-Fred Shero.
Montreal's Terry Harper is marking Toronto's Brian Conacher in the photo, this might have been from the SCF in 1967. In the early 1960's Montreal had a terrible time dealing with Toronto (Leafs won the Stanley 62-64) and their size. The Habs were more skilled, but their bigger defenders (Lou Fontinato, Tom Johnson) were long in the tooth and while the youngsters coming up (JC Tremblay, etc) could hold their own the team needed added toughness. They brought in Terry Harper from the Regina Pats, and signed Ted Harris and John Ferguson. Here are the three transactions:
- June 1963: Montreal acquires D Ted Harris from Springfield (and crazy Eddie Shore).
- June 1963: Montreal acqured L John Ferguson from Cleveland for cash.
John Ferguson became the policeman for the smaller forwards and he could score some too. Harris was brute force, he won a lot of fights in his time in Montreal. What did Terry Harper do? Marked his man, played his position, made sure guys like Brian Conacher either dished off or met the boards. It wasn't sexy but it was effective, and Harper was also a very tough player who never backed down from anyone. He was always a favorite of mine because Bobby Orr mentioned him a few times as being a player he respected, and Harper went about his business under trying circumstances without bitching about it. There's a lot to learn from a guy like Terry Harper.
--
With the news that Pat Quinn is returning in the fall, I think we can start to compile a list of possible "player-types" we'll see here in 2010-11. Terry Harper. Ted Harris. John Ferguson.
The experiment that saw JF Jacques on the 1line and Ryan Stone taking a regular shift was the beginning. When we talk about free agents, we should start with height, weight and PIMS. When we discuss possible callups, we should note that Alex Plante (6.04, 225) will probably trump Taylor Chorney (5.11, 182). The Oilers may not have too many small players (I think they do) but they certainly don't have the right small players to make things work.
Crust. Jam. Rugged. Bruising. Enforcer. Some of them are coming to town and a couple will play in the top 6F. The new defensemen will be graduates of the Derian Hatcher school of charm. I'm hopeful the Oilers will remember something about the trio of western boys (Harper, Harris and Ferguson) who made their way to Montreal 47 years ago: they could play the game.
You know you are referring to a 50 years old situation right?
ReplyDeleteI hate guys who are just there to fight. They're useless for the most part. I'm okay with a tough guy if he can play hockey (Ben Eager, Dan Carcillo)
Agree completely. Not sure if we have any of them in the system past Peckham. If we could find a 26 year old Jason Smith..... that would make for a very nice 1/2 of a second pairing nobody would want top play against
ReplyDelete"With the news that Pat Quinn is returning in the fall,"
ReplyDeleteYou know, I honestly don't give a shit what Tambellini says for public consumption...I'm still not totally buying that Quinn will be the Oilers head coach once September rolls around.
Brownlee's latest certainly has some interesting food for thought in that regard.
With all the high-end rookies coming to town in the next couple of years, they better get this right. Tough bastards required!
ReplyDeleteThe size/weight coming in players like VV and Hartikanen will certainly help the balance down the line, but this year? Ug.
Stortini stays, Stone re-signs, Peckham makes the team as a regular, Smid stays healthy, and what... two guys that eat nails for breakfast (AND can play a little hockey)?
That MIGHT keep Hall and Hemsky healthy past Christmas.
I'll believe OTC's staying when I get the text message from Batman.
ReplyDeleteThe encouraging thing about the Oilers going forward and having D as the biggest need is that they have been good at finding quality D. Even recently, KLo did well as the judge of D talent for Team Canada picking Doughty over JBo and Green. The return on Souray will be key and I can't see PattyO being back next year.
ReplyDeleteDrafting Taylor Hall will prove once and forever that this is a franchise going somewhere.
ReplyDeleteHall alone as a bleeding rookie will light up the lights in that moribund old Coliseum.
Hall lighting up the cup finals as a superstar in the new facility will be something altogether for the future, lol.
Zorg has definitely earned some top-9 playing time.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, another Springsteen reference. Although to be fair the other one was Dave Marsh on Springsteen.
ReplyDeleteGiven my impression of Quinn's limitations as a coach, I wonder if it wouldn't be more appropriate to make a pull from Darkness on the Edge of Town.
Or Nebraska? "Well sir, I guess there's just a meanness in this world..."
I still listen to Open All Night at least once a week.
ReplyDeleteHey ho rock & roll deliver me from nowhere.
