koivu-11 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Thefourthperiod reports that gainey clearified that Niklas Sundstrom will not be back with the team and that he has signed with a european team. http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/mtl060606.html And Talks between Huet and Bouillon have started Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I'm not surprised by Sunny's departure. This was well-known and anticipated by everyone. This guy was being scratched quite often throughout the season. It's amazing to think that in the previous seasons Sunny was one of the team's most important PK player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koivu-11 Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 (edited) He was and still is the best, but montreal does have so many defensive specialist forwards his 1 000 000$ contract is no longer needed lol, Pitsburg should sign him lol for some veteran leadership lol Edited June 6, 2006 by koivu-11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaos Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 While he wasn't horrible by any stretch, theres better value with Murray and Downey. His $988,000 was better spent resigning Begin, Murray and Downey. Hopefully he does well in Europe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I think he'll go back to Italy, did his team win a championship there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathieu30 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I think he'll go back to Italy, did his team win a championship there? Yep, the Milan Vipers. Champions of Italy in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2006. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smon Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Good luck to Sundstrom. He was drafted 8th overall in 1993, and was long renowned as part of a sensational line alongside Forsberg and Sundin at Olympic and World tournaments. His first five years he was among the best two way forwards in the NHL, but his offensive production was never high (averagingn 40-50pts a year). Last three seasons it seems he forgot all about the offensive zone, but positionally he was stellar, making him a favourite for any coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordy11 Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Sunny signed a deal with MoDo of the SEL. He played there before coming to the NHL. http://www.eurohockey.net/transfers/transf...tname=S&days=31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 I'll be going home to MoDo. I expect Peter Forsberg and Marcus Näslund to join him soon. One or two more season for the Näslund and Foppa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 A great career ends... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smon Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Finished out career as a habs in a way rather similar to the departure of Andreas Dackell. Both were first sensationally good penalty killers (remember the shutdown duo of Dackell & Juneau) and eventually were given lesser roles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexstream Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 And Talks between Huet and Bouillon have started Good to know that Bouillon and Huet are talking together Finished out career as a habs in a way rather similar to the departure of Andreas Dackell. Both were first sensationally good penalty killers (remember the shutdown duo of Dackell & Juneau) and eventually were given lesser roles. If you ask most hockey player, they'll tell you that the easiest "role" is defensive forward. You are not expected to hit nor score, just follow the puck and be a shadow... Finally, you just have to find a guy who has the willingness to do that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InsaneHABSfan Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Too bad, I liked Sundstrom but life moves on. I wish him luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobRock Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Didn't Wayne say that Nicky was one of the best defensive forwards in the league? I'm wondering if Wayne will make a call and try to get him to come back to the NHL in Phoenix. I'm really not surprised that he's gone though. In addition to the many games he didn't play, Gainey was using Higgins and Plekanec to kill penalties a lot, so with those two, Begin, Murray, Downey and Bonk, there's not a lot of ice time left on special teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beliveau1 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 (edited) Good to know that Bouillon and Huet are talking together If you ask most hockey player, they'll tell you that the easiest "role" is defensive forward. You are not expected to hit nor score, just follow the puck and be a shadow... Easiest role?????? I wonder if Gainey, Carbonneau, Jarvis and all those other superb NHL defensive specialists would agree with that opinion? I've been coaching high level for years and if it's that easy to do I guess I must have missed the boat on that philosophy? Shadowing the other teams best star is a thankless task, few accolades for doing it well and tough as nails to do it right night after night in the NHL..... To succeed you have to be the talented antithesis of the offensive superstar = as good defensively as they are offensively in order to do your job. Edited June 8, 2006 by beliveau1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaos Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Easiest role?????? I wonder if Gainey, Carbonneau, Jarvis and all those other superb NHL defensive specialists would agree with that opinion? I've been coaching high level for years and if it's that easy to do I guess I must have missed the boat on that philosophy? Shadowing the other teams best star is a thankless task, few accolades for doing it well and tough as nails to do it right night after night in the NHL..... To succeed you have to be the talented antithesis of the offensive superstar = as good defensively as they are offensively in order to do your job. While not a glamourous job like scoring, I wouldn't say checking