MLD 2016 Bio Thread

[ResilientBeast]

Post your bios below

 

[VanIslander]

I will do at least a couple of new bios. One will go in this post.

 

[Hedberg]

D Ed Jovanovski

6'3, 220 lb, shoots left
137 G, 363 A, 500 Pts in 1128 NHL GP (1994-2014)

Accomplishments:
- 2002 Olympic Gold Medalist
- 2004 World Cup Champion
- 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 All-Star Game Selection
- Captain of the Florida Panthers 2012-2014
- Alternate Captain of the Vancouver Canucks 2001-2006
- Alternate Captain of the Phoenix Coyotes 2006-2011

Playing Style:
"A bruising hitter capable of jumping into the rush and playing the point on the power play" - Legends of Hockey

"He quickly established himself as one of the Canucks better defenders and helped to form a deadly first pairing. His offensive instincts were always at the forefront, along with his plus ability to transition the puck from his own end and a decidedly violent mean streak - the guy could scrap and loved to" - Canucks Army

May be unusual to cite a HF post, but this sums up how I also remember Jovanovski:

Did he have issues thinking the game? Yeah. But he also had major issues with his consistency and effort levels. He would have games/stretches where he had what Tom Larscheid always called his ‘happy feet’ where he would skate miles, be all over the ice, smash people, and his skating and effort level covered up his hockey sense issues. When he played like that, he was dominant, and approaching elite defender status.

Problem is that that Jovo showed up maybe 1/3 of the time. His time as a Canuck was punctuated by very long stretches of indifferent play where he didn’t move his feet, wasn’t involved physically, and just didn’t seem to be engaged at all. Then he’d score a big goal, have an emotional celebration, and the fanbase would be ‘Oh, that Jovo! He’s all heart!’

Trivia:
- Reserve player on the 1996 Canada Cup Roster
- Selected to 2006 Olympic Team, did not play due to injury

 

[Hedberg]

RW Bill Goldsworthy

6'1, 190lbs, shoots Right
283 G, 258 A, 541 Pts in 771 NHL GP (1964-1978)
VSX 7 Points: 63.1

Accomplishments:
Played on the 1972 Summit Series team (3 games)
Captain of the Minnesota North Stars 1974-1976
1970, 1972, 1974, 1976 All-Star Game selection

Playing Style:
"a clever goal scorer" - Legends of Hockey

"more of a shooter than a playmaker, he was not a one-trick pony. He could play at both ends of the ice and was known as a solid team player" - Joe Pelletier

"recognized for his impressive shooting skills and established himself as a passionate forward and a team player able to perform a solid 2-way play at both ends of the ice." - Chidlovski

"He was one of my favorite players because he would just electrify the crowd with his rushes and his shot and his `Goldy Shuffle.' He was flamboyant. He had charisma. He had a personality on the ice that everyone enjoyed watching.' - Dean Talafous

Trivia:
- a goal celebration pioneer (see picture)
- Was involved in a rare NHL/WHA trade between New York and Indianapolis. Shortly after Indianapolis' coach was fired and Goldsworthy replaced him!
- Was the first player for an expansion team to score 200 and 250 goals
- Retired as the Minnesota North Stars franchise leading goal and point scorer
- Number retired by the Minnesota North Stars in 1992

 

[Hedberg]

D Paul Shmyr

5'11, 170lbs, shoots Left

61 G, 248 A, 309 Pts in 511 WHA GP (1972-1979)
13 G, 72 A, 85 Pts in 343 NHL GP (1968-1972; 1979-1982)

Accomplishments:
1976 WHA Top Defenceman (Dennis A. Murphy Trophy)
1973, 1974, 1976 WHA 1st Team All-Star
1979 WHA 2nd Team All-Star
Captain of the Cleveland Crusaders 1972-1976
Captain of the Edmonton Oilers 1977-79
Captain of the Minnesota North Stars 1979-1981

Playing Style:
"Shmyr has supporters who insist he's the WHA's best defenseman. They love his gritty style, charging into people, glaring at forwards through those slits he calls eyes, and twisting up the ice to lead a rush that seems to know where it's going" - Complete Handbook Of Pro Hockey 1975 (qtd by seventieslord)

"Best defenseman in the league... consistently the best player on the ice, sbreaking up rushes, starting them, handing out bone-jarring checks, intimidating forwards with an icy stare... logs long minutes of ice time..." - Complete Handbook Of Pro Hockey 1977 (qtd by seventieslord)


Trivia:
- Played in the 1974 WHA Summit Series
- The only WHA player other than Bobby Hull invited to 1976 Canada Cup Canada Training Cup (was cut before the tournament)
- Worn a K rather than C on his Oiler jersey in tribute to his Ukrainian heritage
- "It’s the WHA. Who’s going to notice?" - Shmyr, in response to Glen Sather telling him that Gretzky ‘wants to wear number 99.’

 

[Hedberg]

C Mikko Koivu

6'3, 215lbs, shoots Left
161 G, 295 A, 556 Pts in 763 NHL GP (2005-)
VSX 7 Points: 62.0

Accomplishments:
Minnesota Wild Captain 2009-
Finland World Championship Captain 2011-2013, 2016
2011 World Championship Gold Medal
2012 All-Star Game selection

Playing Style:
"Koivu certainly isn't the flashiest guy on the ice, but night in and night out you know the kind of effort your going to get out of him." - Hockey Wilderness

"Mikko Koivu has quietly been a consistent driving force behind the offense as well as one of the most responsible defensive presences among NHL forwards. On a team that has seen it's effort level steadily swirling around the drain, we haven't heard a whole lot about Koivu taking shifts off or just completely losing interest in a game." - Hockey Wilderness

"Has great size for the center position and plays a top-notch two-way game. Smart, he leads by example. Skates well and is extremely determined. Scores goals in the clutch. His instincts help make players around him better. Has been upgrading his level of physical play, since he has the size to do so, but isn't a natural at it. Isn't a natural goal-scorer or elegant skater, either." - Forecaster

"His size and skill give him the ability to absolutely dominate a game down low, while his speed gives him the ability to beat many a defender to the outside. The problem in the last few seasons has been that he hasn’t had too many elite offensive players to ply his trade with." - Wild Nation August 29, 2011

Trivia:
- Played for Finland at the 2004 World Cup (2nd), 2006 (Silver), 2010 Olympics (Bronze). Named to 2014 Olympic Team, but injured
- First ever permanent captain for the Minnesota Wild
- Minnesota Wild all-time points and games played leader

 

[Hedberg]

C Saku Koivu

5'10, 180 lbs, shoots left

255 G, 577 A, 832 Pts in 1124 NHL GP (1995-2014)
VSX 7 Points: 58.4

Accomplishments
- Captain of the Montreal Canadiens 1999-2009
- Captain of Finland 1998, 2006, 2010 Olympics; 2004 World Cup; 1999, 2003 World Championships
- Alternate Captain of the Anaheim Ducks 2009-2014
- 2006 Olympic Tournament All-Star
- Leading Scorer, 1998 and 2006 Olympics
- 1998, 2003 All-Star Game Selection
- 1995, 1999 World Championship Best Forward

Playing Style
"Made things happen on the ice and also made his teammates better in the process. Never backed down from a challenge, on or off the ice. Had plenty of leadership qualities. Was good on face-offs and a quality playmaker. His fireball style left him vulnerable at times, while his small stature limited his effectiveness to some degree against big centers. Injuries and illness wreaked havoc on his NHL career, and slowed down production over time." - Forecaster

"Throughout his career, Koivu was widely-respected as a leader, a gritty two-way player and a key offensive contributor." - NHLPA

"He has built up his strength to the point that nine times out of 10 he is the guy who comes out of the corner with the puck. His applies a technique used by the old Soviet players against their bigger opponents from the NHL, namely checking them before they have time to recover with the puck" - Legends of Hockey

Trivia
- Tied with Jean Beliveau for longest serving Montreal Canadiens captain
- Received an 8 minute standing ovation after returning from cancer in 2002

 

[Hedberg]

LW Steve Sullivan

5'7, 156lbs, shoots Right
290 g, 457 a, 747 Pts in 1011 NHL GP (1995-2013)
VSX 7 Points: 67.8

Accomplishments
- Alternate captain of the Nashville Predators 2006-2011
- Led NHL in shorthanded goals in 2001 (with 8)

Playing Style
"Coach Barry Trotz believes what makes Sullivan so successful in today's game is his hockey sense. "The game right now is pretty quick," he said. "But if you can't think the game out there, you're in trouble." - Globe and Mail, Feb. 08, 2007

"Sullivan, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Timmins Tornado,’ played 1,011 games in the league from 1995-96 through 2012-13, not just because of his speed and offensive skill, but also his smarts and ability to communicate the game." - Yahoo Sports, September 16, 2015

"Although small in stature, Sullivan is a crafty player with breakaway speed" - Legends of Hockey

Trivia
- Missed 23 months with a back injury before playing four more seasons

 

[Hedberg]

C Marc Savard

5'10, 210 lbs, shoots Left
207 G, 499 A, 706 Pts in 807 NHL GP (1997-2010)
VSX7 Points: 73.3

Accomplishments
2008 and 2009 All-Star Game Selection
3rd in Assists 05-06; 06-07; 07-08

Playing Style:
"Savard, from 2006-07 through 2008-09, arguably was the second-best passer/playmaker in the NHL behind former Bruins center Joe Thornton. His 200 assists in that span ranked third behind Sidney Crosby and Thornton. He also was one of 12 players in that period to average 1.1 points per game or higher." - NESN Jul 2, 2015

"Was extremely shifty and saw the ice well. Possessed tremendous offensive instincts. An excellent playmaker, he found his teammates with precision. Improved his play without the puck over time. Could agitate opponents. Wasn't the fastest skater and could get under his coach's skin because of a lack of discipline." - Forecaster

Trivia
- Savard's name was engraved on the Stanley Cup in 2011 despite playing on the first 25 games of the season before a career ending concussion

 

[Bourque]

Matty Norstrom played in 2 All-Star games, spent 6 years on a top pair, and was top 8 4 times in Power Play Goals On-Ice Against as you can see. He was also the Captain of the Kings and had a distinguished international career including 2 Olympics.

...Norstrom spent 6 years as a 1/2, 5 years as a 3/4...

Power Play Goals On-Ice Against
2000-01 NHL 41 (6)
2002-03 NHL 45 (1)
2003-04 NHL 35 (6)
2005-06 NHL 48 (8)

All-Star Games
1999 NHL
2004 NHL

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/n/norstma01.html

When Rob Blake returned to Kings on 1 July 2006, for the 2006–07 season, Norström called him and offered the captaincy back to Blake. Blake refused at his presentation press conference and told the media that he regarded 'Matty' as obvious captain and the 'core and soul' of the Kings. ...

