The 2011 Double-A Draft (sign-up, roster, picks, everything)

[BenchBrawl]

HC Krylya Sovetov select Mario Lessard G ( yes another goalie , he finished 1st in wins and had a 2nd all-star team selection with the kings )

 

[tony d]

Left Winger Greg Terrion and Backup Goalie Rick Wamsley

Greg Terrion:

Terrion will fit well on the Garnish 4th line, never much of a scorer Terrion was instead of a noted defensive player. His PK skills are noted as he was a regular penalty killer throughout his career.

More on Terrion can be found here:

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=14520

Rick Wamsley:

Rick Wamsley boasted a 204-131-46 career record during his NHL career, he ranks 66th all time in NHL wins.

More on Wamsley can be found here:

http://www.legendsofhockey.net/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=18405

 

[VanIslander]

The Engineers draft Jan Klapac, the right winger on the Holik brothers' line. Klapac played in seven world championships between 1964-1973, including the 1972 gold medal win over the Soviets. He represented Czechoslovakia in three Olympics, most notably scoring 15 points in 10 games in the 1972 Olympics, tying Holik and Nedomansky for the team lead. As well, he finished 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 6th in Czechoslovakian league scoring.

"... a tough competitor in front of the opponents' net"

http://www.chidlovski.com/personal/1972/misc/cssrbiof.htm

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Great pick with Klapac.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

C Matt Cullen and D Terry Carkner

x7 40 points
x1 SC

The versatile two-way center will center my fourth line and get time on the special teams. Cullen will see some PK time and play point on the second PP. He should fit perfectly between two physical players in Ladd and Callahan. He's also a stud on draws and brings a lot to the table for a measly 4th line center.

The rugged rearguard will play on my third pairing with Virta and see PK time. Virta was undersized and putting him with the tough Carkner should help him thrive. Terry's also a cousin of current Ottawa Sen Matt Carkner.

A rough and tumble bit of business, Carkner has managed to stay in the NHL for more than a decade though defensive ability and toughness. In 1996-97 he went the entire season without scoring a goal, but eight times has he had more than 100 penalty minutes in a year.

He was drafted a lofty 14th overall by the Rangers in 1984, and after three years with Peterborough in junior he played 1986-87 on Broadway. That turned out to be his only season there, for he was traded to Quebec in September 1987. In Quebec, though, the pattern repeated itself, and a year later he was sent to Philadelphia where he stayed for five years.

As a member of the Flyers, Carkner established himself as one of the fearless and toughest players on a team loaded with size. His career year offensively came in 1988-89 when he scored eleven goals and helped the team reach the semi-finals. In 1993, he was traded again, to Detroit for Yves Racine and a 4th-round draft choice, and after two years with the Winged Wheel he was given his outright release.

Free to do as he wished, Carkner signed with Florida where he played the final four years of his career, helping the miracle Panthers reach the 1996 Stanley Cup finals before losing to Colorado.

Carkner has played for Canada at both the World Juniors (a silver medal in 1986) and World Championships (fourth place in 1993). He retired in 1999.

 

[seventieslord]

Gavin Kirk, C.

Kirk never played in the NHL but was a very good WHA player for 422 games, scoring a decent 359 points. Although his offense is decent, he is being drafted for his other skills. In a poll of WHA correspondents in 1974, Kirk was voted the league's 3rd best defensive forward (behind Mark Howe and Rejean Houle, tied with Val Fonteyne), 3rd best penalty killer (behind Gordie Howe) and 5th best on faceoffs.

Outside of Wayne Carleton, Kirk is probably the most valuable asset the Toros own... could develop into a superstar... so very typical of the players Buck Houle thought would lead this franchise to glory - hard-working center who knows how to win... good at winning faceoffs... faceoff whiz... said to be as handy, if not handier, than Houston's Larry Lund at winning faceoffs... has never missed a regular season game... excels in the faceoff circle...sound player... a hard worker... one of the better faceoff men who has ever played in the league...

