Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XLII Time for Curtis Lazar?

[Avery16]

I loved Barnaby. He was a true team player. If you wanted him to play on the fourth line and do nothing but fight, he'd do it. If you wanted to put him on the second line in a pinch he'd do it, and show some skill in the process.

McCarthy was another guy I enjoyed. I remember him scoring and it setting off the Theo Fleury and Eric Cairns thing.

Never liked McCarthy. Langdon was a much better fighter. That trade made me mad.

 

[Avery16]

I loved Avery, too, but he's a Grade-A douche, whether or not he had friends in the locker room.

Theo had substance abuse issues and was abused as a young player. He turned himself into a great fundraiser for those with Chron's Disease and a tremendous advocate for victims of abuse.

Sean Avery harasses homeless people for Instagram views.

They're not comparable, as players or people.

I'm not going to attack Fleury or Avery, they're both great players and two of my favorites ever. The homeless thing is about the only objectionable thing I've ever seen about Avery. I would call him out on it if I could.

 

[nyr2k2]

Never liked McCarthy. Langdon was a much better fighter. That trade made me mad.

I liked Langdon, too, but McCarthy could play. In his time here he really reinvented himself into a guy who could contribute with more than his fists. He was nasty on the forecheck.

 

[nyr2k2]

I'm not going to attack Fleury or Avery, they're both great players and two of my favorites ever. The homeless thing is about the only objectionable thing I've ever seen about Avery. I would call him out on it if I could.

For the record, I absolutely loved Avery when he was here, and I defended him basically always. Some posters will remember I used to fight with chosen all the time about him, and he was my avatar for a long time. It was like a pic of him pointing his stick at the camera IIRC. I had that for a couple years.

 

[wafflepadsave]

For the record, I absolutely loved Avery when he was here, and I defended him basically always. Some posters will remember I used to fight with chosen all the time about him, and he was my avatar for a long time. It was like a pic of him pointing his stick at the camera IIRC. I had that for a couple years.

And now we rarely see @chosen

 

[NYSPORTS]

Give me Colton Orr

 

[egelband]

I loved Barnaby. He was a true team player. If you wanted him to play on the fourth line and do nothing but fight, he'd do it. If you wanted to put him on the second line in a pinch he'd do it, and show some skill in the process.

McCarthy was another guy I enjoyed. I remember him scoring and it setting off the Theo Fleury and Eric Cairns thing.

I would love the Rangers to develop a couple guys like Barnaby. Could do it all. Was a solid player in pretty much all facets. And of course a ‘heartbeat’ type. Which reminds me, Todd Harvey was a good guy too, like that. But mostly we got them on their last legs. Maybe Lemmy becomes that guy. But he can’t be headhunting. He’s got to keep it tough but clean.

 

[nyr2k2]

Give me Colton Orr

I will never forget when he knocked out Todd Fedoruk. That was really scary.

 

[chosen]

And now we rarely see @chosen

The Sloppy Seconds Fan Club meetings aren't on my schedule.

 

[Alluckks]

For the record, I absolutely loved Avery when he was here, and I defended him basically always. Some posters will remember I used to fight with chosen all the time about him, and he was my avatar for a long time. It was like a pic of him pointing his stick at the camera IIRC. I had that for a couple years.

Avery was a very fun player to watch, especially if you're the kind that likes to mess around with people when you play sports yourself. I loved watching him too. He also didn't come close to the foul play that people like to try to cite him for; he didn't try to end careers or let anger get the best of him and do something violent or terrible. Granted, as a human being he seems to wildly swing back and forth between being in for a good cause, while also being a despicable prick from time to time haha, not exactly someone I would tell kids to emulate in personality. But I agree with you about his playing years for sure.

 

[Alluckks]

I would love the Rangers to develop a couple guys like Barnaby. Could do it all. Was a solid player in pretty much all facets. And of course a ‘heartbeat’ type. Which reminds me, Todd Harvey was a good guy too, like that. But mostly we got them on their last legs. Maybe Lemmy becomes that guy. But he can’t be headhunting. He’s got to keep it tough but clean.

That was on the comeback of when the last time our teams played Fedoruck was running around like a bastard and tagging everyone in sight, and not being held accountable in any manner. Say what you want about how it turned out, but that sure serves as a deterrent for any player watching when it came to reckless abandon against the Rangers.

 

[Thirty One]

That was on the comeback of when the last time our teams played Fedoruck was running around like a bastard and tagging everyone in sight, and not being held accountable in any manner. Say what you want about how it turned out, but that sure serves as a deterrent for any player watching when it came to reckless abandon against the Rangers.

Including hitting Jagr high when he didn't touch the puck.

 

[Alluckks]

Including hitting Jagr high when he didn't touch the puck.

I couldn't remember exactly who it was that he blatantly targeted and I wanted to say Jagr but wasn't sure

But yes, I remember it being obvious that there was going to be payback next time out when we had some of our bigger guys back in the lineup

 

[Mikos87]

As a figher, the Rangers had Colton Orr in his prime. I hate to say it, but Donald Brashear was one of the all time best goons. Say what you will about the guy, he was good at what he did. But to me, the all-time, best fighter among goons as a Ranger in my hockey experience is Dale Purinton.

Dale was considered to be one of the scariest guys out west, and back in those days you had some pretty tough customers. Dale was not a good hockey player, but man could he ever fight. He was a dirty guy, straight up MMO style moments with him on the ice.

 

[Levitate]

Purinton wasn't exactly a hockey goon as much as a straight up goon. Like straight up psycho crap on the ice, he should have never been out there with the way he played and fought.

