Conference 7.286::sports_90

This article appear recently in the Hartford Courant, and highlights
some of the exploits of Ulf Samuelsson, Whaler's defensemen.

Copied w/o permission of course.
===============================================================================
                    ULF'S IMPORTANCE IS NO LAUGHING MATTER
                                      by
                                   Jim Shea


The Whalers are playing the Nordiques a few years back and they're down
one late, so they pull the goalie for an extra attacker.  Leaving
your net open wide enough to allow someone to score from the beer line
is considered sound strategy, and most of the game's deep thinkers
employ it.

Anyway, on this particular night the maneuver backfires and Quebec's
Anton Stastny ends up escorting the puck toward the empty goal.  But
all is not lost.

Enter (*trumpets please*) Whalers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson.

Unable to catch Stastny -- and not packing a firearm -- Ulf does the next
best thing.  He throws his stick at the puck.  When that doesn't work, he
wings his right glove, and then his left.

He explains:

"As soon as I threw my stick it was an automatic goal.  So I threw my gloves
too.  I figured, what the heck, I might as well see if I can get on 
David Letterman."

Of course.

Ulf Samuelsson hails from Fagersta, Sweden, according to the Whalers yearbook.
But what many, including most of his teammates, would like to know is --
what planet?  Samuelsson's personality ranges from Ferris Bueller on his
day off, to Dirty Harry, to the kid on the playground who was always
going "Whoa, you gonna take that?"

Nothing about Samuelsson is in sync with expectation.

Most European players wouldn't drop their gloves if their hands were on
fire.  The combatative Samuelsson has 181 penalty minutes last season.

In the offseason, Samuelsson injured his left knee jumping back and forth
over a rock (apparently this is the rage in Sweden).  After surgery Aug. 2,
the doctors said he wouldn't be able to play until January at the
earliest.  He was back in late November.

And, just when you figure you have the guy pegged as a class clown, you 
learn he is a couple of courses short of a degree in economics.

There is no question that the Whalers have had more than their share of
characters.  It would take a corps of tailors to reattach the neckties
Nick Fotiu clipped off his sleeping teammates in his day.  But, in just
four-plus seasons, Samuelsson has come to stand alone as the organization's
all-time flake.  Everybody has an Ulfie story.

Ronnie Francis:

"We're playing the Flyers and losing big.  Ulfie comes down the side,
shoots the puck and it hits the goalie's pads and bounces up in the air.
Ulfie catches the puck in his hand, skates toward the goalie, dekes
him a couple of times and throws the puck underneath the crossbar.
The light goes on, the Whalers song starts playing, and he throws his
arms up in the air and starts celebrating.  The rest of us just start
skating away for the faceoff.  Ulfie's arguing with the ref who
waved it off."

Kevin Dineen:

"It's when we were down in Binghamton and Ulfie had high-sticked this
guy, not bad, maybe four, five stitches.  About a month later the
team comes back and, when they have come out for the warmup, they all
have their helmets on, chin straps buttoned.  Then the guy skates down
at Ulfie and there's this big brawl.  Ulfie gets thrown out of the
game before it even starts.  His parents, who were coming in from Sweden,
never got to see him play."

Ray Ferraro:

"We're in LA and the game starts and Ulfie and his partner are up second.
Jack [Evans, former coach] taps Ulfie on the shoulder to go in.

'I can't,' Ulfie says.
'What?,' Jack says.
'I can't go out, I have to go to the bathroom.'

"Sure enough, he skates across the ice on the next break and is gone
for about 10 minutes."

Samuelsson is comfortable with his penchant for hijinks, claiming it's
necessary.  "I have to be in a good mood to play," he says.  "Some guys
put their game face on early, I don't until right before.

"I like to have a good time.  I'll fool around at practice, but, if you
watch me, you'll also see that I'm one of the first guys in line to do
drills.  I try and work very hard, practice as hard as I can."

It shows.  Samuelsson was an NHL All-Star in 1986-87, as well as the
team's most valuable defenseman in 1986-87 and 1987-88.  And when the
league's general managers talk trade with the Whalers, Samuelsson's name
almost always comes up.

"He really has fun with the game," Francis says, "but he's pretty smart about
it too.  He's serious when he should be.  It's a long season and there's
a lot of pressure, some tough times.  It's great to have a guy with the
kind of attitude Ulfie has.  He forces you to laugh."

"Ulfie's just as intense as everyone else, and this is a very intense
game," Dave Babych says.  "But he's also loose out there and it helps
cut the tension."

On the other hand, Samuelsson probably generates as much tension as he cuts.

"He creates a lot of stuff out there on the ice," says Grant Jennings, who 
was paired with Samuelsson last season.  "He likes to talk.  He likes to
get people riled up.  Which is fine with me because that's the way I like
to play the game."

What kind of things does he say?

"I don't know," Jennings says with a shrug, "most of the time I can't under-
stand him."

"I look at a list of the other team's players before the game to see who
is playing well," Samuelsson says.  "Then, when the games starts, I try
to see what I can do to get them mad at me, get them frustrated.  If
they're trying to get me back all the time instead of putting the puck in
the net, that's good.  And I'm big enough to handle myself."

Ever see the car commercials Samuelsson and Dineen do?  Ever see the
one in which Samuelsson is pivoting around, handing out stubs, and
shouting "Sold, Sold" in a high pitched voice?  Ever wonder who wrote them?

"We just made them up.  We did them as a joke," Samuelsson says.  "We
didn't think they'd run them.  But they say the worst commercials get the
most attention.  If that's true they must be doing all right."

Despite his status as the team's ranking free spirit, Samuelsson isn't cut
any slack in the Whalers locker room, where everyone is fair game.

"See those big paper ears up there," Samuelsson says, pointing to Randy
Ladouceur's locker.  "The guys think he has big ears so, one day when he
came in, they were taped to the top of his helmet."

Samuelsson's weakness?

"They call me Jaws, Elway, or Mr. Ed," he says, stroking his prominent
chin."

"An Ulfie story, hum, I'll have to think on it," Paul MacDermid says.  "He
does so many dumb things that you just take it for granted after a while."

Like the time he called Sweden from the press box in Minnesota, or the
time he commandeered the wheelchair in the
airport and was doing wheelies, or the time he performed the Bill Murray
drill scene from the movie Stripes or his training technique of
skating round and around the faceoff circle until he gets too dizzy or the
time...

