Luke Gazdic

[The Nuge]

I didnt know we were into giving medals for trying really hard and dedication.

Good teams win with good hockey players. Gazdic is not a hockey player. Hes a face puncher

What a load of BS. Trying hard and dedication are bad things now? The guy plays physical, is pretty good in the corners, can block shots well, and, as TowMater said, actually has changed the momentum in a few games. Oh, and he took Lucic off the ice for 5 minutes. I'd say that's a pretty sweet tradeoff (or is Lucic also just another "face puncher"?)

 

[ElFossum]

I didnt know we were into giving medals for trying really hard and dedication.

Good teams win with good hockey players. Gazdic is not a hockey player. Hes a face puncher

Oh come one now man. Open your eyes. I feel like you know next to nothing about the sport with statements like that.

 

[Zap Brannigan]

try as hard as you want but when you can't handle the puck at a level most 14 year olds can, you probably shouldnt be in the NHL

 

[The Nuge]

try as hard as you want but when you can't handle the puck at a level most 14 year olds can, you probably shouldnt be in the NHL

And Gazdic can, so what's your point?

 

[Zap Brannigan]

He clearly can't. Even with preferable zone starts he still can't generate anything other than chase the puck around for 30 seconds and give the meatheads something to cheer about when he tries to brain damage someone.

In 28 games he has generated 17 shots at the net. Thats awful

 

[ElFossum]

try as hard as you want but when you can't handle the puck at a level most 14 year olds can, you probably shouldnt be in the NHL

Your ignorance baffles me.

 

[Zap Brannigan]

Its ignorant to want guys on this hockey club that can actually play hockey?

Gazdic should be pumping gas or delivering pizzas

 

[ElFossum]

Its ignorant to want guys on this hockey club that can actually play hockey?

Gazdic should be pumping gas or delivering pizzas

You seem so knowledgable about the sport, so I can only assume you understand what the role of an "energy" player is on a hockey team, right? Maybe not for shots on net, but doing anything to rally the troops. Surely with your vast, in-depth understanding of the sport you should understand the importance and purpose these players have on hockey teams. Thanks for your time Zap.

 

[Zap Brannigan]

Are you going to say about what a great "leader" he is and has lots of "heart" and "grit"?

pssst intangibles don't exist

 

[ElFossum]

Are you going to say about what a great "leader" he is and has lots of "heart" and "grit"?

pssst intangibles don't exist

and you would disagree with me through your knowledge about him? I can't say. All I know is how the team responds, the crowd responds and how I as a fan can get more involved in a game after a shift of his. Leadership may be intangible for us fans, but you can see heart and grit through the screen if you open your eyes.

 

[Muscles Glasses]

Are you going to say about what a great "leader" he is and has lots of "heart" and "grit"?

pssst intangibles don't exist

Ya don't say?

 

[McTedi]

Probert had a 29 goal, 62 point season while racking up 398 pims. He also had 8 goals & 21 points in 16 playoff games that year. The guy had talent.
Wendel Clark put up four 30 goal seasons (one was 46 goals), and would have put up a bunch more if it wasn't for injuries.
Those are two of the toughest guys in the league of that era.

I liked both players, Wendell was more of a middle weight who took on some tough customers...fought out of his weight class all of the time. There are some players as you guys have mentioned that could play and scrap back in the 80's. But there was also way more enforcer types who didn't need to do anything but destroy people with their fists. The game has changed a lot over the years.

 

[McTedi]

Probert was a dominating player in every aspect and one of the hardest opponents to play against. I believe Mark Messier figured he was one of the most difficult opponents in the league to face.
When Probert was on his game(and this wasn't always due to his own demons) he was just a force. An outright unstoppable force. Think Penner, except extremely aggressive and always willing to fight. That was Probert. Great player. Could've been a legend.

He was a bit of an odd slot machine and he was extremely tough. I still don't consider him an all star but the 87-88 season was amazing considering he spent so much time off the ice due to fighting. He was definitely one of the best enforcers of all time.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Its ignorant to want guys on this hockey club that can actually play hockey?

Gazdic should be pumping gas or delivering pizzas

Must really piss you off knowing that plug of a hockey player is in the NHL, while you are behind some keyboard.

 

[The Nuge]

You seem so knowledgable about the sport, so I can only assume you understand what the role of an "energy" player is on a hockey team, right? Maybe not for shots on net, but doing anything to rally the troops. Surely with your vast, in-depth understanding of the sport you should understand the importance and purpose these players have on hockey teams. Thanks for your time Zap.

He seems to be of the belief that anyone that fights in hockey is the exact same.

It's one thing to say a super heavyweight like SMac has no place (I still think he's useful for 10-15 games a year if he's willing to get suspended occasionally) but Gazdic has proven he can play a regular shift without being a liability. Guys like that are useful all the time. Especially when the rest of your team is as small as ours

 

[Topkatz]

Are you going to say about what a great "leader" he is and has lots of "heart" and "grit"?

pssst intangibles don't exist

What?! Of course you need leadership and other mental and physical qualities. This is not a videogame where the team with the highest number of finesse players wins the cup. Quite the opposite actually.

