Pittsburgh Penguins Legends

Jock Callander

2012-01-27T14:02:00.000-08:00

The status of hockey legend is not exclusively awarded to the NHL's greatest superstar. Jock Callander is very much a legend of hockey in his own right, despite playing only 109 NHL games. But his 18 year minor league career have made him a legend particularly in Muskegon and Cleveland.

Jock Callander was born on April 23, 1961 in Regina, Saskatchewan, a city he later would take by storm as a junior standout. In 1980/81 season Jock scored 67 goals along with 86 assists for a 153 points in 72 games. Jock's scoring exploits did not go unnoticed as he signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Blues on September 28, 1981. However after training camp it was determined that Jock needed more time to develop and was returned to junior for the 1981/82 season where he took his offensive dominance to a new level. He had 79 goals, 111 assists for 190 points leading the WHL in scoring.

Jock made the big jump to professional hockey in 1982-83 when he joined the Salt Lake City Golden Eagles, the St. Louis Blues farm club, of the Central Hockey League. In his rookie season of 68 games he scored 20 goals, 27 assists for 47 points.
The following season the St. Louis Blues moved their farm team to Montana. Jock became a member of the Montana Magic. In Jock's second pro season he continued his hard work. In 72 games he scored 27 goals, 32 assists for 59 points.

The CHL folded after the 1983-84 season so Jock moved on to the I.H.L where he would play parts of 15 seasons and would become one of the best players in the history of the International Hockey League Jock joined the Muskegon Lumberjacks for the 1984-85 season and he put up some great numbers.

In 82 games in 84-85 he scored 39 goals along with 68 assists for 107 points, second in team points. The next season (1985-86) Jock continued his great play and racked up another 39 goals and 72 assists for 111 points, leading the team in scoring. The Lumberjacks made the playoffs and Jock continued his torrid pace. In 14 playoff games he scored 12 goals, 11 assists for 23 points as the Lumberjacks was the Turner Cup Championship that they won that year. Jock was named as the playoffs most valuable performer.

In 1986/87, Jock took his game to yet another level. He led the entire IHL in scoring (tied with Jeff Pyle actually), registering 54 goals, 82 assists for 136 points. Jock and Pyle also were named co-winners of the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy as the I.H.L.'s MVP.

Jock's hard work finally paid off in terms of NHL opportunities. He signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins July 31, 1987. During the 1987-88 season, Jock got his first chance to play in the N.H.L. The Penguins called Jock up and he split the season in Pittsburgh and Muskegon. In 41 N.H.L. games with the Penguins, he scored 11 goals with 16 assists for 27 points. Jock would split each of the next two seasons in similar fashion, playing 30 games in each season in the NHL. However Jock never was quite able to produce at the NHL level like he did in the IHL.

In late 1989, Jock was back with the Lumberjacks and aided them as they went on to win their second Turner Cup Championship. For the next two seasons, 1990-91 and 1991-92, Jock spent the regular season in Muskegon and never was recalled by the Pens. It looked as though Jock's days in Pittsburgh were over but Jock just continued to focus on being the best player he could be at the IHL level and he would be prepared for the next callup. You never no if or when that callup will come.

In 1991-92, Jock scored 42 goals, 70 assists for 112 points. Jock again was awarded a First Team All-star selection. The Lumberjacks made the playoffs and advanced to the final round of the Turner Cup Championship against the favorite Kansas City Blades. During this time the Pittsburgh Penguins were in the Stanley Cup playoffs defending their 1991 Stanley Cup title. The Pens suffered a number
of injuries and called up replacement players from Muskegon. Jock returned to the NHL along with Mike Michayluk and Mike Needham. The trio first appeared in the Patrick Division finals against the New York Rangers. Jock, Dave Michayluk, and Mike Needham formed a solid and surprisingly effective 4th line for the Pens. The trio earned the nickname "The Muskegon Line". The Pens advanced past the Rangers and swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the Finals. Jock's long tenure of riding minor league busses finally was rewarded when he fulfilled his dream of hoisting the Stanley Cup.

The N.H.L. expanded in 1992 and Jock was signed as a free agent of the expansion team Tampa Bay Lightning on July 29, 1992. Jock had hoped that his playoff performance from the prior season and his long minor league scoring exploits would mean a good chance to play in the new NHL city. However he only appeared in 8 games with the Lightning and spent most of the season with Tampa Bay's farm team - the Atlanta Knights.

After one season in Tampa-Atlanta, Jock found himself back in a Lumberjacks uniform in 1993-94. However the Lumberjacks moved from Muskegon to Cleveland. Jock went on to spend the next 6 seasons with the Lumberjacks.

Nelson Debenedet

2012-01-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

This is Nelson Debenedet. He only played in 46 career NHL games (31 with Pittsburgh and 15 with Detroit, scoring 10 goals and 14 points) but by doing so he became the unlikely answer to a pretty neat trivia question.

Who was the first Italian born player in National Hockey League history.

While Nelson Flavio Debenedet may have been born in the small agricultural town of Cordeno, Italy, he moved to western Canada as a youth. Soon enough he fell in love with the Canadian game.

Hockey took Debenedet far, but he also wanted to pursue the world of academics. So in 1966 the 6'1" 195lb left winger enrolled at Michigan State where he played hockey with the Spartans and hit the classroom studying urban forestry (how the heck does that work!). He later switched to the University of Toronto.

Detroit signed Debenedet in 1971. He apprenticed in the minor leagues for three seasons, finally getting into 15 games with Detroit in that third campaign. But then he was traded to Pittsburgh by Detroit for Hank Nowak and Pittsburgh's 3rd round choice (Dan Mandryk) in 1974 Amateur Draft

The move worked out well enough for Debenedet as he spent half a season Pittsburgh in the 1974-75 season. But he had had enough once he was returned to the minor leagues. He toiled with Hershey in the 1975-76 season, hanging up the blades once his contract expired at season's end.

Mike Bullard

2011-12-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

Mike broke into the NHL after a very impressive three-year junior career with Brantford of the OHA. He collected an impressive 356 points in 174 games which led to his first round selection in the 1980 Entry Draft (9th overall) by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Bullard made his NHL debut with Pittsburgh at the end of the 1980-81 season and he played parts of seven seasons with the Penguins. Over that period, Mike recorded four 30-goal campaigns, including a career-high 51 goal season in 1983-84. He also played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1984 and he represented Canada at the 1986 World Championships.

Bullard was traded to Calgary midway through the 1986-87 season in exchange for Dan Quinn. He played parts of two seasons with the Flames, including the 1987-88 season when he recorded career-highs in assists (55) and points (103) during the 1987-88 season.

Disappointingly for Mike, Calgary traded the slick scoring center to St. Louis prior to the beginning of the 1988-89 season. Bullard, Craig Coxe and Tim Corkey were traded in exchange for Doug Gilmour, Mark Hunter, Michael Dark and Steve Bozek. It was unfortunate for Mike because the Flames went on to win the Stanley Cup in 1989. Bullard would be traded to Philadelphia after just 20 games in St. Louis.

Bullard playing one more full season in Philly in 1989-90 before going over to Europe to play the 1990-91 season in Switzerland.

His NHL absence was short lived though, as "Bully" returned to the NHL for the 1991-92 campaign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored 14 goals and 28 points in what proved to be his final NHL season. In total Mike played 11 seasons in the NHL. He play in 727 regular season games, totalling 329 goals, 345 assists and 674 points. He added another 44 points in 40 playoff contests.

After his 11 seasons of pro hockey in North America, Bullard continued his hockey career in Europe. He played one season in Switzerland moving to Germany for a number of seasons.

Randy Cunneyworth

2011-12-17T22:18:00.000-08:00

Randy Cunneyworth's career began and ended with the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans. But for the longest time it appeared that Randy Cunneyworth would never have an NHL career. But once leaving the Buffalo organization the hustling winger was able to enjoy an 866 NHL game career.

Randy was a late draft pick in 1980 out of the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario major junior league. But it was the following season that he erupted with the 67's, scoring 54 goals and 128 points while picking up 240 hard earned penalty minutes in 67 games. He ended the season with a 1 game appearance with both the Sabres and AHL Amerks.

It was hardly a surprise when Cunneyworth began his career in the minor leagues in 1981-82. He scored 12 goals and 27 points in 57 games, but it was trademark hustle and enthusiasm that earned him a 20 game tryout with the Sabres. He scored twice and picked up 6 points.

That would be it for Randy in Buffalo though. Until 1985 the Sabres depth on left wing buried the scrappy winger in the AHL. It wasn't until training camp trade in 1985 to Pittsburgh that he was able to get another shot in the NHL.

Cunneyworth transformed his shot into a great NHL career. He combined his strong physical game and good wheels to become a very solid contributor with a Pittsburgh team that featured a maturing Mario Lemieux. Randy would sometimes play on Mario's left side, and made full advantage of that. After a 15 goal and 45 point rookie season in 1985-86, Randy would record at least 25 goals three years in a row. His best season came in 1987-88 when he rode on Mario's coattails en route to a 35 goal, 74 point season.

In 1989, Randy was traded to Winnipeg, where he played in just 28 games before being shipped to Hartford. Randy would enjoy three seasons in Hartford, although was never much of a scoring threat without Mario Lemieux. It didn't really matter as Randy carved out a nice niche as a energetic role player who prided himself in his defensive and physical play.

Cunneyworth had a short appearance in Chicago to end the 1993-94 season before returning to the city where he enjoyed his fine junior career. Randy would be an instrumental figure with the Ottawa Senators from 1994 through 1998, serving as team captain and an inspiring leader who helped get that franchise out of the expansion doldrums.

Randy's career appeared to be all but over in 1998 when he opted to return to the Sabres organization. Aside from a 14 game stint with the Sabres, he spent the whole year back down on the farm in Rochester. He was an essential member of the Amerks team that made it all the way to the Calder Cup finals.

Following the completion of the AHL season, Randy was recalled to Buffalo where the Sabres were going deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs. Randy was injected into 3 Stanley Cup finals games against the Dallas Stars. Briefly Randy was the talk of the hockey world. He had made a career out of simply outworking everyone on the ice, and that hard work now paid off with his only shot at a Stanley Cup. His spirited play sparked the Sabres to a 7th game before bowing out of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Randy returned to Rochester in 1999-2000, this time serving both as a player and an assistant coach. However his season was cut short due to a knee injury. At that point Randy opted to focus all of his attentions towards coaching. He would become a high quality minor league coach and, just before Christmas 2011, he was hired as the interim head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

Cunneyworth retired with 189 goals and 414 points in his 866 NHL games. He also picked up 1280 minutes in penalties.

Dr. Francis "Duke" McCurry

2011-12-16T15:28:00.000-08:00

The city of Pittsburgh has had it’s fair share of hockey legends – Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby. Dr. Francis “Duke” McCurry does not quite fit that list, but there was a time when the good doctor was very much a hockey legend in Pittsburgh.

Toronto-born McCurry was a multi-sport star, excelling at canoeing, baseball and football. He was even the Canadian amateur welterweight boxing champion in 1916 and he was an all star at lacrosse.

But it was hockey that he pursued the furthest, although that may have been partly out of convenience. McCurry was as bright in the classroom as he was spectacular on the sporting field. He moved to Pittsburgh to study dentistry, passing his spare time by playing with the local minor league team, the Yellowjackets.

Somewhat inadvertently McCurry’s hockey career became more serious in 1925. The Yellowjackets were essentially disbanded in order to make room for a new team in town. The Pittsburgh Pirates would play in a league still in it’s infancy. That league was called the National Hockey League.

That’s right. The NHL first came to Pittsburgh in 1925. It was a short lived venture, only 4 seasons. McCurry, a Memorial Cup champion, was already established as quite the local hockey attraction, so he joined the Pirates for four seasons.

The Pirates traded McCurry to the Montreal Maroons in 1929. But McCurry had no intention of leaving Pittsburgh. He refused to report and sat out the whole hockey season. As a dentist I’m sure he found other ways to occupy his time.

McCurry did return to hockey for the 1930-31 season, as the Yellowjackets were reincarnated in the IHL.

Later in the 1930s McCurry returned to Toronto to establish his dental practice. He died in Toronto on November 8th, 1965. He was 65 years old.

Mario Lemieux

2011-11-21T23:08:00.001-08:00

Mario Lemieux is without doubt one of the greatest players ever to play the game of hockey. He ranks on most people's "Top 5" list, and many people's top 3 list. Based on pure talent, it is hard to argue that he is not number 1.

Notwithstanding his many awards and championships, and his impressive statistics, perhaps the most amazing thing about Mario is he did this while battling a chronic back and hip injuries and Hodgkin's Disease.

He was the complete package. He was a pure scorer and the ultimate playmaker fused into the body of giant. Often compared to Jean Beliveau, Lemieux was big and strong but rarely had to rely on brute strength to fend off defenders. Instead he left them baffled with an incredible series of fakes and dekes. With a few long strides he was seemingly untouchable in effortless end to end rushes. Rarely has a sport's dominant player made the game look so easy and natural.

Mario played in only 889 games as he missed many games due to his health problems. In fact, he retired three times due to injury. Despite this he has one of the most impressive résumés in history of sport:

* 6 Art Ross Trophies
* 3 Hart Trophies
* Two Conn Smythe Trophies
* Two Stanley Cups
* 8 All-Star games (3 MVP's)

Mario Lemieux was drafted in 1984 by the Pittsburgh Penguins, 1st overall. Mario Had just come of an amazing Junior year, scoring 133 goals and 149 assists, giving him the highest point total in Quebec Junior hockey ever, bettering his boyhood idol Guy Lafleur's legendary goal record.

The Pittsburgh Penguins were the worst team in the league. An awful product on the ice led to empty seats in the Igloo, and serious concerns if the franchise could survive much longer in the city of Pittsburgh. Mario was seen as their savior. Little did we know then that Mario would save the franchise twice.

In his first game, on his first shift, Mario put the puck behind the goalie. He would go on to win the Calder trophy that season after becoming just the third rookie to post 100 points in a season.

The following two years Mario ranked among the NHL scoring leaders but it wasn't until the 1987 Canada Cup that Mario took his game to the superstar level. Playing with and learning from Wayne Gretzky, Mario had an incredible tournament, scoring a tournament record 11 goals in 9 games. His 18 points were only bettered by Gretzky's 21. Four of his goals were game winners, including the dramatic series clincher. In a scene that unthinkably rivaled the heroics of Paul Henderson in 1972, Mario took a drop pass from Gretzky and fired a shot past Soviet goalie Sergei Mylnikov at 18:34 of the third period in the final game of the tournament.

"Speaking specifically of the Canada Cup in 1987," Lemieux pondered with HHOF.com, "I learned so much about how the great players work and conduct themselves. Remember, I was only 21 years old at the time. To be around guys like Wayne and Mark Messier and Paul Coffey, guys who'd already had so much success and had won Stanley Cups, was a tremendous learning experience."

Mario never looked back after that tournament. Not only had he arrived in a hockey stratosphere occupied only by names like Gretzky, Orr, Howe and a very few others, but he made a serious challenge to push the stratosphere even higher.

Following the tournament he had the first unbelievable season of what would become unbelievable season after unbelievable season. He wrestled away the NHL scoring championship from Gretzky, with 70 goals and 98 points for 168 points. He also won the Hart Trophy as league MVP, a trophy that was annually given to Gretzky by default.

"The Canada Cup was very intense, but it was a great springboard for the NHL season," he admitted. "I was fortunate enough to win my first scoring title that season [with 168 points]. The learning experience and the momentum of the Canada Cup were definitely factors in that," Lemieux said.

1988-89 was Lemieux's finest offensive season. He scored 85 goals and 114 assists for 199 points! He fell just one point shy of joining Gretzky as the only player to score 200 points in a single season. Perhaps his greatest individual performance was on New Year's Eve, 1988. In that game against the New Jersey Devils, Lemieux scored five goals five different ways. He score an even-strength goal, a power play goal, a short-handed goal, a penalty shot goal, and an empty net goal. No one had ever done this before, and no one has done it since.

The first of several seasons shortened by his degenerative back problems was 1989-90. Despite this set back, he returned late in the 1990-91 season to lead the Penguins to its first Stanley Cup championship. You can bet Mario's back felt a whole lot better as he drank champagne from that Cup. In fact it helped so much the doctor's prescribed the same medicine the next year. So Mario made it two in a row in 1992.

1992-93 proved to be a damning year. He was the League's most dominant player, the crown jewel. But hockey took a back seat in Lemieux's life as Lemieux made it publicly known that he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer. Lemieux had to take time off as he underwent radiation treatment from February through early March. Then, in one of the greatest feats in all of sports, Lemieux immediately returned the NHL and went on late season scoring rampage to capture the Art Ross Trophy. He was also named as the MVP.

Due to the many injuries and the Cancer, Mario took the 1994-95 lock-out shortened season off. He returned in 95-96, winning yet again the Art Ross and Hart Trophies. He repeated the Art Ross win in 96-97 as well.

There is little doubt that Mario is the greatest one on one player is there? He was unstoppable. "Oh Oh! It's Mario!" was a common call when he was in the open on a breakaway. He scored more often than not on those breakaways. The only way many opponents could stop "Super Mario" was to literally tackle him, and even that didn't stop him from scoring. Lemieux could almost score goals at will.

Fed up with the constant physical abuse and the chronic back injuries, Lemieux opted to retire following the 1997 playoffs. But a couple of years after his retirement the Penguins were in financial ruins. Bad management had the team on the verge of bankruptcy and once again the future of NHL hockey was in serious trouble. So who came to the rescue? Mario! Mario, who stood to lose millions if the team had gone bankrupt, gathered together an ownership group and purchased the Pens, keeping them in Pittsburgh. It also marked the first time in modern history that a player became the owner of a team.

Already elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Lemieux made even bigger waves when he announced he would come out of retirement for the 2000-01 season. On December 27, 2000, Lemieux returned to the ice as if he never missed a step. He scored one goal and added two assists in that first game back, against the Toronto Maple leafs. Lemieux continued his scoring exploits, finishing the season with 43 games played, 35 goals and 76 points. He led the Pens far in to the playoffs, playing 18 games before bowing out.

"I learned how much I loved this game," he said. "Sometimes you don't appreciate something fully until you're away from it."

The fragility that ruined Mario's career returned in 2002. Able to play in only 24 games, Lemieux scored just 6 goals but managed 31 point. In spite of his injury woes, Lemieux was named captain of Canada's Winter Olympic entry for the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. His poise and production led Canada to Olympic Gold. Unfortunately the rigors of the Olympic schedule ended Lemieux's 2001-02 NHL season.

He returned in 2002-03 and held a clear lead in points by the mid-way mark of the season. Once again injuries curtailed his games played and mobility. To make matters worse, Lemieux was forced to trade away his high-priced teammates, and any chance of winning the Art Ross Trophy, to preserve the financial stability of Pittsburgh Penguin hockey.

With injuries plaguing his once-brilliant career, and with the burden of the Penguins' financial woes preying on his mind, and newly discovered heart ailment known as atrial fibrillation, Lemieux was mid-way through the 2005-06 season when he decided to retire on January 24, 2006. Mario had played 26 games, scoring 7 times and assisting on 15 more at the time of his retirement.

There always has been and likely always will be constant debate as to who is better: Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux. Here's my view on it. Who cares? We should just consider ourselves extremely lucky to watch perhaps the greatest and second greatest players of all time, no matter who you rank ahead of the other.

If you were to break down each of their games, you would have to give Mario a huge edge in terms of god given physical talents. Mario was bigger and stronger, with a heavier shot. He was perhaps the best one-on-one player ever. He could do things that Gretzky could never dream of. The only other player who could be mentioned in the same talent level as Mario would be Bobby Orr.

Syl Apps Jr.

2011-11-21T23:08:00.000-08:00

Syl Apps was one of top athletes in Canada in the 1930s and 1940s. He was captain of his collegiate football team and was a two time Canadian pole vaulting champion who competed in the 1936 Olympics. But he is best known as the premier center for the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to and following World War II. The hockey hall of famer was Canada's answer to Joe DiMaggio or Babe Ruth.

On August 1st, 1947 the Apps family gave birth to a son. They named him Syl Jr. Little did they know he too would embark on a lengthy and impressive hockey career 25 years later.

"My father never pushed me in hockey," said Syl Jr. "The only placed he pushed me was in school. He always threatened to make me quit hockey if my marks slipped below 70. But I never did find out if he ever meant it."

But did he ever feel the pressure because of his name?

"I used to feel pressures when I was growing up," he admitted. "From kids' hockey right through my upper junior days the fans would say that the only reason I was playing was because of my father's name. But you reach a point where, if you're not good enough, a name isn't going to win you a job. You have to do it on your own ability."

Drafted 21st overall in the 1964 entry draft, Apps - who attended two of North America's highly thought of post secondary institutions in Princeton and Queen's - would leave the junior and senior ranks in 1968 to play in the Rangers farm system. In two games in the AHL he impressed the Rangers enough to play him with their top farm team the following season - the Omaha Rangers in 1969-70. He scored 16 goals and 38 assists for 53 points in 68 games. During the 1970 CHL playoffs scored a league leading 10 goals and 9 assists for 19 points in just 12 contests. When Omaha's season ended, the Rangers other farm team in Buffalo was still in playoff action. Apps bolstered the Bisons lineup and added 2 goals and 5 points in 7 games.

One scouting report on Apps during his first professional season summed up his play like this: Apps, Jr. is a splendid skater, a good puck handler and playmaker, just like his father."

That is the highest compliment anyone could ever give Syl Jr.

After such a fine season in the minors, the Rangers promoted him to the big team in 1970-71. However he was sparingly used, only seeing a few minutes of action in the 31 games he did appear in. He had only 1 goal and 2 assists. It was the lowest point of his hockey career and he even allegedly so discouraged that he told teammate Brad Park he was thinking of quitting hockey.

"At the time, the Rangers were fighting for first place and they didn't have much confidence in me. In that situation even one goal could make a difference and it was tough for them to use an inexperienced man."

The Rangers solved the problem on January 26, 1971 when they traded him to Pittsburgh for hustling forward Glen Sather. Sather was a popular worker in Pittsburgh, but Syl immediately stepped in became a star in the Steel City.

"That was the best trade I ever made," proclaimed the architect of the deal - Red Kelly, then the coach and GM of the Penguins.

"He just didn't get enough ice time in New York," advised Syl Sr. "I was pleased when he was traded to Pittsburgh because Red Kelly, in my estimation, is one of the outstanding NHL coaches and Syl is play a lot of hockey."

Syl Sr. and Kelly had great respect for each other because they were both stars who faced off against each other back in the 1940s. Red agreed that Syl Jr. had a lot in common with his old man.