"It was last season and I'm doing the pregame show," WTIC play-by-play man
Chuck Kaiton  recalls.  "Ulfie is out sick and we're talking about when
he might be back.  All of a sudden I get this call and this guy goes on
for about 10 seconds about when he thinks Samuelsson will be back.  Then
I realize it's Ulfie.  Guys on the team don't call the show, normally."

The key word here is "normally."


------------------------------------
Reprinted without permission from The Hartford Courant

    Not a "Go Whale" fan, but how is Scott Young doing so far this year?
    
    My Dad and I used to coach him in Little League.  He's a Clinton, MA.
    native also.
    
    Mike

    scottie playing well... he must have close to 10 goals..  he will
    help  lead the whale  over bruins for  coveted 3  place spot in
    
    Adams
    
    
    
    dinz
    

    ralphie
    
    
    its dinz  not diz, youre nuts cuz the bruins  arent as good as montreal
    or  buffalo... it will be  close between whalers and bruins for
     3 and 4th
    
    
    dinz
    

Young is doing fairly well.  His stats as of today are:

	
	GP  G  A  Pts  +/-  Pim  PP SH GW  GT   S   PctG
        34  10 18  28  -13   18   4  1  2   0   98  10.2

Unfortunately, the -13 is the worst on the team.

He has seen actions with several different line combinations.

Chainsaw

Caught the Whalers game on Saturday night as they beat the
Rangers to end the Rangers 7 game win streak!

First time the Whale has been 3 over .500 since 1986-87.

Also, they have this new kid they brought up from Binghampton
on defense, named Culhane.  Watch this kid.  He hits anything
in sight!

Richter, the Ranger goalie was phenomenal.  So was El Side.

Great game.  Couple of minor fights, but nothing like the
one that broke out in the stands with a minute left in the
game....

latered,
chainsaw

    'Saw, I see the Bruins and the Whalers swapped defenseman.  What's the
    word on this trade up in New England?

Pretty quiet Mac.  It was done at the minor league level, and
while I didn't see much local news this weekend, I don't think
it even made the Hartford sportscasts.

The Whalers have been hurting at defense, but I *like* the way this
new kid plays.  He (Culhane) also picked up his first assist on Sat nite.

The word from the organization is that Coach Ley feels that there
are players on the Whalers who have never been pushed, from the
time they were at Binghampton up till now.  Since he's been
coaching the Whale, the Binghampton club has been pushing everyone
down there.  The organization is pleased with some of their progress.

If Culhane is any indication, then at least next year we should see
a little more intensity if they bring some of these kids up....

If I hear more about the trade, I'll let you know.

Also, it is really probably that Bobby Holick will sign with the Whale.
He was back here on Friday to have team doctors check his thumb, and
I saw him at the game on Saturday....

Go whale!

Chainsaw

    Hey 'Saw, just a minor nit... There's no 'P' in Binghamton.
    If it was in Mass., then there would. I'm moving there from Rochester
    N.Y. and it looks like the B-Whale is the only game in town.
    Damn. I'm bummin'.
    		Raider_Rich
    

Right you are Raider_Rich.  I've been reading too many novels
set in England, and adding that "p" gets to be habit after a while.

But hey, while there records clearly inhales discreetly, I have
it from a very good source (who had *very* nice legs) that the
coaches are really pushing the kids down there, so  you might
see some good hockey....

later,
Chainsaw

    Hey, I was born and lived in Bingham(-p)ton for 10 years.  They
    had a Yankee farm team (Triplets) there in the 60's.  Thurman Munson,
    Al Downing, Joe Pepitone among others came through there.  The hockey
    team came in after I moved away.  I do believe they filmed some
    of "Slapshot" there and some of the players (Hansons, Carlsons?)
    were members of the Binghamton team.
    
    
    Spud

Sounds about right, Spud.  I think the Carlsons even played on the
Whalers for a while....

'Saw

    a rising chant can be heard...  EL SID
    
    
    EL SID
    
    
    
    EL SID...
    
    FILM AT 11
    

    Does he have a wide butt too?

Nope.

El Sid is a pretty darn good goalie.  In fact, I'd wager that he
is arguably the best goalie in a one-on-one situation in the
NHL.

Now, I did not see *every* game this year, but I can't remember 
one time where he got beat one-on-one this season.  He doesn't come
out to far, keeps track of where the crease is, and cuts the angles
pretty well....

And his backup, Whitmore, is gonna be very good when he gets 
more playing time.

Personally, the goalie I like is Darren Reaugh (pronounce "Ray)
who is in Binghamton.  Darren is tall, and reminds me a lot
of Ken Dryden.  I hope this kid gets a good chance nexted year!

'Saw

    
    Funny how they get "Ray" out of Reaugh and "roo-WA" out of Roy.
    
    Funny people dem Canucks dere, ay?
    
    -Dick
    

Yo D�ckster

I think (don't hold me to this) but I think that Reaugh is 
Irish in origin.  'Course I'm not totally up on my Celtic heritage
stuff...

'Saw

    
    Whaler's goalie's lack playoff experience.
    
    Besides the fact that The Whaler's Sip Moose appendages!!

�    Whaler's goalie's lack playoff experience.
    
Not true.  El Sid and Whitmore played last year against the
Canadians...  Sid also played the year before I think...

My prediction is Bruins 4-2, but I think it will be a good
series nonetheless.  Don't forget the Whale finished 10-5-2 and
had the second best road record in the league...

Will be very interesting...
'saw

    
    I said lack...not that they didn't have any! Are you taking lessons
    from the MrT school of mis-interpretation! 8^) Just kiddin' Saw.
    Your right the Whale will give the B's all they can handle, but I 
    have to believe it was ahuge mistake trading away Liut.
    

    Frank, I think you should run a contest, for people to guess the
    point where gOwHaLe will be eliminated.  First prize can be a set of
    four (no not final four) UCONN "old-fashioned" glasses, that I'll
    donate.
    
    Tom
    

re .21:

No, I think they got rid of an older goalie who is having a good year.
The Whale isn't going to do it in one year.  They're going to have to
build.  They picked up a winger that they needed, who is not afraid
to go into the corners and mix it up.  At first I thought the trade
sucked, but Corriveau is willing to work and play hard.  Good choice
I think.

re .22:

Okay, I'll try and get that set up tomorrow, before the Whalers playoff
games start...

Gee, never ran a contest before...least this one is totally objective...

'saw

	What ever happened to Liut (Luit?).

	I thought he was pretty good.

Mike JN

    >	What ever happened to Liut (Luit?).
    
    He got traded to Washington, I forget for whom.
    
    
    py

    Liut for Yvon Corriveau, with no other players or draft choices
    involved, I think.
    