ReplyDeleteLT, if you get a chance, and if you haven't already, have a listen to Living on the Edge of the World. Same lyrics, almost, but with the band. Different sound, same feeling.
'...wipin' our fingers on a Texaco roadmap.'
ReplyDeleteHe is a poet.
Colby Armstrong (again) anyone?
Can't score for his life.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's okay if we don't pay too much.
If we want to play defenceman roulette in this year's draft and are looking for tough then how about totally re-designing our defence, a process we have sort of started?
ReplyDelete1. Trade our #31 and maybe a later pick to Florida for Colby Robak and Adam Comrie. Robak is a Gilbert/Whitney clone but Comrie is one tough guy. Only reason he isn't a sure thing is he has this little problem with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder combined with poor locus of self control (ie. he gets running around looking for somebody to kill). However, he can seriously play shut down defence when his mind is focussed.
2. See if Phoenix would like to take Riley Nash (plus a pick) and go for Maxim Goncharov plus Jonas Ahnelov (in case he ever gets healthy again - a cheap Anton Volchenkov).
3. If San Jose has any interest in Sheldon Souray ask for Taylor Doherty in return. Might as well go for the really, really, big kid with the nasty attitude.
Doesn't have to be these trades (in fact, I'd love to see other options)but the idea is to reduce the risk of spending assets (draft picks, prospects) on defensemen by going after ones that were drafted by other teams and where they have a slightly longer resume. The other concept is to try to balance the d-corp by having all manner of prospects...none of them small but some gifted at rushing the puck and some gifted at crushing the man.
Then you pick in the remainder bin of the free agent sale and go for big men who can play, bad attitude essential (say Christoph Schubert who hits everything that moves). Now your defence looks something like:
Whitney/Gilbert
Goncharov/Smid
Schubert/Peckham
Johnson
At forward to support your new approach to defence...big men who can play...get some serious agitators for the forward slot. Heck go for both Armstrong brothers and Jon Sim. Yes I know Jon and Colby aren't dynamic scorers but they pot between ten and fifteen each a year with 3rd and 4th line minutes. Resign Pisani on the cheap. Hope Stone is healthy and ready to go. Turf some smurfs (POS, Nilsson) and junk one broken coke machine (JFJ).
You'll still get killed most nights because of inexperience on the back end but other teams won't want to be playing against Edmonton.
I've mentioned Schubert before too. Size, can skate, willing to hit, if he can be had for the right price, I'm okay with that.
ReplyDeleteMy first inclination would still be a veteran, calm, mentor-type though. A young team is going to need some lessons in composure.
Hall with a beauty of a shot tonight.
ReplyDeleteBetween periods Sportsnet played a taped interview and he was asked about the draft and his recent dinner with Tambellini.
Schubert wouldn't be a bad thought if they don't resign Johnson or they decide to let Strudwick walk. I think johnson is better than both and Strudwick and Schubert bring different things, so I guess it would be decided on importance.
ReplyDeleteJust read that Brownlee piece (thanks, Digger). Very comforting.
ReplyDeleteHitmen score 2 to get back in it.
LT, the Habs acquired Shore metaphorically, I'm guessing, by acquiring his protege?
ReplyDeleteHall with a great backcheck with 45 seconds to go in the 2nd and the Hitmen pressing. Then helped get the puck over the blue and ducked a huge hit while making the outlet.
linneaus - I like the idea, but don't like giving up picks to get there. We are currently making very good use of the picks. Surely our roster players that don't fit are worth something in this.
ReplyDeleteHarris got a Cup with that crusty 74-75 Flyer team too.
ReplyDeleteHall on the breakaway!
ReplyDeleteYou know you are referring to a 50 years old situation right?
ReplyDeleteIt may just be me, but that was hilarious!
Don't worry FPV, someday, you too will be referring to 40 year old situations as though they were yesterday.
spOILer: Harris was a beast, but he could play defense. Shore (from what I have read) was one of the NHL's all-time best defensemen.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, Harris was a tough AHL defenseman who had the same role when he came to the NHL.
Taylor Hall just scored again. Lordy.
I'll believe OTC's staying when I get the text message from Batman.
ReplyDeleteCan we please make it official that from this point on we refer to Katz as Batman.
Even if OTC isn't back,
ReplyDeletethey'll be bigger.
So, bigger but not necessarily crustier:
- Brule a Sabre, Stafford an Oiler
- Nash a Hurricane, Anton Babchuk to E-Town
[this would have to be pre-discussed to ensure Babchuk will sign]
On another front
Would Florida swap Vakoun for Khabibulin?