1992 IIHF – Silver medal World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
1997 IIHF – Silver medal Ice Hockey World Championship
1998 IIHF – Gold medal World Championships
2003 IIHF – Silver medal Ice Hockey World Championship

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattias_Norström

Norstrom, who has been a durable player over the years has also made himself available to his country when called upon. He is a two-time member of Sweden's Olympic Team (1998 and 2002), six-time member of it's World Championship Team (1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2005) and two-time member of its World Cup Team (1996 and 2004).

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=11207

 

[Hedberg]

D Rick Ley

5'9, 190 lbs, shoots Left
35 G, 210 A, 245 Pts in 478 WHA GP (1972-1977)
12 G, 72 A, 84 Pts in 310 NHL GP (1969-1972; 1979-1981)

Accomplishments
Captain of the Hartford Whalers 1975-1980
1979 WHA Top Defenceman (Dennis A. Murphy Trophy)
1979 WHA 1st Team All-Star
1978 WHA 2nd Team All-Star
1973 Avco Cup Champion
Number retired by Hartford Whalers

Playing Style:
"If every coach could instill Rick Ley's desire in all of his players he would fill arenas everywhere and acquire a taste for champagne in the spring" - Zander Hollander

"Ley's job was simple. To maximize his aggressive style of defense in order to intimidate the great Valeri Kharlamov, arguably the greatest of the Soviet forwards. The first 5 games featured many smaller clashes and confrontations between the mean-tempered Ley and the slick skating Kharlamov, who also had a bit of a mean streak" - Joe Pelletier

"Ley, was a strong, pugnacious defenseman who made life miserable for opposing forwards in the Toronto zone. Never much of an offense player, Rickey was rock solid in his own zone." - Chidlovski

"Opposition forwards have discovered recently that forays into the left area of the Maple Leaf defensive zone can be hazardous adventures." - Jim Proudfoot Hockey 1971-72 qtd by seventieslord

"I thought he was good and found out he was excellent," says Harry Neale, his coach... plays all power plays, kills all penalties and is on the ice for the first and last shift of every period... squarely built, confronts anyone and never backs down... generally undervalued..." - Complete Handbook Of Pro Hockey 1976-77 qtd by seventieslord

Trivia
- "Fought" Valeri Kharlamov during the 1974 Summit Series

 

[Hedberg]

D Mike Green

6'1, 207lbs, shoots right

120 G, 275 A, 395 Pts in 649 NHL GP (2005-)

Accomplishments:
- 2nd in Norris voting 2009, 2010
- 08-09, 09-10 1st Team All-Star
- 2008 World Championship All-Star
- 2011 All-Star Game selection
- Scored 31 goals in 2009, 8 more than any other defenceman

Playing Style:
" Is a tremendous skater and a natural point producer from the back end. Can place constant pressure on opposing defenses. Packs an excellent wrister. Likes to initiate body contact. Can quarterback a power play with aplomb. Is somewhat mistake-prone in the defensive zone, which negates some of his overall effectiveness. Lacks some consistency and discipline to his game. Injuries have been a problem for him. Isn't as dynamic as he used to be." - Forecaster

"If a guy that stays in front of his crease and blocks a lot a shots just flat out gets beat because he's not good enough to make a play or too slow to get the puck out of his zone, it seems to be more forgivable because, hey, at least he's playing defense and that's what a defenseman is supposed to do... The offensive guys do get scored on a little more often, but the gap isn't that big. And it's certainly not big enough to cancel out the substantial increase in offense that they create. There's a risk, but there's also an enormous reward. And that is worth something... But there should be a much larger emphasis put on acquiring -- and keeping -- the guy like Erik Karlsson or Mike Green. There should also be an understanding that just because they gave the puck away or don't hit enough people that it doesn't mean they're too soft, not elite, or should be traded for a guy to bang the hell out of people.
- Adam Gretz, "Changing the way we think about defense", Jan 25, 2015 (the entire article is worth reading)

"Despite Green having below average numbers, his Corsi/Fenwick numbers were actually good on a bad Capitals puck possession team. He was one of only two Capitals defenseman that played over 50 games with a positive Corsi rating. The evidence clearly shows that he was able to control possession of the puck." - The Hockey Writers, Mike Green: Washington Capitals 2014-15 Player Preview, September 11, 2014

"Once upon a time, Mike Green scored 31 goals and was first runner-up in the Norris competition. Then the Caps got unlucky, changed their style, fired their coach, and Mike Green got hurt. Basically, at some point around 2011, the fates and the furies got together and decided to eff Mike Green properly. That big $18-million contract he signed in 2012 didn’t really account for all the misfortune he and his team would face over the next three years, and instead of throwing up our arms and saying welp, stuff happens, hockey fans and pundits have leveled jeremiads against the player. They’re wrong. Here’s why. Mike Green’s 2014-15 accomplishments: Best 5v5 possession among Caps defensemen, Best 5v5 goal percentage among Caps defensemen, Most 5v5 goals among Caps defensemen" - Russian Machine Never Breaks May 29, 2015

 

[Hedberg]

LW Thomas Vanek

6'2, 214 lbs, shoots right

316 G, 333 A, 649 Pts in 817 NHL Pts (2005-)
68.7 VSX7 Points

Accomplishments:
- 2006-07 2nd Team All-Star
- 2009 All Star Game Selection

Playing Style:
"Is a natural goal-scorer with plenty of size who can do a lot of damage in front of the net. A superior shot tipper, he owns the hands of a true sniper, and is usually in the right place at the right time. Can really shoot the biscuit. Passes well, too. Can line up on either side of center, too. Isn't a great skater, so he tends to struggle when his positioning leaves him. Could stand to play a more abrasive game, which could provide him with more space on the ice, but that's simply not his style (and never will be). Takes a few too many shifts off at this point in his career." - Forecaster

"Thomas Vanek would spend his first eight NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. Vanek put up one hundred and thirty-two points in his first two seasons. In the 2006-2007 season, Vanek led the league in plus/minus with a +47 and he was a fundamental part of a dynamic Sabres offense that scored three hundred and eight goals – twenty more goals than the next closest team. Despite the criticism, Vanek performed well for the Sabres. He averaged at least thirty goals and sixty points each season for the next five seasons. His success in Buffalo always was tempered for fans by his large contract and many debated whether or not he lived up to it to the money. Vanek is a tireless worker who constantly holds himself accountable. When he misses an opportunity, fans will often see him voice his frustrations as he heads to the bench. His fire and passion for the game is infectious and it often leads him to follow up a missed opportunity with a great play." - Tim Olewniczak, The Hockey Writers

 

[Hedberg]

LW/C Erwin "Murph" Chamberlain

Not sure what's going on here

5'11, 170lbs, shoots Left
100 G, 175 A, 275 Pts in 510 NHL gp (1937-1949)
VSX7 Points: 50.0

Accomplishments:
- 1944 and 1946 Stanley Cup Champion

Playing Style:
"An outgoing dressing room favorite, Chamberlain spent the better part of two seasons as a rugged two-way forward in Montreal...“The Gabby Line”, as valuable as it was voluble, provided solid secondary scoring as Chamberlain, who was perennially among the NHL’s 10 most penalized players, reinforced the team’s toughness. " - Montreal Canadiens, Our History

"”Murph” is one of the best defensive forwards to break into the NHL in several years... He's a good backchecker, he scores a lot of important goals and he's always trying" - Dick Irvin, qtd by seventieslord

"They also have the best checking line in hockey in Kenny Mosdell, Murph Chamberlain and Jimmy Peters." - The Montreal Gazette Mar 25 1947

 

[Hedberg]

D Kenny Jonsson

6'3, 207lbs, shoots L
63 G, 204 A, 267 Pts in 686 NHL GP (1994-2004)

Accomplishments:
- 1994, 2006 Olympic Gold Medal
- 2006 Olympic Best Defenseman
- 2006 World Championship Gold Medal
- 2009 World Championship All-Star
- Captain of the New York Islanders 1999-2000
- Captain of Sweden Olympic Team 2006
- Captain of Sweden World Championship Team 2006-2009

Playing Style:
"He collected 232 points in 597 games as an Islander, mostly as the best defenseman - if not the best player - on some really really bad teams." - Lighthouse Hockey

"One of the steadiest defensemen to ever pass through Long Island, Jonsson, as his former defensive partner Adrian Aucoin described him, "never made mistakes." A quiet leader, Kenny Jonsson is the only Islanders player from the 2000s to be inducted into the Islanders Hall of Fame, and deservedly so." - Islanders Optimism

"A member of Sweden's Olympic Team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Jonsson continued to be a solid two-way defender and leader of the young Islanders as they reached the post-season in 2001-02 for the first time since 1993-94 season." - Legends of Hockey

" But Jonsson's talent is not limited to his physical attributes. What sets him apart is his vision of the ice, his intelligence and his anticipation. And Jonsson's ice-cold nerves have a settling effect on his teammates -- even when the Islanders are losing. Jonsson's assignment is the same every game: mark the opposing team's best player. Jonsson's defensive ability often overshadows his improving game in the offensive end. He regularly leads the up-ice rush, and he anchors the power-play unit. He has 16 points on 7 goals and 9 assists. " - NY Times, Jan. 17. 1999

"''He's not a flashy player when you watch him. You might not even notice he's out there. But he's making some great plays, making some great passes. And he doesn't get beat. He definitely controls the game. He doesn't make mistakes out there. I haven't seen Kenny play a bad game. You never have to worry about him showing up. He's always ready to play.'' - Defence partner Rich Pilon, qtd in NY Times, Jan. 17. 1999

Trivia:
- Jonsson resigned as captain of the Islanders, feeling he was ill suited to the role
- Member of the Islanders Hall of Fame

 

[Hedberg]

G Normie Smith

5'7, 162 lbs, Catches left
1934-39; 1944-45

Accomplishments
- 1937 Vezina Trophy
- 1936, 1937 Stanley Cup Champion

Playing Style:
"When asked to name the best netminder he faced during his twelve-year NHL career, Red stated, 'Normie Smith of the Wings." - Legends of Hockey

"That bird Normie Smith robbed me more than any goaltender I ever fired at," Leafs left-winger Harvey (Busher) Jackson said." - Red Wings History

"Smith spent the next two seasons in the minors, improving his rebound control and all around game." - Joel Pelletier

Trivia
- holds NHL record for most saves in a game (a 92 save shutout )
- wore his hat to cut down on glare from overhead lights
- briefly returned to the NHL during the player shortage of WWII
- practiced in the offseason by having his wife shoot pucks at him, with an old couch serving as net

 

[seventieslord]

Eddie Wiseman, RW

- 5'7", 160 lbs
- Stanley Cup (1941)
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1934)
- Top-20 in Points 5 times (8th, 13th, 18th, 19th, 20th)
- 2nd in Playoff points (1941)
- Placed 3rd and 6th in RW all-star voting
- Best VsX scores: 91, 75, 73, 70, 64, 63, 60
- AHA scoring Leader (1932) - best league outside NHL at the time

Relying on his speed as his main weapon, Wiseman scored 12, 14, 18 and 12 goals respectively.

consistent and dependable were terms that needed to apply to any player in the six-team NHL, and Wiseman lived up to them.

not quite a hall of famer... remains suspended in the limbo of the accomplished nonsuperstar.