    I guess the Whalers decided to with their young goalies and give
    up Liut while he still has some value, since I think he's in his
    mid-thirties.
    
    John

Yes, John, that's correct.  And I can add some more info also.

Most fans jumped all over EJ when he made this trade.  They (myself
included) wanted to know why the Whalers didn't get more.

Well, I've got to say that the fans in Hartford are some of the
most uninformed fans (add blind to that as well) I've ever seen.
Must be too many Saab-driving, tie-wearing, sushi-eating yuppies!

Quite honestly, despite the fact that he was having a hot year, Liut
is 34, and his stock value was VERY low.  In fact, Corriveau was the
best deal they could get for him. 

Corriveau has turned out to be a player who comes out to play 
every night, who is not afraid to mix it up in the corners (or anywhere
else on the ice) and who scored 4 goals in two game late in the season.

Liut has played well with the Caps, and I wish him all the best.

But, to all the Hartford fans who are wondering what we got for
Liut, open your f___ing eyes,  you dweebs.  Has it been so long since
you've seen a Whaler who can bodycheck that you've forgotten what it's
like?  Or are you such a yuppy-dweeb-zipperhead that you wouldn't know
offsides from icing if it bit you in that pompous oversized, plate-
stackable-service-for-12 butt of yours, and you're talking out of
your horrendously rententive anus?

Thanks, it felt good to say that 8^)

Chainsaw

    'Saw,
    
    Tell us how you really feel about the Hartfuhd Yuppies :-)
    
    And Cheevers' play-by-play... ;-)
    
    Jeff

    and that stupid music they play after they score....  ARGH!
    da da da dadadada.....  
    
    or how about the people standing, in the aisles, with those "CHEER"
    signs!  HA HA HA!!!  They need to be told when to cheer.  

    just razzing ya.......k.
    

    Broons in 6.  I foresee this being a tighter series than most Broons
    fans give Hahtfud credit for.  Look for Boston to lose one of the
    first two at home and regain the home ice by splitting games 3 and
    4.
    
    Mark.

The Hartford fans I object to are the ones who occupy the
"corporate" seats down close to the ice.  They know little about
hockey, and the biggest decision they make all day is whether
or not to wear a power tie to the game (make that which power tie
I guess).

As for the song, not too many folks like that, and the players
hate it most of all.  I wouldn't know about how to get it changed,
but I do know that the players are complaining.

There are Hartford fans that are knowledgeable about the game.
They usually sit where I can afford to sit...the rafters.
You'd be amazed at the insight of some of the folks I've sat
with.  

They know when to make noise, and are pretty vocal, the only problem
is, we're up so damn high, you can't hear us.

The "Cheer" signs are for the Yuppie women fans.  YOu know, those
are the ones that have to be told to make like they're alive when
their yuppie husbands are bonking them....


Should be a good series.

'Saw

Also, Peckham and Cheevers do a good job on the telecasts.

Cheevers has grown as a color commentator and, for my money, adds
a lot of insight into the game.  I used to enjoy Bill Clement on
ESPN too.

The rumor now from some of the folks I know who are "in the know"
is that Cheevers will be doing a little work with the goalies.
He had not done that before because of Mike Liut....

Can't wait for tonite's game....

'Saw

    Hey 'Saw, is that Rick Peckham your talking about?? If so he
    was the Rochester Americans broadcaster for a few years and he's
    great. He wanted to move up the road to Buffalo, but someone else
    took him, must be Hartford. Buffalo has done that to another former 
    Rochester guy---Mike Keenan was that dudes name.....
    			Rich
    

re .35

>>There are Hartford fans that are knowledgeable about the game.
>>They usually sit where I can afford to sit...the rafters.
>>You'd be amazed at the insight of some of the folks I've sat
>>with.  

Oh no we wouldn't.

We remember all about that one with the cute little leather skirt!
 

>>They know when to make noise, and are pretty vocal, the only problem
>>is, we're up so damn high, you can't hear us.

Well, Saw, don't stop there - be it a moaner or a screamer??

Guess I'll have to go to a hockey game.  Reminds me, we have the World
Championships here this month in Berne.

r��k

    Great game last night, frankie, that el SID  was on last night..
    
    bruins seemed apprehensive, didnt finish off some plays.. neeley
    
    wasnt a force all night, great checking job by the whale.... first
    8 shots 4 go in, 3 should have stopped by Reggie.. krygier[who got
    2nd  star] was everywhere.... dean evaison got 1st stAr..
    
    
    dinz
    

Great game.  Boston was all over the Whalers, but the Whalers managed to
put the puck in the net.

Was disappointed when Newell had to leave... I hate Schick.  That man
could seriously mangle a nocturnal emission (ie night launching of
oysters...)

The girl in the leather skirt was definitely the screamer sort!!!!!

latered dudes,
fw

    Summary:  El Sid was on, Reggie was not, but the B's lethargic defense
    was as much as fault.  How else do you explain the Whalers scoring
    all 4 goals on their first 8 shots, including 3 consecutive shots.
    
    If not for El Sid's *unconscious* save on Christian in the 3rd period,
    the game would likely have gone into OT (baby!).
    
    Like I said previously, the B's will split at home and in Hahtfud,
    but will win it in 6.
    
    Mark.

    >Summary:  El Sid was on, Reggie was not, but the B's lethargic defense
    >was as much as fault.
     
    Boy, if that ain't the truth.  Even when Lemelin made some key saves in
    the 3rd period the defense seemed to have their head up their butts.   
    
    B. Sweeney, Propp & Christian need to get untracked and pop a few goals
    or this is going to be an upset and early exit.  Vegas has the Bruins
    as 3:1 favorites to win the Cup.
    
    My wife heard during last night's game there are over 2,000 seats
    available for the games in Hartford.  Call 1-800-WHALERS.
    
    					Steve

    I said to my brother, when I saw that Rene wasn't singing the anthem,
    (where was he????)...
    ...."it's an omen."  He laughed.  He wasn't laughing after the game.
    
    

    Don't call 1-800-WHALERS.  The guy will just tell you to call the
    box office...1-800-922-2030.  And it's busy busy busy busy busy
    busy....     

    Caught the end of the game after the Canadiens-Sabres (yawn) game
    was over.  Glad to see it.  Would make the season to see the Bruins
    go down in the first round.  ;-)
    
    Sabres-Canadiens was a boring game. Montreal looked HORRIBLE.  I
    can't think of one positive aspect in their game.  Puppa played
    well for the Sabres.
    
    JD

    
    	The Bruins got their wake up call.  Now it's time to show what
    	the B's are really made of.
    