"Young Syl's dad was a great guy and a great player. He went so fast I looked like a post on the ice by comparison. His son shows similar qualities. He's strong and he hits and he has a good fake. This is something that has to be born in a hockey player. It comes from breeding. Young Syl has the breeding and I've always said that bloodlines are a wonderful thing."

Kelly added: Syl doesn't skate as fast as his dad. Busting out of his own end, he could really hunchi his shoulders and go. But I think maybe he handles the puck a bit better. Physically, he's just as strong."

In the final 31 games for Pittsburgh that season, Syl collected 9 goals and 16 assists for 25 points. That was just a sign of things to come. The following season he scored 15 goals and 44 assists for 59 points. But Syl Jr. erupted into one of the game's best playmakers in his 3rd full season in the league. Playing most often with Greg Polis and Jean Pronovost, he scored 29 goals and 56 assists for 85 points. The following year, 1973-74, he duplicated the 85 points based on 24 goals and 61 assists.

Syl's 79 point season in 79 games in 1974-75 was secondary to his performance at that year's All Star Game. Playing in his only mid-season classic, Syl was named as the game's Most Valuable Player after scoring 2 goals in a 7-1 Wales Conference romp in Montreal.

Syl's finest offensive season came in 1975-76. In a full 80 games, Syl scored a career high 32 goals, 67 assists and 99 points.

However in 1976-77 Syl's production tailed off dramatically. He fell 38 points down to 61, including 18 goals. After Syl went scoreless in the Pens first 9 games in 1977-78 (he did have 7 assists), the Pens decided to move him while they could still get something for him. They traded him for Dave "Hammer" Schultz, Gene Carre and a draft pick.

Apps rounded out his career with 3 solid season in Los Angeles. Unfortunately for him, playoff success never followed him to the west coast either. That was probably the one thing separating Syl from elite status like many other top centers of the 1970s. Only once did the team he played for make it past the 1st round, and half the time they didn't make the playoffs at all.

Despite his lack of fortune in the spring, Syl Jr. carved out a nice career for himself. In 727 NHL games he scored 183 goals and 423 assists for 606 points.

The Apps family continues to be involved in the hockey scene today. Syl Apps III was a star at Princeton University in the late 1990s. He has spent the last couple of years playing at the AHL and ECHL level as a checker, but never came closer to making the NHL.

The Apps have another third generation star to brag about as well. Gillian Apps is one of the top players on the women's hockey scene. She helped Canada win the 2006 gold medal at the Torino Olympics.

Jaromir Jagr

2011-11-21T23:07:00.000-08:00

When Jaromir Jagr left the New York Rangers to play for Avangard Omsk in Siberia, of all places, the National Hockey League said good-bye to one of the greatest offensive players the league has ever seen.

The five-time NHL scoring champ leaves the league with 646 goals, 953 assists and 1599 points in 1273 games. He leaves the league as the 9th highest scorer in NHL history, and 1st among European players all offensive categories. He holds season records for assists and points by right wingers.

He leaves the league prematurely, giving up a chance to become the NHL's second-leading scorer of all-time, trailing Mark Messier by just 288 points. Such a lofty all time scoring slot is of course is incredible all by itself, especially for a kid from Kladno, Czech Republic who grew up believing he would have to defect from his family and home if he ever wanted to play in the NHL. But even more amazing when you consider he a) did not play in the 1980s like practically every other top scorer, b) he played through two labor stoppages costing him 1 and 1/2 seasons of play and c) that he has now left the NHL early.

Jagr leaves the NHL with a bit of a smeared legacy. He left both Pittsburgh and Washington on bad terms, said to be only interested in money and stardom. His latter years were plagued with the enigma label, or worse, because his brilliance only shone through indifference on occasion.

Yet his list of accomplishments is as long as it as amazing:

* 2 Stanley Cups
* 1 Olympic Gold
* 1 World Championship
* 5 NHL Scoring Championships
* 1 Hart Trophy as NHL MVP (6 total nominations)
* 3 Pearson Awards as Player's choice for MVP
* 8 NHL All Star teams

But why would Jagr choose the Siberian city of Omsk over New York, or any other NHL team? After all, other than far more favorable tax advantages in Russia, the money was essentially the same.

Jagr has a history in Omsk, having played half a season there during the lock-out lost season back in 2005. But also Omsk offered Jagr the stability of a 2 year contract that apparently no NHL team of his liking was willing to give to him.

Why was Jagr searching for only a 2 year contract?

Jagr revealed that his father has requested that he return home to play in his native Kladno, Czech Republic, for the 2010-11 season. That is when Jagr's father plans to open a new arena in Kladno.

"I don't think I would sign longer than two years - just because of my dad," said Jagr, a proud Czech who has always vowed to finish his career in Kladno. "He asked me to come home. He did. In two years. He wants me to come back. He's helping to build a new arena there and he wants me to be there."

Even the chance to surpass Messier as the NHL's greatest scorer not named Wayne Gretzky would not keep J.J. here. Scoring 288 points in 4 seasons is far more realistic than 2, Jagr's apparent deadline for returning to Kladno.

Tanks In The Streets

The Jaromir Jagr story begins in 1968, four years before he was born.

Of course Jagr famously wore jersey number 68 to commemorate a significant conflict in his country's history -- the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Asked about why he chose a number that symbolized his country's struggle for freedom from communist repression, the flamboyant winger often turned sombre.

"It's for my grandfather (a farmer and land owner, also named Jaromir)," revealed Jagr. "He died during that. I wasn't born yet but I spent a lot of time with my grandmother and she told me a lot about it. They took all the property from the rich people and my grandfather was rich. Actually, they took both my grandfathers (to jail). They let them go after the revolution but because my grandfather was so sick in jail and they didn't give him any food, he died after they let him go."

Jaromir Jagr was born fours after the invasion, on February 15, 1972, in Kladno, Czechoslovakia, an ancient town of 80,000 in central Bohemia. His father - also named Jaromir - was a mine administrator who later made a fortune in the hotel business before becoming a hockey administrator in Kladno. But back when Jaromir and his sister Jitka were being raised, times were tough. After all, the family fortune was taken away and the everyday staples of life were scarce.

Many Czechs, already poor, accepted this way of life, but the Jagrs harbored deep resentment against the Communist government. So much so that his heroes were Martina Navratilova, who had defected from Czechoslovakia to the U.S., and United States president Ronald Reagan, the ultimate symbol of those who stood up against the Soviet communists. Jagr even carried a picture of the president around in his wallet.

Jaromir started skating around the age of three. He learned to shoot in his backyard, playing street hockey with his dad. He would practice his now famous laser of a shot by taking 500 shots a day. By age six he was on three different teams, often playing against older kids.

He was definitely emerging as a hockey prodigy, but even more amazing than his skills was his drive and dedication to be the best. As a kid his stickhandling and shooting skills were far beyond average, but he was just an okay skater. When he heard that top players on the national improved their speed by doing squats, he started doing 1,000 a day.

By the age of 12, Jaromir was the best young player in the country. He began his junior hockey career playing against boys five and six years older. In his first year for Kladno’s junior squad, Jaromir scored 24 goals in 34 games. In 1985, he attended the World Championships in Prague as a fan. Reportedly mesmerized by a young Canadian star named Mario Lemieux, he thus began his dream of making it to the NHL one day.

Jaromir played three more seasons of junior hockey, and by the time he 16 he had simply outgrown all that junior hockey had to offer, both figuratively and literally. The tall winger towered over everyone else and outweighed the other boys by 20 or 30 pounds. With his powerful legs he who was far too fast to and with his muscular frame he was impossible to knock off the puck. He skated around defensemen like they practice pylons, just like he would do years later in the NHL.

Jaromir scored 57 times in 35 games in 1987-88, earning a promotion to the Czech national team as its youngest player. Within a season, he was the country’s top star, outperforming the likes of future NHLers Bobby Holik and Robert Reichal.

Ready For The NHL

Then, in 1990, Jaromir and his countrymen squared off against Canada in the World Championships, facing the likes of Paul Coffey and Steve Yzerman—and beat them. Jagr has said it was this moment that he fully realized that he knew he was good enough to play in the NHL.

Jagr could not have picked a better time in history to become eligible for the NHL draft. The fall of communism in Czechoslovakia was in progress in 1990. Though at draft time there was still much political uncertainty, Jagr and other young Czechs would be allowed to leave the country to purse careers in the NHL. Previous generations of hockey stars in Czechoslovakia could only hope for special permission after years of service to the national team, or risk defecting to the west, leaving their families and home behind forever.

Because the political uncertainty scared many NHL teams, Jagr, the hands-down best player in a strong draft, dropped to the 5th overall selection where the Pittsburgh Penguins were more than willing to be patient with the talented superstar. And their gamble proved to be not much of a gamble at all, as political concerns were all for not. Jagr and other young hockey players were given the blessing to pursue careers in the NHL.

The Penguins did their due diligence in developing Jagr. They immediately brought him to Pittsburgh and found a Czech family in the city for him to live with. They set him up with intense English tutoring a good month before his first training camp. And they would acquire long time Czech player Jiri Hrdina to give Jagr a friend and father figure. Together they were known as the Czech Mates.

Jagr, sporting his famous long mullet, joined a Penguins team that was on the cusp of winning the Stanley Cup, if only Mario Lemieux's back injuries held up. The Penguins had assembled a ridiculous supporting cast for Lemieux—Paul Coffey, Bryan Trottier, Joe Mullen, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis, and Larry Murphy. All but Barrasso would end up in the Hall of Fame. Now the team also boasted talented youngsters named Kevin Stevens and Mark Recchi.

Mario Jr.

And of Jaromir Jagr. Jagr immediately impressed with his size and skill. The only player in the league who had the same combination of size and skill was Jagr's sometimes linemate Lemieux, leading to the popular nickname "Mario, Jr." The nickname was perfect as the two were comparables. Even more amazing was that the letters in Jaromir's name could be rearranged to spell "Mario, Jr."

In style, though, Jagr is something much different from Lemieux, as Bowman points out.

"When Mario gets the puck, he's always thinking, Where can I put it?" says Bowman. "He'll pass the puck off and get himself in a better situation to score than he was in. When Jaromir gets the puck, he's always thinking, Where can I go with it? He reminds me of Maurice Richard in that way. They both played the off-wing, and both had so many moves I don't think either knew which moves they were going to do until they did them. Totally unpredictable."

Interestingly, Scotty Bowman, Jagr's coach for two years, compared him to another NHL superstar from another era.

"He's a different type of player than the league has seen in a long time," says Scotty Bowman , who coached the Penguins last season and is now the team's director of player development and recruitment. "He has a lot of Frank Mahovlich in him. His skating style and strength make him almost impossible to stop one-on-one. A lot of big guys play with their sticks tight to their bodies and don't use that reach to their advantage like Jaromir does."

Lemieux turned out to be the perfect on-ice mentor for Jagr, if only through imitation. Both had hulking bodies but were the most graceful and artistic of players. The competitive Jagr would study Lemieux closely, determined to be just as good. Jagr would become nearly Lemieux's equal once he mastered the ability to use his big frame to his advantage. About the only thing attribute that held him back was Jagr's European-instinct to pass the puck first as opposed to Lemieux's willingness to be greedy and be the hero, scoring the big goal.

Pittsburgh was always Lemieux's team, especially during the back-to-back Stanley Cup championships of 1991 and 1992. Jagr was young back in those days, but over the years Jagr would take over the ill and broken down Lemieux's status as top gun in hockey. The NHL's newest superstar was officially unleashed.

With Lemieux battling the bad back and now stricken with Hodgkin's Disease, a form of cancer, Jagr assumed the lead role magnificently, winning the Art Ross Trophy with a league-best 70 points in 48 games. His 32 goals ranked second in the NHL, and he was a finalist for the Hart Trophy as MVP.The Penguins finished with 29 victories, third most in the NHL. Jaromir continued his dominance in the playoffs, netting 10 goals in 12 playoff games, but Pittsburgh bowed out in the second round. Jagr, playing with defensively conscious center Ron Francis, was willing to be the hero for the first time in his carrer.

1995-96 was a scary season for NHL goaltenders. Lemieux returned, as close to full health as he got. Now Mario and Jaromir would combine forces to produce of the most magical duos in NHL history. Mario scored 69 goals and had 92 assists to win the Art Ross Trophy for the fifth time. Jaromir scored 62 goals and dished out 87 assists to finish second to his teammate in the scoring race with 149 points.

With his great year, Jaromir established himself as one of the great right wings of all-time. No one at the position had scored more points in a season or tallied more assists. He led the league with 403 shots on goal, further proof his mindset had changed to become the best player.

But perhaps the most remarkable feat of Jagr's amazing season was that other than on the power play, he did not often play on Lemieux's wing. Instead he was the shining jewel on Line 1a with Francis and fellow Czech Petr Nedved.

1996-97 was a frastrating season as Jagr missed 19 games with a groin injury. Even more daunting for Penguins fans, Lemieux announced his retirement, putting more pressure on Jagr to be the man, even though opponents could now throw all defensive strategies against just the one line.

Lemieux Leaves, Jagr's Show Now

Despite the nagging groin injury, Jagr responded positively again, scoring 35 goals and a league high 67 assists, earning him his second Art Ross Trophy and the first of four consecutive NHL scoring titles. He was also a finalist for the Hart trophy as MVP, losing to Buffalo's Dominik Hasek.

But 1998 was known for Jagr and Hasek's combining of forces to lead their native Czech Republic to the gold medal in the first ever winter Olympic games where all of the NHL's top players were allowed to participate. Hasek led the way in net while Jagr scored 1 goal and 4 assists. The gold medal victory was made even sweeter for the Czechs as they defeated the Russians. Before returning to their various NHL teams, the Czech team returned to Prague and celebrated with over 100,000 waiting fans at Wenceslas Square.

Upon return to the NHL, Jagr continued to dominate offensively, despite a poor supporting cast, the dead puck era, and a coach, Kevin Constantine, that preached tight defense and dump and chase hockey, something Jagr never warmed to either publicly or privately. Despite a lucrative 6 year contract, rumblings of Jagr's unhappiness were appearing for the first time.

Yet in 1998-99 he turned in one of the best seasons in recent memory, skating off with the Hart Trophy as league MVP, his only such title though he was finalist 5 other times in his career.. Jaromir won the scoring title by 20 points, with 44 goals and 83 assists. He also captured the Lester B Pearson Award, the MVP as chosen by his fellow players.

Jaromir repeated as NHL scoring champ, despite missing a quarter of the season to nagging leg and back injuries. He tallied 42 goals and 54 assists for 96 points in a league plagued by the neutral zone traps and oversized goalie equipment. Had the Penguins provided him with a couple of top-flight linemates, and had he remained healthy, Jaromir could have legitimately outscored every other NHL player by 30 or 40 points. He was now that good.

Jaromir won his fourth straight scoring title in 2000-01, with 52 goals and a league-best 69 assists for 121 points. He started strong and finished even stronger, earning NHL Player of the Month honors in both November and March. He scored his 400th goal and 1,000th point during the campaign, and also played in his 800th NHL game. Although the Penguins finished third in the division, they reached the conference finals for the first time since 1996, falling to the Devils in their quest for a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Ultimately that was as much playoff success Jagr would ever achieve in the post-Lemieux era, forever seperating Lemieux from Jagr amongst the all time greats.

Off To Washington and New York

Jagr would leave Pittsburgh under less than great terms. Surprisingly, he struggled under and clashing with Ivan Hlinka, the first Czech coach in NHL history. Some Pens fans even turned on Jagr, labelling him as disinterested. Jagr wanted out, and was traded to Washington in 2001 for essentially nothing. The Capitals would sign Jagr to a whopping 7 year, $77M deal.

But Jagr never got untracked in Washington, and the numbers of cynics only grew larger. He was brought in as the superstar who was supposed to return a strong Caps to the Stanley Cup finals. Under the great pressure of the contract and the expectations, Jagr stuggled and ultimately floundered. His stay in Washington was nothing short of disastrous.

After 2 and 1/2 seasons, the Capitals moved Jagr to the New York Rangers, but they had to agree to pay half of his salary to start over. Jagr was able to find his game in New York, turning in an impressive 54 goal, 123 point season in 2005-06, earning another Pearson trophy. More importantly, he was able to, unlike so many other faded stars who found their way to Broadway late in their careers, re-establish himself as one of the game's greatest players, shaking off many of the labels of a greedy, disengaged enigma that hounded him over the previous few years.

The kid from Kladno found the love of the game again in New York, and his smile. The NHL found their love for J.J. again, too. In a New York minute.

Though he leaves under strange circumstances, NHL fans over the past 18 years have mostly loved him too.

He truly is one of the NHL's greatest players in league history. In 1998 a panel of experts organized by The Hockey News included Jaromir Jagr at #37 on the definitive list of the greatest players of all time. That was 11 years ago, just as his career was kicking into high gear. Now, with several more significant seasons and many longevity feats to add to his resume, he would surely rank in the top 20.

Randy Hillier

2011-07-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

For eleven National Hockey League seasons, Randy Hillier was able to survive as an underappreciated yet handy journeyman defenseman. He was a dedicated team player who always found a job as a 5th or 6th defenseman by relying on playing a defense-only game play. He made good clearing passes out of his zone, but otherwise created little offensively. Although he wasn't big by NHL standards - 6'1" and 190 pounds - he was very strong and thus effective at the physical game in his own zone.

The Boston Bruins drafted the Toronto native 102nd overall in the 1980 entry draft. After a year and a half in the American Hockey League he played a quiet role in 2 and 1/2 seasons in Beantown before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1985. It was with the Penguins that Hillier is best remembered. He played 7 seasons in Pittsburgh and developed his reputation as a dependable rearguard. Although he had his share of injury problems, Hillier was able to get his name on the Stanley Cup in 1991 with the Penguins.

Hillier missed out on the Penguins repeat championship performance as he opted to use his rights as an unrestricted free agent to sign with the New York Islanders in 1990-91. However his stay on Long Island was short - just 8 games - as he was included in a blockbuster trade with the Buffalo Sabres. Hillier was a throw-in which also saw Pat Lafontaine, Randy Wood and a draft choice come to Buffalo in exchange for Pierre Turgeon, Uwe Krupp, Benoit Hogue and Dave McLlwain.

Hillier's stay in Buffalo would prove to be short as well. He participated in just 28 games before his NHL career came to a close. He would spend the 1992-93 season in Austria before hanging up his skates for good.

He retired with 543 NHL games under his belt. In that time he scored 16 goals and 110 assists for 126 points

Dennis Owchar

2011-05-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

Dennis Owchar played 6 seasons in the NHL during the 1970s. He was a physical defenceman who loved the open ice hits.

"I played defense and probably the one thing that stood out in my game was the body-checking, playing the man. I used to catch a lot of guys coming across the middle of the ice with their head down or just as they were getting their head up and make them regret it, if you will." said Owchar in an interview with NHLPA.com.

Dennis played his junior hockey with the St. Catharines Black Hawks and Toronto Marlboros and caught the eyes of the Pittsburgh Penguins. They selected him 55th overall in the 1973 Amateur Draft.

After being drafted, Owchar immediately turned professional with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, a Penguins affiliate team that year. He recorded 33 points in 74 games with the Bears in his first pro season and after beginning the 1974-75 campaign with Hershey he made the jump to the parent club early that season. It started out as a injury replacement stint but Owchar played well and the Pens kept him for the rest of the season. In that first NHL season he recorded 17 points in 46 games.

Owchar spent three and a half years with the Penguins organization before he was traded to the Colorado Rockies during the 1977-78 season, where he recorded career-highs in all offensive categories with 10 goals, 31 assists and 41 points in 82 games between the two clubs.

His most famous moment in Colorado was an unfortunate one. Tiger Williams of the Toronto Maple Leafs attacked him with his stick. Williams was charged with assault, although he was acquitted of any wrong doing.

Dennis played the 1978-79 season with the Rockies and part of the 1979-80 season with Colorado before playing his final full season of professional hockey with the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League. Dennis had a couple of serious injuries and decided to pack it in.

Owchar retired from pro hockey in 1981. Over his six years in the NHL, Owchar had 30 goals, 85 assists, 115 points and 200 penalty minutes in 288 regular season games.

Following the NHL Dennis returned to school and eventually ended up in the computer industry as a successful salesman and executive.

Ken Wregget

2011-05-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Remember that old Life cereal commercial with Mikey?

Due to an uncanny resemblance, Mikey was Ken Wregget's nickname.

Ken Wregget was a goalie with three distinct NHL chapters in his story.

Wregget, who was born in the goaltending factory of Brandon, Manitoba and was a graduate of the Lethbridge Hurricanes junior program, broke into the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the mid 1980s. Those Leafs teams were particularly, ummm, well awful, really. But there were some high hopes mixed with inconsistency when Wregget and fellow young netminder Allan Bester arrived on the scene. On some nights they were spectacular, on other nights they were hung out to dry.

Perhaps Wregget's very first NHL game sums up his 6 years with the Leafs perfectly. In a game against Hartford in the 1983-84 season, Wregget made 48 saves to get the win! Spectacular right? Not bad at all, but he did let in 6 goals. Fortunately on this night Toronto was able to score 8, but more often than not the Leafs were not able to support either Wregget or Bester with enough goal support.

Bester eventually won the goalie battle in Toronto as Wregget was trade to Philadelphia for two first round picks that the Leafs used to select Rob Pearson and Steve Bancroft. Neither of those two prospects ever flourished, while Wregget provided steady netminding for the Flyers for much of the next three seasons.

Wregget was part of a blockbuster trade in February 1992, as he, Rick Tocchet and Kjell Samuelsson went to Pittsburgh in exchange for Mark Recchi, Brian Benning and a first round draft pick. Wregget would find his best success in Pittsburgh, backing up but often pushing starting goaltender Tom Barrasso. Wregget enjoyed his only Stanley Cup championship in 1992. By the lockout shortened season in 1995 he emerged as the top goalie, leading the league with 25 wins.

Barrasso would eventually wrestle his starter title back and by 1998 Wregget was on the way out of Pittsburgh. He briefly played in Calgary and Detroit, before hanging up the pads in 2001.

In 575 NHL contests Ken Wregget posted a record of 225-248-53 with 9 shutouts, a career 3.63 GAA and .885 save percentage. Great numbers? No, not even for his time period. But he had a reputation as a solid goalie, particularly in the back up role.

Grant Jennings

2011-04-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

Grant Jennings was a large, aggressive blueliner who lacked mobility to make him much more than an average NHL defenseman. But he was able to mature into a capable role player who twice would sip sweet victory from the Stanley Cup.

The Saskatchewan native was never drafted by an NHL team. Instead he signed a minor league contract in the Washington Capitals organization. He spent three years developing in the American Hockey League. By 1988 Grant made his NHL debut, and in the playoffs nonetheless.

