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.

 

[tinyzombies]

At the risk of giving hints concerning my age...

When I was a young boy, the only locally televised Black Hawk [we didn't say BlackHawk in those days] games were road games. The thought of the Wirtz family (and more than a few other owners) was that televising home games would harm seat-sales at Chicago Stadium.

So the only Mohns I ever saw- regularly- was Road Mohns. And it was... not great. So vulnerable to having his impact muted through matchups. The statistical record, such as it exists, indicates that my childhood eyes were not lying to me. {Career Home +/- (available from 1959-60 onward): +64. Career Road +/-: -165}

I didn't have an opportunity to see the best of Mohns [i.e.: Homey Mohns] on a regular basis. I suppose that unduly affects my assessment of him.

That was part of the Scooter Line. But I think he was more effective as a dman in Boston? Isn't that how he's usually used in ATD? That's what my notes say. And as a 3rd pairing guy I think he's fine - esp next to Baun. ? My other thought was a third line of: Mohns-Apps-Drillon, recreating the second incarnation of the Apps line with Mohns as the defensive lock.

 

[tinyzombies]

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

Highly highly underrated as expected goals saved above avg - actual goals show. Far ahead of his peers when he retired. Without the injuries and with better defenses in front of him (put him on Tampa let's say...) who knows what he could have accomplished. Ignorant Habs fans bellyached sometimes, but most of us know what we lost.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

We're going to take a guy who we would call a perfect 12th forward, basically an enforcer who can play, has a solid defensive game, can win battles in corners, has size, and can chip in some offense.

Chicago selects, Ed Sandford, LW

- 2nd AS Team 1954
- Retro Conn Smythe 1953


Bio

 

[Professor What]

Tardis picks our backup goalie in Billy Smith

So, I suggested Smith to Hitru, and he agreed. Here was my thinking: Smith isn't a goalie that demands a lot of playing time, because he was traditionally platooned anyway with the Islanders. His career high for games in a season was 46. I felt that made him a good candidate for the #2 goalie slot. The other thing that I thought about was, just say something were to happen to Durnan. In the playoffs, Smith is not a commodity that's hard to sell as playable, as he found plenty of success in the playoffs. I think it's the best of both worlds. A guy that's not going to demand an inordinate amount of playing time, but is reliable if he's needed.