When my youngest was a peewee, we got a chance to attend a Canadiens optional practice. No coaches on the ice. Players were free to practice whatever they wanted. Despite his reputation as an undisciplined free spirit, Lafleur pushed himself hard.
I think my son learned a lesson that day. Success requires hard work.
The giveaway was bad enough, but I wonder how much damage has been done to Vegas by the coach throwing Fleury under the bus with his postgame comments.
"I've heard a lot about fights in the past being more violent".
One of the worst was Wayne Maki and Teddy Green. They were swinging sticks at each other. Maki finally got Green in the head. Terrible sight. Should have convinced NHL players to wear helmets, but most refused.
My nominee is Ulf Samuelson.
I've told this story on this site before.
It was a Rangers pre-season practice game the first season after Ulfie got traded to New York.
Shane Willis was a young kid trying to land a gig. He made a play, and had his face to the glass. Ulfie saw he was defenseless and ran him. At full tilt, rammed his elbow into the kid's head and watched the teeth and blood spew onto the ice. Cost Willis some nights in the hospital and a few years in his pursuit of a pro career.
There was no need for the cruelty. Ulfie was guaranteed a job. Willis was not a threat.
It was just meanness.
I had the happy chance to meet Henri. He was quiet and reserved. A real sports hero.
And, the only hockey player I ever saw who looked natty and dressed up in a uniform.
We had Saturday night high school dances. A bunch of hillbilly kids in rural Vermont. One night, the fool who played the records, decided to include "Sabre Dance" in the evening's repertoire.
Didn't get many dancers for that one.
Got a question.
How do the scorers calculate ice time? Keeping track of the coming and goings of forty plus skaters seems to me to be a difficult task.
How do they do it?