teammate Rocket Richard.

Geoffrion broke his nose nine times and had 400 stitches during his 16-year career in the NHL. He also had numerous stomach problems and operations, but they never seemed to slow him down.

 

[Velociraptor]

Sergei Fedorov, C

Position: Centre (sometimes winger and defenseman)
HT/WT: 6'2", 207 lbs
Handedness: Left
Nickname(s): "FedEx"
Born: December 13, 1969 in Pskov, Russia

- 3-time Stanley Cup Champion (1997, 1998, 2002)
- Won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1994.
- Won the Ted Lindsay Award in 1994.
- Won the Valeri Kharlamov Trophy (Best Russian in the NHL) in 2003.
- 1994 NHL Player of the Year by Sporting News.
- 2-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy (1994, 1996)
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game 6 times (1992, 1994, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003)
- Member of NHL All-Rookie Team (1991)
- 1-time member of NHL First All-Star Team (1994)
- scored 483 goals and 696 assists for 1179 points in 1248 games, adding 839 penalty minutes.
- scored 52 goals and 124 assists for 176 points in 183 games, adding 133 penalty minutes.
- had four consecutive 20+ Point Stanley Cup Playoffs campaigns (1995–98)

Top 10 Finishes:
Goals - 1x (3)
Assists - 1x (9)
Points - 2x (2, 9)
Plus/Minus - 3x (2, 2, 10)
Shorthanded Goals - 4x (3, 3, 7, 10)
Game-Winning Goals - 5x (2, 2, 2, 7, 8)

Voting Record:

Hart Voting Record:

1st (93-94), 5th (95-96), 9th (02-03)

Selke Voting Record:

1st (93-94), 1st (95-96), 2nd (91-92), 4th (92-93), 4th (94-95), 8th (01-02), 8th (02-03), 9th (96-97), 12th (00-01)

Lady Byng Voting Record:

4th (93-94), 12th (95-96)

Quotes

Sergei Fedorov was one of my favorite players as a coach because he can do anything on the ice.

Sergei is the best skater I've ever seen.

Legends of Hockey

If sports experts were to choose the best hockey players in the world for a specific decade, Sergei Fedorov would have a claim on the title of most versatile player of the 1990s. Equally superb at center or on the wing, and a high scorer with outstanding defensive ability, Fedorov is a pure player who has mastered all facets of the game from A to Z.

Fedorov is one of those players who can single-handedly turn the tide in his club's favor, and he frequently sets an example that motivates his teammates when they are in a slump. He has been a consistent performer in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Winter Olympics in Nagano and Salt Lake City and the Spartak Cup tournaments that involve Russian stars of the NHL.

Fedorov became a true leader of the Red Wings in 1993-94 when injuries forced Steve Yzerman to miss the second half of the season. Sensing that he was expected to rally his teammates, Fedorov turned on the jets, scoring 56 goals and 120 points. The NHL named him to the First All-Star Team and awarded him the Hart Memorial Trophy, the Frank J. Selke Trophy (again in 1996)and the Lester B. Pearson Trophy

Greatest Hockey Legends

In my mind, there was no more perfect a hockey player than Sergei Fedorov on the top of his game. He could play on my team any day of the week.

Even in the height of his career some people claimed he was an enigma. That always bugged me. While I admit he looked disinterested in Anaheim and Columbus, the truth of the matter was he was an effortless player because he understood the game so well. He was always in such good position that he, unlike so many players in the league, did not have to go all out to make the play. Some fans hate that, I love it. In his prime he was a near perfect hockey player.

Fedorov was a near perfect hockey player, perhaps the most versatile player of the modern generation. He was so heady and understood the game so well that he could play any position, even defense, a true rarity of the hockey elite. His phenomenal skating prowess and agility complimented his intelligence so that he could excel in any situation.

He was trained in the mould of a classic Russian centerman, which is why he was so good defensively. He knew where to be so that he would be in perfect position. Sometimes he was unfairly criticized for not keeping his feet moving when playing defensively. So many 4th line defensive specialists pump their legs to keep up, whereas the powerfully footed Fedorov only needed a stride or two to make the play.

"It's not always how many times you score, it's what you do to help the team win. Stopping goals or creating opportunities is just as important as any goal you score," he once philosophized very accurately.

Fedorov only won 2 Selke trophies as best defensive forward, but he likely would have won more had he not put up such gaudy offensive numbers, too. He was a dazzling puck handler with an absolute lazer of a shot. He saw the ice brilliantly and was a top playmaker, especially springing linemates on the transition offense.

Fedorov had the ability to dominate any game. He was critized for taking nights off during the regular season, and it was fair comment. But the bigger the game, the better Fedorov was. He put together 4 consecutive Stanley Cup playoffs with at least 20 points, an incredible feat.

He was so flawless offensively that several times in his career he actually dropped back and played entire games as a rearguard, and play it wll. That is an incredibly rare thing to do, especially for an offensive player.

Who's Who in Hockey

Rare is the athlete in any sport who can single-handedly change the nature of how a game is played. Sergei Fedorov not only changed what hockey became in the 1990's, he also was paramount in the transformation of the fiscal policies that governed it during the decade.

... He broke into the league with fire in his eyes and jets in his skates.

... As the Red Wings rose to the top of the league in the mid 1990's with the likes of captain Steve Yzerman and goaltender Mike Vernon, Fedorov continued his ascent into stardom.

... During the latter part of the season, coach Scotty Bowman even began to experiment with Sergei, using him as a defenseman during certain portions of a game. Proving his all-around worth, Sergei led the club with 20 postseason points, 12 assists and 4 game-winning goals en route to helping Detroit win their first Stanley Cup since 1955.

... By playing in only 21 regular season games, Sergei looked stronger than ever as the Wings prepared for their first round opponents, the Phoenix Coyotes. He took off like a rocket, as Detroit defeated Phoenix in six games, Fedorov had five goals in the first five games of the playoffs. Phoenix coach Jim Rutherford deemed Sergei "the best Red Wing on the ice"

... Again showing why he will be remembered as one of the best playoff performers in the history of the NHL, Fedorov scored the game-winning goal in Game Three of the Stanley Cup Finals, and helped open the scoring in the deciding Game Four after curling away a would-be defender to whistle a perfect-pass to XXXX XXXXX, who lifted the puck into the net. The goal was indeed vintage Fedorov.

In 2002, Fedorov helped the Red Wings to get another Stanley Cup. There is no disputing that Fedorov not only helped liberate his peers back in the former Soviet Union, but also earned the reputation of being one of the best clutch performers during a time when it matters most: the playoffs.

 

[EagleBelfour]

Frank Mahovlich

Nicknames: Frank, The Big M, Gutch, Moses
Height: 6'1''
Weight: 205 lbs
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Date of Birth: January 10th, 1938
Place of Birth: Schumacher , Ontario, Canada

Stanley Cup Champion (1962, 1953, 1964, 1967, 1971, 1973)
Stanley Cup Finalist (1959, 1960)
JOHA First All Star Team Centre (1957)
JOHA Second All-Star Team Left Wing (1956)
First All-Star Team (1961, 1963, 1973)
Second All-Star Team (1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970)
JOHA Red Tilson Award (MVP) (1957)
Calder Memorial Trophy (1958)
Team Captain (1974-1976)
Played in NHL All-Star Game (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974)
Inducted into the Canada's Sport Hall of Fame (1990)
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1981)

- #27 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players (1998 edition)
- #49 on History of Hockey list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players (2008 edition)
- #49 on History of Hockey list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players (2009 edition)
- #28 on the book 'Habs Heroes' list of Top-100 Best Montreal Canadiens players of All-Time

------------

National Hockey League:

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
18|1181|533|570|1103|1056

Top-10 Scoring (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th, 10th)
Top-10 Goalscoring (2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th)
Top-10 Assist (7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 11th)
Top-10 Penalty minutes (4th, 10th)

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
14|137|51|67|118|163

Top-10 Playoff Scoring (1st, 3rd, 3rd, 5th, 5th, 6th)
Top-10 Playoff Goalscoring (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 8th, 9th)
Top-10 Playoff Assist (1st, 3rd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 9th)
Top-10 Playoff Penalty minutes (1st, 1st, 6th)

World Hockey Association:

Regular Season:

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
18|237|89|143|232|75

Playoffs:

Seasons|GP|G|A|PTS|PIM
2|9|4|1|5|2

Awards Nomination:

Calder Memorial Trophy:

1957-58: 1st position (+3.3%)

Hart Memorial Trophy:

1960-61: 4th position (Bernard Geoffrion) (-51.2%)
1962-63: 5th position (Gordie Howe) (-79.3%)
1963-64: 12th position (Jean Béliveau) [1-0]
1965-66: 11th position (Bobby Hull) [0-5]
1972-73: 13th position (Bobby Clarke) [1 point]


Lady Bing Memorial Trophy:

1968-69: 17th position (Alex Delvecchio) [1 point]
1973-74: 16th position (Johnny Bucyk) [5 points]


Professional Career:

Frank Mahovlich was a talented and classy winger, a large man with the skills and hands of a pure scorer. Known as "the Big M," Mahovlich was touted as a superstar while still a teenager. He went on to have a marvelous career, patrolling the left wing for 22 professional seasons in both the NHL and WHA. Many of those years were filled with glory as he earned individual awards and the Stanley Cup, but Mahovlich struggled through most of his hockey life with the stress that comes from great expectations.

Mahovlich was a big man with a long powerful stride that powered himself through the opposing team's defense. Add to that his uncanny stickhandling and an overpowering shot, and Mahovlich was pretty much a perfect hockey player.

Frank was a big man who skated with long powerful strides, the puck well out in front seemingly glued to his stick. He was a fine stickhandler with a hard and accurate shot. He could be very aggressive if ruffed but played hard clean hockey. He had an unusual temperament and at times could become quite moody. He was tried as a centre but then moved to left wing where he established himself as one of the best.

Mahovlich moved like a thoroughbred, with a strong, fluid style that made it look as if he was galloping through the opposition. In full flight, he was an imposing figure. An explosive skater, Mahovlich could spot the right moment to turn it on and burst in on goal. He had a great move where he would take the puck off the wing, cut into the middle of the ice and try to bust through two defencemen for a chance on goal. He didn't always get through but when he did he scored some memorable goals.

Mahovlich established himself as one of the greatest scorers in hockey. [...] Mahovlich led the Maple Leafs in goal-scoring every season from 1960-61 to 1965-66. He was the main offensive weapon on Toronto's team that won the Stanley Cup in 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967.

A strong argument can be made that Frank Mahovlich was the most physically talented man ever to sport the Toronto Maple Leaf colors. Other might contend that he was one of the laziest players to ever to put on the blue and white.

In Montreal, Mahovlich was transformed from a great goalscorer into a premier playmaker.

Frank Mahovlich was a talented and classy winger, a large man with the skills and hands of a pure scorer.

In Detroit, Mahovlich played more minutes than ever on the first line on the powerplay and sometimes even killed penalties. When Howe became the third player to break the 100-point plateau in the 1968-69 season, Mahovlich was cited as a significant factor.

The Canadiens acquired the dominant winger on January 13, 1971. The deal paid instant dividends as, in the 38 regular-season games remaining for hte Canadiens, Mahovlich scored 17 goals and dished out 24 assists.

However, it was in the playoffs that he really showed his exemplary talents. During the Canadiens successful Stanley Cup campaign that year, Mahovlich scored 14 goals and garnered 12 assists in 20 games, a team record at the time.

Mahovlich was again a major factor in the Canadiens successful 1972-73 campaign, when they again won the Stanley Cup.

Quotes:

- ''I don’t know, but I seem to play a lot better with Howe and Delvecchio.'' - Frank Mahovlich, asked about his unproductive season in the WHA. At the time, he was playing with enforcers Frank Beaton and Dave Hanson

- ''A gentleman in a cruel sport'' - Punch Imlach on Frank Mahovlich

- ''I play with him the way Lindsay used to play with me. When Frank is skating full out, I know he's going to shoot. When he's going, I head for the corner, the way Lindsay did with me, and if he misses, I have the chance to get it coming around the boards. When he's going to pass, he slows up.'' - Gordie Howe

- ''Mahovlich took over like Charlie Conacher used to do in his heyday. He turned those Ranger defencemen inside out with his shifts, change of pace and his stickhandling'' - King Clancy, after a four goal performance by Mahovlich

- ''He's one of the toughest guys in hockey to defend against. He's big, fast, strong and an excellent stickhandler with a two-way shift and an extension-ladder reach. He just moves that puck out of your reach or bulls you out of the way when you try to trap him along the boards ... The guy's murder!'' - Bill Gadsby

- ''He's the main reason im my memory that (the Montreal Canadiens) won the Stanley Cup (in 1971) - Dick Irvin Jr.

- ''The other team just dreaded seeingus kill penaltie. They didn't know what to do. They were supposed to go on the offense and we stymied them right off the bat. We always had possesion of the puck and it was really tough for them to get it back'' - Frank Mahovlich, on him and his brother playing the penalty kill

- ''It's hard to think of anybody playing any better, two-way hockey in two sets of playoffs, 1971 and 1973, than Frank Mahovlich did. He would kill penalties with Jacques Lemaire, he was on the powerplay and scored big goals and was just a wonderful player in those cup wins'' - Frank Orr

- ''Frank's as nice a man as I've ever known. Perhaps that's his trouble. He has the talent to be the greatest hockey player that ever lived if only he were a little meaner. But he isn't, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.'' - King Clancy

- ''Nobody scores goals better than Frank'' - Dave Keon


Frank Mahovlich: laziness, mental health issues and relationship with Punch Imlach

Despite the team's great success and Mahovlich's status as one of the greatest of his day, many believed we never got to see the best of The Big M. Most of his best years were spent in Toronto under boss Punch Imlach. Mahovlich tried to become the player his coach wanted him to become as well, focusing on defense more and more instead of going on the attack at all times. This lead to many fans turning against their hero. They had seen how good he could be, why was he holding back so much?

Some fans thought him lazy because the big guy looked like he wasn't giving an effort. General manager/coach Punch Imlach often got under Mahovlich's skin, and it took it's toll on the sensitive big guy.

Many of those years were filled with glory as he earned individual awards and the Stanley Cup, but Mahovlich struggled through most of his hockey life with the stress that comes from great expectations.

He played in three of the most intense NHL cities - Montreal, Toronto and Detroit - and his style of play frustrated as many fans and observers as it entertained. He was graceful and powerful, but perhaps because of that grace and power and his long stride, he appeared lackadaisical and disinterested at times. His reputation for being lazy mas misplaced. Often, the result of his opportunism was a burst of easy speed and a goal.

Expectation weight most heavily on Mahovlich during his years in Toronto with the Maple Leafs.

[...] With such friends, Mahovlich hardly needed enemies (Harold Ballard and Punch Imlach)

Although the Leafs won the Stanley Cup for three consecutive seasons beginning in 1962, and even though Mahovlich averaged over 30 goals a year, he was the focus of much criticism and constant boos when he played in front of the home crowd. When he failed to score a goal in the 1963 playoffs, he was booed during and after the game in which the Leafs clinched the title. Even the next day the heckling continued at a reception in downtown Toronto for the Cup winner.

