Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Three former Wings now enshrined in HHOF

On Monday evening, three former Red Wings’ players — Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, and Luc Robitaille — had the honor of being enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame. NHL.com has made each of the players’ induction speeches available online so you can watch the speeches given by Yzerman, Hull, and Robitaille.

Plenty has been said leading up to the big night (as we’ve linked to in the past week), but here’s what the media and bloggers have added since the ceremony.

• The Detroit Free Press has a section of their website dedicated to the induction with a focus on Steve Yzerman. Articles under the section include a recollection by Hull and Robitaille of their Detroit days, Yzerman discusses how winning the Cup later in his career made him appreciate it all the more, and the complete text of Yzerman’s 10+ minute induction speech.
• The Detroit News writes how memories of the 2002 Cup-winning season dominate the Hall of Fame.
• MLive.com talked about Yzerman’s references to his childhood hockey idol in his induction speech. He mentioned how as a kid he had posters of hockey players decorating the walls in his room, which can be weird to picture as there were thousands of kids and probably more adults, who put up posters of Yzerman on their walls.
• The Ottawa Citizen points out that Yzerman’s speech was another example of his grace and class as he seemingly thanked everyone under the sun for their role in his career.
• Bob Duff of The Windsor Star notes a comment made by Brett Hull comparing the Wings to the Yankees of old.
• Puck Daddy, the hockey blog at Yahoo!, argues why this 2009 class may be the strongest of the decade. Other bloggers have chimed in with their own thoughts, including Abel to Yzerman, Bingo Bango, Hockeytown Static, Nightmare on Helm Street, Octopus Thrower, On the Wings, Red Wings Hardware, Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle, The Production Line, The Scrappy Octopus, The Triple Deke, and Winging It In Motown.

In Other News

• The Wings will return to action tonight as they face off against the Blue Jackets in Columbus at 7 p.m. EDT on FSDetroit and FSOhio.
• Coach Mike Babcock told DRW.com that he is cautious of Columbus’ netminder Steve Mason, who has experienced the sophomore slump so far this season but Babcock doesn’t believe that will remain true for long. The injury-riddled team will provide an opportunity for forwards Ville Leino and Patrick Eaves to shine.
• Lineup Updates: The Detroit News reports that defenseman Brett Lebda missed practice on Monday due to illness and his status for Wednesday’s game is still TBD. With Jason Williams out with a broken leg, there is a void at the point on the second power-play unit. Defenseman Brad Stuart may fill that void according to MLive.com.
• Former Red Wings’ forward Darren McCarty has gotten a gig with Versus as a guest analyst for Nov. 23 when the Wings visit Nashville. Kris Draper told the Detroit Free Press that he’s looking forward to hearing what his fellow Grind Line former member has to say, but that “he better be a homer” (per The Detroit News). MLive.com says that he has officially retired from playing the sport.
• Dan Rosen of NHL.com writes that Yzerman, who is the GM for Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics, has identified his core group of players for the squad.
• Former Detroit netminder Manny Legace has been signed by the Carolina Hurricanes after their star goalie Cam Ward suffered a fluke leg injury when Columbus forward Rick Nash’s skate sliced through Ward’s leg to the point where he could see muscle.

Last night, Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaille and Brett Hull were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. While around town, we have only heard about Yzermans induction, remember all three played on one incredible hockey team. I understand the fawning of Yzerman in the light of this moment. Yzerman rejuvenated a franchise with his two hands and a bionic knee.

But it was that 2001-02 season, where four inductees in the past two classes, were grouped together and he was the one who stood out. His riveting performance on one leg, in visible pain, carrying the Wings back from an imminent first round upset at the hands of Vancouver. He finished the playoffs with 23 points in 21 games. Yzerman was largely ineffective after the second round series against St.Louis, but he carried the weight of nine other Hall of Famers through the first two rounds.

Yes, nine other Hall of Famers; Larionov, Hull, Robitaille, Shanahan, Lidstrom, Hasek, Chelios, Fedorov and likely Datsyuk, so lets say ten. Yet, this seems to be the forgotten team. I suppose it was for lack of longevity. Really the 2008 Cup winning team has already seemed to suffer a fade in luster and will likely suffer the same relative obscurity.

