Jeremy Roenick
- Thread starter Eye of Ra
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b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
As an aside, I always thought Zhamnov got a bit of a raw deal when he was here. He was a very good player who was in a though spot replacing a fan favorite in JR. I thought Alex was better than most Hawks fans gave him credit for at the time.
I think people are saying he was easy to like as a player. He was basically a try hard, energy player... with skill. Definitely the type of player people like to root for.
I don't think most people ever met him to have it spoiled.
But I know what you mean. I met Jim McMahon back in the 80s when I was a kid and he literally made me cry by being completely dismissive and turned his back on me. Never could root for him after that.
Zhamnov was a good player. And in comparison to the actual post knee injury version of Roenick they were comparable players. But most people still had the visions and emotional attachment of pre knee injury Roenick in their minds. He was so many fan's favorite player and he was traded for financial reasons.
Plus there was still cold war anti Russian feelings for many people at the time.
Zhamnov never really had a chance. Between the emotional attachment and the fact that the team around him eroded and was never able to compete for Cups the way they had with Roenick he was in a no win situation.
He was absolutely traded to the Coyotes (for Zhamnov, Craig Mills and a 1st round pick). But it was because of a contract dispute that the deal happened.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
Yeah he was.
August 16, 1996: Traded to Phoenix by Chicago for Alex Zhamnov, Craig Mills and Phoenix's 1st round choice (Ty Jones) in 1997 Entry Draft.
http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/r/roenije01.html
ChiHawks10
Registered User
Yeah, you're right, and I know why I thought he left in FA. His rights were traded(he was an RFA when he was moved) because the Hawks and him couldn't come to terms on a contract. For some reason I thought he just left, but that's probably why. My mistake. Thanks for the correction fellas.
A combination of Roenick wanted to being paid and Mr. Bill being the ultimate cheapskate. Bill Wirtz was the WORST owner in sports ... although he had a good reputation with his employees in the Spirits side. Go figure? He wanted so much to be like his father, it blinded him from making sound hockey business decisions. It almost destroyed the franchise.
Technically, Zhamnov was traded from the Jets ... who moved that same season to Phoenix. In hindsight, Zhamnov was a decent player. He just didn't score like Roenick. If analytics was a part of hockey back then, I think Zhamnov would have been looked for favorably. He was a two way center.
Part of Zhamnov's problem was playing for an organization who refused to put talent around him, the drop off in wins when he joined, and the fans disgust for Bill Wirtz. He had no chance and will be synonymous with the start of the Dark Ages for the Hawks. The Chicago media killed him before he even put on a Hawks' sweater.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
If memory serves me right, I think Ty Jones was touted as the next big time American by the Hawks. Ugh.
Roenick was like a Hartman/Panarin hybrid.
Hartman seems to have the mentality that Roenick had, and the knack for the more physical aspect of the game - and the attitude I think, but he's not flashy and I think he lacks the capabilities to pull what Roenick pulled off...... I'm not saying Hartman is the next Roenick but If he can take advantage of his NHL time, work hard and learn he may develop into a similar player (not 50/50/100points) but certainly a 25-30 goal player with 50-60 points..
Hartman seems to have the mentality that Roenick had, and the knack for the more physical aspect of the game - and the attitude I think, but he's not flashy and I think he lacks the capabilities to pull what Roenick pulled off...... I'm not saying Hartman is the next Roenick but If he can take advantage of his NHL time, work hard and learn he may develop into a similar player (not 50/50/100points) but certainly a 25-30 goal player with 50-60 points..
Hawkaholic
Registered User
I never met him in person, so I can't say what he was like off the ice. Maybe it was best that way.
ChiHawks10
Registered User
I never met him in person, so I can't say what he was like off the ice. Maybe it was best that way.
Probably, with the way my interaction with him went!Agreed. Zhamnov would have been an outstanding 2C. He was talented and played both ways, but just simply wasn't equipped to be a 1C on a competitive team.
Hawkaholic
Registered User
Yeah, I had an issue with Belfour, and I absolutely hated him after that. At that same time, Bernie Nicholls became one of my favourite players ever.
ChiHawks10
Registered User
Yeah, I had an issue with Belfour, and I absolutely hated him after that. At that same time, Bernie Nicholls became one of my favourite players ever.
Never met Belfour. Always loved seeing him play as a kid, though. I didn't hate Roenick as a player, just as a person. Didn't strike me as a good human being after that, even at 10 or 11 years old. God was he fun to watch play as a kid, though. Many of those late 80's/early 90's Hawks were. Larmer is still my favorite.