Mahovlich was a quiet man in the dressing room. [...] and he had an ongoing quiet, but disruptive feud with Toronto manager and coach Punch Imlach. The tough bench boss insisted that Mahovlich wasn't trying hard enough. ''He can do everything that Hull can do and some things Hull can't,'' said Imlach, comparing Mahovlich to the Chicago winger, as many did. Hull went on to break the record he shared with Richard and Geoffrion in 1966. ''Frank dosn't give his best effort all the time. If he would push himself, he could score 60 goals, 80 goals, even 100 goals,'' his coach claimed.

Mahovlich responded to Imlach's berating by not reacting to it. He admitted later than the two men didn't speak for five years. ''I liked Punch when I first came up with the team,'' Mahovlich said. ''We got along just fine. But after that we didn't get along. And things have become considerably worse. My doctor told me to put an imaginary curtain around myself whenever Punch was around.'' Though the team and the doctors didn't admit it for several years, Mahovlich was hospitalized in 1964, suffering from acute tension and depression. He returned to the team but struggled on the ice.

The Leafs played the Montreal Canadiens on November 1, 1967 - an important game between long-time foes. Mahovlich played a wonderful game, scoring a goal and adding two assists in Toronto 5-0 win. He was named one of the three stars of the game and took his bow in front of the remaining fans, as it was the custom at the end of the game. Many in the crowed cheered the big winger, but there were also boos, even on that night. The next day, with the Leafs leaving on a trip to Detroit, Mahovlich got up from the train and told a teammate he was going home and left. He was soon under the care of the Toronto General Hospital psychiatric staff. He was in a deep depression, had suffered a nervous breakdown. Mahovlich stayed away from the rink to deal with his nervous condition. He returned a month later.

Near the end of the season, the Leafs decided to part ways with the big winger. Freed in Detroit from all the pressure and conflict in Toronto, Mahovlich experienced a rebirth. The elder Mahovlich became more outgoing, joking with teammates and fans. He was put on a line with Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio and had his best goal-scoring year in his first full season with the team, 49 goals in 1968-69.

The statistics suggest that Mahovlich luxuriated through a lenghtly career sprinkled with laughs and coated with dollars. In fact, Mahovlich was plagged with trauma and tribulation ever since 1960-61: ''Life was never the same after that. I would wound up with 48 goals that year, so everybody figured that next year I would do better. And the season after that would be greater than the other two.'' Mahovlich can afford to laugh now [...] but the scars remain.

Like Hall of Famer Jean Beliveau before him, Mahovlich was truly superb, but never superb enough.

''They expected too much from me. We didn't have depth on that club. All of the sudden four of our guys got injured and our balance was gone. So, the opposition began zeroing in on me and I was neutralized. The abrasive Punch had his own way with hockey players and he nettled The Big M. He mispronounced his name, calling him Mahallovich, and he often would treat Frank - and others - as if they were invincible.

One of the favorite tortures in the Imlach concentration camp was inflicted after a losing weekend of hockey for the Leafs: ''We's catch a plane back to Toronto on Monday morning, and then he would take us directly from the airport to the rink for a practice. [...] After a while I began to wonder how long I could take this kind of thing.''

Then they were the demands from the supposedly sophisticated Toronto fans. If Frank scored 48 goals when he was 23 years old, they reasoned, he should score at least 50 goals a year later. When Frank slipped to 33 goals in 1961-62, a few local purists in Maple Leafs Gardens began what was to be a chronic chorus of boos whenever The Big M played mediocre game. Soon the hoots began grating on his nerves, not to mention those of other stars around the league.

Mahovlich couldn't conceal his anxiety. He became introverted and distant. Mahovlich began to feel hounded by some of the reporters, and he burrowed even deeper into his shell. [...] But the boos from the crowds became more frequent and more annoying.

Leafs fans are outraged say all the stories from Toronto. This has to be irony for you. Until Big M had a nervous breakdown last november and was out for nearly a month, these same people spent most of their time in the Gardens booing him.

With that great stride and shot, Mahovlich should become a 35 goals plus scorer again if the situation his right.* This means more than tender loving care from Abel. It means playing with the right centre. One of the unexplained longtime mysteries in Toronto has been Imlach's insistence of partnering Frank with Dave Keon. Keon is a fine centre except for one slight abberation - either he can't or won't pass to his left. Mahovlich understandably grew a little tired of breaking down the left wing and seldom getting the puck.[/B]
*He scored 49 and 38 goals in his two full season with the Red Wings

- ''A superstar has to have a mean streak in him. Gordie Howe sure does and so does Bobby Hull, but Frank doesn't, and that's what he lacks.'' - Harold Ballard

- ''I played with Frank for eleven years and I didn't say twenty-two words to the guy'' - Bobby Baun, talking about how distant and introverted Mahovlich was in his playing days in Toronto.

- ''It was the greatest part of my career, and it showed on the scoresheet'' - Frank Mahovlich, on playing with the Montreal Canadiens


Fun & Interesting Facts:
- Frank Mahovlich is the brother of Pete
- He turned down an offer from the Boston Red Sox organization to play pro baseball
- Still only 23 years old, he had an exceptional start to the season and led the league for much of the year in goals. With 14 games remaining, he had 48 goals, two less than Maurice Richard's record of 50. He seemed destined to seize the position of the game's top scorer. Those final two goals never came, however.
- Traded in Montreal in 1970, his first game was away from the Montreal Forum, in Minnesota. At this point, the Canadiens were not able to give him his famous #27, so Mahovlich had to settle for the old #10 of Bill Collins, who left for Detroit. He scored a goal that night. This is the only game in Frank's career that he didn't wore #27
- Mahovlich was a member of Team Canada for the 1972 Summit Series
- Mahovlich attempted an NHL comeback with the Detroit Red Wings in 1979, but it was unsuccessful, and he formally retired on October 7, 1979
- In 1994, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
- In 1998, in recognition of his years of class on the ice and off, he was appointed to the Canadian Senate by Prime Minister Jean Chretien


Miscellaneous:


Signing &Trades:


Abbreviation:

JOHA: Junior Ontario Hockey Association

Youtube Videos:



Internet Sites:
http://www.legendsofhockey.net/Lege...ember.jsp?type=Player&mem=P198102&list=ByName
http://www.sihrhockey.org/member_player_sheet.cfm?player_id=2260&CFID=974779&CFTOKEN=77526310
http://notrehistoire.canadiens.com/player/Frank-Mahovlich
http://www.hhof.com/htmlSpotlight/spot_oneononep198102.shtml

*Special Thank You: Overpass*

 

[Dreakmur]

​

He played a fearless, power game in the relentless era of clutching and grabbing.

… he was an explosive skater with excellent vision. He was a playmaker more than a goal scorer, and he relished the physical battles. There was definitely some of Gordie Howe's magic in this Super Swede. He is proud and fierce, sometimes a little bit cocky, with a mean streak necessary to survive the NHL battles. He was also a great playoff warrior.

People were raving about his intelligent and rational way of handling the puck, his ability to play effectively deep in his own zone and his snappy transition in performing his main duty – scoring goals.

Peter Forsberg !!!​

Awards and Achievements:
2 x Stanley Cup Champion (1996, 2001)

2 x Olympic Gold Medalist (1994, 2006)
2 x World Championship Gold Medalist (1992, 1998)

Hart Trophy Winner (2003)
Art Ross Winner (2003)
3 x First Team All-Star (1998, 1999, 2003)

IIHF Best Forward (1998)
2 x IIHF All-Star (1998, 2003)

2 x Guldpucken Winner (1993, 1994)
2 x Gulhjalmen Winner (1993, 1994)
4 x Viking Award Winner (1996, 1998, 1999, 2003)

Hart voting – 1st(2003), 7th(1999), 8th(1998), 11th(1997), 13th(1996)

Selke – 2nd(1997), 4th(2003), 6th(1998), 8th(1999), 11th(2001)

All-Stat voting – 1st(1998), 1st(1999), 1st(2003), 3rd(1997), 5th(1996), 6th(2001)

Statistics:
Points – 1st(2003), 2nd(1998), 4th(1999), 5th(1996), 9th(2001), 11th(1997), 14th(1995)
Assists – 1st(2003), 2nd(1999), 3rd(1998), 4th(1996), 6th(2001), 7th(1997), 10th(1995), 14th(2006)

Points per Game – 1st(2003), 1st(2004), 1st(2008)*, 2nd(1998), 4th(2001), 5th(1999), 6th(1996), 6th(1997), 9th(2006), 17th(1995)
Assists per Game – 1st(1998), 1st(2003), 1st(2004), 1st(2008)*, 2nd(1999), 3rd(1996), 3rd(2006), 4th(1996), 4th(2001), 5th(2000), 11th(1995), 12th(2007)

10 Year Peak: 1995-2004
5th in Points (88% of 2nd place Joe Sakic)
2nd in Assists (91% of 1st place Jaromir Jagr)

3rd in Points per Game (93% of 2nd place Jaromir Jagr)
2nd in Assists per Game (88% of 1st place Mario Lemieux)


Play-off Points – 1st(1999), 1st(2002), 5th(1996), 8th(2000), 9th(1997)
Play-off Goals – 2nd(2002), 4th(1996), 5th(1999), 7th(2000)
Play-off Assists – 1st(2002), 2nd(1999), 5th(1997), 10th(2001)

Play-off Points per Game – 1st(1998), 1st(2001), 1st(2002), 3rd(1999), 4th(2004), 5th(2006), 6th(1997), 9th(2000)
Play-off Goals per Game – 2nd(1998), 5th(2006), 6th(1999), 6th(2002)
Play-off Assists per Game – 1st(2002), 2nd(2001), 2nd(2003), 4th(1999), 6th(1997), 6th(2004)


Olympic Points – 6th(1994)
Olympic Assists – 2nd(1994), 3rd(2004), 6th(1998)

World Championship Points – 1st(1998), 10th(2003)
World Championship Goals – 1st(1998)
Wolrd Championship Assists – 5th(1998)

He's such an unselfish player. He's one of those players who would rather make a pretty play and feed somebody else for the goal than score himself.

Forsberg’s a physical terror right now. He’s just punishing everybody near a puck.

​

 

[DaveG]

C Bobby Clarke

I won't be able to top Arcand's bio of him from last year in terms of articles, so I'll just link to that: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=30652414&postcount=33


Statistics:
1144 Games Played, 358 Goals, 852 Assists, 1210 Points, 1453 Penalty Minutes, +506 in regular season play
136 Games Played, 42 Goals, 77 Assists, 119 Points, 152 Penalty Minutes in postseason play
6 points (2G, 4A), 18PIM in the 1972 Summit Series
#5 in career +/-
#14 in career short handed goals
8 time all star game participant
3 time Hart Trophy winner (1973, 75, 76)
1 time Lester B Pearson winner (1974)
2 time second team all star (1973, 74)
2 time first team all star (1975, 76)
1 time Masterton Trophy winner (1973)
1 time Selke Trophy winner (1983)

Major Award Voting History:
Hart: 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 10th
All Star: 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 6th, 6th, 6th
Selke: 1st, 4th, 7th, 8th

 

[Ben Grimm]

Doug Bentley, LW/C

#72 on the list of top 100 players of all time by The Hockey News in 1997.

LOH:

Scoring Finishes (regular season)

Goals: 1, 1, 6
Assists: 1, 1, 4, 5, 5, 9, 9
Points: 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 7

Postseason All-Star Teams
1942-43 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)
1943-44 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)
1946-47 NHL NHL All-Star Team (1st)
1948-49 NHL NHL All-Star Team (2nd)

Note: At least one of Doug's big seasons, 1943-44, came in a war-weakened NHL.

In general, Doug was more of a goal-scorer while playing the wing and more of a playmaker while at centre. He left the NHL at the age of 35 to play and coach at home in Saskatchewan, although he was still capable of playing in the NHL.

Doug on the power play
1954 (Doug was making his comeback to the NHL after 3 years off):

Quotes:

Great Left Wingers: Stories of Hockey's Golden Age:

 

[Leafs Forever]

Credit to Dreak on the bio:

“Pulford hadn’t even been told of Cooke’s deal and was so distraught at first sight of his stocky little star that he assigned him immediately to the team’s “Fat Squad”, forced him to skate extra laps at practice with plastic sheets wrapped around his swollen stomach. But this time Dionne did not walk out on practice, as he had done in Detroit. And instead of sulking, as he might once have done, he worked and listened. “Pully thought I was a zipper-head,” Dionne now says. “If he could have made me crawl, he would have. I wouldn’t crawl. I respect him for what he did because after a while he knew I was not what he had heard.”

Pulford discovered, as so any others have, that the tallest part of Dionne is his pride. “I don’t want to kiss anybody’s ass,” he had decided just before turning professional and, though he has certainly suffered for his refreshing frankness, hockey’s own belated maturing over recent years has meant that Detroit’s “big baby” is now seen as Los Angeles’ leader and highly articulate spokesman – without Dionne himself having changed much.” – King of Kings

“He was everything for the L.A. Kings.” – Danny Gare

“He was a guy who could take control of a game at any moment because of his speed and his skill and his determination. Despite his size, he was a feisty enough player. He wasn’t afraid to, as coaches say, “get his nose dirty”, and get involved. He didn’t play on the periphery.” – Scott Morrison

“It was his ability to find the open man, but it was his creativity – he was a very creativity player. He found ways that, even though there was no opening on the ice, he found ways to get that opening… He was a little guy that didn’t mind being in the corner or in front of the net. He got his nose dirty – he did what he had to do to get all the points. You don’t get all those points just by showing up. He showed up with a tremendous amount of intensity every game… There was criticism that he wasn’t a winner. That’s not true. He was a winner, but he played for teams that weren’t good enough to win the Cup. This guy came to play every night. Never judge a guy because he did not win a Cup. Sometimes you’re playing on the wrong team. Sometimes, you’re not playing with a team that had enough talent. There’s no question that Marcel would have won a cup with any team that was a contender.” – Jacques Demers

“If you’re a great player, somehow, you have to figure out how to get your team to win, and he did that. Actually, they didn’t win Cups, but they had seasons where the team had over 100 points and were good in the play-offs. Players have no control over poor decisions management might make, but they do have control over how well they play, and how well their line mates play, and I think Marcel was really good at that… He was a terrific, talented player.” – Bobby Clarke

“Dionne, the singular example of grace and caring among so many of those he contemptuously refers to as “slackers,” dresses quickly and alone in the far corner of the dressing room. His teammates know better than to speak to him after a loss…” – King of Kings

“There has always been some feeling of sympathy for Dionne. He was an amazing scorer with great drive and passion for playing hockey. But he always played on terrible teams.” – Greatest Hockey Legends

“I represent a lot of people that might come close, but don’t really achieve the top. Where does that leave us? A bunch of losers? No good?” – Marcel Dionne

