OT: Let's Remember Some Guys

[HFsNumber1Heel]

Optimum

 

[Wtp99]

Willie Huber human traffic cone, comes to mind, paired with Barry Beck. You think Tom Wilson would have tried his crap with Beck on the ice?

 

[eco's bones]

If I remember with Zherdev he got most of his points in the first half of the year.....was fading badly at the end and was a no show in a first round playoff exit. Then he wanted a lot of money and Sather wasn't having it. His career went to shit soon afterwards.

As for Barry Beck he had a lot of injury issues and one of those issues was a bad shoulder. As a fighter he was more of a wrestler and the shoulder thing made him prone to that. Fotiu was the guy that was really feared. George McPhee was kind of tiny--5'8 5'9 and about 170 lbs. but a buzzsaw when he got going and he wasn't afraid of anyone. His career was not long though. He mangled his hands up so bad. Rangers had some tough little guys---P.J. Stock. Domi wasn't big but very stocky and strong and threw with both hands. Ryan Vandenbussche started with us. He was a 5'11 guy who fought a lot of monsters and sometimes he'd win. He's most known for pretty much ending Nick Kypreos's career but he also broke Stu Grimson's nose. There was a rematch in the same game and the second time Grimson broke Vandenbussche's nose. These guys all threw effectively with both hands. Darren Langdon wasn't huge for a heavyweight but he would outlast guys. Some of his fights would go into the two minute territory with his gassed opponent just hanging on for life.

 

[Machinehead]

I played against Paul Mara in Cape Cod beer league while he was keeping in shape for tryouts. I made a comment to him "Torts is a real asshole" and he had a shit eating grin and said nothing back.

Dude flew around the rink without breaking a sweat.

The other was seeing Thomas Pock in an elevator in MSG while he was getting scratched for the millionth time.

I liked Paul Mara. Always willing to stand up for a teammate.

 

[NYR94]

 

[Ratelleitlikeitis]

Steven McDonald, Jan. 10, 2017 RIP.

 

[will1066]

Jeff Ullmer randomly came to mind

 

[Machinehead]

Randomly remembered this the other day lol

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[Hodes42]

Anyone mention Dale Purinton yet? Loved watching him for Hartford when I was able to catch a game in Albany once in a while…

 

[eco's bones]

The thing with Purinton----he kind of goes to top of the list of Rangers players for unpredictability. For a fighter he was kind of mediocre but it was other stuff that scared the shit out of people. You just never knew what he was going to do. Like with Eric Cairns. I remember one AHL game he zeroed in on some opponent nonchalantly going for a change.....just absolutely reamed him with body and stick right at the bench. Shit like that didn't happen every time he played but it happened quite a lot and a good third to half of his fights he just jumps his opponents before they're ready. He wasn't exactly Matt Cooke dirty but he was an absolute shithead to be playing against.

I remember reading an article that he was coaching a BCHL team for a year or two. Things seemed to be going pretty well. I was pleasantly surprised. It was this guy seems to have gotten his shit together. The article made out how happy he was and that his team wasn't all that physical even. It was the BCHL team that were the Islanders. I was like okay. About a year after that is when he had his upstate New York middle of nowhere hunting cabin episode. I thought what the f*** is he doing around here when he should be somewhere around Vancouver coaching hockey? Well he lost the coaching gig---either didn't look for or find another one and the concussions he had as a player had him going around the bend. He could have gone away for a while but he got out of it just because of the concussion history.

 

[NickyFotiu]

If I remember with Zherdev he got most of his points in the first half of the year.....was fading badly at the end and was a no show in a first round playoff exit. Then he wanted a lot of money and Sather wasn't having it. His career went to shit soon afterwards.

As for Barry Beck he had a lot of injury issues and one of those issues was a bad shoulder. As a fighter he was more of a wrestler and the shoulder thing made him prone to that. Fotiu was the guy that was really feared. George McPhee was kind of tiny--5'8 5'9 and about 170 lbs. but a buzzsaw when he got going and he wasn't afraid of anyone. His career was not long though. He mangled his hands up so bad. Rangers had some tough little guys---P.J. Stock. Domi wasn't big but very stocky and strong and threw with both hands. Ryan Vandenbussche started with us. He was a 5'11 guy who fought a lot of monsters and sometimes he'd win. He's most known for pretty much ending Nick Kypreos's career but he also broke Stu Grimson's nose. There was a rematch in the same game and the second time Grimson broke Vandenbussche's nose. These guys all threw effectively with both hands. Darren Langdon wasn't huge for a heavyweight but he would outlast guys. Some of his fights would go into the two minute territory with his gassed opponent just hanging on for life.

