Sports Central Message Boards - View Single Post - off-beat hockey players and personalities

wingoilerfan · 02-13-2003, 04:47 PM

#38. GUY LAFLEUR
Whether it was Montreal's own Forum or other hockey rinks, cheers of "Guy! Guy! Guy!" could be heard. Lafleur was best known for his skating expertise, but THN described him as the "chain-smoking, car-loving Habs icon of the 1970s".

#39. PHIL WATSON
Watson never needed to toss sticks (or a bench ...

) onto the ice to be seen or heard ... his vocabulary was sharper than any stick blade. In 1959, when Watson was coaching the Rangers, he called Gump Worsley a "beer belly". One of the funnier Watson quotes came when Punch Imlach, the coach of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, boldly proclaimed that his Leafs would make the playoffs ahead of the Rangers, Watson said, "The only crystal ball he's got is on his shoulders." ...

.

#40. HOWIE "The Stratford Streak" MORENZ
Before his unfortunate death when he was only 34 years old, Morenz was one of the better skaters of the first half of the 20th century, and according to THN could instantly accelerate on his skates.

#41. PHIL ESPOSITO
Espo was the one who gave his motivational speech during the 1972 Summit Series. He was described by THN as a "cauldron of emotion", although I remember him best when he proclaimed in 1999 that the Mighty Ducks would beat the Wings in the first round of the playoffs so that there would be an upset in the first round (He predicted the other top-seeded teams (Dallas, Colorado, St. Louis) to go on to the 2nd round) ... his prediction hit the ground with a thud. In other words ... it did not come true.

#42. CHARLIE CONACHER
Conacher once dangled teammate Harold "Buddy" Cotton outside a hotel room window until Cotton apologized for making a bad pass during a game.

#43. NICK FOTIU
Fotiu was, according to THN, a Ranger fan favorite. Before games, he would routinely toss pucks out to the fans. A practical joker, Fotiu surprised Bill Goldsworthy, who was asleep, by putting a live lobster in his bed.

#44. MANON RHEAUME
Rheaume was the first woman goalie to play in an NHL game ... granted, it was an exhibition game. It might have been a preview of things to come, as Rheaume became the goalie for Canada in international womens' hockey competitions and helped them to some World Championships.

#45. JOHN FERGUSON
Ferguson loved to fight, whether it be on the ice against an opposing team's tough guy or against a heavyweight boxer. Ferguson was planning in going toe-to-toe with George Chuvalo, a heavyweight boxing champ, before his GM, Habs GM Sean Pollock, called the fight off.

#46. IVAN "Ching" JOHNSON
To describe Johnson, Ching's New York Ranger teammate Frank Boucher said, "He always wore a grin, even after heaving some poor soul six feet in the air.". Although Johnson was feared for his checking abilities, his biggest check came when he was not playing, but refereeing a game ... he hit a player on a breakaway and knocked him out.

#47. BOB PLAGER
Plager loved to joke and tell stories. His best joke concerned former Blackhawks coach and GM Bob Pulford. The joke went like this: "A bartended asked Pully to leave his establishment today. He (the bartender) wanted to start Happy Hour.".

02-13-2003, 04:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
wingoilerfan Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 113	#38. GUY LAFLEUR Whether it was Montreal's own Forum or other hockey rinks, cheers of "Guy! Guy! Guy!" could be heard. Lafleur was best known for his skating expertise, but THN described him as the "chain-smoking, car-loving Habs icon of the 1970s". #39. PHIL WATSON Watson never needed to toss sticks (or a bench ... ) onto the ice to be seen or heard ... his vocabulary was sharper than any stick blade. In 1959, when Watson was coaching the Rangers, he called Gump Worsley a "beer belly". One of the funnier Watson quotes came when Punch Imlach, the coach of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, boldly proclaimed that his Leafs would make the playoffs ahead of the Rangers, Watson said, "The only crystal ball he's got is on his shoulders." ... . #40. HOWIE "The Stratford Streak" MORENZ Before his unfortunate death when he was only 34 years old, Morenz was one of the better skaters of the first half of the 20th century, and according to THN could instantly accelerate on his skates. #41. PHIL ESPOSITO Espo was the one who gave his motivational speech during the 1972 Summit Series. He was described by THN as a "cauldron of emotion", although I remember him best when he proclaimed in 1999 that the Mighty Ducks would beat the Wings in the first round of the playoffs so that there would be an upset in the first round (He predicted the other top-seeded teams (Dallas, Colorado, St. Louis) to go on to the 2nd round) ... his prediction hit the ground with a thud. In other words ... it did not come true. #42. CHARLIE CONACHER Conacher once dangled teammate Harold "Buddy" Cotton outside a hotel room window until Cotton apologized for making a bad pass during a game. #43. NICK FOTIU Fotiu was, according to THN, a Ranger fan favorite. Before games, he would routinely toss pucks out to the fans. A practical joker, Fotiu surprised Bill Goldsworthy, who was asleep, by putting a live lobster in his bed. #44. MANON RHEAUME Rheaume was the first woman goalie to play in an NHL game ... granted, it was an exhibition game. It might have been a preview of things to come, as Rheaume became the goalie for Canada in international womens' hockey competitions and helped them to some World Championships. #45. JOHN FERGUSON Ferguson loved to fight, whether it be on the ice against an opposing team's tough guy or against a heavyweight boxer. Ferguson was planning in going toe-to-toe with George Chuvalo, a heavyweight boxing champ, before his GM, Habs GM Sean Pollock, called the fight off. #46. IVAN "Ching" JOHNSON To describe Johnson, Ching's New York Ranger teammate Frank Boucher said, "He always wore a grin, even after heaving some poor soul six feet in the air.". Although Johnson was feared for his checking abilities, his biggest check came when he was not playing, but refereeing a game ... he hit a player on a breakaway and knocked him out. #47. BOB PLAGER Plager loved to joke and tell stories. His best joke concerned former Blackhawks coach and GM Bob Pulford. The joke went like this: "A bartended asked Pully to leave his establishment today. He (the bartender) wanted to start Happy Hour.". __________________ Let's go Red Wings! Long live the Oilers!