Award and Achievements:
2 x Lester B. Pearson Winner (1979, 1980)
Art Ross Winner (1980)
2 x Lady Byng Winner (1975, 1977)

2 x First Team All-Star (1977, 1980)
2 x Second Team All-Star (1979 1981)
Third Team All-Star (1985)
Third Team All-Star (1977)

Hart Voting – 2nd(1980), 3rd(1979), 3rd(1981), 5th(1977), 8th(1975), 9th(1985)

Lady Byng Voting – 2nd(1979), 2nd(1980), 4th(1983), 5th(1974), 6th(1981), 7th(1985), 8th(1982)

All-Star Voting – 1st(1977), 1st(1980), 2nd(1979), 2nd(1981), 3rd(1985), 4th(1975), 5th(1983), 7th(1984), 8th(1972), 8th(1973), 8th(1982), 9th(1974), 9th(1976)

Scoring:
From 1975-1985
Points - 1st
Goals - 1st
Assists - 1st

Points – 1st(1980), 2nd(1977), 2nd(1979), 2nd(1981), 3rd(1975), 4th(1985), 5th(1983), 7th(1982), 11th(1973), 13th(1972), 13th(1976), 14th(1974), 17th(1987), 18th(1978), 18th(1986), 19th(1984)

Points as % of 2nd(minus outliers): 110 (of 3rd), 103, 100, 100, 97, 95, 89, 88, 88, 84, 79, 78, 73, 72, 72, 64, 54 Total: 1446


Goals – 2nd(1979), 2nd(1981), 3rd(1977), 4th(1980), 5th(1975), 5th(1983), 8th(1982), 9th(1973), 10th(1985), 13th(1976), 17th(1978)

Goals as % of 2nd(minus outliers): 100, 100, 95, 95, 93, 90, 84, 83, 77, 72, 71, 68, 62, 56, 56 Total: 1202

Assists – 2nd(1977), 2nd(1980), 3rd(1979), 3rd(1981), 3rd(1985), 4th(1975), 9th(1974), 9th(1982), 9th(1987), 12th(1972), 15th(1986), 16th(1976), 19th(1973)

Assists as % of 2nd(minus outliers): 100, 100, 100, 100, 92, 88, 83, 80, 77, 76, 76, 73, 69, 69, 66, 60 Total: 1309

Play-off Points – 7th(1977)
Play-off Goals – 5th(1976), 9th(1977), 10th(1982)
Play-off Assists – 8th(1977)

International Achievements:
Canada Cup Gold (1976)
Canada Cup Silver (1981)
2 x World Championship Bronze (1978, 1983)

IIHF Best Forward (1978)
IIHF Second Team All-Star (1983)

2 x Led Team Canada in points (1978, 1983)
2 x Led Team Canada in goals (1978, 1983)

IIHF Points – 4th(1978), 9th(1983)
IIHF Goals – 1st(1978), 4th(1983)
IIHF Assists – 3rd(1976)


Dispelling the Loser Myth


Year by year break-down

1976 – lost to Boston in 1st round. (7 games)
Boston had 113 points in a strong division, and Los Angeles had 85 points in a weak division.

Led LA in goals and points.
5th in total goals and 2nd in goals per game.

1977 – lost to Boston in the 1st round. (6 games)
Boston had 106 points, and Los Angeles had 83.

Led LA in assists and points.
7th in total points and 4th in points per game.
9th in total goals and 8th in goals per game.
8th in total assists and 4th in assists per game.

1978 – lost to Toronto in preliminary round. (2 games)
Toronto had 92 points, and Los Angeles had 77.

LA scored only 2 goals, and Dionne was pointless.

1979 – lost to New York in preliminary round (2 games)
New York had 91 points, and Los Angeles had 80.

LA scored 2 goals, and Dionne has an assist… so he was tied for the scoring lead.

1980 – lost to New York in preliminary round (4 games)
New York had 91 points, and Los Angeles had 74.

Led LA in assists and points.

1981 – lost to New York in preliminary round (4 games)
New York had 74 points, and Los Angeles had 99.

Led LA in assists and points.

1982 – defeated Edmonton in 1st round (5 games), and lost to Vancouver in the 2nd round (5 games)
Edmonton had 111 points, Vancouver had 77, and Los Angeles had 63.

Led LA in goals, and 2nd in points.
10th in total goals and 5th in goals per game.

1983 and 1984 – missed play-offs

1985 – lost to Edmonton in 1st round (3 games)
Edmonton had 109 points, and Los Angeles had 82.

Led LA in assists and 2nd in points.

1986 – missed play-offs.

1987 – lost to Philadelphia in 1st round (6 games)
Philadelphia had 100 points, New York had 76.

Only 1 goal and 1 assists….. but he was getting old.

Underdog Factor

Marcel Dionne played in 10 play-off series', and was the underdog 9 times. In those 9 series' as an underdog, Dionne's team finished an average of 22 points behind their opponent in the standinge!

The one series victory was over Edmonton, who finished 48 points ahead!

The Los Angeles Kings were a one line team, and pretty much a one player team. Can anyone name a defenseman from LA? How about somebody from the 2nd line?

Compared to Peers

-to come with more players drafted-

 

[BraveCanadian]

With their third round pick (96) in the 2012 ATD, the Guelph Platers have selected: Brett Hull, RW

Career Highlights:
2 time Stanley Cup Champion 1999, 2002
1991 Canada Cup Runner Up
1996 World Cup Champion
2002 Olympic Silver Medalist
Scored 50 goals in 49 games 1990-91
Scored 50 goals in 50 games 1991-92
Lead the NHL in goals 3 times.
5 time 50+ goal scorer, 8 time 40+, 13 time 30+.
89-90 Lady Byng Winner
90-91 Hart Memorial Trophy Winner
90-91 Lester B. Pearson Winner
9 Time Participant in the NHL All Star Game.
3 time NHL Post Season 1st All Star



Vitals:
Born: August 9, 1964
Position: RW
Height: 5-11
Weight: 200 lbs
Shoots: Right


Regular Season:

Brett Hull was a straight up trigger man during his NHL career - well known for having the ability to sneak into openings to receive the puck for his incredible one-timer. He had an incredibly quick release.

8 - Top 10 Finishes in Goals: 1, 1, 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10.
3 - Top 10 Finishes in Points: 2, 4, 5.

Hull was a threat to score during all situations:

7 - Top 10 Even Strength goal finishes: 1, 1, 1, 7, 8, 10, 10. (5th in career ES goals)
8 - Top 10 Powerplay goal finishes: 1, 1, 1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 10. (2nd in career PP goals)
3 - Top 10 Shorthanded goal finishes: 2, 3, 7.

During the three seasons that Hull won the NHL goal scoring title, he lapped the field:

1989-90
Hull 72
Yzerman 62
Neely 52

1990-91
Hull 86
Neely/Fleury/Yzerman 51

1991-92
Hull 70
Stevens 54
Roberts/Roenick 53

Hull's 86 goals in 90-91 is the highest goalscoring total in a season by anyone not named Wayne Gretzky. He is one of two players to ever score 70+ goals 3 times (Gretzky, 4), and currently ranks 3rd all time in goals with 741.

He was a true gamebreaker and is currently 3rd all time in game winning goals with 110.


Career Regular Season Stats:

GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|PIM|EV|PP|SH|GW
1269|741|650|1391|23|458|456|265|20|110

Playoffs:

Hull was a two time Stanley Cup winner and scored the controversial Cup winning goal for the Dallas Stars vs. the Buffalo Sabres in 1999.

He lead the NHL playoffs in goals twice (once in Dallas, once in Detroit) in his career, and lead the playoffs in scoring once (at the age of 35) when the Stars returned to the finals for the second straight year.

Brett Hull is the only player to score over 100 career playoff goals who did not play for the Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 80s.

Currently he is 4th all time in playoff goals and 6th all time in playoff points.

Career Playoff Stats:

GP|G|A|Pts|+/-|PIM|EV|PP|SH|GW
202|103|87|190|13|73|61|38|4|24

Continuing his regular season game breaking ability, Hull is currently tied with Wayne Gretzky for the most career game winning goals in the NHL playoffs with 24.



Quotations and Perspective:

"The Golden Brett" was a happy-go-lucky kid who people said was too lazy to make the NHL. But Brett soon proved them wrong. He was a goal scorer. A pure sniper, perhaps the best sniper that ever lived. His all-round game really improved over his career as he learned to use his teammates more and no longer was a defensive liability.
.
.
.
Often considered to be the type of player who would put himself ahead of the team. He finally shook that label in 1999 after signing as a free agent with the Dallas Stars. Under coach Ken Hitchcock, Hull bought into the the coach's defensive game plan that saw Hull's offensive opportunities plummet, yet the team's success skyrocketed. Hull played great - hustling back to cover his man, digging hard for lose pucks, doing small intangibles that helps the team win.

The fact is, as recently as last season, Brett, 25, may not have been able to talk about playing an entire game. He was always too lazy and too overweight. His father, 50, is a Hall of Famer, the greatest left wing ever to play the game. But until this season, Brett, a right wing, was pretty much a one-way player. Now he is a surprising second in the NHL in goals scored—with 25—and is quickly polishing other aspects of his game as well.

Last summer, at the Blues' behest, Hull embarked on a training-and-conditioning program that gave him a new shape and attitude. His defensive as well as offensive play, goal total and leadership skills have since been improving with the speed of the slap shot for which the Hull name became famous. Through the Blues' 3-3 tie with the Edmonton Oilers last Saturday night, Hull was second in goals to Luc Robitaille of the Los Angeles Kings, who had 26. Hull led the league in shots attempted, with 146, ranked seventh in scoring, with 45 points, and, significantly, had improved his plus/minus rating from an abysmal-17 last season to a +11 this year.

"He's a young man in a position to score a lot of goals in the NHL, and it was up to him whether he wanted to be an ordinary hockey player scoring 40 goals or be a damn good hockey player, improve in other areas of the game and score 55 to 65 goals," says Blues coach Brian Sutter, who as a player was known for his work ethic. "He's responded in all the things we wanted him to do."

.
.
.
Q: You've scored a lot of goals in the past few years. Your numbers have improved every year that you've played in the NHL. Now that you're at the top, the league MVP, is there still room for improvement?

A: That's one of the philosophies that (Blues Coach) Brian Sutter has taught me. There's room to improve every year. You have to look for areas to improve yourself all the time. Maybe not statistics-wise, but I can improve as a player. I can become more of a leader. I can become a better defensive player. Things like that.

.
.
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Hull, the pitiless scoring machine for the St. Louis Blues, likes to slip onto the ice while the play is ongoing, to lose himself amid the fast-paced, often randomly evolving action and to find the patch of open ice everyone else has momentarily forgotten.

"I believe that when you are most out of the play, you are the furthest in it," says Hull in a characteristically thoughtful assessment of his style. "My whole game, in fact, is based on deception. I'm there, and then I'm not. I don't do a lot because I don't want to be noticed. I don't want to be seen. I barely raise my arms when I score. I don't want people mad at me for making them look stupid. I don't want them looking for me."
.
.
.
"There comes that moment when I have lost myself and only the play finds me," says Hull, who last season captured the Hart Trophy, the N.H.L.'s Most Valuable Player award. "And I have nothing but confidence in my ability to bury that puck in the net in that moment."
.
.
.
Brett Hull is a master of minimalist improvisation. His shot, a high-voltage combustion of forearms and leg torque, is his entire act: passing, skating and checking are not what hockey fans pay to see him do. And he doesn't require a lot of time or terrain to unleash his salvos. Bobby Hull insists his son could get his shot off in a bird cage.
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.
.
[being compared to Bobby] From the neck up, he is anything but, the son being as cavalier about his talents as the father was obsessive, the son scoring goals as if by absent-minded accident while the father scored with a palpable force of will, the son cultivating his image as gifted goof-off whereas the father offered himself up as the tireless, toothless embodiment of hard work.

"Maybe I've got his genes, but I definitely don't have his personality," Brett says of the oft-made comparison with his father, who'd vanished from his life for the better part of a decade. "You're talking to the laziest man alive. I'm not into expending physical energy. I'm into expending mental energy."
.
.
.
But today, Hull is, without question, the most feared sniper in hockey, a danger not only from almost all distances but also from the most preposterous angles. He can pile-drive a slap shot through a goaltender from 60 paces, whip a puck into the net with a flash of his wrists or shovel in a stray rebound like the most practiced garbage collector.
.
.
.
"Sure, he shoots the puck a zillion miles an hour, and maybe his slap shot is nastier than his dad's, harder than there has ever been," says John Vanbiesbrouck, the veteran goaltender for the New York Rangers. "But let's get real. Brett Hull's shot is all about release."

Hull's prodigious talent for putting the puck in the goal has made him, along with Gretzky of the Los Angeles Kings and Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins, one of the elite performers of the game. "It's so special to score goals -- it's the home run," says Ron Caron, the Blues general manager, whose acquisition of Hull from the Calgary Flames in 1988 in return for a backup goaltender, Rick Wamsley, and a veteran defenseman, Rob Ramage, ranks as one of the most lopsided trades ever. "The red goal light is on, the arms are in the air, the people are out of their seats. Brett Hull has that dimension, and he's opened it full throttle. It's a gift not given to too many."

The physical package the gift comes in is less than formidable. At 5 feet 10 inches and 205 pounds, Hull looks less like a hockey player than a dissolute fraternity brother on spring break. And as a skater, he exhibits all the finesse of a Zamboni ice scraper. "On the ice, my dad was like a thoroughbred," Hull once said. "I'm more like a train. I chug."

It's a train that runs on its own deadly schedule. "He could be called a floater, but then he'll float back into scoring areas just when the puck happens to be arriving," says E. J. Maguire, the former assistant coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. "And at that point, of course, he can shoot the puck -- not only through the net, but through the end of the building. He's never a threat until the puck is within a circle of five feet of him. The entire thing is exasperating. It still blows people's minds."

.
.
.


"I never thought I had any great genius in the game," Hull says matter-of-factly. "I could score goals, and that's all I've ever been able to do. I can't do anything else."

The lacerating analysis is no sooner out of his mouth than the smirk is on his lips. Perhaps the self-disparagement is a legacy from childhood, a reflexive defense against the unforgiving upbraidings of his father. Regardless of its origins, Brett Hull continues to insist that he is nothing special -- an ordinary athlete, an ordinary guy -- even if deep down he doesn't completely believe it.

"I've got a reputation as a lazy, mostly unskilled player, without the great competitive edge -- and it looks like it'll never leave me," Hull says, his eyes showing resignation more than hurt. "It's undeserved."

Ron Hextall once summed up the opposition's take on Hull: "When he comes in on the wing, he's got an awful lot of speed. If you give him a hole, he hits it." And for his part, Hull has always had a pretty clear idea of what he has been paid to do. Possessed of a mean slapshot and a solid frame, Hull has had a decided knack for finding the back of the net throughout his career.