Grant was moved in the off season to Hartford. He and tough right winger Ed Kastelic were traded to Hartford in exchange for Neil Sheehy and Mike Millar. It was a great move for Grant as he became an NHL regular. Jennings played a quiet role in Hartford for two and a half seasons. He relied on strong positional play and was at his best when he was using his size to his fullest advantage.

Part way through the 1990-91 season Jennings was involved in one of the most famous trades in hockey history. Grant is an often forgotten about throw-in in the Ron Francis/Ulf Samuelsson trade to Pittsburgh. The Whalers got John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski in return, but the trade was considered to be the final piece of the Penguins championship puzzle. Francis and Samuelsson played big roles in the Pens back to back championships in 1991 and 1992.

Grant played a quiet role on those championships too. He had to battle the likes of Gordie Roberts, Paul Stanton and Peter Taglianetti for the 5th, 6th and 7th defensemen positions and the accompanying playing time. Jennings was rotated in and out of the lineup during the playoffs as well as the regular season. He appeared in 22 of the Pens 45 playoff games in the two years that they won the Cup.

Jennings played in parts of 5 seasons with the Pens before being moved to Toronto late in the 1995 season. Grant was about to become an unrestricted free agent, and the Penguins wanted to get something in return for him before he could get away with nothing in return at all.

Jennings played 10 games with the Leafs and then tested the free agent market. He eventually settled on a contract with the Buffalo Sabres during training camp 1995. However injuries plagued Grant for the remainder of his career. He only got into 6 games with the Sabres before he disappeared to battle injury problems in the minor leagues until 1998 when he retired.

In 389 NHL games, Grant scored 14 times and added 43 helpers for 57 points. He accumulated 804 penalty minutes in that time as well. He appeared in 54 playoff games, scoring twice and picking up 3 points and 68 PIM, plus 2 Stanley Cup rings.

Joe Noris

2011-03-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

Joe Noris was born in Denver, Colorado but learned to play competitive hockey in Canada. As a youngster he used to hang around the Denver University hockey team. Denver's coach Murray Armstrong recommended Joe to start out by trying junior "B" hockey in Canada.

Joe played his junior hockey with the Kitchener Rangers and the Toronto Marlboro's. In Kitchener Joe was a center, but the Marlboro's were so stacked with forwards that his coach Frank Bonello decided to switch Joe to defence. When he was claimed by Pittsburgh during the 1971 amateur draft (32nd overall), it was as a defenseman.

Joe made the Penguins lineup in the first year, which surprised HOF'er Red Kelly who at that time was Pittsburgh's coach:

"I considered him a good prospect, but I was really quite surprised when he made the team in
his first pro season, especially because his experience on defence was limited." Kelly said.

Joe's NHL career was pretty brief. Beside the 35 games for the Penguins he also played two games with St.Louis (72-73) and 18 games with Buffalo (73-74). Most of the time was spent in the minors and not until WHA's San Diego Mariners signed him in August 1975 did he get to taste major league hockey again.

Joe had a very good first season in the WHA, scoring 68 points for San Diego. The night after the Mariners were eliminated from the playoffs Joe crashed his car and recieved cuts in his face that required over 100 stitches, other than that he was alright and his fine play earned him a spot on the American 1976 Canada Cup team.

Joe came better prepared for the 1976-77 season than ever. This of course because of the Canada Cup tournament. Joe scored 92 points for San Diego and finished 12th overall in league scoring. At this point Joe had been a center for a couple of years, his initial position.

The San Diego franchise folded and he was picked up by the Birmingham Bulls in June 1977. He wasn't able to repeat the successful years that he had in San Diego. Joe decided to go back to San Diego and play there for the San Diego Hawks in the PHL (Pacific Hockey League) for the 1978-79 season. Joe teared up the PHL, scoring a league high 77 assists and 104 pts in only 58 games. Joe then got a lucrative offer from the Austrian team, ATSE Graz, where he played briefly during the 1979-80 season before retiring.

"Broadway Joe" finished his career with a total of 55 NHL games (7 points) and 198 WHA games (188 points), plus 18 WHA playoff games (9 points).

Mike Needham

2011-03-02T19:14:00.000-08:00

When I heard the Kamloops Blazers had signed Matthew Needham, I immediately thought to myself "I wonder if that kid is any relation to former NHLer Mike Needham."

The answer is yes. Matthew is Mike's son. He has some big shoes to fill in Kamloops let alone in the NHL.

Mike Needham starred with the Blazers from 1987 through 1990. After being drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins 126th overall in 1989, Mike exploded for a monster season in Kamloops, scoring 59 goals and 125 points in just 60 games. The Blazers made it all the way to the Memorial Cup tournament that spring. He also had 7 points in 7 games at the World Junior Championships, winning gold.

Mike turned pro the following season, and soon enough he was tearing up the IHL. Described as a good skater with excellent work habits, the only thing standing in Mike's way of achieving his NHL dreams was an incredibly well stocked right wing in Pittsburgh.

The Penguins were in their Stanley Cup prime in the early 1990s, boasting Jaromir Jagr, Rick Tocchet, Joe Mullen and later Tomas Sandstrom all on their right wing. Needham and other Penguins prospects had no chance of cracking the line up.

Mike did get into 5 playoff games in 1992, allowing him to get his name on the Penguins 2nd Stanley Cup championship.

The following year Needham played a bit role on the Pens 3rd and 4th lines, scoring just 8 goals in 56 games. A serious back injury hampered him all year. Surgery was required to repair the herniated disk It kept him to just 25 games (and one lonely goal) in the 1993-94 season.

The Pens traded Needham away to Dallas where it was hoped he could put his injuries behind him and fulfill his promise. He would just play 5 games the Stars. After parts of two more injury plagued seasons in the minors, Mike Needham hung up his skates for good.

Mike Needham played in 86 NHL games, scoring 9 goals and 5 assists. He added 2 more goals in 14 playoff games, earning a Stanley Cup ring in 1992.

Rick Kessell

2011-02-19T22:47:00.000-08:00

Rick Kessell got his NHL career off to a fantastic start. He scored on his very first shift, giving the Pittsburgh Penguins a 1-0 lead just 2:19 into a March 21st, 1970 game against Chicago.

Unfortunately Kessell would only score 3 more goals in 134 more NHL games over parts of 5 NHL seasons, 4 with the Penguins and 1 with the Golden Seals of California infamy. I guess it probably didn't help that he missed training camp in his second NHL season due to an off-season water skiing mishap that broke his ankle.

Kessell was a junior stand out and was drafted two spots ahead of the great Bobby Clarke. But at the NHL level Kessell quickly became a 4th line player who killed penalties.

Walt McKechnie, Kessell's teammate in California, said "Kess was another guy with good skills but with us young guys he was easily distracted. He was a real free spirit.

In 135 NHL games Rick Kessell scored 4 goals and 28 points.

Nick Harbaruk

2011-02-19T22:23:00.001-08:00

This is Nick Harbaruk, a hard working forward who played over 500 big league games in the 1970s. Harbaruk was a hard-hitting, defensive winger, specializing on the penalty kill. He often energized his team with his relentless checking.

Interestingly, Harbaruk was born in Drohiczyn, Poland on August 16th, 1943, during World War II. By 1948 his family had moved Toronto to start a new life.

Nick quickly picked up the Canadian game of hockey and turned into a star youth player. Soon enough he was a star with the Toronto Marlies junior team.

The Toronto Maple Leafs owned his rights but placed him in Tulsa, Oklahoma for 5 seasons. The Leafs actually tried to upgrade him from the CPHL to their AHL farm team, but Harbaruk refused to leave. He met his wife there and was earning a degree in economics from the University of Tulsa.

That stand probably cost Harbaruk a chance to ever play with the Leafs. They would have buried him in the minors forever, but NHL expansion in 1967 opened up jobs for many such players. The Pittsburgh Penguins snapped him up.

Harbaruk played four solid seasons in Pittsburgh, and another in St. Louis, before jumping to bigger money with Indianapolis of the WHA. He retired in 1977.

Harbaruk returned to Toronto and started coaching at Seneca College. In 7 seasons Harbaruk found great success, winning 3 Ontario college championships. His legacy there was tainted by an assault charge when a fan behind the bench was struck with a stick. The charge was later dropped.

In 1986 Harbaruk left hockey behind. He and his brother took over their father's sod supply business for local landscapers.

Nick Harbaruk passed away in the early morning hours of March 11th, 2011.

Dwight Mathiasen

2011-02-15T18:05:00.000-08:00

Dwight Mathiasen was one of many highly regarded prospects who never caught on in the NHL. He played in the BCJHL (British Columbia Junior Hockey League) for a couple of seasons. In his last BCJHL season in 1982-83, he scored 123 points (50+73) in 48 games for the Abbotsford Pilots.

He then went on to play for the University of Denver where he had a stellar career between 1983-86. Dwight scored 198 points in 123 games for the "Pioneers" which was the second highest point total in school history at that time. In his junior year (1985-86) Dwight exploded for 89 points in 48 games, including a school record 28 game scoring streak. He was also named to the 2nd WCHA All-Star team.

Dwight was never drafted but was grabbed by Pittsburgh in the college free-agent market. At first Dwight indicated that he wanted to play in his hometown Vancouver (where he grew up). Somehow he rejected a last minute $1.4 million offer from the Vancouver Canucks. Instead Dwight signed a four year $ 1.2 million contract, which included a $250,000 signing bonus with Pittsburgh. His yearly salary put him above Detroit's record free agent signings of Ray Staszak and Adam Oates the year before. At the time of the signing Dwight said that he was attracted by the Pittsburgh organization and the possibility to play on Mario Lemieux's right side.

Dwight was available to play for the Penguins in their final four regular season games in 85-86, but wasn't eligible for the playoffs because he wasn't with the team as of March 11 (he signed on March 31), the date NHL rosters were frozen.

Dwight made his NHL debut the day after he had signed, on April 1,1986 at Washington. Five days later (April 6) he scored his first NHL goal & point at Madison Square Garden against the NY Rangers.

A lot was expected from Dwight at the start of the 1986-87 season, but he had a so-so camp and was sent down to Penguins farm team in Baltimore (AHL). He played in Baltimore for most of the season and finished with 45 points in 61 games and only played in 6 games for Pittsburgh. In 1987-88 Dwight played 23 games for Pittsburgh and didn't score a goal (he had 6 assists). In the IHL for Muskegon he had 61 points in 46 games.

After that 1987-88 season Dwight retired only 25-years old. He never fullfilled the expectations although he certainly had all the tools to become a solid second or third line winger. What Dwight will be remembered for is that he was among the first three rookie free-agents to sign a $ 1 million plus contract.

Phil Bourque

2011-01-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

Playing defense throughout his junior and early minor league career, Phil Bourque made an impact on the left wing of the Pittsburgh Penguins checking line during their championship season in the early 1990s.

Bourque played junior in the OHL for two seasons but was never drafted. He was signed by the Penguins in 1982 as a free agent. He played almost exclusively in the Pens minor league system for the next 6 years, gradually improving to the point that he was named as the IHL's most outstanding defenseman in 1988. It was after that great season in Muskegon that Phil was elevated to the NHL on a full time basis.

However he didn't find a regular spot on the Pens blueline, but rather patrolling left wing. Why? Two reasons - he was an aggressive player who loved to hit, but too often he put himself out of position to make the physical play. Secondly, he was a poor skater in terms of mobility and agility. He had great straight ahead speed and that could be better utilized on the wing.

With his speed and tenacity, Bourque proved to be a good forechecker and penalty killer. His upbringing as a defenseman made him a naturally defensive forward, but he added some surprising offense - twice scoring 20 goals.

Phil played an important role in both of the Pens Stanley Cup victories in 1991 and 1992. On a crash and bang defensive line with Troy Loney and Bob Errey, Bourque did a lot of the mucking and grinding for the more skilled players on the Pens team. He also would take an occasional shift on the blueline when the Pens were in a pinch.

The New York Rangers signed the hard working Bourque as a free agent for the 1992-93 season, but he struggled to put up the numbers he did in Pittsburgh. This led to his trading to the lowly Ottawa Senators early the following season. By this time however Bourque's best days were over, and he actually ended his North American pro career in the minors, unable to make the expansion Senators squad. He also spent some time in Europe after his NHL career was over. Perhaps he was happy to soldier on in the game he loved because he nearly died in a hiking accident in the summer of 1994.

All said, Phil Bourque transformed himself from a NHL long shot to a two time Stanley Cup champion who played in 477 NHL games with 88 goals, 111 assists and 199 points. He was a hard working and honest player. Pittsburgh fans always appreciated the zestful contributions of "the ol' two-niner."

By the way, Phil Bourque is of no relation to Hall of Fame defenseman Raymond Bourque. However, when people ask if his brother is Ray Bourque, fun-loving Phil often answers with a yes. Why? Because he does have a brother named Raymond - just not that Raymond Bourque!

Victor Ignatjev

2010-12-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

Victor Ignatjev was a late bloomer who had to overcome being labeled from early on in his career.

Victor's chances of making the NHL were always long at best. He was drafted as a 22 year old in the last round, 243rd overall by the lowly San Jose Sharks, who were coming off of a 71 loss season. Victor immediately came to North America where it was hoped that since he was older and physically more mature than most players drafted that year that he would be able to contribute. However adjustment to North American life and the North American game did not come easy for the soft-spoken, down right shy big man from Riga. He struggled on the ice as he struggled to learn English and adjust to life far away from his homeland. Ignatjev toiled asproperty of the.Sharks until 1997 when he was picked up by the lowly Tampa Lightning.

Victor toiled in the IHL until joining Long Beach in 1996. He exploded for 16 goals and 69 points. He backed up those numbers in 1997-98 with 12 goals and 45 points. Victor loved "Hockey on the Beach" as he finally found a a team that new how to use him well. A huge man at 6'3" 212 lbs, Ignatjev was a veery soft player. One reporter went as far to say that "A Victor Ignatjev body check couldn't crack an egg shell." In truth Ignatjev wasn't quite that soft, but he certainly didn't use his size to his advantage like you'd want a defenseman of that size to. And while he wasn't the greatest defenseman in his own zone, he was a good offensive blueliner, possessing the ability to spring a breaking forward with a pinpoint pass and possessing a low, hard, accurate shot.

It was that hard shot that interested the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens had scouted Ignatjev throughout the 1997-98 season and were impressed enough to sign him as a free agent on August 11, 1998. The Pens were hoping that Ignatjev could become a cheaper version of Fredrik Olausson.

"I watched him in the playoffs, and he'd play 30 minutes or more," assistant GM Eddie Johnston said. "I was there to watch other guys, too, but he always stood out."

Ignatjev came into camp and impressed with his shot and offensive ability. He particularly dominated in a preseason game against Washington. Ignatjev looked dominating on the Pens power play point, even scoring one goal.

However Ignatjev knew that he had to play more physically in order to make the Pens.

""I have to be more physical," he said. "Kevin (Coach Constantine) told me what was expected. On one of the first days, he told me to be more physical in the corners."

So was Constantine, a very intense, demanding coach, impressed with Ignatjev's game?.

"(He) shot the puck better than anybody shot it for us last year. Ignatjev played with a little grit, too. He combined all the things we're asking him to do."

And Ignatjev was rewarded with a spot on the Penguins roster.

Life was good, but not for long. Ignatjev played in 11 games in the NHL, collecting just 1 assist, before he was rocked with a badly injured shoulder. He was so badly hurt that he required surgery that caused him to miss the finall 66 games of the regular season. He did come back for 1 playoff game, but his rookie year in the NHL was all but wiped out by the serious injury.

Ignatjev had only signed a one year deal with the Pens and became a free agent in the summer of 1999. While it is not known what kind of offers he may have received from NHL clubs, obviously none were to his liking as he decided to go back to Europe. He signed to play the year in Germany. He later played in Sweden, Russia, Austria, Italy and Holland.

When the Pens hoped Ignatjev could have been a cheaper version of Fredrik Olausson, they made a decent comparison, albeit a best case scenario. Like Freddy, Victor had good size but didn't use it effectively. Also like Freddy, Victor had a great shot and good offensive abilities.

Unlike Freddy, a career in the NHL just never worked out for Ignatjev.

Bob Dillabough

2010-11-08T19:11:00.000-08:00

Bob Dillabough was a penalty killing specialist, thanks to his speed. He was anything but smooth, but he could scoot across the ice in a hurry, pressuring puck carriers and retrieving loose pucks.

Dillabough's problem was he could never do much with the puck once he got it. He couldn't control the puck at his high speed, and he didn't have the same offensive instincts that he utilized defensively.

Born in Belleville, Ontario he played for the Detroit Red Wings, California Golden Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Cleveland Crusaders, and Boston Bruins. He played 283 games in the National Hockey League and 72 games in the World Hockey Association.

One neat story about Bob Dillabough. While with Boston he lent his stick to a rookie who scored his first NHL goal. The rookie was none other than Bobby Orr.

Playing hockey in the 1970s hardly afforded comfortable retirements for utility players like Dillabough. After leaving the ice he worked for years in uranium mines. That may have contributed to his deteriorating health. On March 27th, 1997 Dillabough passed away. He was just 55 years old.

Pittsburgh Penguins Greatest Players

2010-07-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

Syl Apps Jr.
Wayne Bianchin
Les Binkley
Tom Barrasso
Pat Boutette
Michel Briere
Andy Brown
Dave Burrows
Jay Caufield
Paul Coffey
Michel Dion
Tom Edur
Val Fonteyne
Ron Francis
Stan Gilbertson
Denis Herron
Bryan Hextall Jr.
Gary Inness
Jaromir Jagr
Rick Kehoe
Battleship Kelly

Mario Lemieux
Gilles Meloche
Greg Millen
Joey Mullen
Larry Murphy
Petr Nedved
Jim Paek
Frank Pietrangelo
Greg Polis
Dan Quinn
Roberto Romano
Duane Rupp
Ron Schock
Doug Shedden
Kevin Stevens
Peter Taglianetti
Bryan Trottier
Bugsy Watson

Dan Quinn

2010-07-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

As Hockey Night In Canada color man Harry Neale would say, Dan Quinn had all the tools to be a NHL superstar, but he didn't have the toolbox.

Quinn owned an arsenal of talents - from quick hands to quicker feet, from a good shot to great vision. However he also had a habit of wearing out his welcome sooner rather than later.

Quinn was selected 13th overall in the 1983 Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames. Scouts drooled over the possibilities of Quinn's talent but questioned his work ethic. He came off of a 59 goal, 147 point season with the OHL's Belleville Bulls. The potential reward was too tempting.

He was returned to junior in the 1983-84 season - but not for long. After 24 games in which Quinn scored 23 times and assisted on 36 others, the Flames recalled the slick center. He finished the season strongly with the Flames. In 54 games he scored 19 goals and 52 points.

Quinn enjoyed three seasons in Calgary, showing some solid statistical improvements in each season despite playing on a superpower Flames team that was stocked with veterans. By his third year in the league he scored 30 goals and 72 points.

The Flames moved Quinn to Pittsburgh in November of 1986 and got veteran sniper Mike Bullard in return. The move was done on Calgary's part in order to upgrade their immediate chances of winning a championship. Meanwhile in Pittsburgh Quinn was the number 2 center on a team which of course featured the great Mario Lemieux. Quinn put up some good numbers in his stay in the Steel City, even though he rarely played with Mario except on the power plays. In 1987-88 he scored 40 goals including 21 on the power play. In 1988-89 he scored a career high 94 points including 34 goals.

Quinn and the Pens got off to a terrible 1989-90 season. Quinn, who was very popular among his teammates wherever he went, was a defensive liability and had a poor work ethic - something that the Pens were trying to eliminate from their game. They traded him halfway through the season along with Dave Capuano and Andrew McBain to Vancouver for Rod Buskas, Barry Pederson and Tony Tanti.

Quinn immediately inherited Pederson's role as the #1 center in Vancouver. There were high hopes on the west coast that Quinn could add some offensive punch to the anemic Canucks attack, but he didn't add too much in his stay. He scored 34 goals and 83 points in 101 games in parts of 2 seasons with the Canucks. However Quinn's happy-go-lucky attitude off the ice and his less-than-acceptable commitment on the ice concerned the Canucks brass as he and super rookie Trevor Linden were becoming close friends. Linden's game of course was the complete opposite - a hard working, body banging star - and the Canucks didn't want Quinn's attitude rubbing off on their future captain.

Quinn was traded in one of the greatest trades in Vancouver Canuck history. He, along with long time banging blueliner Garth Butcher were moved to St. Louis in exchange for Geoff Courtnall, Robert Dirk, Cliff Ronning, Sergio Momesso and a draft pick. The 4 players coming to Vancouver all went on to do some fine things in a Canuck uniform. The Blues were happy to get the aggressive Butcher, but rumour had it they reluctantly agreed to take Quinn to complete the deal to get Butcher.

Quinn finished the season and playoffs in St. Louis but was moved in 1991 in a trade that the Blues would live to regret. Quinn accompanied a young kid named Rod Brind'Amour to Philadelphia in exchange for Ron Sutter and Murray Baron.

Quinn racked up lots of travel miles over the next 6 years. He played one year in Philly before signing as a free agent with Minnesota. After one year there he went to Switzerland as no team showed interest him.

The reason every team suddenly dropped interest in him was due to an incicdent that tainted his reputation forever on November 10th, 1992. On that night he got together with some former Pittsburgh teammates, namely Mario Lemieux, Rick Tocchet and Bob Errey. They met four young women at a Hooters restaurant and went back to the Penguins hotel. It was in another player's hotel room that Quinn would be accused of raping a 19 year old girl. Charges of sexual assault were neer formally issued and eventually the case was dropped altogether as it was determined the activity was indeed consensual. But the short time in jail, the $30,000 bail, and the countless time his name was dragged through the mud in newspapers and tv news casts was enough to ruin Quinn. The North Stars dumped him, citing curfew violations, and it would be a while before he returned to the NHL scene.

Finally his hometown Ottawa Senators gave him a chance late in the year. He scored 7 goals in 13 games. Quinn was able to parlay his performance in the Canadian capital to another 1 year contract, this time with Los Angeles. He'd return to Ottawa in 1995-96 after starting the year in the IHL with the Detroit Vipers. He finished the season (take a deep breath!) in Philadelphia. He finished his career by playing 16 games with the Penguins in 1996-97.

Dan Quinn had some breath taking talents. He also moved around the league so much it takes a lot of deep breaths just to follow his travels!

Despite his reputation for questionable commitment as far as NHL coaches are concerned, Quinn's reputation as a talent earned him the chance to play in 805 NHL games. He scored 265 goals and 419 assists for 685 points. He added another 22 goals and 48 points in 65 playoff contests. He had some real nice skills and if he had the right coach to motivate him maybe he could have taken his game to the next level.

Dan is a scratch golfer and can often be seen in those celebrity golf championships. In fact he won the 1992 and 2001 Celebrity Golf Championships. He also has developed close relationships with PGA tour greats, serving as Enrie Els caddie at the 2010 Masters.

