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Your top 5 players who got you to love hockey?


Habsfan89

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17 hours ago, JoeLassister said:

Definitely a 30 to 40 years old guy.  Where the hell is Mario ???

Yzerman and Lemieux could be up there as well but I’m already the person who listed 10 players. 😂 I’m Canadian, but have Czech and Finnish ancestry and so Jagr and Selanne made the list. I didn’t place any goalies but Hasek and Brodeur were up there as well. It’s not that I ever think of it but one of my earliest memories of Roy was the debacle against the Red Wings and I didn’t witness much of his greatness on the Habs so he really wouldn’t be up there for me. 

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46 minutes ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:

Yzerman and Lemieux could be up there as well but I’m already the person who listed 10 players. 😂 I’m Canadian, but have Czech and Finnish ancestry and so Jagr and Selanne made the list. I didn’t place any goalies but Hasek and Brodeur were up there as well. It’s not that I ever think of it but one of my earliest memories of Roy was the debacle against the Red Wings and I didn’t witness much of his greatness on the Habs so he really wouldn’t be up there for me. 

I watched the whole 93' playoff run Roy was unstoppable. Don't think anyone has passed or match the 10 straight OT wins. But man Roy was unbelievable.

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9 hours ago, Habsfan89 said:

I watched the whole 93' playoff run Roy was unstoppable. Don't think anyone has passed or match the 10 straight OT wins. But man Roy was unbelievable.

 

That was a crazy playoff year, to win that many overtime games in a row is crazy when you think overtime is pretty much a  50/50 shot.  It's like flipping a coin and calling it right 10 times in a row although a hot Patrick Roy can definitely tilt things in your favour. 

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1 hour ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

That was a crazy playoff year, to win that many overtime games in a row is crazy when you think overtime is pretty much a  50/50 shot.  It's like flipping a coin and calling it right 10 times in a row although a hot Patrick Roy can definitely tilt things in your favour. 

What’s scary is that after the first two losses against the nords, some were calling for replacing Roy.

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7 hours ago, TheDriveFor25 said:

Roy.

Muller.

Desjardins.

Damphousse.

Bellows.

 

I was 11 when they went on that miracle run.

 

I wouldn’t call it a miracle run.  That was a damn good team.  Roy, muller and Leclair we’re phenomenal, but it was a real good team. The OT streak made it look like a miracle run, but it was a really good team and we got lucky with some of the matchups - isles knocking of pens and hunter taking out turgeon.

 

i thought 86 was more of a special run - that was totally unexpected, given the number of rookies, including a goalie that was talking to his posts and bobbing his head like a turkey.  That was final cup win for two of the 70’s stars as well.

 

in 93 there was still some hope and confidence in the team despite their issues against the bruins - who we managed to avoid.  But it wasn’t an unexpected run like the halak run. There was always hope back than the that the team could win - not like these days, where all we have is waiting until they are officially mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

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14 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

What’s scary is that after the first two losses against the nords, some were calling for replacing Roy.

 

Without Patrick they don't get a sniff of the cup that year.  When I look back at their 93 roster it had to be one of the weakest Canadien rosters to ever win a cup. Things just seemed to fall into place for them. On defence Kevin Haller, Lyle Odelein, Patrice Brisebois, JJ Daigneault, not exactly Hall of Famers,  Eric Desjardins and Mathieu Schneider were pretty good. That was a hell of a series with the Nordiques who had a talented team, Sakic, Sundin, Owen Nolan etc.  But we had Patrick!

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And not long after that run they made one of the worst trades of all time,  Eric Desjardins and John Leclair  for Mark Recchi.  OUCH!  While Recchi was a decent player for Montreal, John Leclair became the dominant power forward in the NHL for a number of years while Desjardins became a solid, dependable top 4 defenceman. 

 

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ByChris Chelios, Dale Hunter, Mark Messier, Theo Fleury and Patrick Roy

 

Put these 5 in the same line up in a playoff game would be a winner for sure.

 

Add some depth, I like character.

 

Second goalie : Reggie Lemelin

5d: Al Iafrate, Kostantinov, Shea Weber, Brian Boyle

and Hall Gill 🤪

2c Peter Forsberg, Saku Koivu

11 w Rick Middleton, Stephane Richer, Mike Foligno, Mats Naslund,  Esa Tikkanen, Mike  Krushelnyski , Craig MacTavish, Pepe Lemieux, Gallagher,

Willi Plett, Dino Ciccarelli.

 

😋 Will try this line up with fight mode on a old version of 2k ! EA stinks.

 

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On 3/28/2020 at 10:52 AM, hab29RETIRED said:

I wouldn’t call it a miracle run.  That was a damn good team.  Roy, muller and Leclair we’re phenomenal, but it was a real good team. The OT streak made it look like a miracle run, but it was a really good team and we got lucky with some of the matchups - isles knocking of pens and hunter taking out turgeon.

