Archive for March 16th, 2009
GOALIES LOVE EM OR HATE EM !
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GOALIES . . .
You need them to play a hockey game whether or not it’s organized hockey or just a ball hockey game on the street or school yard as a kid they are a necessary evil part of the game.
When you are the youngest of four like I was you get thrown in net more times than I can remember at home or on the street. There is the psyche of a goalie that comes into question on the ice: for example . . . Who in the hell would want to go in the net and have a hard frozen puck shot at them at high speeds?
Aw! yes, goalies are among the most strange and sometimes most misunderstood people in hockey in the NHL or out. Some would say they are schmucks because when a puck goes in the net you just know they are blaming someone else on their team for the goal. Some would say they are down right weird for being crazy enough to go in net in the first place.
Being a goaltender has to be among the hardest jobs in hockey without question. You are the last man standing the last line of defence so to speak and yes, you do get blamed if the puck crosses the line. A good goalie is a must if you are to win championships at any level.
Good Goalies can make an average team much better and a good team great. Goalies can make a coach look good or bad depending on their performance. Goalies make the world go round there I said it! Some of my closest friends are goalies and they are different people that’s for sure.
GOALIES MAKE GOOD . . .
Goalies make good friends like the beer commercial says you have to have a goalie as a friend if you play pick-up hockey so that you can have someone to stop the puck.
But in hockey goalies obviously make good goalie coaches because who else would want the job of dealing with tenders and they played the position themselves.
In the NHL it may surprise you that there have been many positions filled by former goalies that remain today.
Garth Snow is the General Manager of the New York Islanders and has been for years now. Snow was also among one of the most colorful goalies the NHL has ever seen as he scrapped on the ice with regularity.
In Detroit the Stanley Cup champion Wings are run by former goalie General Manager Ken Holland which may shock some that didn’t know. You are certainly not a goalie if you are reading this and didn’t know because goalies stick together like a fraternity.
Also a General Manger in the NHL is Jim Rutherford of the Carolina Hurricances who is thought to be one of the most thoughtful GM’s in the league.
Ron Hextall former crazy man goalie with mostly the Philadelphia Flyers is now the Asst GM of the Los Angles Kings.
GOALIES MAKE GOOD COACHES ?
Scott Gordon head coach of the New York Islanders is the only current former goalie who played in NHL behind an NHL bench.
Following the completion of his collegiate career, Gordon began his professional playing career in 1986-87 when he signed with the Quebec Nordiques. Gordon made his NHL debut in 1989-90 with Quebec and played a total of 23 career NHL games, all with the Nordiques. He also holds the distinction of being the first ECHL graduate to play in the NHL. Gordon played on the 1992 United States Olympic team before retiring as a player following the 1993-94 season.
Patrick Roy is the best coach outside the NHL who once played in the show coaching his Junior team in the Q. Roy is also the best combination of toughness and brilliance in the NHL net all time. And that’s a feat in the NHL having had Ron Hextall & Garth Snow as goalie partners for the Flyers years ago. Hextall is way more crazy than tough once losing a fight to Toronto goalie Felix Potvin getting slit open during the scrap.
Snow did fight but was more known for his crazy antics as well when you crashed his crease the snowman got pissed and attacked.
Goalies also have flooded into NHL broadcasting in the booth as analysts or hockey panel guests with HNIC’s former Kings goalie the colorful Kelly Hrudey who is some what of a tree hugger when it comes to the harshness of hockey.
Also in the booth is Greg Millen who does games for the Leafs on the Leafs TV with Joe Bowen. Millen is not bad but I think for what he knows about the game he is so mellow and dramatic about the goaltenders when he is on the air.
John Garrett former goalie works on Sportsnet broadcasts along with Daren Pang who does color in Phoenix for the Coyotes and appears on TSN.
Glen Healey former Maple Leafs back-up worked at TSN and then this year jumped to the NHLPA as an executive for the players. He also likes to think of himself somewhat of a comedian and was a player fav while with the Leafs in the dressing room.
Speaking of comedians there is none better than former goaltender Jim Ralph who does color for Toronto radio games and is regularly booked for speaking as an emcee at engagements. He is a very witty guy who could make a good stand up comic along with hockey impersonations most notable Don Cherry.
Goalies are our friends . . . they are the ones we blame when we lose & praise when we win !