``I've loved golf since I was 12 years old,'' Quinn said. ``It's just a weird sport. It challenges every emotion you can experience throughout the day. You have to get breaks ... There are so many intangibles and that's what's addicting.''

Quinn, who lists both Bobby Orr and Jack Nicklaus as his equal sporting idols, has won over $600,000 on the Celebrity Players Tour. Other hockey celebrities on the tour have included Mike Eurzione, Pierre Larouche, Brett Hull, Mario Lemieux , Stan Mikita, Bernie Nicholls, Jeremy Roenick, Brendan Shanahan, Greg Stefan, Dale Tallon and Ed Westfall. Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Joe Thiesman, Dan Marino, Jerry Rice, Ivan Lendl, John Elway and former USA Vice President Dan Quayle have also appeared on the tour at various times.

Roberto Romano

2010-06-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

Before he even really established himself as a NHL quality goalie, Roberto Romano almost quit.

Romano was a late bloomer that the Pittsburgh Penguins had high hopes for. He was never drafted, but was signed as a free agent out of the Quebec junior leagues by the Penguins. He really found his stride playing in the American Hockey League, and earned the call up to the NHL once Michel Dion's game fell apart.

He had spent parts of four seasons playing with the Penguins, but it was his 4th year that he - still classified as a rookie - found a home in the NHL.

The only problem was he was not sure if he wanted to be there.

Before the season was even over in 1984-85, Roberto Romano, at the age of 22, let it be known he was retiring at season's end.

"I did tell (the Penguins) I'm going to retire after the season," he confessed to the media. "I don't know, I just got tired of the whole lifestyle - a lot of traveling.

"Hockey, to me, is not my life. You've got to have the right type of attitude, and I don't. There are too many ups and downs."

Romano was simply frustrated. Playing with those terrible early-1980s Penguins teams could really mess with a goalie's head, as his 15-31-2 record hinted at.

But by training camp Romano was back, fighting for a job. It wasn't easy.

"Roberto put that criticism on himself," opined defenseman Moe Mantha, who was not happy with his departure late in the previous season. "When we needed him to be our No. 1 goalie . . . he let 19 guys on our team down.

"He knows it, and he knows he's going to have to get back the respect of the players. He's faced a couple of high shots in camp, but he's not saying anything.

"I think everybody wants to give Roberto a second chance, but they're not going to hand it to him."

Coach Bob Berry agreed, saying "he has to earn the respect of his fellow players now."

Let's give Romano lots of credit. He faced his critics, and he face his teammates. He won the starting job and had his best season ever. He posted a 21-20-3 record with 2 shutouts and a career best 3.55 GAA.

Now nobody was suddenly comparing Romano to Grant Fuhr or Billy Smith, but Romano earned a lot of respect right around the league that season. He carried it over into the following season, but he actually ended that campaign in another city. He was traded to Boston for Pat Riggin.

He only ever played one game with the Bruins, playing the better part of two seasons in the minor leagues. By 1989 he headed over to Europe to play. With his name he was a natural fit in Italy. After a season with HC Bolzano he found a home with HC Milano. In total he would play 5 full seasons in Italy and even played for the Italian national team at the 1992 World Championships.

Romano left Italy in 1993 and gave North American hockey one more shot. He signed on with the Pittsburgh Penguins again, fully knowing he would play with their AHL farm team in Cleveland. But to everyone's surprise he got called up when both Tom Barrasso and then Ken Wregget were felled by an injury. Romano got into parts of two games, earning the win in one, while posting a 1.44 GAA and .946 save percentage.

It was a great way to end a rocky National Hockey League career.

Michel Dion

2010-06-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

When you mention the name Michel Dion, I instantly think of his unique mask.

Not too many goalies used this style of mask. Mike Liut had a similar one, although not identical. The "duck bill" was wider.

This game worn mask, painted by Jim Kwilos, was sold at auction for over $6500!

Dion played for five years in the World Hockey Association with the Indianapolis Racers and the Cincinnati Stingers. He also played with the Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets in the NHL, but he is best remembered by NHL fans for his four years with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

After playing in the low minor leagues, he was called up for the second half of the WHA season with Indianapolis in 1975-76. Despite playing in just 31 games he was named as the Bill Hatskin trophy winner as the league's top goalie.

Two years later he was stopping pucks in Cincinnati as a free agent signee, and two years after that the WHA and it's four remaining teams - Edmonton, Hartford, Quebec and Winnipeg - would join the National Hockey League.

Never drafted by a NHL team, it was the Nordiques who landed Dion in the special dispersal draft. He would play valiantly for about a season and a half, but perhaps his most memorable game in Quebec was his last. On Dec. 10, 1980, he skated off the ice after allowing four goals to the Boston Bruins in less than half the game. He threw his gloves, mask and stick over the boards, and quit. The Nordiques suspended him and, eight days later, put him on waivers.

He was sold off to Winnipeg for next to nothing, but he found his way to Pittsburgh in time for the 1981-82 season. He would play at-times spectacular goal for the almost always awful Penguins. In his first season he won 25 games and played in the NHL All Star Game. That spring he led the Penguins to a very memorable near-upset playoff series victory over the three time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders.

Dion would play on with the lowly Penguins until 1985 when he had enough. He briefly tried a comeback with the Edmonton Oilers, but his hockey days were done. He ended his career with 227 NHL games played with a record of 60-118-32 with 2 shutouts. In 149 WHA games he was 62-66-7 with 5 shutouts.

It turns out Dion was quite the all-around athlete. The Granby, Quebec native's first love was actually baseball, not hockey.At the age of 17 he turned professional within the Montreal Expos franchise, playing in the Florida State League and promising to quit playing hockey.

Dion quickly read the writing on the wall and returned to hockey. Though he loved playing baseball, the Expos had another young catcher in the system - Gary Carter.

"I was a line-drive hitter, but Gary had power," said Dion.

Dion also fell in love with the game of golf. After retiring from hockey he attempted to earn his tour card with the PGA, although he always fell just short of that dream. But he is still hard at work on the greens and fairways. He is now a certified golf instructor in Bluffton, South Carolina.

Tom Edur

2010-04-18T21:57:00.001-07:00

This is Tom Edur. He was a promising defenseman just coming into his own when he, at age 23, walked away from the game.

Edur had oodles of promise. In 1973 as a 17 year old Edur, along side notable teammates Mike Palmateer, Bruce Boudreau and Mark and Marty Howe, helped the Toronto Marlies capture the Memorial Cup.

His fine performance at the Memorial Cup led the WHA Cleveland Crusaders to offer the underaged junior a 3 year, $250,000 contract, stealing him before the NHL had a chance to draft him a year later. The Boston Bruins did draft him in 1974, but he remained in Cleveland for the duration of his contract.

Edur was emerging nicely with the Crusaders. By the final year of his contract the 20 year old rearguard tallied 35 points and impressively compiled a +14 rating on a horrendous defensive team.

Despite increasingly feeling comfortable on the ice, he was uneasy off of it. He was said to be shocked and disillusioned with the pro-hockey lifestyle, particularly the drinking and promiscuity. He tried to accept it, and forced himself to indulge in it, once claiming to be drunk every day for a month.

In 1976-77 Edur jumped to the NHL. He joined the Colorado Rockies, being reunited with his former Cleveland coach Johnny Wilson. He was named as Colorado's best defenseman that first season in Denver, but early the next season he was traded to Pittsburgh, again following Wilson.

Edur was really coming into his own for the remainder of the season with the Penguins. He scored 10 goals and 55 points, the 11th most of all NHL defensemen. The 23 year old's career seemed ready for take off. But that is when Edur grounded his career, walking away from the game in the summer of 1978.

Prior to training camp Edur informed the Penguins he was going to retire. He had become a devoted Jehovah's Witness, and wanted to fully commit to his new found faith. The Penguins offered him a new contract complete with a big raise and the blessing to sit out Sunday games.

But Edur did not return. He explained his decision in an interview for a 1979 issue of MacLean's magazine.

"I quit hockey - but not because I don't love the game. I do. My dream had been to become a National Hockey League player. I can still remember when I was about ten years old and faithfully watching my favorite hockey team on TV. Sometimes, when their games were on radio, I'd fall asleep listening to them in bed."

"But serving Jehovah, the Most High God, is not just a one-day-a-week affair. It is a "way of life. Hockey is also a full-time career. You have to be dedicated to it, playing and practicing all the time. And now I was dedicated to Jehovah. (Matthew 16:24) To play as a professional and at the same time try to serve Jehovah would, I felt, be like having two masters-something or someone would be bound to suffer. So I let the team know I was quitting professional hockey."

You can read the entire MacLean's article here.

I'm not really sure what happened to Tom Edur after he left hockey. He appears to have initially become a Jehovah's Witness pioneer, spreading the word of God. I'm not sure if he became involved in any other career. Apparently he had been completing a bachelor's degree from the University of Toronto while he was still playing.

The Penguins meanwhile joked in Sports Illustrated that they were receiving two miracles from God as compensation.

Gary Inness

2009-12-15T19:33:00.000-08:00

Gary Inness took the unusual route to the National Hockey League. He played collegiate hockey at McMaster University and at the University of Toronto, both of the Ontario University Athletic Association. In total he spent 5 years in the two Ontario colleges. Very few Canadian university students ever make it to the NHL.

Following his graduation in 1973, he jumped at an opportunity to take his chances with the pros when the Pittsburgh Penguins offered him a a contract. Inness impressed immediately. It was widely expected he'd be a minor league net keeper but he spent equal time in the big leagues. By 1974-75 he was the Pens starting goalie, with a 24-18-10 record with a 3.09 GAA and 2 shutouts.

The 1975-76 season saw Inness traded away after playing in 23 games with Pittsburgh. He went up state to Philadelphia where the Flyers were looking to shore up their goaltending depth with an injured Bernie Parent questionable at best.

Parent would become healthy soon enough and Inness would be the odd man out. He only got into two games the rest of that season, and in 1976-77 he saw action in only 210 minutes spread over 6 games.

Wanting a chance to play regularly, Gary signed on with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association for the 1977-78 season. He spent a season and a half with the poor Racers team before signing with the NHL Washington Capitals. Only a few years earlier the Capitals had been the worst team in league history, but Inness helped to make them respectable, playing 37 games with a 14-14-8 record and a respectable 3.70 GAA.

Inness found himself as the odd man out in both 1979-80 and 1980-81, playing only 17 games in the league over that time span. He spent more time in the minors rather than the NHL.

Inness retired after the 1980-81 season. In total he appeared in 162 career NHL games with a record of 58-61-27 while posting two shutouts and a career goals-against average of 3.40. He also posted a record of 17-36-4 in 63 career WHA games with a 4.35 goals-against average

Inness later worked as a high school teacher at Barrie North Collegiate in Barrie, Ontario.

Stan Gilbertson

2009-11-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

Stan Gilbertson was a fine junior and minor league player who benefitted from NHL expansion in the 1970s. With more NHL teams and more NHL jobs, Gilbertson finally caught on with the California Golden Seals in the first half of the decade

Stan had a very good rookie season for the weak Seals team. He had 16 goals and 16 assists in 78 games (71-72). He played the entire 1972-73 and 73-74 seasons there as well. In 73-74 he scored 18 goals and 30 points.

On November 11, 1974 he was traded to St.Louis where he only played 22 games before being traded again to Washington on February 10, 1975. Stan finished the season in Washington with 18 points in 25 games.

He had a fine start of the 1975-76 season when he had 27 points in 31 games for Washington before being shipped to Pittsburgh on December 16, 1975. His 26 goals in 75-76 was a career high.

He played one more season for Pittsburgh before his career suddenly was over. During the summer of 1977 he was driving his jeep near Pittsburgh in Rostraver, PA to pick up a pair of skates when it overturned in a dangerous curve and pinned his right leg. Stan recalled the moment:

"I was driving a teammates jeep. Coming around a sharp curve, I came on a car coming at me in my lane. Swerving to the right, I ran off the road, rolled over, and wound up upside down, half over a narrow railroad bridge, hanging half out of the car, head down. It was later measured at 13 feet to the ground and if the car had toppled down on top of me I would have been crushed. I freed myself and fell to the ground, but I knew I was badly hurt. My leg hurt bad and I was a bloody mess. But I don't think they knew knew how bad I was hurt. After they got to me,they took me to this little hospital. When I asked to be transferred to a bigger hospital in Pittsburgh,i t took 45 minutes to take me there before they even put me on an operating table. They found the nerves in the leg were ruined and they had to amputate. As an anesthetic they chilled my body. It's called hypothermia. But my body heated up to 104 degrees during surgery and I darn near died. They told me that two out of three in that situation do. At first they took off my leg below the knee, but the stump didn't heal right and they had to take off more at the knee. That was bad because an artificial leg works better with the use of the knee. But I was lucky to have any left leg at all."

At 32 his hockey career was over. Stan's strong mentality prevented him from feeling any pity about his situation. Although Stan lost a leg in the car accident he said that he felt lucky because he saw many people in the hospital where he was that were in a far worse condition than he was. He quickly moved on with his life and went on to get a degree ín the real estate business.

Stan was always an outspoken individual who wasn't afraid to speak up and he missed a lot of curfews as a player. He wasn't the greatest skater, hardest hitter or had the best shot but he had a great desire to become a professional hockey player. A goal that he achieved.

Greg Polis

2009-11-17T09:43:00.000-08:00

Greg Polis was born in the community of Westlock, Alberta, on August 8, 1950. He grew up in tiny Dapp, Alberta where the population was just 75 people! As a youngster he used to skate on frozen ponds with his pet dog - a black Labrador retriever. Greg and his dog would be on the ice for hours, as Greg tried to keep the puck away from the dog. This really sharpened Greg's puck handling and skating abilities, and would make him a great junior player and a pretty good NHLer.

A high flying left winger was one of the best players to come out of the Estevan Bruins of the WCJHL, He played there for 4 seasons. Three times he was named as a league all star at left wing, and twice he finished second in the league scoring race - once to Bobby Clarke and once to Reggie Leach! Now that is pretty good company!

Greg's great play at the junior level created superstar expectations at the NHL level, although he would never come close to achieving that lofty status. Polis was drafted 7th overall (just ahead of a fellow named Darryl Sittler) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1970, and made the team the following training camp.

Polis didn't set the league on fire in his rookie season (he did have 18 goals and 33 points in 61 games), yet still represented the Pens in the NHL all star game. By year two Polis had what ultimately proved to be his best year - 30 goals plus 19 assists. He failed to take it to the next level in year 3, as he scored a nearly identical 26 goals and 23 assists. Both years he again represented the Penguins at the All Star Game. That's a pretty impressive statement about a player if he plays in three NHL all star games in his first three seasons!

In his 4th season the extremely fast skater was traded to St. Louis where he failed to make an impact in just 37 games. The following summer he was traded to New York Rangers where it was hoped he would replace the over priced Vic Hadfield who was traded to Pittsburgh. Polis had trouble playing on the top line with Jean Ratelle and Rod Gilbert though. Those two played a slower, control game while Polis was always skating at full tilt. He did post 26 goals but had just 15 assists.

Ironically, Polis' blessed skating ability became a criticism. He was speedster on the ice, but perhaps never learned to utilize his speed effectively. He would have been better served to have used his speed in short spurts as opposed to always skating like gangbusters. Another criticism was that Polis didn't pass enough, or didn't see the ice well enough to make plays. He'd often race in on a beautiful rush into nowhere, and then was unable to get a great shot away or make a play.

Greg spent 2 and 1/2 more seasons in The Big Apple but he started to develop some knee injuries that would eventually end his career. He played briefly with the Washington Capitals starting half way through the 1978-79 season - and he looked good - scoring 12 goals and 18 points in 19 games, but then the knee gave out on him again. He tried to come back the following two seasons, but only got into 28 games, and scored just one goal.

Greg retired from the game after just two games in the minor leagues in 1980-81 as his knee would no longer allow him to play the game he loved. He finished with 174 goals, 169 assists for 343 points in 615 games in his NHL career.

Greg Polis is now a car salesman in Prince George, British Columbia.

Wayne Bianchin

2009-11-04T19:25:00.000-08:00

Wayne was a man who beat all the odds and scored close to 30 goals in a season in the NHL despite the fact that he had broken his neck in a surfing accident earlier on.

While surfing off Hawaii in the summer of 1974 Wayne fell into the water and was helplessly throwed around under the water by a giant wave. He hit his head so badly that he suffered a broken neck that required a fusion.

His hockey career looked to be over. As he tried to make a comeback he suffered from severe headaches that were almost unbearable.

"I'd get a headache from the slightest bit of tension or fatigue," he recalled. He was on medication to alleviate the pain. Wayne was on the brink to quit hockey. " I was on my way to pack it up. I loved the game, but there was only so much that you could tolerate."

The headaches eventually disappeared and Wayne could concentrate fully on hockey again. The speedy winger played his junior hockey for Kamloops, Calgary, Victoria and Flin Flon. During his final junior season in 1972-73 he scored a fine 114 points (60 goals and 54 assists) in 68 games. That led the Pittsburgh Penguins to draft him in 1973 as the 23rd player overall.

Wayne had a pretty good rookie season as he scored 25 points, including 12 goals, for Pittsburgh in 1973-74. He then had his surfing accident and slowly had to play himself in shape. It wasn't until the 1976-77 season before he was 100% again. He scored 2 goals and 1 assist for Pittsburgh on opening night and went on to have his best season in the NHL. Wayne had six two goal games and scored a total of 28 goals.

He was named the winner of the Bill McCracken Unsung Hero Award and also finished high in the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for dedication and perserverance to hockey. When things were looking good again Wayne went down with back injuries that would hamper him for years. He managed to score 20 goals in 1977-78 despite missing over a month with a ruptured spinal disc.

Wayne's 1978-79 season wasn't too impressive and he was left unprotected by Pittsburgh in the 1979 expansion draft where he was picked up by the Edmonton Oilers.

Wayne himself was surprised that he was picked in the expansion draft. " missed 40 games. I didn't think anybody would take a chance on a guy who'd missed 40 games," he said.

Early on in the Oilers training camp he was struggling. He was very aware of that "I haven't got my strength and stamina yet and I may not have it for a month or so," he said back then.

The young and talented Oilers team made a deep impression on Wayne.

"For one thing, I wasn't expecting to see so much depth. We're going to have good players at every position."

Little did Wayne know that many of his Edmonton teammates would go on to build a dynasty team. Unfortunately Wayne never caught on and was scoreless in the 11 games that he played for Edmonton. He spent the rest of the 1979-80 season playing for the Oilers farm team Houston Apollos (CHL).

When Wayne got a phonecall from the Italian club HC Asiago he jumped on the opportunity to play in the country where he had his roots. Wayne scored more than two points per game (58 points in 28 games) for Asiago in 1980-81. Since his father was Italian he was eligible to play for the Italian national team right away. Dave Chambers (coach of Quebec 1990-92) coached the Italian national team at that time, invited Wayne to play for Italy in the 1981 B-Pool World Championships.Wayne scored 12 points in 7 games,including a tournament high 9 assists. He was named to the All-Star team and helped Italy advance to the A-Pool. After his Italian adventure he retired.

Wayne's own description of his playing style was summed up like this: " I like to play it physically. That's my game, I don't crunch people but I'm comfortable in the corners and I rely a lot on my speed."

Duane Rupp

2009-09-24T07:09:00.001-07:00

Duane Rupp was a player who definitely benefited from the NHL's decision to double its size through expansion in 1967.

After completing his final season of junior with the SJHL's Flin Flon Bombers, Rupp spent almost an entire decade in the minor leagues. In that time he played for 8 different teams, but only saw 9 games of NHL action with the Maple Leafs, most of those as a brief injury replacement. With the likes of Tim Horton, Allan Stanley, Carl Brewer and Bobby Baun leading the Leafs to multiple Stanley Cup championships, Rupp had little chance of cracking the line up.

He was considered much too slow to play in the big leagues. He was also considered to be too passive. He appeared to be a giant player, even though the was only 6'1" and 190lbs. The fans and coaches wanted him to be a mean son of a gun hitter and intimidator on the back line, but he had a long fuse and was not wired that way. When he was sufficiently provoked he could handle himself nicely, like the night he roughed up Bobby Orr, which only left fans and coaches longing for more.

But during his time in the minors Rupp became a very solid rearguard. Three times he was an AHL all star and he was a key member of a strong Rochester Americans team that won championships in the late 1960s.

When expansion came in 1967, Rupp found a job at the NHL level for the first time. He did not disappoint. Though he scored just 1 goal and 9 points, the 29 year old rookie was a very steady contributor.

The Minnesota North Stars claimed Rupp in the inter league draft prior to the 1968-69 season but by January traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Leo Boivin.

In Pittsburgh Rupp enjoyed his best NHL playing days. A large reason for that was his coach. Leonard "Red" Kelly was one of the greatest defensemen the game has ever or will ever see, and he helped out Rupp with his game even more so. He even became the first defenseman in team history to score a hat trick.

Regardless of reliable play, he became a favorite of the Penguins boo-birds, due to his perceived lack of physicality. After the 1972-73 season Rupp was demoted to the minors, as the Pens looked to bring some youth in on their blueline. After one all star year with AHL Hershey Rupp returned to major pro hockey by signing with the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA. He would also spend a year in Calgary with the WHA.

In 1976-77 Rupp returned to the scene of his best days of pro hockey - Rochester New York. Rupp played in 41 games to round out his lengthy professional hockey career.

Rick Kehoe

2009-07-06T21:51:00.000-07:00

When you think of the greatest players in Pittsburgh Penguins history the name Rick Kehoe has virtually vanished from memory. But there was a time when you could argue that Kehoe was the best Penguin of all time.

Kehoe played for the Pens from 1974 through 1984. The Pens teams of that time were noted as a high scoring team, with players like Pierre Larouche, Jean Pronovost and Syl Apps. The speedster Kehoe fit right in as he was a consistent 30 goal threat, topping out at 55 in 1980-81, setting team record since bettered by none other than Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.

In his career Kehoe scored 371 goals and 767 points in 906 games in 14 seasons, including his first three seasons in Toronto. The two time all star game representative was once the Penguins leading scorer in franchise history.

Kehoe was a shoot-first type of player, blessed with a laser of a shot. He was also an incredibly clean player, picking up only 120 career penalty minutes. In the season where he scored 55 goals he only had 6 minutes in penalties, making him the obvious choice as the Lady Byng trophy winner.

Unfortunately for Kehoe, his Pittsburgh Penguins teams enjoyed very little team success. When they qualified for the playoffs, they were normally dismissed in the first round, and they certainly were never feared as a Stanley Cup contender. The team was weak defensively. Many of the players including Kehoe were not exactly known for their defensive expertise. It is too bad that poor team success can make the career of a good player like Kehoe almost completely forgotten.

