Happy Monday to everyone. Ok, there's no such thing as a "Happy" Monday, but it's here, and we have to make the best of it. We will continue our series in a moment, but first, a little note on the press conference on Friday.
I think it's safe to say that the Wings have a new slogan for the playoffs this year. "Cuppy, cuppy, cuppy" was hilarious, especially out of the mouth of one of the most powerful men in the city. I guess it shows that he can be prone to fits of silly fan-ness just like the rest of us, and will make up non-sensical phrases to show how happy and confident he is. I also liked Modano's answers, about wanting to win, and about playing whatever role the Wings want him to. I don't think this is a guy that is going to rock the boat or become an issue in the dressing room; he just wants to contribute to a Stanley Cup winning team. After the presser, I was excited and wished that the season would just start, so that we could witness the march to 12.
I don't really have an opinion on Chelios landing in the Wings' front office. He will certainly be an asset in conditioning, since he's known to be a workout fiend. I also expect him to be in the dressing room talking to young Ericsson and Kindl about how to approach the game and make smart decisions out there. This will ease the burden on Lidstrom, who can concentrate on avenging his Norris snub last year.
Back to the series. This week we enter the Top-10, but unlike Letterman, I couldn't get anyone famous to read these for me. Here we go:
Slava Kozlov
Pertinent Stats: 607 GP, 202 G, 213 A, 415 P, +134
Awards: None
Stanley Cups: 2 - 1997, 1998
Coming it at #10 is the second of the "Russian Five". Slava was drafted in the third round after the Wings had taken Primeau earlier. Kozlov didn't crack the lineup for a few years, but when he got his shot in 1993-94, he made the most of it, racking up 34 goals and 73 points in 77 games. Over the next couple of seasons, he remained an almost-a-point-per-game player, but unfortunately that skill was not enough to help the Wings win a Championship. Through the next 5 years, his point production declined, but given the amount of scoring that was on the team, the Wings did not need him to be their #1 point producer. He still scored at least 20 goals in 4 of the next 5 seasons, and as a left winger, no one was expecting him to put up big assist totals.
What Kozlov was able to do was score important goals, perhaps none of them bigger than in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Blackhawks. He scored in double OT to put the Wings in the Finals for the first time since 1966, and I can bet that for most of us, this was the first time we ever saw our team make it that far. I can still remember running around my house (I was 16) shouting "We're going to the Finals! We're going to the Finals!" My father was not that impressed (being a Leaf fan, he's not impressed with anything the Wings do), and told me very calmly to "shut the fuck up, no one cares, go to bed." Naturally, I didn't sleep for a while, although after watching the Finals that year, you would have thought that the Devils' style of play would have been enough to put me in a coma.
Kozlov seemed to have a knack for scoring key goals. Besides the double OT goal in 1995, he also scored the triple OT goal in 1997 against the Ducks in Game 2 (thank you Doug Brown). He scored both goals in Game 3 against the Avs in the Conference Finals, giving them a stranglehold of that series. He also tacked on a goal in the Finals that year, and ultimately finished with 8 goals in those playoffs. His goal total went down the next year, but he was still a big part of why the Wings were able to repeat. As the decade ended, Kozlov's point totals continued to decrease, and he was eventually used as the centerpiece of the deal to get Dominik Hasek from Buffalo before the 2001-02 season. Kozlov has continued to put up respectable numbers, and is now known as one of the premier shootout specialists in the NHL (the Wings sure could have used him last year).
For me, Kozlov has always been one of the most talented offensive players I have ever seen. I would probably rank him 3rd of 4th behind Federov, Datsyuk and Yzerman. Kozlov's skill with the puck on his stick was, for lack of a better term, disgusting. More than once I saw him absolutely undress a defenseman or deke a goalie out of his pants to score a pretty goal. He was certainly never a defensive specialist or a tough guy, so if he wasn't scoring, he wasn't that valuable to the team. But like I said before, he could score some of the most beautiful goals you'll ever see. However, his contributions to the team were not limited to on-ice accomplishments. He was one of the players who was most affected by the tragedy involving Vladimir Konstantinov, and Kozlov was the one who started the "Believe" theme of the 97-98 season. He had been given a rock that had the phrase inscribed on it, and he put it in Vlad's locker after the accident. This led to the team adopting it as their slogan for the season as they attempted to repeat, which they did, culminating in the greatest on-ice Stanley Cup celebration of all time. Oh, and according to the girls on Twitter, he was also kind of cute, so I guess I'll throw that in here to score some points with the ladies.
Slava Kozlov was never the best 2-way player on the Wings, nor was he the best scorer. However, together with the Russian Five, he was part of the best 5-man unit in the NHL, and served as the main goal scorer on that line. The offensive skills he had were among the best on the team, and he had a knack for potting a crucial goal. He was as instrumental in the Wings' first Cup in '97 as almost anyone on the team. Not only did he contribute to 2 Stanley Cups, but he was the best player in the deal for Hasek, a move that allowed the Wings to win their third Cup in 6 years. For those reasons, he deserves his spot as the #10 Greatest Red Wing of My Time.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Greatest Red Wings of MY Time - #11
I saw Inception last night, and let me tell you: it was freaking amazing. I'm not a movie critic, so I won't get into my evalution of it too much. Let me just say that after seeing it once, it is now one of my top-5 movies of all time. Awesome.
Not much else is going on in Red Wing Nation today. I did get a nice text message from the Red Wings telling me that Modano was on a plane headed towards Detroit. While I am happy we signed him, I don't need minute-by-minute updates on his whereabouts. I'm looking forward to seeing the press conference and watching him don the Winged Wheel. He has said he's going to wear #90, the first Red Wing to do so in their history. Personally, I'm just glad the whole saga is finally over, and once Abby is signed, we can start to think about training camp, lines, and how the Wings will do this season (I smell division championship, but we'll talk more about that later).
We continue our series today of the Greatest Red Wings of My Time, and #11 marks the first time that a true lifer has made the list (Draper technically is not, even though he feels like one).
Johan Franzen
Pertinent Stats: 319 GP, 93 G, 71 A, 164 P, +58
Awards: None
Stanley Cups: 1 - 2008
The best part about getting into the guys that have been with the Wings for their entire careers is that I no longer have to go to the sites and "add" up their stats for their tenure on the team. Franzen was drafted by the Wings in 2004 in the 3rd round, but in true Red Wing-fashion, didn't crack the lineup until 2005-06 after the lockout. He didn't put up great numbers, and to be honest, I don't remember much about him in his rookie year. However, one notable thing did occur that season: Steve Yzerman called him "The Mule" because of his work ethic and his ability to "carry the load", and the nickname has stuck ever since. Unlike the current set of Wings, Franzen's nickname has nothing to do with his actual name.
Franzen's career with the Wings is still a work in progress, but there's no question that he has made his mark on this franchise. In 2007, he scored the series-winning goal in double OT against the Flames. That series win was vitally important for the Wings, because it was the first playoff season without Yzerman, and I think advancing gave the team the confidence that they could be successful without The Captain. While Franzen did not score with any regularity in that playoff year, besides Homer's OT goal in Game 4 against the Sharks, that was easily the most important goal of that playoff season.
