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Whoops...looked at Holtby ' s history vs Sharks...they were drinking his blood after every game it appears...may pass on that one...and anything with Sharks is bound to fail.Comment -
I'm just rooting for either the Hawks (my team...as I'm a Chicagoan) or Preds (I have a 5 unit +1300 future bet on them to win the West...this would melt away all my losses from my 29 - day winless streak and then some!
Also have 2 futures with Habs, but the Wings are starting to scare me.Comment -
What do you think about these 3 tommorrow I think they r strong plays
Pittsbrugh -145
Washington +120
Chicago-195
Any opinions in the 3 great games tommorrow???Comment -
Im a Hawk fan aswell,who was your favourite Hawk as a kid,I was always a Roenick guy,loved Belfour to.
Preds look they'll be a solid bet to win the West,Anaheim will be dangerous aswell,Chicago is always scary come playoff time,Blues never seem to live upto the hype.
Maybe you should put some on the Wings.Comment -
Who's the most famous Hockey player in Russia, Bure or OvechkinComment -
Looking ahead to thursday, Flames are 3-0 against the Kings in the last 2 months. Wonder what the line will be...
I've had a look tomorrow but just can't see anything. Hawks, Pens and Sharks are so inconsistent
You not a fan of the KHL Rocket?Comment -
1. Viacheslav Fetisov - played from 1977 through 1998. He was the heart and soul of the great Soviet Union teams of the 1980s. He is a 6 time World Champion and 2 time Olympic champion. Fetisov was the driving force among players to gain freedom to play outside of Russia and specifically in the National Hockey League. As result he came to North America in 1989. Though his best days were behind him, he established himself as one of the steadiest defenders in the NHL for nearly a decade. He earned 2 Stanley Cups as a player. He is one of only two Russian players in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
2. Vladislav Tretiak - played from 1968 through 1984, all in Russia. The acrobatic goalie became a legend in both the Soviet Union and in Canada with his stunning "debut" in the 1972 Summit Series. He would go on to be Canada's number 1 nemesis over the years. Tretiak is a 10 time World Champion, 3 time Olympic champion and 1 time Canada Cup champion. He is the only modern-era non-NHL player in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and one of only two Russian players so honored.
3. Valery Kharlamov - played from 1967 through 1981. His career was cut short due a fatal car accident. Kharlamov dazzled audiences with is puck handling and skating skills. When he "debuted" before Canadian audiences in the 1972 Summit Series, he left fans with their jaws dropped. This 8 time World Champion and 2 time Olympic champion was described by one hockey expert as a combination of Mike Bossy and Pavel Bure.
4. Anatoly Firsov - played from 1958 through 1974. One of the Russians' earliest stars, he dominated with his puck skills as the Russians took over the international scene in the 1960s. An 8 time World Champion and three time Olympic champion, Firsov boycotted the 1972 Summit Series to show support for ousted national team coach Anatoli Tarasov. It has been said that Russians' loss of Firsov was the equivalent of Canada's inability to dress Bobby Hull.
5. Alexander Maltsev - Played from 1967 through 1983. An 8 time World Champion and 2 time Olympic champion and 1 time Canada Cupchampion, Maltsev was the ultimate team player despite having individual skills that precious few others have ever possessed. A joy to watch.
6. Sergei Fedorov - played 1986 through present. Fedorov is the highest ranking "NHL Russian" - in other words he played the vast majority of his career in the NHL, not in international competition. This three time Stanley Cup champion became the first and only NHLer to be named as the league's MVP and best defensive player in the same year. In many ways he is a classic Russian centerman which prevents him from truly dominating the NHL offensively like he is capable of. Although highly respected, in many ways very underrated.
7. Valery Vasiliev - played 1967 through 1982. A 9 time World Champion and 2 time Olympic champion and 1 time Canada Cupchampion, Vasiliev was the greatest defenseman in Russian hockey history prior to Fetisov. Very similar in style, perhaps Vasiliev would get the nod over Fetisov had Vasiliev had a broader North American audience like Fetisov benefited from.