Cowley forms a perfect line with Conacher and Wiseman. All are fast, while Conacher is deadly accurate with his shot and Wiseman has an uncanny ‘sixth sense’ in following the play

“I’m going to win the championship,” “But,” went on Bill, “if I don’t win it, then you can quote me as saying that the winner will be a guy named Roy Conacher. And he and another fellow named Eddie Wiseman are two reasons why I think I am going to do it again. Those fellows can plug goals from anywhere. All you have to do is feed them the puck and bang! She’s in. So it makes things kind of easy for me, doesn’t it? All I do is get the faceoff, give the puck to Wiseman or Conacher and I get the assist. Forty-five of those, that’s less than one a game - and I got 45 assists. Which puts me even with my record for assists last year. Then all I gotta do is bag 17 goals and there I am.
“Tell me another center who’s lucky enough to play with two wings like Conacher and Wiseman. There is none. Not in this league or any other league.”

the star of their aged but artful outfit was little Eddie Wiseman, the speed boy who does the skating for that club.

Newspaper Clippings:

… Eddie Wiseman and Herbie Lewis, another pair of speedy little forwards…

Smart little center, Eddie Wiseman…

….

Detroit’s front line of Ebbie Goodfellow, Herbie Lewis, and Eddy Wiseman matched the speed of Morenz, Gagnon, and Joliat in almost every play.

Fleet Eddie Wiseman…

… in a bruising game that wound up in a fist fight between Eddie Wiseman of the Red Wings and Johnny Gagnor of Detroit.

Indications are that Eddie Wiseman at last has hit his stride in the National Hockey League.

Eddie used to do considerable bouncing between the Detroit Red Wings and their farm team, the Olympics, but since the New York Americans purchased him, he has established himself as an important cog in that hockey machine.

Fast, a good passer and a player who can whim home the puck from either side, has loomed large with the Americans’ attack.

Wiseman was the individual star in the American’s 2-1 victory…

Red-headed Eddie Wiseman, one of the fastest skaters in hockey and not the least effective puck-carrier in the National League by any means, is zipping along today at the head of New York’s Americans to a steady run of performances.

He starred all the way last night as Americans humbled maroons 2-1 in Montreal, preventing the Red-man from knocking Toronto Maple Leafs from first place in the Canadian section. Wiseman scored one goal and assisted on the other.

Americans tied up the powerful Maroons with persistent back-check last night so Roy Worters handled only 16 shots all night while Bill Beveridge is the Montreal net was taking care of 26. Wiseman was the chief reason for the result.

Eddie streaked down after breaking up an attack late in the first period and split Montreal’s defense for a score. In the second period he passed to Dede Klein for the second tally.

Milton Schmidt of the Bruins got one misconducts for fighting with Eddie Wiseman in the third period…

Eddie Wiseman, peppery little wingman, hammered home the first New York marker early in the first period.

Eddie Wiseman, peppery little wingman, and utility man _________ followed suit.

The third period, roughest of the game, was marked by a fist fight near its close between Eddie Wiseman and Pit Lepine. Wiseman drew a major penalty as the aggressor.

The New York Amerks gave the Maroons the once over lightly again to cinch a playoff place and thereby score another victory for public ownership. Messrs. Stewart, Smith, Gallagher and Dutton, four former Montrealers, all had a hand in the soldier’s farewell but the star of their aged but artful outfit was little Eddie Wiseman, the speed boy who does the skating for that club.

The acquisition of Wiseman, Ross said, would add strength to the Bruins ad permit the transfer of Bill “Flash” Hollett to a defence post.

…

However the deal may help Eddie Wiseman realize a lifetime ambition and play in the Stanley Cup finals – if the Bruins get there … Eddie is a Regina boy, freckled, fast, a midget, and a swell right winger ... He’ll add plenty to the Bruins.

 

[Hedberg]

RW Harold "Mush" March

5'5, 154 lbs, shoots right
153 G, 230 A, 383 Pts in 759 NHL gp (1928-1945)
VSX7 Points: 60.4

Accomplishments
- 1934, 1938 Stanley Cup Champion
- Selected to the NHL All-Star team in the 1937 Howie Morenz Memorial game

Playing Style
- "just 5'5" and 155lbs, the spunky right winger mixed it up with the roughest players in the league, as his penalty records attest. His timely scoring and abrasive approach made him very popular with the Chicago fans and became the standard of comparison for all right wing candidates for the team" - Joe Pelletier
- 3rd 1934 writers poll for "fastest skater" (after Howie Morenz and Busher Jackson)

Trivia
- scored the first ever goal at the Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931
- nicknamed after a cartoon character
- 27 pts in 46 playoff games, including the 1934 Stanley Cup winner in OT

 

[Hedberg]

C/LW Elwyn "Doc" Romnes

5'11, 156 lbs, shoots left
68 G, 136 A, 204 pts in 360 NHL gp (1930-1940)
VSX7 Points: 62.5

Accomplishments
- 1934, 1938 Stanley Cup Champion
- 1936 Lady Byng trophy

Playing style:
- Surprisingly little written on his playing style other than he was clean and a consistent playmaker

Trivia:
- Nicknamed "Doc" because he carried his skates in a doctor's case
- First Minnesotan to play in the NHL
- Wore a football helmet in the 1938 playoffs after Red Horner broke his nose. Despite his Lady Byng win two years prior, he retaliated at Horner by slashing his head. Romnes was then traded to Toronto the next season
- On being the only American on a team of Canadians:

There were times when nobody on my own Chicago Blackhawk team talked to me. They treated me a little like I was a thief. They wondered what an American was doing invading their preserve. Gosh, how I’d try to be a good teammate and set them up! That’s why I became a good playmaker, setting those fellows up so that they’d talk to me. I eventually got accepted, but it wasn’t easy.”

 

[seventieslord]

Seth Martin, G

- 5'11", 180 Lbs
- IIHF Hall of Fame (1997)
- Olympic All-Star Team & Top Goalie (1964)
- World Championship All-Star Team (1961, 1964, 1966)
- World Championship Best Goaltender (1961, 1963, 1966)
- World Championship Gold (1961)
- World Championship Bronze (1966, 1967)
- WIHL 1st All-star team and/or top goalie (1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970)
- Allan Cup Champion (1962, 1970)
- Allan Cup Finalist (1960, 1965)
- International record of 17-7-3 with 2.15 GAA
- 7th in NHL sv% as a 34-year old rookie (1968)

Goaltender with fast reflexes and glove hand. Began wearing a mask in 1959/60 that he had designed and patented, wearing one at the 1961 World Championships. He had tried three or four different styles before settling for the right one. He quickly became a fan favourite in Europe, reaching heights of immense popularity. European goaltenders soon started wearing “Seth Martin masks†and many young goaltenders patented their goaltending style after him.

Voted as the best goaltender at the 1961, 1963 and 1966 World Championships. Was the only unanimous All-Star choice among the 256 sports writers at the 1966 World Championships. Made the All-Star team in 1961 and 1966. At the 1964 Olympics he was voted as the best goaltender and made the All-Star team. Retired in 1973.

in the 1960s he was far and away the most popular Canadian in Europe. He would walk down the streets of Prague or Rome and people would call out his name in admiration: "Seeeeth! Seeeeth!"

Like a lot of goalies, he was put in net because he was the smallest player.

“It wasn’t by choice at that particular time,†Martin said in 2012. “I got to like the position. You certainly watch other people play goal, and certain things they do were attractive to you and you try them at different points in your hockey career. Some of them work and some of them don’t. I think eventually you have your own style and you develop that.â€

He joined Trail for 1953-54 and was there for a decade until the team disbanded. He landed with his hometown Rossland Warriors, where he would also serve as a general manager.

But Martin’s legend came when playing overseas.

The Trail Smoke Eaters lost the 1960 Allan Cup to the Chatham Maroons, but were chosen to represent their country at the 1961 World Championships in Switzerland. (Trail would win the Cup in 1962 and Martin won another in 1970 with the Spokane Jets, the first U.S. squad to be the top senior amateur team in Canadian hockey.)

In Scott Young’s book War On Ice, about Canada in international hockey, Martin talked about mastering the Soviet Union, which had won two World Championships in the 1950s and dominated the next two decades.

“I finally figured, well, he’s not going to shoot from what I’d think was a good shot,†Martin said. “He’s going to pass it off. Eventually I had to play goal the wrong way, as far as I was concerned. They would just not shoot the puck from where they should have shot from.â€

A young Tretiak took notice.

“I had also found a hero in hockey, a Canadian goaltender named Seth Martin,†he wrote in his autobiography.

Martin didn’t actually meet the Russian superstar until 1997, when he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

“We talked a lot,†Martin said. “He always says, ’Oh, you were my ‘ee-dol’ for idol, that kind of thing. It felt nice to get compliments from someone like that.â€

Martin was the first to wear a mask overseas. When he returned to Czechoslovakia, almost all the goalies were masked. He was never shy about sharing the secrets of his cage.

“I had sent a couple of masks over in ’61, two to Czech and one to Russia,†Martin said. “Then I saw a few more masks later that were almost identical to the ones I made. It was strange. They knew more about me and my masks than I did probably!â€

Defenseman Marshall Johnston was Martin’s teammate in the 1964 Olympics, which finished fourth. He saw first-hand Martin’s legend at exhibition games in the Czechoslovakia.

“Seth comes onto the ice, and I couldn’t figure out what the crowd was chanting, but the chant was, ʽMart-een, Mart-een,’ †Johnston said. “The Czech crowd was chanting for him. Of course, he’d been over there before with Trail. They were well aware of him.â€

Electing to go pro, Martin joined the 1967-68 St. Louis Blues and partnered with Hall. Martin, wearing No. 30, played 30 games and appeared in two playoff games.

“When I was in St. Louis, Glenn didn’t have anything to wear and he asked me if I would consider making a mask for him. I said sure,†Martin recalled. “I didn’t mind that at all. I made it right in the St. Louis Blues’ arena’s maintenance shop.â€

At the international level he belonged to the ranks of the world's most successful goaltenders... although a world-wide hero, he had hardly any chance at playing in the NHL in the original six era... even today, Martin is a most welcome guest all over the world and an idol for the young.