​

 

[hfboardsuser]

Boris Mikhailov

Position: RW
Height/Weight: 5'9, 165 lbs
Shoots: Left

If Boris has the puck, it's almost impossible to take it away from him. If he loses it, he immediately catches the offender and often causes the opponent to give it back. His peculiar manner of skating (with increasing acceleration), his perfectly sound passes, irresistible swiftness, determination in attacking, and his contempt for any danger on the ice- these are the qualities that are rapidly making him among the number of top-class strikers.

(Mikhailov is) one of the dirtiest players I've ever played against.

Boris Mikhailov was an exceptionally brave hockey player who knew how to ignore pain, to tolerate it even after the roughest methods of the most evil opponents.

(bold denotes league leader)

Season|Team|League|GP|G|A|P
1965-1966|Lokomotiv|Soviet|28|18|8|26
1966-1967|Lokomotiv|Soviet|44|20|7|27
1967-1968|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|43|29|16| 45
1968-1969|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|42|36|14| 50
1969-1970|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|44|40|15|55
1970-1971|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|40|32|15|47
1971-1972|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|31|20|13|33
1972-1973|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|30|24|13|37
1973-1974|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|31|18|9|27
1974-1975|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|35| 40 |11|51
1975-1976|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|36| 31 |8|39
1976-1977|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|34|28|23|51
1977-1978|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|35| 32 |20|52
1978-1979|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|43|30|24|54
1979-1980|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|41|27|23|50
1980-1981|CSKA Moskva|Soviet|15|4|5|9

Soviet League

-Holds all-time Soviet League goals (428) and points (652) marks
-Won 11 titles with CSKA (1968, 1970-1973, 1975, 1977-1981)
-Soviet League MVP: 1978, 1979

Goals: 1st (1975), 1st (1976), 1st (1978), 2nd (1969), 2nd (1970), 3rd (1971), 3rd (1977), 4th (1972), 4th (1973), 5th (1974)
Points: 1st (1968), 1st (1969), 2nd (1970), 2nd (1975), 3rd (1971), 4th (1972), 4th (1972), 5th (1977), 5th (1979)

International Play

-Eight-time world champion (1969-1971, 1973-1975, 1978, 1979)
-Best Forward, WC (1973, 1979)
-Most Goals, WC (1977, 1978)
-Most Points, WC (1974)

Style of Play

Boris Mikhailov, stationed in the slot in front of the goal like Russian Phil Esposito, tipped the puck with his stick and it flew into the net

The Russians jumped to a 2-0 first period lead on deflection goals by Boris Mikhailov.

Before the period ended Boris Mikhailov batted in his own rebound to make it 3-0

Boris Mikhailov likes to stand in front of the net. I know this from playing against him in the World Games last year. I tried to make him get the idea I didn't want him there.

The Russians tied it with a short-handed goal two minutes from the end of the first period when XXXXXXXX fed Boris Mikhailov on a two-on-one break.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Peter Å ťastný

​

-Czechoslovakian Golden Hockey Stick winner 1980
-Seven times top ten in NHL assists (2nd: 1982, 3rd: 1983, 4th: 1984 & '86, 6th: 1981 & '85, 9th: 1988)
-Six times top ten in NHL scoring (2nd: 1983, 3rd: 1982, 4th: 1984, 5th: 1988, 6th: 1981 & '86)
-Second most points scored in the 1980s

Although most Europeans grew up with the bigger ice surface and hated the smaller ice of the NHL, Stastny had just the opposite reaction to playing in North America. "The small ice made for a more physical game because you don't have much room to move. But I never minded. I could take a hit and keep the puck. But I liked the small ice. In fact, my favourite rink was the Boston Garden, where all of my teammates hated. But the way I saw it, you make one good move and you've got a great scoring chance. And if your teammates are skilled and well-positioned, you'll always get more chances than on the big ice."

Source

Playing on a team that emphasizes team defense, Stastny has arguably been the most effective two-way forward for the Devils (10-6-0), who were third in the league on defense going into tonight's games.

Source

He had such a pressence on the ice, you know, what he could do offensively, defensively, and physical game, speed game, he could play any kind of game. So there was no question that from there on we had a good team.

Peter Stastny was, to me, the toughest guy I ever played against, because...he was big, he was strong, he was fearless, etrodinarily talented and had a will to win that was as good as any player I ever played against.

 

[hfboardsuser]

Aleksandr Maltsev

Position: LW/C/RW
Height/Weight: 5'9, 169 lbs
Shoots: Left

The Soviet national team- is CSKA plus Maltsev.

Then I saw Maltsev score a goal I had never seen done before, and found myself applauding. At that point, I knew we were in trouble.

Maltsev could find his place with any coach- playing left, right and center forward.

With great speed, Maltsev was able to beat any Dynamo defender. He was very experienced, very clever, and strong. He had a sharp wrist shot, and could fire the puck with little preparation while disguising its intent. That made it dangerous for Maltsev- and every goalie in his country, and abroad.

I'm part of a trio orchestrated by Maltsev. Play him with anyone who can stand on skates and hold a stick- and he will score. Sasha's passes make it impossible to miss.

International Play

-All-time leading scorer for USSR internationally (321 GP, 213 goals)
-Scored 15 goals and 21 points at 1970 World Cup (record)

(bold denotes leader)

Year|Tournament|GP|G|A|P
1969|WC|10|5|6|11
1970|WC|10| 15 |6| 21
1971|WC|10|10|6|16
1972|WC|10|10| 12 | 22
1972|OG|5|4|3|7
1973|WC|9|7|6|13
1974|WC|10|6|4|10
1975|WC|10|8|6|14
1976|WC|5|3|3|6
1976|OG|6| 7 | 7 | 14
1977|WC|8|1|9|10
1978|WC|10|5|8|13
1980|OG|7|6|4|10
1981|WC|8|6|7|13
1983|WC|8|1|3|4

Soviet League

-Appeared in 529 games, scoring 329 goals.
-Soviet League MVP (1971)

Goals: 1st (1971), 2nd (1977), 4th (1972), 4th (1976)
Assists: 1st (1971), 2nd (1974), 2nd (1977), 3rd (1973), 4th (1972), 4th (1976), 5th (1975)
Points: 1st (1971), 2nd (1974), 2nd (1977), 3rd (1976), 5th (1972)

Style of Play

Later, Olga shouted 'Molodetz, Maltsev' as Soviet forward Alexander Maltsev sent a Flyer against the boards.

Moments later Maltsev worked himself free to the right of XXXXX XXXXXXXX and connected with a quick blast. Maltsev's first goal also developed from his ability to function at close range. He stood just outside the crease and beat (XXXXXXXX) with a flip shot after accepting a perfect pass

 

[BillyShoe1721]

LW Dickie Moore

5x Top 4 All Star Voting(1, 1, 2, 3, 4)
2x Top 8 Hart Trophy Voting(5, 8)
6x Stanley Cup Champion
6x NHL All Star Game Participant
2x Art Ross Trophy Winner
4x Top 7 Goals(1, 2, 3, 7)
4x Top 6 Assists(1, 2, 5, 6)
4x Top 8 Points(1, 1, 8, 8)
8x Top 9 Goals Playoffs(1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 8, 8, 9)
8x Top 9 Assists Playoffs(1, 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9)
7x Top 7 Points Playoffs(1, 1, 2, 4, 4, 5, 7)

Dickie Moore was one of hockey's most productive and exciting forwards during the 1950s. The talented left winger scored at least 20 goals six times, played on six Stanley Cup championship teams and is remembered as part of a potent forward line with Maurice and Henri Richard. Moore was among the NHL's best shooters and puckhandlers and could also skate better than most - an aggressive player whose robust style of play earned him the nickname "Digging Dickie."

After a promising beginning with 33 points in as many games for the Habs in 1951-52, Moore struggled to keep a regular place on the roster until 1954-55, but once he solidified his position in Montreal, he became a major offensive contributor on the franchise's Stanley Cup dynasty from 1956 to 1960. In 1957-58, he led all NHL snipers with 36 goals. He also won the scoring title with 84 points despite playing the final three months of the season with a cast on his broken wrist. His resolve to carry on regardless of the hardships incurred was an integral part of his personality.

The pinnacle of Moore's career came in 1958-59 when he got the Art Ross Trophy for an astonishing 96-point performance. He also led all playoff scorers with 17 points in 11 games. The 96-point effort broke Gordie Howe's league record and ended up as the second-highest single-season total of the pre-expansion era. Moore was selected to the NHL First All-Star Team both years he won the scoring championship and was placed on the Second Team in 1961. Despite many injuries that caused him to miss a host of regular-season games, Moore was always ready to compete in the post-season.

By the end of the 1962-63 season, injuries had taken their toll on the skillful winger. He retired immediately after the season but was convinced by the Canadiens brass to attend training camp, after which he stuck to his original plan to step away from the game.

Moore did return for 38 games with Toronto in 1964-65 and 27 matches with St. Louis in 1967-68. The comeback in St. Louis was initiated by scout Cliff Fletcher, who happened to attend one of Moore's oldtimers' games. Moore rediscovered his scoring touch in the playoffs with 14 points in 18 games when the team reached the Stanley Cup finals, only to lose out to Montreal. A popular and gifted NHL star, Moore was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974.

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/Lege...?mem=p197404&type=Player&page=bio&list=#photo

In Montreal, no person is more revered than Maurice "Rocket" Richard. That's why when a scout proclaimed Dickie Moore would make fans forget about the Rocket, Hab management eagerly listened.

Unfortunately injuries plagued Moore's career, but he never-the-less was a very effective and rugged player.

Although hampered by injuries such as knee operations, shoulder separations, broken hands and wrists and countless bruises, scars and wounds, he twice led the league in scoring. In fact in 1953 he recorded 96 points to set a new NHL record for points in a season. This feat is made more amazing in the fact that he played much of the season with a specially designed cast on his injured shooting wrist!

Moore was a decorated junior player, leading the Montreal Royals (1949) and Montreal Junior Canadiens (1950) to Memorial Cup championships. He wasn't noted as a goal scorer but rather as an intense and feisty power forward that had the Habs drooling.

Although Moore was part of the 1953 Stanley Cup championship team, Moore did not make the Habs full time until the 1954-55 season. His gritty game was the perfect addition to a team loaded with superstars. Much like a xxx with the 1980s New York Islanders or xxx with the late-1990s-early 2000s Detroit Red Wings, Moore supplied the necessary sandpaper to the Canadiens highly polished offensive game.

Somehow Moore's offensive game blossomed in Montreal, too. He would twice lead the entire league in scoring, winning the Art Ross trophy. Three times he scored 35 or more goals. The six time Stanley Cup champion also made the first all star team twice. He would finish his career with a total of 261 goals and 608 points in 719 NHL games.

One has to wonder had Moore's aggressive style not led to such severe injuries just how good Dickie Moore could have been. As it is, he is forever immortalized in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

http://habslegends.blogspot.com/2007/05/dickie-moore.html

… a six-time Stanley Cup winner and one of the greatest two-way left wingers in the history of the game… He was tough, rambunctious and drove the net like a demon. Had the Selke Trophy been in existence when he played, Moore likely would have won an armful of them.

-The Hockey News: Top 100

On the ice, Dickie Moore was something else: a tiger in the corners of the rink where the timid fear to tread; a radar-like passer who also enjoyed superb accuracy when he took a shot on goal; and, more than anything, a man of leonine courage, as much as anyone who ever played in the NHL.

Dickie’s talent was all-inclusive. He shot hard and accurately, stickhandled and passes well, played wight or left wing, worked easily with all players, and at 5’11â€, 170 pounds, played rugged and smart defense.

-Those Were the Days

When Maurice Richard and Doug Harvey faded, I expected Dickie to take over as leader of the team, and he did.

-Undrafted

Dickie was a fighter, a real worker. I remember seeing him in junior hockey against Jean Beliveau’s team, the Quebec Citadelles. Just about the whole team went after Dickie but he wasn’t afraid in the least. He fought everybody on the ice and held his own. It was the same way with him in the NHL, except he had to fight injuries as well.

-Maurice Richard

Moore deserved it (the scoring title). He’s the most valuable player on the Canadiens.

As dedicated to winning as any athlete I’ve ever known. Rough, tough, talented, and a brilliant guy in his own way.

-Red Fisher

An excellent stickhandler and skater with a hard, accurate shot, Moore became one of the NHL’s top offensive stars. He was also handy with his elbows and fists, and his aggressive play earned him the nickname Digger.

-Hockey's Glory Days

Since time began, players have tried to play the game without sweating, and it doesn’t work that way, and he was totally prepared to sacrifice everything. He sacrificed his body.

-Glenn Hall

Dickie Moore was the most under-rated great player that I ever saw. He took more abuse and contributed more than any player. He was on a team that had glowing characters, like Rocket Richard, the Pocket Rocket, Bernie “Boom Boom†Geoffrion, Jacques Plante, Doug Harvey, and all these guys were flamboyant in various ways. Dickie Moore just went out there – he played very tough, like Ted Lindsay played tough, but he scored.

-Stan Fischler

He was quite willing to play a back seat to Rocket and Beliveau and even Boom Boom Geoffrion. He was just delighted to be part of an organization that won Stanley Cups year after year. The sheer love of the game was so obvious in Dickie Moore, and they adored him in Montreal. They adored what he could do on the ice – they loved his pluck and his grit and the fact that he just fit right in.

-Brian McFarland

Dickie Moore going to St. Louis, in the expansion draft, even at 60% of his potential, brought class, skill, hard work, and certainly a winning spirit, and he’s not going to cost you any headaches. That’s what you want in a fellow – just go out and do his job game in and game out, and always be plus.

-Howie Meeker

When he came back from being nearly in the cemetery, he played for St. Louis and they got to the finals. Scotty Bowman raves about how well he played when everyone thought he was done. He didn’t have the wheels he used to have, but he had the know-how, and he was a fierce, competitive guy…. I always thought that Dickie Moore was the best Montreal Canadien player in my books. There was Richard, Beliveau, Harvey, and other guys too, but Moore seemed to have something they didn’t. I’m not saying he was as talented, but he got the job done.

-Harry Neale

He was a great play-off performer. He scored real key goals for us.

-Undrafted

I wasn’t the biggest built kid, but I felt I had a big heart. I could match anybody.

-Dickie Moore

-Credit to Nalyd and Dreak for those quotes

Moore was a swift skater and savvy stickhandler. With a vast array of skills, Moore would eventually become one of the premier talents in the Original Six era, a double-threat who combined finesse with toughness. It would hardly be an easy path to greatness, but the future Hall of Famer would not be denied his rightful place in the sport.

-NHL Alumni

Most days you can find a six-time Stanley Cup winner and one of the greatest two-way left wingers in the history of the game at his desk, where he’s president of Dickie Moore Rentals. Moore could play the game any way you wanted – in the back alley, along the boards or dangling in the offensive zone – so it’s certainly no shock that he carved such a versatile post-career niche for himself.

http://tophockey.info/dickie-moore

Dickie Moore's remarkable skill and superior determination made him a key component in the most extraordinary dynasty in the history of the National Hockey League. Between 1956 and 1960, the Montreal Canadiens collected an unprecedented five consecutive Stanley Cup championships, with Moore contributing by winning the league scoring championship in both 1958 and 1959.

http://www.hhof.com/htmlSpotlight/spot_oneononep197404.shtml

Pride, skill and determination are all attributes that come to mind when Dickie Moore’s name is mentioned. An outstanding all-around player who approached the game with unmatched ferocity, he spent 12 years with the Canadiens, emerging from his time in the hockey world as one of the greatest wingers in Habs history.

