Subject :Most diminutive players are forced to take the long road to NHL arenas, if they get there at all. Ca
Most diminutive players are forced to take the long road to NHL arenas, if they get there at all. Carlton Fisk Red Sox Jersey . The Habs Brendan Gallagher waited until the fifth round to hear his name called at the 2010 draft. Teammate David Desharnais never heard his name called and needed to ply his trade in the ECHL before the Habs took notice and signed him as a free agent. Mike Weaver was similarly undrafted. Brian Gionta and Tomas Plekanec went in the third round of their respective drafts. St. Louis was passed over by midget teams, ironically, ignored by the QMJHL, undrafted, signed by the Flames but later bought out after being exposed and unselected during the 2000 expansion draft, signed by Tampa Bay, and then became a surefire first ballot Hall of Famer, Stanley Cup winner, and Olympic gold medalist. But too small to play in this mans NHL, for sure.(h/tNational Post)If smaller skaters are in tough against the closed-mindedness of hockeys front offices, then life is near impossible for wee goalies. If the hockey community had its way, Dustin Tokarski would be working the take-out window at a Tim Hortons in Saskatchewan. At 511, he is everything the scouts are not looking for in a goalie. He is not the prototype. He is not Carey Price. Tampa Bay scout Charlie Hodge (himself a small, 56, NHL goaltender who accomplished nothing in the league with his limited stature other than six Stanley Cups and two Vezinas) had to beg the Lightning to draft Tokarski in the fifth round. And while, despite Montreal folklores contention, the legend of Tokarski is still being written, his play in the Eastern Conference Final is argument for a less structured approach to the game in both drafting and roster building.In a league that clings desperately to intangibles like "grit", "sandpaper", and "hockey sense", its laughable that they ignore these very qualities in players simply because they couldnt look Chris Pronger in the eye if standing on a barstool. And perhaps its the fact that they are ignored that makes them the players they are, products of adversity. More likely its a lack of ambition and creativity in front offices, which denies ambitious and creative players the opportunity to play in the league, and to better the game.The argument in favour of a broader notion of what makes an NHLer is on the ice this postseason, and in particular in the Rangers-Habs series and their respective runs to the Conference Final. Desharnais has been arguably Montreals best forward, if not their most consistent. Gallagher is proving that strength comes from within, and not gigantism. Tokarski has gone from relative obscurity to revelation. Weaver is more adept at blocking shots than Peter Budaj. Sixth-rounder Hagelin is proving to be perhaps the fastest skater in the league. Zucarello, affectionately nicknamed the Hobbit, is a force with his speed and creativity. And the grandfather of them all, St. Louis, is authoring a tale for the ages, the kind of postseason story that makes the playoffs so compelling.(h/t 5 Minutes For Fighting)Maurice Richard, Bobby Hull and son Brett were 510. Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr were measured at 6, but they were wearing their shoes. Guy Lafleur was also listed at 6, but at least two of those inches were hair. At some point during the 90s, when scouting staffs inflated and Eric Lindros arrived, the NHL experienced a sea change in philosophy. They became infatuated with size and believed they could manufacture skill and scoring through systems. The result was lower scoring, issues with concussions, and endless tinkering with rules in order to create the very scoring that they themselves had diluted. In witnessing one of the most entertaining and compelling postseasons in recent memory, one hopes that the NHL can again changes its ways, and value skill no matter what size the package it comes in. Luis Tiant Red Sox Jersey . The 90-plus minutes of play are about trends and approach. Rusney Castillo Jersey .com) - Markus Granlund scored the game-winning goal as the Calgary Flames used an early offensive flurry to defeat the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, on Monday.TSN Hockey Insiders Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger have the latest on why the New York Rangers may trade Ryan Callahan, Thomas Vaneks future after the winger rejected a long-term extension from the New York Islanders, and if the Raphael Diaz trade means another Vancouver Canucks defenceman is on the way out. Ryan Callahan trade talks caught a lot of people off guard. Details are now emerging about why the Rangers would consider such a move. Darren Dreger: He wants a lot of money. Its been widely reported that Callahan is looking for a seven-year term around $6 million per year. That is not accurate. Im told that it is more than $6.5 million but less than $7 million per year on a seven-year term. Whether its $6 million per year or, as we know now, closer to $7 million, thats a lot of money; too much for the Rangers. Theres not a lot of wiggle room in this negotiation and thats why Glen Sather is considering and working towards moving his captain. It seems like a pressing issue. What are the chances Callahan gets either signed or traded before this Fridays Olympic roster freeze? Dreger: 50/50. I know thats an easy guess to make but I would say its more unlikely to get done because there is a willingness to push this as far as you can. But in the meantime the Rangers also need to get as much in return as possible for Callahan. The Chris Stewart deal with the St. Louis Blues is still there; Stewart would be a part of that. The Rangers also have to pay attention to whats going on with Dan Girardi. If he doesnt come to terms this week with the Rangers and avoid potential of unrestricted free agency, perhaps that sends a message to Sather that hes going to unrestricted free agency and he then joins Callahan in the trade speculation. Sounds more and more like New York Islanders forward Thomas Vanek wants to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. What does that mean for potential deals? Bob McKenzie: Youre right. News broke on Monday morning that Vanek rejected a verbal offer ffrom the Islanders; a lucrative, long-term deal. Rusney Castillo Red Sox Jersey. The implication of course being that now hes going to get unrestricted free agency. He wants to at least test the market and see whats out there. So the Islanders are looking at trade scenarios for Vanek between now and the March 5 trade deadline. GM Garth Snow will continue to try and sign Vanek; try and sweeten the pot and push to get something done, but by the same token, hes on a track where hes talking to teams and finding out what hes going to get. The Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins are amongst those teams that would be interested in getting a scoring winger, a rental at the deadline. Pittsburgh has some cap issues, but Vaneks exactly what the doctors ordered for a lot of contending teams. Vancouver gets another defenceman in the Raphael Diaz for Dale Weise trade but isnt that an overabundance? Does this lead us to believe the Canucks will deal a defenceman at some point? McKenzie: Everybody assumes that this is the precursor to moving one of their veteran defencemen; getting Alex Edler to waive his no-trade clause or what have you. I dont believe theres any relation to the Diaz trade and making another move. Right now you have Kevin Bieksa, Chris Tanev, and Yannick Weber all battling injury. In my opinion, getting Diaz is nothing more than taking a fourth-line grinder with limited ability in Weise, and sending him to the Canadiens for a puck-moving defenceman who had fallen out of favour. I think this is about the here and now. Thats not to say the Canucks wont make a trade down the road, but I think this move is self-explanatory. David Legwand is a lifelong Nashville Predator with 951 career games, might he move? McKenzie: The Predators are shopping Legwand hard. The price is expected to be a first- or second-round pick but keep in mind he has a full no-move clause and he will decide whether or not he wants to be a rental or whether he wants to play out the string with Nashville. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
|