It would save them $2.5 Large Ones next season....
And finally for depth,
there is a Wetaskiwin kid playing in Europe, his NHLE this past season was 64 pts,
A team mate of The Paajarvi,
in fact the leading scorer for Timra.
He's a little undersized 6.0, 185
If you haven't guessed already,
he's Martin Sonnenberg
GP - G - A - Pts - PIM
42 - 20 - 22 - 42 - 68
So as outlined above
ReplyDeleteNash would be
Like a Hurricane
Just read the Brownlee piece.
ReplyDeleteI'd guess Moreau is the source - unhappy with the new landscape and not being able to demean the young guys.
Get this guy gone rfn and get on with the rebuild.
Maybe we can get one of linneaus's guys for him.
This Tyson Hall character is quite the player. Who has his rights?
ReplyDeletefrt - you make me laugh young fella. Then again you are closer to my four year old in age than to me so I can see that there might be a bit of a gap there.
But you are right, these type of players are pointless if they cannot play. Thing is, these guys all could and that's who the Oilers need. Guys who pot ten to fifteen a year (up front), pick up their men and can hit a little. And a couple of defencemen like Jason Smith.
That would help a lot.
LT - I seem to be out of Ovaltine, if I send the little woman over could you spare a spoonful or two?
If Moreau is the source, then that adds little of value as I would argue that he is 'disgruntled'
ReplyDeleteThough OTC's in game decision making has frequently left much to be desired.
BDHS: I have a bunch of it between the beer fridge and the dried prunes.
ReplyDeleteThere is an Ewdmonton born defenseman who played well inteh playoffs who is a yuong UFA. Ohnny Boychuk is listed as an RFA next year (nhlnumbers), but i read today that due to his age and when he signed, he's actually a UFA. If this is true he is exactly the kind of top 4 dman to add that needed toughness while still being able to play.
ReplyDeleteAnd if Souray heads to Dallas (as some have speculated), then get Fistric or Grossman. Both are big, hit, play gritty and can play.
LT, I remember that 74-75 Flyer defense, and I don't remember them being very big. Harris was the biggest of the lot, IIRC. They were tough as drillbits though... Eddie Van Impe was as short as his name, but cut from the same quarry as Stan Jonathan. But there were much bigger backlines on other teams.
ReplyDeleteThe Boychuk stuff was from bob mackenzie's twitter. So i assume he's right. Boychuk is the one defenseman I would target. he'll be cheaper then Seidenberg, Hamhuis, Michalek and Volchenkov. And he may be a better fit for us.
ReplyDeleteDupont and Jimmy Watson were a decent size but the others were smaller (and tough).
ReplyDeleteHabs D was much bigger than the Flyers though.
BDHS: I have a bunch of Ovaltine between my beer fridge and the dried prunes.
ReplyDeleteI see Boychuk getting Jeff Finger money. Someone will overpay for him, after all he's a pretty well rounded Dman. Considering whats out there for Dman in terms of UFAs, Boychuk is near the top and I doubt he'll come cheap.
ReplyDeleteDangerMan - It could happen, but I doubt it. He's only got 56 games of NHL experience @ 26 y.o.
ReplyDeleteDeano: Was that intentional or ironic?
ReplyDeleteSouray threw the team under the buy to force a trade. Now Moreau has thrown Quinn under the bus to get his buyout (which is how I read the Brownlee piece.)
ReplyDeleteMoreau saw what happened to Jason Smith in Ottawa, and there is no way he is going to Oklahoma and there is no way he will honourably retire like Smith did. He wants his buyout.
Deano - I dunno, I'm of the belief that you pay a player for what he's going to do, not for what he's done. Boychuk is on the verge of taking the next step of being a good top pairing Dman as shown in the playoffs when he was paired with Chara and they both ate big minutes together. I'd rather pay Boychuk 3mil/year than pay Volchenkov or Hamhuis 4mil/year. At least Boychuk has a cannon for shot and won't be a total wasteland offensively. It took him awhile to gain traction, but I think he's an NHLer for good now. Yes the sample size is small, but I think someone will pay for that potential.
ReplyDeleteI think if someone pays him more than $1MM/year they are overpaying. I'd rather pay Volchenkov or Hamhuis.
ReplyDeleteI think I could look serviceable beside Chara.
56 games is half of what Finger had and a quarter of what Aaron Johnson has.
But it may happen, hopefully it does not happen here.