They were unable to get past the Ducks that season, and in 2007-08 Franzen seemed to be destined to just plod along, contributing his 10-15 goals a year. Then Holmstrom went down with an injury, and Franzen was promoted to the top line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg. The streak that he went on after that was unlike anything I've ever seen. He scored 15 goals in the last 16 regular season games, and helped the Wings cruise to yet another President's Trophy. For the second straight season he scored an OT goal, giving the Wings a win in Game 5 against the Predators after they had blown a 2-0 series lead and a 1-0 lead with less than a minute left in the game. The Wings won the series and it was off to a series against the hated Avalanche. I think in boxscores of the future, that series should read like this:
Franzen: 4 - Avalanche: 0
I have never seen anyone dominate a series like he did. He scored 9 goals in 4 games in that series. That was a Red Wing record, breaking Howe's record of 8 - that he scored in 7 games. He had 2 hat tricks in that series, and scored a goal in every game. To put it in perspective: he scored as many goals as the Avs did. Ridiculous. By the end of that playoff season, he ended up tying the Red Wing record for goals in a post-season with Henrik Zetterberg at 13.
In 2008-09, he racked up career totals in goals, assists and points. For the second straight year he also had over 10 goals in the playoffs, of which 4 were GWG. That's the thing about Franzen that gets me: of his 35 career playoff goals, 11 of them are game winners, including 2 in OT. In the regular season, he's got 21 GWG out of his 93 goals. Overall, combining his regular season and playoff stats, exactly 25% of his goals have won a game for the Red Wings. If "Mule" ever falls out of style, I suggest we rename Franzen "Mr Clutch". Unfortunately, Franzen suffered a torn ACL in the third game of the year last (fucking dirty Blackhawk assholes), and he only played in 27 games. However, he racked up 21 points, and once again had a really good post-season, scoring 18 points in 12 games. Nothing would top his 4 goals in Game 4 against the Sharks, including 3 in less than 3 and a half minutes. It just wasn't enough to get them past the Sharks, though.
The thing about Franzen for me is that despite his relative inexperience, he is a major force for the current Red Wings. On any other team he would be on the top line, but when you've got a line like Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom, guys like Franzen get "relegated" to second line duty. He has seen time on the first line when Zetterberg and Datsyuk are split up, but when push comes to shove they get put back together. I would argue that he is the best pure goal-scorer on the Wings at the moment, and his injury was easily the biggest blow to the team last year. Having lost Hossa, Samuelsson, Hudler and.....Kopecky in the offseason, not having Franzen's 30 goals in the lineup really hurt the team. So did the rest of the injuries, but that's another story altogether. But it's not just the goal scoring; his defense is strong, and he is not afraid to throw his body around and mix it up. He's not a little guy (6'3", 222 lbs), but unlike some other players *cough*Bertuzzi*cough, he uses his size as part of his game. To go with that size are some really soft hands; witness the goal in 2008 against the Penguins in Game 3. Ultimately, Franzen gets on this list because his accomplishments are a little fresher in my mind, so he seems "better". He also gets on here at this spot due to potential more than anyone else. In my mind, what separates Franzen from guys earlier on this list is that he was instrumental in bringing a Stanley Cup to Detroit; I seriously considered him for the Conn Smythe in 2008. He's the whole package: big, strong, skilled, and most importantly, smart. Had I made this list a few years from now, he would probably crack the Top-10. Instead, he's going to fall just outside of it at #11 of the Greatest Red Wings of My Time. And as a little bonus, I leave you with my favourite Johan Franzen moment. It's not much, but it's a moment that will make Mule a fan-favourite forever:
Fuck you Kane.
Not much else is going on in Red Wing Nation today. I did get a nice text message from the Red Wings telling me that Modano was on a plane headed towards Detroit. While I am happy we signed him, I don't need minute-by-minute updates on his whereabouts. I'm looking forward to seeing the press conference and watching him don the Winged Wheel. He has said he's going to wear #90, the first Red Wing to do so in their history. Personally, I'm just glad the whole saga is finally over, and once Abby is signed, we can start to think about training camp, lines, and how the Wings will do this season (I smell division championship, but we'll talk more about that later).
We continue our series today of the Greatest Red Wings of My Time, and #11 marks the first time that a true lifer has made the list (Draper technically is not, even though he feels like one).
Johan Franzen
Pertinent Stats: 319 GP, 93 G, 71 A, 164 P, +58
Awards: None
Stanley Cups: 1 - 2008
The best part about getting into the guys that have been with the Wings for their entire careers is that I no longer have to go to the sites and "add" up their stats for their tenure on the team. Franzen was drafted by the Wings in 2004 in the 3rd round, but in true Red Wing-fashion, didn't crack the lineup until 2005-06 after the lockout. He didn't put up great numbers, and to be honest, I don't remember much about him in his rookie year. However, one notable thing did occur that season: Steve Yzerman called him "The Mule" because of his work ethic and his ability to "carry the load", and the nickname has stuck ever since. Unlike the current set of Wings, Franzen's nickname has nothing to do with his actual name.
Franzen's career with the Wings is still a work in progress, but there's no question that he has made his mark on this franchise. In 2007, he scored the series-winning goal in double OT against the Flames. That series win was vitally important for the Wings, because it was the first playoff season without Yzerman, and I think advancing gave the team the confidence that they could be successful without The Captain. While Franzen did not score with any regularity in that playoff year, besides Homer's OT goal in Game 4 against the Sharks, that was easily the most important goal of that playoff season.
They were unable to get past the Ducks that season, and in 2007-08 Franzen seemed to be destined to just plod along, contributing his 10-15 goals a year. Then Holmstrom went down with an injury, and Franzen was promoted to the top line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg. The streak that he went on after that was unlike anything I've ever seen. He scored 15 goals in the last 16 regular season games, and helped the Wings cruise to yet another President's Trophy. For the second straight season he scored an OT goal, giving the Wings a win in Game 5 against the Predators after they had blown a 2-0 series lead and a 1-0 lead with less than a minute left in the game. The Wings won the series and it was off to a series against the hated Avalanche. I think in boxscores of the future, that series should read like this:
Franzen: 4 - Avalanche: 0
I have never seen anyone dominate a series like he did. He scored 9 goals in 4 games in that series. That was a Red Wing record, breaking Howe's record of 8 - that he scored in 7 games. He had 2 hat tricks in that series, and scored a goal in every game. To put it in perspective: he scored as many goals as the Avs did. Ridiculous. By the end of that playoff season, he ended up tying the Red Wing record for goals in a post-season with Henrik Zetterberg at 13.
In 2008-09, he racked up career totals in goals, assists and points. For the second straight year he also had over 10 goals in the playoffs, of which 4 were GWG. That's the thing about Franzen that gets me: of his 35 career playoff goals, 11 of them are game winners, including 2 in OT. In the regular season, he's got 21 GWG out of his 93 goals. Overall, combining his regular season and playoff stats, exactly 25% of his goals have won a game for the Red Wings. If "Mule" ever falls out of style, I suggest we rename Franzen "Mr Clutch". Unfortunately, Franzen suffered a torn ACL in the third game of the year last (fucking dirty Blackhawk assholes), and he only played in 27 games. However, he racked up 21 points, and once again had a really good post-season, scoring 18 points in 12 games. Nothing would top his 4 goals in Game 4 against the Sharks, including 3 in less than 3 and a half minutes. It just wasn't enough to get them past the Sharks, though.
