NHL Hockey

lightweight

lightweight

Moderator
#1
#1
New and old Hockey fans. I am just glad a Ranger fan started this thread. The Rangers are a team that will get hot as the season ends and just in time for the playoffs. Barry Back was one tough guy. If he was not gay, he could have been another Gillies. Names from the past and some good Rangers were Eddie Johnstone, Tkuchuk, Park, Vickers. Eddie. Hedberg. One of the original teams. I hate the Islanders. Mick Vacoda beating up a little a Ranger who was a born again Christian and would not fight. That was when the Rangers swept them in the playoffs. He was such a fukin goon. The Islanders had a lot of goons. I will never forget, Potvin, hitting Ulf Nielson in the corner with a real late hit and shattering his anke. Nielson was to never play again. He tried but could'nt do it. And there the chant of Potvin sucks was started. Gavy, As I mentioned, I am very up on Islander tradition as I was at almost every home game for 7 to 8 years. I played Hockey my entire life so I enjoyed watching the great Islander teams even though I did not like them. I repected them. To me, They are the second best team ever created behind the Oilers. I think they are better that those Canadian teams.
 
Gavvy Cravath

Gavvy Cravath

Moderator Emeritus
#3
#3
Those Islander teams are probably right behind the 55-60 Canadien teams. As someone who watched both of the Islander and Oiler dynasties, it's a pick 'em. I was a little young to see the 70's Canadiens, though. I don't remember much.

Looking back at it, the Leafs elimination of the Isles in '78 probably derailed the Islanders from winning 6 straight Cups. (After winning in '78, I believe the team would have beaten the Rags in '79.)

But the price they paid for those 4 Cups. 20+ years of lousy to mediocre hockey. Mike Milbury, Charles Wang, John Spano, Steve Gluckstern, Mike Milbury, absentee owners, Mike Milbury and Mike Milbury. Christ...thank Gad I have other diversions.

Gavy
 
lightweight

lightweight

Moderator
#5
#5
gavycrav said:
Those Islander teams are probably right behind the 55-60 Canadien teams. As someone who watched both of the Islander and Oiler dynasties, it's a pick 'em. I was a little young to see the 70's Canadiens, though. I don't remember much.

Looking back at it, the Leafs elimination of the Isles in '78 probably derailed the Islanders from winning 6 straight Cups. (After winning in '78, I believe the team would have beaten the Rags in '79.)

But the price they paid for those 4 Cups. 20+ years of lousy to mediocre hockey. Mike Milbury, Charles Wang, John Spano, Steve Gluckstern, Mike Milbury, absentee owners, Mike Milbury and Mike Milbury. Christ...thank Gad I have other diversions.

Gavy
Click to expand...

I too were a little younger. The 55-60 Canadiens, I was not even born yet so it is not fiar for me to say. I am 44 yrs old. I agree that the Islanders and Oilers were a piclem but, I am a Messier fan so I give it to the oIlers. But, If I was honest, which I am not, I would say even.
Gavy, the one thing that stood out about thoses Islander teams were that they could play pussy hockey and win 4 to 3. They could play hi flying hockey with the Western Teams and win 8 to 7. They could wina 1 to 0 game with their Defense and their Goal Tending. And they could brwl and they could win a hard hitting games.
 
lightweight

lightweight

Moderator
#6
#6
Gavy, I was going to make this a Ranger thread but you would have posted Islander stuff in it anyway so I thought it was right just doing an NHL thread.
 
L

Lascivious

#7
#7
Just look at that Oiler dynasty with the Studs on those teams. Best ever. They can score at will. I'm a huge Islander fan but even I have to give kudos to the Oilers for ending our run. They were just better. When you have the greatest player of all time on your team and another legend in "the Captain", you can easily put them in the GOAT discussion.
 
Gavvy Cravath

Gavvy Cravath

Moderator Emeritus
#8
#8
Lightweight, just like you said, those Islander teams could beat you any way they wanted. Heck, that first Cup team basically slept walked through the season. Potvin missed half the year. Finished 5th overall.

The 83 84 Oilers had the benefit of the Finals being 2-3-2. Once they split on Long Island, the feeling was the Isles were going to have a tough time getting back. In the game the Islanders lost at home, I believe Trottier had a goal disallowed in the second period. That goes in, it's a whole different series, although the Oilers were younger and faster by that time and probably still would have won the series.

The Islanders Drive for 5 was curtailed in the 70s by the Leafs and the Rangers, not by the Oilers.

By the way, the greatest of all time was Lemieux. The second best player I ever saw was Messier (and I was a former Oiler hater and current Ranger hater). Gretzky was amazing, but he got points while on the bench out in Edmonton.

Go through the Islander and Oiler teams. You want to take Gretzky over Trottier, fine. Messier (skated on Gretzky's wing early on) over Bossy (the greatest goal scorer the league ever saw) I can see it...maybe. But, after that, the forwards are even, maybe a slight edge to the Islanders.

Potvin or Coffey? Potvin ever time. Now the Oilers don't get enough credit, especially those early teams, for their defense. But think about Langevin and Kenny Morrow being on your back line. Gordie Lane never got the credit he deserved. He was your 6th defenseman. But, all that being said, those Oiler teams with Lowe, Huddy and Randy Grieg had some solid defensemen. Edge to the Islanders, just because of Potvin being better than Coffey.