I dunno, for some reason I don't think it was Moreau that was talking to Brownlee. If it had been, I suspect Robin would chalk it up to being more sour grapes from a guy already halfway out the door, and not give it as much weight as he seems to in that article.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking it's a vet who's not a Dead Man Walking.
digger: agreed. my money is actually on Horcoff.
ReplyDeleteAs for Boychuk getting Finger money. I guess that is a fear, but he has a more well rounded skill set then Finger, and some offense to go with his solid defense. He can be our 2nd PP guy, and our top shutdown dman. Then that's $3.5 mill well spent. I'm pretty happy with Gilbert-Whitney and Smid-Boychuk as our top 4 for the next 4-5 years. Sprinkle in Peckham and another cheap solid vet as our bottom pair and I'm really happy with our defense next year.
This is off topic, but as a lot of you guys are diehard Stones fans (I know LT is), the penultimate Stones' album "Exile on Main Street" is being re-released tomorrow. So, I googled "Exile on Main Street" to check on reviews of the $180 vinyl set & the 10th item down was Lowetide's blog on Shawn Horcoff! Is that cool or what?
ReplyDeletere: Boychuk
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone think that his play may have a little something to do with playing with Chara? Kind of like Smid playing with Visnovsky...
DBO - I think you could do worse than Boychuk at 3.5 mil/year, playing #4 minutes. Personally, I'm hoping for more of a waterbug type Dman to play with Smid, but if Smid-Boychuk were the middle pairing, I wouldn't be upset with that.
ReplyDeleteWell LT, this is two weeks in a row for us. First I pull 'Ventilator Blues' off the tip of your tongue, now you come back with 'Open All Night'. Loved that song, but again probably haven't heard it in twenty years. Never got around to replacing the vinyl and all that.
ReplyDeleteBut yesterday I'm working in the yard, and the soundtrack in my head was playing This:
I met Wanda when she was employed behind the counter at the route 60 Bobs Big Boy fried chicken on the front seat...
Just came to me out of the blue. Unless we've been meeting on the Astral Plane ~
Oh yes, to add to the beer conversation I have to agree with Dennis, [most] dark craft beer is crap, tastes like homebrew. Our rootin tootin Amber ale has Twice as much flavor as the other guy's... It's all shit with lots [too much] of beer-like flavors. A good beer comes together as a whole, doesn't taste like its constituent parts, it tastes like, well, beer. Balance, as LT would say. Among darks, I liked Younger's Tartan, but never see it around anymore. And Guinness of course. Becks in a can is sublime, I find it a bit skunky in bottle. Steam Whistle is first-rate, or should I say, world-class. Best thing ever built in Toronto, for my money.
So, I googled "Exile on Main Street" to check on reviews of the $180 vinyl set & the 10th item down was Lowetide's blog on Shawn Horcoff! Is that cool or what?
ReplyDeleteIf all of us go there and then click on LT's link, we can move it up a few notches! Do it!
Bad seed,
ReplyDeletePenultimate means 'second-last'. Which would make 'Goat's head Soup' the Ultimate Stones album.
[probably not what you had in mind]
I actually don't doubt that Boychuk would be a good fit here. I think he will live up to that promise. But I have to agree, if he is a UFA he won't be cheap. $3-3.5 million sounds about right in today's NHL.
ReplyDeleteSsadly, we need cheap. That is because we cannot be certain what sort of deal we can (or can't) make for Sheldon Souray. We also need hungry because highly sought after free agents must have rgave doubts about Edmonton right about now.
That was one of the attractions of Goncharov. He is signed for multiple years for decent money and he doesn't have a no trade. Plus, I love defencemen who can skate superbly and at twenty have already played for three years against grown men and held their own in the KHL or any place. Especially when they are cheap.
However, I have started wondering if Souray goes but we only get prospects and/or useless salary back and Smid can't play because of his neck, what do we do then? Just how cheap a defence could you build and still not be underwater every night?
I still think Schubert is perfect because for what he brings he is very cheap. Another option for improving the D that occurred to me was signing Brendan Bell and Lukas Krajicek. They are too good for the AHL but unable to find a regular job in the NHL (Krajicek certainly doesn't look out of place on the Flyers. The other really cheap free agent defenceman who deserves a ticket to ride in the NHL is Sean Sullivan. He is a small man but a fabulous skater who can really move the puck. Best of all he clears people from in front of his own net as well (or better) than your average 6'4" monster.