Every young player must have someone to look up to, to idolize, to desire to become as good. Vladislav Tretiak, the first great Russian goaltender, chose to aspire to be as great of an international goaltender as Canada's incomparable Seth Martin over such early Russian goaltenders as Viktor Konovalenko and Nikolay Puchkov.

The Russians knew him very well during their international clashes in the 1960s. He routinely impressed them with his consistency and style. They respected him and feared him perhaps more than any other Canadian amateur during this time period. They thought of Martin as being the supreme goaltender, and copied his style to train future Russian netminders, including a young Vladislav Tretiak. Martin would become the role model for Tretiak and Soviet goalies of the future.

But other nations also studied Martin, most notably Czechoslovakia. Czech goaltending legend Jiri Holecek, who later influenced Vladimir Dzurilla and Dominik Hasek, closely watched Martin.

Most people in Canada don't have a clue who Seth Martin is however. The record books show that Seth Martin played only a handful of NHL games, all with the 1968 expansion St. Louis Blues.

He is best known for his international play during the 1960s. His most glorified moment came in Switzerland during the 1961 World Championships where he backstopped his hometown Trail Smoke Eaters to the World Championship. He allowed only 11 goals in 7 contests en route to being named as the tournament's best goaltender.

The Smoke Eaters became legendary as they were the last Canadian team to win that prestigious tournament until the mid 1990's when a team made up of NHLers not involved in the NHL playoffs. However they were true amateurs, most with day jobs at the Cominco smelters, facing off against the all-but-official professionals from eastern Europe.

Unable to win on the international stage with true amateurs, Canada turned to Father David Bauer's plan to have a true national team. The players would remain amateurs, unlike their Soviet counterparts, as players were enticed with room and board plus full scholarships at the University of British Columbia. Canada would be able to train a team for international competitions year round, but would rarely attract top talent.

One exception was Martin. A charter member of the International Hockey Hall of Fame, Martin would represent Canada in the IIHF World Championships in 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967, winning bronze medals in four championships. In addition to his 1961 gold medal and best goaltender nod, Martin's trophy case also proudly notes his status as the best goalie at the 1963, 1964 and 1966 worlds.

He also participated in the Olympic Winter Games 1964 in Innsbruck, Austria, controversially finishing fourth. After watching the team struggle in pre-Olympic exhibition games, observers gave the Canadians little chance of winning a medal against the pros from Europe. But Canada started strong, winning 8-0 over Switzerland and they would chalk up four more wins, including a 6-4 win over the defending gold medalists from the United States. Against Czechoslovakia, Canada led 1-0 and goaltender Seth Martin looked unbeatable until Czech forward Miroslav Vlach ran into him on a clearing play, hurting his knee. He was replaced by Ken Broderick, who surrendered three goals and Canada lost 3-1.

Canada's final game was against the Soviets, who had won all six of their games. Canada, needing a win to clinch the gold, jumped out to a 1-0 lead. The Soviets tied it in the second before Bob Forhan made it 2-1 for Canada. The Soviets stormed back to tie the game with two minutes left in the second. For the start of the third, the Canadians made a goaltending change, inserting Martin even though his knee was not 100-percent. Bauer felt the presence of Martin would be enough to throw the Soviets off their game. Soviet coach Anatoli Tarasov responded by telling his players not to shoot unless they were certain to score - he did not want to give Martin a chance to warm up in the nets. The Soviets would score on their first shot of the third to take a 3-2 lead. Martin would face 18 more shots in the period, but would stop them all. Unfortunately, the Canadians could not tally the equalizer, giving the Soviets the win and the gold.

At 5-2, Canada was tied with Czechoslovakia and Sweden for second place but based on goal differential, Canada would be placed third behind the Swedes with the Czechs in fourth. Olympic officials surprised the Canadians by ruling that the tie-breaker would be goal differential based on the entire tournament - not just among teams involved in the medal round. That decision moved the Czechs up into third and dropped Canada to fourth, out of the medals for the first time in Olympic hockey history.
In 2005, a motion almost passed through the IIHF hierarchy to compensate Canada with a second bronze medal, however the IIHF feared setting the precedent may open up a slew of similar appeals and ultimately rejected Canada's motion.

The Canadian national team was never good enough to challenge to professionals from the Soviet Union, but they admirably and valiantly represented the nation. Martin was undoubtedly the MVP of the "Nats." Without his strong goaltending, Canada would never have captured what they did during the 1960s.

In 1968 the NHL doubled in size by expanding from 6 to 12 teams. With the continuing Canadian struggles about the professional-amateur status debate in international hockey souring and ultimately ending Canadian participation in international hockey, Martin opted to give the National Hockey League a try.

With the St. Louis Blues he backed up Glenn Hall, one of the greatest goaltenders in hockey history. Martin appeared in 30 games, posting a 8-10-7 record with a 2.59 GAA. By no means did set the league on fire, but he did hold his own.

Outrageous NHL salaries were still a few years away. Happy enough with his one season in the NHL, Martin returned home to Trail where he returned to his job at Cominco, making comparable money to the NHL, and returned to play with the local senior team.

Remembering the Smoke Eaters

The following article was recently printed in the Vancouver Province newspaper -
Seth Martin, who backstopped the Trail Smoke Eaters to claim the 1961 world hockey championship still gets cards and letters.

They arrive at his Trail home from all over Europe, notes wishing him well and requests for autographs.

"I probably get 150 a year," Martin says. "I got one just about a month ago from a guy in the Czech Republic. He remembered me. He wanted an autograph.

"It's exciting when I do get them, sometimes overwhelming."

The '61 Smokies still are regard as highly - if not more so - in Europe as they are in Canada, perhaps because they were the last Canadian team to win the world title since Paul Kariya - another B.C. native - led the nation back to gold glory in 1994.
Or it could be that the Smoke Eaters - made up mostly of hometown boys and coached by the relentless Bobby Kromm - were never expected to win.

The Canadian Federation of Hockey doubted we'd do well." Martin says. "In fact, (federation president) Jack Roxborough apologized to us after we had won. He just as much as said he didn't think we would win, but he was certainly glad we had proved him wrong."

It came down to Canada's final game against the Russians. To win the world championship, Trail had to beat the Russians by two or three goals - there was some confusion over the tie breaking formula.

Any confusion vanished when Norm Lenardon scored to put Trail up 5-1 - the final score - with about three minutes in regulation.

I can remember skating the length of the ice" after the goal, Martin says. "I was probably the third guy to get to (Lenardon)."

And with that, Martin's successful international run began, as he wound up playing in five more world championships, wowing crowds around Europe.

Says hockey researcher Ron Boileau:

"The Europeans think of Seth Martin as much as we think of Vladislav Tretiak here in Canada."

It took Hall of Fame goalies for me to really understand and appreciate Seth Martin’s impact on hockey.... It’s a fair argument to say few people in the Home of Champions brought more recognition to the Silver City than “The Masked Marvel.â€... When chronicling the history of local sports, Seth’s name ranks up with the immortals like Nancy Greene, Mike Bukna, Jimmy Morris, Andy Bilesky and Willi Krause.

I’ve sat in media rooms at NHL games and when a Montreal Canadiens scout heard I was from Trail, his first words were, “I remember the Trail Smokers and their great goaltender, Seth Martin.â€

He couldn’t remember the exact name of the team but he certainly remembered Seth. The Russians knew his name well. They were so enamored with Martin that they had their young goaltenders, including the legendary Vladislav Tretiak, emulate his style.

Even in the lead up to the Summit Series in 1972, the historic meeting between NHLers and Russians, one of the first questions Andrei Starovoitov, the No. 2 hockey man in the Soviet Union, asked a Montreal Star reporter was “Seth Martin, is he on your team?â€

“Seth Martin is a name, when I go overseas, to a lot of Europeans Seth ranks with Tretiak. I don’t say that lightly,†Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson told me during his visit to Trail to honour the world champion Smoke Eater teams in 2006.

When Dryden, yet another Hall of Fame goaltender, was on a political pitch for the Liberal Party he visited Trail and proved great goaltenders are all familiar with each other.

“Everybody followed the Smoke Eaters,†he told the Times’ Ray Masleck. “Seth was a household name to us.â€...

...As a child of the Original Six NHL, I knew I was talking to one of the game’s legends when I met Hall, but all he wanted to do was tell me what a great goaltender Seth Martin was....

Seth Martin, who became Canada's most famous goalie in Europe during the 1960s, was in Cominco's fire department on shift work... when going into playoffs or getting into serious hockey where they were training every day, the hockey playing firemen made personal arrangements with other firemen so they could get a couple hours off. When the team travelled away for a game, all players would take a couple of shifts off and trade with others to make up the time. They were close knit because everybody was on the same basis, playing and working. At the end of each season after all the expenses were paid they would split what was left. They might get $300 or $500 for their season of hockey, once a magnificent $900. And once $181.

(1961 Geneva World Championships) After only 40 seconds Sly was penalized and Trail was under great pressure. Martin dove and kicked and caught and stabbed with his stick to hold out the Russians. He had watched them closely in the last few days. But nothing had prepared him for the actuality. "It was hard to play goal then against the Russians, it really was. They would make a real good play to get out of their zone and pass it up the ice to get into our zone. I'd go out on the angle to cut off the guy who was probably going to shoot - and he'd pass it! He'd be in a good position to shoot but he would back-pass it or dump it into the slot or to the defense. I found I'd be out of the net at the wrong time and then back in the net at the wrong time. Until I finally thought, whoa, let's think about what's going on here. And I finally figured, well, he's not going to shoot from what I'd think was a good shot, he's going to pass it off. Eventually I had to play the wrong way, as far as I was concerned. They would just not shoot the puck from where they should have shot from." All this was going through his mind not in contemplative repose, but in the fiercest action. He was having trouble, but he was holding them out... the onslaught resumed. For four minutes out of that first five, Canada played shorthanded. Trail killed the penalties. Martin stopped all shots. Bobby Kromm later said: "Martin, Sly, Fletcher and our penalty killers - they broke the Russians' back right there in the first period."

(1964 Olympics) In the end, even the most dedicated hockey could not do what the Nats really wanted to do. Only two games were left, less than 24 hours apart. Canada led the Czechs 1-0 more than halfway into the 3rd period. Seth Martin's goaltending was spectacular. Then a player cruising the crease hit Martin and injured his leg. He played for a few minutes until the pain became so intense that he had to leave. Seven minutes remained when Ken Broderick came off the bench to replace him. The Czechs poured in the shots... they scored three goals. Nationals had played the best, everybody knew. they had almost won, but not quite. It was to be a trademark of this team in the next six years... at the beginning of the third period against the Soviets, Father Bauer lifted Broderick and put in Seth Martin, the man who had robbed the Russians blind in 1961, and on whom hero worshipping young Soviet goalies were to pattern themselves for years... but the Canadians had played their great part-game and didn't have anything left... Alexandrov shot the only goal of the third period. It was enough for the Russian win, 3-2.