Kehoe would be Mario Lemieux's first right winger upon 66's arrival in Pittsburgh in 1984-85, but the tandem was short lived. Late in the previous season Kehoe suffered a pinched nerve in his neck that caused chronic numbness in his right side. He would never fully recover, ultimately retiring in November of 1984, after trying to keep playing in just 6 games.

For much of the rest of that season Kehoe assisted the Penguins coaching staff. It surprised few that Kehoe got into coaching, as he really enjoyed running his instructional hockey schools during the off-seasons as a player. He would serve the Pens as a scout before becoming an official assistant coach in 1987. He held the job for 14 years, including the Penguins back to back Stanley Cup victories in 1991 and 1992. By 2001 Kehoe finally graduated to head coach of the Penguins, guiding the team through two lacklustre seasons.

Denis Herron

2008-11-25T22:23:00.001-08:00

Did you know that Denis Herron was the first goaltender in NHL history to make team's roster out of training camp right after he was drafted? I know I certainly did not know that. That's pretty amazing for any goalie in any era, the list of goalies who have done that must be pretty small.

The Pittsburgh Penguins made the Chambly, Quebec born Herron a 3rd round pick, 40th overall, back in the summer of 1972. Only Bunny Laraque (6th) was drafted higher, with Mike Veisor, Gilles Gratton and Richard Brodeur also as goalies of note from that draft.

By October of '72 Herron was the starting goalie for the Penguins. Veteran Jim Rutherford temporarily had to make room for the hotshot who had an amazing training camp. Herron won his first two road starts of the season with shutouts against the New York Islanders and Vancouver Canucks.

Herron played in 18 games that season, posting a 6-7-2 record with 2 shutouts and a 3.41 GAA. Rutherford wrestled away the starting job, and the Pens sent Herron down to the farm team to finish the year. The maskless Andy Brown came in later in the season.

Despite the great start, Herron looked as though he would never fulfill his promise in Pittsburgh. He spent the next two seasons in the minor leagues, appearing in the NHL for only 8 games. By January of 1975 he was traded to the Kansas City Scouts for another goalie, Michel Plasse.

Herron headed to KC and got the ice time he needed to develop, albeit behind one of the worst NHL teams of all time. Herron played in 86 games over the next season and a half, sporting an unenviable record of 15-52-15 with a GAA near 4.00. Despite the less than flattering statistics, Herron won over some praise for his valiant efforts. Yet his reputation for a wandering level of concentration was beginning to spread.

Watching closely was his old team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Realizing they may have been too impatient in dealing the young goalie away, the Pens reacquired Herron by signing him as a free agent in August 1976.

Despite a broken arm interrupting his season, Herron had a terrific 1976-77 season. He went 15-11-5 record with a 2.94 GAA, leading the Penguins into the NHL post-season.

Herron played two more full seasons in Pittsburgh, recording back to back 20 win seasons, returning the Pens to the playoffs each season.

For his at-times spectacular play, Herron was never blessed with the opportunity to play for a team that was not labelled as mediocre at best. That changed in 1979-80 when he had the amazing chance to go to Montreal in a trade for utility forward Pat Hughes.

Montreal was looking to shore up it's goaltending situation with the early retirement of superstar goalie Ken Dryden. Everyone knows that playing goal in Montreal is one of the most pressure filled situations in all of hockey. Try doing it as a) a Quebecois goalie and b) as Ken Dryden's replacement.

That was the situation facing Herron and Richard Sevigny, the two goalies brought in to do the job. By Montreal standards they put up adequate efforts, sharing the Vezina trophy in 1980-81 (also with Bunny Laraque), back when the trophy still went to the goaltender(s) of the team that allowed the fewest goals. The trophy was rechristened the next year for the goalie determined to be the best in the league, with the William Jennings trophy created for the fewest goals. Herron and Rick Wamsley topped that list in 1981-82.

Despite the strong defensive record, fans, media and management in Montreal expected more. None of the above four mentioned goalies could emerge as the Habs top goalie, with neither bringing any playoff success to their resumes.

Still playing in Montreal was a nice reprieve for Herron. His first year he went 25-3-3, and over three years he was 43-18-17. And he did not have to face Guy Lafleur. In three of Lafleur's 6 seasons where he scored 50 goals he notched the magical 50 goal mark against Herron.

Herron's legacy be the failed 1980 playoff series against Minnesota. The North Stars upset Montreal in seven games that year, ending Montreal's four consecutive years reign as Stanley Cup champions.

Prior to the start of the 1982-83 season Montreal traded Herron to, surprise, surprise, the Pittsburgh Penguins, gaining a 3rd round draft pick in 1985 in return. Herron would play three more seasons in the NHL, sharing the Penguins nets with the likes of Michel Dion and Roberto Romano.

Herron retired after the disastrous 1985-86 season. That year he was set back by a hand injury and played almost exclusively in the minor leagues trying to get his game back though it was clear his best days were behind him.

In 462 NHL games Denis Herron faced a lot of rubber. He posted a career record 146-203-76 with 10 shutouts and a high GAA of 3.70. He only got into 15 NHL playoff games, going 5-10 with a more respectable 3.33 GAA.

But do not judge Denis Herron by his statistics. They made be bad, but the teams he played on were usually worse.

After retiring Herron became involved in hotel management in Florida and the Caribbean.

Pat Boutette

2008-10-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

Pat Boutette enjoyed a fine 10-year NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hartford Whalers and Pittsburgh Penguins. Although he stood at just 5'8" and 175lbs, "Booter" was a feisty right winger who was as good a play maker as he was a goal scorer.

He enjoyed a solid collegiate career with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers which prompted the Toronto Maple Leafs to select the Windsor, Ontario native in the ninth round of the 1972 Draft. Being drafted by the Leafs was a dream come true for Boutette.

Boutette did not debut in Toronto until 1975-76. He still had 2 years of University left and then apprenticed in the minor leagues for two seasons with the Oklahoma City Blazers.

Pat was part of what would have been a spectacular youth movement by the Leafs, except they ended up trading away most of their young stars. Boutette team with names like Sittler, McDonald and Williams but soon enough all would be shipped out of town. Boutette was a checker and penalty killer for the Leafs, often teaming up with the extremely physical line of Jerry Butler and Jim Jones.

In his first 4 season with the Leafs, Pat was a consistent 15 (or so) goal scorer and 35 point getter. However in his 5th campaign with the Leafs, which would prove to be his last, he slumped terribly picking up only 4 assists in 32 games. The bad start prompted the Leafs to trade him to Hartford where he finished the season strongly with 44 points in 47 games.

“When I went to Hartford, I hated to leave the Leafs and I think my heart is still with the Leafs,” he said. “But at least I got a chance to play a little more hockey and I think it extended my career by going on somewhere else.”

In fact, Boutette ended up enjoying his finest season in the NHL with the Whalers as he potted 28 goals, 52 assists and 80 points in his second year with Hartford. His stay in the Insurance City was short though. When the Whalers signed restricted Penguins free agent Greg Malone, the NHL announced both Pat and Kevin McClelland would go to Pittsburgh as compensation.

Pat would return to Hartford after 3 solid seasons in Pittsburgh, including a 74 point season. However when Boutette returned he was obviously near the end of his career, and in fact finished the season and his career in the minor leagues.

Boutette left the NHL with career totals of 171 goals, 282 assists and 453 points in 756 regular season games. In 46 career playoff contests, he had 24 points.

While he fulfilled his childhood dream to play for his beloved Leafs, his short tenure in Hartford proved to be one of his finest memories. He became more of an offensive player and had more ice time, plus he go to play with Dave Keon, Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe, all childhood idols of his.

Dave Burrows

2008-10-11T12:39:00.000-07:00

Most people will agree that Bobby Orr is the best defenseman ever. But how about the best pure defensive defenseman? While there are a lot of candidates, one of them would have to be the heavily underrated and under appreciated Dave Burrows.

While Orr lit up the scoreboard during the 1970s, Burrows was busy preventing goals with the Pittsburgh Penguins and later the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Burrows wasn't a physically dominating, crease clearing blueliner. Instead he relied on a greater understanding of the game to be in perfect position no matter what scenario he was faced with. He was an expert shot blocker and above all else, was known as one of the best skaters of his time. He amazed many observers with his incredible speed and agility. Some felt he could skate faster backward than most could go forward.

"I took a lot of pride in being able to move laterally and backwards with great ease. It took a lot of practice, but it was something I enjoyed doing," he said.

"In fact, I used to get a big kick out of skating backwards on two-on-one breaks or one-on-one breaks against me when I was back on defense. It was a challenge trying to break up situations like that. I enjoyed that part of the game the most."

Growing up in Toronto, Burrows idolized the legendary defensive backliner Tim Horton.

"I can remember watching Tim play on TV when I was a kid, but I never patterned my style of play after him. I just admired the way he played defense."

Needless to say, it was greatly exciting for Burrows to join the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1971-72, a team that also featured Horton.

"The biggest thrill of my career was playing defense with Tim when we were together in Pittsburgh. I was in awe of the man. In fact, the first time I was introduced to him I didn't know what to say!

"And Tim wasn't afraid to give out advice or help. He helped me out with a lot of little things in my game. He's a man I'll never forget, I owe him a lot."

Unfortunately for Burrows and defensive minded rearguards like him during the 1970s, he received virtually no recognition. Bobby Orr revolutionized the way defensemen played the game. No longer were they on the ice to stop goals, but instead to create offense.

"I guess you would have to say it was tough getting any recognition with a guy like Bobby around" said Burrows. "But that really didn't bother me because I really didn't like getting a lot of attention. I just enjoyed my game."

Burrows greatly admired Orr too.

"Sitting back and watching a guy like Orr, you knew that he deserved to get all the awards he got. He could skate so well. And he was a good defensive defenseman. With the speed he had he could come back and cover up on some of the mistakes he made. To say the least, he was adept on defense. I wouldn't mind having him on my team. He was the best I ever saw.

Burrows retired from the National Hockey League in 1981. He scored just 29 goals in 724 games, but was one of the best in the league at his role.

In retirement Burrows went on to own a industrial maintenance business in Brampton Ontario where he did everything from lawn care to painting fences.

"I don't miss the game" he said years later. "I miss the guys and the fun we had. I really don't even follow the game that much today."

Jay Caufield

2008-10-08T17:10:00.001-07:00

At 6'4" 240lbs, Jay Caufield looked like a linebacker on skates. That's because he was! A linebacker in college, Jay also liked to play hockey, though he never played it too seriously until 1985-86 when he signed as a project of the New York Rangers. Just out of college with no prospects to continue his NHL career, Caufield played in the minors for the next two years.

Caufield did play in 13 games for the Rangers in 1986-87 with the Rangers, but was traded early in 1987-88 to Minnesota where he played just one game, spending the rest of the year in the minor leagues. It was with the Stars farm team in Kalamazoo that Caufield accepted the role of tough guy/policeman, earning 273 PIM in 65 games.

Caufield was picked up via the waiver draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins just prior to the 1988-89 season. The Pens were looking for a "designated sitter" to protect the likes of superstars Mario Lemieux. He played in a career high 58 NHL games and compiled 285 PIM in his first of 5 full years with the Pens.

Caufield was a good fighter, though never a truly feared heavyweight. He was incredibly strong and in excellent muscular condition (he was the heaviest player in the league, all of it muscle), he wasn't even that feared by other NHL tough guys. He willingly took on all comers but because of a lack of balance on skates he couldn't get all his strength into his punches, thus making him more of a clutch and grabbing wrestler than a true heavyweight fighter like Dave Brown or Bob Probert.

If Caufield was an average fighter, he was below average as a player. He had little agility or speed on his skates at all, which prohibited him from bodychecking effectively. He had little hockey sense and couldn't handle the puck while skating. His only goals, 5 in total, came from a loose puck in front of the enemy net.

A likeable person off the ice, Caufield was a good guy to have in the dressing room, always keeping the guys loose. That and his willingness to fight kept him in the NHL. Few players worked as hard in practice to improve himself as a player

When it comes right down to it, Caufield played in 208 NHL games, scored 5 goals and 13 points and twice has his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. That's better than what many accomplished!

Caufield gained a lot more respect in retirement when it became known he was serving as Mario Lemieux's personal physical trainer and emotional confidante when #66 was making his comeback to the National Hockey League.

Doug Shedden

2008-10-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

Doug Shedden will always be best remembered as Mario Lemieux's first right winger of note in the National Hockey League.

Shedden had played in three NHL seasons prior to Mario's arrival in 1984-85, scoring 10, 24 and 22 goals respectively. However with the teenage phenom Lemieux centering him, Shedden exploded to post 35 and 32 goals the following two seasons. He was particularly sharp on the power play, scoring 31 goals in the two seasons with Mario, including 19 in 1985-86.

Doug was an offensive minded player, with a good shot featuring a quick release. However Shedden was a very poor defensive player. Despite scoring 67 points including a career high 35 goals in 1984-85, the most telling statistic from that season was his horrific -51 rating. He was a -38 the previous season, and -20 the year before that. He was a career -110. Granted Shedden played with some pretty weak teams, but he didn't help out enough defensively.

His defensive liabilities was a big part of the reason why the Pens traded Shedden late in 1985-86. Shedden was traded to Detroit in exchange for playboy Ron Duguay.

Shedden's stay in Detroit was short - just 44 games over parts of 2 seasons. He scored just 8 times and was dumped to Quebec. He performed even worse as a Nord, going goalless in 16 games, and eventually being demoted to the minors.

Shedden signed on with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in 1988, but with the exception of 24 games in the bigs, Doug played exclusively in the minor leagues until his retirement in 1993. A major reason for his lack of ice time with the Leafs was because he was slowed by a serious knee injury in his first game with the Leafs. Despite that, Doug points out that game as one of his career highlites.

"I guess I think first of all is growing up in Barrie, the first time I ever walked out as a Maple Leaf, walking out of that dressing room. It’s something I had watched my whole life. It was a big thrill to put on the Maple Leaf jersey for the first time," said Doug.

Doug also is quick to point out some of the players he played with - Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, Peter Stastny - as well as his friends within the game, such as Mike Gartner and Wayne Gretzky.

Doug was once asked to describe himself as a player.

"I think people always said I was a goal scorer and I would agree to that a little bit. But I think I saw the ice fairly well, too. I thought I was a real good passer and playmaker and obviously as an offensive type player. So I guess if I look back as to what I did well, I had a pretty hard shot, I saw the ice well and was a good playmaker. I guess when I look back, I just want people to say, ‘You know what? He was a good guy, he was a good teammate and I had a lot of fun with him and he worked hard.’ I think that’s the biggest thing is if you’re well liked by your peers, especially within the game. That’s the biggest thing I would hope that people say is, ‘He’s a real good guy.’”

He retired with 139 goals, 186 assists and 325 points in 416 regular season NHL games.

An unusual note about Doug is that in a 12 year professional career he never once played in the Post season. He had an outstanding playoff in his last season junior hockey in 1981 with Sault Ste. Marie, but didn't see championship action again until 1992 when he was able to participate in second division playoff in the weak Swiss hockey league.

Shedden entered the coaching ranks after hanging up the skates, coach in the low minor leagues in such cities as Muskegon, Wichita, Louisiana, Flint and Memphis. It appears he will be bouncing around hockey as much as a coach as he did as a player.

Jim Paek

2008-07-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

In 1990-91, Jim Paek became the first player from South Korea to play in the National Hockey League. Though he was born in Seoul, Paek grew up in Canada where he fell in love with the game of hockey.

Jim played his junior hockey with the Oshawa Generals from 1984 through 1987, and was drafted as an 18 year old by the Pittsburgh Penguins 170th overall in 1985. He was a steady defensive force and team captain but didn't put up great offensive numbers in his OHL career. His final season was his best season as he earned Ontario Hockey League All-Star honors.

Jim played the next three seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks and exploded into an puck-moving offensive defenseman. His first year he had 7 goals and 52 assists. The following year he had 3 goals and 54 assists and in the third year he had 9 goals and 41 assists. He also averaged 117 PIM and was one of the most intelligent defensemen in the league.

Despite his fine play he still wasn't being given a shot at NHL employment. Yet he continued to work hard and improved on his defensive game, never losing his focus on his dream of playing in the NHL. In order to improve his chances of playing in the NHL, Jim joined the Canadian National Team for the 1990-91 season and learned some valuable defensive positioning techniques.

When the National Team's season came to a close all of Paek's hard work was rewarded. He joined the Penguins to become the first Korean born NHLer.

Jim played in 3 games before the playoffs and was expected to sit in the pressbox for most of the playoffs as they wanted the rookie around as an insurance policy in case they ran into injury problems. And that's exactly what happened. Paek got into 8 playoff games and even scored his first NHL goal. His steady play under such high pressure helped the Penguins win their first Stanley Cup championship.

Paek played full time with the Pens the next season, though only appeared in 49 games, scoring just 1 goal and 7 assists. But he was a regular on the blueline come playoff time. Paek played a big role in the Pen's successful defence of the Stanley Cup. He even assisted on what proved to be the Cup winning goal in game 4 against Chicago.

Paek's best NHL season in terms of production came in 1992-93. He played in a career high 77 games and registered career highs in all major offensive categories - 3 goals, 15 assists, 18 points and +13.

Paek started his 3rd full season in Pittsburgh in 1993-94 but he was never a favorite of coach Scotty Bowman. He was traded to Los Angeles on February 16, 1994. He went with former King Marty McSorley in exchange for Tomas Sandstrom and Shawn McEachern. Jim played in 18 games for the Kings but the team missed the playoffs.

Jim was then traded to the Ottawa Senators in the summer of 1994 in exchange for a late round draft pick. Jim and the terrible Sens team had a forgetable season in 1994-95. First the season was cut down to just 48 games due to the NHL lockout, and the Sens had just 9 wins in those 48 games. Paek himself appeared in 29 games but picked up only 2 assists.

Jim opted to sign with the IHL's Houston Aeros the following season as no NHL team gave him a good contract offer. Paek would remain in the IHL for many seasons, which is where his career began back in 1987. By the turn of the millenium Paek extended his career with stops in Britain and Alaska.

Frank Pietrangelo

2008-06-13T20:33:00.000-07:00

Frank Pietrangelo came out of nowhere to pleasantly surprise the Pittsburgh Penguins brass when he first appeared in the NHL in 1987-88.

Frank was the 64th overall draft pick in 1983 and played 4 years with the University of Minnesota and one year with the IHL Muskegon Lumberjacks. Yet he was never considered to be a top NHL prospect.

However the Pittsburgh Penguins were desperately seeking help between the pipes. Despite having offense to spare with Mario Lemieux and company, it was defense and goaltending that were holding the franchise back. That was when the Pens gave an opportunity to Frank Pietrangelo - "the goalie with three first names."

Pietrangelo stepped in and played passionate, inspiring hockey. Despite posting a losing record - 9 wins, 11 losses - and a high 3.98 GAA, Pietrangelo was quickly becoming a crowd favorite. His numbers were inflated because he played with the defensively atrocious Penguins

Pietrangelo's play not only made the Penguins reconsider the future of their goaltending, but revise it. Rumors all year long had the Penguins being the top team in the Andy Moog trade derby. Some insisted that the Pens actually held a right to obtain Moog for a first round pick as part of the earlier Paul Coffey deal. However Pietrangelo's exciting play cooled any sense of urgency to acquire Moog or any other goalie.

Moog eventually was traded to Boston, and Pietrangelo never proved to be the answer in Pittsburgh. He played sparingly in Pittsburgh for the next 3 1/2 years, behind Tom Barrasso, who the Pens acquired from Buffalo to become their number one goalie.

A highlight in Pietrangelo's career must have been the Penguins first Stanley Cup victory in 1991. Frank even contributed nicely when Barrasso missed a few games due to injury. Frank posted a 4-1 record and picked up a shutout. Oh, and "The Save."

"Well, "The Save", as it’s know in Pittsburgh, is now part of the Stanley Cup history," remembers Pietrangelo. "The Devils had just beaten Pittsburgh in game five to take a 3-2 lead home in New Jersey for game six. To make matters worse, Paul Coffey sustained an eye injury and would be out for at least the next game, and Tom Barrasso had a shoulder injury keeping him out for the remainder of the series at least. As back-up goaltender, I was thrust into the limelight. Late in the first period of game six, with us [the Penguins] holding a 2-1 lead, New Jersey was on a power play, there was a point shot taken which I made the original save on. The rebound went directly into the front of the crease, and there, all alone, was Peter Stastny with nothing but net in front of him. He fired the puck towards the open net, but somehow I just reached back and the puck went into my catching glove. It was just a natural reaction for me, but it ended up being one of the great memories in Penguins history, and fortunately enough for me, I was involved."

Late in the 1991-92 season Frank was moved to Hartford, where he spent much of the next two years backing up Sean Burke. He actually finished the 1993-94 season in the minor leagues.

Frank signed with the New York Islanders for the lockout shortened 1995 season, but never appeared for the Islanders, bothered by serious knee injuries. He never played in the NHL again, finishing his career with 5 seasons in Europe.

"When I first started my pro career, never would I have imagined that it would last 15 years! There were many ups and downs throughout my 10-year pro career here in North America, spending time in the IHL and AHL before solidifying my position as an NHL goaltender. However, I wouldn’t trade these experiences for the world. The final five years of my hockey career were spent in Europe, and once again they were very memorable."

The Stanley Cup championship was the highest point of his career, but Pietrangelo is also quick to point out the relationships he made.

"I can’t help but be thankful for the opportunity to play and become friends with some of the greatest hockey players and people in the game. Being teammates with the likes of Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Paul Coffey, Bryan Trottier, Joe Mullen and Mark Recchi to name a few. This will definitely give me some great memories to share with my grandchildren some day."

After retiring from hockey Frank Pietrangelo became a player agent with clients on both sides of the Atlantic. Pietrangelo had a degree in business management from the University of Minnesota.

Larry Murphy

2008-05-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Larry Murphy very quietly amassed a career which landed him in Hockey's Hall of Fame.

Murphy was drafted 4th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1980 NHL entry draft, He was drafted out of the famed Peterborough Petes junior organization, where he was part of the 1979 Memorial Cup championship. He was the OHL's outstanding defenseman in 1979-80, earning him a higher NHL draft selection than Paul Coffey.

In his first NHL season "Murph" set NHL rookie records for defensemen when he recorded 60 assists and 76 points. Despite the impressive debut, Peter Stastny would win the rookie of the year award with an incredible season. This became somewhat typical of Murphy's career. His quiet excellence was always overshadowed by someone else. The humble Murphy never minded.

Murphy would enjoy three seasons in Los Angeles before being traded to the Washington Capitals where he finally started getting some of the recognition he deserved. His best season as a Cap was in 1986-87 when he set a team record for points by a defenseman wtih 81 (23 goals, 58 assists).