The thing about Franzen for me is that despite his relative inexperience, he is a major force for the current Red Wings. On any other team he would be on the top line, but when you've got a line like Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Holmstrom, guys like Franzen get "relegated" to second line duty. He has seen time on the first line when Zetterberg and Datsyuk are split up, but when push comes to shove they get put back together. I would argue that he is the best pure goal-scorer on the Wings at the moment, and his injury was easily the biggest blow to the team last year. Having lost Hossa, Samuelsson, Hudler and.....Kopecky in the offseason, not having Franzen's 30 goals in the lineup really hurt the team. So did the rest of the injuries, but that's another story altogether. But it's not just the goal scoring; his defense is strong, and he is not afraid to throw his body around and mix it up. He's not a little guy (6'3", 222 lbs), but unlike some other players *cough*Bertuzzi*cough, he uses his size as part of his game. To go with that size are some really soft hands; witness the goal in 2008 against the Penguins in Game 3. Ultimately, Franzen gets on this list because his accomplishments are a little fresher in my mind, so he seems "better". He also gets on here at this spot due to potential more than anyone else. In my mind, what separates Franzen from guys earlier on this list is that he was instrumental in bringing a Stanley Cup to Detroit; I seriously considered him for the Conn Smythe in 2008. He's the whole package: big, strong, skilled, and most importantly, smart. Had I made this list a few years from now, he would probably crack the Top-10. Instead, he's going to fall just outside of it at #11 of the Greatest Red Wings of My Time. And as a little bonus, I leave you with my favourite Johan Franzen moment. It's not much, but it's a moment that will make Mule a fan-favourite forever:
Fuck you Kane.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
The Greatest Red Wings of MY Time - #12
You may have noticed a few changes in the blog. Truthfully, I was getting really tired looking at that ugly green and brown, and decided to shake things up a little. I feel like the new design is a little more visually-appealing, but I'm completely biased. Let me know if you guys like this better, or whether I should go back to the way it was.
To the news of the day. Darren Helm signed yesterday, and that sound you hear is every female Red Wing fan taking off their panties in celebration. Kenny pulls another rabbit out of the hat, getting him for 2 years at a cap hit of $912,500 per year. Drew over at NOHS had speculated it might be around $900K, so he was a little off, but we'll say his margin for error was +/- $25K, so that makes him right. The only one left to sign out of the Black Aces is Abdelkader, and I fully expect his deal to be done within a day or two. If I had to guess, I'd say we're going to be looking at a 2 year deal worth around the $850K he just earned. Let's face it; he hasn't done that much to warrant a substantial raise yet, so I could see him getting the same money for the first year, with an increase up to around $950K in the second year. That would give him a cap hit of $900K, which leaves them with a nice little cushion of $600K or so for injuries or callups during the season (that's strictly a guess, because Capgeek's calculator is not working for me right now).
Well, today's the day. I'm excited. Are you excited? This is the day that I've been waiting for since mid-July, when I discovered that this event was a possibility. Today is the day that my dreams come true.
I'm going to see Inception tonight.
What, you thought I was going to talk about Modano? He's been talked about to death. We all know he's going to sign today. But this movie has been hyped by every single person I know that has seen it, so I'm pumped. I've heard it makes the Matrix look like a pile of dog crap, which would make me sad, because I love The Matrix.
Today we look at #12 in our series of the Greatest Red Wings of My Time. Without further ado, here he is:
Chris Chelios
Pertinent Stats: 578 GP, 21 G, 113 A, 134 P, +158, 613 PIM
Awards: Mark Messier Leadership Award (2007)
Stanley Cups: 2 - 2002, 2008
I really struggled with this one. There was a time that he wasn't on the list, and when he did make it, he was all over the place. Ultimately, he ended up here, and even now, typing this, I'm still debating internally over his place on the list.
Like Bertuzzi and Cicarelli, Chelios came with a lot of baggage. Unlike the "I crushed a guy illegally" kind of baggage, his was more personal to Red Wing fans. Remember this? Yea, it pisses me off just reading that again. Think about it: not only was Chelios a member of Little Brother, but he was also from that area, and grew up hating the Wings long before he became a professional hockey player. Then, at the trade deadline in 1999, he is traded to the Wings to try and help them three-peat. The important thing to remember here is that not only was he traded by the Wings, but he waived his no-trade-clause to allow the move to happen. Can you imagine how awkward that meeting in the dressing room was? Yikes.
Chelios was always pretty good offensively, but in Detroit, he didn't have to be that guy anymore, and he was able to settle in on the 2nd pairing, giving the Wings some much-needed depth on the blueline. While he never cracked the 40 point plateau while playing with the Wings, he did hit the 30s a few times, and was never a minus player in his entire Wing career. In 2002, he led the NHL in +/- with a +40, and was named to the First NHL All-Star team. Fairly impressive for a 40 year old, eh? What Chelios did bring to the Wings was stability and experience, which the Wings utilized on their way to the Cup in 2002 (although that team was so freaking stacked that I could have played on there and they would have won). His experience proved vital in 2008 when the Wings won their first Cup in the post-Stevie era. I really believe that Cheli was a calming influence on the bench, especially since the Wings were largely made up of players that had not won a Cup up to that point, especially the stars.
Everyone knows what a workout freak Chelios is, and that allowed him to play with the Wings until the age of 47. When I'm 47, I'll be happy if I can get out of a chair without my knees sounding like the Under Armour commercials (click clack). This was impressive because he remained a physical presence while with the Wings, willing to throw his body around or mix it up with guys half his age and twice his size. While his physical skills and overall speed diminished towards the end of his career, I was amazed at how smart he was on the ice. I guess that comes with being in the league for 50 years, but no matter who the opponent was, they were not going to out-think Chelios. Chelios was also relatively healthy during his Red Wing tenure, only missing significant time in 2000-01 with a knee injury. Not bad considering he was 37 when he was traded to the Wings.
I guess for me, Chelios' importance to the team is not very obvious. At no point during his time here was he ever the "star" of the team. He always seemed content to be a depth guy on the blueline, eating up minutes by playing sound, positional hockey. He was never an offensive dynamo, but it was extremely rare that he made a mistake that led to a goal, which in my books is just as important. The Wings had Lidstrom, Duchesne, Fischer and Rafalski while he was here to score the goals; Chelios' job was to make sure none went in. As he got older, he stopped playing against the other teams' top lines, but he was still an effective defender. I also believe that his presence in the dressing room was important to the development of Ericsson and Lebda (don't snicker - imagine how much Lebda would have pinched if Chelios wasn't there?) The main thing with Chelios, though, was just how smart he was on the ice. He rarely gave the puck away; he rarely pinched at an inopportune time; and he was rarely caught out of position during play. It's amazing to me that a guy who didn't initially want to play here re-signed with the Wings 4 times; hell, if it was up to him, I'm sure he would still be a Red Wing. For these reasons, he gets the #12 spot on the list of Greatest Red Wings of My Time.
To the news of the day. Darren Helm signed yesterday, and that sound you hear is every female Red Wing fan taking off their panties in celebration. Kenny pulls another rabbit out of the hat, getting him for 2 years at a cap hit of $912,500 per year. Drew over at NOHS had speculated it might be around $900K, so he was a little off, but we'll say his margin for error was +/- $25K, so that makes him right. The only one left to sign out of the Black Aces is Abdelkader, and I fully expect his deal to be done within a day or two. If I had to guess, I'd say we're going to be looking at a 2 year deal worth around the $850K he just earned. Let's face it; he hasn't done that much to warrant a substantial raise yet, so I could see him getting the same money for the first year, with an increase up to around $950K in the second year. That would give him a cap hit of $900K, which leaves them with a nice little cushion of $600K or so for injuries or callups during the season (that's strictly a guess, because Capgeek's calculator is not working for me right now).
