Nothing to do on a Saturday Night.
I have exactly half an hour until I have to be somewhere, so until then, here's an intersting thought experiment. This was a hotly debated subject back in high-school. If you had to start an NHL hockey team, and you had to take at least one player from every team who would you take. My list wouldn't make for a good hockey team, mostly because I have a disproportionate number of goalies to skaters, and I tend to pick players I like rather than players I know are good (that's why I have a rough time in hockey pools). So without further ado...
Anaheim Ducks:
Ryan Getzlaf - He's pretty much my favorite player on their team, and one of the best young talents in the league.
Atlanta Thrashers:
Scott Mellanby - I know he doesn't play for them anymore, but I really don't like this team. Give me Mellanby any day.
Boston Bruins:
Petteri Nokelainen - Best name in hockey.
Buffalo Sabers:
Ryan Miller - Most underrated goalie in hockey.
Calgary Flames:
Cory Sarich - He's been one of my favorites since I saw him whallop Josh Holden back in junior. To date, that's the nicest hit I've ever seen.
Carolina Hurricanes:
Cam Ward - Had a rough ride last year, but I still think he'll be gooder.
Chicago Blackhawks:
Patrick Lalime - Memories of his record winning streak as a rookie back in Pittsburgh brings a tear to my eye.
Colorado Avalanch:
Karlis Skrastins - Hated playing against him on NHL 2001, but would love to have him on my team.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Rick Nash - Genetically modified monster has the best hands in the league.
Dallas Stars:
Brenden Morrow - Plays hockey the way it should be played.
Detroit Red Wings:
Valterri Filppula - Detroit's next Datsyuk (hopefully he performs better in the play-offs).
Edmonton Oilers:
Steve Staois - Don't mess with the cagey vet.
Florida Panthers:
Nathan Horton - Reminds me of a young Dave McLlwain.
L.A. Kings:
Anze Kopitar - 2nd best youngster in the game today.
Minnesota Wild:
Marian Gaborik - Apologized to fantasy owners for playing in Minnesota.
Montreal Canadiens:
Tom Kostopolous - Ex-Pen one tough customer.
Nashville Predators:
Vernon Fiddler - One third of the best line in hockey (with Hordichuk and Tootoo). Never met a goalie he didn't run.
New Jersey Devils:
Vitaly Vishnevski - See Karlis Skrastins.
New York 'Long Island' Islanders:
Richard Park - I have good memories of Park blowing Larry Murphy's doors as a rookie.
New York Rangers:
Colton Orr - Legend says a buddy of Orr's once dropped a hammer on the Ranger tough guy's head while redoing a house and Orr never missed a beat.
Ottawa Senators:
Anton Volchenkov - The kind of guy you love to hate, but would love to have on your team.
Philadelphia Flyers:
Jason Smith - Once hit Jan Hlavac so hard his visor broke.
Phoenix Coyotes:
Shane Doan - About the only good thing coming out of Phoenix these days.
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Sidney Crosby - He's better than Ovechkin, Alfredsson, Sundin and Iginla. Yup, I said it.
San Jose Sharks:
Patrick Marleau - Love those Saskatchewan boys.
St. Louis Blues:
Lee Stempniak - Will always be the face of that no-name Blues team from a couple years ago.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Vincent Lecavalier - His 44 points and 42 PIM's in only 28 games scream 'old school'.
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Andrew Raycroft - Leaf fans hate him, and that's good enough for me.
Vancouver Canucks:
Kevin Bieksa - Most underrated d-man in hockey.
Washington Capitals:
Alexander Ovechkin - He's okay, I guess.
MOF
Sunday Morning Update:
Line Combinations:
Gaborik-Crosby-Ovechkin
Nash-Lecavalier-Doan
Morrow-Getzlaf-Horton
Orr-Marleau-Kopitar
Healthy Scratches:
Stempniak, Kostopolous, Park, Filppula, Fiddler, Mellanby, Nokelainen
D-Pairings:
Bieksa-Volchenkov
Smith-Staois
Skrastins-Sarich
Healthy Scratch:
Vishnevski
Goalies:
Miller
Ward
Raycroft
Lalime
Let me know if I missed anyone. Feel free to leave your own team in the comments.
posted by Jason Kerr at 6:31 PM
4 Comments:
Man, I so shouldn't be doing this right now, I have finals tomorrow but I couldn't resist!