Perhaps Murphy will be best remembered as the most famous decoy in hockey history. Murphy was part of the 1987 Canada Cup team and was the third attacker on the famous 3-on-1 attack that won the game and the series. Murphy darted to the front of the net and was wide open for a potential tap-in, but Wayne Gretzky elected to drop the pass back to the trailing Mario Lemieux, who of course put the puck top shelf on the Russian goalie.

A consistent power play and even strength scoring threat, Murphy suffered through a bad final season in Washington in 1989, only recording 36 points in 65 games. He was moved to Minnesota where he rediscovered his scoring touch scoring 68 points in 77 games.

But Murphy's stay in Minny was short lived as well, as he was traded to Pittsburgh where he was an important addition to a powerful offensive team already boasting Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. Murphy's slick playmaking and good slap shot helped Pittsburgh win their first Stanley Cup. Murphy played a huge role in that initial Cup victory, scoring 23 points in 23 games.

Murphy and the Pens successfully defended their Cup win the following year.

Ironically, Murphy's most successful personal season came after the Pens reign as champs. He recorded a career high 85 points and 13 more in 12 playoff games, but the Pens were upset by David Volek and the New York Islanders in the playoffs.

After a short and tumultuous stint in Toronto, Detroit picked up the veteran defenseman late in the 1996-97 season hoping he'd be the final piece of their Stanley Cup puzzle. They were right. After losing Paul Coffey, the Wings lacked that offensive punch from the point, especially on the powerplay. Enter Larry Murphy. He surprised everyone with his youthful play despite his age. His offense and experience brought the Stanley Cup back to Detroit.

Murphy played 1,615 regular season games in the NHL, recording 287 goals, 929 assists and 1216 points, which, at the time of his retirement, placed him as the third highest scoring defenseman in NHL history. His 1615 regular season games placed him, again at the time of retirement, second on the NHL's all time games played list, behind Gordie Howe.

Murphy was a tremendous playoff performer as well, playing 215 NHL playoff games, contributing 37 goals and 115 assists for 152 points, winning the aforementioned 4 Stanley Cups.

All of this adds up to an obvious induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, which happened in 2004. It was nice to see Murphy get recognized, because too often he quietly flew under a lot of people's radar. He had a unique game where he didn't really stand out a lot, but by the end of the year he was always amongst the top scorers among defensemen in the league.

I do not think most people truly appreciated Larry Murphy. Casual fans and observers from afar did not get to watch him enough to truly appreciate the intricacies of his game. Even fans who did watch him regularly didn't always value him, as fans in both Washington and Toronto booed him out of each city.

Murphy was more of a passer than a rusher, preferring to pinch into the offensive zone while expertly manning the point. He was one of the best I have ever seen at holding the blue line, almost always blocking mad clearing attempts by desperate defensive teams. He was a great skater in his younger days, and possessed an excellent collection of shots.

Though he had good size, he never really played a physical game. He would bump his check off the puck rather than make strong takeouts. He relied on an heady stick checking defensive game that he excelled at due to his great hockey sense, ability to read the oncoming attack, and his flawless positioning.

Petr Nedved

2008-04-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

My fascination with the National Hockey League Entry Draft more or less began in 1990 with Petr Nedved.

As a young fan of the lowly Vancouver Canucks, the draft represented hope. With Trevor Linden in place as the heart and soul, the team desperately needed a scoring superstar. With the draft in Vancouver and with the Canucks holding three of the first twenty-three picks, including #2 overall pick, these were exciting times.

The draft was said to be, and would prove to be, one of the deepest in history. Mike Ricci entered the previous season as the consensus top pick, but Owen Nolan and Keith Primeau caught up quickly. Jaromir Jagr would have undoubtedly been the top choice but there was still risk because his availability was still in doubt as political reform was still in progress.

But the man I wanted was another Czech player - Petr Nedved.

There was no worries about Nedved's immediate availability. As a 17 year old junior player with Litvinov, he made a daring decision that most of us can not even comprehend. While playing in Calgary at the Mac's Major Midget tournament, Nedved slipped into the night carrying nothing but his hockey bag. He had defected, with dreams of playing in the National Hockey League.

"The defection, that night, is something I'll remember the rest of my life. It was the biggest decision I ever had to make. I thought about staying even before I left for the tournament but I wasn't sure and I didn't know really what to expect. There were a lot of questions I was asking myself.
Am I able to go back home? Will my parents be okay with my brother? I was almost more scared for my family than me. But I knew I wanted to play in the National Hockey League and, other than that, I didn't know much ... there were a lot of unknowns. Looking back now I'm surprised I was able to make that decision," Nedved told the Calgary Herald years later.

The center of an international dispute, Nedved hid out in Calgary for 5 months while he waited for his landed immigrant status.

All eyes were on the spindly Czech kid who did nothing to hide his fascination with Wayne Gretzky. He emulated him in every way. He tucked in his shirt the same, wore the same Jofa helmet, and copied his hunched over skating style. He'd fly down the win, curl at the blue line looking for an amazing pass, although he really should have been more greedy and use his laser of a shot more often.

Nedved tore up the Western Hockey League with 65 goals and 145 points in 71 games. His offense was undeniable. He had the creativity and vision of #99. He was a game breaker through and through. He had already showed more courage than any other player possibly could.

I, like probably most west coast fans, desperately wanted Vancouver to take Nedved. Keith Primeau, with his hulking size, was my other choice, although Philadelphia was supposedly offering Ron Sutter and Scott Mellanby if Vancouver flipped picks and slipped down to #4. They wanted Nedved too.

The Canucks did take Nedved, but did not really not what to do with him. He made the NHL team immediately, but he was too slight to make an impact. But sending him back to junior was not an option either, as he was too good for that league, and he had no other place to play. So the Canucks coddled him on the 4th line. To this day I believe Nedved's development was stagnated by this decision. He probably should have been returned to junior, even if the WHL offered no competition.

Nedved, despite glimpses of brilliance, never really found his way in the NHL until his third season, when he scored 38 goals and 71 points, despite getting next to no prime power play time. You see, by now the Canucks had secured Pavel Bure. With his 60 goals and explosive skating, the Russian Rocket became the offensive dynamo Vancouver was looking for. Nedved was second fiddle. The Canucks were trying to change his game to more of a two way game, as his Gretzky-mirroring did not mesh well with the puck-hogging Bure.

The Canucks were knocked out of the 1993 playoffs by Gretzky's L.A. Kings. At the conclusion of the final game Nedved sheepishly asked The Great One for his stick. That would prove to be Nedved's final act in Vancouver.

Showing the same resolve that he used to defect to Canada as a teenager, the principled Nedved held out in a contract dispute. The two sides were far apart in terms of money, but rumors had Nedved unhappy in Vancouver and demanding to be traded.

Interestingly, Nedved would stay in the news that season. He had gained his Canadian citizenship, and since he never play for the Czech national team, he was allowed to play with the Canadian national team that season. Wearing number 93 for the year he gained citizenship, he and Paul Kariya would lead Canada to a silver medal in the Olympics in the days before full NHL participation.

Following the Olympics his NHL future was finally solved. The St. Louis Blues signed him, which led to a compensation trade that saw Jeff Brown, Bret Hedican and Nathan Lafayette come to Vancouver. The move worked well for Vancouver, as the defensive depth and mobility allowed them to challenge the New York Rangers for the Stanley Cup that spring.

Despite the contract dispute and despite the less-than-great three years in Vancouver, I remained a Petr Nedved fan. He seemed really likeable, and being a Gretzky fan myself, I really wanted Nedved's mimicking game style to work on the west coast.

I didn't get to follow Nedved's career as closely after he left Vancouver. His tenure in St. Louis lasted only a few months as he was moved to the New York Rangers. Because Mark Messier did not take a liking to him, Nedved was then moved on to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Playing with Ron Francis and countryman Jaromir Jagr (not to mention the great Mario Lemieux in power play situations), Nedved posted his best season in 1995-96. Still, his 45 goals and 99 points were a far cry from the promise of Gretzky.

Another principled contract dispute saw Nedved return to New York, this time getting the chance to play with Gretzky. He called it his career highlight, but somehow I always felt Nedved lost his drive to be the next Gretzky. Perhaps all the money and the playboy lifestyle of a NHL star made him complacent to be Petr Nedved instead of being "the next one," which was fully his intention when he defected as a 17 year old.

Nedved would toil with Edmonton, Phoenix and Philadelphia before his NHL career quietly came to an end in 2007. Upon his return to the Czech Republic, he had scored 310 goals, 407 assists and 717 points in 982 games.

Bryan Hextall Jr.

2008-04-03T21:02:00.001-07:00

Most young hockey players grow up dreaming of one day skating on the ice of Madison Square Gardens. Bryan Hextall Jr. grew up learning the game in the world's most famous arena.

That is because his father, Bryan Hextall Sr., is one of the greatest New York Rangers players of all time. Like many NHL dads, Hextall brought his son down to rink where he would play pick up games with other sons once the NHLers were done on the ice.

For the most part Bryan Hextall Jr. learned the game back in Manitoba where the family returned following dad's NHL career. Jr. became a junior hockey sensation with the Brandon Wheat Kings, blending his dad's two trademarks of scoring and toughness.

The New York Rangers were naturally intrigued by bringing the second generation star into the fold, but the storybook tale did not materialize right away. After appearing in 21 scoreless games with the Rangers in 1962-63, he spent the better part of the decade toiling in the minor leagues.

It was not until 1969 when Hextall would return to the NHL. The Pittsburgh Penguins employed him for five seasons. He established himself as a banger, an agitator and a fighter who could slip in a few goals every season. He gradually improved from 12 goals to 16 before registering back-to-back 20 goal campaigns in 1972 and 1973.

In 1974 he began his vagabond days of clinging to NHL paychecks, toiling with Atlanta, Detroit and Minnesota, before retiring in 1976. He cherished his games in Minnesota as he had the rare opportunity to play NHL hockey with his brother, Dennis.

Bryan's career would not quite follow the legend of his father's. But his life did take a similar path. Upon retirement he, too, returned to Manitoba where he helped his son make the National Hockey League. Son Ron became one of the top goaltenders in all of hockey in the late 1980s and the 1990s.

Bryan "Bugsy" Watson

2008-03-29T21:03:00.001-07:00

Nicknamed "Bugsy" by Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio, Bryan Watson was known to be an agitator extraordinaire. He bothered people, doing whatever it took to make them lose their concentration.

In spite of Bryan's small size (5'9" and 175 Ibs), most people were distinctly aware of his presence. Ken Schinkel, a former teammate and coach of Bryan once said " Bryan is very verbal, and will take whatever steps are necessary to do his thing. That thing means to get into fights, give elbows, and make people boo when he comes to the ice."

Schinkel also recalled when he played against Bryan.

"I felt it when Bryan came to say hello in the corners. You always knew you got hit when Bugsy got to you. "

Watson himself used to say that the contact felt good and got his circulation moving. Pete Stemkowski of the Rangers called him a "Madman". Denis Potvin once described how during a fight Bryan drove his head right into his cheek. Anything counted in Bryan's book. His style of play could easily be seen on his PIM totals. Bryan had 2212 Pim's in only 878 games.

Intimidation was the name of the game for Bryan. He was a pretty bad skater and shooter but he had more guts than most players and that is what kept him in the NHL for such a long time. He only scored 17 goals in the 878 games and had 152 points.

A loyal and absolutely fearless player who never hesitated to stop pucks with his head if the situation called for it, Bryan was a great teammate. In the dressing room he was always on the lookout for a good practical joke. He knew when to lighten the bench, and when to set a fire under someone's ass. He was definitely one of those players who every team liked to have on their side.

But among his opponents he was the kind of player that you loved to hate in the same fashion as an Eddie Shack, Theoren Fleury, or Sean Avery. In other words, you loved to have him on your team but you hated to play against him, because he could be really mean.

This Bancroft, Ontario native played his junior career for the Peterborough Petes in the OHA. He then toiled a short while in the minors before being called up to the Montreal Canadiens where he played 39 regular season games during the 1963-64 season as well as 6 playoff games, but he didn't make much of a name for himself. It was apparent that Bryan's bruising style was not going to fit the fleet style of play that the Canadiens were noted for, so they traded him to Chicago on June 8, 1965. One day later he was claimed by Detroit in the intra-league draft.

Watson spent two years in Detroit, drawing some praise for his job checking Bobby Hull in the 1966 playoffs. Yet he would be claimed by Minnesota in the expansion draft in 1967. The North Stars traded him back to Montreal the same day. Once again he had a short stint with the Canadiens and spend most of his time in the AHL and CHL. Needless to say, Watson's luggage was starting to get worn out after all this movement.

It was during the 1967-68 season that Bryan drew some fame. He managed to lead the CHL in penalty minutes (293) in only 50 games, but he also was named the best defenseman in the CHL as well as being the MVP of the league and a first team All-Star.

He was traded to Oakland in 1968 and then to Pittsburgh in 1969. He managed to stay over 5 seasons in the Steel City, and led the NHL with 212 PIMs in 1971-72.

But Bryan continued to be a well traveled player. He played in St. Louis and Detroit once again before finishing his career with three seasons in Washington. In 878 NHL games he scored just 17 times while setting up 135 others. He retired with 2212 PIMs, then a NHL all time record.

After a short coaching tenure with the early 1980s Edmonton Oilers, Watson would stay in the Washington area in retirement, opening up Bugsy’s Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar in nearby Alexandria, Virginia.

Greg Millen

2008-02-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

Greg Millen was the 102nd overall draft pick of the 1977 Entry Draft. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, he was returned to junior hockey for the 1977-78 season. He ended up playing with the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds which featured a 16 year old phenom named Wayne Gretzky.

Millen had a much better Penguins training camp in 1978. With veteran goalie Dunc Wilson retiring in the summer, a position opened up for one of the Pens young goaltenders. Millen beat out Gord Laxton for the back up spot. Millen did well, sporting a 14-11-1 record with 2 shutouts and a 3.37 GAA.

Millen's status in Pittsburgh quickly grew. The next season he gradually overtook the starting goalie role, playing in 44 games (18-18-7) and by 1980-81 was without question the Pens go-to guy. He played in 63 contests for a less than great team. He went 25-27-10 with an inflated 4.16 GAA.

The summer of 1981 was an interesting one for Millen. The Pens dragged their feet on resigning Millen. A free agent subject to compensation, Millen reached a deal with the Hartford Whalers and wanted to use it as leverage with the Pens. However the Pens never answered Millen as GM Baz Bastien was on a golfing vacation. Assuming that the Pens weren't interested, Millen signed with the Whalers, even though he really would have liked to have stayed in Pittsburgh. Baz Bastien was surprised by the events. The Pens got Kevin McClelland and Pat Boutette for the Whalers signing of Millen.

Millen served the Whalers well as their #1 goalie for the next 4 years. He was the Whalers workhorse, even leading all goalies in games played in 1982-83. Unfortunately for Greg, the Whalers weren't the strongest team during the early 80s, and his stats suffered for it. He lost a lot more games than he won, but played admirably and always kept an upbeat attitude.

Greg was traded to St. Louis on February 21, 1985. Packaged with Mark Johnson, Millen was traded for Mike Liut and Jorgen Petterson. Liut was one of the better goalies in the league but the Blues were under some financial hardship at the time and traded Liut away. Millen had the unenviable task of replacing Liut while playing with a team that was stripping down to trim the budget.

Millen and the Blues struggled for quite a while in St. Louis, but by 1988-89 he resurfaced as a strong goaltender once again. He led the league in shutouts with 6, including 3 in a row. He finished the year with a 22-20-7 record and a 3.38 GAA.

Millen played well in 1989-90 but found himself out of the picture just before Christmas 1989. With a young Curtis Joseph ready to take over the role of starter from Millen, the Blues traded Millen to Quebec who were in desperate need of a veteran goalie.

Millen originally refused to report to the Nordiques. The St. Louis Blues had made Millen some promises but backed out of them by trading him, leaving Millen dejected.

Millen did report, and enjoyed his time in Quebec. "They treated me really well" he said. "Sometimes I think they are too good to their players. They try to make up for the fact that a lot of people don't want to be there."

Even though Millen was happy personally, he was unhappy professionally.

"It wasn't working. I wanted to finish my career with a chance to win a Stanley Cup and there was no chance there."

Having said that, Millen asked for a trade and got it on March 5, 1990. Packaged with Nordiques legend Michel Goulet and a draft pick to Chicago for Mario Doyon, Everett Sanipass and Dan Vincelette.

Millen enjoyed finishing the season with the Blackhawks. Playing under Mike Keenan, who Millen described as "a totally new experience," Millen backstopped the Hawks into the playoffs. The Hawks were considered to be a good contender for the Cup, which of course is exactly what Millen had desired. However the Hawks ran into Mark Messier and the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the playoffs, and Millen and the Hawks season was over.

1990-91 proved to be the weirdest for Millen. Eddie Belfour had arrived as the Hawks number one goalie and Keenan's favorite netminder. However to everyone's surprise Keenan brought in Jacques Cloutier to back Belfour up. Millen appeared in only 3 games all year, and sat in the press box otherwise. Millen had quickly fallen out of favor with Iron Mike.

Millen became New York Rangers property in the summer of 1991 but moved him to Detroit before he finished his minor league conditioning stint. He played in 10 games for the Wings before retiring at season's end.

Millen posted a 215-284-89 in 604 contests. He posted 17 career shutouts and a career 3.87 GAA. In the playoffs he went 27-29 with a 3.42 GAA.

Millen went on to become a highly respected hockey broadcaster, most notably with Hockey Night In Canada.

Paul Coffey

2008-01-25T23:40:00.000-08:00

The first thing everyone thinks about when the name Paul Coffey is mentioned is his skating ability. Wearing skates several sizes too small, this guy was simply amazing. In a couple of strides he was able to glide through the neutral and offensive zones faster than those dogged checkers chasing him. He was every bit as silky smooth as he was lightning quick.

Scoring exploits are also always remembered. He retired as the 10th highest scorer in NHL history, even though he was a defenseman. Coffey tallied 396 goals and 1,135 assists for 1,531 points in 1,409 regular-season games. He added 196 points, on 59 goals and 137 assists, in 194 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He eclipsed the 100-point mark five times in his career, and set the single-season goal-scoring record for defenseman with 48 goals in 1986.

Given the green light to play offensively from the blue line while skatinging alongside the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier and Steve Yzerman allowed him to attain such lofty career numbers. The three time Norris trophy winner and eight time All Star was a brilliant passer, often triggering transition offense with amazing and instinctive breakout passes. While everyone will remember him for his skating and his puck rushing, Coffey may have been the best first-pass defender in league history.

The Oilers drafted Coffey 6th overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. It took a little patience, but soon Coffey was a key member of hockey's last great dynasty.

"Joining the Oilers was a great opportunity for me to get a chance to play on a young team that had a lot of talent," Coffey said. "I was always a good skater, but I was not as offensively oriented as a junior as I was as a pro. That was the style Glen Sather wanted me to play. My first partner was Gary Lariviere and he gave me a lot of confidence. I had the green light every time I was on the ice. Then, working with Charlie Huddy, we took it to another level. He allowed me to play the way they wanted me to play. Charlie was a very good defenseman and we had a lot of fun playing together."

"It was exciting to be on the ice with him and watch the way he could skate," Huddy said. "The great thing was he would take a few strides and then he'd just glide most of the time. He would glide by people, which is fairly unusual. He was such a powerful skater that it was fun to watch. He could come out of our end and find guys in the middle of the ice and the pass would be right on the tape. There weren't very many times that it wasn't right on the tape.

"His ability to see the ice and make those kinds of plays was remarkable. You know, it was something different every game. You never knew what was going to happen. It was exciting for me to be part of it."

The Oilers exploits need no introduction. With Coffey on the blue line the Oilers won the Stanley Cup in 1984, 1985 and 1987. In 1985 he set playoff standards for all defensemen with 12 goals, 25 assists and 37 points in 18 playoff games.

Following a contract dispute, Coffey was traded to Pittsburgh after the Oilers were eliminated in the 1986 Playoffs. It was a blockbuster deal that gave Pittsburgh a top-notch offensive defenseman and Edmonton a good scorer in Craig Simpson.

"Going to Pittsburgh was a great opportunity and great challenge for me," Coffey said. "GM Eddie Johnston acquired me and that was awesome. I saw him play with the Bruins and the Maple Leafs and now I was getting a chance to play with a superstar in his own right in Mario Lemieux, but we didn't know how to win yet. I went from a team that was a perennial Stanley Cup champ to a last-place team, but one with all the right people in place. They didn't know quite how to get to first-rate status. My first week there I realized what a big challenge this was for me. I was thinking, 'What the heck have I done?' I kept my nose to the grindstone and management kept acquiring players until we had a team that could win."

Coffey would get a lot of credit in turning that franchise around, helping the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 1991. But a lot of people forget that Coffey was actually traded prior to the Penguins successful Stanley Cup defense in 1992. Late in that season Coffey was moved to Los Angeles where he would be reunited with his old Edmonton running mates Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri.

His stay in California was short, just 60 games spread over parts of 2 seasons. Before the Kings went on their magical march to the 1993 Stanley Cup finals, Coffey was traded to Detroit where he played strongly for four seasons.

Coffey became a vagabond player after that, playing in stints with Hartford and Philadelphia, Chicago and Carolina and finally in Boston in the 2000-01 season. Though he was a shadow of his former self, his experience and leadership undoubtedly proved to be valuable assets.

Coffey had his share of detractors - he did play with some awfully great players to help pad his stats, he wasn't the greatest defensive player, and outsiders labelled him as a difficult personality in dressing rooms. These suggestions may all have some merit to them, but at the same time I think are somewhat exaggerated. But for whatever reason, Coffey isn't quite considered with Doug Harvey or Ray Bourque or even Niklas Lidstrom as the best defenseman in NHL history not named Bobby Orr.

Watching Coffey speed through the neutral zone and penetrate the offensive zone and carry that puck to the net was a great treat. For me he will always be an Oiler, and I was glad to see he and the organization patched up their relationship and had his jersey #7 retired.

I will also always think of Paul Coffey as a legend of Team Canada. He starred in the 1984, 1987 and 1991 Canada Cups in particular, he was also part of the 1990 world championship entry and the 1996 World Cup team.

Most people will remember Coffey's magnificent 1984 blocked pass on a Soviet 2-0n-1 break and his subsequent transition on the offense to set up Mike Bossy for the overtime winning goal. It's funny how his defensive play was considered spotty in the NHL, but with his amazing speed he was a key defender for Canada against those powerful Soviet teams in the 1980s.

Val Fonteyne

2008-01-25T16:09:00.000-08:00

Isn't it weird how the NHL recognizes the most penalized players? Tiger Williams is a legend because partially because he is the all time leader in PIM. Every year the Official Guide and Record Book points out the season leaders in PIM.