 

[bobbop]

I will never forget when he knocked out Todd Fedoruk. That was really scary.

Fedoruk got knocked cold twice in his career. Once by Orr in NY and the other time by Derek Boogaard in Minnesota. I was at both games.

 

[Avery16]

As a figher, the Rangers had Colton Orr in his prime. I hate to say it, but Donald Brashear was one of the all time best goons. Say what you will about the guy, he was good at what he did. But to me, the all-time, best fighter among goons as a Ranger in my hockey experience is Dale Purinton.

Dale was considered to be one of the scariest guys out west, and back in those days you had some pretty tough customers. Dale was not a good hockey player, but man could he ever fight. He was a dirty guy, straight up MMO style moments with him on the ice.

Purinton was a dangerous fighter, but Langdon was so effective and so smart. watch this clip of him and Twist:

No one, No One, could hang with twist like this back then.
Now watch this long fight with Brashear in Brashear's prime:

Again, another good showing against a player with a much better reputation. Langdon may have been one of the most underrated enforcers ever.
Brashear was trash by the time we got him. I cant count on one hand the fights he won decisively in a Rangers jersey.

 

[Ola]

Purinton wasn't exactly a hockey goon as much as a straight up goon. Like straight up psycho crap on the ice, he should have never been out there with the way he played and fought.

You wouldn't have been at ease if your daughter showed up with this guy for Sunday dinner?

Former NHL Fighter Dale Purinton Arrested: His Mugshot Is Terrifying

I remember reading an interview with an ex Hartford Swedish player (Jan Mertzig) who described a goon teammate who had several family members in He.An. Explains some...

 

[NYR Viper]

I couldn't remember exactly who it was that he blatantly targeted and I wanted to say Jagr but wasn't sure

But yes, I remember it being obvious that there was going to be payback next time out when we had some of our bigger guys back in the lineup

If I’m not mistaken, Orr wasn’t even on the team when that occurred. I think he was either grabbed on waivers or traded for from Boston

 

[pld459666]

The kid deserved getting smacked in the mouth like that.

 

[eco's bones]

I remember Darren Langdon down in Binghamton fighting Alex Stojanov--the fight went on for at least two--maybe three minutes. It went from one end of the rink to the other and back again before it was all over and Langdon laid a beating on Stojanov the entire time. Back then the linesmen often didn't get involved until both players were all worn out. Stojanov and Langdon fought at least once more in the NHL and that was more like a draw.

Most of the guys Langdon would fight (like Stojanov) were bigger than him. Darren was strong though and he had quick hands, could throw with either and was adept at changing his angles. He had this timing thing of controlling his opponents arms and getting off quick accurate punches and regaining control of the arms all in a flash. I've seen him cut up guys a bit but he didn't have a lot of power. If he'd hit like Kocur he'd be an absolute legend. He would have beaten just about everybody. Langdon's fights could go on for two/three minutes. Some of the better ones were with Probert, McSorley and the one with Derian Hatcher is a classic. Langdon had crazy stamina and he'd wear down opponents and then go to town on them.

That said Langdon was kind of a shit hockey player. The best part of his game was being average defensively. His skating was subpar and he really had stone hands. He'd be regularly lambasted these days on these boards if he were still playing. I mean Tanner Glass was twice the hockey player and a much better skater.

One guy the Rangers should probably have hung on to longer was P.J. Stock--little guy but that guy was entertaining and a buzzsaw who regularly embarrassed guys who were a lot lot bigger than him.

Larry Melnyk-Dave Brown.

 

[chosen]

Avery was a very fun player to watch, especially if you're the kind that likes to mess around with people when you play sports yourself. I loved watching him too. He also didn't come close to the foul play that people like to try to cite him for; he didn't try to end careers or let anger get the best of him and do something violent or terrible. Granted, as a human being he seems to wildly swing back and forth between being in for a good cause, while also being a despicable prick from time to time haha, not exactly someone I would tell kids to emulate in personality. But I agree with you about his playing years for sure.

By far my biggest problem with Avery was that he played far below his abilities. He could have had a lengthy career as an abrasive 20-goal scorer, but he wasn't interested in that. He preferred to be a clown who would rather stick out for being an idiot. An utter waste of talent to me.

The one thing that drove me crazy about him was how often he would thwart an offensive rush by going offsides.

 

[mas0764]

What we want is:

Scenario A: Both the Canes and Leafs to lose their play-in series, and both win the lottery

Scenario B: Lose to the Canes and win the lottery ourselves

Either scenario, we get a top 3 pick

So scenario B is way more likely then.

 

[nyr2k2]

By far my biggest problem with Avery was that he played far below his abilities. He could have had a lengthy career as an abrasive 20-goal scorer, but he wasn't interested in that. He preferred to be a clown who would rather stick out for being an idiot. An utter waste of talent to me.

The one thing that drove me crazy about him was how often he would thwart an offensive rush by going offsides.

The off-sides thing was one of the most maddening traits in one of our players in recent memory. It was amazing. He'd clearly glance at the line, glance back at the play, take another look to get himself paced, and then still end up ten feet off. It was truly infuriating.

 

[Avery16]

By far my biggest problem with Avery was that he played far below his abilities. He could have had a lengthy career as an abrasive 20-goal scorer, but he wasn't interested in that. He preferred to be a clown who would rather stick out for being an idiot. An utter waste of talent to me.

The one thing that drove me crazy about him was how often he would thwart an offensive rush by going offsides.

Torts didnt use him effectively or consistently, and had too much of an ego to coach a player like Avery. Use the tools you've got, dont butt heads with them.