Having run some numbers on a variety of WHA stars who also played a good number of NHL games, the fair "exchange rate" for offense is about 0.70. Imagine Kirk was a very good defensive forward who could put up about 251 points in 421 NHL games.

Sibby Nichol, LW. Nichol was 2nd in PIMs in the 1917 PCHA and seems like he may have been a scrappy little bugger, good for a 4th line. But he also placed pretty highly in PCHA scoring (top-6, over 50% of the leader) on three separate occasions.

I can't really tell you much about Sibby Nichol and how he played. But he did have pretty good offensive stats in the PCHA. With little known about him, he makes a bargain basement 2nd liner at this point. But when you look at who he played against and occasionally outscored, he just has to be taken by now.

1912: 5th in PCHA goals with 19, tied with Don Smith, ahead of Tommy Phillips & Ran McDonald. Assists were not recorded.
1914: 7th in goals, tied with Smokey Harris & Didier Pitre. 6th in assists. 6th in points.
1916: 9th in goals, 4th in assists (Behind taylor, Kerr, Patrick, next was Oatman & Morris), 6th in points.
1917: 9th in assists, 2nd in PIM to Tommy Dunderdale

Nichol then left for the war for two years, came back and played briefly, and then retired after competing for the Stanley Cup with Seattle.

In 70 top-level games, Nichol had 56 goals, 27 assists, and 133 PIM.

the speedy little forward...

 

[VanIslander]

Sibby Nichol, LW. Nichol was 2nd in PIMs in the 1917 PCHA and seems like he may have been a scrappy little bugger, good for a 4th line. But he alaso placed pretty highly in PCHA scoring (top-6, over 50% of the leader) on three separate occasions.

We tried to research him but neither came up with much. I had read about him in Blades on Ice where both he and Skinner Poulin are described as PCHA stars. Sibby Nichols (John "Sibby" Nichol) is described as also a lacrosse star in that book.

Hedberg dug up a newspaper article describing him as "the speedy little forward"
http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...pg=5589,3341092&dq=sibby-nichols+hockey&hl=en

 

[VanIslander]

After research by both co-GMs, the Engineers are intrigued to draft as an extra skater the multipositional talent Edgar Dey, who died at age 28 after surgery prompted by an on-ice hockey injury early in 1912. His life was turbulent, involving play in several of the earliest professional leagues, with consistent goal scoring and a reputation from years in Manitoba and Pittsburgh, and the pinnacle of his career coming back in his home Ottawa valley, where he had been a canoeing champion. He scored 9 goals in 7 games for the 1909 Stanley Cup champion Ottawa HC. He was then chosen to be featured in the first ever hockey card set printed in 1910 along with the likes of Cyclone, Newsy, Walsh, Pud Glass, Gordie Roberts, LeSeur, Art Ross, Hyland, Dunderdale, Bruce Stuart, Hern, Bernier, Lake, Moran, Moose Johnson, McNamara, Marshall, Ridpath.

Having played right wing, rover and defense, he also was used on left wing, dubbed:

Edgar Dey, the best all around utility man in the ECHAA

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7024,5107181&dq=edgar-dey&hl=en

Edgar Dey has made a great reputation for himself as a hockey player... He is extremely fast and a deadly shot from any position.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5897,1740486&dq=edgar+dey&hl=en

He is wearing the Haileybury jersey he wore during the 1910 NHA season in which he played only six games and scored three goals. The NHA was a new league and teams fighting over the rights to Edgar Dey became a dispute:

The first trouble in the National is promised over Edgar Dey. Dey went down to Montreal last week, and after a chat with Dicky Boon announced that he would play with Wanderers. Yesterday he announced he was going to Renfrew, and this morning he accepted a $1000 offer to go to Cobalt. Tonight he decided to go to Haileybury for $1,200 for the season. He signed with President Bill Powell of the Haileybury Club, and accepted $100 to bind the agreement. The league will fight it out to see whose property he is, the Renfrew men threatening to bar Dey altogether.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=5658,4395778&dq=edgar-dey&hl=en

The season before he was also embroiled in an issue over money:

Edgar Dey announced that he would leave the Ottawa team for which he did such good work last night, and go to Haileybury. He will receive $500 for five weeks hockey up there. Dey alleges he has not received fair treatment on the team. After the game last night quite a furore was created in the Ottawa dressing room when Dey told his teammates they were not giving him a fair shake on the ice.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...oUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5296,573521&dq=edgar+dey&hl=en

In Feb 17 1909 the Montreal Gazette reports that Cobalt tried and failed to get Bruce Stuart, Edgar Dey and Billy Gilmour and were after Lesueur.