Anaheim Ducks:
Ryan Getzlaf - have to agree with you on that one, although I think it's pretty cool that he had a street hockey tournament for the Stanley Cup when he won it.
Atlanta Thrashers:
Todd White - he was one of the reasons why I liked the Sens in the early days.
Boston Bruins:
Peter Schaefer- I'll try to avoid old Sens players here, but you had a few so I'm exempt right? He's one of those good Saskatchewan kids.
Buffalo Sabres:
Do I have to? Okay... Thomas Vanek - he gets too much money and he's hurting the organization by having to take it... honestly I hate the Sabres and Miller's not underrated, people know he's good I don't know where the underrated statement came from.
Calgary Flames:
Dion Phaneuf - he hits people...HARD
Carolina Hurricanes:
Eric Staal - my sister goes to church with his wife, how cool is that?
Chicago Blackhawks:
Jonathan Toews - what he did for Canada in the shootout was awesome! I'll always love the guy for that!
Colorado Avalanche:
Wojtek Wolski - I think he has the coolest name in hockey (pronounced Voytek Volski).
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Rostislav Klesla - don't pay too much attention to his career but he really helped my team out huge in NHL 2007 after I picked him up at the trade deadline.
Dallas Stars:
Brenden Morrow - gotta agree on him too, pretty much the only guy besides Turco on that time that I like.
Detroit Red Wings:
Nicklas Lidstrom - though him winning Norris trophies is getting redundant he's a great skater and if you take away his -4 against Chicago in 2001 he usually puts up all star numbers.
Edmonton Oilers:
Mathieu Garon - stole the goaltending job in NHL 2007 for me and took me to the Cup, also him having a right handed glove is just too cool!
Florida Panthers:
Steve Montador - I owe it to him for always having him on my NHL teams and never playing him.
L.A. Kings:
Michael Cammalleri - saw him on OTR he's a pretty cool guy.
Minnesota Wild:
Nick Schultz - didn't even know the guy existed prior to the WC last year, caught my attention and he's from Saskatchewan so can't complain there.
Montreal Canadiens:
Carey Price- man I just love Canadians and the great things they do at world tournaments. Almost makes Kiprusoff look like he has emotional problems with how Stoic he is.
Nashville Predators:
Chris Mason - he looks like Curtis Denouden it's almost too funny!
New Jersey Devils:
Zach Parise - Gotta feel for a guy whose name is almost never pronounced correctly.
New York Islanders:
Marc-Andre Bergeron - Kevin Lowe's an idiot for tossing him aside.
New York Rangers:
Martin Straka - was awesome for me in last year's pool.
Ottawa Senators:
Daniel Alfredsson - My team so far is pretty deep at centre otherwise I would have said Fisher or Spezza. Great leader and puts up the points, I declare him my captain! Take another shot at Niedermayer while you're at it!
Philadelphia Flyers:
Steve Downie- I'm totally kidding, Jason Smith as well mainly because Kevin Lowe has a tendency to do stupid things like get rid of him.
Phoenix Coyotes:
Shane Doan: face of the franchise (because he's the only one that does something)
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Would those without a Calder Trophy please stand up? I'm sorry Sidney, you're going to have to leave now. Jordan Staal - because he earned his ice time last year and didn't have everything handed to him on a silver platter and also earned a legitimate record for shorthanded goals (youngest player to do something isn't anything special in my mind).
San Jose Sharks:
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - Because in life when you're a pickle, every door is a jar! Man I just made that up on the spot!
St. Louis Blues:
Brad Boyes - Mr. I would have won the Calder if it wasn't for these two crazy no.1 picks in 2005 and 06!
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Vincent Lecavalier - he was Jean Beliveau in the Rocket and wears no.4 to honour him, that's pretty cool!
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Brian McCabe- for the same reason that you chose Raycroft!
Vancouver Canucks:
Sami Salo: For showing Sid the Kid that he shouldn't dance with boys in Saturday's game.
Washington Capitals:
Alexander Ovechkin - for making that prank call on Sidney Crosby.
Line Combinations:
Ovechkin-Lecavalier-Alfredsson
Straka-E. Staal-Doan
Boyes-Getzlaf-Cammalleri
Parise-Toews-J. Staal
Healthy Scratches:
Vanek(I hate Buffalo what can I say?), White, Schaefer, Wolski
D-Pairings:
Lidstrom-Phaneuf
Salo-Smith
Schultz-Bergeron
Healthy Scratch:
Klesla, Montador (ironically enough), Vlasic
Goalies:
Mason
Garon
Price
Well I felt free there Jason, tell me what you think.
