All-Time Manitoba Provincial Team

[ScottM]

 

We move east from Saskatchewan to Manitoba to continue the provincial teams series. As home to 381 NHL players, Manitoba ranks fifth among Canadian provinces. We find a noticeable dropoff form the previous teams in the series, though this one is not without strengths. 

 

First Line: Patrick Sharp, Bobby Clarke, Andy Bathgate

Second Line: Dennis Hextall, Frank Fredrickson, Bill Mosienko

Third Line: Chuck Lefley, Jonathan Toews, Harry Oliver

Fourth Line: Ab McDonald, Butch Goring, Reggie Leach

 

First Defensive Pair: Ken Reardon, Jack Stewart

Second Defensive Pair: Babe Pratt, Ching Johnson

Third Defensive Pair: Tom Johnson, Art Coulter

 

Goaltenders: Terry Sawchuk, Turk Broda, Ed Belfour

 

There's not really a lot to be said for the left wing, though there is good depth at center and right wing. The strength of this team, however, lies at defense and in net, where we find nothing but Hall of Famers. Many of the blueliners go back quite a way, but they were certainly elite in their day. Stewart and Reardon would likely have even more impressive resumes except for the fact that they lost time to World War II.