    	Jeff

    SportsChannel New England is going to show a program on the Whalers'
    1989-90 season tonight at 7:30.
    
    
    py

    Is it true that the new Whalers are just pseudo-lemmings, and will
   only throw themselves off of small rocks?

   Mike JN

>    SportsChannel New England is going to show a program on the Whalers'
>    1989-90 season tonight at 7:30.
 
...should be a short show, if it's all highlights.   
    
  

    Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!  Since Hartford is only my 2nd favorite team I'll let
    someone else defend them.........

Actually, Hartford did not have a half bad finish to last season.

After the trade sending Liut to Washington, and obtaining Corriveau,
they did fairly well.   

The Whalers biggest fault is not being a bad hockey team, because
they are not (several of the games in the Bruins series proved that),
but that they are inconsistent in their ability to play as a team.
(another more well known Bruin game proved that....)

Personally, I find these "encore presentation" things to be pretty
stupid.  Why sit throught 2+ hours of game, when they could pull
a few highlights and run them.  Second thought, why even bother
with that...why not put some more informative sports programming
on. 

I could deal with seeing a few of the gaelic sports, as well as
more Aussie Rules football!

Show no hockey games before it's time!
'Saw

	Laugh at the Whales all you want but they gave the B's the best fight
out of anyone in the conference.  Better then the Hab's or Cap's did.  Had it
not been for the one game that slipped away...

mc

    
    damn straight   mike, they did.. bruins were sweating  thier pucks
    
    during that series..
    
    dinz
    

Mc --

I have to agree with you 100%.

That series had so many angles.  I would have loved to have been a
reporter covering.

First off, that series had been brewing for 10 years.  Much like
the derbies in English Soccer, it was for more than just advancing
in the Stanley Cup playoffs.  There was a lot of pride at stake,
and a feeling of who's going to own the neighborhood.

Game Four was a microcosm of The Hartford Whalers, Trials and Tribulations.
The first two periods were an illustation of where the Whalers can
be (soon) if they play as a team, and get 100% effort from the players.
The third period should have showed them that they can NEVER let up,
never become complacent.....

The Whalers will be contenders soon.  The rebuilding will take some
time, but I think the coach and his method are creditable.  

For all the Bruins fans who believe in the superiority of their
team, just look at the season series, and the playoff series, and 
they were pretty evenly matched.  A couple of goals the other way.....

'Saw

    	Before you guys go crowning the Lemmings accomplishments remember
    that Bourque and Janney missed quite a few games in the series and
    they were both healthy for the Canadiens and Capitals.
    
    				/Don

    whales experience from bruins series will carry over to a Adams
    
    division title.
    
    dinz
    

>    	Before you guys go crowning the Lemmings accomplishments remember
>    that Bourque and Janney missed quite a few games in the series and
>    they were both healthy for the Canadiens and Capitals.

	True, but the Lemings did play a good series.  Wern't the whales 
missing Dineen for parts fo the series?

mc

    
    yes they were, dineen was hurting.
    
    

    waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, poor little Kevvy boy!

God, you Bruins fans are too much.  I've got to stop sending my
'shrooms up there, because you guys are hallugeoning too much.

You keep hiding behind the panacea that the Whalers took them to
7 games because they were without Bourque.

Again, a weak, baseless and obfuscatory argument...a glaring and
flaming non-sequiter.

The Bruins won the series 4-3, winning the last game by 2 goals 
(if I remember correctly).

During the regular season, the Bruins were 4-3-1 versus the Whalers,
the last game being very close on Bruins home ice.  I think they 
one by one, but it might have been two (empty netter?).

At any rate, during the regular season, this year, much more than
any other I remember, we controlled Bourque.  Why?  Because our
coach was one of the premier defensemen of his time, and he knew
that to win you've got to control the other teams stars. 

So I don't buy that argument that you didn't have Bourque or Janney.
The bottom line is that the Whalers gave the Bruins the toughest time
of any opponent in their conference in the playoffs.  And, quite possibly,
if they had played one particular period 100% better, the Bruins would have
been practicing putts instead of the Whalers.....

'Saw

    	Sure 'Saw, and if Ranford could've had some bad fried clams
    before game 1 the Bruins would be Stanley Cup Champs.  Funny you
    should be complaining about certain Bruins fans "whining".  Let
    he who is without sin cast the first stone.
    
    				/Don

    Hey!!!!!     (re: .62)
    
    Don't ya dare stop sending those 'shrooms - we be mightily enjoying
    them up here. 8^)
    
    regular season 4-3-1:  Ha!  I remember one game, when with only 30
    someodd seconds Dave Babych scores this flukie goal off a face-off.
    
    re: ...one by one
           ^^^
    'shrooms or no 'shrooms, its always been won (Sorry, but I have to
    prove that just cuz I'm a B's fan I'm not ignorant) Pretty good memory:
    it was won by two (empty netter: Cam, I believe the previous game
    Dineen got one)

    RE: 20.5
    
    Oh now we're saying the Bruins have a chance??  What happened
    to "they play lousy hockey", or "they never had a chance"???
    
    Oh, it'll be close??  I'm suprised you even thought they had a
    chance the way you talk!!  
    
    Mandy
    

�    regular season 4-3-1:  Ha!  I remember one game, when with only 30
�   someodd seconds Dave Babych scores this flukie goal off a face-off.

It went in the net, right.  In fact, it deflected in off GOD(tm),
who couldn't move his ass out of the way fast enough....
Don't matter what it looks like, as long as it cross the red line
between the posts and under the crossbar....

And why was it that no one was on Babych?  It's pretty much acknowledged
around the league that he has one of the best shots from the point
because it's low, accurate, and easily deflected by forwards.


    
And Slasher, I'm not whining.  I'm just stating facks(tm) in the
grandest tradition of this file.  I'm sure it galls the Bruins fans
no end that the Whalers played them 8-6-1 in all the games they
played this year, but that's what happened.

Facks is that the Whalers finally learned how to play like a team
this year.  We got rid of the last vestiges of Emil "My Head's Up
My Mediocre Anus" Francis, Jack "I'm a Putz Who's Ready to Retire" Evans,
and Larry "Blow" Pleau.  We got a coach who's pretty decent, we've got
a front office with some brains.

I'm not expecting miracles overnight, but I do think that this team
will ultimately be more of a contender in the Adams Division than 
we've seen.  

Next year?  Fourth place again, but I bet we go farther in the 
playoffs.  Why fourth?  Because we still don't know how to handle
Buffalo and Montreal...  Quebec is still a non-entity for one more
season anyway....

