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ATD 2017 Draft Thread IV

seventieslord said:
My first of 25 bios this year is done. I give you Guy Lafleur.

I don't often like doing bios for super top end players, because there is just so much written about them and I have this compulsion to include everything I find.

I also don't really like bios for offense-only players because there's only so many times you can say "he was such a good scorer".

However, I had a blast creating this bio. I learned a lot of things I never knew before, and it even surprised me how often some things were emphasized by those who wrote about him during his career:

- Although not an intimidating physical force or shutdown player, those writing about Lafleur often made a point of referring to him as complete, responsible defensively, impossible to intimidate, and far from soft.
- The amount of abuse he took from the opposition's thugs seems to have been more than most superstars endured (probably the era)
- His intensity, dedication, hard work and desire to win frequently come up (in practically every article during his prime for sure!)
- His athleticism is a focus a lot of the time. I knew he smoked cigarettes casually and was still the fastest player on the ice, but I never realized his cardiovascular health was so impeccable. It really seems like Lafleur was a genetic freak; teammates said he was never short of breath or even sweating. The results of a medical team that studied him are even included.
- Lots is made of his grace, charm, charisma, aura, "je ne sais quoi". He was a larger than life player.
- His status as the best player of his era is brought up on a regular basis, both during his prime and after it. They ran out of ways to describe his dominance.
- It's made clear often that, as good as the Habs were, he was their best and most valuable player, and the engine that drove the car.

This is the only time I had to trim a bio in order to fit it into one post. If you take the time to read it, I hope you enjoy, and also rest easy knowing it's longer than probably my next three longest bios this year will be.
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Great work, I have read most of it and enjoyed it.Too bad you had to cut some to make it fit due to size constraint.
 
seventieslord said:
-Although not an intimidating physical force or shutdown player, those writing about Lafleur often made a point of referring to him as complete, responsible defensively, impossible to intimidate, and far from soft.
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He backchecks? :laugh:I haven't seen it. Lemaire backchecked and Shutt and Lafleur stayed high for breakout passes on quick transition plays. I saw it and coach Bowman has spoken repeatedly about the way that line worked. Shall I cite, to decide the matter?

Plus there's his early retirement because his new coach asked him to backcheck, contrary to his wishes/style.

Lafleur is not a "complete" player. Not even close.

EDIT: Your bio has a quote that says: "...complete hockey skills, possessing breakaway speed, stickhandling ability and a devastating shot." THAT is about offense, not "complete player", two-way, defensive ability. It's misleading...
 
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Dreakmur said:
That's the gamble when you take current players. They could add to their value after you pick them.

When I picked Keith, I hoped he would have another good season, which would add to his value. That's why I picked him over some other guys.
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Agreed.I did the same with Benn to some extent, and with many players in the past, especially Crosby.

If you think about it, my team last year had a first line of Sweeney Schriner - Sidney Crosby - Gordie Howe, and Crosby was stuck in "Johnston-mode" when I picked him IIRC.Then Johnston got fired and Crosby regained his offensive form.This boosted my line and it was among the best offensively, though my team ultimately collapsed (probably due to my 2nd line center fiasco).
 
VanIslander said:
This is not a casino. It's about Hockey HISTORY.
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What Dreakmur meant was that history is being written as the draft goes on.If Marleau scores 5 goals this week, his 5 goals are part of history, even though they weren't when he was picked.From that perspective, it is "a gamble" to pick an active player, though you should ideally rely on what he has done up to the day you pick him.
 
Really?

*sigh*

I was clearly talking about PROJECTED FUTURE performances... not about what players have done up to date (TODAY!!!!!!!!!!).

What any player has done this season UP TO NOW has always been part of all-time draft consideration.
 
The Invincibles select Victor Shalimov, RW

1956444.jpg


2x Soviet 1st Team All Star (1976, 1982)
2x Top 3 Soviet MVP Voting (3, 3)
2x Best Line in Soviet Union Member (1976, 1980)
7x Top 7 Soviet Point Scoring (1, 3, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7)
Best Forward at 1982 World Championships (over some dude named Wayne Gretzky)
2x Leading Goal scorer at WC (1975, 1982 - in 1982 over Gretzky)
Led WC in Points, 1975
1976 Super Series Leading Soviet Scorer
 
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VanIslander said:
Really?

*sigh*

I was clearly talking about PROJECTED FUTURE performances... not about what players have done up to date (TODAY!!!!!!!!!!).

What any player has done this season UP TO NOW has always been part of all-time draft consideration.
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It's not exactly projecting future performance. That makes it seem like you'd be arguing what he player will do NEXT season. Seeing how a player does in a current season isn't really any different than using last season's performance for example. Once it happens, it happens.
 