Nineteen-Ninety-Seven was the first Stanley Cup in 42 years, they won back to back, there was emotion and adversity with the Fedorov hold-out and Konstinov accident. All seems to point towards the back to back cups as being the forever titles. But the bottom line is an assembly of such supreme talent is rare. We didn’t see such an assembly in any other team than 2002. The 01-02 Red Wings would smoke the back to back cup teams, trust me, I know, I have played out this match-up on NHL 2K9 several times.

I am just asking talent to be appreciated. That team finished the regular season 51-17-10, a dominating total of 116 points. But they did not make it boring. Of course there was the aforementioned hiccup against Vancouver in the first round. Detroit fell behind in the series 0-2 and it took a freak center ice goal from Lidstrom (or rather the ineptitude of Dan Cloutier) for Detroit to save themselves.

They played back to back hard fought series against St. Louis and Colorado, both fine teams that season. The series against the Blues seen Chris Pronger injure himself, trying to take out the wounded Yzerman, which is still one of my all-time favorite hockey moments.

The first six games of the 2002 Western Conference was the best display of playoff hockey I had ever seen. The two teams went toe to toe, trading what looked like knock out blow after knock out blow. It wasn’t until a surprise Yzerman goal in game six, paired with another oddly effective Darren McCarty performance, that got the Wings game six in Colorado while facing elimination. Game 7 ended the Avalanche run as a contender and Patrick Roy’s career. Completing the circle of the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry, that for a time, was the best in sports.

Then how about in the Stanley Cup finals? So many people pass that series off as forgettable, but if you don’t remember some key moments of that series, then you simply weren’t paying attention in the first place.

Game 3 of that series was simply put, one of the best Stanley Cup finals games ever. It sea-sawed back and forth. The Wings had to score with a minute left in the third, on a controversial power play to send it into overtime. Fallowing a couple hit posts and tremendous saves from Irbe and Hasek it eventually went into a sixth period. Larionov got a great break on a pick set by Dandendault and floated a backhand up over Irbe to end it. This game seems lost in time. Despite had the Wings lost, they would had been down 2 to 1, with two more games to play in Carolina. It was a beautiful, clutch goal, in a gut wrenchingly important game, yet it seems overshadowed by Kris Drapper scoring in early overtime of game two in the ‘98 finals.

Who got the Conn Smythe? It somehow was not Yzerman who lead the team in points on one leg. It somehow wasn’t Hull who lead the team in goals. It somehow wasn’t Hasek who set a record for playoff shut outs with seven. It was Lidstrom who lead the team in ice time, plus-minus, while adding 16 points and only taking one penalty. This was a largely debatable decision rooted in the depth of this team.

So my plea is to take this time and remember not just Yzerman, but that entire 2001-2002 team. Every player, from Sean Avery and Jiri Slegr to Sergie Fedorov and Uwe Krupp. They were an interesting roster, just aside from the all the Hall of Fame talent.

It was for all intents and purposes, a rented team. There was a core from ‘98 there but the big guns were brought in to make sure the deed would be done. Maybe that is why this team has been swept under the bed. This is a “blue collar town” and that was a “white collar team”. The Red Wings were doing their best Yankees impersonation that season, and like for the Yankees this season, it worked then.

As I was impressed with this seasons Yankees team, I will forever be impressed with the 01-02 Red Wings and will hold them in high reverie. Three players from one Hall of Fame class playing on the same team, was a true privilege to watch. Just hope you knew what you were watching.

Steve Yzerman is now a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.  Everything feels perfect.

I won’t even try to write up a review of Steve Yzerman, or tell all the stories about what moves/goals/games I’ve seen.  Suffice it to say that Yzerman was and still remains my only true sports hero.  Since I was a kid I have wanted to be just like Yzerman.  He was always humble, and yet you could visibly see his desire to win and to overcome.  The 1996-1997 Cup year remains my favorite single sports season of all time.  Being able to watch Steve Yzerman lift that cup over his head as a boy changed my perception of hockey and my love for the game for the rest of my life.  I owe so much to you Stevie, as all of us do.  Congratulations.