A standout junior who played on Memorial Cup Championship teams in both 1949 and 1950, he broke in with the Habs midway through the 1951-52 season and was assigned two veteran linemates. With Elmer Lach at center and Moore’s boyhood idol, Maurice Richard, on the right side, the rookie picked up 33 points in as many games and continued to shine in the postseason.

Injuries kept Moore from full-time duty over the next two seasons but he answered the call come playoff time, showing the fire and the poise of a veteran when the stakes were at their highest. The Habs won the Stanley Cup in 1953 and the subsequent spring, Moore’s 13 points led all playoff scorers.

Toe Blake’s decision to place rookie Henri Richard between Moore and “The Rocket†the following year resulted in a forward line that was one of the NHL’s best for the next nine years.

All three men were among the most combative players the game has ever seen. Maurice Richard was still the most dangerous man in the hockey world from the blue line in. His younger brother had very few peers when it came to carrying and controlling the puck.

Five consecutive Stanley Cups came Montreal’s way as the tough kid from a rough Montreal neighborhood continued to establish himself as a star. Moore had all the tools at his disposal and he used every one of them effectively. He was a strong skater, smooth stickhandler, crisp passer and had a strong accurate shot.

An offensive threat as much as anyone on the roster, Moore’s greatest asset lay in what he didn’t do. The 5-foot-10, 168-pounder refused to back down from anyone and he refused to lose. Whether it was a race for a loose puck, a battle along the boards or a round of fisticuffs, Moore usually emerged victorious.

http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/player/Dickie-Moore

When the Montreal Canadiens were building one of the best hockey clubs of all time during the early 1950s, Richard Winston "Dickie" Moore was among the most gifted young players signed by the Montreal brass. Brash to a fault, Moore was at first believed to be uncontrollable, but the combination of tough coach xxx, later the equally tough xxx, and Maurice Richard and Doug Harvey settled Dickie into a calmer, more manageable position. The results were sensational. Along with Boom-Boom Geoffrion, Jean Beliveau, and xxx, Moore became one of the most significant Canadiens. So significant that out of town newspapermen soon took notice of his talents.

"We like Moore," said Jim Vipond in his Toronto Globe and Mail Column. "He's a chippy operator who mixes with the toughest and still knows how to stickhandle and skate his way to the opposition net.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wp...AA#v=onepage&q=dickie moore canadiens&f=false

Moore had also suffered an unusual injury that season. He got the worst of a scuffle with Detroit defenseman xxx during a game in early February and damaged his left wrist. He had it X-rayed. Doctors saw no signs of a fracture, but the arm remained tender and the injury did not heal. A second X-ray at the end of February revealed that he had broken a small bone between the wrist and the hand. His doctor recommended surgery, but Moore refused. An operation would have cost him the scoring title.

Instead, the physician wrapped the injured limb in plaster from palm of the hand to the elbow. The cast severely impaired Moore's shooting ability, but he could still score on deflections, rebounds, and tip-ins. He finished first in scoring with 84 points, four better than Henri Richard. He led the league in goals(36) and game-winners(8) and played superb defensive hockey, allowing wingers opposite him just three goals all season.

http://books.google.com/books?id=jG...AQ#v=onepage&q=dickie moore canadiens&f=false

Moore's courage was remarkable, and his ability and desire to overcome countless physical setbacks was an inspiration to his teammates.

They didn't come much tougher than Montreal Canadiens' left winger Dickie Moore. Despite racking up 608 points and 6 Stanley Cups in 14 seasons, Moore's outstanding play was often overshadowed on a team that featured Rocket Richard, Bernie Geoffrion, Jean Beliveau, Jacques Plante, and Doug Harvey. Even as a left winger, Moore was often overlooked by the more visible exploits of Ted Lindsay and later, Frank Mahovlich and Bobby Hull. In truth, Moore may have been the real inspiration behind the great Canadiens teams of the 1950s.

http://books.google.com/books?id=fE...Ag#v=onepage&q=dickie moore canadiens&f=false

An excellent stickhandler and skater with a hard, accurate shot, Moore became one of the NHL's top offensive stars. He was also handy with his elbows and fists, and his aggressive play earned him the nickname Digger.

http://books.google.com/books?id=8m...gK#v=onepage&q=dickie moore canadiens&f=false

 

[Velociraptor]

Bernie Parent, G

Position: Goaltender
HT/WT: 5'10", 170 lbs
Shoots/Catches: Left
Nickname(s): "Benny", "Barnyard"
Born: April 3rd, 1945 in Montreal, QC

- inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1984)
- 2-time Stanley Cup Champion (1974, 1975)
- 2-time recipient of the Conne Smythe Memorial Trophy (1974, 1975)
- 2-time Vezina Trophy Winner (1974, 1975)
- 2-time Member of the NHL First All-Star Team (1974, 1975)
- 1-time Member of the WHA Second All-Star Team (1973)
- Finished Top-10 10 times in All-Star Voting (1st, 1st, 4th, 4th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 6th, 7th)
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game 5 times (1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1977)
- 271 wins, 54 shutouts, career GAA of 2.55 in 608 games played.
- 38 wins, 6 shutouts, career GAA of 2.43 in 71 playoff games played.
- Top-2 in Playoff sv% Twice (1st, 2nd) - Combined sv% in these two seasons was .929, the rest of the NHL averaged .899!
- After a rough start with Boston, Parent never finished below 11th in sv% among the 23-35 goalies with 1000+ minutes. In the season that he was 11th, this was among 35 goalies with 1000+ minutes, and he was still 8 points above the league average! (.899-.891)

For more on sv% in Parent's time, see here:

Top 10 Finishes:
Wins - 6x - (1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 10)
Save Percentage - 9x - (1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9)
Goals Against Average - 11x - (1, 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10)
Shutouts - 11x - (1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9)

Voting Record

Hart Voting Record:

2nd (73-74), 4th (74-75)

Quotes

When Parent is out there, we know we can win games we have no business winning

He's probably got more natural ability than any goaltender in this league

Legends of Hockey

In the early part of his career, Parent tended goal with the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he was best known for being the clutch netminder on the Philadelphia Flyers' championship teams.

Parent was a stand-up goalie, a technique he learned from his boyhood hero, Jacques Plante.

Returning to the Flyers, Parent became a sports hero in the City of Brotherly Love. One local bumper sticker read, "Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent." Now part of the Flyers' Broad Street Bullies, Parent and his teammates won the Stanley Cup twice in a row, in 1974 and 1975. In both seasons, Parent won the Vezina Trophy as best goalie and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Sadly, Parent's remarkable career was short-lived. In a freak accident, a stick hit him in his right eye when he was 34, causing permanent damage to his depth perception and his ability to focus. Parent was forced to retire from hockey in 1979. He was then signed by the Flyers as "special assignments" coach in 1979, notably to advise goalies, just as Plante had once helped him.

Greatest Hockey Legends

Beset by troubling injuries that robbed him of many of his best years of his career, Bernie Parent doesn't always get consideration for the greatest goalie of all time.

Yet anyone who saw him play in the mid-1970s knows few goalies have ever played at a higher level than Bernie Parent.

Much like Dominik Hasek 20 years later with Buffalo, for a period of time Parent was simply incredible. He was "the second coming of Jacques Plante" and the Flyers "undisputed MVP." Neither of the Flyers' much celebrated back to back Stanley Cup championships would have been possible without Parent.

For the next couple of seasons Plante mentored Parent, who was more than eager to soak up anything and everything his idol would offer. Plante's influence on Parent became obvious. Gump Worsley described Parent as "a carbon copy" of [Plante], while Gerry Cheevers called him "a fat Jacques Plante."

In 1973-74 he established himself as the best goalie in hockey. He played more minutes (4314), had more wins (47), had more shutouts (12) and had a better GAA (1.89) than any other goalie, earning the Vezina trophy. In the playoffs he would impossibly take his game to a higher level, upsetting the heavily favored Boston Bruins, sporting Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, for the Stanley Cup. Parent was the obvious choice as playoff MVP and earned the Conn Smythe trophy.

The following season Parent proved his success was no fluke. He notched another 44 wins, another 12 shutouts, another Vezina Trophy in the regular season, and another Smythe trophy en route to another Stanley Cup in the playoffs.

The Flyers very well may have won a third consecutive Cup title, and by doing so ensuring a loftier legacy of dynasty, but Parent missed most of the year with a serious neck injury. The Flyers did return to another Cup final thanks to the goaltending of Wayne Stephenson, but they were swept by the new/old power in the league - the Montreal Canadiens.

The THN Top-100 Players of All-Time

A superb positional goalie...

Goaltenders: The Expansion Years

Parent turned in one of the best goaltending performances ever during the 1973-74 season and did not stop there... had an encore performance the following year... was still as dominant a goaltender as there was in the game.

Lord Stanley's Cup

Without him, there is no cup in Philadelphia.

Players: The Ultimate A-Z Guide Of Everyone Who Has Ever Played In the NHL

It is almost a universally accepted fact that the most talentless teams to win the cup were Philadelphia's in 1974 and 1975. It also is an even greater surety that the Flyers never, ever would have won had it not been for the mind-boggling goaltending of Bernie Parent.

Ultimate Hockey

Parent always seemed to know where the puck had the best chance of hitting him. Rather than flail at shots, he accepted them, cleanly snatching or deflecting the puck out of harm's way. His movements were economical and fluid. Such serenity seemed to rub off on his teammates and make them believe they couldn't lose with him in net.

Kings of the Ice

Parent was a master at moving out to cut down a shooter's angle.

Without Fear

Reaching the finals for the first time in their history, the Flyers weren't expected to beat the mighty Bruins led by Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito. But Parent had other ideas and with every sparkling stop, he installed that belief system within his teammates... No goalie in the league controlled rebounds better than Parent. he stood up and challenged the shooters, rarely presenting an opening to them. "He was so patient, that was his best quality", says XXXXX. "he didn't make the first move. He'd wait the shooter out."... In the decisive sixth game of that 1974 final, Parent made the first period goal stand up, stopping 30 shots for a 1-0 victory... "If you look at that era, Dryden was coming up, but if you said 'who would you want in a seven-game series, Dryden or Parent?' it would be Parent", says XXXXXXX. Even opponents marvelled at Parent's capabilities. "There was a year or two when he was invincible", former NY Islanders GM Bill Torrey says. "He never got the credit. It was always the Broad Street Bullies or Bobby Clarke. he never got the credit for how important he was to that team."... Often he'd laugh in the midst of the most significant games. "He would lean over to me and say 'hey XXXXXX, how's she going?' and he would laugh. I think it was to relax me, to break the tension, and to relax himself. And part of it was his sense of humour. In the middle of the heat of battle he would do this."

Philadelphia Sunday Bulletin, 1974 playoffs

What has been happening to Bernie Parent the past week and a half should only happen to crooked politicians and oil company executives. It is cruel what they are asking the little guy to endure... Too many times during this current Rangers/Flyers series, Parent has been asked to stand there and parry a mass of flying hockey pucks that, around the Flyers' goal, look like exploding popcorn kernels. But with reflexes that, to describe, would result in a whole paragraph of superlatives, the guy has survived and the Flyers with him.

Score! My 25 Years With the Broad Street Bullies

Granted, Parent had a losing record at the time, but that was because he often had to have a shutout to earn a tie. To many people, the first blockbuster trade in Flyers history was a depressing one. Fans cried. Bernie cried. his teammates cried. I cried.

What an extraordinary year his first Vezina season was. And when I say "season", I mean that almost literally, since Bernie played all but six games. He lost only thirteen of his 72 starts, tying twelve, and winning 47.

Bernie was the artist and charmer whom everyone loved to cherish and adore... for those two back to back seasons, no goaltender was ever better, and no goaltender could have been any better...

In the 1976-77 season, principally because of Bernie, the Flyers won their fourth consecutive Clarence Campbell Bowl as the best in the West.

XXXXXXXX and Bernie were both perfect through the first two periods (of that 1975 Finals game), although the desperate Sabres repeatedly stormed Bernie, just the way the Bruins had the previous year. I still to this day don't know how at least some of the Sabres' laser shots didn't go in, especially during several powerplays - both 5-on-4 and 4-on-3. Yes, I suppose I do know. It was because Bernie was just that good!

NHL Coaches Polls from the 1970's

Best Goalie|3rd|1971
Best Goalie|T-1st|1974
Best Goalie|3rd|1979
MVP|3rd|1974

Here's a nice piece made by seventieslord:

Fun with Numbers!

A. Playing for a Dirty Team

As you know, save percentages plummet when facing a powerplay. A goalie who faces more powerplays than another, all things being equal, will have a harder time posting a high sv%. Last season, for example, the NHL save percentage versus the PP was .8677, and .9185 against all other shots. So a PP shot was about 62% more likely to enter the net than any other average shot. I already showed you how Bernie Parent's save percentage was often awesome, now consider that he played on the Philadelphia Flyers, the team that faced an awfully large number of powerplays.

Here is the year by year league ranking in PPOA for Parent's team in all of his NHL seasons, and the number of teams in the league:

2/6
4/6
1/12
4/12
2/12
4/14
8/14 (Leafs)
1/16 (35% more than 2nd place!)
1/18 (37% more than 2nd place!)
1/18
1/18
1/18
1/17

During Parent's 9 full seasons with the Flyers, here are the total PPOA/GP for all 18 franchises:

1. Philadelphia 4.64
2. Boston 3.94
3. Detroit 3.92
4. NY Islanders 3.80
5. Toronto 3.68
6. Washington 3.51
7. St. Louis 3.50
8. Los Angeles 3.50
9. Chicago 3.46
10. Buffalo 3.38
11. Vancouver 3.34
12. NY Rangers 3.34
13. Atlanta 3.29
14. Pittsburgh 3.24
15. Minnesota 3.23
16. California/Oakland/Cleveland 3.15
17. Montreal 3.09
18. Kansas City/Colorado 3.06

Not only is Philadelphia at the top of this list, but the difference between them and 2nd-place Boston is the same as the difference between Boston and 14th-place Pittsburgh!

Yet, here are the save percentages of the 15 goalies with the most games over these 9 seasons:

1. Parent .918
2. Dryden .917
3. Esposito .912
4. XXXXXX .902
5. XXXXXX .900
6. XXXXXX .899
7. XXXXXX .899
8. XXXXXX .898
9. XXXXXX .897
10. XXXXXX .896
11. XXXXXX .896
12. XXXXXX .889
13. XXXXXX .886
14. XXXXXX .884
15. XXXXXX .879

That's right, Parent even edged Dryden in sv% over these seasons, even though he faced 50% more powerplays per game than Dryden.