Whitney/Gilbert
Krajicek/Bell
Johnson/Schubert
Peckham/Sullivan
They would certainly be cheap, and not lacking in NHL minutes on their resumes. They'd have some offensive upside. It would make our prospects work for a roster spot. However, it wouldn't be super tough. You'd need your forwards to bring some serious attitude. That was how I got to the idea of signing Jon Sim and Colby Armstrong and his brother Riley.
So in essence, my plan in broad strokes would be to go deep and cheap in grit and jam. Run a high efficiency defence. The puck comes into your end and it goes right back out. Forecheck relentlessly, go to the net hard. Hope two or three of your prospects arrive full force in the NHL.
I call it the road back to respectability.
I usually change beers every couple of years. There's all kinds of beer in my house now (Sleeman's, Amstel, Old Mil) and I bring out whatever feels right for the guests.
ReplyDeleteI do have some Old Mil in my home because my neighbour loved it. Then he moved away before he drank it all. Bugger.
Alice: Crazy. Just crazy. I also have Veedon Fleece, Rust Never Sleeps and Madman Across the Water in my car.
Maybe I drive by your work with the windows down? :-)
Its hard to know who the comment came from - Moreau is not officially on the outs and Brownalee could easily couch it as him being a vet who has no grudge.
ReplyDeleteand it gets him a story.
On the other hand, it could be Horcoff. If Horcoff saw the situation as described, saying it would be the correct thing to do. It may be that the veteran was as shocked to hear 'Quinn is not going anywhere' as we all were to hear 'MacT is not going anywhere'.
Terry Harper sounds a lot like Taylor Hall.
ReplyDeleteWhat did Harper actually provide for the habs, because he was in during most if not all of their mini mid-60's dynasties.
What happened to him, why wasnt he around in 1971 for the Dryden miracle?
DBO and DangerMan: Smid and Boychuk each only cover 1/3 of the ice, leaving 2/3 for their partner.
ReplyDeleteWho gets the other 1/3 when we put them together?
"if I send the little woman over could you spare a spoonful or two?"
ReplyDeleteJust tell her I'm very understanding of women, and appeciative of their concerns.
Tell her I believe women need to be in power, lol.
ReplyDeleteHunter: Harper was around for the 1971 victory (that was Dryden) but that summer the Habs were in turmoil despite the win.
ReplyDeleteAl MacNeil was coach, but he benched Henri Richard during the playoffs and Richard ripped him badly. Really badly.
Pollock sent MacNeil to the Nova Scotia Voyageurs of the AHL to coach there (and I'm not making this up) and then installed Scotty Bowman.
Harper hated Bowman. He'd put up with booing all through the 60s but he couldn't stand dealing with Bowman.
So he asked to be traded and they sent him to the Kings. He was an outstanding defensive defenseman pretty much forever.
They're going to take Hall after this lights out Memorial Cup performance for the ages, right? They're not just going knee-jerk to the draft, with some idiot(so-called otherwise) named Stu calling the tune?
ReplyDeleteYou're the balding guy with the lime-green 340 Duster??
ReplyDeleteWhat game of what series was Richard actually benched?
ReplyDeletehunter: Seguin's a helluva prospect too. I hope they take Hall but if MBS thinks Seguin is the better man then so be it.
ReplyDeleteAlice:
ReplyDeleteNot me baby, I've got the black Irish look - like Clint Eastwood but not going bald lol.
Alice: lol. I can't afford a lime green Duster, they must be $10,000 by now. :-)
ReplyDeleteGod I remember those crazy car colors. Metallic. Beauty.
If they want Seguin then let us watch Hall win the freaking cup and look like Zeus lol.
ReplyDelete(I'm drinking)
Purple was called 'Plum Crazy'
ReplyDeleteHunter: I honestly don't remember. If I had to guess it would be against the Minnesota North Stars (who damn near beat them that spring).
ReplyDeleteI think we all have to start realising, that Chris Pronger makes a big difference to a hockey team in the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteRichard won 11 cups, which should qualify him for Katz hiring him at 200,000.00 a season just to shut Kevin(6 cups)Lowe up.
ReplyDeleteAnytime Lowe is overheard mentioning his 6 cups, Richard is immediately sent into the situation, lol.
ReplyDeleteCan we please make it official that from this point on we refer to Katz as Batman.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I've never seen those two in the same room before...
Re: Boychuk
Didn't COL run him out as a forward when he came into the league? Strudwick 2.0!
Of course we'll resign Jason "Masterton" to mentor the guy...
