All-Purpose Hockey Thread III

Yeah? Well, the Rangers beat the Flyers (2-1) and Bruins (6-1) in consecutive games...

Nevermind. You're right.

 

The Blue Goose hockey team could beat the Flyers.

Leafs beat THE STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS!!!

 

The ref was Bob Myers, one of those guys who acted as if everybody in the arena had actually come to watch him as opposed to the players. As for the penalty, Williams felt it was a horseshit call because it was for high sticking Robinson. I think he wrote in his book that he would've needed a ladder to be able to high stick Robinson.

If I remember correctly, it cost the Leafs the series (not that they were going to win anyway, but you know) and that's why Tiger was so furious about the call.

 

The Blue Goose hockey team? Is it named after Walter Gretzky's car?

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0701/gallery.nhl.top10goalies/content.1.html

Thought this was interesting, at least conversation worthy. Swift names his top 10 goalies of all-time.

And for those not wanting to sift through the 10 online photos, this is HIS list, if you want his reasons you'll have to click on the link:

10) Turk Broda
9) Dominik Hasek
8) George Hainsworth
7) Glenn Hall
6) Martin Brodeur
5) Terry Sawchuk
4) Patrick Roy
3) Jacques Plante
2) Vladislav Tretiak
1) Ken Dryden

This is my list. In my evaluation I took everything into consideration from length of career to stats to durability to clutchness (is that a word???) to legacy (what they meant to the game).

10) Ed Belfour – Eddie the Eagle, when he's on top of his game he is the best in the NHL, but has been played by inconsistency late in his career. Best when he first arives in a new town. Has the stats, awards to put him with the best in the game. Has the ability to carry teams, win big games and dominate a series.
9) Patrick Roy – Early in his career he quickly became the best in the game among a very weak crop of goaltenders. Still his talent early was undeniable, but later in his career he became very overrated and I think some of his later awards were not deserved (namely acouple of his Conn Smythes), but more were given to create history.
8) Jacques Plante – revolutionized the game and saved goalies lives by pushing through the mask – although not the first to wear one (Frank Brimsek). As well, his career numbers cannot be ignored either.
7) Dominik Hasek – The Dominator was perhaps the most intimidating goalie of the modern era to the point where games would be won before they were played with players so focused on trying to beat him that the rest of their game fell apart around them. As well is the only goalie to win two MVP awards.
6) George Hainsworth – can't ignore his stats, even if they all came before the Original 6 era, he paved the way for goalies like Sawchuk and Glenn Hall.
5) Glenn Hall – the standard for stability in net. 502 straight games will never even be approached again. Also helped revolutionize the game be developing the deep crouch – much deeper than Sawchuck's who was considered a bit of a rebel with is. Actually showed the potential early on in his career to force the Red Wings to trade the surly Sawchuck to make room for Hall.
4) Ken Dryden – Although his career was short, he still amassed wnough accomplishments to be up this high on the list. I look at the success Sawchuck had in his first few seasons and I think they are similar in their dominance. If he had played longer the two names may have rolled right next to each other.
3) Martin Brodeur – He's got the trophies, he's got the stats, has the international glory, and by the time he is done he may be Number 1. Most clutch goalie in the game today, although he plays for a team that is defensive minded, mant of those teams don't get out of the first round if not for Marty.
2) Vladislav Tretiak – The best International goalie who ever played, and that's not even disputable. I only wish that he would have played in the NHL so that we could make a true comparison.
1) Terry Sawchuk – One of the great clutch goalies of all time, set some records that may never be broken (Shutouts - 103, although Brodeur is getting close), and some that took 30+ years to break (447). At his best he was absolutely unbeatable. PLayed against the best players every night, no columbus's to pad his stats. The 100 best players in the world played.

Honourable mention – Turk Broda, Grant Fuhr, Johnny Bower, Bill Durnan, Gump Woresly, TOny Esposito, Cujo (missing cup and awards).

 

I don't cover hockey, so my opinion on all-time goalie lists is that of a more-informed-than-average fanboy rather than that of a hockey journalist.

But as one who's read a whole lot about the game's history, I'm very happy to see Sawchuck at number one on your list, Beef. Nice also to see Hall come in at number five. And that's a thoughtful honorable mention list, as well.

 

Sirs, Madames,

I think I told this story before. Standing around in a hotel with Anders Hedberg and his then boss Ken Dryden at a world jrs. Tretiak's name came up ... so, we the media ask, was he really that good? Dryden's (typically) long-winded repsonse took 10 minutes to unfold. "Clearly ... this was ... an athlete ... of exceptional ... extraordinary ... skill, who in the most important junctures of the game ..."

You get my drift.

Anyways, after the Legends of Hockey segment ended, we the media say nothing but just glance at Anders (who saw a lot more of Tretiak than Dryden did).

Quoth Hedberg: "Just another player."

I'm trusting the anti-hype Swede on this. How much did we really see of Tretiak? And I'm not sure that Dryden is so high on the Top Ten. (Dec 31, 1975 not his best moment.)

YHS, etc

 

If he wasn't such a miserable prick, does Tom Barrasso merit more consideration?

The guy won the Cup twice on teams where defense wasn't always the primary concern.

Won the Calder and Vezina with Buffalo too.

 

Tretiak is almost like the Satchel Paige of hockey. We never really got a chance to see what he could do against the best talent in the world on a consistent basis.

 

He also counseled against drinking the red pepper version of Stolichnaya, as it angries up the blood.

 

But Barasso also did it before Defence was a primary concern. He was not the centre piece of either of those teams, and while he did play better than Jon Casey in the final against Minnesota Chicago was just completely overwhelmed by Pittsburgh's offence. It was Lemieux, Stevens, Rechi, Trottier, Jagr, et al that made thos teams go, not Barasso.
Personality has nothing to do with it. Sawchuk was supposed to be a world class prick as well. Very dark individual.

 

I've heard of the fight that led to Sawchuk's death, but have the details ever really been fully reported or investigated?