B. Playoff Domination

There have been 96 instances of a goalie having a 900-minute playoff, all post-expansion. For each of these instances, I calculated the goalie's error rate (1 minus sv%) and then calculated the error rate for the rest of the league (not the league average, but the league average with the goalie in question removed) - I then divided the goalie's error rate by the league error rate and ranked the results. At the top of the list you would find the goalies whose error rates were the best compared to the field, and at the bottom you would find those who performed the poorest. Here is what I found:

XXXX | XXXX | 0.615
XXXX | XXXX | 0.636
1993 | Roy | 0.654
1995 | Brodeur | 0.660
1998 | Hasek | 0.664
1983 | B.Smith | 0.673
1974 | Parent | 0.674
XXXX | XXXX | 0.676
1995 | Belfour | 0.696
XXXX | XXXX | 0.701
XXXX | XXXX | 0.704
XXXX | XXXX | 0.710
1986 | Roy | 0.710
1974 | Esposito | 0.721
2001 | Roy | 0.724
1989 | Roy | 0.724
1999 | Hasek | 0.728
1978 | Dryden | 0.734
XXXX | XXXX | 0.740
1975 | Parent | 0.744

- The top score of .615 means that the goalie was just 61.5% as likely to allow a goal as an average goalie. Or, inversely, an average goalie was 62.6% more likely to allow a goal than them.
- Parent's 1974 and 1975 seasons occupy 7th and 20th out of the 96 instances.
- Parent is one of just three goalies to show up twice or more. Hasek (5th for 1998 and 17th for 1999) and Roy (3rd for 1993, 13th for 1986, 15th for 2001, and 16th for 1989) are the others.

C. With or Without You

Another way to assess a goalie's dominance is to compare their statistics to the sum of other goalies to play for their team during that same time. Backup goalies are generally of similar quality and generally play weaker teams. I decided to run some quick comparisons on some already-drafted goalies. Keep in mind that they need to have had a decent sample of other goalies playing for that team during their career, so a guy like Glenn Hall is not included, for obvious reasons, and neither is Terry Sawchuk, who missed just 13 games in his 5 dominant seasons. Also, this is not favourable to someone like Bower, who formed a HHOF tandem with Sawchuk. I will only do comparisons with the one franchise the goalie is best associated with. I could analyze sv% for all goalies, but for the pre-1983 goalies this would take a lot of work so I will use GAA for them as this can be done easily with hockey-reference.com. (shots against should be fairly steady on the same team, so GAA would work as a reciprocal of sv%) - Here is a list of some drafted goalies and the percentage by which they outperformed the rest of their team's goalies. (for GAA analysis it is goalie's GAA/teammates GAA, for sv% goalies it is goalie's error rate/teammates error rate.)

Goalie | Team/Years | GAA/err% | Team GAA/err% | Goalie/Team
Hasek | BUF 1994-2001 | 0.072 | 0.101 | 0.71
Parent | PHI 1968-1979 | 2.42 | 2.98 | 0.81
Roy | MTL 1986-1996 | 0.096 | 0.113 | 0.85
Dryden | MTL 1971-1979 | 2.43 | 2.83 | 0.86
Esposito | CHI 1969-1984 | 2.93 | 3.39 | 0.86
Brodeur | NJD 1994-2010 | 0.088 | 0.100 | 0.88
Plante | MTL 1953-1963 | 2.23 | 2.43 | 0.92
Belfour | CHI 1991-1997 | 0.095 | 0.098 | 0.97
Smith | NYI 1973-1989 | 3.16 | 3.13 | 1.01
Fuhr | EDM 1984-1991 | 0.118 | 0.114 | 1.04

 

[BenchBrawl]

ADAM OATES

INFOS

Position: C
Shoots: Right
Height: 5-11
Weight: 190 lbs.
1420 pts in 1337 games ( 1079 assists )
156 pts in 163 playoff games ( 114 assists )
All-Star Team: 2nd
Top 10 assists: 1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th
Top 10 points: 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 10th, 10th


QUOTES

Joe Pelletier:

When Oates started playing hockey and lacrosse as a child, his father insisted that he "be like Stanley - unselfish."

Oates’ puck handling and distributing skills, as well as his sure hands, have made him the second-best passer of his time and the player most commonly compared with the best, Wayne Gretzky. Like other on-ice visionaries, Oates changes speeds and uses subtle shifts in movement and positioning to put defenders off balance. He became an NHL star because of his impeccable passing skills, uncanny ability to anticipate plays and outstanding on-ice vision. He was at times unselfish almost to a fault. But he was far from a one dimensional player. In fact, he was an underrated defensive center and was particularly utilized on the penalty kill or when there was a defensive zone face-off late in the game. His defensive awareness made him invaluable as it would allow his coaches to go head to head with the other team's big line without fear.

He ranks 6th all time in career assists , His career assists per game ratio of 0.85 is only outdone by Bobby Orr (0.98), Mario Lemieux (1.13) and Gretzky (1.32).

Brett Hull:

As far as I'm concerned, he's the second best playmaking center behind Wayne Gretzky in hockey

 

[Rob Scuderi]

D Rob Blake
6'4" 220, shoots Right

777 points in 1270 GP
73 points in 146 playoff GP

x1 Norris Trophy winner
x1 1st NHL AST
x3 2nd NHL AST
x7 NHL ASG
x1 SC winner

x1 OG Gold ('02)
x2 World Championship Gold ('94, '97)
x1 World Championship Silver ('91)
x1 World Cup Silver ('96)
x1 World Championship Best Defender and All-Star Team ('97)

Defenseman Scoring finishes: 3 ('00), 3 ('01), 3 ('02), 8 ('98), 9 ('94), 9 ('04), 11 ('03), 11 ('06)
Norris Trophy voting: 1('98), 3 ('00), 3 ('02), 4 ('01), 5 ('03), 8 ('04), 12 ('06),
All-Star Team voting: 2 ('98), 3 ('00), 3 ('01), 3 ('02), 5 ('03), 8 ('04), T11 ('94), 21 ('09)
Hart Trophy voting: 10 ('98), T23 ('01)

"He can get from the front of the net into the corners as quickly as anyone I've ever seen. He's jumping up into the play without any hesitation and that's really encouraging. Our whole team seems to build off of him."

http://articles.latimes.com/1997/dec/02/sports/sp-59881

Asked about the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Blake, Cap Raeder, who coaches the defensemen and goalies, shakes his head in wonder.

"He has just played outstanding," Raeder said. "He's got a great head on his shoulders. He's got size and he's just what we needed, a right-handed shooter with good mobility."

So suddenly, Blake has been thrust into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

From no pressure to high drama.

"It's one step to go from college to the NHL," he said. "It's another to go from the NHL to the playoffs. The speed, the strength and the intensity are all greater."

If Blake is intimidated, fellow defenseman Robinson hasn't noticed.

"He has accounted for himself really well," Robinson said. "He's done everything. He's big, strong, moves the puck well and seems like he has a great attitude."

"I don't even know what to say about the guy," Gretzky said. "This kid has great skills and is tough. I don't know if he even knows how good he's going to be."

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-04-14/sports/sp-1095_1_rob-blake

"Blakey's played that way his whole career," Kings forward Michael Cammalleri said Monday. "He's been a great teammate and a passionate guy and never afraid to stand up for his teammates or to set a statement when it needs to be done.

"So I know when I played against him when he was in Colorado, it was no fun. If you did something, you were going to get a good stiff left hand, a straight arm right to the chin. So he's just continuing to do what he's always done."

"Once Blake gets it in his hands, we've got to close him out more and not give him as much time as he had [Tuesday]," Pronger said. "He was able to kind of walk down and take his pick of shooting or trying to make a pass across the crease or, like you saw on the winning goal, he threw it in the slot."

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/23/sports/sp-elliott-ducks23

Blake stayed on for a third year, making the M division's First All-Star team, being named a Hobey Baker Award finalist, and getting called up to the Kings for the last four games of the regular season to experience a taste of NHL life. The following season, he made the team with an outstanding performance in training camp and became the team's number one defenseman.

Blake was thrilled to be joining an L.A. team that featured Wayne Gretzky. An offensive defenseman who was equally adept in his own end, Blake cherished the opportunity to join the rush when Gretzky had the puck, and in his first year he had 12 goals and 46 points from the blue line. Gretzky took to Blake immediately, and likened him to a young Paul Coffey due to his offensive talent and his superb shot, which became an integral part of the Los Angeles powerplay that Gretzky orchestrated.

In each full season Blake played, his numbers increased, but at the same time injuries were forever taking up a large part of his season. In 1994-95, he missed 24 games with a pulled groin and the next year he tore an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) just six games into the season and missed the remainder of the year. He has also broken his hand and foot, resulting in further long stretches away from the ice.

An early highlight of Blake's career came during the 1993 playoffs when the team, led by Gretzky, made it to the Stanley Cup finals. Along the way they beat Calgary and Vancouver and then eliminated Toronto in game seven at Maple Leaf Gardens. But in the finals Blake and the Kings faced a Montreal team that had won 10 overtime games in these playoffs, and the Kings lost in six games. Blake had 10 points that spring and anchored a defense that was virtually impenetrable until that Habs series.

The Kings performed well on a regular basis during most of the 1990s, but never fared well in the playoffs beyond 1993. The result was that Blake had a chance to successfully represent Canada internationally on many occasions, each time happily taking advantage of the honor and experience. He played at the World Championships in 1991, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999, winning a gold medal on the 1994 and 1997 teams and a silver in 1991. He also played in the World Cup in 1996, and was key to Canada's defense at the Nagano Olympics in 1998, where he was named the best defenseman in the tournament. Following Nagano, Blake returned to the Kings lineup and continued his strong play, enabling him to capture the 1998 James Norris Trophy as the league's Top Defenseman. After parts of 12 seasons with the Kings, Blake was acquired by the Colorado Avalanche in the latter stages of the 2000-01 season. Upon his arrival with the Avs, Blake was instrumental in leading the Avs to the 2001 Stanley Cup title. On the international stage, Blake has represented Canada in the Winter Olympics on three occasions (1998, 2002, 2006), earning a Gold-Medal in 2002.

 

[Dreakmur]

Between 1940 and 1952, Nels Stewart was the NHL's all-time goal-scoring leader. One of the most lethal offensive players of his day, he earned the nickname "Old Poison" because of his deadly accurate shot. Stewart also had a dark side, and he was more than willing to use his stick or mix it up with members of the opposition whenever the mood struck him.

Truculent Nels Stewart was nicknamed "Old Poison" as he was the most feared goal scorer of his time.

… he was lethal with his shot once he did get the puck. His shot was fast and heavy, and noted to cause a more than a few injuries to the maskless goalies of the era, most notably Lorne Chabot in the 1928 playoffs.

Nels Stewart !!!​

Awards and Achievements:
Stanley Cup Champion (1926)

Retro Conn Smyth Trophy (1926)
2 x Hart Trophy Winner (1926, 1930)

3 x USAHA All-Star (1923, 1924, 1925) *named by Louis Gallop of the Pioneer Press
4 x USAHA Leading Scorer (1921, 1923, 1924, 1925)

Statistics:
Points – 1st(1926), 2nd(1929), 4th(1934), 5th(1928), 6th(1930), 7th(1931), 8th(1937), 9th(1933), 10th(1935), 10th(1938), 15th(1939), 17th(1932), 17th(1936) 18th(1927)

Goals – 1st(1926), 1st(1937), 2nd(1929), 3rd(1928), 3rd(1934), 4th(1930), 4th(1931), 5th(1935), 7th(1932), 8th(1927), 8th(1938), 9th(1933), 9th(1939), 15th(1936)

Assists – 6th(1926), 8th(1929), 11th(1931), 12th(1934), 14th(1928), 15th(1933), 18th(1939), 19th(1930)

5 Year Peak: 1926-1930
2nd in Points (97% of Howie Morenz)
1st in Goals (100% of Howie Morenz)

10 Year Peak: 1926-1935
2nd in Points (98% of Howie Morenz)
1st in Goals (111% of Bill Cook)

15 Year Peak: 1926-1940
1st in Points (124% of Howie Morenz)
1st in Goals (141% of Howie Morenz)


Play-off Points – 1st(1926), 3rd(1928), 8th(1936)
Play-off Goals – 1st(1926)2nd(1928), 7th(1933)
Play-off Assists – 1st(1926), 3rd(1928), 8th(1936)

5 Year Play-off Peak: 1926-1930
1st in Points (116% of Frank Boucher)
1st in Goals (100% of Frank Boucher)

10 Year Play-off Peak: 1926-1935
5th in Points (65% of Frank Boucher)
4th in Goals (80% of Bun Cook)

15 Year Play-off Peak: 1926-1940
4th in Points (78% of Frank Boucher)
5th in Goals (88% of Gordie Drillon)

He is a two-fisted fighting player, and the greatest inside player in the game. We mean to continue our effort to buy more players of his type.

He earned the nickname “Ol’ Poison†in part because of his deadly shooting around the net and in part for a mean streak that made him doubly dangerous to opponents.

Take a goal-scorer like Stewart. In today’s game he’d score 100 goals. He was terrific in front of the net, a big strong fellow who had moves like a cat. Stewart never seemed to be paying any attention to where the puck was and, if you were checking him, he’d even hold little conversations with you; but the minute he’d see the puck coming his way he’d bump you, take the puck, and go off and score.

Nels Stewart was another great. He was slow but deadly with the stick and tremendous around the net.

Nels Stewart, the new Montreal center and defense player, had proved a real find and led the goal scorers in his first year He was awarded the Hart trophy.

….

Nelson Stewart playing defense, rambled down the ice for two goals…

Big Nels had the build of a defenseman, but his knack of always being in position for a shot on goal kept him in the forward line. His peculiar skating style was very deceptive and he appeared slow-footed compared to some of the nimble forwards, but there was no question as to the deadly accuracy of his shot.

The Maroons center, Nels Stewart, had it in for Shore all night. He managed a stiff check, but otherwise could not get the Bruin. As Boston scored more unanswered goals, Stewart’s frustration grew, and in the third period he took it out on Frank Frederickson, caught off balance from just having shot the puck near the boards. Stewart was known to be so lazy that he bothered to move his hefty frame only to take a shot on net or to hit somebody, and on this occasion, true to form, he leisurely shifted his bulk over a few inches to connect with Frederickson. The Bruin went up into the air, hitting his head off the wire fence above the back boards, bounced off, and landed back on the ice, face down. He didn’t move. Fans leapt into the ice and Frederickson was carried off, comatose, by the faithful to the dressing room.

Its hard to believe a Hart Trophy winner and NHL goal scoring champ could have scored 324 goals by being lazy. Perhaps Stewart was more deceptive than lazy. After all, detractors also mislabeled more modern big men of the game such as Frank Mahovlich and Mario Lemieux.

Nelson Stewart, tricky center player for the Maroons, was the outstanding star of the game. Stewart accounted for four of Montreal’s five goals, all of them on smart displays of stickhandling.