King Forsberg said:
Really? You seem to have an irrational hate for Kessel.
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He's not a atd calibre player. He held a franchise back because he has no leadership skills. Yet it's a roll they acquired him for .

He is a flower that will ackwardly wilt when the heat of the atd hits him hard if he ever makes it out of the dressing room
 
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Leaf Lander said:
He's not a atd calibre player. He held a franchise back because he has no leadership skills. Yet it's a roll they acquired him for .

He is a flower that will ackwardly wilt when. he heat of the atd hits him hard if he makes it out of the dressing room
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I didn't know being a team's best player and only consistent offensive threat is now classified as holding a team back. He certainly doesn't wilt in the playoffs, or the Stanley Cup finals, or the Olympics. Are you really going to continue with this nonsense?
 
Namba 17 said:
The Invincibles select Victor Shalimov, RW
1956444.jpg

2x Soviet 1st Team All Star (1976, 1982)
2x Top 3 Soviet MVP Voting (3, 3)
2x Best Line in Soviet Union Member (1976, 1980)
7x Top 7 Soviet Point Scoring (1, 3, 4, 6, 6, 7, 7)
Best Forward at 1982 World Championships
2x Leading Goal scorer at WC (1975, 1982)
Led WC in Points, 1975
1976 Super Series Leading Soviet Scorer
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I really like this pick. Shalimov has a pretty impressive international resume for a guy that's almost always a spare/MLD guy.
 
Leaf Lander said:
He's not a atd calibre player. He held a franchise back because he has no leadership skills. Yet it's a roll they acquired him for .

He is a flower that will ackwardly wilt when. he heat of the atd hits him hard if he makes it out of the dressing room
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What are you talking about? In a reduced role, Kessel FLOURISHED in Pittsburgh. Or are you going to deny his importance to the Penguins STANLEY CUP run?

That's right.. Phil Kessel won a STANLEY CUP playing a prominent role for his team. Or are you just going to pretend this didn't happen?

Yes, he did not adjust to being "the guy" very well. His personality simply didn't allow for it. However, he is a supremely talented player who in the right situation can be among the best offensive players in the league.. such as the one he currently finds himself in.

I honestly just don't understand Leafs fans who want to blame everything on Kessel. It's not his fault that Brian Burke paid a much steeper price for him than we thought it would be. It's not his fault that management hired Brian Burke in the first place, who couldn't see past his nose when it came to how badly the Leafs needed a major rebuild. And it's not his fault that he was offered the contract that Nonis gave to him. This is honestly just so stupid.

To directly answer your point, if Kessel allegedly has poor leadership skills, it isn't his fault that he couldn't adequately fill a leadership role.. it is management's fault for bringing in a player into a role that anyone could have told them he is not suited for in any way, shape or form.
 
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Not really sure why you are trying to explain why LL is wrong, jarek.

You can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into.

For the sake of your keyboard just let it be.
 
Is it not clear?

LL has an irrational hate for Kessel. That's very clear. Key word being irrational. You won't convince him otherwise regardless of things like facts, evidence or reason, so might as well save your breath?
 
broad said:
Is it not clear?

LL has an irrational hate for Kessel. That's very clear. Key word being irrational. You won't convince him otherwise regardless of things like facts, evidence or reason, so might as well save your breath?
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Fair point.
 
King Forsberg said:
I didn't know being a team's best player and only consistent offensive threat is now classified as holding a team back. He certainly doesn't wilt in the playoffs, or the Stanley Cup finals, or the Olympics. Are you really going to continue with this nonsense?
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Rick Vaive was a better scorer then kessel and a leader of a equally bad leafs teams.

Vaive possesed leadership skills on and off the ice.

Kessel is a odd ball who prefers video gaming as opposed to being in the limelight.

If you want that on your team enjoy.
 
I hate to say something nice about Kessel but he's a bit like Gump Worsley.

Gump hated to practice and did anything to get out of it. But the pudgy guy knew how to bring it on the ice in games.

Worsley_Gump_1.jpg


I don't like judging any player based on what they do or don't do off the ice. In the end, it's their performances in games and not their looks, diet, habits or beliefs that matters.
 
RB, if and when you read this, at what point does this go from "criticizing a pick" to something worse than the joke I made earlier today?
Leaf Lander said:
Rick Vaive was a better scorer then kessel and a leader of a equally bad leafs teams.

Vaive possesed leadership skills on and off the ice.

Kessel is a odd ball who prefers video gaming as opposed to being in the limelight.

If you want that on your team enjoy.
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Rick Vaive has nothing to do with this. You can call Kessel any names you want but he's now a Stanley Cup Champion, a Best Forward at the Olympics Award Winner, and one of the best offensive players in the league over the past 5+ years. All of that qualifies to me as being a great spare here especially when I have some absolutely elite leadership on my team.
 
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