Many of my fellow bloggers have written some great words about Yzerman the past few days: A heartfelt post about Steve and the various things he did for Detroit fans over at Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle. A statistical look at Yzerman’s career over at Nightmare on Helm St. Some solid videos over at The Production Line.  Yzerman was more than we’ll ever deserve says The Triple Deke.

Finally, as some of the previous bloggers have already linked to, the best piece written on Stevie Y and what he meant to all of us Red Wing fans is over at Abel to Yzerman.  Beautiful.

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Three former Wings to be inducted into HHOF today

Former captain Steve Yzerman, Luc Robitaille, and Brett Hull — all members of the Stanley Cup-winning 2001-02 squad –  will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this evening.The ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. EDT and will be broadcast live on TSN (Canada) and the NHL Network (Canada and U.S.).

• Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com writes a fantastic article about Yzerman’s career and I highly recommend checking out the article.
• Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press had a lengthy exclusive interview with Yzerman with topics ranging from how he has never regretted his decision to retire to what he has learned since joining the front office.
• MLive.com quoted Yzerman as saying getting enshrined in the HHOF was the “greatest honor.” MLive.com also looked back at the 10 key moments of Yzerman’s 20-year NHL career.
• The Detroit News looks back at Yzerman’s early start in hockey at the age of five.
• Greg Eno of Out of Bounds discusses how the Wings did pretty well with their backup plan: drafting Yzerman when Pat LaFontaine was already taken.
• Ted Lindsay wasn’t at a loss for words when it came to talking about The Captain.
• The Windsor Star talks about how Yzerman feels strange to now be considered a Hall of Famer.

Wings fall 5-1 to Toronto

In the Hockey Hall of Fame game on Saturday in Toronto, the Wings dropped a 5-1 decision to the Maple Leafs. Before the game, the 2009 HHOF class was honored (see picture above). The Detroit News noted the one highlight of the loss as Dan Cleary scored his 100th career goal to snap a 12-game scoreless streak. Red Wings Blog, The Triple Deke, Winging It In Motown, and Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle posted their thoughts on the loss.

Forward Jason Williams fractured his right fibula according to The Detroit News. The Red Wings’ GM Ken Holland told the Detroit Free Press that he expects the forward to be out for eight weeks with the injury, but does not anticipate calling anyone up since Patrick Eaves’ foot is feeling better and he should be able to re-enter the lineup.

In Other News

• Former Red Wings defender Chris Chelios returned to Michigan this weekend when his Chicago Wolves (AHL) faced the Grand Rapids Griffins and Van Andel Arena. He told The Grand Rapids Press that his 25-game tryout with the Wolves has allowed for more family time, especially with his ill father who lives in Chicago.
• The blogger behind Big Red Machine was able to attend the Red Wings’ autograph signing in Toronto on Friday afternoon and shared a picture of the poster signed by the team (minus Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen).
• Brad May doesn’t like to wear a visor, but believes the NHL should mandate that visors be a requirement and yes he realizes those two statements conflict.
• The amount of injuries popping up to the Wings has some bloggers worried, including Abel to Yzerman, The Production Line, and On the Wings. Drew at Nightmare on Helm Street reminds us that the Wings still have some great players left, who are not injured so don’t press the panic button yet.

The following is part two of an updated story written for the Online Kingdom back on April 14, 2006, a few days after Los Angeles Kings left wing Luc Robitaille announced his retirement as a player. It is being re-published in honor of his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 9, 2009. To read part one on FrozenRoyalty.net, click on Luc Robitaille: The King Of Kings – Part One.