(1966 World Championships) ...although the Czechs were dominating the play they couldn't beat Seth Martin in the Nationals' goal again until 29 seconds from the end of the game... Even Tikal, the Czech captain, said of that game, "The referees were so bad that Canada had no chance to play at all." The Canadians were so incensed about the refereeing that they threatened to pull out of the tournament. They felt they had been penalized for everything they did, while the Czechs committed open fouls without penalty. The canadians had taken 11 of the game's 16 penalties and had two apparently legitimate goals disallowed... the European press called the 2-1 score a fraud but it went into the record books and kept Czechoslovakia's unbeaten record intact.

(1968 World Championships) A tiny footnote to that loss to Russia. Seth Martin was on the road with the Blues the day Russia beat Canada 5-0. With his professional teammates, he was in a hotel room watching the game on TV. The pros were jeering the efforts of the canadians, saying things like "why the hell don't we send a few pros over there and clean their clocks?" Martin sat at the back of the room, sick with his knowledge of what the Canadians were going through, plus his conviction that it would take a lot more than a "few pros" to even come close to the Russians. "I couldn't stand it", he said later. "I got up and went out of the room." Later on, he sounded off on the subject to Al Arbour, who later became a thoughtful, effective NHL coach. At the end of Martin's passionate outburst that these guys simply didn't have any idea what Canadian teams went through in international competition, Arbour apologized. "I never realized," he said. In a few years, he and all the other pros began to understand what Seth Martin had been so angry about.

Three Canadians yesterday made the All Star world hockey championship team picked by sportswriters, radio and television commentators.

The Team:
Goal - Kjell Sevenswon, Sweden; defense Alexander Ragulin, Russia and Harry Smith, Canada; centre, Ad Tambellini, Canada; wings, Jack Mcleod, Canada and Miroslav Vlach, Czechoslovaki

The second team:
Goal-Seth Martin, Canada; defense, Roland Stolta, Sweden and Frantisek Tikal, Czechoslovakia; centre, Ulf Sterner, Sweden; wings, Hans Mild and Carl Goran Oberg, Sweden

Martin Outstanding Despite Heavy Cold; Johansson Hits Mark

Martin made several brilliant saves as he kicked aside 32 shots in the first two periods, playing and outstanding game in spite of a heavy cold that obviously bothered him.

Goalie Seth Martin performed brilliantly for Canada and got cheer after cheer from the crowd- a partisan lot which waved Maple Leaf flags and chanted "Let's go Canada." They drowned out groups of Russian supports and their chants of "Shaybu, shaybu." (puck, puck)

Martin stopped 27 shots and Russia's Victor Konovalenko had 16.

Goalie Martin who pulled off saves that had the Russians gesturing in despair at times..

Canadian goalie Seth Martin was officially named the outstanding goalie in the eight country tournament for the 1966 world hockey championships, tournament officials announced last night, Named outstanding defenseman and forward were two members of the champion Russians, Alexander Ragulin 24, and Konstantin Loktev, 32 respectively.

The directorate of the International Ice Hockey Federation picks the outstanding goalie, defenseman and forward after the annual championship tournament.

Martin who won a similar honor at the 1963 tournament in Stockholm Sweden, was also the top choice of newspapermen and nation team coaches as the best goalie here.

A unanimous choice of the 236 European and North American sports writers covering the tournament, he was one of the three Canadians named along with three Russians to make up the unofficial all-star team of the press.

Martin, 34, has been a top international performer and won frequent all-star honors in his four world championships

What about Martin? The Nats already have two excellent goalkeepers in Ken Broderick and Wanye Stephenson.
Mcleod agreed but noted that Martin is something of a living legend in Europe.

When he can boast only one gold medal for his four appearances in the world competition, Seth has only to appear to beat some of the European teams. In particular he has always given the Czechs a bad time.

MCLEOD GETS THE WORD - SETH MARTIN BETTER THAN EVER?

Jackie McLeod couldn't believe the report when he heard it, and neither can anybody else, but it's apparently true - Seth Martin is better than ever... McLeod brightens every time he thinks about Martin, already considered the finest goaltender in world amateur hockey... "the word I get from BC is that Seth has been absolutely unbelievable this winder," McLeod said. "He's been playing for Rossland, and I hear about games where his club gets outshot, 60 or 70 to 15, and wins 3-2. Well, that's something in our favour. The European clubs already think he's unbeatable. I don't see how he could get any sharper, but I hope it's correct."

As the game progressed, the Russians gradually gained ascendancy. But the superb goaltending of Seth Martin forced them to struggle for their narrow victory

Against the Russians, the Canadian defense back by Martin proved to be as good as its high reputation. For the first time in the tournament, the Russians encountered opposition worthy of the name.

Suddenly, Firsov's bizarre shot dropped out of the air. The Russians gained in confidence and, as their passing movements took their usual fluidity, they began to hem the Canadians in. But Martin kept Russia out, with 10 saves to Konavalenko's two in the second period.

Seth's goaltending style resembles Hall's, but then it did before they played for St. Louis. He's a form goalie. He doesn't emphasize one tool-the stick, the glove or the pads-over another though his swift sure catching hand might be his strongest weapons.

Seth seldom anticipates. He's a goalie who doesn't beat himself. He stays on his skates where he's uncanny at denying re-shootable rebounds. His Knowledge of the angles and his memory for the shooting tendencies of opposing forwards are superb.

Martin playing in Rossland in 1959, was struck in the face by a slap shot. His nose was broken, several teeth were broken out. He required more than 100 stitches inside his mouth and hospital recuperation.

On recovery, Martin fashioned the fiberglass mask that become his trademark in an era when only one other goaltender of note wore one- Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens.

If Seth did not become a better braver goaltender than he had been before he certainly became a safer, more relaxed one.

When the famed Trail team of 1961 went to Geneva for the World Cup Tournament, Martin was the first goaltender to wear a mask in Europe. Trail won that tournament beating the powerful national teams from Sweden and Russia. That was the last time Canada, birthplace of hockey was to win the world competition.

Martin was named the tournament's outstanding goaltender. He was to win that honor in four of his five trips to the World Tournament and the Olympic games as a member of team Canada.

Statistics

1964 Olympics

Player| Team | GA | SV | SV%|GAA
Seth Martin|CAN|6|155|96.1%|1.21
Kjell Svensson|SWE|8|128|93.8%|N/A
Viktor Konovalenko |USSR|10|132| 92.4%|1.57
Vladimir Nadrchal |CSSR|14|181| 92.3%|N/A
Ken Broderick|CAN|12|119|89.9%|4.16
Lennart Haggroth|SWE|8|74|89.2%|N/A

The average of the other goalies in this tournament was 91.8. On average, another goalie in the 1964 Olympics was 2.1X more likely to allow any given shot in the net, than Martin was.

Ken Broderick played a good sample of time in this tournament for the same coach, system and defense corps, and allowed goals at nearly 3X the rate of Martin. Broderick was no slouch - he had excelled in North America's highest minor leagues and briefly earned NHL and WHA gigs in his 30s.

1967 World Championships

Rank | Goalie | Country | GP | SOG | GA | SV%
1 | Viktor Zinger | Soviet Union | 2 | 36 | 2 | 94.44
2 | Urpo Ylönen | Finland | 5 | 188 | 11 | 94.14
3 | Viktor Konovalenko | Soviet Union | 6 | 112 | 7 | 93.75
4 | Carl Wetzel | United States | 7 | 289 | 20 | 93.07
5 | Jiří Holeček | Czechoslovakia | 4 | 76 | 6 | 92.1
6 | Kjell Svensson | Sweden | 3 | 79 | 7 | 91.13
7 | Seth Martin | Canada | 6 | 143 | 13 | 90.9
8 | Peter Kolbe | East Germany | 6 | 230 | 25 | 89.13
9 | Vladimír Nadrchal | Czechoslovakia | 5 | 110 | 12 | 89.09
10 | Klaus Hirche | East Germany | 3 | 123 | 14 | 88.61
11 | Wayne Stephenson | Canada | 3 | 16 | 2 | 87.5
12 | Leif Holmqvist | Sweden | 4 | 111 | 15 | 86.48
13 | Hans Schmengler | West Germany | 5 | 211 | 29 | 86.25
14 | Juhani Lahtinen | Finland | 2 | 84 | 13 | 84.52
15 | Günther Knauss | West Germany | 4 | 140 | 27 | 80.71
16 | Tom Haugh | United States | 1 | 9 | 3 | 66.66

In his one season in the NHL backing up Hall:

Player| GP | W | L | T/O| SO | GAA| sv%
Glenn Hall|49|19|21| 9 |5|2.48|.910
Seth Martin|30|8|10| 7 | 1 | 2.59|.913

 

[Hedberg]

D Ron Greschner

6'2, 205 lbs, shoots Left
179 G, 431 A, 610 Pts in 982 NHL Gp (1974-1990)

Accomplishments
- Captain of the New York Rangers 1986-1987
- Selected to 1979 Challenge Cup and 1980 All-Star Game

Playing Style
"Greschner was so skilled offensively that the Rangers would occasionally play him at forward as well as defense, and in 1977-78, he registered the first of four 20-goal seasons." - NY Rangers

"Gresch was a big but mobile defenseman... He quickly established himself as a NHL star blessed with size and skating. He would run the Rangers power play... He was a super stickhandler with a good shot. He was big and aggressive, though not necessarily strong or punishing. He was a smart skater, gifted in his balance and lateral mobility, although he lacked speed. His ice savvy was his biggest asset, able to read plays developing from either end of the ice and to be in the right spot at the right time." - Joe Pelletier

"Defenceman Ron Greschner was a splendid puckhandler with a dangerous shot who could also play efficiently in his own zone." - Legends of Hockey

Trivia
- Despite being an offensive defenceman, occasionally played centre on a shutdown line.
- Don't look at his Facebook

 

[Hedberg]

C David Krejci

6'0, 186lb, shoots right
134 G, 338 A, 472 Pts in 623 NHL Gp (2006-)
VSX7 Points: 64.0

Accomplishments:
- 2011 Stanley Cup Champion
- Led both the 2011 and 2013 Playoffs in scoring

Playing Style
" Has excellent vision and passing skills, and profiles as a classic playmaking center. His head is always in the game and he possesses great hockey sense and two-way instincts. Is a good face-off man and great on special teams." - Forecaster