Well, today's the day. I'm excited. Are you excited? This is the day that I've been waiting for since mid-July, when I discovered that this event was a possibility. Today is the day that my dreams come true.
I'm going to see Inception tonight.
What, you thought I was going to talk about Modano? He's been talked about to death. We all know he's going to sign today. But this movie has been hyped by every single person I know that has seen it, so I'm pumped. I've heard it makes the Matrix look like a pile of dog crap, which would make me sad, because I love The Matrix.
Today we look at #12 in our series of the Greatest Red Wings of My Time. Without further ado, here he is:
Chris Chelios
Pertinent Stats: 578 GP, 21 G, 113 A, 134 P, +158, 613 PIM
Awards: Mark Messier Leadership Award (2007)
Stanley Cups: 2 - 2002, 2008
I really struggled with this one. There was a time that he wasn't on the list, and when he did make it, he was all over the place. Ultimately, he ended up here, and even now, typing this, I'm still debating internally over his place on the list.
Like Bertuzzi and Cicarelli, Chelios came with a lot of baggage. Unlike the "I crushed a guy illegally" kind of baggage, his was more personal to Red Wing fans. Remember this? Yea, it pisses me off just reading that again. Think about it: not only was Chelios a member of Little Brother, but he was also from that area, and grew up hating the Wings long before he became a professional hockey player. Then, at the trade deadline in 1999, he is traded to the Wings to try and help them three-peat. The important thing to remember here is that not only was he traded by the Wings, but he waived his no-trade-clause to allow the move to happen. Can you imagine how awkward that meeting in the dressing room was? Yikes.
Chelios was always pretty good offensively, but in Detroit, he didn't have to be that guy anymore, and he was able to settle in on the 2nd pairing, giving the Wings some much-needed depth on the blueline. While he never cracked the 40 point plateau while playing with the Wings, he did hit the 30s a few times, and was never a minus player in his entire Wing career. In 2002, he led the NHL in +/- with a +40, and was named to the First NHL All-Star team. Fairly impressive for a 40 year old, eh? What Chelios did bring to the Wings was stability and experience, which the Wings utilized on their way to the Cup in 2002 (although that team was so freaking stacked that I could have played on there and they would have won). His experience proved vital in 2008 when the Wings won their first Cup in the post-Stevie era. I really believe that Cheli was a calming influence on the bench, especially since the Wings were largely made up of players that had not won a Cup up to that point, especially the stars.
Everyone knows what a workout freak Chelios is, and that allowed him to play with the Wings until the age of 47. When I'm 47, I'll be happy if I can get out of a chair without my knees sounding like the Under Armour commercials (click clack). This was impressive because he remained a physical presence while with the Wings, willing to throw his body around or mix it up with guys half his age and twice his size. While his physical skills and overall speed diminished towards the end of his career, I was amazed at how smart he was on the ice. I guess that comes with being in the league for 50 years, but no matter who the opponent was, they were not going to out-think Chelios. Chelios was also relatively healthy during his Red Wing tenure, only missing significant time in 2000-01 with a knee injury. Not bad considering he was 37 when he was traded to the Wings.
I guess for me, Chelios' importance to the team is not very obvious. At no point during his time here was he ever the "star" of the team. He always seemed content to be a depth guy on the blueline, eating up minutes by playing sound, positional hockey. He was never an offensive dynamo, but it was extremely rare that he made a mistake that led to a goal, which in my books is just as important. The Wings had Lidstrom, Duchesne, Fischer and Rafalski while he was here to score the goals; Chelios' job was to make sure none went in. As he got older, he stopped playing against the other teams' top lines, but he was still an effective defender. I also believe that his presence in the dressing room was important to the development of Ericsson and Lebda (don't snicker - imagine how much Lebda would have pinched if Chelios wasn't there?) The main thing with Chelios, though, was just how smart he was on the ice. He rarely gave the puck away; he rarely pinched at an inopportune time; and he was rarely caught out of position during play. It's amazing to me that a guy who didn't initially want to play here re-signed with the Wings 4 times; hell, if it was up to him, I'm sure he would still be a Red Wing. For these reasons, he gets the #12 spot on the list of Greatest Red Wings of My Time.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Greatest Red Wings of MY Time - #13
Well, according to all accounts, the Modano signing is as good as done. There's supposed to be a presser or something like that on Friday, and I'm pretty sure it's not going to be about how he decided to sign somewhere else, and I don't think the Wings would hold one to announce his retirement. I'm not as giddy as some people are about this, but I don't hate the move either. I think it's a good depth signing, and if he can put up 40 points (15 goals, 25 assists) and stay healthy, it's a successful year. After that, it's Helm and Abby, and then we should have a very good picture of what your 2010-11 Detroit Red Wings are going to look like. I'm anticipating that tomorrow is going to be an extremely busy day for Red Wing bloggers as we all weigh in with our opinion after the signing becomes "official".
We continue our series today, and I know what you're thinking: "3 days in a row. What are you, Malik or Drew from NOHS?" Like I said yesterday, I want to get through the series quickly so that we can work on previews of the upcoming season, plus I've got an idea about rankings for the rest of the NHL (more on that later). Without further ado, let's see who got the (unlucky) 13th spot on my list.
Bob Probert
Pertinent Stats: 474 GP, 114 G, 145 A, 259 P, - 12, 2090 PIM
Awards: None
We're all aware of the tragic and untimely passing of Probie almost a month ago, so we're not going to go into that again. We're here today to talk about his career as a Red Wing.
The funny thing about Probert is that he was drafted the same year as Yzerman. I can't think of two guys drafted in the same year that had a significant impact on the franchise, yet were complete opposites in how they played the game. Unlike Yzerman, Probert started off in the AHL before joining the team in 1985-86. When he became a regular, he immediately started to rack up the penalty minutes, totalling 185 PIM in only 44 games (to put it in perspective, not a single Wing had more than 80 PIM this past season). In 1987-88 he amassed a mind-boggling 398 PIM (still a Red Wing record), and trust me, these were not for hooking and tripping guys. Probert's job, in his eyes, was simple: he was a fighter, and a damn good one. There were the numerous fights with Tie Domi; the battles with Troy Crowder; and this epic fight with Marty McSorely in his last season as a Red Wing:
He paired together with Joey Kocur to form the "Bruise Brothers", and they definitely contused a lot of players over the course of their careers. I can still remember a picture from the Toronto Star showing Wendel Clark sandwiched between Kocur and Probert, and I was surprised that none of them were bleeding. And he didn't save his knuckle sandwiches for just opponents, either; there was the celebrated fight in practice with Keith Primeau in 1994.
Despite his noted fighting abilities, he wasn't half-bad offensively, either. In the aforementioned 87-88 season, he was able to score 29 goals and tie for third in points on the team with 62. That's impressive considering he spent the equivalent of almost 7 games in the penalty box. He played in his first and only All-Star Game that year, and he continued his scoring in the playoffs as he scored 8 goals and 21 points in 16 games, helping the Wings get to the Conference Finals (only to be obliterated by the Oilers). Over the course of his career, if you throw out his rookie season and 1989-90 (we'll get to that in a second), he averaged over 30 points a year.