 

i thought 86 was more of a special run - that was totally unexpected, given the number of rookies, including a goalie that was talking to his posts and bobbing his head like a turkey.  That was final cup win for two of the 70’s stars as well.

 

in 93 there was still some hope and confidence in the team despite their issues against the bruins - who we managed to avoid.  But it wasn’t an unexpected run like the halak run. There was always hope back than the that the team could win - not like these days, where all we have is waiting until they are officially mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

 

I watched a compilation of every goal the Habs scored during that 93 run on YouTube last night.  I had forgotten how many goals Paul DiPietro scored (8)....he was right up there behind Damphousse and Muller.

 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, sbhatt said:

 

I watched a compilation of every goal the Habs scored during that 93 run on YouTube last night.  I had forgotten how many goals Paul DiPietro scored (8)....he was right up there behind Damphousse and Muller.

 

 

 

I have the cup clinching game still on VHS with the interviews after in the locker rooms.  Man how different today's game is. 

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1 hour ago, Habsfan89 said:

I have the cup clinching game still on VHS with the interviews after in the locker rooms.  Man how different today's game is. 

 

Great compilation, thanks for sharing, brings back great memories. That playoff was definitely the highlight of Paul Dipietro's brief NHL career.  Whatever happened to Ed Ronan? 

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31 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Great compilation, thanks for sharing, brings back great memories. That playoff was definitely the highlight of Paul Dipietro's brief NHL career.  Whatever happened to Ed Ronan? 

Well at least dipietro’s career was much more memorable than John druce

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36 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Well at least dipietro’s career was much more memorable than John druce

 

Dipietro won a cup which is certainly memorable, a lot of guys have excellent careers and never win one. Druce didn't have a bad NHL career (113 goals versus 31 for Dipietro) but he doesn't have a ring. 

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4 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Dipietro won a cup which is certainly memorable, a lot of guys have excellent careers and never win one. Druce didn't have a bad NHL career (113 goals versus 31 for Dipietro) but he doesn't have a ring. 

 the point I was trying to make is that Depeitro, may not had much of a career, but had a big part in a cup win and has a ring. Druce had one big playoff run, got a big pay day for that one big playoff year, but didn’t really accomplish much and was considered overpaid.

 

if I had the choice, I’d take depietro’s career any day and every time.  The cup is what it’s about for almost anyone who wants to make it to the NHL, or loves the game.  He accomplished that.  Not many people can say they accomplished their ultimate dream.

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44 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

 the point I was trying to make is that Depeitro, may not had much of a career, but had a big part in a cup win and has a ring. Druce had one big playoff run, got a big pay day for that one big playoff year, but didn’t really accomplish much and was considered overpaid.

 

if I had the choice, I’d take depietro’s career any day and every time.  The cup is what it’s about for almost anyone who wants to make it to the NHL, or loves the game.  He accomplished that.  Not many people can say they accomplished their ultimate dream.

 

Agree 100%, Dipietro played a huge role in that cup win, it's all about winning the cup, I think my response echoed that.

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While the '93 team doesn't win without Roy, I agree 100% with Habs29 that that was a damned strong team. They were in the hunt for #1 overall for most of the season until they hit a late skid and ended up, I think, 6th overall. The reason they are so under-rated is, first, they had no offensive superstar in an era that fetishized them, and second, they had young players who would go on to be stars (LeClair and Desjardins) but who were unknowns at the time. In that playoff, they played like the players they would become. That's a key reason they won.

 

The other factor is that Muller, who was a 40-goal, 94-point man and an absolute two-way beast at C, ended up playing in Toronto when he had declined into a bottom-6 player. Because so much of the commentariat is Toronto-focused, *that* Kirk Muller is the guy everyone assumes the Habs had. Typical TO-centric balderdash. He was a stud #1C.

 

Game Two of the Finals remains one of the most astonishing, electrifying games in Cup history, and Habs' history. Sadly it has been forgotten, again because the media hype machine was too busy mourning Toronto's elimination to pay attention.

 

Now as for the thread - great to hear from the real old-timers about the legends of the past. I wish I'd seen Doug Harvey play. His cerebral game sounds like the kind of thing a true aficionado of the sport would savour.

 

No individual players 'made me a fan.' I had two phases of youthful fandom. One was as a little kid in the late '70s. I didn't really understand what was going on, but I did get swept up in Guy Lafleur's stardom - even wrote him a fan letter, and got a package back with a big Lafleur poster and what was basically a form letter. (I also remember thinking Dryden was cool). But I disengaged for a while, picking up the Habs again around 1984-5. And it's from that era that I have clear, specific memories. I'd say the players that most influenced my fandom were

 

-Guy Lafleur. Vague memories of childhood excitement.