Luc Robitaille (left) goes up against Brett Hull (right) of the St. Louis Blues on April 29, 1998 at the Great Western Forum.
Photo: Todd Warshaw/Allsport

I’ve always admired people who were gifted with the quality of leadership, and when leadership and raw athletic ability are found together in one person, it’s a rare combination to be sure. I think that one of the things that I appreciate most about Luc is that not only does he possess this combination, but that it is manifested in him in a unique way. Luc brings a contagious passion to the rink every day and to everything he does. I found that being around that kind of passion and desire made the game even more enjoyable for me and challenged me to give to my full capacity.
— Former Kings tough guy Stu Grimson

Some of the “tenets of leadership” are:

• Every person has leadership potential
• Leadership development is an ongoing process to maximize individual potential
• With leadership training comes the responsibility for action
• Leaders have a responsibility to nurture emerging leaders

Moreover, strong leaders exhibit such characteristics as:

• Dispensing hope
• Foresightedness
• Integrity of character
• Sharing of oneself

(Source: J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership)

Hockey fans often judge the leadership skills of a player on what they see and hear, which is not unexpected because they must rely on the media for their information about the teams and players. However, even though there is so much more information available today because of the Internet, fans still have very limited information about the intangible aspects of the game, and that includes the leadership qualities of a specific player.

To be sure, very, very few fans would consider Robitaille to be one of the Kings’ great leaders. Instead, they would likely point to Wayne Gretzky, Dave Taylor, Marcel Dionne, Bernie Nicholls and Mattias Norstrom.

Of course, Gretzky’s credentials are well-known and speak for themselves.

But when you look back at Robitaille’s career, one can only conclude that he too was a great leader.

Indeed, he understood that it was important to help his teammates, nurture and develop their leadership skills, give of himself whenever he could, and maintain his integrity.

To be sure, Robitaille always looked after the younger players on his team, doing for them what Dionne did for him when he invited Robitaille to live in his house during his rookie year.

“Since my first day with the Kings, Luc took me under his wing,” said former Kings and current Minnesota Wild center Eric Belanger. “He took care of me. He was a lot of help getting my career started on an easy note. I played with him my first eight or nine games. That was easy, too.”

“He makes it so much fun,” added Belanger. “Looking back at it, there’s a lot of things I’m going to keep for the rest of my career—things that he said. He told me to enjoy it because it goes fast. Six years later, I’m sitting here talking to you about Luc retiring.”

“He’s been a great leader in this game for a long time,” said former Kings and current Montreal Canadiens forward Michael Cammalleri. “He’s the highest-scoring left winger of all time. I’ve tried to learn a lot from him on and off the ice. I really appreciate his company as a teammate, as a friend, and as a person.”

“He’s given me a lot of insight into the little things on the ice,” added Cammalleri. “He knows the game so well. He’s scored so many goals in so many creative ways. He really has a sense of where to be on the ice and how to be opportunistic. He’d help me with little pointers. Little things like that have been very helpful.”

“Luc was an unbelievable teammate for young players,” said former Kings defenseman Darryl Sydor, who went on to win the Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999, and with Tampa Bay in 2004. “When I joined the Kings as a rookie in 1992, he was always willing to talk with me and help me through different situations. He was always good about making sure the young guys felt like a part of the team. He’s just a class act.”

Even the older veterans praised Robitaille’s leadership and his value as a teammate.

“Hockey players often judge teammates beyond goals, assists and points, and as far as Luc goes, he was also an All-Star when it came to being a teammate,” said former Kings winger Nelson Emerson, who is currently in charge of player development for the Kings. “No one ever could say anything negative about Luc. And that is not ‘Lucky.’”

“Of all the people I played with, the person who most exemplified passion to me was Luc Robitaille,” said former Kings winger and current Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach Tony Granato. “His love of the game has truly shown through the way he has played.”

“He was the ultimate teammate who always showed up to the rink with a smile on his face and couldn’t wait to get out on the ice,” added Granato. “His energy, passion and love for the game was contagious. I’m very grateful and thankful to have Luc as a friend and I enjoyed every season we played together.”

But as much as he was a leader on the ice, Robitaille did exactly the same thing off the ice.

“I think everybody knows your career doesn’t last forever,” said former Kings defenseman and team captain Mattias Norstrom. “He’s my best friend on this team. I’m going to miss him more away from the ice, in the locker room, and we’ve roomed together in previous years. We’ve spent a lot of time together on the road. I will miss that more than not seeing him on the ice.”