the other teams superstars is a thankless job. Guys like Gainey, Jarvis, Carbonneau, Skrudland, Mike Keane, Esa Tikanen, Dave Poulin, John Madden, Jere Lehtinen and soon to be Chris Higgins and many more or some of the favourite players of past and present and some of the most well known. Especially Gainey. Most of these guys were not only excellent defensively, but could score 20 goals as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beliveau1 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 While not a glamourous job like scoring, I wouldn't say checking the other teams superstars is a thankless job. Guys like Gainey, Jarvis, Carbonneau, Skrudland, Mike Keane, Esa Tikanen, Dave Poulin, John Madden, Jere Lehtinen and soon to be Chris Higgins and many more or some of the favourite players of past and present and some of the most well known. Especially Gainey. Most of these guys were not only excellent defensively, but could score 20 goals as well I say thankless simply because many fans don't realize how good these guys are, how hard they work at it and still get little recognition in comparison to the offensive superstars...... Score 2-3 goals and see how much recognition you get from the fans, but if you are the guy who shuts 'em down the roar of the crowd isn't quite the same. Only the true hockey fans, one's who understand the game or the coaching staff seem to see it, but not the average fan out there? So it is a somewhat thankless task when viewed by that definition, or in those terms. But as a coach I know that we sure held the checking specialists on any of teams in very high regards for a task that so few out ther seemed to recognize..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HipHipHuet Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Poor Sundstrom, I liked him a lot. Did he ever made a bad play? He was a very conservative player but hey thats what he was asked to do (at least by Claude Julien)! I guess he didnt fit too well in the new 'offensive depth' mentality of Bob Gainey (wich I prefer BTW). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CerebusClone Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 His NHL career did end in Montreal. I remember being quite happy with the Hackett trade that brought us Sundstrom. He was doing a truly great job on San Jose's 3rd line with Scott Thornton and Mike Ricci; great defensive play while producing 40-50 points. Things just never worked out for him in Montreal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smon Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I thought the trade was terrible because the Sharks fleeced Kyle McLaren from Boston in return for flipping Hackett over. And I was a big Jeff Hackett, always liked him, he worked hard and was a quality goalie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortcat1 Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 As much as I respected him as a player, it looked as if his time in Montreal was over. There are a number of young ones coming up who are just dying and are quite ready to do that job. They'll make errors at first that Sundstrom wouldn't do but, with time, they'll improve and become part of the core of a growing and maturing team. :king: :hlogo: :king: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Komisarek the Cruncher Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 Wasn't a big fan of Sunny, didn't hate the guy, but just wasn't a fan. I'm glad he's gone, it makes room for the young guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaos Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 The increased playing time for Perezhogin, Kostitsyn, Higgins, Plekanec and maybe a rookie will be better served than having Sundstrom and Bulis on the roster. Higgins, Plekanec and Perezhogin have definitley earned it. Hopefully Kostitsyn can have a break through season this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoZed Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I say thankless simply because many fans don't realize how good these guys are, how hard they work at it and still get little recognition in comparison to the offensive superstars...... Score 2-3 goals and see how much recognition you get from the fans, but if you are the guy who shuts 'em down the roar of the crowd isn't quite the same. Only the true hockey fans, one's who understand the game or the coaching staff seem to see it, but not the average fan out there? So it is a somewhat thankless task when viewed by that definition, or in those terms. But as a coach I know that we sure held the checking specialists on any of teams in very high regards for a task that so few out ther seemed to recognize..... I understand the philosophy, work ethic and value that goes behind the checking role. However aside from the top checkers like Carbo or Tikkanen who could really completely shutdown the best stars because they had equal hockey smarts, speed and skills; the checking role is often an "easy" role which many players fall back on because they're not too successful offensively. Anyone remembers Patrick Poulin? He turned into a checking winger because he couldn't score enough. Bulis followed the same path. I think Sundstrom fell in the same trap long ago. I wasn't a fan of Sunny. I really didn't liked him much. And I dont consider him a top shutdown defensive specialist either. He was too passive, too quiet, and didn't brough much offensively. A guy that can't score more than 20 goals while playing on the wing of Wayne Gretzky lacks offensive flair. If he had been such a hot commodity, I dont think he'd have been a healthy scratch so often. Gainey would either have played him or got trade offers for him. I'm glad we cleared his salary and roster spot and will be able to use them for more useful purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 It's harder to become a top defensive specialist then a one-way offensive force. Playing both ways takes hard work, endurance, grit, work ethic and more skill then some would think. After all, you can't lose if the other team doesn't score on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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