yave1964 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I agree when we're talking about today's play.I disagree when we're talking mid to late 90's and early 00's...the east was a meat grinder and that was the era I was referencing in my post. specifically those Leaf teams which were good plus you knew you were in a hockey game when you were done playing them. The East fo that era was also the era of parity, any one of the eight teams that made the postseason could knock out any other, no superstar teams, they were all out in the west. With the exception of the Devils mostly they didnt have enough to beat the Western teams anyway. Detroit, Dallas and Colorado were the true teams of the era, Lou Lamorillo seemed to have their number figured out, other than that most of the Eastern teams were talented but cannon fodder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanflyer Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Or that Lacross was our national sport over Hockey Thats a stunner isn't it?? Lacrosse is the national sport because it was invented by native north americans (and I am going to suspect native north americans somewhere in Canada. Hockey (at least in is initial inception) is believed to have origins to Ireland and that irish military stationed in Canada exposed their variation of it to Canadian soldiers. At least that is one version or its origins I have heard. If true, because not actutally invented by Canadians, I can see how its not the national sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanaticV3.0 Posted November 19, 2014 Author Share Posted November 19, 2014 I am not saying that you have to win a cup to be an all time great but postseason success HAS to e considered when ranking a player. Thornton (and Marleau to a greater degree) have been hurt in the eyes of fans who watch them, year after year get knocked out when they are considered to be a favorite going into the postseason. Last years debacle will hang over them until they make it go away.As a Wings fan, I remember Yzerman getting the exact same type of press during the early nineties when the Wings were getting knocked out by inferior Leafs and Sharks teams, rumors sprang up that they could never win with Yzerman as captain, rumors in 95 and 96 sprang up that he was going to Ottawa for Yashin or get shipped out for Lafontaine.Thank God they didn't do it, Yzerman bought into Scotty's system, became an al time great.Not saying Thornton needs to win three of four cups but he needs to put the whispers behind him in the exact same way that Yzerman did or it will be a factor, perhaps an unfairly large factor, when people sum up his career. So Joe, (and Marleau) if you don't like it, win a cup. Teams get knocked out of the PO, not individual players. And as I pointed out in my first post, his post-season numbers are not even close to being what one could call "bad". He doesn't disappear in the PO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J0e Th0rnton Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 Teams get knocked out of the PO, not individual players. And as I pointed out in my first post, his post-season numbers are not even close to being what one could call "bad". He doesn't disappear in the PO.As much bad press as he gets, it is remarkable that he has the following playoff stats. 97-98: 0 points in 6 games. but he was an 18 year old playing 5 minutes a game 98-99: 9 points in 11 games as a 19 year old. Third in scoring and well above his regular season scoring of 42 points at the time. 01-02: 6 points in 6 games and +/-0. Tied for team lead, with Guerin, who was -2 02-03: 3 points in 5 games. Was shadowed by the best defensive unit in Hockey at the time during the height of clutch and grab, almost piggybacking Madden/Pandolfo, and Brodeur was out of his mind good. They shut EVERYONE down and went on to win a cup. Martin St Louis had 9 points in 6 games against the Caps, then was stuck with 3 points in 5 games against the Devils. Hossa and Alfredsson were dynamite against everyone till they ran into NJ(19 points in 11 games before NJ, 5 points in 7 games between the two of them against NJ) 03-04: Suffered a severe injury of torn rib Cartilage before the playoffs. Should have been home in bed. Boston Management encouraged him to suck it up and play wearing armor. He was unable to make any pivots on his skates and normal arm movements like simple passes caused excrutiating pain, to say nothing of being hit. He had no business even being on the ice. Unbelievable that his choker label originated here, but it did. Everyone else who tries playing through lesser injuries gets labelled a warrior. Traded to SJ 05-06: Only 3rd in scoring with 9 points in 11 playoff games. After the triple overtime game 3, Toskala started letting in goals like a leaky faucet. Thornton still managed 4 points in the 4 straight losses to the Oilers. 06-07: Carried the team on his back. 11 points in 11 games and +2. Nobody else on the team had more than 6 points, including Marleau, who was -5. Detroit just had too many great two way players who could all focus on Thornton because nobody else was a threat. For all the talk about supporting cast, nobody else was even a threat. 07-08: His 10 points in 13 games actually lead the team in scoring. 08-09: His 5 points in 6 games again lead the team in scoring. Runner up scorers were 40 year old Rob Blake and Dan Boyle. Marleau played so bad and aloof that Roenick had a field day talking about how he was one of his least favorite teammates ever, while praising Thornton's drive to win, despite lack of results. 09-10: The year secondary scoring appeared was probably Thornton's worst playoff appearance ever with 12 points in 15 games and -11. And they made the CF. The CF is where Chicago just raped the Sharks in 4 even with Niemi in net because they were able to play such strong defense in front of him. Poor Nabokov was just curled up in fetal position by the end of that series. 10-11: Probably his best playoff year ever. Not only was he leading the team in scoring, but he was leading the playoffs in scoring with 17 points in 18 games and playing solid two way hockey even though they lost in 5 in the CF. Niemi was just PUTRID for us because we could not cover his glaring weaknesses like the Blackhawks could. 11-12: 5 points in 5 games an +2 lead the team in scoring. Shame everyone else was a minus and Marleau and Pavelski had 0 points in 5 games. 12-13: Only 3rd in scoring and lost in 7 to the Kings. However, 3rd in scoring behind Pavelski, who had 12 points and was +/-0, Couture who had 11 points and was -5, then Thornton who had 10 points and was +5 13-14: We all know what happened this past playoff. An epic team collapse. Thornton was the ONLY forward winning faceoffs the last 4 games, but overall, was predictable and no match for Kopitar/Doughty/Quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanaticV3.0 Posted December 10, 2014 Author Share Posted December 10, 2014 @J0e Th0rnton When I drafted him and the guy in my league made the comment about it being a good pick as long as our league ends before the NHL playoffs begin, I laughed, because I know of her perceived rep. I believed it myself. Then I was just d-cking around on the net one day and say his PO numbers are in no way bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagerMeister Posted December 18, 2014 Share Posted December 18, 2014 He will be the best San Jose Sharks player in a very long time. He is still playing well at 35. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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