What if players thread
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Michael Farkas
Celebrate 68
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings Box Score: December 30, 1999 | Hockey-Reference.com
Get the latest box score updates on the Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings game played on December 30, 1999 on Hockey-Reference.com
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I still have fond memories of coming home from college for the holiday break in 1999. I didn't have much time to watch hockey while at school, but had finally had some free time. I watched this Kings game and had no idea who this Jere Karalahti guy was. In the game, he led the Kings in ice time (more than Rob Blake), he threw a couple thunderous hits, and scored a pair of goals including a MacInnis-esque slapper. After that game, Karalahti had 5 points in 4 games and was +3. I was certain I had seen a star and I comically traded away another older rookie (some guy named Rafalski) to get Karalahti in my keeper league.
But the offense fizzled out. At least in that one game, I would have described him as something like a prime Jacob Trouba.
High Times Five years after he says he last smoked heroin, the L.A. Kings' Jere Karalahti looks back on his dreamy days on drugs
Jere Karalahti's favorite movie is Oliver Stone's Natural BornKillers, and when he thinks of the film's eerie, odd-angle shotsand the way its main character,
vault.si.com
Karalahti Would Put Alcohol First
The Kings were chilled this week by comments out of Finland from former King defenseman Jere Karalahti that, in essence, he would rather quit the NHL than have to give up drinking.
www.latimes.com
Former NHL player Karalahti faces drug charge
Former NHL player Jere Karalahti was charged Tuesday with being involved in smuggling amphetamines into Finland.
Unfortunately I wasn't aware that he had ongoing substance abuse problems which would eventually lead to him being suspended by the NHL. Karalahti would go back to Europe and had a lengthy career.
It was a few years before my time, but Bryan Fogarty also was immensely talented but couldn't stay away from alcohol.
Since the draft cut off is around my birthday, I wonder about "what if" certain players had been born a day or two earlier/later.
Patrick Marleau (September 15th) - If he were born one day later, he would have been in the 1998 Draft. Coincidentally he might have still been drafted by San Jose, but then the Sharks probably would have ended up with Olli Jokinen in 1997 Draft en lieu of Brad Stuart + Jonathan Cheechoo in 1998. Marleau probably doesn't break the games played record if he had to wait another year to join the NHL.
Patrik Stefan (September 16th) - Born a day earlier and he's in the 1998 Draft. Does his career end up any better if he starts with Nashville or Vancouver instead of Atlanta? Brian Burke later told a story that he wanted to get both Sedins and Stefan in 1999.
Alexander Ovechkin (September 17th) - Comically Florida tried to draft him in 2003 on a technicality that the league denied. Panthers GM Rick Dudley knew he had a snowball's chance in hell, but figured it was worth a shot.
Auston Matthews (September 17th) - Do the stars align and Matthews ends up with the Coyotes if he were eligible in 2015?
Brady Tkachuk (September 16th) - Born a day earlier and he's in the 2017 Draft. Does he get into the conversation for the top pick?
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Maybe a slight tangent would be "what if" Rick DiPietro hadn't opted into the 2000 Draft? The Islanders would have proceeded (for at least a year) with Roberto Luongo, Olli Jokinen, and Marian Gaborik instead of DiPietro, Mark Parrish, and Oleg Kvasha.
And my favorite "almost trade" that I learned about in recent years was Quebec offering the rights to an unsigned Peter Forsberg to San Jose for the #2 pick in 1993. Quebec wanted Chris Pronger. Sharks GM Dean Lombardi fumed to the press afterwards implying he would have done the deal contingent on Forsberg signing. But since Quebec waited until the last minute, they had no time to talk to Forsberg's agent. The CBA was different in 1993 and there was no rookie salary cap plus Forsberg was about to get offer sheet rights. So San Jose couldn't risk trading the Pronger pick and having to give Forsberg a contract like Alexandre Daigle was about to sign.
But it's an interesting thought exercise with how things would have changed the next 15-20 years. How does Forsberg do in San Jose? Pronger in Quebec/Colorado? Mats Sundin maybe doesn't get traded and wins a couple Cups?
Patrick Marleau (September 15th) - If he were born one day later, he would have been in the 1998 Draft. Coincidentally he might have still been drafted by San Jose, but then the Sharks probably would have ended up with Olli Jokinen in 1997 Draft en lieu of Brad Stuart + Jonathan Cheechoo in 1998. Marleau probably doesn't break the games played record if he had to wait another year to join the NHL.