Just over a year before the NHA teams were fighting over rights to Dey, he had been embroiled in another struggle of the opposite kind:

Many of those who saw Edgar Dey, the lightning forward, play in the last few hockey games of last season, predicted that he would be a much sought man this year. He came to Pittsburgh with a reputation so long that he was charged excess baggage on it. But for some reason at the start off with the Pirate team failed to live up to it. Dey finally became so bad as a player and so strong as a disturber, that manager Guy, of the Pirates, would have been willing to trade him for a cancelled rain check. Finally a deal was fixed up by which Dey went to Manager Sixsmith of the Bankers. Everybody said "Sixy" had been handed a lemon. The Banker manager thought so himself, and would have taken much less than Guy thought he was worth before. But in those final three games in which the championship was at stake Dey put his mind on the game and his playing was a relevation. He followed this up with remarkable performances in the three games against the Wanderers of Montreal for the world's championship, and praise for his work was found on every lip.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...gEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4109,4361573&dq=edgar+dey&hl=en

Dey's team Waterloo was shutout 8-0 in the OPHL championship by Galt, despite Dey having scored 16 goals in 16 games that season, and Dey is mentioned in one of the only positive notes from the game:

Edgar Dey and Harry Smith never let up until the finish.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5168,4544915&dq=edgar+dey&hl=en

Fred Lake, who has been playing left wing was moved back to cover point, and Edgar Dey who has been playing spare and alternating with juniors on the defence, was put on the forward line, filling Lake's shoes. Lake made a big hit on the defence and Dey did equally well on the line. The change seemed to work for the better and it will be tried again, the officers believing that Dey can deliver the goods on the line, while Lake at cover, with Taylor at point, should complete one of the strongest defences in the league. Stuart was at rover with Gilmour right wing and Walsh center. Lesueur is putting up a splendid game in the nets. Hamby Shore was with the seconds.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6627,5046943&dq=edgar+dey&hl=en

Born in Ottawa, Canada, Dey played junior hockey for the Ottawa Aberdeens in 1900, moving up to the intermediate-level for two following seasons. Edgar started his senior ice hockey career with the Ottawa Capitals of the Federal Amateur Hockey League (FAHL) in 1904. He then moved out west to play in the Manitoba league, becoming a professional player in 1906. In 1907, he returned east to play in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Bankers of Western Pennsylvania Hockey League. In 1909, he returned home to play for the 1909 Stanley Cup champion Ottawa Hockey Club. He played one season for Haileybury of the National Hockey Association (NHA) in 1910. In 1911, he played for Waterloo of the Ontario Professional Hockey League. In 1912, he moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia to play for the Halifax Crescents of the Maritime Professional Hockey League (MPHL). In February 1912, he was hit on the chest while playing a match in New Glasgow. Dey experienced pain on the return to Halifax. Upon arrival he checked into hospital and had a couple chest surgeries over the next few days. On February 13 Edgar Dey died from his injury. His body was returned by train for burial in Ottawa, ON.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Dey

So, Edgar Dey was well respected for his talent on the ice but had troubles in the dressing room and with management over playing time and money.

Here are some career highlights:

He had scored 10 goals in the FAHL in 1904-05, an upstart competitor league to the AHAC. The Ottawa Silver Seven would actually play in the league the following year, the Montreal Wanderers took this year's regular season record, but Dey's team would win the playoffs.