Division winner?  Sabres, hands down...

later,
f�

�                             -< Change of face?? >-
�
�    RE: 20.5
�    
�    Oh now we're saying the Bruins have a chance??  What happened
�    to "they play lousy hockey", or "they never had a chance"???
�    
�    Oh, it'll be close??  I'm suprised you even thought they had a
�    chance the way you talk!!  
�    
�    Mandy


So, why are we running old tapes here?  I mean that's all pretty
much ancient history.  

That was back when Dinz thought (along with a few analysts I might
add) thought that the Whalers would be fighting it out with Boston
for 3rd and 4th in the Adams...

So, big deal, the Bruins won the division, won the Conference and
then gagged on that Chicken Bone all the way from North Station
to the Canadian Rockies and back...

The Whalers finished in fourth, played a good playoff series, hopefully
learned from their mistakes, raised ticket prices $2 across the 
board and are waiting for October to get here...

So am I...

'Saw

PS  Karen, same bet this year????    

>    PS  Karen, same bet this year????
    
    Sounds good to me, C'Saw.

    
    Oh give it up 'Saw!!!!!
    
    Bruins will slaughter this season and the Whales will be gutted!!!!!!!!
    Yeah, the Whales learned from their mistakes, by making too many
    of them!!!!  
    
    Bruins do it again this season but this time bring home the Cup!!!!!!
    
    Mandy & Carole

    
    There's some mighty big crows being raised around here lately. 
    Wouldn't want to see anyone try to finish one all in one sitting.
    ;^)
    
    Dickster
    

>    Bruins do it again this season but this time bring home the Cup!!!!!!
>    
 
	The Bruins wont win the cup until they get off the small Garden ice.
The way MA is now that wont happen for quite a few years.

mc

    
    song for mandy.... 
    
    come back when ya grow up girl, youre still living ina  paperdoll
    world, bruins will blow  wait see, come back baby,....
    
    
    just razzing  mandy  kid..
    
    
    dinz
    

    
    I grew up years ago!!  You need to get your facts strait!!!!!
    
    Bruins will bring home the cup, and the Whales will be left to die!!
    
    I accepted defeat last season (far from grace Wheel!! =)  )  but it
    won't have to be endured again!!!!
    
    No St. Elsewhere crew will be needed there unless the Whalers need 
    stretchers!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Mandy

		I got a song for you here Dins...
		Sung to the tune of "Please come to Boston"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
		Please come to Boston in the Springtime,

		The Whalers are done and there's plenty
		of room in the Garden.

		You can root for a real team and your
		past transgressions we'll pardon,

		And you'll see more than one round
		of the playoffs before you'll be partin'.

		So please come to Boston if you dare,
		And a Bruins sweater you'll wear.

			    (Refrain)

		And they said O Dinzy boy why don't
		you come on down.

		Hartford ain't your kind of town.

		There ain't no team and there ain't
		no-one like the B's
	
		Just a lot of crying and they'll 
		probably fire Rick Ley.

				/Don                 

    
    All right!!!
    
    We have a voice of sanity!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    Mandy

    bruins.....sip discreetly..
    
    sevard next bruins killer
    

    
    Next Bruin's killer is the same as always!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    			* * B-O-U-R-Q-U-E * *

    Mandy,
    
    The only way the Bruins can bring back the cup is:
    
    1).  they sneak into the lockerroom and steal 'em right out of the
    jock straps
    
    2).  they save their money and go to Herman's and buy a supply.
    
    HTH.
    
    JD

    
    JD - 
    
    Have an open mind guy!!!  They might not have made it w/ the Oilers
    in the past... but that IS the past!!!!  I believe they'll kick
    Hartfords ass, and bring down the Oilers and take home the cup on 
    their own merit...  they don't need to steal it.  
    
    And I do (in a sort of way) feel they are changing in a commercial kind
    of sort.  But they are NOT no f***ing wusses in ANY way!!!!!!!!!!
    They play their game, and try to back off from fights (in some
    sort of the sense).  Mark Messier should change his name to King Kong!!
    But I know... he does play decent hockey... or he wouldn't be where
    he was today.  The Bruins play excellent hockey... they just need to
    work on the shots (and a little defense???).  I know they have a
    good chance of bringing home the cup.
    
    Mandy
    
    P.S.  The size of the rink shouldn't matter if you're truly a good 
    	  hockey player.

    
    MANDY::RCASO
    

    Mandy,
    
    The broons aren't an excellent team, they have horrible skaters,
    saved by the fact that they play in the smallest rink in the NHL.
    If they played on a big rink, they'd really be horrible.   They
    are way overrated by their fans and the Boston media - always have
    been, always will be.  Broons won't win a Cup next year, unless
    they go to an amusement park and win enough Kupie dolls to trade
    in for a plastic replica...
    
    JD

    Ahem.
    
    JD, 'xplain why the Bruins had the best road record in the NHL if
    they were "saved by the fact that they played in the smallest rink
    (sic - Buffalo is) in the NHL?"
    
    Mark.

    
    Hey...
    
    You can say it time and time again.. but to a true fan the words will
    never be heard!!!!!!!!!  
    
    They'll bring home the real thing and leave the rest empty handed!!
    
    Can't say much for Hartford...
    
    But w/ the Oilers, never said they were bad skaters just slightly
    arrogant and violent (little to strong a word).  The Bruins ARE
    great skaters w/ a decent record.  Though they didn't get the 
    Cup this time around, they made it damn far!!!  The Oilers play
    good hockey, Bill Ranfords' an excellent goalie, I just think
    the Bruins will kick ass this time around!!  Actually I KNOW!!!
    
    
    Mandy
    
    PS.  The small rink helps keep Edmonton from getting lost....

    The Oilers are not a violent team.   That's a well known fact. 
    You are still spewing sour grapes.   
    
    Mark - the Bruins cheesebox helps them compile their record, since
    they play half their games there.  Mark - face it, the Broons are
    a regular season dynamo, and at tiems, they even make it through
    the early rounds, but when it comes to the finals, the  choke more
    than the Broncos do!!!
    
    CBC said the Gahden was the smallest - mea culpa.
    
    JD

    
    I know JD... "that's just hockey"... but I see that way.  But thinking
    about it, Washingtons' worse... but Edmonton did play slightly rough.
    And I'm not "spewing" sour grapes...
    
    The B's record is in result of good hockey playing and team work.  If 
    the opposing team was as good... they wouldn't allow them to score in
    the first place... it wouldn't matter what rink was being played on.
    
