Friday, August 8, 2008

Eric's Dream Team

Eric Rosdobutko is a third year engineering student at Queen's University. When he saw my dream team, he was taken aback. Hurt and shocked, one might say. So he made his own team. For the record, I say my team possesses more scoring ability than his, and I'd also venture that my goaltending is better, so in a game between TeamAmrit and TeamEric I'd predict the score to be about 12-7 for my boys.

This is my response to Amrit’s suspect all-time team. This is not my choice for my dream team, as is obvious by the fact that I’m missing the best five NHL players ever. This is what I consider to be the best possible team composed of players that Amrit did not include for his team. It is worth noting that the players on this team of “leftovers” would compose most of my own dream team even if every player was available.

Also, if these two teams were to play, I would predict victory for my team. Something like: 14-12. With a couple hundred minutes of penalties. Awesome!


GOALIES

Terry Sawchuk

The best goalie to ever play. Won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, (that’s four more than Luongo has won) and almost four decades after his retirement (well, actually his death) he still owns the NHL record for shutouts.

Ken Dryden

Almost unbeatable during his brief career, Dryden, unlike most of the best goalies of all-time, had the temperament to be a back-up goaltender.


DEFENSE

Denis Potvin - Eddie Shore

Both excellent two-way players who were the premier defensemen of their respective eras. Shore was the first premier offensive defenseman to play the game. He won four Hart Trophies (still the record for defensemen) and was one of the toughest SOB’s to ever play the game. Potvin was the catalyst of the Islanders’ dynasty of the early 80’s and arguably the best hip-checker of all-time. A scary duo.

Doug Harvey - Scott Niedermayer

Another pair of two-way forces. Widely considered to be the second-best defenseman in NHL history, Harvey played the game more like a quarterback than a defenseman, dictating the pace of the game with his vision and passing skills. Niedermayer is a magical skater who just wins. Everything. Literally. He also has a calm demeanor to counteract the fiery Harvey.

Larry Robinson - Paul Coffey

Paul Coffey is one of the best offensive players to play hockey at any position. Robinson was a big, defensive defenseman who never missed the playoffs in 20 seasons in the NHL.


FORWARDS

Howie Morenz - Jean Beliveau - Mike Bossy

My own French Connection line. Morenz was a phenomenal skater and the best player in the NHL before the Original Six Era. Mike Bossy was the best pure scorer to ever play, averaging 57 goals per season before retiring too early due to back problems. Distributing the puck to these snipers is Beliveau, who was also quite the goal-scorer himself, but I will use his size, strength and toughness (not to mention sublime passing skills) in a playmaking role. And if these three are on the ice for a powerplay, the puck is going to go in. Guaranteed

Mark Messier - Marcel Dionne - Guy Lafleur

The second and fifth highest scorers of all time, (Messier and Dionne) along with the dynamic Flower. Messier is the best second-liner in history. Dionne accomplished so much while playing on bad teams. Lafleur was the best player on the best team of all-time (1977 Canadians). All three guys on this line could skate, pass and shoot, and like the first line, there’s a little bit of toughness, too. Pucks would be going in left, right and centre with this line.

Bob Gainey - Steve Yzerman - Doug Gilmour

The checking line. Bob Gainey is widely considered to be the best defensive forward to ever play. The line also boasts two outstanding two-way players from the 90’s who would do anything to win, including assuming a defensive role on their team. Before committing himself to defense, Yzerman was also an elite offensive player. And Gilmour – well, there needed to be someone from the Leafs on this team.

Ted Lindsay - Stan Mikita - Brett Hull

The role-players line. Role players? But these guys are all scorers! Well that’s true, but you can never have enough scoring. Also, Lindsay and Mikita were both feared fighters (until Mikita gave up fighting to become a Lady Byng winner) Brett Hull would make a fine agitator. Like the third line, it is important that these guys are committed to winning and don’t let egos get in the way. Lindsay sacrificed the last years of his career to form the NHLPA. Brett Hull was an important contributor to the Red Wings’ Cup win in 2002 despite playing on the third line. Another priceless aspect that is brought by this line is innovation. Mikita introduced the curved stick, and creative thinking would be needed on a team like this to bring together all the different eras and styles of play.


ROVER

Red Kelly

The hardest guy to cut from this team, Kelly would be the man brought in to replace an injury. Besides being an extraordinarily talented two-way player, he could play any position. He won four Stanley Cups with Detroit as a defenseman and another four with Toronto as a forward. Oh yeah, dude could fight too. (Amrit's note - putting in a Rover is B/S, but I had two backup goalies so I can't say shit).

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Upcoming feature - another friend of mine is putting his own dream team together, and I will be posting it here when he's done.

Mercis to Greg Wyshynski for his link to my dream team yesterday (and his ability to spell my name right). The badassery of the moment where I saw my name on PuckDaddy is pretty unparralled.

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