"Krejci is as much a total three-zone, two-way player as Bergeron. He’s the number two guy in the faceoff circle for the B’s (50.4%, behind Bergeron). When Claude Julien falls back on his defensive-minded system, he and Bergeron are the first two forwards to answer the call." - Causeway Crowd, 2016

"David's biggest asset is his head. He sees the ice so well. He makes plays, he uses the players around him."- Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli, 2011

Trivia
- Played for the Czech Republic at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics

 

[Hedberg]

RW/C Charlie Sands

5'9, 160lbs, shoots right
99 G, 109 A, 208 Pts in 427 NHL Gp (1932-1943)
Vs

Accomplishments
- 1939 Stanley Cup Champion
VSX5 Points: 58.3

Playing Style:
"A solid two-way player, Sands spent four seasons in Montreal, one of a handful of players who remained as Dick Irvin retooled the team from the ground up in the early years of his reign behind the bench" - Montreal Canadiens Our History

"He was a decent offensive player who could check well and rarely found himself in the penalty box." - Legends of Hockey

Trivia
- Charlie's nephew, Jim Sands, wrote a play based on his NHL career

 

[seventieslord]

Jack Adams, Coach

- Stanley Cup (1936, 1937, 1943)
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1934, 1941, 1942, 1945)
- Regular season record of 413-390-116 (.512)
- Playoff record of 52-52-1 (.500)
- 20 full seasons coached (3rd all-time)
- Adams would rank about 4th-8th all-time in regular season wins if a formula for adjustment existed
- Adjusted for schedule length, 5th all-time in playoff games
- Adjusted for schedule length, 6th all-time in playoff wins
- All-star voting record of 1-1-2-3-4-4-4 in the 16 years that there was voting on coaches
- Lester Patrick Trophy (1966)

Adams was not only Detroit's on-ice authority but also its business manager, travelling secretary, and publicist. He was also loud, brash, and pugnacious, first as a player and then an executive. He was famous for storming the officials' room at the Olympia to berate the referee for calls he--Adams--objected to. But in the off-season, he'd fight tooth and nail at the governors' meetings for pay raises for the officials. That was his style--tough and fair.

Adams hated losing...

Adams had many less desirable characteristics, but he was a canny promoter of his team.

When Adams came to town, Detroit residents had very little knowledge of the game... In an effort to educate Detroit fans, Adams wrote a column for the Detroit Times enabled "following the puck"... Adams had to chip in some of his own money to pay players. "Things are so bad around here that I'm having to put up my own money sometimes to meet payroll... I just hope we don't break any more of our sticks because we're at a point where we just can't afford to buy new ones. Last week, a gang of kids stole some of our sticks and if the police hadn't recovered them, we'd be kicking the puck with our skates."... Norris put Adams on probation for one year. It was sink or swim, and he certainly did not sink. Adams did a good job for Norris, handling scouting, promotion and publicity, in addition to his job as the team's coach.

Even when playing junior hockey, players would be put through drills that Adams instructed their coaches to run. They were evaluated in many different areas (temperament, ability, etc).

Besides successfully piloting the Wings, Adams left his impression on the league as well. Along with Dick Irvin and the Patrick brothers, he pushed for the penalty shot's introduction.

...supposedly, a seasoned hockey writer once gave the following advice to a rookie journalist: "Don't pay any attention to what you hear from Adams now. It's hockey season. During the season, he simply cannot be understood. He hates his best friend. He just lives to win. But wait until summer comes. There won't be a finer, more thoughtful gentleman in Detroit. He can't do enough for anybody then."

...Jack Adams was a multi-faceted individual. Those who had dealings with him offer a variety of descriptions, ranging from the most bitter portraits to the most positive, endearing caricatures... William Furlong in the January 9, 1954 issue of the Saturday Evening Post, gave the following description: "To his players, Jack Adams is a kindly, sweet-tempered, if sometimes strong-willed overseer. To his rivals, Adams is a sharp-tongued, irascible tyrant. He is a man of emotional extremes. He may deliver a scorching denunciation of an opponent's rough tactics, then rush from the rink and break into tears in a hospital corridor while one of his players undergoes an emergency operation. In the heat of a game, he has blisteringly reviewed the shortcomings of the league's referees and linesmen, but he has also gone before the league's board to advocate for higher pay and a pension system for the officials.

In Philip Loranger's book "If they played hockey in heaven - the Jack Adams Story", Loranger said: "Jack never cheated his fans. He brought the city champions and trophy winners because he brought in the finest players available... Adams helped his players in every way he could because he knew that fellows in good health and without worries would perform better than those who couldn't concentrate.

Adams was a fiery, competitive man for sure, and there are numerous stories of him "skinning his players alive" for poor performances, throwing orange wedges at them in the dressing room or walking around with one-way tickets to Indianapolis visibly protruding from his pocket. "There's more freedom now," says Wings' locker room attendant Wally Crossman. "Before, when Adams had the team, you couldn't even talk to him. He did all the talking, he did all the bawling out of the players. If you talked back to him, it was too bad."

Once, in a game against Montreal, Adams burst into the official's room in disagreement over a call. "He raised the devil with Red Storey," said Habs coach Dick Irvin. "he went into that room at the end of the second period and, at that time, Detroit had four penalties to our three. That Adams! I think the new authority he possesses has gone to his head."

Elliott Trumbull, former director of public relations for the Wings, remembers Adams in a very positive light: "Adams was my confidant... I was very close to him... he was a hell of a hockey guy. He built that franchise... yes he really was a great judge of talent... He was gruff, but he had a heart of gold. He had a gruff exterior, but he was a smiling Irishman underneath it... he was tough when we lost, but deservedly so. He kept those guys going because they had the fear of God in them, those young players. They knew if they didn't do their job, they were gone. That's the way it should be...

"He was an inspiration to me as a player... as a player and as a coach, he fought every second. That's why I admire him and think he is the greatest hockey man Detroit will ever have. If he didn't beat you he'd say "I'll get you next time." - King Clancy

"Jack's a tough loser. But win or lose, he's with you. He imbues you with a spirit not to be satisfied with average play. He wants you to give your best all the time. If you don't, you're not his type of player and you're not going to be around long. At the same time, he is considerate. He says everybody is due for a certain number of bad nights. - Marty Pavelich

"The best general manager and coach I ever saw" - Budd Lynch

"He was very competitive, a good, down-to-earth man, whith a heart of gold, but he could be as tough as anybody in the business. You had deep respect for the man. He was the greatest person I ever had anything to do with. He had great foresight and did things that you respected." - Jimmy Skinner

"I never had any trouble with Jack. The problems that people bring up when they mention Net Worth was that 'Jack was a bully' type of thing, but I never found him that way." - Leo Reise

"He was a dedicated man and he lived hockey and he did a lot for the game." - Lefty Wilson

"Jack was with the club when I came there - he was the coach in the 30s and still in the 40s... he was a very stern disciplinarian, and he was very tough on the players. He was really gruff... they had to play for Adams or they were gone." - Wally Crossman

"If we were playing poorly, he'd start chewing on an orange and his face would start turning red. We'd sit there, almost cowering in our cubicles, never taking our eye off him for a minute. You knew he was going to throw that orange and you wanted to be ready if it was coming at you... he had a great trick he used on us in practice. He'd let us play for a while and then all of a sudden he'd blow his whistle. You had to stop in your tracks... and lord help anyone who wasn't where he was supposed to be... we'd try to edge over when he blew the whistle but he'd scream at you, 'Abel, where are you going? Stay right there!' He would tell us he wanted us to go up and down our wings like we were riding a trolley car - 18 feet from the boards, up and down. He'd say 'the puck will come to you without chasing it all over the place.'... I LOVED that man."

"It was rough playing for Adams. He was a dictator. Yeah, he didn't give a damn for you or anyone else. He said his job was to put people in the building and you had to win hockey games." - Harry Watson

"I'll just put it this way, the man never spoke to me for nine straight years. If we passed in the corridor, he'd turn his head. The only time he spoke to me was to give me hell getting on and off the ice. In fact, he fined me $25 in practice one day for making a bad pass. That's how bad he was. I really, highly disliked the man. Of course, you won't get anybody to say a good word about him anyway. I wasn't the only one. That's why we never had any problem, never had any cliques on the team, because we were all covering up for one another around Jack." - Carl Liscombe

As a coach, Adams demanded total effort and dedication from his team.

(1937) A few minutes before the fifth and deciding game, Adams delivered a daring and inspired pep talk. He brought the Stanley Cup into the dressing room and set it on the table in front of his players. "Every one of us, from the time were kids shooting pucks on icy sidewalks, has wanted to get his name on that cup. You can make history tonight by winning it two years in a row. Let's see what you've got. Let's bring this cup back in here after the game." With that, the fired up wings roared on the ice and proved unbeatable.

(1942) The favoured Leafs had finished second in 1941-42, 15 points ahead of the Red Wings, whom they met in the final. But wings coach Jack Adams had devised a simple and effective strategy for the series: dump the puck in, chase it hard, and forecheck with a vengeance... the fired up Wings walked into Maple Leaf Gardens and skated off with two victories. According to The Star's Andy Lytle, the Wings made it look easy. "A league underdog is now belting the magnificent Leaf machine around with the same ease and hilarity that kids employ in the blissful sport of kick the can."

Jack Adams had never been thought of as an innovator in the style of Art Ross and Lester Patrick, but he too made a significant contribution to changing the game. In the spring of 1938 the Red Wings and Canadiens played exhibition games in France. Adams saw a demonstration of curling, and when the act was finished they flooded the ice for the next show. Adams brought the idea back to the NHL owners, and in a few years, between-period ice flooding was part of the rules of hockey.

Adams ran the Red Wings his way, which to him was the only way, for 36 years...

...Adams wasn't thinking very clearly during the 1942 finals, pulling a stunt that very likely cost his team the stanley cup... the fourth game was played in Detroit, and everybody thought the wings would be celebrating when it was over. But Toronto won 4-3. It had been a night when Adams had constantly argued the calls of referee Mel Harwood. When the game ended Adams and several of his players accosted Harwood as he was leaving the ice. The melee was a wild one. Harwood claimed Adams punched him... Adams was suspended for the balance of the series. The Wings, playing without their coach, fell victim to what is still the biggest comeback in finals history as the Leafs swept the next three games to win the cup.

NHL President Frank Calder suggested that Adams coach the Detroit Falcons, a second year team that had lost money and struggled badly. I think you're just the man they need in Detroit," Calder remarked, and he couldn't have been more correct... Adams wasn't only Detroit's on-ice authority but also its business manager, traveling secretary and publicist. He was loud and pugnacious...