From 1905 to 1907 he scored 23 goals in 25 games in the Manitoba league.
The MHL turned professional mid-decade and had several greats, so while his scoring here by itself doesn't count for a lot, it is part of a career trend demonstrating his talent, and it certainly is later referred to as part of the good reputation he brought back east.

In 1907-08 he scored 9 goals in 19 games in the WPHL. This was the first professional hockey league with the best ice rink in the world, attracting some of the best talent. Yeah, it's hard to judge the value of his accomplishment here, but look what he did the following season!

In 1908-09 he scored 9 goals in 7 games for the Ottawa Silver Seven of the ECHA, winning the championship and the Stanley Cup. NO WONDER THEY MADE A CARD OF HIS. HE HAD BEEN A DECENT PLAYER IN SEVERAL OF THE EARLIEST PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUES, CAPPED OFF BY A STRONG SEASON ON THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD.

In 1909-10 he was a headache for the NHA in terms of which team gets his rights as a result of his horse trading antics, and he only played 6 games that season for Haileybury, scoring three times.

In 1910-11 he scored 16 goals in 16 games in the OPHL, a clear step down from the NHA, probably something he had to settle for given character issues: his previous season's troubles in the NHA over his contract (a man's word is his bond) and his complaints over ice time and criticizing teammates (men don't whine). Still, he did score a goal a game in the OPHL, a league which had Jack McDonald, Goldie Prodgers and Eddie Oatman.

In 1911-12 he died after one goal in only four games played for Halifax in the MPHA. Probably driven away from central Canada by his antics, he found himself on the east coast at age 28. He died February 13th of 1912 as a result of an on ice hockey incident, ending his recorded career on a Halifax team that had challenged for the Stanley Cup a decade before he'd arrived.

A talented hockey player who had demonstrated his skill and impressed many in several hockey cities for a professional career that spanned over half a decade. He played with the very best and won the Stanley Cup. The emerging NHA could have possibly been his stomping grounds well into his thirties. His career and life could have ended quite differently if not for his off ice actions in negotiating with teams and complaining about teammates. The tragedy of Edgar Dey began before that fateful February day in Halifax.

 

[seventieslord]

I request that we make this a 25-pick draft, like the atd, mld and aaa were.

Thoughts?

 

[Hedberg]

I request that we make this a 25-pick draft, like the atd, mld and aaa were.

Thoughts?

I can't think of any reason not to continue that pattern. The more picks, the better.

 

[Hedberg]

The Engineers select LW Randy Cunneyworth

Penguins Legends

Cunneyworth transformed his shot into a great NHL career. He combined his strong physical game and good wheels to become a very solid contributor with a Pittsburgh team that featured a maturing Mario Lemieux. Randy would sometimes play on Mario's left side, and made full advantage of that. After a 15 goal and 45 point rookie season in 1985-86, Randy would record at least 25 goals three years in a row. His best season came in 1987-88 when he rode on Mario's coattails en route to a 35 goal, 74 point season.

Wikipedia

Cunneyworth gained a reputation for being a tough player who could hit, take a hit, and still win the game. He played several seasons as Captain for the NHL's Ottawa Senators, before returning to the Buffalo Sabres organization, playing 17 games, of which 3 were in the Stanley Cup Finals versus the Dallas Stars.

 

[tony d]

I request that we make this a 25-pick draft, like the atd, mld and aaa were.

Thoughts?

I agree with this. I actually thought we where going to do this away, so I guess on Tuesday we'll make 3 picks instead of 2 if this goes forward.

 

[Hedberg]

The Engineers select C Jaroslav Drobny

International Hockey Legends:

Center Jaroslav Drobny was born on October 12, 1921 in Prague, Czech Republic. He was a very industrious center with a good touch for the net. He was strong and very creative. Good skater. He began playing for CLTK (Cesky Lawn Tennis Klub) Prague as a youngster and went on to play 11 seasons in the Czechoslovakian league between 1938-49.

He represented Czechoslovakia 31 times, scoring 36 goals. He played in the 1939 World Championships, scoring 6 goals in 9 games, as well as 1947, winning a gold medal while he scoring 15 goals in 7 games. He also participated in the 1948 Olympics, scoring 9 goals in 8 games and capturing a silver medal.