In goal, there was never a better playoff, money goaltender than Billy Smith.

The Oiler vs Islander debate is a worthy one. It's a pick 'em if you ask me.
 
lightweight

lightweight

Moderator
#9
#9
You mentioned the Billy Smith. What a weird trade. Smith was a decent reg season goolie. When they traded Chico, I thought that was a horrible trade. Wow, how great was that trade. Smith, who care what his reg season record was, I do not even know. But what a clutch goolie and a playoff hero for them.
 
L

Lascivious

#10
#10
lightweight said:
You mentioned the Billy Smith. What a weird trade. Smith was a decent reg season goolie. When they traded Chico, I thought that was a horrible trade. Wow, how great was that trade. Smith, who care what his reg season record was, I do not even know. But what a clutch goolie and a playoff hero for them.
Click to expand...
What are you saying? He's the anti-Arod.
 
N

nychelsea

#17
#17
gavycrav said:
Those Islander teams are probably right behind the 55-60 Canadien teams. As someone who watched both of the Islander and Oiler dynasties, it's a pick 'em. I was a little young to see the 70's Canadiens, though. I don't remember much.

Looking back at it, the Leafs elimination of the Isles in '78 probably derailed the Islanders from winning 6 straight Cups. (After winning in '78, I believe the team would have beaten the Rags in '79.)

But the price they paid for those 4 Cups. 20+ years of lousy to mediocre hockey. Mike Milbury, Charles Wang, John Spano, Steve Gluckstern, Mike Milbury, absentee owners, Mike Milbury and Mike Milbury. Christ...thank Gad I have other diversions.

Gavy
Click to expand...
Those Montreal Teams were awfully good. They lucked out when they got Ken Dryde. And remember, the great Bill Torrey, GM of the Oakland Golden Seals, traded the #1 draft pick (which he knew was going to be Guy LaFleur) to Montreal for Carol Vadnais in perhaps the worst sports trade of all time. Happily, Bill learned his lesson when he got to the Icelanders (with credit to the truly great Steve Somers of WFAN).

Shoot 'ze puck,

Chels
 
N

nychelsea

#19
#19
gavycrav said:
Lightweight, just like you said, those Islander teams could beat you any way they wanted. Heck, that first Cup team basically slept walked through the season. Potvin missed half the year. Finished 5th overall.

The 83 84 Oilers had the benefit of the Finals being 2-3-2. Once they split on Long Island, the feeling was the Isles were going to have a tough time getting back. In the game the Islanders lost at home, I believe Trottier had a goal disallowed in the second period. That goes in, it's a whole different series, although the Oilers were younger and faster by that time and probably still would have won the series.

The Islanders Drive for 5 was curtailed in the 70s by the Leafs and the Rangers, not by the Oilers.

By the way, the greatest of all time was Lemieux. The second best player I ever saw was Messier (and I was a former Oiler hater and current Ranger hater). Gretzky was amazing, but he got points while on the bench out in Edmonton.

Go through the Islander and Oiler teams. You want to take Gretzky over Trottier, fine. Messier (skated on Gretzky's wing early on) over Bossy (the greatest goal scorer the league ever saw) I can see it...maybe. But, after that, the forwards are even, maybe a slight edge to the Islanders.

Potvin or Coffey? Potvin ever time. Now the Oilers don't get enough credit, especially those early teams, for their defense. But think about Langevin and Kenny Morrow being on your back line. Gordie Lane never got the credit he deserved. He was your 6th defenseman. But, all that being said, those Oiler teams with Lowe, Huddy and Randy Grieg had some solid defensemen. Edge to the Islanders, just because of Potvin being better than Coffey.

In goal, there was never a better playoff, money goaltender than Billy Smith.

The Oiler vs Islander debate is a worthy one. It's a pick 'em if you ask me.
Click to expand...
When it comes to great players, don't forget Guy LaFleur or going further back, the Rocket - Maurice Richard. And how about Gordie Howe. By the way, the Icelanders would never have wone a cup without Billy Smith - one of the best clutch athletes I've ever seen.

Enjoy,

Chels
 
Gavvy Cravath

Gavvy Cravath

Moderator Emeritus
#20
#20
nychelsea said:
When it comes to great players, don't forget Guy LaFleur or going further back, the Rocket - Maurice Richard. And how about Gordie Howe. By the way, the Icelanders would never have wone a cup without Billy Smith - one of the best clutch athletes I've ever seen.

Enjoy,

Chels
Click to expand...

Would the Islanders have won 19 straight series in a row with out Smith? Probably not. Would they have won a Cup or two? That team was so stacked, smart money says "yes".

As for Richard, I never saw him play. I was 7 years old when I saw Howe play, and I only remember him taking limited shifts (could it have been a pre-season game at the Coliseum?) that I can't really count it. But, I saw Lemieux, Messier, and those Islander greats play, that's why I can rate them where I do. Lemieux could do anything Gretzky could do, and he was bigger, thats why he was better in my book. Look at the Patrick Division he played in for years and the Conference. One tough league.

As for Messier, anyone who could end that streak has got to be up there. The thing about Messier: he was so tough, no one fought him. Kicked some serious ass in the early days. I had a tape somewhere of him on the Cincinnati Stingers kicking the piss out of some moope from Birmingham that started with him. Serious ass kicker.

Gavy
 
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