Has there been a player that ended their career on a peak?

[IComeInPeace]

Originally Posted by blamebettman

Would Eruzione would be able to crack an NHL roster? Didn't have the best wheels and was a bit of a fatty. He played a handful of games in the minors back in the late 70's and did nothing.

He was 3 yrs older than most of the other players on the team. He was a slow skater and was small by NHL standards. Most smaller guys at the time would have either been really skilled, or have some type of 'specialty' skill (some were really fiesty in your face types, which he wasn't; others had great speed to make them penalty killer or checking line specialists...he was slow and would likely not have been suited for that either).

He was a good/great leader and had a very likable personality. But like a lot of those guys from that team (Jim Craig would be a great example) he was not going to make it in the NHL, but Eruzione knew that, and moved on knowing his fame could open some doors for him.

Aside: Didn't I just read somewhere that there was some bad news with him? His health, or big financial issues or something like that...?

[blamebettman]

Originally Posted by IComeInPeace

He was 3 yrs older than most of the other players on the team. He was a slow skater and was small by NHL standards. Most smaller guys at the time would have either been really skilled, or have some type of 'specialty' skill (some were really fiesty in your face types, which he wasn't; others had great speed to make them penalty killer or checking line specialists...he was slow and would likely not have been suited for that either).

He was a good/great leader and had a very likable personality. But like a lot of those guys from that team (Jim Craig would be a great example) he was not going to make it in the NHL, but Eruzione knew that, and moved on knowing his fame could open some doors for him.

Aside: Didn't I just read somewhere that there was some bad news with him? His health, or big financial issues or something like that...?

I don't know...the last I heard of him he made a speech for Romney at the GOP convention.

Craig was one guy I thought would make it...at least have a long career as a backup in the NHL. He was only 22 during the olympics and definitely had the size to be a NHL goalie.

[BamBamCam*]

Originally Posted by IComeInPeace

He was 3 yrs older than most of the other players on the team. He was a slow skater and was small by NHL standards. Most smaller guys at the time would have either been really skilled, or have some type of 'specialty' skill (some were really fiesty in your face types, which he wasn't; others had great speed to make them penalty killer or checking line specialists...he was slow and would likely not have been suited for that either).

He was a good/great leader and had a very likable personality. But like a lot of those guys from that team (Jim Craig would be a great example) he was not going to make it in the NHL, but Eruzione knew that, and moved on knowing his fame could open some doors for him.

Aside: Didn't I just read somewhere that there was some bad news with him? His health, or big financial issues or something like that...?

Yes, he is selling off his Team USA stuff but apparently not for financial reasons. He wants to give his kids and grand kids some money and I guess he took a bunch of the money and put it into one of his charities.

He is also keeping the most important stuff as he claims.

[Big Phil]

Originally Posted by BamBamCam

There is more, he is super passionate about his politics and there are some other rumblings he didn't want his kids growing up in liberal Massachusetts. All I am saying is he didn't leave because he lost his starting job like that poster tried to say. That is all I am saying. He was the starter when he planned all this, just use the time line of his actions against the claim he lost his starting job. Of all the reasons he left Boston, that is not one of them. And that is all I am commenting on.

I didn't care either way about the White House snub, Thomas isn't the first to do it. James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't want to go after either one of his Super Bowl wins. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4174143

Alan Eagleson had a backdoor exit for the 1972 Canadian team to avoid shaking hands with Pierre Trudeau. Phil Esposito caught wind of this and typical of Phil did the total opposite and told Trudeau about Eagleson's ploy since he hated Eagleson so much.

So I don't mind if they skip it, but if it were me I would want to go regardless of the President or the state of the country. You probably would get a nice VIP tour and the nostalgia alone would be something I wouldn't want to miss.

I know that Derek Boogaard wasn't a sniper or anything but at the role he was playing I don't think he would get any better. He was probably the most feared enforcer in the NHL at the time of his death. I can't imagine him "peaking" higher than that for his standards.