“I think the big thing about Luc Robitaille—the people who truly know him—is how good a guy he is,” said Cammalleri. “It’s hard to believe how a good a guy he really is. He’s a great person. He’s a great teammate, he’s a great father, husband and friend to us. I really admire him on and off the ice. Hopefully, he’ll stay involved with the organization.”

Unlike many of today’s athletes, especially the stars, Robitaille’s commitment to his teammates was never fake.

“As a player, the thing you cherish the most is your teammates,” said Robitaille. “You’ll never know until you’re done about how many friends you make and that’s what stays forever.”

Robitaille’s teammates certainly made sure he knew how they felt about him on the night he passed Dionne to become the Kings’ all-time leading goal scorer.

Robitaille was the last Kings’ player off the ice on January 19, 2006 at Staples Center, as the Kings won a barn burner against the Atlanta Thrashers, 8-6. And when he finally walked into the dressing room, his teammates, coaches and team staff all gave him a standing ovation that lasted for more than two minutes.

“This year, when I did the record and my teammates clapped for me after the game…they’ll never know what that meant to me,” Robitaille said, his voice cracking with emotion as he fought back tears.

“As teammates, as players, we know what we go through every day, day in and day out,” he added. “The mental game…sometimes you’re mad at the coach, you’re mad at this. But when your teammates respect you—that’s the memory you never forget.”

Adoration

I admire the way Luc carries himself off the ice. He is the one guy who always finds time to stop and interact with people in general but kids in particular. It puts a smile on their faces. He shakes their hand and has fun with them. When I am asked about Luc Robitaille that is what I talk about.
— Adam Graves, who played with Robitaille with the New York Rangers

From early in his career with the Kings, Robitaille often heard Kings fans at the Great Western Forum and later at Staples Center chanting “Luuuuccccc” for the player they absolutely adored.

Robitaille quickly became a fan favorite for the same reasons his teammates admired him—he was always positive, always had a smile on his face, and he was always willing to go out of his way.

“I don’t take [the fans] for granted,” said Robitaille. “I know that I’ve always gone out of my way. I’ve never said no, although there were some times where I was in a hurry and had to walk away, for autographs. I’ve always spent time trying to develop hockey in this community and teach young kids that it is possible to do your dream, whatever it is. I’ve always taken pride in trying not to say no.”

And it was not just his interaction with the fans that made him so popular.

“I think the reason the fans took a liking to me…I mean obviously, it’s a great name,” he joked.

“I think they saw how much I love the game,” Robitaille explained. “I think people can feel that. You can’t fake that. I genuinely love this game. I still feel like I’m living a dream. There’s a little kid in me that every day, I played because I wanted to be better than the game before. I think people feel that. When you really care for something, people feel that. That’s probably the biggest thing.”

“Voice of the Kings” Bob Miller also said that Robitaille’s love for the game was something that the fans saw and really latched onto.

“Luc loved the game so much,” Miller explained. “He always had a smile on his face. He hated to lose, as all players do. But he loved to play the game. And that came through to the fans and to everybody else, his teammates.”

“The attitude, the way he played the game, the way he looked on the ice, how much he enjoyed it, and the fact that as a superstar—and he is a superstar,” Miller stressed. “He’s going to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame immediately upon becoming eligible. Yet, in spite of all that, he was accessible to the fans. I’ve seen him walk out of games and stand there in the parking lot, talking to fans, laughing and joking with them and signing autographs.”

Miller then pointed out that unlike many athletes, Robitaille’s skates never left the ice, so to speak.

“Unfortunately, in a lot of sports these days, the superstars don’t want to [sign autographs or interact with the fans],” Miller lamented. “They don’t want to be bothered. And I think the fans really love Luc because he’s a down-to-earth guy. He’s almost like one of them. He’s got great skills in the game he plays, but he’s like one of them and he always has time for them.”

“When you look at it, why can’t everybody be like that? Why don’t you have that attitude of just meet with the fans and enjoy them, and I think that’s what made Luc the most popular player ever to wear a Kings uniform.”

It was that down-to-earth style that influenced Robitaille to announce his retirement on April 11, 2006, about a week before the season ended.