After Beck destroyed Holmgren as a Colorado Rockie and destroyed some Russians with hits I do think he was plenty feared. Few guys wanted to take him on. I remember a survey had the best (or most feared) fighters around 1982. Beck was number one with the description that he can bench press 500 pounds. Nicky was on there as well. Beck easily took on tough guys like Chartraw and Nilan. Mayn fans wanted to see Beck vs Gillies but both guys gave each other some room. As Beck got some injuries a few guys did step up to the challenge. Usually younger guys. Dave Brown, Stevens, and Tocchet come to mind. The fight against Holmgren reached like legendary status because nobody ever had a video clip of it.

Early in the season, Philadelphia's Paul Holmgren inadvisedly challenged Bubba and got a pounding for his bravado, making Beck the unofficial heavyweight champ of the league, if a highly reluctant one.

A RIGHT FINE CROP

One speaks of rookie "crops," perhaps because, to wily veterans, rookies are green and ripe for the plucking, like avocados. This is especially true of rookie

vault.si.com

 

[NickyFotiu]

Here was Beck vs the Russians. You think I would like to have a guy like Beck back on our defense?

 

[eco's bones]

After Beck destroyed Holmgren as a Colorado Rockie and destroyed some Russians with hits I do think he was plenty feared. Few guys wanted to take him on. I remember a survey had the best (or most feared) fighters around 1982. Beck was number one with the description that he can bench press 500 pounds. Nicky was on there as well. Beck easily took on tough guys like Chartraw and Nilan. Mayn fans wanted to see Beck vs Gillies but both guys gave each other some room. As Beck got some injuries a few guys did step up to the challenge. Usually younger guys. Dave Brown, Stevens, and Tocchet come to mind. The fight against Holmgren reached like legendary status because nobody ever had a video clip of it.

A RIGHT FINE CROP

One speaks of rookie "crops," perhaps because, to wily veterans, rookies are green and ripe for the plucking, like avocados. This is especially true of rookie

vault.si.com

Speaking of the Flyers the two toughest guys to ever play for them IMO were Dave Brown and Behn Wilson. Wilson's brother Bart by the way was a lot like him. The Rangers drafted him and he played for our top minor league team for one year and he had a pretty good year but then quit, went to school and became a dentist.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Speaking of the Flyers the two toughest guys to ever play for them IMO were Dave Brown and Behn Wilson. Wilson's brother Bart by the way was a lot like him. The Rangers drafted him and he played for our top minor league team for one year and he had a pretty good year but then quit, went to school and became a dentist.

You are right. Both those guys were very tough and a bit dirty as well. Behn Wilson was the guy that scared Clarke Gillies. They had 2 fights. Clarke got the win the second time around. Wilson usually had the advantage against many tough guys because Wilson wore a helmet. Wilson hated the Rangers. I did not know about Wilson's brother. I'm surprised I did not hear about him. Nicky had a great fight vs Behn Wilson. EJ kicked Barnes butt once and as they were in the middle of fighting Behn Wilson came over and slashed EJ.

 

[eco's bones]

You are right. Both those guys were very tough and a bit dirty as well. Behn Wilson was the guy that scared Clarke Gillies. They had 2 fights. Clarke got the win the second time around. Wilson usually had the advantage against many tough guys because Wilson wore a helmet. Wilson hated the Rangers. I did not know about Wilson's brother. I'm surprised I did not hear about him. Nicky had a great fight vs Behn Wilson. EJ kicked Barnes butt once and as they were in the middle of fighting Behn Wilson came over and slashed EJ.

Dave Brown pretty much scared everybody though. He was huge and a lefty and he hit really hard.....and he was unpredictable like Purinton and he would cheat even when he didn't have to. He'd jump guys he would likely pulverize anyway. He didn't have to but he would. The Flyers had a brawl with the Canadiens once before a game.....warmups were pretty much over....a couple players on the ice when it started and he deliberately came back on the ice stripped down--no jersey and started whaling on Chris Nilan who was pretty much helpless with nothing to grab onto and Brown was considerably bigger.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Dave Brown pretty much scared everybody though. He was huge and a lefty and he hit really hard.....and he was unpredictable like Purinton and he would cheat even when he didn't have to. He'd jump guys he would likely pulverize anyway. He didn't have to but he would. The Flyers had a brawl with the Canadiens once before a game.....warmups were pretty much over....a couple players on the ice when it started and he deliberately came back on the ice stripped down--no jersey and started whaling on Chris Nilan who was pretty much helpless with nothing to grab onto and Brown was considerably bigger.

Dave Brown is one of those younger guys that went after Beck knowing Beck had a injured shoulder but Beck was strong enough to neutralize him. I remember the pregame brawl you mentioned. Quite possible that helped the Flyers win that series. The Habs had won the Cup the season before that brawl. Dave Brown also gave that really cheap cross check to Tomas Sandstrom's face.