1989-90. Probert was arrested trying to get into the US with drugs, and he was arrested for cocaine possession. He was ultimately convicted of the charges, and spent 3 months in prison. He was suspended for the entire 1989-90 season, only playing in 4 games (and scoring 3 goals). I'll admit, I don't think it's a coincidence that this was the last time the Wings missed the playoffs. I also remember that for a while, he was not able to cross into Canada, so I didn't get to see him when they played the Leafs.
After the 93-94 season, Probert was not offered a contract, and he became a FA. He went on to sign with Little Brother, and spent quite a few years there. There are very few things that Hawk and Wing fans can agree on, but it's safe to say we all felt the same with Probie's passing.
I can say without question that Probert was the toughest guy I have ever seen wear the Winged Wheel, and outside of Kocur, there isn't anyone else even close. He is still the PIM leader in Red Wing history with 2,090. He also had skill, as evidenced by his ability to score 259 points in six and a half seasons. I think that together with Yzerman, he represented '80s hockey. Back then, fighting was not only accepted, it was cheered to a degree that is not present today. It was okay for someone like Probert to fight a guy who took liberties with the star players. Like Semenko in Edmonton protecting Gretzky, Probert believed his job was to protect Yzerman, and he did it with vigor and enthusiasm. This is one of the reasons that besides Yzerman, Probert routinely received the loudest and longest ovations from Red Wing Nation. So, RIP Probie. You're #13 on the list of Greatest Red Wings of My Time.
We continue our series today, and I know what you're thinking: "3 days in a row. What are you, Malik or Drew from NOHS?" Like I said yesterday, I want to get through the series quickly so that we can work on previews of the upcoming season, plus I've got an idea about rankings for the rest of the NHL (more on that later). Without further ado, let's see who got the (unlucky) 13th spot on my list.
Bob Probert
Pertinent Stats: 474 GP, 114 G, 145 A, 259 P, - 12, 2090 PIM
Awards: None
We're all aware of the tragic and untimely passing of Probie almost a month ago, so we're not going to go into that again. We're here today to talk about his career as a Red Wing.
The funny thing about Probert is that he was drafted the same year as Yzerman. I can't think of two guys drafted in the same year that had a significant impact on the franchise, yet were complete opposites in how they played the game. Unlike Yzerman, Probert started off in the AHL before joining the team in 1985-86. When he became a regular, he immediately started to rack up the penalty minutes, totalling 185 PIM in only 44 games (to put it in perspective, not a single Wing had more than 80 PIM this past season). In 1987-88 he amassed a mind-boggling 398 PIM (still a Red Wing record), and trust me, these were not for hooking and tripping guys. Probert's job, in his eyes, was simple: he was a fighter, and a damn good one. There were the numerous fights with Tie Domi; the battles with Troy Crowder; and this epic fight with Marty McSorely in his last season as a Red Wing:
He paired together with Joey Kocur to form the "Bruise Brothers", and they definitely contused a lot of players over the course of their careers. I can still remember a picture from the Toronto Star showing Wendel Clark sandwiched between Kocur and Probert, and I was surprised that none of them were bleeding. And he didn't save his knuckle sandwiches for just opponents, either; there was the celebrated fight in practice with Keith Primeau in 1994.
Despite his noted fighting abilities, he wasn't half-bad offensively, either. In the aforementioned 87-88 season, he was able to score 29 goals and tie for third in points on the team with 62. That's impressive considering he spent the equivalent of almost 7 games in the penalty box. He played in his first and only All-Star Game that year, and he continued his scoring in the playoffs as he scored 8 goals and 21 points in 16 games, helping the Wings get to the Conference Finals (only to be obliterated by the Oilers). Over the course of his career, if you throw out his rookie season and 1989-90 (we'll get to that in a second), he averaged over 30 points a year.
1989-90. Probert was arrested trying to get into the US with drugs, and he was arrested for cocaine possession. He was ultimately convicted of the charges, and spent 3 months in prison. He was suspended for the entire 1989-90 season, only playing in 4 games (and scoring 3 goals). I'll admit, I don't think it's a coincidence that this was the last time the Wings missed the playoffs. I also remember that for a while, he was not able to cross into Canada, so I didn't get to see him when they played the Leafs.
After the 93-94 season, Probert was not offered a contract, and he became a FA. He went on to sign with Little Brother, and spent quite a few years there. There are very few things that Hawk and Wing fans can agree on, but it's safe to say we all felt the same with Probie's passing.
I can say without question that Probert was the toughest guy I have ever seen wear the Winged Wheel, and outside of Kocur, there isn't anyone else even close. He is still the PIM leader in Red Wing history with 2,090. He also had skill, as evidenced by his ability to score 259 points in six and a half seasons. I think that together with Yzerman, he represented '80s hockey. Back then, fighting was not only accepted, it was cheered to a degree that is not present today. It was okay for someone like Probert to fight a guy who took liberties with the star players. Like Semenko in Edmonton protecting Gretzky, Probert believed his job was to protect Yzerman, and he did it with vigor and enthusiasm. This is one of the reasons that besides Yzerman, Probert routinely received the loudest and longest ovations from Red Wing Nation. So, RIP Probie. You're #13 on the list of Greatest Red Wings of My Time.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Greatest Red Wings of MY Time - #14
I flipped the calendar in my office yesterday, and discovered to my amazement that it is August. I believe we have entered what is normally known as the "dog days" of summer. However, I prefer to think of it as "1 less month before hockey starts". Obviously, as we get closer to the season, we'll be doing previews and other things related to the start of the season. Therefore, I'm going to try and get this series out a little more frequently.
First, we need to address the big news in Red Wing Nation; that being that Mike Modano has finally reached a decision and will sign with the Red Wings on Thursday. The reports are that he will sign a 1 year deal for $1.25M, leaving the Wings with a little over $2M in cap space to sign Helm and Abby. Now, I've made my views on this known: I would love to see Modano in a Wings jersey, as long as it is not at the expense of the younger guys. In a salary cap world, the future is important, and getting the players you project to be part of the team for 3+ years locked up to cap-friendly contracts is vitally important (see: Blackhawks, Chicago for how not to operate under these conditions). The Wings don't have to go "all-in" to try and win a Cup in a given year because 1) they've won 4 in the last 15 years and 2) the current nucleus the Wings have in place is enough to keep them contending for a Cup every year. Modano's signing will give them one of the best 3rd line centers in the NHL, and if he's not up for the grind of playing up the middle, he can always get out on the wing. He also beefs up the 2nd PP unit, as he can play the point and be that coveted "right hand shot". Maybe he'll hit the net every once in a while. We'll have more on this as it happens (man, did I sound like a reporter there or what?)
Anyway, we move on with our series today, with #14 on the list.
Igor Larionov
Pertinent Stats: 539 GP, 89 G, 308 A, 397 P, +102
Awards: None
Stanley Cups: 3 - 1997, 1998, 2002
I'm wondering how Igor's placement will be met. I imagine the reaction could range from "why is he on the list" to "he's way too low". Truth be told, this is probably one of the guys I struggled most with. But, he ended up in this position, but let's face facts: just getting on this list should be cause for pride in itself.