Yet the NHL doesn't recognize who committed the fewest fouls. Sure they give out the Lady Byng for gentlemanly play, but often that doesn't go to the least penalized player of the season.

Case in point - hockey's Mr. Clean Val Fonteyne never won the Lady Byng despite 5 full NHL seasons (3 consecutively) where he had 0 penalty minutes!! He only spent 26 minutes in the penalty box in 13 years in the league. That's 26 minutes in 820 NHL regular season contests! Amazing! Los Angeles Kings Randy Holt once received 67 minutes in penalties during one after-the-whistle brawl!

In one stretch Valere played in 185 consecutive matches without committing a foul. He followed that up with a 157 game stretch! And as you might of guessed, Val never got into a fight; all of his fouls were the harmless tripping and holding variety.

Val was a tiny but speedy left winger who specialized in defensive play and especially penalty killing. On many nights he was unnoticeable to the fans, but his teammates and opponents sure appreciated his thankless play. He received little fanfare during his career, just the way the shy winger liked it.

Val was best known as a Detroit Red Wing and Pittsburgh Penguin, though he also spent time with the New York Rangers and the WHA's Edmonton Oilers. He really enjoyed finishing his career in Edmonton, not far from his hometown of Wetaskiwin.

In the summer of 1974, Fonteyne (a Belgian name) decided to quit playing hockey and took a job driving a delivery truck for the Wetaskiwin post office. He remained there until he retired in 1994.

"It was just an ordinary job, but it was fine by me." said Val. "The post office was stable and provided a reasonable living.

Now retired, Val enjoys fishing and gardening.

Kevin Stevens

2007-12-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

Brockton, Massachusetts is the birthplace of legendary middleweight boxing champion "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler. The boxer with the best chin ever was never knocked down in his entire 14-year professional career.

Brockton, Massachusetts is also the birthplace of Kevin Stevens, hockey's ultimate power forward in the early 1990s. The hockey player who was knocked down several times during his 13-year professional career.

Kevin grew up in a sports oriented family back in Massachusetts. His father Arthur was a good baseball prospect who played in the Cincinnati Reds minor league system. Even though Kevin was good at other sports, especially baseball, it was hockey that was his passion. He played one year at Silver Lake high school and played so well that he was drafted 112th overall by Los Angeles in 1983.

Kevin decided to finish his college education and picked Boston College where he played for four years, earning a degree in economics. There was still some question then whether Stevens would play hockey or baseball. He actually attended rookie camps for both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies. The LA Kings didn't have the patience to wait for him so they traded him to Pittsburgh later for journeyman Anders Hakansson.

During his four years at B.C. Stevens scored 71 goals, 99 assists 170 points in 158 games. He was the captain at B.C. where his teammates included Craig Janney and Brian Leetch. Kevin set a B.C. record in 1986-87 when he scored 15 power play goals. He was named to the Second Team All-America, First Team Hockey East and First Team All-New England.

After his college career was over he was invited to the US national team to fight for a spot on the Olympic team. He represented USA in the 1987 Pravda Cup in Moscow and the 1987 World Championships in Vienna. Kevin played really well in the 44 games he played, scoring 45 points including 22 goals. This earned him a ticket to the 1988 Olympics in Calgary.

Kevin played a few games for Pittsburgh after the Olympics and then started the following season in IHL, playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks. After a while he was called up to Pittsburgh and finished the 1988-89 season there.

He once again represented USA in the 1990 World Championships and played well, scoring 7 points in 10 games. Playing alongside the great Mario Lemieux, Kevin soon emerged as not only one of Pittsburgh's best players but also as one NHL's premier power forwards. He helped Pittsburgh win their first Stanley Cup in 1991 and scored 86 regular season points and another 33 in the playoffs.

He set an NHL record for most points by a left wing, 123, in 1991-92 and finished second in league scoring behind line mate Mario Lemieux. His 123 points was also an NHL record for an American born player in the NHL. He was also the first NHL player to score 50 goals, 100 points and 200 penalty minutes in one season. He helped Pittsburgh to their second straight cup picking up 28 points in the playoffs.

Kevin's stellar play continued the following season as he scored 55 goals, tying the NHL record for American born players. His 111 points was good enough for 12th overall in the league.

Stevens was about much more than scoring. At 6'3" and over 215lbs, he had the size coaches covet and opponents dread. He was a deceptive skater and he relished the physical game. He was a weak defensive player, but he made up for that with goals and hits, and lots of them.

But then came the most famous knock out essentially ended his career. During the 1993 playoffs he was checked hard by NY Islanders Rich Pilon. Pilon's visor actually hit Stevens in the face, knocking him out instantly. Then he fell face first on the ice breaking numerous facial bones. During the off-season he had reconstructive surgery on his forehead and nose. It was a nasty injury and even though he managed to score 41 goals and 88 points the following season it was evident that it wasn't the same old Kevin Stevens.

He seemed to shy away from the physical contact that he used to love. He didn't initiate much of the physical play which of course isn't so strange looking back at his injury. But it was such an integral part of his game. Kevin never was a great skater, but he always had a good shot with a quick release. In the past he never thought twice about where his shot was going, which made him dangerous. He had great hand-eye coordination and was especially dangerous on power plays. But after the injury some of these things were missing from his game.

With Steven's deteriorating play and Mario Lemieux's growing absence due to injuries and illness, Pittsburgh traded Stevens and his big contract to Boston on August 2, 1995. Many people, including Kevin thought that his trade home to Boston would be an injection to his career. Unfortunately Kevin turned out to be a bust in Beantown and was even benched by Steve Kasper at one point. He only lasted a half season before Bruins quickly traded Kevin to Los Angeles in exchange for Rick Tocchet.

After the 1995-96 season was over Kevin went on to represent USA in the 1996 World Championships in Vienna. Kevin led all scorers on the US team as they picked up a Bronze medal. Their first medal in 34 years (1962). That was Kevin's last high point as a player.

Kevins on ice, and perhaps off ice troubles began in LA. His career was on the downside and the life in the fast lane in LA may have been too much for Kevin. He was pretty much a bust in LA as well and was shipped to NY Rangers on August 28, 1997 for Luc Robitaille. In New York Kevin never got his act together either. At this time Kevin was seen as an overpaid player who played on the third and fourth line. NY Rangers tried to ship Kevin to other clubs, but with his hefty salary and age there weren't any takers.

Halfway through the 1999-2000 season hockey fans around the world were shocked to learn about the sad story involving Kevin Stevens. On January 22, 2000 he was caught at a sleazy motel room in East St. Louis with a prostitute, a glass pipe and crack cocaine. How could an NHL player with a million dollar salary could sink so low ? Apparently Kevin had battled problems with drugs years earlier and had been in substance abuse programs. The greatest victims aside from Kevin is his wife (Suzanne) and two children (son Luke and daughter Kylie). Suzanne was pregnant with their third child.

From the outside it seemed as though Kevin Stevens had everything going for him. He was a popular multi sport star in college and a good student who graduated with an economics degree. He went on to the Olympics and the NHL, establishing himself as one of the best players in the game he loved. Money and adoration quickly followed, as did alcohol and drugs.

Stevens entered the NHL/NHLPA substance abuse program to clean up his act. He briefly returned to the NHL, first with the Philadelphia Flyers then returning to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He retired in 2002, staying in Pittsburgh first to work on radio broadcasts and later as a scout.

Peter Taglianetti

2007-12-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

Peter Taglianetti's claim to fame is peanut butter.

Taglianetti was a big, strong, physical defenseman out of Framingham, Massachusetts. In 1983 the Winnipeg Jets drafted him 43rd overall out of Providence College. Taglianetti could be tagged as a bit of a late bloomer, as he was passed over by every team in every round of the previous two NHL drafts. As such, Taglianetti worked hard on his studies, majoring in business management before taking a chance on a career in pro hockey.

Taglianetti was a lanky defenseman when he entered college, but he filled out and learned how to use his size advantage by the time the Jets finally drafted him. He set a record for penalty minutes at Providence College that still stands. He succeeded in and enjoyed the contact battles and aggressive hitting, which was an ingredient the Jets were definitely missing back in the mid-1980s. That allowed Taglianetti to develop strictly as a throw back defenseman, which was a good thing because by NHL standards he was not overly mobile or offensively gifted.

After short stints in Winnipeg and Minnesota, "Tag" found a home in Pittsburgh just in time to be a part of back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. The team lost him to Tampa Bay in the 1992 expansion draft, but reacquired him late in the next season. He also briefly played for Boston, but he is best known as a Pittsburgh Penguin depth defender.

That, and peanut butter.

As the Pens chased after their first Stanley Cup championship in 1991, Taglianettie was felled by an ankle injury in the opening round against New Jersey. It was diagnosed as "lace bite," which resulted in a deep bruise on the front of his ankle where he flexed his foot and tied the lace.

The injury didn't affect his play once he got his skate on, but getting the skate on was the problem. He could not tie his skates without suffering sever discomfort, until trainer Skip Thayer came up with an odd idea. Thayer had heard Chicago's Al Secord solved a similar problem by filling a Ziploc baggy with peanut butter. After Vaseline and other products wouldn't suffice, Thayer tucked the baggy underneath the skate flap. Taglianetti could then tie his skates and play without pain.

Interestingly, Jif and local supermarket chain Shop 'n Save tried to cash in on the story by sending Taglianetti cases of peanut butter. Taglianetti jokes that his kids quickly grew tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, because he used all the free peanut butter to feed his children.

Another odd ball story comes from Taglianetti's charitable endeavors, which he was very actively involved in. He wasn't the type of athlete who would show up to just charity golf scrambles. Which perhaps explains why on July 4th, 1993 he participated in the World Wrestling Federation's Yokozuna Bodyslam Challenge event. Climbing aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York City's harbor, Taglianetti was unsuccessful in his attempt to body slam pro wrestler Yokozuna in an event that raised $20,000 for charity.

Taglianetti retired from hockey in 1996, and opened up a couple of fitness training centers in Pittsburgh. He also worked as a vice-president in a Pittsburgh based office products company.

Ron Francis

2007-06-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Very quietly Ron Francis was one of the best centers in the history of the National Hockey League history. He finished his career with 549 goals, 1249 assists (2nd best of all time) and 1798 points (4th best). He won two Stanley Cups, three Lady Byng trophies, a Selke trophy and a Clancy trophy.

Yet somehow he was always hockey's best kept secret. He was never named to an All Star team, never played for Team Canada, and never mentioned in the same breathe as the game's top centers of his era such as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, Mark Messier or Joe Sakic.

Picked fourth overall by Hartford in the 1981 Entry Draft, Ron excelled for years in relative obscurity with the Hartford Whalers. For almost a decade Francis was the Hartford Whalers. He was their leading offensive threat while also being their top checker. He was their specialty teams specialist, face-off specialist and most importantly he was their leader.

Francis, like Gretzky, thought the game better than most. He somehow exceeded the sum of his parts. He was a choppy skater, deceptively quick but not pretty to watch. He had good size and used it effective, but was anything but imposing. He was never a dazzling or charismatic player, just a greatly efficient one.

Francis, a cousin of Whalers goalie Mike Liut, played 10 seasons in Hartford, receiving the team's MVP honors four times and leading the team in scoring five times and in assists seven times. He is the Whalers all-time NHL leader in goals (264), assists (557), points (821) and games played (714).

Even though the Whalers never found much playoff success and relations were crumbling, it was still a surprise when later in his career Francis was traded in a blockbuster deal to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Negotiations over a new contract were at a stalemate, and relations between the franchise and its key player were fragmenting. The Whalers even went as low as to strip Francis, universally hailed as one of the greatest leaders in the game, of the team captaincy.

Ron immediately had an impact in Pittsburgh. Francis played a huge part in helping the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, in 1991 and 1992. While continuing to be a top defensive center man, Ron enjoyed his finest scoring season in Pittsburgh. In 1995-96 he was often moved on to left wing with Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. Francis would score 27 goals and lead the league with 92 assists for 119 points.

Francis became the glue of a very talented Pittsburgh Penguins team. Playing in the huge shadows of scoring sensations Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, it was Francis' defensive contributions and quiet offensive genius that was the missing ingredient in Pittsburgh. The Pens' two Stanley Cup victories were largely, but typically quietly, due to Ron Francis.

In 1998-99 Ron Francis returned to his roots, sort of. He rejoined the Whalers franchise, long since moved to Carolina where it was known as the Hurricanes. He was a big part of the growth of the NHL in a hockey-sparse locale. His best season came in 2002 when he scored 77 points and led the surprising WhalerCanes to the Eastern Conference championships.

After a brief stop in Toronto, Francis announced his retirement in the summer of 2005. He expanded his WhalerCanes franchise marks to 16 seasons, 1,186 games, 382 goals, 793 assists and 1,185 points. His career marks were 549 goals, 1249 assists (2nd best of all time) and 1798 points (4th best of all time).

Pierre Larouche

2007-06-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Pierre Larouche was the 8th overall selection by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft following one of the most impressive junior seasons. Playing with the Sorel Black Hawks, Larouche scored 94 goals and 157 assists for 251 points in 67 games!!

Larouche stepped right into the Pittsburgh lineup the following season and excelled. He scored 31 goals and 68 points and led the Penguins to the second round of the playoffs. The following season Larouche took the league by storm, scoring 53 goals and 111 points. Seemingly Larouche was on top of the hockey world.

However Larouche would take a step backwards the next season, scoring only 29 goals and 63 points and for the first time there was rumours he was available on the trade market. As skilled a skater and shooter as he was, Larouche also needed to have a map to find his own defensive zone. So when Larouche got off to a bad start the following season, the Pens traded Larouche to Montreal 20 games into the season. Larouche was moved for Pete Mahovlich and Peter Lee.

Larouche would battle injuries and the pressures of being a francophone playing in Montreal for the first two seasons in Montreal. But by 1979-80 he was healthy and burst out with a 50 goal campaign for the Habs, adding 41 assists. However a poor playoff again had his critics rumbling.

His critics (and in Montreal, everyone is a critic) weren't impressed by another injury riddle season to follow up the 50 goal campaign and by 1981-82 he was traded to Hartford in a deal involving lots of draft pick switching (Montreal ended up with Petr Svoboda). Larouche enjoyed playing without the pressure of the media in Hartford, finishing the season with 25 goals in 45 games.

However, (you guessed it!) Larouche would again battle injuries in 1982-83 and was not resigned by the Whalers. Larouche went to Broadway where he signed with the New York Rangers. In New York, he fell two goals short of becoming the only player in NHL history to score 50 goals with 3 different teams. Larouche scored 48 times, 19 of which were power play goals.

"Lucky" Pierre Larouche scored 395 goals, 427 assists for 822 points in 812 career games.

Battleship Kelly

2007-06-10T23:24:00.000-07:00

Just to really complicate things, there were two Bob Kellys playing in the National Hockey League during the 1970s. And both were near identical players - pugnacious left wingers known more for their fighting skills and corner work than their finesse abilities.

As a result of their identical names and style, each player quickly became known by their nickname. Bob "Hound Dog" Kelly was a feared checker with the Philadelphia Flyers where he won a couple of Stanley Cups. Robert "Battleship" Kelly, the subject of this profile, spent as much time in the minors as he did in the NHL, but put together a nice string of 425 games from 1973 through 1979 with St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Chicago.

Battleship Kelly was best known as Penguin, where he played 3 1/2 seasons of his 6 season NHL career. Bigger than the other Kelly, Battleship was probably the better fighter of the two. In fact several of the NHL's top tough guys would rank the 6'2" 195lb Fort William Ontario native among the best of the goonish 1970s.

"He's also a decent winger" said Pens GM Jack Button at the time of his acquisition from St. Louis. The Blues were looking to beef up their team by adding Kelly and Steve Durbano, but Kelly was more than just a fighter.

After netting 16 goals in his rookie season split between the Blues and Pens, Kelly nicely found the twine 27 times in his second year. Add 24 assists and 120 well earned PIM, and the Penguins had found themselves a nice player. He bettered his offense to 55 points in year 3, including 25 goals, while upping his PIM to 149.

Kelly took a step backwards in 1976-77. His ice time was reduced, as was his offensive role. He was able to tally just 10 times, with 21 assists. He remained effective if not offensive, and he continued to play solidly at both ends of the rink, posting a career high +13.

Kelly became a free agent at the conclusion of that season, and opted to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks were a pretty weak team at that time, and Kelly couldn't help them at all. He suffered through two poor seasons, scoring just 9 times in 138 games as a Hawk.

After briefly keeping his career alive in the minors, Battleship Kelly hung up the skates during the 1979-80 season.

Andy Brown

2007-01-31T22:35:00.000-08:00

Andy Brown was a minor league goaltender who played only a handful of NHL games. But he is the answer to a most interesting trivia question - he was the last goaltender in the history of the NHL to play without a protective mask.

Brown played his last NHL game on April 7, 1974, and by doing so became the last goalie to play without a mask. Playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Brown lost 6-3 to the Atlanta Flames. It was his last NHL game as in the off-season he would sign with the WHA's Indianapolis Racers.

Brown often wore a mask in practice, but claimed his visibility was hindered by the mask in game situations.

Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Brown struggled with various serious injuries during his junior career. Never shown any interest by the NHL, Brown refused to give up on his dream to be a big league goalie. Brown signed on with the AHL's Baltimore Clippers but spent his first three seasons with the Clippers affiliate teams in the EHL. Brown proved himself in the EHL and in 1968 he moved up to play with in the AHL. He played three solid seasons and by 1971 he was considered to be the best goalie in the AHL, winning First All Star team status.

The Detroit Red Wings picked up Brown in the summer of 1971 in an Inter-League draft. Brown would spend most of the 1971-72 season in the AHL but did get a 10 game taste with the Red Wings. He sported a record of 4-5-1 with a 3.96 GAA.

Brown appeared in 7 games with the Wings the following season but spent most his time in the minors again, this time in the CHL. In February of 1972 he was dealt to the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a draft pick and some cash. Brown's only full season in the NHL came in 1973-73 when he had a respectable 13-16-4 record and picked up his only NHL shutout.

With the Penguins intending on using Dennis Heron and Jim Rutherford in the future, Brown signed on with the WHA where he played three more seasons with Indianapolis.

In total, Andy Brown played in 62 NHL games with a 22-26-9 record. He once held the NHL record for penalty minutes in a season by a goaltender with 60. In 1974-75 he set the WHA record with 75 penalty minutes, including allegedly throwing the puck and bloodying Frank Mahovlich's head. But he will always be remembered as the last goalie in the NHL to have played in between the pipes without a goalie mask.

An avid race car enthusiast, Brown was a second generation NHLer. His father Adam played parts of 10 years in the NHL with Detroit, Chicago and Boston back in the 1940s and 1950s. Adam Brown assisted on Gordie Howe's first NHL goal.

Ron Schock

2006-12-19T22:52:00.000-08:00

Like most players who played just prior to the original expansion in 1967, Ron Schock took great pride in the fact that he made the NHL in the era of only 6 teams.

"I knew I was lucky to be with the Bruins, let alone being in the NHL" said Schock. After all, there was only 120 jobs available in the NHL those days. You had to be VERY good to make it. "I think any of us who made it at that time just wanted to be wanted by someone."

Schock played 4 seasons with the Bruins, but saw limited ice time. But he enjoyed his time there.

"It was a different time for the player then. This was still the time before using jets was the in thing to do. At that time we still took trains. Because of that I think teams were closer because they spent more time together. I can still remember a lot of the old stories the veterans used to tell."

In 1967 the NHL doubled in size from 6 to 12 teams. The Bruins exposed Schock in the expansion draft, and lost the crafty center to the St. Louis Blues. Initially Schock was, pardon the pun, shocked.

"A lot changed when expansion took place. That's why I think I was hurt a little when I went to the Blues from Boston. But after being with the Blues for a while, I realized that somebody (the Blues) wanted me also and that made me feel better."

Schock's stay in St. Louis was short - just two seasons. He was traded to Pittsburgh with Craig Cameron for a draft pick in 1969.

How he got traded is a bit of a funny story.

"That is a trade I'll never forget. I had been playing golf with the Blues' owner, Sid Salomon, on a Friday and he had been telling me how well the team seemed to be going and how he was looking forward to having me on the team the next season. The following Monday, I was traded to Pittsburgh!"

Schock is probably best known as a member of the Penguins, as he spent 8 seasons in the Steel City. However the team was pretty weak, which made it frustrating for the team, the fans and Schock.

Things started out well, as the Pens had a dynamite of a player in Michel Briere. Just a rookie, he looked like he was going to be a star with the Pens for many years to come. This of course excited all including Schock, who felt things would only get better from that first year.

"Unfortunately," Schock remembers painfully "after that first season he was killed in an automobile accident. That just seemed to be the luck of that team for the next decade."

Schock's best memories in Pittsburgh came in 1974-75. Schock was having a career year - smashing previous career bests with 23 goals, 63 assists and 86 points. More importantly, the team had had a good year and were having an even better playoffs. In fact the Pens were on the verge of eliminating the heavily favored NY Islanders

"We were up three games to none to the New York Islanders. All we needed was one more victory. But we never got it. The Islanders came back to win four straight. Had we won, it would have meant some more money for the franchise."

"Instead, the franchise was sold again, and after a couple of more years some of the key players on the team were traded like myself, Syl Apps and Pierre Larouche. The team has been going downhill fast ever since" said Schock, in an interview one year before the arrival of Mario Lemieux in Pittsburgh.

Schock was traded to Buffalo and spent one year there. He played two more years of minor league hockey from 1978-79, before returning to upper New York state to live near Rochester.

Ron, who's brother Danny also played in the National Hockey League briefly, retired with 909 games played. In that time he scored 166 times and assisted on 351 others for a total of 517 points. In 55 playoff games he scored just 4 goals and had 16 assists.

Bryan Trottier

2006-12-19T18:22:00.001-08:00

Former Islander teammate Garry Howatt nicknamed Bryan Trottier and his super-sniper cohort Mike Bossy "bread and butter." This wasn't totally because the dynamic duo was the dynastic Isles' bread and butter during they hey days (with all due respect to many others, particularly Denis Potvin and Billy Smith), but because the two were almost inseparable both on and off the ice. The two went together like bread and butter.

Bryan, of course, was the center of attention during the New York Islanders dynasty of four straight Stanley Cup wins in the early 1980s. Literally. He centered Bossy along with a host of left wingers, most notably one of the most fearsome figures in hockey history in Clark Gillies, to become one of the most potent scoring combinations in league history. Trottier and Bossy had an uncanny partnership, as the unselfish Trottier perfectly set up Bossy, arguably the NHL's best sniper ever.

"Its instinct," said Bossy while trying to find the words to describe their on-ice relationship. "There aren't any little signals. The thing between us is the communication we have. We're not afraid to tell each other that we should have done this, or we should have done that. As much as Bryan helps me, I've helped him."