“A few people have asked me why didn’t I mention it before,” said Robitaille. “This is because we still have a chance. We have to win our three games and if Edmonton lose its three games, we’re in. This might not be it this week. I know that’s our goal, to get into the playoffs.”

“But being realistic, with one game left to go here in LA, it was fair to tell my friends and the fans that it could be my last game in LA,” added Robitaille. “I felt I owed it to everybody who’s followed me and supported me throughout my career here.”

Robitaille also wanted his retirement to be a happy occasion, not a sad one. For everyone else involved, he wanted it to be a celebration, not a wake.

“He’s leaving with his head up high,” said Norstrom. “I don’t think there’s any regret on his part, so no, this is not a sad day.”

“To every single person who’s touched me in hockey, I really mean it from the bottom of my heart, thank you very, very much,” said Robitaille. “This is not a sad day. I’m going to move on. I’ve got other things I’m going to do.”

However, one person found it difficult to share Robitaille’s positive outlook on the day.

“It’s sad,” said Miller. “I’m thinking that it’s been 19-20 years that I’ve been able to say his name in a broadcast and describe what he was doing, either with the Kings or with other teams. It’s going to be strange when next season starts when he’s not in the league or in a Kings uniform.”

“I was thinking about how difficult it is for a guy who loves the game as much as Luc, or any of these athletes, to finally come to that day when you say ‘that’s it,’” added Miller. “It’s a tough decision. I think a lot of players fear that they’re making that decision too soon. That they’re still going to have something left, and that they’re going to miss it so much that they want to come back.”

But Robitaille was looking ahead, not wanting to take the time to reminisce too much yet.

“I’m certainly going to help my wife a little more with Shelter for Serenity, [now known as Echoes For Hope, a charitable foundatio],” added Robitaille. “This is more a celebration for me. Hopefully, there’s another 28 games left, but if its three games, it’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.”

Something Was Missing

As a player in the NHL, there is nothing better than winning the Stanley Cup. It was very special to be able to share the experience with a player like Luc. He has done so much for the sport of hockey, and after spending so many years in the league, and accomplishing so much, it was great to see Luc hoist the Cup at Joe Louis Arena.
— Brendan Shanahan, who played with Robitaille on the Red Wings 2002 Stanley Cup Championship team

Clearly, the one big disappointment of Robitaille’s career with the Kings was that he was unable to help bring a Stanley Cup Championship to the Kings and their long-suffering fans.

Even worse, he had to leave the Kings to win the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002. But what did he do when his day with the Cup came around? He brought it home to Los Angeles to share family and friends.

“I always said that I wanted to have a Kings’ [championship] ring,” Robitaille lamented. “That year, it was more of a thank you to a lot of friends who had seen me or been behind me throughout the years. I figured I’d bring it here and have a big party with them.”

Evidently, a whole lot of people came out of the woodwork when they found out Robitaille was bringing the Cup home.

“I had more friends at the time than I thought I knew,” he joked.

It was evident on Tuesday that he was disappointed that he was retiring without having helped bring a Stanley Cup Championship to the Kings. But he is looking forward to being a part of the organization when they finally do.

“I have always wished to be part of the first team to win the Stanley Cup in LA,” said Robitaille. “So that’s why when [Kings Governor] Tim Leiweke mentioned to me that he’d like me to stay involved in the organization—that’s one of the reasons I’d love to be part of the organization—to be a part of it the first time they win the Cup.”

But do not expect him to become the next Kings’ head coach.

“Definitely not coach! These guys work real hard,” Robitaille said, laughing. “I don’t know what i want to do. Definitely being involved in this organization. I feel like this is my family. It’s always been my team.”

“I think as a player, the first team you play for is always your team,” Robitaille added. “You can go somewhere else, but the first team you play for, that logo is on your heart. I have that logo on my heart.”

More than three years after retiring as a player, Robitaille, who played with the Penguins, New York Rangers and Detroit, in addition to his fourteen seasons with the Kings, is now the Kings’ President/Business Operations.

Is He A Superstar?