    Mandy

Regardless of what the Bruins fans want to say, Hartford still played
them pretty much even up last year.  4-3-1 was not Boston *dominating*

Ask Karen, she won her Greenpeace tape on a lasted minute goal, right
Karen?

Hartford did sign Holik, btw.

I think that the competition in the Adam division between Hartford
and Boston will be as intense next year as it was this year.  The
team that Hartford has the most problems with in the Adams is
Buffalo, followed by Montreal.  Even with Hartford considered 4th
of those 4, they still get up for the Bruins because it's an
intense rivalry, much like the  Giants and the Cowboys...

Hartford needs some work, no doubt about it.  Any Hartford fan
is a realist.  We need some defensemen too.  Over time, it will
be necessary to rebuild this team.  Ron Francis is a B+ center
at best.  He is good defensively, though, which is his saving
grace.

We could use another Pat Verbeek, also.  Corriveau gives us some
size, and Krygier gives some speed...now if we could get some more
scoring punch.

Sidorkiwiecz is improving as a goalie.  Many tout him as the best
one-on-one goalie in the game.  As he gets more experience he should
get better...Whitmore is the future...he needs seasoning though.

JM(ns)HO,
f�

    'Saw,
    
    The Hartford-Boston rivalry is mostly Hartford's.  Last fall there was
    an article in the Herald w/ Ron Francis -- he said that Hartford gets
    up especially for the Boston games.  Unfortunately, the Bruins were
    quoted as saying they don't have the same feelings -- they still feel
    that their arch nemesis is Montre�l, and I have to agree.  Maybe the
    7 game debacle will smarten the Bruins up to take Hartford more
    serious.
    
    

	A few things, first off I hate to use the word choke but I will say
that going into the Whale finals I expected the B's to take the Cup.  Since
they didn't they underachieved in my eyes.  You can talk all you want about 
were they were picked before the regular season and all that, but anyone 
who's a hockey fan knows the regular season doesn't start till the playoffs.
Anything before that is exhibition games.   

mc

    
    Yes... but it takes those games to get to the playoffs.  All games are
    important, and the hard work brings them up to the playoffs to show
    their achievment.  Every game should count to anyone whose a real 
    hockey fan.
    
    

    re .89, .90:
    
    Single biggest "choke" (for lack of a better word) of the 1990 Stanley
    Cup Playoffs had to be Calgary, not Boston.  The Flames were defending
    champs, but didn't get out of the first round.
    
    
    py

    Yeah, but I saw that replay when they (Calgary) lost in overtime.  I
    still say that that goal should *not* have been called.  L.A. got
    lucky - only to go down to Oilers.
    
    Wheel

    
    You have to get thru the first round to get to the finals....
    
    Though the B's didn't get as far as alot of people hoped, they still
    managed to make it up to the playoffs, and winning in the prior games
    helped enable them to make it that far.  Though they handed the Cup
    to Edmonton, it took the effort before to even have the privlige to 
    play for the Cup.  Where was Washington??

>    
>    Yes... but it takes those games to get to the playoffs.  All games are
>    important, and the hard work brings them up to the playoffs to show
>    their achievment.  Every game should count to anyone whose a real 
>    hockey fan.
>

	They don't play the regular season to see what teams will make the 
playoffs; they play it to decide the 5 who won't make the playoffs.
Come on, did you have any doubts that the B's would make the playoffs.  
I knew the B's, Mtl, htf, and Buf would be in the playoffs.  The regular
season is just a long exhibition, to fine tune the teams and try to get them
peaking for when the real season begins, unless your one of the 8-10 teams 
trying not to be one of the 5 who don't make it.  I watch and enjoy the
regular season but I know that once the real season begins the regular 
season is forgotten and meaningless to all excpet the 5.

mc
    

>    Though the B's didn't get as far as alot of people hoped, they still
>    managed to make it up to the playoffs, and winning in the prior games
>    helped enable them to make it that far.  

	making the playoffs is nothing to be to excited about.  Yes, the
Bruins had a good season better then anyone else in the conference.  They
had a great regular season (yipeee), but in my mind the underachieved, I
expected them to win the Cup and they didn't.

mc

    
    No really???  I thought they were playing those games to see who 
    tripped over their sticks the most often.  Yes it's fine tuning...
    it keeps them from falling into being one of those 5 teams who 
    dies out early..  everything in hockey helps.  Why do you think 
    there's practice??  If those games didn't mean anything why do they
    try so hard to get thru them???  To you they may be nothing, but to
    them I bet it's quite different!!!!!!!!!
    

Of course it means something to them.  It's either money or
satisfaction.

But hell, I'd bet my life on the odds that most teams have
of making the playoffs.  The only thing that really makes it
interesting is who's gonna be injured and out etc etc etc.

Personally, if the NHL could ever get it together financially,
they'd get a real playoff scheme, that wouldn't last until JUNE,
and get it done and over with.

If they could get an influx of $$$ they wouldn't need the revenues
that all the playoff TV contract brings them.  Narrow it down
to the winner of each division, or worst case, the top
two duking it out.  Myself, I'd rather see a conference playoff
then go for the bowl.

Regular season is interesting, but anything can happen in the 
playoffs (as the Whalers series almost proved) and on the whole
it's just too bogus.


BTW, the Whalers unloaded Jody Hull to the Rangers yesterday, for
Carey Wilson.

Seems the "Panda" just didn't fit into the Whalers scheme of things,
and Carey Wilson is one of those larger centers (6-2, 185ish) that
Johnston wants to work into the lineup.  Let's hope he catches
on and can work in Ley's system.....

later,
f�

>    Single biggest "choke" (for lack of a better word) of the 1990 Stanley
>    Cup Playoffs had to be Calgary, not Boston.  The Flames were defending
>    champs, but didn't get out of the first round.
  
     	Hey mc, isn't Calgary your favourite team... from way back?? (-:
    
   	It should be the top 2 teams from each division that make the
        playoffs.  If that's too radical, make it the top 3.  
    
     
	   
    
   

    So now Hartford has Carey Wilson back........why the hay did they trade
    him last year(or was it the year before?).

I think it was three seasons.  I believe he was gone before I went
to Europe, but may be wrong.

They wanted Wilson because of his size.  Hull was a non-producer, yet
another legacy of the wasted #1 picks of the Emile Francis era.
He was not gonna fetch a franchise player, but he did get us a big
center.

Johnston is trying to phase out the small type center, and replace
it with someone larger, hopefully almost a mobile, and capable
of handling himself in the slot.  Thus Wilson.

