ATD2025 Draft Thread Part II

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Three Rivers will take a player who a former one coach said "he'd go to war with". He was skilled enough to peak as a 1st team AS with Calgary in 88-89, also leading the playoffs in goal scoring twice (86 and 89), managing a point per game pace over 16 years, on 3 SC winners.

But he brought all the traits you want in a player capable of handling any duty from the scoring lines to checking. You can see this if you go back and watch playoff games from his time in Calgary and Pittsburgh.

Welcome back to western PA:

Joe Mullen, RW

He's so good defensively, we often use him in roles that take away from his offense. We don't put him on a lot of power plays. He always finds a way to score goals.

He goes where the heavy going is, comes in front of the net and is smart enough to know how to take a check. A lot of players give you a first effort and that's it. With Mully, you'll see a second and third and sometimes even a fourth effort where he scores from his knees. He simply refuses to accept the fact they are trying to take him out of the play.

Mullen arrived in the NHL possessing great balance on his skates, an ability his teammates and coaches believed he gained from playing roller hockey. His coaches praised his willingness to play in the difficult areas of the ice, even though he stood only five foot nine inches tall and knew he would have to take a hit to make a play. Penguins' play-by-play announcer Mike Lange nicknamed Mullen "Slippery Rock Joe" for his ability to evade opposing players.

"Mully spent a career excelling in areas of the ice a lot of guys wouldn't visit on a threat of death. Great balance on his skates. Great desire. Great teammate. A little guy with big talent and a huge heart."- Brad McCrimmon

Of course, that heart of a lion was part of a complete package, which included a pretty good set of hands that came with that pint-sized 5'9" 180 pound frame.

From the day the right winger was acquired from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 1, 1986, he became a fan favourite. It was more than the 16 goals and 22 assists he tallied in his 29 games the rest of that 1985-86 season. It was the grit, guts and offensive touch he added in the playoffs, leading all playoff scorers with 12 goals and guiding the Flames to the Stanley Cup Final against the Montreal Canadiens.

Over the next 4 seasons, he was as consistent as any scorer in the NHL, firing 47, 40, 51 and 36 goals.

"I tried to give it 100% and play both ends of the rink," says Mullen. "I tried to concentrate on my defensive side of my game. Once we turned it over and we had the puck, it was all out offense. Get the puck to the center and try to get in the open, get it back and shoot."

No mater the score, Mullen never took a night off.

 

[Hitru]

Tardis picks our backup goalie in Billy Smith

 

[nabby12]

Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk selects Connor Hellebuyck, G.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Regina Capitals add an all-timer back-up in G Carey Price

 

[Habsfan18]

Regina Capitals add an all-timer back-up in G Carey Price

Man, I consider it an honour to have watched his entire career. Absolutely dominant for a stretch in his prime. The Habs scored 3 goals? You weren't going to win because Carey sure as hell wasn't giving up more than two. We just had all the faith in the world with him back there, and it truly felt as if he would stop every puck.

He was pretty much the perfect prototype for what a goaltender should be, technically speaking. If you wrote a book on the modern goaltender and technique of the position, Carey should be the subject.

I will never forgive Marc Bergevin for wasting his entire prime with absolute dogshit defense.