He was described as "an excellent skater with great technique." He was a bit of a soloist, but was said to be be good at setting up plays after showing off his puck skills a little bit. Some hailed him as Josef Malecek's successor as the greatest Czech hockey star. Though he had many opportunities to join better club teams, he would never leave the small CLTK Prague team because his father was a caretaker at the arena.

So good was Drobny that he could have become the first European to play in the National Hockey League. In 1949 the Boston Bruins put him on their reserve list and offered Drobny $20,000 to cross the Atlantic. Drobny refused, preferring amateur hockey over the pro game, and unwilling to give up his chance to travel the world and play international tennis.

Drobny's career ended when he defected from Czechoslovakia, eventually representing Egypt in international tennis.

 

[VanIslander]

I guess on Tuesday we'll make 3 picks instead of 2 if this goes forward.

Agreed.

 

[seventieslord]

Raimo Helminen, C

From Triffy in AAA11:

Raimo Helminen is the world record holder for most international games played (331). He is also the only hockey player to have played at 6 Olympic games. Helminen was an exceptionally smart player. He was never the fastest player in the rink, but that didn't prevent him from having the career he had. He had the ability to control the pace of the game whenever he was on the ice. His career could be divided into two stages. At younger age, he was an offensive centre. As he gained more experience, he become a reliable two-way forward. Thanks to his passing skills, he always played on power play in Finland. But he was actually a very good defensive centre as well. He was the fourth line centre for Finland in Nagano and in Salt Lake City. At the 2002 Olympics, the opponents didn't manage to score a single goal when Helminen was on the ice. The 6-feet, 194 lbs center is a typical coach's favorite player: a great leader and a consistent performer.

International merits
1 x WCH Gold (1995)
5 x WCH Silver (1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2001)
1 x WCH Bronze (2000)
1 x Olympic Silver (1988)
2 x Olympic Bronze (1994, 1998)

In overall, 52 goals and 155 assists for a total of 207 points in 331 games.

In 148 major international games, Helminen scored 18 goals and 75 assists for 93 points and just 24 PIM. I count 166 other games for the National team and in the world juniors, but obviously I am missing some. Either way, Helminen's international experience is VAST, and includes a lot of best-on-best competition and a lot of "best of the rest" games from the worlds. He enjoyed a great deal of team success and had experience as a captain in international play.

Also of note: Helminen was 3rd in the Finnish league in scoring in 1985, 3rd in the Swedish league in 1993, 1st in 1994, then 6th in the Finnish league in 1997, 2nd in 1998, and 7th in 1999. He led the 1998 worlds in scoring and was 7th in the 1998 Olympics and the 1995 worlds. He finally retired in 2008 at the age of 44, with 1,312 points in 1,635 games that the SIHR database knows about.

The best sample size we have of Helminen's actual NHL play was the 1986 season where he was just 21 and had a reasonable 40 points in 66 games. This shows that he did have what it took to compete at that level, but he just chose a different path.

During his time with Malmo, he led the club to two national titles and to first place in the European Championship. On his return, he led Ilves to a silver medal and re-established himself, particularly in the 1998-99 season, as the top forward in the land... Helminen's most outstanding trait has been his ambition, not only for himself but for his hockey clubs. One of his first coaches, Seppl Hiitela, said, "It is easy for a coach to lead a team that has a player with such dedication and leadership as Helminen."

First foreign player to lead Swedish Elitserien in scoring, 1993-94.

Won Lasse Oksanen Trophy, Finnish League MVP, 1997-98.

Won Golden Helmet as players' choice for top player in Finnish League, 1997-98.

Won President's Trophy for contributions to Finnish Hockey, 2000-01.

Won Golden Stick Award as Finnish League's top player, 2001-02.