The Professor. What a great nickname for a guy who just looked smart. If this man told me something, I would believe it, simply because he looks like a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist. Besides Yzerman and Lidstrom, I would consider Igor to be probably the smartest player the Wings have ever had. It was obvious from watching him play that he had an innate sense of the game, honed from years of playing with the Red Army. He was brought to the Wings in a trade for Ray Sheppard at the start of the 1995-96 season, and immediately found success playing on the 3rd line. Igor was always more of a playmaker than scoring, only cracking the 15 goal plateau once (in '96). However, what he lacked in goal scoring he made up for in playmaking, and he always seemed to have a revolving door of wingers to play with.
Igor's place in my heart is different from the rest of the players. He always seemed so sophisticated on the ice, to the point of appearing to be too nice. It always amazed me that he never won a Lady Byng, but he did play the bulk of his career at the same time as Gretzky. However, all that changed on March 26, 1997, when he and Peter Forsberg started to tangle during a game. Who would have known that this little encounter would spark Fight Night at the Joe, where McCarty got revenge for Draper and Vernon bloodied Roy? Besides the obvious, what it showed me is that Igor bought into the team completely; he was willing to go outside his comfort zone and mix it up with a bigger guy (Foppa was a tough player to handle, kind of like Mario). We are all well aware of the importance of that game to the team: it was used as a springboard to playoff success. Igor's experience and calmness were key attributes the rest of the team drew on during their long runs in '97 and '98. While he didn't put up huge numbers in the playoffs, he scored some timely goals and chipped in with big assists, all as the 3rd line center.
At the end of the 2000 season, he signed a deal with Florida to be reunited with Pavel Bure. However, it didn't take him long to realize that no one plays for the Panthers voluntarily (a trend that has continued to this day), and he was traded back to the Wings later that year for Yan Golubovsky. He picked up right where he left off, setting up teammates and playing smart hockey.
Igor was never a guy who wanted the spotlight, but in the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals, that's exactly where he found himself. To set it up, the series is tied 1-1 going back to Raleigh. The Wings had played good, but the Canes were trapping like crazy and getting timely goals from key players, not to mention the fact that Irbe was playing out of his mind. The Wings desperately had to have this game, because if the Canes win, they keep home ice and have a chance to put a stranglehold on the series. Side story time: Game 3 is on a Saturday night, and my folks (I lived at home at the time) have people over. They're all drinking and having a good time. Me? I brewed a pot of coffee. I come outside and everyone makes fun of me: "You're a young man, why are you drinking coffee? Shouldn't you have a beer or something?" My response? I looked at them all calmly and said "Game 3 is tonight. I have to be alert. This game is important. What if it goes into triple overtime or something like that? I don't want to fall asleep." Remember what happened? That's right. This happened:
First, you're absolutely right, dear reader: I am psychic. Unfortunately for me, those abilities have not led to fame and fortune (yet). But since this post is not about me, let's talk about Igor again. There was not another goal in his NHL career that was bigger than this one. He became the oldest player to score an OT winner, and that goal gave the Wings home-ice back, which they would not relinquish. As a conclusion to the story I told earlier, the company my folks had over had left long before the game was over: they were all too tired from partying in the sun all day (keep in mind, it was almost 2 am when the game ended). I was nice and awake after that, although it should be noted it was 2 days before I slept again. Totally worth it.
The Professor was an important, if understated, player on the Wings. He was instrumental in giving them the experience and depth that is necessary to be successful in the NHL, and was able to help the Wings win 3 Cups. Although he wasn't the most prolific scorer, given the many different wingers he had and the fact he didn't play on one of the top 2 scoring lines, he did pretty good for himself. That earns him the distinction of being the 14th Greatest Red Wing of My Time.
First, we need to address the big news in Red Wing Nation; that being that Mike Modano has finally reached a decision and will sign with the Red Wings on Thursday. The reports are that he will sign a 1 year deal for $1.25M, leaving the Wings with a little over $2M in cap space to sign Helm and Abby. Now, I've made my views on this known: I would love to see Modano in a Wings jersey, as long as it is not at the expense of the younger guys. In a salary cap world, the future is important, and getting the players you project to be part of the team for 3+ years locked up to cap-friendly contracts is vitally important (see: Blackhawks, Chicago for how not to operate under these conditions). The Wings don't have to go "all-in" to try and win a Cup in a given year because 1) they've won 4 in the last 15 years and 2) the current nucleus the Wings have in place is enough to keep them contending for a Cup every year. Modano's signing will give them one of the best 3rd line centers in the NHL, and if he's not up for the grind of playing up the middle, he can always get out on the wing. He also beefs up the 2nd PP unit, as he can play the point and be that coveted "right hand shot". Maybe he'll hit the net every once in a while. We'll have more on this as it happens (man, did I sound like a reporter there or what?)
Anyway, we move on with our series today, with #14 on the list.
Igor Larionov
Pertinent Stats: 539 GP, 89 G, 308 A, 397 P, +102
Awards: None
Stanley Cups: 3 - 1997, 1998, 2002
I'm wondering how Igor's placement will be met. I imagine the reaction could range from "why is he on the list" to "he's way too low". Truth be told, this is probably one of the guys I struggled most with. But, he ended up in this position, but let's face facts: just getting on this list should be cause for pride in itself.
The Professor. What a great nickname for a guy who just looked smart. If this man told me something, I would believe it, simply because he looks like a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist. Besides Yzerman and Lidstrom, I would consider Igor to be probably the smartest player the Wings have ever had. It was obvious from watching him play that he had an innate sense of the game, honed from years of playing with the Red Army. He was brought to the Wings in a trade for Ray Sheppard at the start of the 1995-96 season, and immediately found success playing on the 3rd line. Igor was always more of a playmaker than scoring, only cracking the 15 goal plateau once (in '96). However, what he lacked in goal scoring he made up for in playmaking, and he always seemed to have a revolving door of wingers to play with.
Igor's place in my heart is different from the rest of the players. He always seemed so sophisticated on the ice, to the point of appearing to be too nice. It always amazed me that he never won a Lady Byng, but he did play the bulk of his career at the same time as Gretzky. However, all that changed on March 26, 1997, when he and Peter Forsberg started to tangle during a game. Who would have known that this little encounter would spark Fight Night at the Joe, where McCarty got revenge for Draper and Vernon bloodied Roy? Besides the obvious, what it showed me is that Igor bought into the team completely; he was willing to go outside his comfort zone and mix it up with a bigger guy (Foppa was a tough player to handle, kind of like Mario). We are all well aware of the importance of that game to the team: it was used as a springboard to playoff success. Igor's experience and calmness were key attributes the rest of the team drew on during their long runs in '97 and '98. While he didn't put up huge numbers in the playoffs, he scored some timely goals and chipped in with big assists, all as the 3rd line center.
At the end of the 2000 season, he signed a deal with Florida to be reunited with Pavel Bure. However, it didn't take him long to realize that no one plays for the Panthers voluntarily (a trend that has continued to this day), and he was traded back to the Wings later that year for Yan Golubovsky. He picked up right where he left off, setting up teammates and playing smart hockey.
