I had a hard time deciding my last couple spots on defense. Anyone think Bert Marshall would have been a better pick than Tom Laidlaw? The other guy I was debating for the last spot was Keith Brown who was a solid 2-way defender.
Samsonov was huge for the Oilers a mere year ago, in on four important goals (and getting 15 points postseason) as Edmonton marched to the Stanley Cup finals. He also was a well-deserving Calder trophy winner, playing a solid two-way game in his rookie season. I saw him the year before on the Detroit Vipers (I was living in Windsor at the time) and Sammy showed real talent at both ends of the ice, winning rookie of the year and defensive player of the year as an 18 year old in the now-defunct IHL, a league of adults in which this tiny Russian excelled at defensively. Sammy is coming off of his worst season on a Habs team that didnt click at all (see: Kovalev). He is not a bad pick as a fourth liner in the minor draft, just make sure you play him as a rookie
But again, look at the teams in this draft... Samsonov is a small, and soft guy, whom (decent) offensive output just don't cut it, as far as I'm concerned, for a guy who can play only on an offensive line. I wouldn't use it on two-way line, even if he isn't that bad defensively , at least not on a constant basis. There are some really tough teams in this draft, and well... I'd wonder...
Another player I was looking at on the blueline Garth Boesch. He'd make a great 2nd or 3rd pairing guy. Won 3 straight Stanley Cups in 4 years before having to return to his family farm.
"Boesch was partnered defensively with Bill Barilko. The two became famous for the "Maginot Line Knee Drop," as both players would simultaneously drop to their knees to blow enemy shots.
Boesch's career was short and sweet. Following the 1949-50 season Boesch had to return to the family farm. His father had passed away that summer and Garth had to return to "make some real money."
The name that sticks out for me from the early Soviets is Alexander Almetov, the center of one of the early star troikas (with Alexandrov and Loktev). Many Russian analysts argue that they were right up there with the Green Unit with respect to their understanding of the game and their chemistry. He was an incredible penalty killer, infact, i think I am gonna drop Anisin and take Almetov.
Eight minor league teams will lose a player who is promoted to the big league. The franchise will retain the rights of them, and they will be released by the parent club in time for the playoffs. But these teams will need a replacement for the regular season.
Omaha needs a coach while Hitch is away. Will an assistant coach step up (no UFA needed) or will a new head coach for the regular season be acquired for an interim role (UFA added)?
Whitby needs a starting goaltender for the regualr season with its best netminder getting top league work. Will the team's 2nd and 3rd goalies simply be bumped up to starter and backup, or will a UFA goalie for the season be added?
Penticton needs to fill its #1 d-man slot and place on both the pp and pk as Rod is gone until the playoffs. Will #2-#7 simply shift up in the order or will another depth defenseman be added via UFA for the regular season?
Estevan needs to also fill its #1 d-man slot. How so?
Springfield needs to get a bonafide #1 centre to help the team have a decent enough season to make the playoffs, at which time Tumba will be back. There's limited offensive centres in the organization so a UFA is almost expected, or is it?
Vancouver's fourth line left wing enforcer has been called up to the big league and rumour has it the extra forward Tanti might step in for the season, or will he?
Windsor needs to fill a spot for the regular season at top line right wing and rumour has it extra forward Houle ready, able and willing to slide right into his natural position. But will he be Goldsworthy interim replacement, or will the organization test the trade or UFA waters?
Quebec needs to fill its fourth line right wing position for most of the regular season, as its talented Finnigan is called up to the parent club in the meantime, and the question is how?
Trottier will be inserted into the lineup to replace Finnigan, and our lines will be adjusted accordingly.
Hay-Irvin-Oliver
Crawford-Adams-Trottier
The Irvin line will be more of an offensive threat during the regular season, while the Crawford-Adams-Trottier line will be used as a checking line, providing solid defense and physical play.
Trottier will be inserted into the lineup to replace Finnigan, and our lines will be adjusted accordingly.
Hay-Irvin-Oliver
Crawford-Adams-Trottier
The Irvin line will be more of an offensive threat during the regular season, while the Crawford-Adams-Trottier line will be used as a checking line, providing solid defense and physical play.
Carpenter will serve as the 13th forward.
Should I edit my roster to reflect these changes?
Yes, edit your roster.
We will assess (and rank in our voting) your team WITHOUT Finnigan for regular season seeding. Then, afterwards, when doing playoff match-ups you can re-assert Finnigan into the line-up, fresh back from higher level competition, and playing at a higher gear in time for the playoffs (a competitive advantage in playoff match-up analysis).
A minor league team needs a minor league coach, one that will help develop their skills and teamwork and mold them into a winner. Stunned that pappyline beat me to Bob Johnson from UW.
Not to be deterred, the Icebreakers are proud to announce the hiring of coach Red Berenson of Regina, Saskatchewan. Berenson has coached the St Louis Blues and the University of Michigan Wolverines.