For Hockey God I’m Dave Frost
NHL STANDINGS
| 1 |
 |
NE | 71 | 45 | 17 | 9 | 99 | 237 | 167 | 24-6-5 | 21-11-4 | 4-5-1 | Lost 1 |
| 2 |
 |
ATL | 68 | 45 | 20 | 3 | 93 | 213 | 167 | 24-10-1 | 21-10-2 | 8-2-0 | Won 3 |
| 3 |
 |
SE | 70 | 43 | 21 | 6 | 92 | 228 | 205 | 26-9-2 | 17-12-4 | 5-4-1 | Won 3 |
| 4 |
 |
ATL | 68 | 37 | 21 | 10 | 84 | 218 | 196 | 21-10-4 | 16-11-6 | 5-4-1 | Lost 1 |
| 5 |
 |
ATL | 71 | 37 | 26 | 8 | 82 | 222 | 216 | 19-12-3 | 18-14-5 | 8-0-2 | Won 1 |
| 6 |
 |
NE | 69 | 36 | 25 | 8 | 80 | 205 | 206 | 21-7-5 | 15-18-3 | 6-3-1 | Lost 2 |
| 7 |
 |
ATL | 70 | 36 | 26 | 8 | 80 | 177 | 190 | 21-10-4 | 15-16-4 | 5-3-2 | Won 1 |
| 8 |
 |
SE | 71 | 36 | 28 | 7 | 79 | 200 | 203 | 19-13-1 | 17-15-6 | 5-3-2 | Lost 3 |
| 9 |
 |
SE | 69 | 34 | 25 | 10 | 78 | 194 | 196 | 18-9-6 | 16-16-4 | 4-4-2 | Lost 3 |
| 10 |
 |
NE | 69 | 34 | 27 | 8 | 76 | 203 | 193 | 20-12-3 | 14-15-5 | 4-4-2 | Lost 1 |
| 11 |
 |
NE | 70 | 28 | 29 | 13 | 69 | 209 | 249 | 13-13-9 | 15-16-4 | 6-3-1 | Won 1 |
| 12 |
 |
NE | 68 | 28 | 30 | 10 | 66 | 177 | 198 | 17-12-6 | 11-18-4 | 6-3-1 | Won 1 |
| 13 |
 |
SE | 69 | 28 | 35 | 6 | 62 | 209 | 233 | 13-18-2 | 15-17-4 | 7-3-0 | Won 5 |
| 14 |
 |
SE | 69 | 23 | 32 | 14 | 60 | 181 | 227 | 11-14-9 | 12-18-5 | 4-4-2 | Won 2 |
| 15 |
 |
ATL | 70 | 24 | 38 | 8 | 56 | 176 | 224 | 16-14-5 | 8-24-3 | 6-2-2 | Won 1 |
| DIV | GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | Home | Away | L10 | Streak | ||
| 1 |
 |
CEN | 70 | 46 | 15 | 9 | 101 | 261 | 207 | 25-5-4 | 21-10-5 | 7-2-1 | Won 2 |
| 2 |
 x - San Jose Sharks
|
PAC | 68 | 45 | 13 | 10 | 100 | 219 | 167 | 27-3-4 | 18-10-6 | 4-5-1 | Won 2 |
| 3 |
 |
NW | 69 | 40 | 23 | 6 | 86 | 229 | 214 | 22-8-4 | 18-15-2 | 5-5-0 | Lost 1 |
| 4 |
 |
CEN | 67 | 37 | 21 | 9 | 83 | 220 | 178 | 18-8-6 | 19-13-3 | 3-6-1 | Lost 2 |
| 5 |
 |
NW | 68 | 36 | 23 | 9 | 81 | 206 | 189 | 20-11-4 | 16-12-5 | 7-2-1 | Won 2 |
| 6 |
 |
CEN | 70 | 36 | 28 | 6 | 78 | 194 | 196 | 22-11-2 | 14-17-4 | 6-4-0 | Lost 1 |
| 7 |
 |
PAC | 69 | 33 | 28 | 8 | 74 | 199 | 211 | 19-13-4 | 14-15-4 | 4-5-1 | Won 2 |
| 8 |
 |
NW | 68 | 32 | 27 | 9 | 73 | 192 | 210 | 15-12-6 | 17-15-3 | 3-2-5 | Lost 3 |
| 9 |
 |
CEN | 69 | 34 | 30 | 5 | 73 | 175 | 189 | 21-12-3 | 13-18-2 | 7-2-1 | Won 1 |
| 10 |
 |
CEN | 69 | 32 | 29 | 8 | 72 | 195 | 205 | 19-13-5 | 13-16-3 | 7-3-0 | Won 1 |
| 11 |
 |
NW | 69 | 32 | 29 | 8 | 72 | 177 | 172 | 18-11-6 | 14-18-2 | 2-5-3 | Lost 4 |
| 12 |
 |
PAC | 69 | 32 | 31 | 6 | 70 | 190 | 201 | 16-16-3 | 16-15-3 | 4-5-1 | Lost 1 |
| 13 |
 |
PAC | 68 | 29 | 29 | 10 | 68 | 179 | 199 | 16-13-8 | 13-16-2 | 4-5-1 | Lost 2 |
| 14 |
 |
NW | 70 | 31 | 38 | 1 | 63 | 185 | 218 | 18-16-0 | 13-22-1 | 3-7-0 | Lost 1 |
| 15 |
 |
PAC | 69 | 28 | 35 | 6 | 62 | 168 | 212 | 17-14-2 | 11-21-4 | 2-7-1 | Lost 5 |