ScottM Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 After a pretty long pause, I'm continuing the all-time team series. My apologies for the break. Life got in the way. Today, we take a look at the last of the WHA merger teams, and the only one never to win the Stanley Cup, the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes/Arizona Coyotes. First Line: Keith Tkachuk, Dale Hawerchuk, Teemu SelanneSecond Line: Morris Lukowich, Jeremy Roenick, Shane DoanThird Line: Thomas Steen, Doug Smail, Paul MacLeanFourth Line: Alex Zhamnov, Ladislav Nagy, Dave Christian First Defensive Pair: Phil Housley, Keith YandleSecond Defensive Pair: Teppo Numminen, Oliver Ekman-LarssonThird Defensive Pair: Randy Carlyle, Dave Babych Goaltenders: Ilya Bryzgalov, Sean Burke, Bob Essensa Coach: Dave Tippett This team isn't especially deep. There are some good players on the top two lines, and there's a solid, but not particularly star-level defensemen for the most part. Housley, obviously is a hall-of-famer, but outside of him, I view these guys as good, but not necessarily great. The goaltending, on the other hand isn't half bad. Essensa is rarely spoken of anymore, but he was a pretty skilled netminder in his day. Khabibulin didn't make the list simply because his best days came after his time with the franchise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD19372 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Are we counting the old Winnipeg Jets in this as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 Are we counting the old Winnipeg Jets in this as well? Yes. Some of those guys played only during the Winnipeg years. I try to consider all seasons spent with the franchise in question, no matter the location, but not seasons spent elsewhere when I do these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD19372 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Nevermind. Seeing Tkachuk and Selanne up there tells me my answer. My fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Gary Bettman, Glendale city council, Jerry Moyes, Wayne Gretzky, ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD19372 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 How could Scottie Upshall not be on this list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD19372 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I would throw Khabibulin's name in there just because their all-time goalies are mediocre at best, even though he only played 79 games and won 34 of them for the Jets. He had a.904 save% the season he was there. Not too shabby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagerMeister Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 nevermore would I have thought there would come a day where Ilya Bryzgalov would be among a franchise's top 3 best goalies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD19372 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 nevermore would I have thought there would come a day where Ilya Bryzgalov would be among a franchise's top 3 best goalies...Exactly...and you wonder why Arizona and the former version of Winnipeg have never won anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 nevermore would I have thought there would come a day where Ilya Bryzgalov would be among a franchise's top 3 best goalies... It is an event that was written in the stars and was in the making for a 2 millennia....it was just time NOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 In fairness to Bryzgalov, he had some great seasons in the desert. 2007-08 (Coyotes only) .921 sv%, 2.43 GAA, 3 shutouts2009-10 .920 sv%, 2.29 GAA, 8 shutouts2010-11 .921 sv%, 2.48 GAA, 7 shutouts Those 2009-10 numbers were good enough to to earn him second place in Vezina balloting. Granted, he fell off the map after he left Glendale, but he was quite good when he was there. Certainly nothing to sneeze at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Not the biggest Doan fan, a 50 point a year guy who has simply hung around forever in one organization, but nonetheless I would have to put him on the first team. It comes down to career value versus peak value, the old Bill James thing from baseball, Selanne had that ridiculous rookie season and was excellent for a short time before being sent to California, but Doan has had two decades of 20 goals and 50 points year after year. I would have to go Doan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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