Terry Harper was a total pain to play against. He was a rough skater and looked clumsy at best. But try to get around him. Smart as a whip too. LT, I think a great comp for Harper is one of your faves, Keith Magnuson.
ReplyDeleteHunter: The Pocket Rocket got benched in Game 5 of the SCF, a 2-0 loss in Chicago. He was incensed and just ripped into Al MacNeil, calling him the worst coach he had ever played for, blah blah blah. An emotional outburst of a PO'd player, except Richard was a legend, brother of a Legend, and best of all the two solitudes were right in the centre of the dispute. The press just had a feeding frenzy over it.
Of course Richard got back into the rotation in Game 6, and famously delivered the tying and winning goals back in Chicago in Game 7. But bitterness remained. Al MacNeil won the Stanley Cup in Montreal, and almost got fired. What he did get, was demoted, becoming head coach of the farm club (still the Montreal Voyageurs in those days I think), while the fluently bilingual Scott Bowman took the job with the big club. Amazingly, MacNeil took the job. How's that for loyalty?
Bruce:
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you work for the Oilers?
You can also be sure that when Hall hits his stride, every time Team Canada picks it's first line players he's in the mix if not the front runner.
ReplyDeleteI can see the headline now:
ReplyDeleteNewly appointed Oilers GM Bruce McCurdy has signed Zach Stortini to an astonishing 12 year 110M dollar contract extension. When reached for comment McCurdy related a lengthy story on an unrelated topic.
I think we all have to start realising, that Chris Pronger makes a big difference to a hockey team in the playoffs
ReplyDeleteRealized it in 2006 - however I still hope he pulls a 'Steve Smith'
Again, not because of the trade request, I thought that was reasonable. I just like cerebral hockey players as opposed to guys who were just fortunate enough to be hard wired for hockey, but who probably have trouble figuring out how many quarters go into a dollar (or I guess 36 million dollars).
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think we all have to start realising, that Chris Pronger makes a big difference to a hockey team in the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteI think you can say that Chris Pronger makes a big difference to a hockey team throughout the entire season and the playoffs.
According to Chad Moreau, Pronger was one of the major reasons the Oilers got more into physical training and was the major force in getting all the players and management to buy into a training regimen. After his departure, all the positive traits he helped instill in the Oilers started to fall apart, and Chad became increasingly alarmed at how the quickly the Oilers reverted to their old ways, i.e. next to nothing in the way of training.
A guy like Chris Pronger or Gary Roberts as much as people hate them, have huge impacts on the professionalism and fitness level of a team.
Chad should have been more concerned that all those players wanted to look like they were from buff beach rather then hockey players.
ReplyDeleteSmarmy you should read the article linked to from Copper and blue last month. That's exactly what he was concerned with. Chad claims the players spent all their time on ice and very few wanted anything to do with in-season training including the coaches. He believes this directly impacted their fitness level on the ice as the season wore on. Apparently during the 2006 run Pronger had a lot of Oilers doing regular workouts with him in the training room.
ReplyDeleteBasically what he stated was that they pretty much ignored him after Pronger left, and the worse the team did the more time they devoted to on-ice practices to the detriment of fitness training. Before he came to the team they had a shambles for a training room, and ate cheeseburgers before games and on the plane.
Hi All..Great Posts. I like what Bruce said..Terry was a pain to play against. I have heard this a number of times. He knew where you going to be before you knew where you were going to be. Terry (70) is still playing with the 18 year olds and making them look stupid,In fact I don't think he lost to many teeth during his carrier but last year some punk kid high sticked him and knocked most of his lower teeth out..Jeff(son) made the player wish he had better stick control. I love hearing about old school vs new.
ReplyDeleteBrendan Witt.
ReplyDeleteThis past year shows he's clearly lost a step, but he's only got one more year on his contract, and he embodies the term "competator".
If we can move Souray to the Island and agree to take back a contract like Witt's, we might be able to actually get some value for 'ol Shelly. The question is, what do the Islanders have that would be of any value to us?
Souray for Shremp + Witt.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I kid.
He knew where you going to be before you knew where you were going to be.
ReplyDeleteYeah, in the corner ... without the puck.
Thanks for the update, John Hayes, great to hear Terry's still playing the game. Not one bit surprised to hear he's a lifer.
Speaking of septuagenarians, the other comp that came to mind was Chris Chelios. Doesn't quite work in that Chelios was a much better offensive player than Harper (or Magnuson), but each had that demeanour that they weren't going to give you an inch, would hold their position for the exact right number of milliseconds, make you work for everything you got. Which wouldn't be much.