 

[seventieslord]

It has come to my attention that just 12 players who had at least 10 playoff games as of 1926 (the merger of the east and west and the end of The Trail Of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1), are still available. Just five of them weren't from the WCHL, where they racked up a bunch of games against eachother in (relatively) long playoffs for a few years. The leader of all the rest (actually the leader of all 12), with 24, nearly double the guy with the next most (13), is Roy Rickey, D.

Rickey might prove to be a guy that is tough to get more info on. I think that even if that proves to be the case, there is more than enough to like here. Rickey played his entire PCHA career with Seattle, scoring 43 points in 156 games, and 9 more in 24 important PCHA (10) and Stanley Cup (14) playoff games.

Also notable: Rickey was only once ever listed as a sub, despite his team always having at least one listed, usually two, and sometimes three. Rickey was always a starter, and on one of the top teams in hockey. Seattle went to the Stanley Cup finals in 1917, 1919, and 1920, winning the first time.

Rickey was listed a sub in his first PCHA playoff game in 1917. Following that, he was a starter along with Carpenter to finish the year, and started with Lester Patrick the next year. For the next 4 years and 18 playoff games, it was Rickey and Rowe carrying the mail for the Seattle defense. During this period, Seattle was the PCHA's top defensive team every season. Here are the GA totals for the cumulative 4 years:

Seattle 233
Vancouver 266
Victoria 311

Rickey didn't put up that many points (below average for a PCHA defenseman but not that much below average) and he certainly wasn't a big penalty taker (just 42 minutes in those 156 games, less than many players frequently had in one season). The evidence really points to Rickey being a no frills, nothing fancy, defensive defenseman and he has very solid team results to back it up.

Just to put his playoff games into perspective, here are the all-time playoff game leaders, cicra 1926, among available players:

Rickey 24
WCHL guy 21
WCHL guy 15
WCHL guy 15
WCHL guy 14
WCHL guy 13
******* 13
******* 12
******* 12
******* 11
WCHL guy 10
WCHL guy 10

it's slim pickins... except for Rickey, who waited a disproportionately long time to get selected, relative to the team success he helped to drive.

One of the reasons for the Mets admirable performances is the return to his position of the big defence player, Roy Rickey, whose unfortunate accident earlier in the season seriously handicapped his teammates. Rickey is a stone-wall in meeting attacks and his ability to strike camp and get away on the trail into enemy territory makes him equally effective as an offensive.

 

[VanIslander]

Raimo Helminen, C

Solid pick for extra skater status, ... hell, fourth liner!! as he played that position in two Olympics, knows how to be a responsible, veteran presence in a supporting role.

 

[VanIslander]

Rickey played his entire PCHA career with Seattle, scoring 43 points in 156 games, and 9 more in 24 important PCHA (10) and Stanley Cup (14) playoff games.

14 Stanley Cup matches? That's a lot for the era!

For the next 4 years and 18 playoff games, it was Rickey and Rowe carrying the mail for the Seattle defense. During this period, Seattle was the PCHA's top defensive team every season. Here are the GA totals for the cumulative 4 years:

Seattle 233
Vancouver 266
Victoria 311

Good stuff. Oh, Rickey you're so fine, you're so fine I'd have drafted you as a starter on a third pairing: a reliable, experienced defenseman.

 

[seventieslord]

14 Stanley Cup matches? That's a lot for the era!


Good stuff. Oh, Rickey you're so fine, you're so fine I'd have drafted you as a starter on a third pairing: a reliable, experienced defenseman.

No kidding eh? I'm questioning whether he's really my 6th-best defenseman or just the 6th defenseman I drafted.

 

[VanIslander]

No kidding eh? I'm questioning whether he's really my 6th-best defenseman or just the 6th defenseman I drafted.

With no evidence of all-star selection nor accolades as to his skills nor info on style of play I'd keep him off of the top-3. But the #4 slot, 2nd pairing? Seems solid enough for that! Bump Jackman down and put the more playoff experienced Rickey up.

I suspect this player might rise in the draft order in future years if subsequent research unearths more good stuff on him. I know I'll be keeping my eye out for info on the guy from now on!