 

[rocsfeather]

What?! Of course you need leadership and other mental and physical qualities. This is not a videogame where the team with the highest number of finesse players wins the cup. Quite the opposite actually.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Stanley_Cup_Finals

 

[Topkatz]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Stanley_Cup_Finals

Exactly. Look at the rosters of both those teams and now compare their qualities to the Oilers

 

[Replacement*]

You seem so knowledgable about the sport, so I can only assume you understand what the role of an "energy" player is on a hockey team, right? Maybe not for shots on net, but doing anything to rally the troops. Surely with your vast, in-depth understanding of the sport you should understand the importance and purpose these players have on hockey teams. Thanks for your time Zap.

The "role" of an energy player? lol

We've had a pipeline of Hordichuk, Eager, Brown, SMac, now Gazdik and to no effect.

Fact of the matter is that players that really aren't that good at playing hockey get meaningless shifts on 4th lines where they get to make an impact mostly on the other clubs scrubs. In years of having "energy" guys I think the one game where I can discern it made some difference is the Boston game, which we lost. The only reason any discernible impact occurred was the very unlikely decision in which an actual good hockey player, Lucic, made a poor decision to go off with a goon, Gazdik. If Lucic walks away from that no impact is had whatsoever.

Being that you know so much about hockey please inform what difference players like the above listed make in what games. Let us know when these stellar energy players have actually "rallied" the troops. Should be easy given you arguing this.

Finally, I'd like to suggest that the term "energy player" has taken on different meanings. It used to denote the player that would run around, make some hits, in the Eddie Shack mode. Clutterbuck being a recent incarnation. Those players can be useful provided they can play the minutes.

 

[ElFossum]

The "role" of an energy player? lol

We've had a pipeline of Hordichuk, Eager, Brown, SMac, now Gazdik and to no effect.

Fact of the matter is that players that really aren't that good at playing hockey get meaningless shifts on 4th lines where they get to make an impact mostly on the other clubs scrubs. In years of having "energy" guys I think the one game where I can discern it made some difference is the Boston game, which we lost. The only reason any discernible impact occurred was the very unlikely decision in which an actual good hockey player, Lucic, made a poor decision to go off with a goon, Gazdik. If Lucic walks away from that no impact is had whatsoever.

Being that you know so much about hockey please inform what difference players like the above listed make in what games. Let us know when these stellar energy players have actually "rallied" the troops. Should be easy given you arguing this.

Finally, I'd like to suggest that the term "energy player" has taken on different meanings. It used to denote the player that would run around, make some hits, in the Eddie Shack mode. Clutterbuck being a recent incarnation. Those players can be useful provided they can play the minutes.

Gazdic is a player that can play a regular shift when given the opportunity. The other have proven to be a liability as they are useless for anything other than fighting. Gazdic (maybe to myself only) has proven that he can play 10 ish minutes and not cost us a game (when he does play that much). therefore, I think he is different from the players you listed above.

I, and many others will use sayings like "rally the troops" loosely. You seem confused, so in brief I can tell you that these players will do things (maybe others wont) to try and regain the focus and desire from his team. Whether it is blocking a shot, (Gregory Campbell - Bruins cup run last year, broke his leg.) Gazdic, as you said fighting Lucic, or something like a big hit that can change a game (Gryba on Eller, playoffs last year).

You seem like an intelligent person yourself, so I cannot seem to understand why you fail to see, whether live or in person, when a fight, or a hit can change the pace of a game into your teams favour.

This chance at a momentum shift in a hockey game is where these "energy" players can change the game, or as I like to say, "rally" the troops.

 

[ThePresent83]

As much as i appreciate the fact that he has been an entertaining player and good fighter, its safe to assume that when and if we ever make a deep playoff run, we probably wont have a four page thread dedicated to a player like Luke Gadzic

 

[ZenOil]

There are much better ways to spark a team than buy fighting. That's just another old school hockey cliche in need of evolving. Inflicting brain damage to pump up the team. Awesome.

 

[Master Lok]

Gazdic is a player that can play a regular shift when given the opportunity. The other have proven to be a liability as they are useless for anything other than fighting. Gazdic (maybe to myself only) has proven that he can play 10 ish minutes and not cost us a game (when he does play that much). therefore, I think he is different from the players you listed above.

Gazdic has "proven" himself? Based on how small a sample size? Playing against which teams?

I recall not so long ago, that Mike Brown was able to play even strength and not cost us a game. The same thing with Ben Eager.

Heck, never mind our fourth line - our SECOND line can't play even strength and not cost the team a game.

 

[joestevens29]

There are much better ways to spark a team than buy fighting. That's just another old school hockey cliche in need of evolving. Inflicting brain damage to pump up the team. Awesome.

How is it old school if current NHLers talk about it sparking the team?

 

[McTedi]

There are much better ways to spark a team than buy fighting. That's just another old school hockey cliche in need of evolving. Inflicting brain damage to pump up the team. Awesome.

This tells me you truely don't understand competitive contact sports. Pushing back physically or standing up for yourself/team mates isn't either old school or inflicting brain damage. The game is evolving but it is still a contact sport where emotions run high and a team has to have the ability to protect itself on the ice. Because teams will pray on that weakness.