No joke, a Hanson arrives in the NHL
No joke, a Hanson arrives in the NHL
It took 32 years, but a member of the Hanson Clan is part of the NHL after the Maple Leafs inked Christian Hanson to a two-year contract on Tuesday. Is there are Reggie Dunlop Jr. somewhere in the league's future?
Welcome Jack Hanson Jr. to the NHL.
This is not an April Fool’s story – Chance doesn’t roll that way. It’s all true. The famous Hanson Brothers from the iconic 1977 film Slap Shot were real hockey players, and now one of them, Dave “Jack” Hanson, is a professional hockey dad.
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed ex-Notre Dame free agent Christian Hanson to a two-year deal on Tuesday. The younger Hanson is a 6-foot-4 center who tips the scales at 228 pounds. His dad was 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds during his 10-year pro career as a defenseman. That’s considered pint-sized for a blueliner these days.
If it seems there are more injuries in pro sports with each passing year, this is the main reason why. Advances in body armor – excuse me, equipment – and the high stakes that come with escalating salaries also have their roles, but in the end, size matters. And every generation (so far) is bigger and stronger than the last.
This is something worth keeping in mind when looking at the Stanley Cup futures market. All other things being equal, the bigger team will win more often. It’s very important not to equate big with slow and stupid; Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins stands 6-foot-3 and leads the league with 107 points. Sergei Gonchar, the star defenseman better known for his scoring on the power play, is 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. Gonchar would have been a goon in Jack Hanson’s era – if Russian players had been allowed to leave their country, that is.
The betting odds at press time had the hefty Penguins at 18-1 to return to the Stanley Cup final and get the job done this time. They opened at 11-2, but struggled with injuries (including Gonchar’s) through the first half of the season before firing coach Michel Therrien. The Pens have gone 14-2-3 under Dan Bylsma to jump back into playoff position, and with their size and talent look like a considerable Cup bargain.
Then you look again at the two favorites, both from the Western Conference. The Detroit Red Wings (3-1) are actually a fairly small team – only nine skaters (four forwards, five defensemen) are over six feet tall. The San Jose Sharks (7-2), meanwhile, are led by 6-foot-4, 235-pound Joe Thornton. These are not people you want to mess with. Given the fact that San Jose (111 points) and Detroit (107 points) have been neck-and-neck for first place in the league, the Sharks look more tempting with the longer odds and the bigger players. How does Sharks-Penguins sound for a hell of a Stanley Cup final?
New Jersey at Pittsburgh
Wednesday, Apr 1, 7:30 p.m. (ET)
It seemed not very long ago that the path toward the Eastern Conference title would go through New Jersey. But just when the Devils appeared unbeatable with Martin Brodeur back in goal, they drop five games in a row – one in overtime – to sit at 47-25-4 (40-36 ATS, plus-8.63 units).
The Devils have already clinched a playoff spot at 98 points, but they’re locked in a battle for the No. 2 seed with Washington at 99 points. This is important because 41-27-8 Pittsburgh (36-40 ATS, minus-5.22 units) is in sixth place right now at 90 points, and the No. 3 seed matches up with No. 6 in the first round of the playoffs.
Returning to our size theme, the Devils (11-2 to win the Cup) have plenty of meat on the hoof with nine skaters at 6-foot-2 or taller, including one of the league’s all-time power forwards, Brendan Shanahan at a beefy 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds. A 2007 article in The Hockey News credited Shanahan for registering the most “Gordie Howe” hat tricks (a goal, an assist and a fight) since the 1996-97 season with nine.
The hotter Penguins are –145 home favorites in Wednesday’s matchup with a total of 5.5 goals. New Jersey won three of their five previous meetings this year, twice in overtime, with the under going 4-1.
It took 32 years, but a member of the Hanson Clan is part of the NHL after the Maple Leafs inked Christian Hanson to a two-year contract on Tuesday. Is there are Reggie Dunlop Jr. somewhere in the league's future?
Welcome Jack Hanson Jr. to the NHL.
This is not an April Fool’s story – Chance doesn’t roll that way. It’s all true. The famous Hanson Brothers from the iconic 1977 film Slap Shot were real hockey players, and now one of them, Dave “Jack” Hanson, is a professional hockey dad.
The Toronto Maple Leafs signed ex-Notre Dame free agent Christian Hanson to a two-year deal on Tuesday. The younger Hanson is a 6-foot-4 center who tips the scales at 228 pounds. His dad was 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds during his 10-year pro career as a defenseman. That’s considered pint-sized for a blueliner these days.
If it seems there are more injuries in pro sports with each passing year, this is the main reason why. Advances in body armor – excuse me, equipment – and the high stakes that come with escalating salaries also have their roles, but in the end, size matters. And every generation (so far) is bigger and stronger than the last.
This is something worth keeping in mind when looking at the Stanley Cup futures market. All other things being equal, the bigger team will win more often. It’s very important not to equate big with slow and stupid; Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins stands 6-foot-3 and leads the league with 107 points. Sergei Gonchar, the star defenseman better known for his scoring on the power play, is 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. Gonchar would have been a goon in Jack Hanson’s era – if Russian players had been allowed to leave their country, that is.
The betting odds at press time had the hefty Penguins at 18-1 to return to the Stanley Cup final and get the job done this time. They opened at 11-2, but struggled with injuries (including Gonchar’s) through the first half of the season before firing coach Michel Therrien. The Pens have gone 14-2-3 under Dan Bylsma to jump back into playoff position, and with their size and talent look like a considerable Cup bargain.
Then you look again at the two favorites, both from the Western Conference. The Detroit Red Wings (3-1) are actually a fairly small team – only nine skaters (four forwards, five defensemen) are over six feet tall. The San Jose Sharks (7-2), meanwhile, are led by 6-foot-4, 235-pound Joe Thornton. These are not people you want to mess with. Given the fact that San Jose (111 points) and Detroit (107 points) have been neck-and-neck for first place in the league, the Sharks look more tempting with the longer odds and the bigger players. How does Sharks-Penguins sound for a hell of a Stanley Cup final?
New Jersey at Pittsburgh
Wednesday, Apr 1, 7:30 p.m. (ET)
It seemed not very long ago that the path toward the Eastern Conference title would go through New Jersey. But just when the Devils appeared unbeatable with Martin Brodeur back in goal, they drop five games in a row – one in overtime – to sit at 47-25-4 (40-36 ATS, plus-8.63 units).
The Devils have already clinched a playoff spot at 98 points, but they’re locked in a battle for the No. 2 seed with Washington at 99 points. This is important because 41-27-8 Pittsburgh (36-40 ATS, minus-5.22 units) is in sixth place right now at 90 points, and the No. 3 seed matches up with No. 6 in the first round of the playoffs.
Returning to our size theme, the Devils (11-2 to win the Cup) have plenty of meat on the hoof with nine skaters at 6-foot-2 or taller, including one of the league’s all-time power forwards, Brendan Shanahan at a beefy 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds. A 2007 article in The Hockey News credited Shanahan for registering the most “Gordie Howe” hat tricks (a goal, an assist and a fight) since the 1996-97 season with nine.
The hotter Penguins are –145 home favorites in Wednesday’s matchup with a total of 5.5 goals. New Jersey won three of their five previous meetings this year, twice in overtime, with the under going 4-1.