Nels Stewart should be back on defence. He hasn’t the speed for the forward division, but has all the qualities for a first rate defense player.

Nels Stewart, big Montreal Maroon left-winger, has been a powerful factor in leading his club in the rush from a lowly position to topmost position….

Nels Stewart was the most consistent scoring threat on the ice for the losers, the big left-winger giving one of the best displays of the season.

Nels Stewart hit his stride in Montreal Saturday night, and the Maroons handed the Chicago Black Hawks a 4-2 beating. Stewart skated like a fiend throughout the game and got two of his team’s goals.

Frank Boucher wriggled his way through, but Nels Stewart raced back and bowled him over as was about to shoot only a few yards from the cage.

Nels Stewart, big left wing of the Montreal Maroons, who was right in the first flight among the scoring leaders…

Nels Stewart, heavy-shooting center ice player of the Montreal Maroons, is the winner of the Hart trophy…

….

Performances in the Stanley cup games are, obviously, not taken into account.

Maroon wing-man Stewart skated his way around the Falcon defence….

It was a somewhat mild encounter, with the heavy checking of Hooley Smith and Nels Stewart smothering Ottawa attachs in the centre area.

Nels Stewart will be back on the defence after being held out of the Maple Leafs game by presidential suspension.

At 34, Stewart still ranks among the league’s best play-makers. Recently Tiny Thompson, Boston Bruins goalie, ranked him as the most dangerous player around the nets in hockey.

There’s still a heap of magic in the easy-scoring hands of old Nels Stewart. For years lumbering Nels has Hockey League with his effortless sleight-of-hand, skating hard only sometimes but always turning up in scoring position when the occasion beckoned.

 

[Dreakmur]

Steady, reliable and tremendously gifted offensively, he was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility.

Larry Murphy !!!​

I couldn't shoot a puck 100 mph and I wasn't going to run a guy through the boards or skate through the whole team. My game and my whole career always had kind of a low-key approach.

Awards and Achievements:
4 x Stanley Cup Champion (1991, 1992, 1997, 1998)

2 x Canada Cup Gold Medalist (1987, 1991)
World Championship Silver Medalist (1985)

3 x Second Team All-Star (1987, 1993, 1995)

Norris voting – 3rd(1987), 3rd(1993), 4th(1995), 5th(1992), 6th(1998), 7th(1981), 11th(1999)

Statistics:
Points – 2nd(1981), 2nd(1987), 2nd(1993), 3rd(1992), 4th(1995), 5th(1998), 6th(1990), 6th(1999), 7th(1994), 8th(1982), 8th(1988), 9th(1996), 11th(1983), 11th(1986), 13th(1985), 13th(1997), 15th(2000), 19th(1984), 20th(1991), 21st(1989)

Play-off Points – 2nd(1991), 2nd(1992), 2nd(1993), 2nd(1998), 3rd(1995), 3rd(1997), 4th(1982)

1987 Canada Cup: 2nd in Scoring among Defensemen (behind Bourque, tied Fetisov)
1985 World Championship: 3rd in Scoring among Defensemen (behind Fetisov and Kasatonov)

'Quiet, thoughtful, methodical,' wrote the National Post, summarizing the outstanding career of Larry Murphy. Through 21 NHL seasons, Murphy quietly, humbly and remarkably established benchmarks as one of the most consistent, durable and reliable blueliners in NHL history.

….

Reunited with Bowman, Larry was employed more effectively, paired with Nicklas Lidstrom on the blueline to form an outstanding defensive duo.

The story of Larry Murphy is one of perseverance and longevity. Quietly yet efficiently, Murphy has delivered one of the most productive careers of any blueliner in NHL history.

Larry Murphy very quietly amassed a career which landed him in Hockey's Hall of Fame.

….

In his first NHL season "Murph" set NHL rookie records for defensemen when he recorded 60 assists and 76 points. Despite the impressive debut, Peter Stastny would win the rookie of the year award with an incredible season. This became somewhat typical of Murphy's career. His quiet excellence was always overshadowed by someone else. The humble Murphy never minded.

….

Murphy's slick playmaking and good slap shot helped Pittsburgh win their first Stanley Cup. Murphy played a huge role in that initial Cup victory, scoring 23 points in 23 games.

….

Murphy was more of a passer than a rusher, preferring to pinch into the offensive zone while expertly manning the point. He was one of the best I have ever seen at holding the blue line, almost always blocking mad clearing attempts by desperate defensive teams. He was a great skater in his younger days, and possessed an excellent collection of shots.

Though he had good size, he never really played a physical game. He would bump his check off the puck rather than make strong takeouts. He relied on an heady stick checking defensive game that he excelled at due to his great hockey sense, ability to read the oncoming attack, and his flawless positioning.

'His skating is cautious rather than fluid, his play methodical rather than unabashed or bruising, his passing, virtually flawless, has a molasses-like quality.

Murphy was a smart, studious player. It was his understanding of what he could do that made him special. He formed a great partnership in Pittsburgh with *** ********** and Detroit with Nicklas Lidstrom.

He was good because he read the plays so well. He never got flustered.

There was a long period before Larry would panic. Guys would be peeling off, and he'd still have the puck.

He's the smartest player I've ever seen.

His game is so steady. He's so smart with the puck. He seldom makes mistakes and his positioning is perfect.

We can't all skate like Howie Morenz. Some of us had to find other methods to be successful. Larry Murphy is a perfect example of someone who found those methods.

Legion of Doom:

Before the 1997 Stanley Cup final, Philadelphia's Legion Of Doom – Eric Lindros, John LeClair and Mikael Renberg – salivated at the opportunity to go up against Murphy.

….

Detroit swept the series, as Murphy and partner Nicklas Lidstrom held Philly's big guns to three goals in four games.

We looked at the pairings, looked at what Murphy could do and couldn't do and thought we had an advantage, but it turned out very badly for us.

Murphy and Lidstrom made a joke out of that forward line. They were three steps ahead of them, four games in a row.

 

[EagleBelfour]

Sidney Crosby

Stanley Cup Champion (2009)
Stanley Cup Finalist (2008)
NHL First All-Star Team (2007)
NHL Second All-Star Team (2010)
NHL Third All-Star Team (2006, 2009)
NHL Fifth All-Star Team (2008, 2011)
NHL All-Rookie Team (2006)
Rocket Richard Trophy (2010)
Art Ross Trophy (2007)
Lester B. Pearson Award (2007)
Hart Memorial Trophy (2007)
Sporting News NHL Player of the Year (2007)
Played in the NHL All-Star Game (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011)
Team Captain (2007-2012)


Top-10 Scoring (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th)
Top-10 Goalscoring (1st, 12th)
Top-10 Assist (2nd, 2nd, 7th, 8th)

Top-10 Playoff Scoring (1st, 2nd, 8th)
Top-10 Playoff Goalscoring (1st, 10th)
Top-10 Playoff Assist (1st, 2nd, 8th)


Per Game Ratio:
(Minimum 20 games)
Top-10 Scoring (1st, 1st, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 6th)
Top-10 Goalscoring (1st, 2nd)
Top-10 Assist (1st, 1st, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 10th)

(Minimum 5 games)
Top-10 Playoff Scoring (2nd, 2nd, 4th, 11th)
Top-10 Playoff Goalscoring (2nd, 6th)
Top-10 Playoff Assist (1st, 2nd, 7th)


Awards Nomination:

Calder Memorial Trophy:

2005-06: 2nd position (Alexander Ovechkin) (-34.8%)

Hart Memorial Trophy:

2005-06: 24th position (Joe Thornton) ((0-0-0-0-2))
2006-07: 1st position (+34.6%)
2007-08: 17th position (Alexander Ovechkin) ((0-0-0-0-2))
2008-09: 6th position (Alexander Ovechkin) ((0-3-5-13-18))
2009-10: 3rd position (Henrik Sedin) (-18.5%)
2010-11: 17th position (Corry Perry) ((0-0-1-0-0))

Lady Bing Memorial Trophy:

2006-07: 29th position (1-1-0-0-0)
2007-08: 34th position (1-0-0-0-2)
2008-09: 35th position (0-1-0-0-0)

---

NHLPA Players Poll:

2010-11 Results:
Best Skater: 2nd position (17%), behind Marian Gaborik (26%)
Toughest to play Against: 1st position (18%)
Hardest to Take the Puck Off: 2nd position (24%), behind Pavel Datsyuk (36%)
Most Difficult to Stop (Goalie Only): 2nd position (24%), behind Alexander Ovechkin (27%)
Best Role Model: 1st position (26%)
First Player to Start a Franchise: 1st position (69%)
Toughest Forward to Play Against: 1st position (29%)

2011-12 Results:
Best Skater: 2nd position (9%), behind Marian Gaborik (33%)
Smartest Player: 2nd position (16%), behind Pavel Datsyuk (45%)
Toughest to play Against: 3rd position (9%), behind Pavel Datsyuk (26%) and Zdeno Chara (19%)
Hardest to Take the Puck Off: 3rd position (9%), behind Pavel Datsyuk (47%) and Evgeni Malkin (10%)
Most Difficult to Stop (Goalie Only): T-2nd position (12%), behind Pavel Datsyuk (24%)
Best Role Model: 2nd position (20%), behind Nicklas Lidstrom (23%)
Toughest Forward to Play Against: 4th position (9%), behind Pavel Datsyuk (25%), Milan Lucic (15%) and Evgeni Malkin (13%)

 

[Velociraptor]

Ron Francis, C

Position: Centre
HT/WT: 6'3", 200 lbs
Handedness: Left
Nickname(s): "The Franchise"; "Ronnie Franchise"
Born: March 1, 1963 in Sault Ste. Marie, ON

- inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
- 2-time Stanley Cup Champion (1991, 1992)
- 1-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy (1995)
- 3-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy (1995, 1998, 2002)
- 1-time winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2002)
- NHL Plus/Minus Award Winner in 1995.
- Played in the NHL All-Star Game 4 times (1983, 1985, 1990, 1996)
- Top-10 in All-Star Voting 8 Times (3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 9th), also was 5th in 95-96 as a Left Wing.
- scored 549 goals and 1249 assists for 1798 points in 1738 games, adding 979 penalty minutes.
- scored 46 goals and 97 assists for 143 points in 171 games, adding 95 penalty minutes.
- Spent 14 Seasons as Captain of Two Franchises in Three Cities
- Career Adjusted +263

Top 10 Finishes:
Assists - 13x - (1st, 1st, 3rd, 4th, 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, 9th, 10th, 10th, 10th)
Points - 5x - (4th, 5th, 5th, 8th, 9th)

Voting Record

Hart Voting Record:

6th (01-02), 9th (86-87), 10th (85-86), 10th (97-98)

Selke Voting Record:

1st (94-95), 2nd (95-96), 4th (97-98), 5th (89-90), 6th (92-93), 6th (93-94), 8th (96-97), 12th (99-00)

Quotes

Legends of Hockey

Although just a 19-year-old rookie, Francis showed maturity well beyond his years when he first stepped onto NHL ice. He had 25 goals and 68 points his first season and instantly became a fan favorite both for his playing skill and his unfailing work in the community. He was blessed to be able to room with the great Dave Keon on road trips, and the two became fast hockey friends.

While the Whalers were happy to have Francis, the team missed the playoffs the first four years he was with the team while it developed its young talent. Then it became a consistent playoff team but had an awful time winning even one round of the playoffs each spring, playing in the same division as Montreal, Boston and Quebec. Midway through the 1984-85 season, he was made team captain... At 22, Francis became one of the youngest captains in NHL history, but he was able to live up to the expectations of wearing the "C" without it affecting his play. He routinely scored 25 goals and 80 points...

In Pittsburgh he played behind Mario Lemieux and a young Jaromir Jagr, but he took his game to another level. He became not only a goal scorer but one of the best passing centers and two-way players in the league. Pittsburgh won back-to-back Cup titles in 1991 and 1992, and Francis twice reached the 100-point plateau. He was equally consistent in the playoffs as in the regular season, and for 1994-95 he was named Penguins captain while Mario Lemieux recovered from injuries and missed the year. At the start of the next season, though, the captaincy was given back to Mario, and Francis just kept on leading by example. His sportsmanship paid off, for when Lemieux retired in 1997, the captaincy was once again sewn onto his sweater.

Although he has played in four All-Star games and has won the Selke Trophy (1995) and the Lady Byng Trophy (1995, 1998), Francis is perhaps the quietest superstar in the league. He reached 500 career goals in 2002, is one of only a few to record 1,000 career assists, and is climbing into the top 10 of all-time scorers, yet few would put him in the same class as Lafleur, Dionne or Lemieux.

In the summer of 1998 he returned, sort of, whence he came. Pittsburgh felt Francis was getting on in years. He was 35 years old and an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career and was in a position to negotiate possibly one final contract. He signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, which was where the Hartford Whalers had relocated the previous season. In 2002 Francis led the Hurricanes to their first Stanley Cup Final only to fall to mighty Detroit Red Wings and was the recipient of the King Clancy Memorial and his third Lady Byng Memorial.

Greatest Hockey Legends

Very quietly Ron Francis was one of the best centers in the history of the National Hockey League. He finished his career with 549 goals, 1249 assists (2nd best of all time) and 1798 points (4th best). He won two Stanley Cups, three Lady Byng trophies, a Selke trophy and a Clancy trophy.

Picked fourth overall by Hartford in the 1981 Entry Draft, Ron excelled for years in relative obscurity with the Hartford Whalers. For almost a decade Francis was the Hartford Whalers. He was their leading offensive threat while also being their top checker. He was their special teams specialist, face-off specialist and most importantly he was their leader.

Francis, like Gretzky, thought the game better than most. He somehow exceeded the sum of his parts. He was a choppy skater, deceptively quick but not pretty to watch. He had good size and used it effectively, but was anything but imposing. He was never a dazzling or charismatic player, just a greatly efficient one.

...Ron immediately had an impact in Pittsburgh. Francis played a huge part in helping the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, in 1991 and 1992. While continuing to be a top defensive center man, Ron enjoyed his finest scoring season in Pittsburgh. In 1995-96 he was often moved on to left wing with Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. Francis would score 27 goals and lead the league with 92 assists for 119 points.

Francis became the glue of a very talented Pittsburgh Penguins team. Playing in the huge shadows of scoring sensations Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, it was Francis' defensive contributions and quiet offensive genius that was the missing ingredient in Pittsburgh. The Pens' two Stanley Cup victories were largely, but typically quietly, due to Ron Francis.

Who's Who in Hockey

In an accurate assessment of the fraying center during the 2001-02 season, Hartford Courant sports columnist Jeff Jacobs described Ron Francis as "the most underrated player in hockey history" Virtually guaranteed entrance into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Francis excelled at the center ice position both defensively and offensively.

... Invariably he was overshadowed by flashier performers, such as Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. However Francis's all-round talents were always appreciated by his coaches and managers.

... It's no wonder why Carolina fans loved their captain, who held some of the most elite records on the team, nor is it surprising why Jacobs described him in such a manner. Though Francis's name may not be one of the first to be uttered around the league as a memorable player, he will definitely be remembered for his extraordinary career.