Patrik Stefan (September 16th) - Born a day earlier and he's in the 1998 Draft. Does his career end up any better if he starts with Nashville or Vancouver instead of Atlanta? Brian Burke later told a story that he wanted to get both Sedins and Stefan in 1999.
Alexander Ovechkin (September 17th) - Comically Florida tried to draft him in 2003 on a technicality that the league denied. Panthers GM Rick Dudley knew he had a snowball's chance in hell, but figured it was worth a shot.
Auston Matthews (September 17th) - Do the stars align and Matthews ends up with the Coyotes if he were eligible in 2015?
Brady Tkachuk (September 16th) - Born a day earlier and he's in the 2017 Draft. Does he get into the conversation for the top pick?
----------
Maybe a slight tangent would be "what if" Rick DiPietro hadn't opted into the 2000 Draft? The Islanders would have proceeded (for at least a year) with Roberto Luongo, Olli Jokinen, and Marian Gaborik instead of DiPietro, Mark Parrish, and Oleg Kvasha.
And my favorite "almost trade" that I learned about in recent years was Quebec offering the rights to an unsigned Peter Forsberg to San Jose for the #2 pick in 1993. Quebec wanted Chris Pronger. Sharks GM Dean Lombardi fumed to the press afterwards implying he would have done the deal contingent on Forsberg signing. But since Quebec waited until the last minute, they had no time to talk to Forsberg's agent. The CBA was different in 1993 and there was no rookie salary cap plus Forsberg was about to get offer sheet rights. So San Jose couldn't risk trading the Pronger pick and having to give Forsberg a contract like Alexandre Daigle was about to sign.
But it's an interesting thought exercise with how things would have changed the next 15-20 years. How does Forsberg do in San Jose? Pronger in Quebec/Colorado? Mats Sundin maybe doesn't get traded and wins a couple Cups?
banks
Only got 3 of 16.
- Aug 29, 2019
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What if Tony Hand stuck it out in North America?
The guy was Scottish, and played in British leagues. But he did come over to the Oilers camp during the Gretzky era, and everyone said he was the smartest player on the ice aside from Wayne. But he got homesick, and wasn't willing to play in lesser NA leagues if he made less money than back home. So he kept leaving for Britain.
His numbers in the British Hockey League show that he was absolutely too good to be playing there. Like 200 points in 35 games. Would he have been a star in the NHL? I think so.
Tony Hand - Wikipedia
The guy was Scottish, and played in British leagues. But he did come over to the Oilers camp during the Gretzky era, and everyone said he was the smartest player on the ice aside from Wayne. But he got homesick, and wasn't willing to play in lesser NA leagues if he made less money than back home. So he kept leaving for Britain.
His numbers in the British Hockey League show that he was absolutely too good to be playing there. Like 200 points in 35 games. Would he have been a star in the NHL? I think so.
Tony Hand - Wikipedia
Michael Farkas
Celebrate 68
Absolutely not. He didn't appear to be NHL caliber at all, much less a star. Other major junior wash outs put up similar stats in that beer league and no one cares about them. We have video of Hand, it's hard to find one NHL caliber aspect to his game.
If he had the ability to even be a top 9 NHL forward, he would have been...
How would David Legwand look coming into an older franchise, he was forced to become a defense minded guy and only got to play with high caliber guys for about a season or two.
gretzkyoilers
Registered User
- Apr 17, 2012
- 456
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Yup. In the BHL during the 1986-87 season, he wasn't even the leading scorer on his team: Rick Fera was, who did "OK" in the OHL, never playered in the NHL
Murrayfield Racers 1986-87 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com
The roster, scoring and goaltender statistics for the 1986-87 Murrayfield Racers playing in the BHL.
www.hockeydb.com
Gary Unger was then retired from the NHL and got 238 points in 30 games:
Peterborough Pirates 1986-87 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com
The roster, scoring and goaltender statistics for the 1986-87 Peterborough Pirates playing in the BHL.
www.hockeydb.com
Last edited:
alko
Registered User
I see his nickname was Two Point Tony but I think there is a better one to be crafted.
The Scottish Rocket?
The Golden Haggis?
Tony the (Great) Hands?
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