Igor was never a guy who wanted the spotlight, but in the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals, that's exactly where he found himself. To set it up, the series is tied 1-1 going back to Raleigh. The Wings had played good, but the Canes were trapping like crazy and getting timely goals from key players, not to mention the fact that Irbe was playing out of his mind. The Wings desperately had to have this game, because if the Canes win, they keep home ice and have a chance to put a stranglehold on the series. Side story time: Game 3 is on a Saturday night, and my folks (I lived at home at the time) have people over. They're all drinking and having a good time. Me? I brewed a pot of coffee. I come outside and everyone makes fun of me: "You're a young man, why are you drinking coffee? Shouldn't you have a beer or something?" My response? I looked at them all calmly and said "Game 3 is tonight. I have to be alert. This game is important. What if it goes into triple overtime or something like that? I don't want to fall asleep." Remember what happened? That's right. This happened:
First, you're absolutely right, dear reader: I am psychic. Unfortunately for me, those abilities have not led to fame and fortune (yet). But since this post is not about me, let's talk about Igor again. There was not another goal in his NHL career that was bigger than this one. He became the oldest player to score an OT winner, and that goal gave the Wings home-ice back, which they would not relinquish. As a conclusion to the story I told earlier, the company my folks had over had left long before the game was over: they were all too tired from partying in the sun all day (keep in mind, it was almost 2 am when the game ended). I was nice and awake after that, although it should be noted it was 2 days before I slept again. Totally worth it.
The Professor was an important, if understated, player on the Wings. He was instrumental in giving them the experience and depth that is necessary to be successful in the NHL, and was able to help the Wings win 3 Cups. Although he wasn't the most prolific scorer, given the many different wingers he had and the fact he didn't play on one of the top 2 scoring lines, he did pretty good for himself. That earns him the distinction of being the 14th Greatest Red Wing of My Time.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Greatest Red Wings of MY Time - #15
We will continue our series in a moment, but first, word is coming that Little Brother is going to be making a decision on Niemi today on whether to keep him or let him walk. As you may have heard, Niemi was awarded $2.75M by the arbitrator on Saturday, which is a lot less than most people thought he'd get. Although he did win a Cup, I'd say he was more along for the ride than a driver of the bus, and it's not like he can point to his years of high-level play. Personally, I think we've seen the last of Niemi in the Indian Head, since they would have announced his signing at the Hawks Convention this weekend. However, I believe they sign him and try and trade him, so they can at least get something. Which means that, if the rumours are true, Marty Turco may be a Hawk by week's end.
Please make it so.
I don't have anything against Marty Turco. In fact, I understand a lot of Wing fans like him given the fact he went to U of M. But we're all aware of Turco's past against the Red Wings, particularly at the Joe, his own personal house of horrors. The Red Wings represent some sort of evil monster that he can't slay, and I'm not sure that facing them more is going to turn that around. The idea of the Wings playing against him 6 times a year brings a smile to my face, and with the turnover on the Hawks' roster this offseason, I think the team in front of Turco would be as good as any of the Stars teams he played for, not necessarily better. I'm pencilling in 5 wins if this all comes to fruition.
But enough of that. Time to move on to #15.
Paul Coffey
Pertinent Stats: 231 GP, 46 G, 193 A, 239 P, +72
Awards: Norris Trophy - 1995
First, to metaltje: either you stole my list or you're in my head, and for your sake, I hope it's the former. I was quite shocked to see your comments on the Ray Sheppard post, especially because you had some great foresight into where my list is going. Kudos to you. I will say that the order of players from 19 to 1 has been completed, so keep your guesses coming.
In my sheltered life as a non-Leaf fan in Toronto, I was not exposed to a lot of different players, especially in the late '80s. I knew the names of other players from reading boxscores or hearing them on the local sportscasts. But the familiarity I have with most of the players now was non-existent back then. But one thing I did know was that Paul Coffey was a stud defenseman. When the Wings got him, I knew immediately that they had acquired a great player, even if he was on the back 9 of his career. He was obtained in a fairly big trade that sent Jimmy Carson out to LA, and Coffey immediately fit in with the Wings, racking up 30 points in 30 games over the rest of that season. Even though the Wings lost to the Leafs in the 1st round that year (excuse me while I wipe away yet another tear due to that memory), he was absolutely awesome, scoring 11 points in 7 games. Let that sink in for a second: 11 points in 1 playoff series. Throughout his brief stint with the Wings, he was an amazing offensive defenseman, ultimately scoring at a better-than-a-PPG pace. The playoffs were no exception, as he had 50 points in 49 playoff games with the Wings. Whether the Wings won or lost (and they never won the Cup), you couldn't say it was due to Coffey's lack of offense.
While Coffey was not the dynamo he was when he was an Oiler, all of the traits that we associated with him were present. The speed was still there, in spades. 4-on-4, there was no one else you wanted out there, and he could generate offense on the penalty kill as well. He could still score, as evidenced by his numbers. He actually led the Wings in scoring in '94-'95 during the lockout season and won the Norris that year. He followed up his great regular season with 18 points in 18 games as the Wings got to the Finals. He also had the experience of being part of the great Oiler dynasty of the '80s and winning 2 Cups with the Penguins in the early '90s. All told, Coffey won 5 Cups in his career, although he never won one with the Wings.
However, even though Coffey brought a lot to the table, one thing that was never his strongest area was his defense. Around this time, the Wings were still very much a finesse team, and Coffey fit in perfectly with that scheme. But over the course of Bowman's time with the team (remember he took over in 1994), he wanted the team to get grittier and tougher. Coffey was just not the right type of player to continue in that system, and he was traded with Keith Primeau and a 1st round pick to get Brendan Shanahan. When you think about it today, that trade was a major blockbuster, and benefitted the Wings immensely, as we're all aware. As for Coffey, he bounced around a few teams after that, and never reached the level he was at while with the Wings or before that.
For me, besides Lidstrom, Coffey was the best scoring defenseman I have seen in a Wing uniform, and when Coffey was at his absolute best, I would even say he was better than Lidstrom offensively. Too bad that his defense was not up to par with his offense, or else we might have been talking about the defenseman the Wings have had; I'm pretty sure this honor will be bestowed on someone else (Aaron Ward, come on down!) Had Coffey played longer in Detroit, he would have been higher on this list. But, given that he was only here for 3 1/2 years and did not win a Cup, he's going to end up as #15 on my list of Greatest Red Wings of MY Time.
Please make it so.
I don't have anything against Marty Turco. In fact, I understand a lot of Wing fans like him given the fact he went to U of M. But we're all aware of Turco's past against the Red Wings, particularly at the Joe, his own personal house of horrors. The Red Wings represent some sort of evil monster that he can't slay, and I'm not sure that facing them more is going to turn that around. The idea of the Wings playing against him 6 times a year brings a smile to my face, and with the turnover on the Hawks' roster this offseason, I think the team in front of Turco would be as good as any of the Stars teams he played for, not necessarily better. I'm pencilling in 5 wins if this all comes to fruition.
But enough of that. Time to move on to #15.
Paul Coffey
Pertinent Stats: 231 GP, 46 G, 193 A, 239 P, +72
Awards: Norris Trophy - 1995
First, to metaltje: either you stole my list or you're in my head, and for your sake, I hope it's the former. I was quite shocked to see your comments on the Ray Sheppard post, especially because you had some great foresight into where my list is going. Kudos to you. I will say that the order of players from 19 to 1 has been completed, so keep your guesses coming.