Total Hockey

Was the Whalers' MVP on four occasions... in Pittsburgh, finally earned recognition as one of the game's top players.

Players: The Ultimate A-Z Guide Of Everyone Who Has Ever Played In the NHL

22 years later he is still among the game's best passers... has been a model of consistency... Yet there is nothing spectacular about his game, nothing that defines him or separates him from 100 NHLers except that he does everything exceptionally well whereas the other 99 players do things merely well... has been one of the league's premier playmakers for many, many years.

Ultimate Hockey

He was more than just a scorer, however. He was an exceptional defensive forward with a knack for faceoffs, and had a soft passing touch. Former Whalers coach **** *** commented that Francis was "easily one of the best all-around players in the game".

Before Francis arrived, the Penguins were an offensive juggernaut with a tendency to strain under the tight checking required in the playoffs. Francis changed the complexion of the team almost overnight, bringing aboard leadership and a two-way conscience... As a Penguin, the big man played inspired hockey.

Penguin Profiles

Ron Francis: Always the Big Brother

The Penguins veteran comes close to perfection. he reminds one of athletes from a bygone era with his refreshing approach and appeal... He is dedicated to succeed... was admired by teammates, management, and fans alike... Francis says "I was brought up that if I spoke to much 'me' and 'I' stuff, I got a real tongue lashing. I was taught to be team-oriented and to be family-oriented. I was told to do whatever I was doing as well as I could do it, but to share the credit."... Francis was a fantastic #2 center in Pittsburgh, a two-way player who contributed in so many ways, on the ice, in the clubhouse, outside the rink... He is an accomplished penalty killer and can play defense like a man who truly cares. "I don't know where we'd be without him", said coach ***** ********.

Ronnie does every little thing right. If the coach says "Let's make sure we dump it in the red line" or "Make sure we do this in our zone", he does it and makes it look easy. It looks easy the way he does it because you don't really notice him that much. But whenever there's a nice goal, you look and he's always the guy who made the play.

Trib Total Media: Penguins All-Time Team

Outstanding two-way center helped Penguins to back-to-back Cups … Ranks third on all-time team list in assists (449) and fourth in points (613) … Scored at least 90 points in a season four times and at least 100 points twice. … Scored career-high 119 points in 1995-96 (27-92-119) … Only Penguins player other than Mario Lemieux to record more than 90 assists in a season … Won NHL’s Selke Trophy as best defensive forward and 1995 and won Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship in 1995 and 1998 .. Team captain in 1994-95 and 1997-98.

A few more nice quotes & notes in 70's extensive bio of Francis.

 

[markrander87]

I just did a quick study on ANDY BATHGATE for placements in RW voting and Hart voting:

1956-57

-3rd in RW voting behind Howe and Geoffrion

1957-58

-3rd in Hart Voting

1958-59

-2nd in Hart voting
-2nd in RW voting behindHowe

1959-60

-10th in Hart voting
-3rd in RW voting behind Howe and Geoffrion


1960-61

-11th Hart
-3rd in RW voting behind Howe and Geoffrion

1961-62

-5th in Hart voting
-1st in RW voting

1962-63

-9th in Hart
-2nd in RW voting behind Howe

1963-64

3rd in RW voting behind Howe and XXXXXX



WHAT DOES THIS MEAN:

As of right now i'm just going to list Bathgates RW All Star team placements minus Gordie Howe (28-34 year old Howe)

2nd All Star Team behind Geoffrion
1st All Star Team
1st All Star Team
2nd All Star Team behind Geoffrion
2nd All Star Team behind Geoffrion
1st All Star Team
1st All Star Team
2nd All Star Team

 

[BenchBrawl]

BRYAN HEXTALL SR.

INFOS

Height: 5-10
Weight: 180 lbs
Shoot: Left
Position: RW

All Star Team Finishes: 1st , 1st , 1st , 2nd (39-40, 40-41, 41-42, 42-43 in order)
Top 10 Goals Finishes: 1st , 1st , 2nd , 5th , 5th , 10th
Top 10 Assist: 2nd
Top 10 Points: 1st , 2nd , 6th , 7th
Stanley Cup Champion in 1940
Scored the Championship Goal in Overtime
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969
Games Played: 1st , 1st , 1st , 2nd , 2nd , 2nd , 2nd , 2nd


OLD NEWSPAPER


The Lewiston Daily Sun April 4 1940:

The New York Rangers , paced by Bryan Hextall , overpowered the Toronto Maple Leafs , 6 to 2 , to gain their second straight victory in the final playoffs series for the stanley cup.

Hextall , the NHL's leading goal-getter during the regular season , slammed three goals past goalie Turk Broda of the leafs and drew an assist on another.In addition , he was indirectly responsible for a couple of other goals.

...a fast cross-fired shot by Bryan Hextall...

...Hextall raced in to scoop up the rebound for a score

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...pg=1297,353303&dq=bryan+hextall+rangers&hl=en

Vancouver Sun April 15 1940:

From Hiller the puck went to Watson in the corner and from there it sped to Bryan Hextall , before the cage.Hextall drove it home viciously.

New York Times January 10 1941:

Bryan Hextall moved the Rangers in front half way through the second period after a scramble

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0611FB3959167B93C2A8178AD85F458485F9

New York Times December 26 1941:

Bryan Hextall gave a fine passing exhibition that carried them to the mouth of the Chicago goal

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40616FE3D5B1A738DDDAF0A94DA415B8188F1D3

The Telegraph Herald February 5 1942:

Rangers who are rapidly becoming legends.These are Bryan Hextall xxx and xxx.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...g=5116,4127950&dq=bryan+hextall+rangers&hl=en

Philadelphia Daily News - Nov 16, 1986:

At 5-10, 195 pounds, Bryan Hextall Sr. was a bullish winger who could skate over an enemy defenseman without breaking stride. He played tough, but seldom fought. He didn't feel a man had to drop his gloves to prove himself on the ice.

SKILLS AND FACTS

Who's who in hockey:

He had a terrific burst of speed , was appropriately tough , and could stickhandle with the best of them.

Joe Pelletier:

Bryan Hextall was one of the highest skilled and most respected players ever to grace a sheet of NHL ice.

He was also one of hockey's hardest hitters. Herb Goren, a long time reporter for the New York Sun once said "He was the hardest bodychecking forward I had seen in more than forty years of watching hockey."

He scored 20 goals in 7 consecutive seasons back in the days when 20 goals was a benchmark of a very good player.

Hex may have continued on as the best right winger in hockey had his career not been interrupted by World War II. Hextall served in the Canadian military during the 1944-45 season. He would miss most of the 1945-46 season as well due to a serious stomach and liver disorder

The most famous goal Bryan scored immortalized him in New York sporting history forever, although he didn't know that at the time. Bryan scored the overtime winning goal of game six of the 1940 Stanley Cup game against Toronto

In 1939-40 and 1940-41 Hextall led all NHL snipers in goals scored. In 1941-42 he captured the Art Ross trophy as the league's leading point scorer. On four other occasions he was in the top ten of scoring. With three selections to the First All-Star team and another to the second All-Star team, it is obvious that Bryan Hextall was the dominant right winger of the era directly before the arrival of Rocket Richard and Gordie Howe.

Poor circulation in his legs forced doctors to amputate both legs below the knees in 1978. Bryan Hextall died in 1984.

HockeyLegends:

He would become a permanent fixture with the Blueshirts the following year playing on his "off wing," many years before the tactic was to become common practice in the league. Hextall found that he had a better shooting angle, as a left-handed shot, by cutting in on goal from the right wing

Hextall was considered the dominant right winger of his day

NYHistory:

Bryan Aldwyn Hextall was a key piece in the superb Rangers teams of the pre-World War II era that won the Stanley Cup in 1940

Dennis Hextall:

Bryan Sr. scored 20 or more goals in seven of his 12 NHL seasons. "A 20- goal season then was the equivalent of a 40-goal season today," Dennis Hextall said. "It was a different game. If you scored 20 then, you were a helluva player."

"Our father never talked about his career," said Dennis Hextall, now a manufacturers representative in Detroit. "He was a modest guy. If he had pushed himself (in the press) he could have been an NHL coach. But it wasn't his nature. He was low-key.

"Our father would come to our junior games," Dennis said, "and he'd curse us out if we fought. I had 20 goals and 20 major penalties (fighting) in one season. My father said, 'You'd have 30 (goals) if you didn't spend so much time in the box.'

"I told him, 'Dad, if something happens out there, I'm not gonna back away.' He understood, he just didn't like the cheap penalties. He said there was a difference between being tough and being dumb."

James Dunn:

"He is a very clean-living individual and an excellent ambassador for professional hockey."

Ron Hextall:

"He told me to quit taking dumb penalties," the Flyers' goalie said. "He told me to leave the fighting to the other players. I had a pretty short temper back then."

Bryan Hextall Jr.:

"I never realized how great my father was until I got to the NHL," Dennis Hextall said. "That's when I saw what it meant to be a first-team All-Star. He was the Gordie Howe of his era.

"I saw him play in a senior league back home (Manitoba). He was strong even then. He never slapped the puck, everything was with the wrists. He'd come in, snap those wrists . . . boom."

 

[Leafs Forever]

Credit to EB for much of this:

Originally Posted by Ultimate Hockey
While not as well-known as his two older brothers, Lionel and Charlie, Roy Gordon Conacher was an excellent hockey player in his own right.

Like the other Conacher boys, Roy was a big man, through slimmer than his brothers. He was a sure stick-handlerwith a sharp, heavy shot, the trademark of the hockey-playing Conachers.

Peak Years 1939-43
In a Word SHOOTER

Originally Posted by Trail of the Stanley Cup, vol.3
He was a big man like his brothers but somewhat slimmer. He was an excellent stickhandler with a terrific shot.

Originally Posted by HHOF

Roy, quiet and modest about his talents, may have been the most naturally gifted hockey player in the family.

He began skating earlier than his brothers and was therefore much smoother on the ice. He combined speed with strength and was a resourceful goal scorer.

At the age of 22, he was put on the Beantown roster, playing on the left wing alongside center Bill Cowley, a future Hall of Famer whose style meshed perfectly with the talented Conacher's goal-scoring touch and ability to anticipate plays.

Conacher, with all that natural talent easing his transition from his military break.

Originally Posted by Joe Pelletier
The 1998 Hall of Fame induction ceremonies included Roy Conacher, who maybe now will finally get some recognition as a great player in his own right.

Despite his own athletic achievements, Roy Conacher has always been best known as the younger brother of fellow Hockey Hall of Famers Charlie and Lionel.

Originally Posted by Times Magazine
The Bruins are tops this season because of the three most spectacular first-year players in the league—Goalie Frankie Brimsek, Defenseman Jack Crawford and Wing Roy Conacher.

Art Ross's other prize performer was 22-year-old Roy Conacher, brother of famed Pucksters Charley and Lionel. Throughout the season Roy has pounded home 22 goals, has the experts saying he might be even better than either Charley or Lionel.

Originally Posted by Art Ross'
My biggest mistake as a coach and general manager was trading Roy Conacher

The Toronto St. Pats are proud to select...

Awards and Achievements
Stanley Cup Champion (1939, 1941)
First All-Star Team Left Wing (1949)
Stanley Cup Game Winning Goal (1939)
Art Ross Trophy (1949)
Maurice Richard Trophy (1939)
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1998)
Hart Record- 3rd, 8th
Lady Byng Record- 3rd, 4th, 5th, 5th

Scoring
Points- 1st (1949), 6th(1950), 7th(1947), 10th(1939), 10th(1941), 10th(1948), 13th(1942), 16th(1940)

Points as % of 2nd: 103, 86, 84, 82, 82, 81, 76, 70, 68

Goals- 1st (1939), 2nd(1941), 2nd(1942), 2nd(1947), 2nd(1949), 5th(1951), 6th (1950), 7th(1940), 14th(1948)

Goals as % of 2nd: 108, 100, 100, 100, 100, 73, 71

Assists- 2nd(1949), 8th(1950), 11th(1948),

Assists as % of 2nd: 100, 86, 75, 56, 50

Playoff Points- 3rd, 4th, 7th
Playoff Goals- 2nd, 4th
Playoff Assists- 3rd, 6th, 7th

Other Facts (thanks to EB)

- As a rookie in 1939, Conacher led the league in goalscoring, a feat only accomplished again by Teemu Selanne in 1993
- In 1982, Barry Perderson beat Roy Conacher's 24 goals rookie-season record for the Boston Bruins
- From 1939 to 1942, he scored more goals than every player but Bryan Hextall Sr.
- Roy lost 4 years of hockey due to World War II
- When he return from the War, from 1947 to 1951, he was third in goals and points, only behind Maurice Richard and Ted Lindsay
- During the years he was in the NHL (1939-42 and 1947-51), Conacher was the league's highest scoring player
- Roy scored more goals in the NHL than his brother Charlie
- In 1988, Mario Lemieux became the first scoring champion on a non-playoff team since Roy Conacher in 1949
- Roy Conacher and his brother Charlie are the only brother combination in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy
- Roy, Lionel and Charlie are the only three brothers in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PpZN...layer_embedded
http://www.legendsofhockey.net/Legen...01&bw=hi#photo
Audio:
http://www.legendsofhockey.net/media/conacher.wav

Newspaper Clippings
An interesting comparison between Roy and his brothers, and the burden on his shoulders at the start of his career:

Originally Posted by The Leader-Post, Feb 22, 1939

If ever a man broke into the National Hockey League under a handiap it was Roy conacher, who had to live up to the reputations of two great brothers and apparently didn't have the equipment to do it.

Yet slender Roy, with none of the size or power of Lionel or Charlie, has made a start with the Bruins so sensational that people who do these things are now hunting for a name like the tags of "Big Train" and "Big Bomber" they put on his brothers. At 22 and on a team that should be harder to make than any other in the league, Roy is a smashing first-year success.

...

Tough Breaking In
Some of the Conacher Boys Friends were a little sad when they heard Art Ross commissioned Roy for his great Boston machine. The boy had to fit pretty hefty company, they pointed out. Lionel had a reputation as a great all-around athlete when he came to the league with Pittsburgh at the age of 25, while Charlie though only 20 made a good name for himself in the amateur ranks.

Roy was just another good Toronto senior- a professional prospect, no more.

So Roy showed them by becoming the forward-line find of the year. He may never be the great two-way player that Lionel was or the actual scoring menace that Charlie was in his hey-day. But you've got to hand it to him for doing what no one expected.

Originally Posted by The Milwaukee Journal- Jan 5, 1949

The National Hockey League has a new individual scoring leader- Roy Conacher, hard driving right wing of the Chicago Blackhawks.

The youngest member of hockey's Conachers picked up five points last week to replace line mate, Doug Bentley.

The third member of Chicago's high scoring line- Jim Conacher, no relation to Roy- is third.

Note on his right-wing is confirmed by Edmonton Journal Jan 5, 1949