 

-Mats Naslund. Boy did I like watching the guy Sather called 'the little pisspot' do his moves and turns just past the opposition blueline.

 

-Stephane Richer. The first player who taught me that unbelievable talent can be squandered. I went from loving Richer to resenting him. The frustration of Richer has informed my reaction to inconsistent, unreliable talents like Galy and Drouin ever since.

 

-Guy Carbonneau. One of the smartest players I ever saw, he taught me the difference between gaudy offensive numbers and true mastery of the game. I could never figure out why he couldn't translate that acumen as a coach.

 

-Patrick Roy. I actually found Roy frustrating from 1987-1992 when he was someimes inconsistent and owned by Neely. But 1993 sealed his greatness. Still the only legitimate Habs' superstar I got to watch as a consciously aware adult.

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Radek Bonk: Solid defensive C who sadly never got the Selke consideration that was his due.

 

Mike Johnson: The Robin to Bonk's Batman.

 

Jan Bulis: 4-goal game! Who could forget.

 

Steve Bégin: All heart.

 

Mathieu Dandenault: Mastery of all positions on the ice, up and down the lineup (mostly down).  Should have gotten a shot to fill in at goalie to cement his legendary status.

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6 hours ago, Neech said:

Radek Bonk: Solid defensive C who sadly never got the Selke consideration that was his due.

 

Mike Johnson: The Robin to Bonk's Batman.

 

Jan Bulis: 4-goal game! Who could forget.

 

Steve Bégin: All heart.

 

Mathieu Dandenault: Mastery of all positions on the ice, up and down the lineup (mostly down).  Should have gotten a shot to fill in at goalie to cement his legendary status.

 

No offence, but that is one depressing list! 😞

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3 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

No offence, but that is one depressing list! 😞

Didn’t bonk cost a first rounder??

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I really started to get into hockey once I hit high school. Our gym class was street hockey in the fall, indoor hockey in the winter (with some volleyball), and street hockey in the spring (with some softball). Each time, you got to choose which sport you wanted to play, and I remember tossing my stick in the pile and the gym teacher throwing them to each side to pick up teams.

 

Funny story, my brother in law is from Cornwall, and used to go to Royals games. He gave me a Doug Gilmour signed stick about a year or two after Gilmour had played for the Royals and he played for the Blues (I think). I broke it at school during a game. I didn't think much of it until I really started watching hockey more. Flash forward to 2001, and Gillete had just bought the Habs and they were doing training camp in Vail, CO. I went up to watch, and was standing along the glass while they were on the ice in a fairly empty rink. Jeff Hackett was flipping pucks against the glass where I was standing and chuckling, soon a couple of other guys joined in. That's when I finally noticed a guy standing next to me, I looked over and smiled, he looked at me and smiled. It was Gilmour. I told him the story of using his Royals stick and he offered to sign one for me. I've never been much for autographs or collectibles, so I politely declined and was just happy to be talking with him. I met a few other guys that afternoon when they went mountain biking, all in all a neat experience as the players were pretty relaxed as there wasn't a throng of people following them everywhere.

 

I remember the Cup in '86, the playoffs the following years, but definitely have fond memories of '93. Still have all of my ticket stubs, and I went to every single game in Montreal that playoff year. I had a boss (worked at Radio Shack at the time while I was in college) that would get on the phone lines with me while at work, trying to call through to the box office every time the next round went on sale. First few games, I got standing room only tickets, but from the 2nd round on, I got good seats in the whites. The euphoria of that season has stuck with me forever, and even when the Habs when another Cup, I don't think I'll have that youthful excitement. Just a special time in my life that year. It was also fun to go to a D1 NCAA hockey school (Clarkson), there were a few future NHLers there at the time, Craig Conroy, Todd Marchant, Todd White. 

 

So for me, it's not a player or two that sucked me in. Hockey was just what I grew up in. I do, however, still wear #21.

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3 hours ago, dlbalr said:

 

Ottawa drafted him 3rd overall back in '94.  The Habs got him and Huet from LA ten years later for Garon and a 3rd rounder.

Ok.  Mixing him up with another trade - I thought we gave up 1st rounders a few times Dir guys past there best before dates (tangauy is the other guy I was thinking of.  

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4 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Like they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder".  I will not judge. 

 

It's not about judging Neech, nor blaming anyone for liking this or that player. But if you track this thread, you find old-timers giving names like Richard, Beliveau, and Harvey...then slightly younger-timers talking Lafleur, Robinson, Dryden, Gainey...then middle-agers like me talking Roy, Carbonneau, Naslund, Muller...and then suddenly we get to fans whose formative memories are of guys like Begin, Bonk, and Bulis. Basically, it's a long slide from the sublime to the ridiculous.

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