The Whalers need more players like Corriveau, who are not afraid to
go into the corners and mix it up...hard, clean, checking.

'Saw

>    No really???  I thought they were playing those games to see who 
>    tripped over their sticks the most often.  Yes it's fine tuning...
>    it keeps them from falling into being one of those 5 teams who 
>    dies out early..  everything in hockey helps.  Why do you think 
>    there's practice??  If those games didn't mean anything why do they
>    try so hard to get thru them???  To you they may be nothing, but to
>    them I bet it's quite different!!!!!!!!!
    

	I never said they mean nothing, just real hockey doesn't start to the 
playoffs.  I enjoy watching the regular season, it just not the same as 
baseball where every game does mean something.  In hockey each W-L does
not matters as much, except for the 8-10 teams near the bottom, what matters 
is getting prepared for the playoffs and staying healthy.  I also don't
believe all the players 'try so hard' all year long.  Alot of times it seems
teams get 'hot' right around playoff time.  Ever wonder why?  Ever think it
might just be they're trying harder then?  


mc

    
    I'm not saying they are as important in real... to them I don't know..
    they might no give a sh*t... but who knows that???  You might not
    care because you only get worked up for the playoffs.  I'm just saying
    who knows what's going thru their head, hopefully they take everything
    seriously they way they're paid!!!  But when I see a game, it doesn't
    matter WHAT game, I take it seriously.  I don't live and breath hockey,
    but when a game is going... I am not a person to bother... but you
    obviously feel different.  I take ALOT of things too seriously!!
    
    M.

�      -< Guess I should chill??? >-

    
Kick off your shoes, sit back.  Have either a nice cold beer,
or, as some of use prefer, a nice glass of Jack Daniels on the
rocks.

Put on a little soft jazz, maybe some old Lionel Hampton, or
even a little Kenny G.

Think cool thoughts, like shady trees, blue skies, a nice 
breeze blowing...

Read some poetry...maybe a little Robert Frost or Whitman...

Okay?...Okay....

later,
f�

    Mandy,  I have to agree with you - the regular season games do mean
    something --  while someone mentioned that Mtl., Bfl., Bos., and Hfd.
    were all gonna make the playoffs it didn't take a rocket scientist to
    figure that out.  All ya had to do is look at Quebec's record.  On the
    contrary, if ya look at the Patrick Division last year it came right
    down to the wire for those teams (I believe the last game).
    
    Playing well all year and clinching a play-off berth early can relieve
    some of the burden of 'we have to win this' etc. I hate to see those
    lackadaisical games. 
    
    Besides, if they didn't play well all year they wouldn't be a finalist
    for those coveted popularity NHL Awards at the end of the year! 8^)
    
    Wheel

>                          -< Guess I should chill??? >-
	
	Don't chill, there hasn't been this much Hockey talk since the
Cup Finals.  

	Again, I'm not saying that I don't enjoy the regular season.
I watch alot of games (gotta get my moneys worth for Sports Channel) and
enjoy alot of games.  I just don't pay that much attention to the W-L's
and pay more attention to how the teams are playing and if they're avoiding
injuries (especialy near the end.)  Now if Montreal was fighting to
stay in the playoffs it might have been different.  However, next
year will probably be the same.  Quebec out of it early and the others 
just playing for the home ice advantage.  I think teams think the same way too.
Two years ago (myabe three) Montreal gave Robinson and Gainey two weeks
off near the end of the year, and told them to take a vacation.  They knew
that they were in the playoffs and it was more important to have them 
rested for the playoffs then posting a great W-L record during the regular
year.  Last year Edmenton didn't do to well early in the year, seemed
to gell late in the year and went on to win the cup.  Their W-L record
wasn't as important as playing well when the playoffs came.  They seemed 
to do this a few years during their reign with Greztgy also.  Kind of
coasting into the playoffs then turning the gas on when it counted.
   

mc

    	Mike is right about the regular season.  Ken Linesman is a prime
    example of someone who took about half the season off, but was a
    huge playoff contributor.  Division games during the regular season
    are usually worth watching (quasi-playoff intensity), but nothing
    beats the excitement of the playoffs.  
    
    	But Mike your defeating your arguement that the Bruins choked
    by saying this.  I told Rich Brake after game one that after the
    first line the Bruins couldn't skate with the Oilers.  The Oilers
    had more talent and depth, but didn't get it cranked up until the
    end of the season.  They could've blown their load by playing hard
    and catching the Flames, but played it smart.  Until the league
    makes the regular season worth something (i.e. first round bye for
    best division/conference records) a team hurts their overall goal
    (Stanley Cup) by trying for the best record.
    
    				/Don

More about the Carey Wilson deal...

Wilson, at 6-2 and 195 is big, as I said yesterday.  When he is healthy
is he quite an offensive producer, in fact.  Prior to last year's
knee injury, he was considered the Rangers number one center.

Wilson was traded to the Rangers in January of '88, the main reason
being that he had fallen out of favor with Larry Pleau, then the Whaler's
coach.

This trade worked out because Larry Pleau is asst. GM at NY now, and
he wanted Jody Hull.  Jody Hull was another of those wasted first
round picks from the Emile Francis era, so one can see why Pleau wanted
him.

It will be interesting to see what a healthy Wilson contributes this
year....

'saw

>    by saying this.  I told Rich Brake after game one that after the
>    first line the Bruins couldn't skate with the Oilers.  

	Hey I said the underachieved not choked. :-)

	I thought they should have won.  Had Wesley hit the open net and
Moog not taken a night and Janey the whole series they might have.  I don't
think the B's played up to their potential. 

>    Until the league
>    makes the regular season worth something (i.e. first round bye for
>    best division/conference records) a team hurts their overall goal
>    (Stanley Cup) by trying for the best record.
    
	Until?  I'd be surprised it they did.  

mc
 	

   I agree with the Slasher. They need to make the regular season mean
   something. Right now, the perception is that any team with a detectable
   pulse goes to the playoffs. I like the footabaw format: top team in
   each division and a couple of wild cards based on overall record. I
   think you'd start seeing some real aggressive hockey down the stretch.

   Mike JN

    I like Harry Sinden's proposal (althouth I'd take it a step further
    and have only the top 2 finishers in each division qualify):
    
    Combine the top 8 teams in a conference, with the division winners
    taking positions 1 and 2.  Have the remaining 6 teams in order of
    regular season records.  Therefore you have playoff positions 1-8
    in each division.
    
    Have team 1 play team 8, team 2 play team 7, etc.
    