8:23 PM
Oops I forgot McCabe and Morrow in my line combinations for some reason. I'll cut Schultz and put McCabe in and cut Parise for Morrow. Man I blew it!
11:04 PM
Jason's Comments on Craig's Team:
Anaheim Ducks:
Ryan Getzlaf - Yah, we agree!
Atlanta Thrashers:
Todd White - Not a bad little grinder.
Boston Bruins:
Peter Schaefer- Ex-players from your favorite team are almost a requirement for this type of thing.
Buffalo Sabres:
Thomas Vanek - Having a lousy year. Maybe he'll bounce back. Perhaps I should clarify my Miller statement. Everyone knows he's good, yes, but I don't think anyone knows how important he is to the Sabres team. If it wasn't for him this season Buffalo would be sitting in the basement.
Calgary Flames:
Dion Phaneuf - He can be intimidated though.
Carolina Hurricanes:
Eric Staal - What did they think of him getting arrested over the summer?
Chicago Blackhawks:
Jonathan Toews - Toews is freakin' amazing.
Colorado Avalanche:
Wojtek Wolski - Good name, and not a bad winger either.
Columbus Blue Jackets:
Rostislav Klesla - Once saw Darren Van Impe beat the crap out of him in a line brawl.
Dallas Stars:
Brenden Morrow - We agree again! You like Turco?
Detroit Red Wings:
Nicklas Lidstrom - I'm sorry Craig, but Lidstrom's -4 game is simply inexcusable. Honestly, I don't know why you put up with his crap.
Edmonton Oilers:
Mathieu Garon - Does this mean the virtual Jason Kerr is out of a job?
Florida Panthers:
Steve Montador - Pretty good fighter too.
L.A. Kings:
Michael Cammalleri - While you're on the World Junior note, I think he lead Canada in scoring when he played for them (several years ago).
Minnesota Wild:
Nick Schultz - Yah Saskatchewan! Not only is it the home of the Grey Cup champions, it produces some of the best hockey players in the world too.
Montreal Canadiens:
Carey Price- The question is, will shooters start to figure him out the longer he's in the league.
Nashville Predators:
Chris Mason - I've never actually seen Mason with his mask off, I'll have to make a point of doing that.
New Jersey Devils:
Zach Parise - His Dad almost killed a German referee once.
New York Islanders:
Marc-Andre Bergeron - Everytime I see him I think of that monsterous hip-check he threw on Brenden Morrow a few years ago.
New York Rangers:
Martin Straka - Hooray for ex-Pens!
Ottawa Senators:
Daniel Alfredsson - If you're looking for talent on the wing, I would have taken Heatley (spelling?) but that's just me.
Philadelphia Flyers:
Jason Smith - You had me worried there for a second.
Phoenix Coyotes:
Shane Doan: Yah, we agree again!
Pittsburgh Penguins:
Jordan Staal - That's okay, Sidney will just go hang out with Wayne Gretzky, Joe Thornton, and Patrick Roy in the 'I don't have a Calder Trophy either' Lounge. Staal's a good pick though. I suspect he has more fans outside of Pittsburgh than Crosby does.
San Jose Sharks:
Marc-Edouard Vlasic - I actually never thought of that until you pointed it out.
St. Louis Blues:
Brad Boyes - Have to agree with you, Boyes is Mr. Forgotten.
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Vincent Lecavalier - Yah, we agree again!
Toronto Maple Leafs:
Brian McCabe- Yah, we agree in principle!
Vancouver Canucks:
Sami Salo: I must have missed that, all I remember is Burrows cross-checking Crosby from behind, and then Malone beating on Matt Cooke.
Washington Capitals:
Alexander Ovechkin - Good commercial.
Line Combinations:
Ovechkin-Lecavalier-Alfredsson
Straka-E. Staal-Doan
Boyes-Getzlaf-Cammalleri
Morrow-Toews-J. Staal
Healthy Scratches:
Vanek, White, Schaefer, Wolski, Parise
D-Pairings:
Lidstrom-Phaneuf
Salo-Smith
McCabe-Bergeron
Your defense is significantly better than mine...
Healthy Scratch:
Klesla, Montador, Shultz, Vlasic
Goalies:
Mason
Garon
Price
...but I don't think your goaltending is.
3:00 PM
kerr your the man for doing this you spawned a bunch of us to write ours on facebook
12:38 AM
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