Jack Adams died doing what he cared about most. He was absorbed in hockey, in charge of the CPHL, still caught up in the game... Adams was among the advance men who blazed the NHL to a big league level - combative, bold, frank, cussed, big-headed and amiable... all of the little universe of hockey in the 20th century was contained in Jack Adams' mind and interwoven with his life. It wasn't simply that "Jack knew them all", as they say of certain men of vintage. Adams influenced them all; he reacted on them, and they on him...he rose above issues or ignored them, or turned them inside out. He thought loyalty was a two-way street for management and players alike... Adams revealed, long after his meeting with Charles Hughes: "I was no cap-in-hand applicant for employment. He had finished last and lost a ton of money, and I'd been involved in winning the Stanley Cup. I told him he needed me more than I needed him - and he agreed."

...Adams kept needling Calder. The next time the governors convened, in the summer of 1942. "You're through persecuting me!" he hollered at the man who had suggested 17 years before, that he apply for a job in Detroit. "I'm through being your goddamn patsy!" Adams always believed that his protest ensured that Detroit subsequently received even breaks from referees.

"I don't know how they hang in there against us," said Lester Patrick. "It's Jack Adams. Even with such a hobbled team in there he manages to keep his same disciplined offense and defense."

"I'll tell you, we were just lucky to be getting out of here with our lives,: exclaimed Toronto president Conn Smythe, whose wisecracks and mocking had always irritated Adams. "Those Red Wings are nothing more than just a gang of hoodlums." When informed of his remarks, Adams shot back, "Smythe's a baby! We're just sorry we can't play the Leafs seven nights in a row."

...by now Adams was an institution, not only in Detroit but also in the entire NHL. Practically through sheer force of his personality he had made the franchise a winner, and in the process turned Detroit into a hockey town.

"Adams thought hockey was the greatest thing on God's green earth," said Mark Beltaire. "He hated anyone who'd dare denigrate it."

...Although the public usually saw a rotund "Happy Jack", in the clubhouse, Adams could be bombastic, dictatorial, and even cruel... in that era, Adams' tactics worked, though there were some casualties along the way. One was Stu Evans, a strong willed type who chafed under Adams' biting sarcasm and iron rule. "He was a tough guy to get along with. One night against Boston we played poorly. He came in and really bawled the hell out of us. He could be very sarcastic, very insulting... I was glad to go."

Adams didn't drink or smoke, and he expected his players to follow suit. He cringed when he opened a magazine and saw that a Red Wing had picked up an extra $100 by endorsing cigarettes. he was livid whenever he caught a player drinking or running around after hours.

There was no denying Jolly Jack's genius in getting the most out of his men. This was evident in '41 and '42, when in each April an ordinary Detroit squad found itself in the position of being one series away from capturing an unexpected cup... a sweep in 1941 was tough to take, but it wasn't nearly as bitter a pill to swallow as what would happen the following spring... Detroiters have always referred to it as the collapse of the century. In either case, Adams' men never get any credit for being the overachieving crew that they were. After compiling a mediocre 19-25-5 record, they upset Montreal and Boston in the first two rounds. Their appearance in the final astonished many. no 4th place team had ever won the cup before, so what chance did a 5th place team have against the 2nd place Leafs, who had eliminated the league champion Rangers? The consensus was that the Wings would once again be beaten four straight. The Wings' crafty coach never cared for naysayers. Adams devised a strategy to take advantage of Bucko McDonald. He knew he covered a lot of ice, but that owed more to his weight than to any speed. Instead of carrying or passing the puck across the blueline, Adams had his players shoot it past the defenseman, then skate like mad after it. Dumping and chasing has long been an effective offensive strategy, but in 1942 it was still brand new. The result was Detroit skating out of Maple Leaf Gardens with 3-2 and 4-2 victories...

(Leo Reise) - I got along with everyone, including Adams. One time he said he was going to send me to the farm team in Indianapolis. "You aren't going to send me anywhere," I said. "I don't have to play hockey." I wouldn't let them push me around, and that was the end of that.

Others weren't quite so pleasant. Jack Adams, who coached and managed the Wings, was a tough man. He gave the refs a hard time although he didn't bother me all that much.

Some fellows objected to Adams' style; they figured he was too tough a guy. He was a hard competitor - all he thought about was winning and I can't blame him for that. We'd say about Jack, "All he can ever do is win."

Jack Adams of Detroit gave me the toughest time of anybody, but I don't think I'm unique in saying this. He'd constantly put pressure on the referees and try to intimidate them by continual needling. I don't know if it really worked; I imagine it might have with some of the guys.

A gruff man, his nickname Jolly Jawn, was a misnomer, for Adams rarely smiled. "Jack was about the crustiest individual that you'd ever want to meet," Hall of Fame broadcaster Budd Lynch said. "Part Army Colonel, but soft as putty if you got him at the right time." A hard nosed negotiator, Adams was reviled by players, but he was also the man who gave Hockeytown legitimac as a hockey town. An innovator, he delivered the farm system and convinced the NHL that flooding the ice between periods would improve the speed and quality of play.

Without Jack Adams there might never have been a Detroit Red Wings franchise today... an exceptionally galvanic personality, he would do anything to win and rarely concerned himself with the consequences... Adams took them from a dismal 12-28-4 record and climbed to the .500 mark... After juggling combinations of players, Adams eventually placed captain Sid Abel, the center, on a line with Howe on the right wing and the truculent Lindsay on the left. No three forwards ever jelled more firmly...

Jack has been "Mr Hockey" around Detroit for the past two decades during which time he made the Red Wings one of the most consistently powerful teams in the game... under his sometimes genial, often fiery direction, Detroit won four NHL championships, three Stanley Cups and entered the playoffs in 15 of 20 years... Always pugnacious and hard-fighting, Adams was the bane of referees around the circuit while handling the Wings, and involved himself in some rare verbal brawls with the officials and opposing coaches. But off the ice he's as affable and friendly a man as you'd want to meet.

In trying to write the story of Jack Adams one must first feel the way his players and cohorts feel about him. They just love the guy; gee, what else can you say! I've mixed with dozens of Detroit players at the last four fall training camps in Sault Ste. Marie,and during the seasons at Detroit and have never seen any other group of athletes so proud to play for their boss...Jack Adams is a father, confidante, friend and inspiration to his players... there is an utter lack of stiffness and the "big shot approach" about Jack. He meets his players on a fair level and always attempts to keep their overall future in mind when the time comes for decisions... he is a stickler for conditioning with his players and follows this idea in his own life. This has helped him stay at the top these many years...

"Everyone who played against us had to go through the 'meat grinder'. Instead of orthodox defensive play, the forwards would steer the puck carriers into the 'funnel' where Stewart or Orlando would rock them."

Adams almost singlehandedly built the Red Wing organization and the game of hockey in the midwest. He made his team the best-known of the United States' clubs in the NHL, certainly, it has become the most successful in achieved results. His play patterns and his unerring judgment of personnel as well as his farm system became models for the other teams. However, Adams' record of achievement in hockey was not limited to his contributions to Detroit... his all-encompassing regard for the game of hockey itself kept him with a youthful, ever-changing outlook. This reflected itself in many contributions at a league level, which in turn led to the overall progress and prestige growth of the game. Examples are the present penalty rule whereby a man is discharged from the box following an opponent's score, ice resurfacing between periods, the players' pension society, television of hockey games, many of the phases of agreement between professional and amateur hockey leagues and between the NHL and minor leagues. All of these have stemmed from Adams' unceasing devotion to the game. He is dedicated not only to his team and his game but to the progress of each. Many promotional schemes of present day hockey can also trace their beginnings to his theories.

NHL teams prior to 1942-43 played exactly the same style of hockey as European teams play today. Then Jack Adams and his Red wings came along with a system that forced hockey into a new era.

 

[seventieslord]

Charlie Huddy, D

- 6'0", 210 lbs
- Stanley Cup (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990)
- Stanley Cup Finalist (1983, 1993)
- Canada Cup Champion (1984)
- 6th in Norris Voting (1983)
- Received a few scattered Norris/all-star votes (1984, 1985, 1989)
- Best defense VsX scores: 77, 70, 59, 55, 50, 49, 32
- Averaged 21.65 minutes per game (16.83 at ES) for 1017 games, for teams 16% better than average
- Averaged 23.06 minutes per game (17.65 at ES) in 8-year prime, for teams 30% better than average
- Top-4 on team in TOI 10 times (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4)
- Top-4 on team in ESTOI 12 times (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4)
- Ranked 2, 2, 5, 3, 5 in TOI in his 5 cup wins, 2, 3 in two other trips to the finals
- Killed 35% of penalties for teams 19% better than average
- Career playoff +/- leader (+82)

Charlie Huddy quietly was a big part of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty of the 1980s. While he didn't get the attention of the Gretzkys, Messiers, Kurris or Coffeys on the team, Charlie was a versatile player who was able to fill any role that coach Glen Sather asked him to.

Easily distinguishable by his big black moustache, Huddy was one of those players who was solid at every aspect of the game, but not great at any of them. His hockey sense was his most outstanding skill. Defensively he was able to read the oncoming rush very well, often forcing the puck carrier to stay on the perimeter of the ice. His anticipation helped him offensively too. He was very smart about pinching in from the point, as well as joining rushes as a trailer.

Although he had good size, Charlie was not a physical player really. He held his own in the corners or in front of his own goalie, but often was paired with a more physical partner, such as Jeff Beukeboom. A willing shot block, Charlie relied on his strong skating game and brainy approach more than brawn.

Despite a 20 goal year in 1982-83, Charlie wasn't really considered to be a true offensive defenseman but put up respectable numbers during the glory days in Edmonton. Charlie was often used on the power play unit in Edmonton, teaming up with Paul Coffey to man the points. Charlie was a solid puck handler with a hard, accurate slap shot from the point, perfect for crease-crashing forwards to tip and deflect. However Huddy was more or less the defensive conscience of the Oilers explosive power play. Huddy would often sit back and let Coffey jump up into the slot. Huddy was by no means a great power play catalyst. Once Coffey left Edmonton Huddy was unable to be nearly as effective as he was with Coffey.

A popular player among the Edmonton faithful, Charlie spent parts of 11 seasons in the northern Alberta city. Never drafted by an NHL team, Charlie actually signed with the Oilers out of his hometown OHA Oshawa Generals in 1979. After 2 1/2 seasons in the minors, Charlie proved everyone wrong by enjoying a 16 year NHL career, including 1017 games played, 99 goals, 354 assists and 453 points. Twice he was named as the Oilers best defenseman, and twice as the team's unsung hero.

In addition to his 5 Stanley Cups he was also a solid contributor the 1984 Canada Cup championship for Team Canada.