Yeah, I had an issue with Belfour, and I absolutely hated him after that. At that same time, Bernie Nicholls became one of my favourite players ever.
One word: Seka!
This was well documented in the Chicago papers so it's nothing new.
In fact, most of the Hawks like to have fun back in the days. Roenick and Chelios were notorious. It's not like they tried to hide it ... so that's nothing new either.
Never met Belfour. Always loved seeing him play as a kid, though. I didn't hate Roenick as a player, just as a person. Didn't strike me as a good human being after that, even at 10 or 11 years old. God was he fun to watch play as a kid, though. Many of those late 80's/early 90's Hawks were. Larmer is still my favorite.
A lot of those guys were bachelors ... young, rich and famous. If you weren't an attractive female, they werent give you the time of day unless you bought them a beer. Don't take it personally.
ChiHawks10
Registered User
A lot of those guys were bachelors ... young, rich and famous. If you weren't an attractive female, they werent give you the time of day unless you bought them a beer. Don't take it personally.
Haha, I get it, just don't agree with it. Roenick was with his wife(might have been gf at the time still, don't remember), and I was a 10 year old hockey player asking one of my heroes for an autograph, only to be thrown aside/snapped at to go away. How was I not supposed to take it personal?
It's not like I was a grown ass man coming up to him bothering him for an autograph. I was at a bar/restaurant owned by a Hawks player, with a few other Hawks players around, including Chelios, who was a close friend of one of my coaches. After they had just played in a game. They were all interacting with me and my teammates while Roenick sat and got tanked with his gf/wife, chasing everyone away that came near him.
I also got to go to Bridgeview Ice Arena(Saints Spectrum) with my cousin one night at like 1am. Watched Chelios, Daze, and a few others out on the ice goofing around playing a pickup game. Then they invited me into the locker room when they got off the ice and I sat around while they drank beers and they signed me some autographs. Was awesome. Just got to hang out in the locker room like one of the guys with some of my childhood heroes. And they were super cool about it. I think I was around the same age at the time.
And yeah, Chelios was always known as a bit of an ass-hat and partier. But he always seemed to have time for the kids if they were around.
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BK
"Goalie Apologist"
Yeah, I had an issue with Belfour, and I absolutely hated him after that. At that same time, Bernie Nicholls became one of my favourite players ever.
Pure curiosity, what was the issue?
He is a known ass-hat.
BK
"Goalie Apologist"
sharkhawk
Registered User
First thing I think of when someone questions the type of player Roenick was.
Roenick actually skated over to the ref and showed him the chicklets in order to get the major penalty. Went out and bought a Roenick jersey the next day.
Roenick actually skated over to the ref and showed him the chicklets in order to get the major penalty. Went out and bought a Roenick jersey the next day.
Blue Liner
Registered User
It is funny how experiences with players shape stuff.
As the pertinent example, Ed Belfour remains the GOAT to me. When I was really young, my dad snuck me into the downstairs area of the Royal York where all the players went for lunch. Since I was the only one there, everyone on the team was super nice (this would have been '95-96 or around there since I still have the signed pucks from Roenick, Chelios, Amonte, Daze, Probert, Savard etc).
Last guy to come down was Belfour. Crayola used to have this clay Model Magic stuff and I guess the NHL threw some licensing in there and I made one of Belfour and asked him to sign it. Ended with him inviting me into the room to have lunch with the team.
On the flip side, and I know I've told this story on here, about 3-4 years later (I was 11 or 12) I was on the glass in Buffalo and asked Chris Simon for one of the warmup pucks and he told me to f*** off. That one is closer to the norm I think.
As the pertinent example, Ed Belfour remains the GOAT to me. When I was really young, my dad snuck me into the downstairs area of the Royal York where all the players went for lunch. Since I was the only one there, everyone on the team was super nice (this would have been '95-96 or around there since I still have the signed pucks from Roenick, Chelios, Amonte, Daze, Probert, Savard etc).
Last guy to come down was Belfour. Crayola used to have this clay Model Magic stuff and I guess the NHL threw some licensing in there and I made one of Belfour and asked him to sign it. Ended with him inviting me into the room to have lunch with the team.
On the flip side, and I know I've told this story on here, about 3-4 years later (I was 11 or 12) I was on the glass in Buffalo and asked Chris Simon for one of the warmup pucks and he told me to f*** off. That one is closer to the norm I think.
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