    This would better reward teams for doing well in the regular season
    by having the best teams play the worst teams.  It would also eliminate
    the scenario from last season where a real good team like the Whale
    gets eliminated in the opening round by playing the best team.
    
    The downside is that it would (somewhat) reduce the divisional
    rivalries that occur during the playoffs.
    
    Mark.

I like that scenario.  It would tend to be more fair to good teams
in a tough division (Hartford, Winnepeg, the entire Patrick division)
and stop letting the easy divisions (Snorris) slide on in....

'Saw

    I think it would be pretty interesting to see two teams from the
    same division fighting it out for the Cup.
    
    This could make for some even more intense rivalry.  

    	I dunno Weinie, the first two rounds of the playoffs are usually
    the best.  I like it the way it is.
    
    				/Don

    < Note 20.113 by AXIS::ROBICHAUD "GeorgeForeman-NextHEAVYweightChamp" >


>    	I dunno Weinie, the first two rounds of the playoffs are usually
>    the best.  I like it the way it is.
    

    Nobody asked.
    
    Mark.

    Dinz, heard anymore about that trade you were tellin' me about?

    
    oh, the trade ya mentioned  K, AS YOU VOULNTEERED to drive the
    helicamper
    to Atlantic  city?  Nope, cant say i have..
    
    ha
    

�    helicamper

Better have the right kind of rating to pilot that thing....


Officially, the Whalers have been very very quiet of late.  I can
only assume another mediocre season is on the horizon....

'Saw    

    Dinz, where did ya say you heard it?  Globe sports line?
    I only ask because it seems like a stupid trade...  Is Dineen
    some kind of scrub?  

    Yeah, someone on WHDH last week (whoever was filling in for Eddie
    Anvilhead) mentioned that Dineen was being shopped around, what's the
    story?
    
    
    py

    jUST TESTING THE WATERS... Dineen going for 40 goals this yr.. trust
    me
    

    That's what I'm trying to figure out, Paul.  Dinz sent me mail saying
    that Dineen got traded to Toronto.  I think he's full of it.
    
    

I'd be willing to bet that Dineen is trade bait.

It was well known that he did not fit in the Ley's scheme of things
last year, and was called "into the office" numerous times.

I wouldn't be surprised if Dineen is gone by mid-November, really.


At this point in time, however, the lack of news out of the Whalers
front office leads me to believe that this team may be building
up their hopes solely on Bobby Holik.  This, IMO, is a big mistake, 
because no one man is going to single handedly make a team.  I don't
care if it's Gretzky, Lemieux, Bobby Orr, or Jesus Christ himself,
one man doesn't make a team.

They've been playing this extremely *stupid* radio commercial touting
themselves as geniuses for getting Holik just before the Wall came
down, and are shilling season tickets on that basis.  Personally, I 
think they might be hurting a tad, especially if everyone who said
they weren't renewing their tickets is true to their word.

They went up on their prices, too.  They haven't figured out that
the average New England fan still has a tad of that skeptical Yankee
stock, which says "prove it to me and then I'll buy".

I for one won't be going to many games if they're as bad as they were
last year.  They've got to prove it to me.  If they can't at least
make it up to third place (and I honestly don't see that happening)
I'll be quite content to watch Sportschannel from my living room, and
they can take their $15 "cheap" seats and insert them you-know-where....

'Saw

    I've yet to see the B's play, in the Garden.  Usually get tickets
    to a few B's/goWHalE games, in CT.  Rather see them there.  Easy
    to get there, easy to park, nice place, clean, stupid song and a
    bunch of snots but....I like when they win on enemy territory.

    Dineen (and some other player)was offered to Winnipeg for Hawerchuk.
    
    THN says Johnston is unhappy with his performance, and the fact that
    Dineen pulls down a pretty hefty paycheck are the reasons.

Don't firgit that ole /Pal /Hal is still among the living!!  

He's traded away more Stanley Cups than most teams have won!

rick ellis

>>   <<< Note 20.122 by AXIS::ROBICHAUD "Go Brewers! I'm getting thirsty!!" >>>
>>                     -< Toronto would never make the deal >-

    

re Note 20.126 by SHIRE::FINEUC1                                       
    
* Don't firgit that ole /Pal /Hal is still among the living!!  

* He's traded away more Stanley Cups than most teams have won!

* rick ellis

* >>   <<< Note 20.122 by AXIS::ROBICHAUD "Go Brewers! I'm getting thirsty!!" >>>
* >>                     -< Toronto would never make the deal >-

    

    He is???????    ole Pal Hal died last spring....
    
    pete

>>    He is???????    ole Pal Hal died last spring....
  
Pete,

I had read that Hal was sick but came back from the brink and somehow appear 
to have missed his demise....

Sorry to be so nasty, but it's the best news this Leaf fan has had in 20
years - really a very unpleasant person he was.

rick ellis

    The Whalers beat the Montr�al Canadiens last night 5-2.

Yeah, they scored three third period goals.

Todd Krygier scored the winner, Carey Wilson got his first from around
42 feet, and I forget who got the 5th goal....

One of the Wanderers eschewed the drinkup, went to the game, and gave
a fairly full report at the bitchin' party that took place *after*
the drinkup.  Evidently the Whalers were getting physical like they
are supposed to!

gO wHAlE

'Saw

    Yeah, that win puts Hartford in SECOND place in the Adams....

�< Note 20.131 by WMOIS::JBARROWS "Bobby Orr + God = Ray Bourque" >
                                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I'm sorry, but to be completely honest, I don't think that Ray Bourque
could even sharpen Bobby's skates.  Ray is good, but he can't hold
a candle to Orr.

Bobby Orr, in my opinion, changed the game of hockey.  Had he played
in an era where they had arthroscopic surgery, it's quite possible
he could have been even better than he was.

When I was a Bruins fan, and I watched Orr, every time he touched
the puck you knew something was going to happen...

Personally, I think that Orr was the greatest defenseman ever to
lace up a pair of skates....

Just my not so humble an opinion....
'Saw

    'Saw,
    
    Each has qualities that the other doesn't/didn't.
    
    Both were/are superior defensemen who contribute to the game of
    hockey.
    
    Jo

Not that it would be an easy choice, but if I had to pick one of the
two, it'd be Orr....8^)

'Saw

    wheel,
    
    what qualities would Bourgue have  that Orr didnt would ya say?
    
    
    dinz
    

    Well, I would have to say that Orr was an offensive defenseman, while
    I think Bourque is more of a defensive defenseman.
    
    Orr also had many top notch players (i.e., Esposito) with him.  Bourque
    has Neely, Janney, and Moog.