"I think history will remember Trots as a great hockey player," said Bossy, "and me as a great goal scorer, not a great hockey player. I can't say who's better because we were so different. Any team that needed a strong and determined center who could score and check and win face-offs would naturally choose him over me. Any team that needed somebody to score goals would choose me over him."

That pretty much sums up Trottier as a hockey player pretty nicely. Although he once led the league in scoring, had 6 100 point seasons and 2 more over 95, and once scored 524 career goals, and 1425 career points, he isn't remembered for his great offensive numbers.

That tells us just how great the rest of his game was. To dwarf those incredible offensive statistics is no easy feat, but when people remember Trottier they talk about him being perhaps the most complete player in the history of the game. As incredible as his offensive wizardry was, his dogged defensive play and gritty physical play was equally as impressive - and perhaps more so. .

Bryan was born just outside of a small town in Saskatchewan named Val Marie - just north of the Montana border. Like most of the kids in the area, Bryan grew up honing his skating and puck skills on the frozen ponds during the long Saskatchewan winters. But Bryan took the game more seriously than the others kids - he would stay out on the ice and practice when everyone else gave up due to the frigid temperatures. Sometimes the only friend Bryan would have out on the ice was his pet border collie. Bryan noticed that the dog liked to put the puck in its mouth, so Bryan took that opportunity to practice his shot - with the collie acting as a make-shift goaltender.

By 1972 Bryan was old enough to begin advancing his career. He travelled 75 miles down the road to Swift Current where he joined the WHL Broncos. He started out slowly, but quickly became one of the hottest prospects in the league. Playing with the likes of Terry Ruskowski, Tiger Williams and Brian Sutter.

In the 1974 NHL Entry Draft, Trottier was selected 22nd overall by the Islanders. He was returned to junior (by this time the Swift Current Broncos had moved to Lethbridge) for some more apprenticeship - a move that paid off very well. Trottier led the entire WHL with 98 assists, which coupled with his 46 goals and 144 points earned him 2nd place on the overall scoring list and he won the WHL Most Valuable Player Award.

Trots broke into the National Hockey League in 1975 with the Islanders, winning the Calder trophy as the leagues best rookie.

"Its his poise that really stands out," said teammate Billy Harris during Trots rookie year. "He's always calm, regardless of the situation. And he's got tremendous hockey sense. He is, if there is such a thing, a natural born center."

"Trots" had 32 goals and 63 assists, which set a then-rookie-record 95 points. But that was just the beginning for Bryan.

Three short years after arriving in the NHL in such grand fashion, Trots captured the Art Ross trophy as leading scorer and the Hart trophy as MVP. Many people expected the Islanders to finally become the team that would upset the Montreal Canadiens and become hockey's new best team, but that would have to wait a year as the cross town rival NY Rangers upset the Islanders in the playoffs.

However the following year the Islanders would finally reach the top, winning their first Stanley Cup in their history. And they wouldn't let go of their championship, holding it for the next 4 years before the Oilers dynasty managed to wrestle it away from them. That first year it was Trottier who was named as the MVP in the playoffs, earning him the Conn Smythe Trophy.

While Bryan got used to lifting the Stanley Cup over his head, it was the first one that is always the most special.

"When I was holding the Cup," he said "I could feel all the names. My senses peaked. I could hear everyone. The crowd was incredible, one continuous roar.".

The 4 time All star Trottier's best years came during the height of the New York Islanders dynasty. For the 4 years that the Isles reigned as the NHL champions, Trottier was arguably the best player. Famed hockey writer Stan Fischler made it his personal campaign to let everyone know that he felt Trottier was better than the young whiz kid in Edmonton named Gretzky. In fact Fischler once said "Trottier has ripened into the most effective total forward since Gordie Howe."

Teammate Eddie Westfall agreed with that assessment. "He's rugged like Howe. Gordie liked to play a physical game and so does Bryan."

Another old timer Trottier was often compared to was Boston Bruins 1940s and 50s standout center Milt Schmidt of the Boston Bruins. A modern comparison would be Steve Yzerman.

The fact that Trottier scored over 500 career goals and 1400 points in 1200 games is amazing, as it often seemed that Trottier was more interested in such intangibles as body checking and defensive attention.

Isles coach Al Arbour had a much easier job when Trottier was in the lineup, and agreed that in the early 1980s that Trottier was the league's best center. "Gretzky is an offensive genius for sure," said the slightly biased Islanders bench boss. "But at this stage Trots gives you more things. Defensively, he's outstanding. And he's physically tough. He comes up with his 100 points a year, automatically, along with everything else!"

Arbour once also said he'd never trade Trottier for Gretzky.

Hulking defenseman Larry Robinson was another fan of Trottier's. "What you don't realize is that Trottier weighs over 200 pounds. You can't budge the guy of knock the puck off of his stick. And he hands out a lot of punishment at close quarters."

Trottier remained with the Islanders through 1990 season, making him the last piece of the championship puzzle to leave Long Island. By then he was clearly nearing the end of his career - his offensive stats had dried up and he was relying on his leadership and defensive abilities.

After all those years with the Islanders, Trots would join the Pittsburgh Penguins late in his career. With his leadership and experience, he helped Mario Lemieux and company win two consecutive Cups, bringing his total to 6 championship rings.

Trottier retired after the 1992 championship, and returned to Long Island to work in a front office position. But after one year off of skates, Bryan returned to the game, again with the Penguins. He played in just 41 games to round out his career.

In 18 NHL seasons Bryan played in 1279 games - scoring 524 goals, 901 assists and 1425 points. He also participated in 221 Stanley Cup playoffs games - scoring 71 goals, 113 assists and 184 points. Bryan played in 8 NHL All Star Games and in two Canada Cups - once for Canada and once for the USA (he held dual citizenship due to his status as a North American Indian)

Trottier was overshadowed by glitzier stars like Guy Lafleur, Wayne Gretzky and Marcel Dionne. He was even overshadowed on his own teammates like by Mike Bossy, Denis Potvin and Billy Smith, and later Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.

But make no mistake, Trottier is a legend of hockey. Trottier could do it all. He was gifted scorer who could also neutralize the other teams big guns. An excellent face off man, he was also a relentless body checker, slamming into opponents at any given chance. If there was a hockey dictionary and you looked up the term "complete player," it would have a picture of Bryan Trottier beside the definition.

Tom Barrasso

2006-12-19T18:21:00.001-08:00

Tom Barrasso entered the NHL in the 1983-84 season as an 18 year old straight from high school. The Buffalo Sabres rookie not only succeeded at what is almost unheard of, he turned in one of the greatest individual seasons in the history of the league.

Barrasso originally planned to play for Providence College in Rhode Island, but after ending his high school season by representing Team USA at the World Championships. That confidence boost convinced the youngster to turn pro. In his rookie NHL season, Barrasso won the Vezina Trophy as the leagues best netminder and the Calder Trophy as the top rookie thanks to a 26-12-3 record and a 2.84 GAA. He was named to the first all star team.

After his spectacular season, Barrasso was being hailed as the best goalie in the world by many. He confirmed his elite status by representing Team USA at the 1984 Canada Cup, and then by improving his second season NHL totals to 25-28-10 and a 2.66 GAA. He shared the Jennings trophy and was named to the second team all stars.

The shine on Barrasso's short but brilliant career began to wear off in the 1985-86 season. Barrasso and Bob Sauve had battled for the starters job much of the previous two seasons, but the Sabres ended the goaltending controversy by trading Sauve and declaring Barrasso as their number one man. Barrasso's playing time increased but his numbers fell. In 60 games played, Barrasso posted a 3.61 GAA, and went 24-29-5. Most importantly the Sabres failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 1973-74 season.

1986-87 wasn't any better. Barrasso got off to a terrible start, and the Sabres never recovered. The Sabres finished dead last in the NHL.

The Sabres stuck with Barrasso, and he rebounded in 1987-88, posting a 25-18-8 record and leading the Sabres back into the playoffs.

Early in the 1988-89 season, Barrasso was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh's powerful offense, led by Mario Lemieux and Paul Coffey, needed some defensive help. Barrasso proved to be that help, as he was an important part of back to back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992.

Barrasso would stay with the Pens through 200, racking up huge win totals. He became the first American born goalie to win 300 career NHL games. He'd have 369 in all, compared to only 277 losses.

In the new century Barrasso ended his career by bouncing around with the Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and St. Louis Blues for very short stints. He was also named to Team USA for the 2002 Olympics and helped the team capture a silver medal.

Because of his spectacular start in Buffalo and his Stanley Cup brilliance in Pittsburgh, it is likely this Sabres and Penguins legend will end up in Hockey's Hall of Fame.

Gilles Meloche

2006-12-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

Judging a hockey player based on his stats often leads to inaccuracies, particularly when it comes to goaltenders. Gilles Meloche is the perfect example of this.

He surrendered 2756 goals against, more than anyone else in history. His 270-351-131 career record is pretty weak, and his 351 losses is only one shy of the NHL record - set by Hall of Famer Gump Worsley, who played nearly 900 games.

One would decipher from those stats that Gilles wasn't a very good puck stopper. But in actuality nothing could be further from the truth. Quick, agile and a tremendous attitude were his trademarks. Meloche was a very good goalie on some VERY bad teams. If Meloche had played in Montreal during the 70s and Ken Dryden played in Oakland and Cleveland, then we very well might be saying Meloche is one of the all time greats and Dryden would be the one with the poor numbers.

Gilles actually got his start in the NHL with Chicago. He was a happy 70th overall draft pick of the Hawks in 1970 as Gilles grew up idolizing Hawk legend Glenn Hall. Meloche played his first pro year with the IHL's Flint Generals but did appear in two NHL games when Hawks backup Gerry Desjardins broke his arm. It was a good debut for Gilles - he won his first two starts - 6-4 in Vancouver and 5-2 against the California Golden Seals.

Those were the only two games Meloche ever played for Chicago. In the summer the Hawks sent Gerry Desjardins to Oakland for Gary Smith. However Desjardins' broken arm had not healed properly and the NHL nullified the trade. The two teams agreed to new terms and this time Meloche and defenseman Paul Shmyr were sent out west.

An interesting story happened immediately after the trade. Shmyr and Meloche disappeared for the next three days. There was much speculation that two would not report to California as they never showed up for their flight. However Shmyr had wanted his car with him out west, so he convinced the young Meloche to join him as they drove 3 days across the country!

You probably wouldn't have blamed anyone for not wanting to go the Seals franchise though. Soon the WHA would raid their roster and they became the NHL's doormats. But Meloche very much enjoyed his time there and looks back on it fondly.

"Oakland didn't have a very good team for most of my time there, but those were good years for me because I was in my early twenties and playing 50 to 60 games a year. I just wanted to play the game. When you're losing three games out of four, four games out of five, its easy to lose your confidence. But I was getting great press and the fans were always with me. I just enjoyed playing the game and I was having fun so I really didn't mind my days in Oakland. I was in the NHL and that was all that mattered," remembered Meloche in Dick Irvin's great book In The Crease.

With such an awful record the Seals were having trouble making a go of it in Oakland, and the team finally moved in 1976 to Cleveland and became the Barons. Meloche accompanied the team to Cleveland, but as Gilles recalls, not much changed.

"In fact it got worse. Nobody went to the games. It didn't feel like the National Hockey League with only 5000 or 6000 fans in the stands. It wasn't run like a big league team and it was the only time I went into a team's office and asked to be traded.

The Barons wouldn't move Meloche however, as he was one of the very few bright spots.

In 1978 the Barons merged with the Minnesota North Stars. Meloche described his time in Minnesota as "the best time in my career."

"The North Stars had finished in last place overall the year before and they ended up picking Bobby Smith, Steve Payne and Craig Hartsburg in one draft. My first year there we missed the playoffs by three or four points but we made them the next six years and they were great years."

Great was right, especially in 1980 and 1981.

In 1980 the North Stars faced off with the 4 time defending Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens. The heavily favored Habs were looking for their unthinkable 5th Cup in a row! But Meloche and the Stars had a different idea. Meloche was brilliant - so brilliant that long time hockey broadcaster Dick Irvin said "Meloche's goaltending in that series rates among the best I have ever seen in the playoffs!"

Meloche, who had been criticized for not being a "big game" goaltender, shook that label with a 3-0 shutout victory in the Montreal Forum in game one. The very next night the Stars again shocked the Habs with a 4-1 win! The Habs stormed back in the next three games and took a 3-2 series lead, but the Stars continued to fight on. The Stars forced a game 7 with a 5-2 win in Minnesota in game 6. Then the exciting game 7 showdown in Montreal was played. Minnesota's Al MacAdam scored the winner on Denis Heron with around 2 minutes left to play as Meloche backstopped the Stars to one of hockey's biggest playoff upsets.

"That was the greatest thrill of my career" later admitted Meloche.

The Stars bowed out to Philadelphia in the next round of the playoffs, but the next year they made it all the way to the finals where they met the New York Islanders, who won the Cup in 1980. It was an exciting ride for the Stars and their fans, but Meloche knew they were heavy underdogs.

"You know, you get into a series where you don't think you have too much of a chance to win and that's bad because the mental edge has something to do with it. We weren't really in the series but it was still a thrill. I remember losing on the Island and seeing the Stanley Cup on the ice. You know then why its something everybody dreams about."

Meloche continued to play with the Stars until the conclusion of the 1984-85 season. After talking contract with the Edmonton Oilers, Meloche was put on the trading block. There was some serious thought that the Montreal Canadiens were interested in Meloche as Doug Soetart was apparently unhappy in Montreal. Meloche would have loved to finish his career in Montreal, but that did not materialize.

Gilles finally landed in Pittsburgh where he finished his career with 3 more seasons. Following his playing days he became a goalie consultant and scout for the Pens.

So there you have it - one of hockey's better goalies with some of hockey's worst records.

Joey Mullen

2006-12-19T18:17:00.000-08:00

Joey Mullen quietly spent his career as one of the most complete players in the National Hockey League. He excelled at the finesse game as he was an outstanding skater and super sniper. He was dangerous with the puck, and consistent. He was a 35-45 goal threat almost every year in his prime. But he was very conscious of his defensive responsibilities and played a tough game despite his small size.

Yet Mullen was overshadowed by some of his peers. Despite having 6 consecutive 40-plus goal seasons he was only once selected for post season All Star status at right wing. Even in what everyone knew would be his final game he received next to no fanfare. That might be expected though when you retire on the same night as your teammate - Mario Lemieux!

That type of exit seemed to symbolize the career of Joe Mullen. Despite all the great contributions Joey made to his team and to hockey, he rarely got the credit he should have. The ultimate team player who never sought the individual spotlight, is now getting that recognition though. He has been elected to both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Not bad for a kid from New York’s tough Hell’s Kitchen. Who would ever guess anyone from that neighborhood would ever make the National Hockey League! He and his brother Brian (who also enjoyed a lengthy NHL career) used to have to carry axes in their equipment bags as a form of self protection.

Joe, who perfected his game on rollerblades as a kid, began at Boston College where he recorded 212 points in 111 games for the Eagles and led the team to a league title.

Mullen was never drafted by the NHL, but the St. Louis Blues were bright enough to sign the little forward to a free agent contract in 1979. He then played three years with Salt Lake of the CHL where he was named the league’s top rookie during the 1979-80 season. The following year, he led the CHL in scoring with 117 points and was named the league MVP.

Mullen made it to the "bigs" by 1981-82 and in total played parts of five seasons with St. Louis. In that time he scored 151 goals over five seasons, including back-to-back 40-goal seasons in 1984 and 1985.

Somewhat surprisingly Mullen was part of a 6 player trade that landed him in Calgary during the 1985-86 campaign. It is with Calgary that Mullen enjoyed his best years. In 1986-87, Mullen scored 47 goals and he won the Lady Byng Trophy, becoming the first American-born player to win the Trophy since 1936. He went on to post 5 consecutive season reaching the 40-goal plateau. His best year was 1988-89 when he scored 51 goals and 110 points en route to leading the Calgary Flames to their first Stanley Cup. Mullen led all post season sharpshooters that year in goals with 16. He was selected to the NHL First All-Star team and won his second Lady Byng Trophy. That year, he also became the all-time leading American-born scorer.

Mullen was traded to Pittsburgh prior to the 1990-91 season and his experience and timely offense helped lead the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. In 1991-92, he recorded his seventh season with 40-or-more goals and in 1993-94 he notched his tenth season with 30-or-more goals.

Mullen spent a couple of seasons late in his career bouncing around between Boston and Pittsburgh. He wasn't much of a scorer at that point, but he remained a leader and defensive forward.

Mullen's 16-year NHL career was spent with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins. Although never flashy, he was a consistent goal scoring threat and a great team player. A gentleman on the ice, he was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy on two occasions. But he will always be remembered as the first U.S.-born player to score 500 career goals and the first American to record 1,000 career points.

Joe Mullen is the arguably the greatest American born player to date. He helped generate hockey interest in the US and paved the road to success for many of today's American superstars. For his efforts Joe Mullen was named to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in September of 1998 and Hockey's Hall of Fame came calling 1999.

Michel Briere

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When the Pittsburgh Penguins selected a diminutive center 26th overall in 1969, they had hoped he would become the Penguins' first superstar. Considered to be too small by many teams, the Penguins felt his offensive exploits in just one season of junior hockey warranted them taking the chance on Michel.

Briere played for the local Shawinigan Bruins for one season in 1968-69. He scored 75 goals, 86 assists and 161 points in just 55 games and had scouts druelling over his skating and puck talents..

"Briere skated easily. He skimmed across the ice like a waterbug, not with great speed but with a phantom elusiveness, deftly avoiding body checks, probing and questing for the puck," a reporter described in a newspaper. "His shot was quick rather than powerful, coming invariably when the goaltender least expected it, preceded as likely as not by a feint, by a dip of the shoulder," raved one scout.

It looked like the Penguins gamble would pay off too. Although he had played only one season of major junior, Briere stepped into the NHL right away, and didn't look out of place. He scored 12 goals and 44 points in 76 games before adding 5 goals and 8 points in 10 playoff games. One of those playoff goals was an overtime game winning goal that clinched the Pens 4 game sweep of the Oakland Seals. In total he scored 3 game winning goals in those playoffs.

It looked like the effortless skater was on his way to becoming a dominant offensive force for the Penguins for years to come. Then tragedy struck.

His promising career ended on a dark night after his only season. He had returned to Quebec to make plans for his wedding in less than a month. On the evening of May 15th, his car failed to negotiate a curve on a road outside Malartic. Briere was thrown from the car. While he was unscarred physically, Briere was unconscious from head injuries. He remained in a coma for 11 months before he died April 13, 1971.

Ironically Briere was the first of two prominent Pittsburgh athletes who wore No. 21 to die within a 19-month period. Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Roberto Clemente died in a New Year's Eve plane crash on Dec. 31, 1972.

"He was one of the greatest competitors I ever played with," said Ken Schinkel, a former Pens player and coach, of Briere. "He would never take defeat. He really wanted to win and he would try and do it by himself if he had to. He would have been a star in the league for a long time."

It took the Penguins awhile to overcome the loss of such a talented player - plus the leadership he showed as well. "He was the biggest leader we had at the time," Schinkel said. "And we had some good, established players on that team. But he was the catalyst and he made it go."

In memoriam, Briere's No. 21 jersey hangs at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena and no one will wear that number again. Also the Michel Briere Memorial Trophy was created to be awarded to the Penguins player judged to be the best rookie on the team.

We are left only to wonder how good Briere could have been, and how he could have changed the landscape of hockey history in Pittsburgh forever. The Penguins seemed to toil for years with their French star until 1985 when they picked up another French sensation in Mario Lemieux. Had Briere been able to play during all those years in between, perhaps the Penguins might not have been as bad as they were.

Les Binkley

2006-12-19T18:12:00.000-08:00

Les Binkley traveled a long route to the NHL, but he finally made it thanks to NHL expansion in 1967

After playing junior and senior hockey in southern Ontario where he grew up, Binkley never had the fortune of being sponsored by a NHL team. So he had to make his own ways into pro hockey. He ended up laying in the lowly EHL and IHL during much of the 1950s before he got a surprise call in 1961.

"I had been playing for Toledo in the old International Hockey League," recalled Binkley. "One day I got a call from the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League. It seems as though the goalie that was supposed to report to the team had been in fogged in at Toronto. They wanted to know if I would drive up and play the game for them. So I went up and played a good game for them, and the following year they invited me to training camp."

Cleveland did offer him a job, though it was hardly the job he was looking for. Remember, this was still in the day where one goalie would play the entire season for a team.

"To my surprise, Cleveland general manager Jim Heady offered me a contract. But the offer was to be the team's spare goalie and a trainer. I told Heady that I didn't know a thing about being a trainer. He told me not to worry about that."

In spite of the early inhibitions, Binkley enjoyed his job.

"The job really worked out well for me. I would usually miss all the hard warm-ups, because as a trainer I had to get all the hockey equipment out on the ice for the rest of the players. But by the end of my first season with the team I got my big break when (starting goalie) Gil Mayer got hurt and I played in the last 8 games of the season."

Binkley had a great finish, going 4-1-1 with a tiny 1.47 GAA.

"From then on I was a regular goalie."

And he was a good one too. For the next 5 years he was a standout in the AHL, winning rookie of the year in 1962, two all star nominations in 1964 and 1966 and winning the Hap Holmes award in 1966 for allowing the fewest goals against.

Despite this, Binkley still never had a shot at NHL employment.

"you have to remember that those were the years of the old six team NHL," said Binkley. "There were only six goalies playing in the NHL and most of them were pretty solid. Four of those guys, Bower, Hall, Plante and Sawchuk, played in the NHL during my duration in the minors."

Binkley also felt there was another reason why he was being ignored by the big leagues.

"I was the first goalie to wear contact lenses in pro hockey," he claims. "I think a lot of teams wouldn't take the chance on me because they didn't know how well I could see."

Binkley could see just fine, and once the NHL double in size due to its 1967 expansion, the rest of the NHL world would see just how good Binkley was. He became the first number one goal keeper in the history of Pittsburgh Penguins.

Binkley spent 5 seasons with the Pens, posting respectable numbers for a less than great team during that time. By 1972 though, Binkley left the Pens to jump to the WHA. He is quite honest as to why he left the Pens.

"I did it for the money!" he laughs. Obviously the Ottawa Nationals offered him more money than the Penguins did. And after 12 seasons in the minors, you can't really blame Binkley for wanting to cash in.

Binkley has found memories of the WHA.

"I found it to be one of the toughest leagues, if not the toughest, that I ever played in, and that includes the NHL. And I'm an expert in leagues because I played in almost every pro league in the minors and majors, except for the Central.

"The reason I found it tougher is because they had a lot of good talent and it was a very wide-open league as far as play went. And that kind of play always makes life interesting for a goalie. And we lead very interesting lives."