 

[Rob Scuderi]

It has come to my attention that just 12 players who had at least 10 playoff games as of 1926 (the merger of the east and west and the end of The Trail Of the Stanley Cup, Vol. 1), are still available. Just five of them weren't from the WCHL, where they racked up a bunch of games against eachother in (relatively) long playoffs for a few years. The leader of all the rest (actually the leader of all 12), with 24, nearly double the guy with the next most (13), is Roy Rickey, D.

Rickey might prove to be a guy that is tough to get more info on. I think that even if that proves to be the case, there is more than enough to like here. Rickey played his entire PCHA career with Seattle, scoring 43 points in 156 games, and 9 more in 24 important PCHA (10) and Stanley Cup (14) playoff games.

Also notable: Rickey was only once ever listed as a sub, despite his team always having at least one listed, usually two, and sometimes three. Rickey was always a starter, and on one of the top teams in hockey. Seattle went to the Stanley Cup finals in 1917, 1919, and 1920, winning the first time.

Rickey was listed a sub in his first PCHA playoff game in 1917. Following that, he was a starter along with Carpenter to finish the year, and started with Lester Patrick the next year. For the next 4 years and 18 playoff games, it was Rickey and Rowe carrying the mail for the Seattle defense. During this period, Seattle was the PCHA's top defensive team every season. Here are the GA totals for the cumulative 4 years:

Seattle 233
Vancouver 266
Victoria 311

Rickey didn't put up that many points (below average for a PCHA defenseman but not that much below average) and he certainly wasn't a big penalty taker (just 42 minutes in those 156 games, less than many players frequently had in one season). The evidence really points to Rickey being a no frills, nothing fancy, defensive defenseman and he has very solid team results to back it up.

Just to put his playoff games into perspective, here are the all-time playoff game leaders, cicra 1926, among available players:

Rickey 24
WCHL guy 21
WCHL guy 15
WCHL guy 15
WCHL guy 14
WCHL guy 13
******* 13
******* 12
******* 12
******* 11
WCHL guy 10
WCHL guy 10

it's slim pickins... except for Rickey, who waited a disproportionately long time to get selected, relative to the team success he helped to drive.

You're a real ******* with this one.

I picked through hockeydb for a few PCHAers to search on googlearchives with limited success, but I saved the link for a single article; it was for Roy Rickey.

One of the reasons for the Mets admirable performances is the return to his position of the big defence player, Roy Rickey, whose unfortunate accident earlier in the season seriously handicapped his teammates. Rickey is a stone-wall in meeting attacks and his ability to strike camp and get away on the trail into enemy territory makes him equally effective as an offensive.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=millAAAAIBAJ&sjid=m4gNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3515,4386278&dq=roy+rickey+hockey&hl=en

 

[VanIslander]

Bears repeating:

Rickey is a stone-wall in meeting attacks and his ability to strike camp and get away on the trail into enemy territory makes him equally effective as an offensive.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...y+hockey&hl=en

The guy wasn't just good defensively, he was good on transition plays. Wonder how many assists he would have gotten if the stat was diligently kept then?

Bump Rickey up to the #3 slot!

 

[vecens24]

The Engineers select C Jaroslav Drobny

International Hockey Legends:


Drobny's career ended when he defected from Czechoslovakia, eventually representing Egypt in international tennis.

If I would have fielded a team in the AAA draft I probably would have taken a flier on him at some point and figured out what else I could find just because I found him on IHL the one day I was looking around. I like the pick as a spare here.

 

[BenchBrawl]

HC Krylya Sovetov select Paul Gaustad C , a tough gritty two-way center
with good leadership.

[Following two steady seasons in Rochester, the centreman was a mainstay in the Buffalo Sabres line up throughout the 2005-06 season appearing in 78 games.

In the seasons to follow, Gaustad would establish himself as a solid, two-way, gritty forward. Playing the majority of time in a checking role, he put up solid offensive numbers and provided size to a small Sabre club.

 

[BenchBrawl]

would you guys put McClement or Gaustad on my 3rd line with Burrows and Clowe?