8 Vsevolod Bobrov - Played from 1946 through 1957, later coached the Soviet national team including in the 1972 Summit Series. Bobrov, who was also a football (soccer) star, was the earliest Russian hockey hero. He more than any other player dominated the infancy years of Russian hockey. He is the original Russian Rocket as in his time he was compared to Canada's most prolific scorer - Rocket Richard. Bobrov was part of 2 World Championships and 1 Olympic gold.
9. Sergei Makarov - played from 1976 through 1998. Makarov was the explosive winger on the feared KLM Line with Igor Larionov and Vladimir Krutov with the Russian national teams throughout the 1980s. Makarov was part of 2 Olympic, 7 World and 1 Canada Cupchampionships. Makarov later joined the National Hockey League and subsequently was named as the NHL rookie of the year in 1990. He went on to score 134 goals and 384 points despite being in the twilight of his career.
10. Pavel Bure - played from 1986 to present. Nicknamed The Russian Rocket because of his incredible speed, Bure could be the most electrifying player of his era - regardless if he's Russian, Canadian or any other nationality. He has that rare ability to get people out of their seats simply by picking up the puck. When he's on his game he is an absolute joy to watch, but he is increasingly enigmatic. He is one of only 8 players in NHL history to score 60 or more goals twice.
an honourable mention list:
Alexei Kasatonov - 5 World Championships, 2 Olympic championships, 1 Canada Cup championships, 14 years in the top Russian league, 7 seasons in the NHL
Vladimir Krutov - 5 World Champions, 2 Olympic championships and 1 Canada Cup championship, 1 NHL season.
Igor Larionov - 2 Olympic championships, 3 World championships, 1 Canada Cup championships, 3 Stanley Cup championships. 12 seasons in Russia, 12 (and counting) in the NHL
Boris Mikhailov - 8 time World champion, 2 time Olympic champion, long time captain is the highest scorer in Soviet hockey history with 427 goals in 572 games. Later became long time coach, including coaching Russia at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Ovie is still playing and I'm sure he'll be put somewhere to the top 5 when he finishes his career
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but one of the best stories when it comes to Russian hockey players is of course Pavel Datsyuk
the guy was drafted 171st overall
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Rocket knows. If you followed him for 10 years you would be a millionaire with proper units bet. Guaranteed.Comment -
Sounds like Fred Astaire's first screen test report ""Can't sing. Can't act. Balding. Can dance a little." He was going to become the most famous of big screen dancers of all time.
The moral of the tale - "You never know."
Likewise, I recall one evening of the 1986/87 season when Dinamo Riga were getting smashed by the mighty Red Army in the Soviet Elite league. After having conceded yet another goal their goalie was pulled off and in came a 19 or 20 years old complete unknown named Artūrs Irbe.
First shot he faced from the blue line - and in came another goal. Oh, farken dear.
The very next season this kid was the rock and the main reason why Dinamo did the unthinkable - becoming the very first non-Russian (and non-Moscow) team in Soviet Elite league history that finished 2nd right behind the team that always won those days, in the semifinal series famously beating Red Army's main rival Dynamo Moscow 2-1.
He later had a successful career in the NHL, especially in his early years with the plucky Sharks. In the 1993/94 season from the diabolically worst team in the league they did a Cinderella story (in many ways thanks to "the Wall" who went on to post the NHL record of 4412 minutes in the net during that season), reaching their maiden playoffs, sensationally beating top seeded Detroit in seven games and were only inches away from reaching semifinal - if only Johan Garpenlöv would have hit the net instead of the post in game 6 OT vs Toronto.Last edited by ridersonthestorm; 02-11-15, 03:44 AM.Comment -
Holtby has been stellar lately...Niemi has been great vs Caps in career...thinking either Under 6 or Sharks TT (U 2.5)...thoughts?Comment -
I am passing also Sasha
Lower back sore must of pulled somethingComment