1x Jack Adams trophy
2x NCAA titles
9x Frozen Fours
17 straight NCAA tournament appearances (best ever)
21 straight winning seasons
NHL draftees: Marty Turco, Mike Comrie, Mike Cammalleri, Al Montoya, Jack Johnson, Eric Nystrom, Jason Ryznar, Brendan Morrison, Mike Knuble, Aaron Ward, Chris Tamer, Jeff Norton, Mike Legg (funky scoop-shot guy), Mike van Ryn, Jeff Tambellini, a ton of others ...
Berenson was chosen as a player in the main draft, but not as a coach.
Frantisek Tikal played in close to 370 games and scored 80 goals in Czechoslovak league. The defenseman played in the 1960 and 1964 Olympic Winter Games and in the IIHF World Championships 1957-1960 and 1963-1967. In 59 games Franticek Tikal tallied 17 goals. He won six medals (two silver, four bronze) at the IIHF World Championships and also was and Olympic bronze medallist in 1964. He moved onto coaching for eight seaons in Poland and Czechoslovakia. He was named to the Directorate Team twice and to the Media all-Star Team once at the World Championships. One of the best defensemen of his era.
He played on four Stanley Cup champions while with the Wanderers--1906, 1907, 1908, and 1910. Although he played for the Wanderers, Russell maintained a membership in the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association for football and other sports. This fact did not sit well with the membership and they expelled him. As a result, he did not play hockey during the 1908-09 season.
Russell returned to action the following season and played until 1914, his last four years being with the Wanderers of the NHA. He was a fast skater and an accomplished stickhandler, and although he weighed only about 140 pounds he averaged nearly two goals per game over his career.
He is perhaps best remembered for scoring a hat-trick in each of five consecutive games and for amassing the incredible total of 43 goals in only nine games during the 1907 season. That 1907 season proved to be a good year off the ice for Russell as well. He played halfback with the Montreal AAA that year when they won the Dominion Rugby Championship of Canada.
I have been away for a few days & am just catching up. It sucks losing McNeil who was both my starting goalie & first pick. Don simmons will now be my starter & I will add Dennis Dejordy as a back up.
I have several quality players on my list who were not drafted: Walt McKecknee, Hy buller, Hugh bolton, gerry Odrowski, Howie Young, Billy Harris (think Leafs not Isles), larry Popein. dutch Reibel.
The Penticton Vees juggle its defensive pairings to accommodate Seiling's absence and ADD Jocelyn Gučvremont, a 6'2 player of the seventies who scored 307 points in 571 NHL games (21 points in 41 NHL playoff games), was selected for the Summit Series in 1972, played in the all-star game in 1974, led the Sabres in plus/minus with +47 the year after he helped them go to the Stanley Cup finals, a decent career after winning two Memorial Cups and being drafted 3rd overall. He is not at all physical despite his size, but is known to play sound positionally, with great puckhandling skills. He slides into the seventh defenseman slot and may see some time on the powerplay, where in his Sabres days he had the notoriety of being the only blueliner on the powerplay (due to plenty of scoring wingers on Buffalo).
Last edited by VanIslander: 07-16-2007 at 09:11 PM.
You know, I came very close to taking him for my 7th D. I remember him very well. he had incredible skill but was a head case. since I already had a couple of head cases I decided to bypass him.
Before coaching, Billy Reay had a good hockey career and so may be UFA pick up worthy prior to the playoffs, so is put on the UFA list (feel free to keep adding UFA candidates this week if you come across any more):
Billy Reay, center
267 points in 479 NHL games (29 points in 63 NHL playoff games)
Quote:
...an accomplished NHL centreman in the sparkplug style of the NHL's 1940s... traded to the Montreal Canadiens. At the Forum, he became a solid, two-way centreman, second only to the great Elmer Lach. During his eight seasons with the Habs, Reay twice scored 22 goals and won two Stanley Cups, one in 1946 and the other in 1953... Reay retired as one of only two players to win a Memorial Cup with the St. Boniface Juniors--an Allan Cup with the Quebec Seniors--and a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens.
The year after the first Stanley Cup win, second liner Reay tied first liner Rocket Richard in playoff goal scoring (with 6 each) as the Habs lost the Cup to the Leafs in six games.
He has represented his country as a starting goaltender at the world juniors (where picked Most Outstanding Goaltender), world championships (beat Lundqvist's Sweden), World Cup (one start, a win) and Olympics (1 win, lost quarters). He set the NCAA record for most saves in a game with 77, his team's MVP, division's rookie of the year and region's playoff MVP. He plays the puck aggressively and likes to pass across the neutral zone, creating oddman rushes. In the 2006-07 NHL season he broke the franchise record for saves in a game with 56. He has three consecutive winning seasons with .900+ save percentage. He has stopped 6 of the 7 penalty shots he's ever faced at the NHL level and has a 13-7 win-loss record in the shootouts. Oh,... by the way, he was the first goalie to ever be drafted first overall in the NHL and has the longest ever NHL contract worth $67.5 million.