In his first three games, defenseman Charlie Huddy had two goals, three points and was a star twice... he played a regular shift, killed penalties and worked the point on the PP... "I was really pleased with his second effort," said Bryan Watson. "He made a super diving stop to knock the puck off one of the Hawks' sticks." Watson was so confident of his ability, he had him on the ice in the last minute as the Oilers clung to a 5-4 lead... Fogolin had nothing but praise. "He was steady and didn't give the puck away."

"Our steadiest defenseman from the start of the year has been Charlie," said assistant coach Ted Green. "Our steadiest, I may add, at both ends of the rink." ... "offensively, I'm just another guy who has benefitted from Wayne's talent." Defensively, he's done it on his own. Huddy was paired with 29-goal scorer Paul Coffey, who was struggling defensively, for obvious reasons... "It has taken him a little time to feel his way, but he's progressed and become better and better," says Sather... "When I saw the way Charlie progressed last year, despite the fact he was a little nervous in the playoffs, I knew Risto was expendable. If Charlie hadn't progressed like that, I couldn't have made the deal for Linseman. Charlie is bigger, stronger and tougher than Risto. He's far superior in his end of the rink and he's proving he can move the puck too. He's got one helluva shot. And don't forget one thing about Charlie - he plays the off side. It takes a special talent to do that."

"When Charlie was 18, they thought he was done... he had such a weight problem," says Hospodar... when he reported to Edmonton's 1980 training camp overweight, he was exiled to the minors for 32 games... Huddy has been Edmonton's steadiest defenseman. Not only is he one of the league's highest scoring defenseman, but his +61 with 2 games to go makes him almost assuredly the winner in the NHL's +/- rating... The ultra-shy Huddy blushed when informed of the Masterton nomination... Huddy often finds himself in a position to witness a forward in the high slot coming back. Coffey carries the puck more than any other defenseman. Huddy's the stay at home rearguard of the tandem... Huddy certainly qualifies for the Masterton in the area of perseverance...

"We at Emery are happy to recognize and reward a player such as Huddy, who, if you ask Glen Sather, will tell you is an integral part of the Edmonton Oilers... "I never, not for one minute changed my style because of the +- award. I was very happy to win it, but I would never let it affect the way I play"... "I thought Paul Coffey and I played well together on defense. When he wants to lead a rush, I stay back. If I want to go, he stays. Everything worked out quite well. I'm happy."

solid all-around player... good defensively, skilled on the attack... teamed with Paul Coffey on splendid defense pair... quickly worked his way into full time duty and was one of the team's most consistent players in strong 1982-83 season and playoffs.

has solid offensive skills, but teamed with Paul Coffey he's taken on defensive role... strong, quick skater who's good at moving puck up ice... was strong in late wins over the Islanders.

does it all defensively... can play role of defensive defenseman or provide offense... collects profusion of assists because of passing skill on high scoring team... not flashy but gets the job done... his skills are often subtle and overlooked by fans... doesn't make many mistakes in defensive zone... takes opposing forwards out of play smartly... good shot blocker.

There's no gift for unsung heroes or underrated stars. If one did exist, Charlie Huddy would surely win it. "He's our most deserving guy in those categories," states Glen Sather. "He's excellent offensively and what's more, a lot of Paul Coffey's best rushes start with moves by Huddy in our zone. Charlie makes a lot of things we do possible."... "As coffey's partner, he's less conspicuous than he might be otherwise," says Oilers personnel director Barry Fraser. "But Paul would be the first to tell you how much of his success depends on Charlie."

Defense, supposedly the Oilers' achilles heel, survived another season of criticism on the strength of Coffey's brilliance, Huddy's complementing skills and the fortress-like defense of Lowe...

Huddy is a good, not great skater. He doesn't have a spectacular burst of speed, nor is he particularly agile on his skates, but he gets where he's going. He skates well both forward and backward and is smooth in his pivots. He has excellent hockey sense and he can read plays very well. He breaks up rushes excellently by forcing the opposition wide of the net and he can step up into an offensive rush up-ice if need be, moving the puck quickly and smoothly. Once in the offensive zone Huddy can move the puck to the open man because he sees the ice so well and he can control the point well because he is a good stickhandler, much better than he is given credit for. When shooting, Charlie delivers a hard slapshot from the point, one that is accurate and low, good for tip-ins and deflections.

Huddy bangs along the boards and in front of the net and, though he isn't the strongest guy in the league, can handle most any opposing forward in the slot. He can outmuscle the opposition along the boards and after doing so make a play quickly because he is balanced on his skates and in position. He will sacrifice his body by blocking shots too... desire is what carried Huddy to the NHL and it's what keeps him here, making his whole better than the sum of his parts. An extremely hard worker, Huddy demonstrates that on every shift... he may be undervalued or underrated by the league at large, but the oilers know how important his steady and solid contributions are to their success.

has no particular strength or weakness... his play reading ability makes him one of the best pinching defensemen in the league...

lacks the tremendous speed of some of his teammates, but he gets where he's going... his hockey sense is his one outstanding skill... with Coffey out of Edmonton, Huddy got a chance to open up his offense and pick up some of the attacking slack... a steady and unspectacular performer, but he is one reason why Edmonton is such a great team; they take advantage of what each member has to offer.

Huddy is a good skater, probably above average but without any exceptional skill in this asset. Neither tremendously agile nor exceptionally fast... he'll hold his own against most players in the corner and crease battles...will find himself outmatched against the league's bigger and stronger forwards, he'll be paired with a stronger partner because of that...his versatility was what he added to the Oilers last season. He picked up some of the offensive slack left by the absence of Steve Smith without really harming the Oilers defensively... can still play a role as a dependable defender.

a dependable NHL defenseman, the kind who can contribute at both ends of the ice.

Mr. Reliable, Huddy's been tying up Oiler opponents for 10 seasons... he was tne NHL's +/- leader, a tribute to his talents at both ends of the rink... respected rearguard.

Huddy adds experience and stability.

A steady defender with good all-around skills

A good skater and puckhandler

Steady and reliable, a good stickhandler and smart passer

a solid, well-schooled defenseman who effectively keeps snipers away from his goalie. He likes to force the play in the defensive zone.

Steady and reliable... "He's the definition of a team player," says Gretzky. "He's a hard worker who never complains."... a good one-on-one defender, Charlie has always performed extremely well on the power play.

Hard work and outstanding ability to anticipate the play have kept Charlie in the game after many of his faster skating contemporaries have retured. he's a good puckhandler and contains the point well.

Clearing Crease: 4.6 (out of 5)
Shot blocking: 4.2
Speed: 3.5
Shot: 3.8
Offensive ability: 3.7

Huddy is a smart player and as his finesse skills have eroded over time, his head has become the most important part of his game. Huddy picks his spots offensively and does not get involved as much as he did in the past, but can still move up and join the rush. He is confident in his decisions about when to pinch and when to back off, and makes the right choice most of the time with little of the hesitation that plagues less veteran defensemen. Huddy's passing and stickhandling are above average. He doesn't scare anybody with his point shot, but he keeps it low and on net, making it easy for the forwards to deflect. He is an OK skater, nothing special, but he is bright enough to have himself in the right spot so that his skating deficiencies are often minimized.

Huddy has never been a physical player, relying more on his positioning and timing to force attackers to the perimeter or to pick off a pass. As his reflexes have slowed, Huddy has become more and more vulnerable to speed coming at him, and he is more easily beaten inside or out. He must be paired with a physical partner to be effective... no longer one of the top defensemen he was with the Oilers, but he can add experience to the Kings as a fifth or sixth.

Charlie was the Kings' unsung hero in 91-92.

one of the big reasons the Kings got off to such a fast start. "I don't know if I've seen many defensemen better at keeping a puck in the other team's end when it's shot up the boards," says Sabres coach John Muckler.

intelligent defender

Charlie is arguably one of the smartest NHL defensemen who hasn't lost a step and thinks quickly on his feet. He knows when to join the rsh, when to hit and when to pinch on defense and is rarely caught out of position. The vet is a better than average passer and stickhandler.

Clearing crease: 7.6 (out of 10)
Shot blocking: 7.5
SpeedL 7.4
Shot: 7.5
Offensive ability: 7.4

Huddy is an intelligent, stay at home defenseman. He can still get involved in the rush, but he worries less about his contribution to the attack and concentrates on defense first. Huddy is a confident positional player. He angles attackers to the wall and rubs them out with sturdy but not bone-jarring checks. His anticipation for picking off passes is excellent, and he can quickly turn the play back up ice with a smart pass. Huddy's finesse skills are above average. He keeps his point shot low and on target. His skating is average, but he doesn't push the envelope.

Huddy is not a big checker - never was - but he is still valuable for his experience and composure. He will tie attackers up in front of the net, but won't move many people out, especially now that many forwards look like extras from Jurassic Park... Huddy can still contribute in a limited role.

Huddy brings a level of reliability and toughness to his job that makes him extraordinarily valuable, although he's never been an all-star or Norris candidate. A grinding stay at home defender, Huddy rarely strays far from his assigned post... in recent seasons, injuries have crept into Huddy's life... these ailments are poison for a player such as Huddy, who relies on physical strength and positioning to outmuscle the enemy...Huddy has recovered from whatever setbacks have befallen him. The kings rely heavily on the experience Huddy brings... he knows what is required to be a winner - even a champion.

WILL - rarely stray far
CAN'T - add much offense
EXPECT - hard hitting
DON'T EXPECT - another Coffey

the Kings failed to overcome Montreal but Huddy, a longtime champion, was his usual solid performer... the definition of reliability. A player who knows his own limitations and plays within those self-determined boundaries, Huddy won't take chances that might put his team at risk... takes his defensive assignment very seriously, and plays tough, clean hockey every night... brings leadership, experience and respectability of a man who's tasted champagne from the cup five different times, that means a lot in the dressing room. There isn't anything fancy about the way he plays. But he's steady and consistent.

WILL - play strict defense
CAN'T - do much with puck
EXPECT - stay-at-homer
DON'T EXPECT - a superstar

his greatest attribute is his utter reliability. Despite possessing above average skills, he won't take chances that might put his team at risk. He has never pretended to be an offensive defenseman. He has always made defensive duty a priority, playing tough, clean hockey and earning respect all over the league... in recent years has recaptured his health and has steered clear of injuries... brings some invaluable traits to the sabres, including leadership, experience and prestige... while there's nothing fancy or spectacular about the way he plays, Huddy is one of those players who'll be out there when the game's on the line.

WILL - hit hard but clean
CAN'T - help the attack
EXPECT - a D-zone protector
DON'T EXPECT - a trophy

A stay at home defenseman who uses his size and physical strength, he's not keeping himself in great shape. He'll have a tough time sticking around this year.