In my sheltered life as a non-Leaf fan in Toronto, I was not exposed to a lot of different players, especially in the late '80s. I knew the names of other players from reading boxscores or hearing them on the local sportscasts. But the familiarity I have with most of the players now was non-existent back then. But one thing I did know was that Paul Coffey was a stud defenseman. When the Wings got him, I knew immediately that they had acquired a great player, even if he was on the back 9 of his career. He was obtained in a fairly big trade that sent Jimmy Carson out to LA, and Coffey immediately fit in with the Wings, racking up 30 points in 30 games over the rest of that season. Even though the Wings lost to the Leafs in the 1st round that year (excuse me while I wipe away yet another tear due to that memory), he was absolutely awesome, scoring 11 points in 7 games. Let that sink in for a second: 11 points in 1 playoff series. Throughout his brief stint with the Wings, he was an amazing offensive defenseman, ultimately scoring at a better-than-a-PPG pace. The playoffs were no exception, as he had 50 points in 49 playoff games with the Wings. Whether the Wings won or lost (and they never won the Cup), you couldn't say it was due to Coffey's lack of offense.
While Coffey was not the dynamo he was when he was an Oiler, all of the traits that we associated with him were present. The speed was still there, in spades. 4-on-4, there was no one else you wanted out there, and he could generate offense on the penalty kill as well. He could still score, as evidenced by his numbers. He actually led the Wings in scoring in '94-'95 during the lockout season and won the Norris that year. He followed up his great regular season with 18 points in 18 games as the Wings got to the Finals. He also had the experience of being part of the great Oiler dynasty of the '80s and winning 2 Cups with the Penguins in the early '90s. All told, Coffey won 5 Cups in his career, although he never won one with the Wings.
However, even though Coffey brought a lot to the table, one thing that was never his strongest area was his defense. Around this time, the Wings were still very much a finesse team, and Coffey fit in perfectly with that scheme. But over the course of Bowman's time with the team (remember he took over in 1994), he wanted the team to get grittier and tougher. Coffey was just not the right type of player to continue in that system, and he was traded with Keith Primeau and a 1st round pick to get Brendan Shanahan. When you think about it today, that trade was a major blockbuster, and benefitted the Wings immensely, as we're all aware. As for Coffey, he bounced around a few teams after that, and never reached the level he was at while with the Wings or before that.
For me, besides Lidstrom, Coffey was the best scoring defenseman I have seen in a Wing uniform, and when Coffey was at his absolute best, I would even say he was better than Lidstrom offensively. Too bad that his defense was not up to par with his offense, or else we might have been talking about the defenseman the Wings have had; I'm pretty sure this honor will be bestowed on someone else (Aaron Ward, come on down!) Had Coffey played longer in Detroit, he would have been higher on this list. But, given that he was only here for 3 1/2 years and did not win a Cup, he's going to end up as #15 on my list of Greatest Red Wings of MY Time.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Greatest Red Wings of MY Time - #16
Hey, did you hear that Aaron Downey is getting a tryout with the Wings? I did. I'm excited. Really excited. Not since Brad May have the Wings had a legitimate enforcer on the roster, ready to play 4 minutes a game and get in the requisite fight to stir the team up when they are playing like shit (not that the Wings play like shit - it's the stupid refs who cause them to play that way - and Bettman). So, while we continue to hold our collective breaths until we turn purple waiting for Mikey to make a decision, let's continue our series. Today I present #16, and it's funny, because this was already predetermined when metaltje made a comment on Dino.
Ray Sheppard
Pertinent Stats: 274 GP, 152 G, 113 A, 265 P, +38
Awards: None
I can hear it already: "another Wing from the mid-90s"? Yes, and remember, this is my lifetime, and I was a big fan in the early '90s. As much as I wanted to just name every player from 1996-1997, some of the guys who did not win Cups were pretty good. They just weren't the right fit for the team.
Ray Sheppard. Other than Larry Murphy, this is the slowest skater I have ever seen in my lifetime. Did any of you ever play "Stanley Cup" for the SNES? Sheppard was on the top line with Yzerman and Federov, and it would take 3 years for him to skate from one end of the ice to the other. But he had a wicked wrist shot and I scored 480,000 goals with him in one season (I'm exaggerating, obviously, but you get the idea). Ironically, this was how he played in real life.
He was signed in the Wings' annual "quest to buy a Stanley Cup" and put up some big numbers while on the team. Check them out; he was very nearly a point-per-game player. Even in the high-flying, soon-to-be-trapping early '90s, these were pretty good numbers. And laugh all you want, but he put up 50 goals in a season, also not too shabby. Unfortunately, the man had no idea what "defense" was, but as a right winger, it was not his job, so who cares? He could score, and more importantly, he could score on the power play.
Ray was not a flashy player, nor was he the greatest. But he was solid, he could put up points, and he stayed out of the box, which is never really a bad thing. Alas, he was not able to continue his career with the Wings, and they traded him for some scrub named Igor Larionov a few games into the 95-96 season (I remember thinking at the time "they traded Sheppard to get an older guy? WTF?") Unfortunately Ray never put up any great numbers after that, but when he was with the Wings, he was one of their top 3 goal scorers. Based on the consistency that he brought, the scoring he provided, and his bringing in Larionov, Ray gets to be #16 on the list of Greatest Red Wings of My Time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to fire up my old SNES and whoop the shit out of the Penguins on my way to the 1992 Stanley Cup.
Ray Sheppard
Pertinent Stats: 274 GP, 152 G, 113 A, 265 P, +38
Awards: None
I can hear it already: "another Wing from the mid-90s"? Yes, and remember, this is my lifetime, and I was a big fan in the early '90s. As much as I wanted to just name every player from 1996-1997, some of the guys who did not win Cups were pretty good. They just weren't the right fit for the team.
Ray Sheppard. Other than Larry Murphy, this is the slowest skater I have ever seen in my lifetime. Did any of you ever play "Stanley Cup" for the SNES? Sheppard was on the top line with Yzerman and Federov, and it would take 3 years for him to skate from one end of the ice to the other. But he had a wicked wrist shot and I scored 480,000 goals with him in one season (I'm exaggerating, obviously, but you get the idea). Ironically, this was how he played in real life.
He was signed in the Wings' annual "quest to buy a Stanley Cup" and put up some big numbers while on the team. Check them out; he was very nearly a point-per-game player. Even in the high-flying, soon-to-be-trapping early '90s, these were pretty good numbers. And laugh all you want, but he put up 50 goals in a season, also not too shabby. Unfortunately, the man had no idea what "defense" was, but as a right winger, it was not his job, so who cares? He could score, and more importantly, he could score on the power play.
Ray was not a flashy player, nor was he the greatest. But he was solid, he could put up points, and he stayed out of the box, which is never really a bad thing. Alas, he was not able to continue his career with the Wings, and they traded him for some scrub named Igor Larionov a few games into the 95-96 season (I remember thinking at the time "they traded Sheppard to get an older guy? WTF?") Unfortunately Ray never put up any great numbers after that, but when he was with the Wings, he was one of their top 3 goal scorers. Based on the consistency that he brought, the scoring he provided, and his bringing in Larionov, Ray gets to be #16 on the list of Greatest Red Wings of My Time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to fire up my old SNES and whoop the shit out of the Penguins on my way to the 1992 Stanley Cup.
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