Consider that Robitaille is the NHL’s career leading scorer among left wings (668 goals and 1,394 points). He is an almost certain first-ballot Hall of Famer, and he would have had statues cast in his honor had he spent the bulk of such a career in, say, Detroit or Montreal.
— Jim Alexander in the Press-Enterprise

In addition to being the all-time leading scorer (goals and points) among left wings in the NHL, at the time of his retirement, Robitaille was:

• The leader in goals (63) and points (125) scored by an NHL left wing in one season
• Ranked tenth in all-time goals scored
• Ranked nineteenth all-time in overall scoring (points).

“I was fortunate to play with a number of amazing goal scorers in my career and Luc fits perfectly into this elite,” said former Kings goaltender Kelly Hrudey, who is now a color commentator for CBC in Canada. “Luc loves to score and not only from the usual scoring areas but any location on the ice.”

“He would practice endlessly trying to put the puck in the net from the corner and because of his persistence he would score the occasional goal from those tough angles,” added Hrudey. “The last name ‘Robitaille’ belongs besides that of Gretzky, [former New York Islanders legend Mike] Bossy and [former Chicago Blackhawks star left wing Bobby] Hull as one of the games all-time great goal scorers.”

And when you compare Robitaille’s achievements to equivalent statistics in the other major professional team sports (again, at the time of his retirement), it becomes quite clear that Robitaille deserves to be a part of some very elite company.

For instance, if Robitaille was a Major League Baseball player and was ranked tenth all-time in home runs, he would be tied with Reggie Jackson, and he would be just behind the likes of Harmon Killebrew, Mark McGwire, Frank Robinson and Sammy Sosa. He would be ahead of Ken Griffey, Mickey Mantle, Willie McCovey, Ernie Banks, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Eddie Murray, Stan Musial and Willie Stargell.

That is lofty company, indeed. But it gets better.

If Lucky Luc was tenth all-time in the National Basketball League in scoring, he would be tied with John Havlichek, ahead of Alex English, Reggie Miller, and Jerry West. He would also be ahead of Shaquille O’Neil, Elgin Baylor and Larry Bird, and he would be just behind the likes of Dominique Wilkins and Oscar Robertson.

And if Robitaille was tenth all-time in the National Football League in touchdowns, he would be ahead of players like Barry Sanders, Franco Harris, Terrell Owens, Tim Brown, Steve Largent, Randy Moss and Eric Dickerson.

But aside from people who follow the Kings closely, few would ever consider Robitaille to be a superstar athlete, even in other NHL cities.

The reason? Robitaille’s unassuming, down-to-earth approach.

“Never has there been a more humble record-holder in all of sports,” said former Kings center Jeremy Roenick. “Because of the way Luc treats people, you would never think of him as a guy who has accomplished so much. His special love for life and for his friends reflects the passion he has for the game of hockey.”

“His attitude towards others in the game almost supersedes his on-ice accomplishments that, as we all know, have been remarkable,” said Kings’ long-time radio play-by-play announcer Nick Nickson.

“Luc Robitaille deserves a special place in NHL history,” said former Kings defenseman and radio color commentator Brian Engblom, who is currently a hockey analyst for Versus. “His numbers speak for themselves but the imprint of his personality is so much bigger. His legacy in the NHL, in my mind, will always be the joy he brought to every shift of every game.”

“Some athletes create records that are merely numbers,” added Engblom. “Others live lives full of style and flair. They are special, from moment to moment, and they touch many people along the way. That’s Luc. The scoring records, for all of us, were just a bonus that happened along the way.”

And in a region that has seen star athletes come and go, Robitaille is truly one of the very best.

“[Robitaille is] one of the most popular and successful athletes in the history of sports in Los Angeles,” said Nickson.

To be sure, Robitaille can be mentioned in the same sentence as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Rogie Vachon, Marcel Dionne and Wayne Gretzky. Robitaille clearly belongs in that elite group of the all-time greatest Los Angeles athletes.

Indeed, one of those athletes thinks very highly of Robitaille’s credentials.

“Luc had an outstanding NHL career,” said former Kings and Edmonton Oilers superstar Wayne Gretzky, who most recently was the head coach and part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes. “He was a great hockey player who loved to come to the rink each and every day. He helped make ice hockey a sport to do in the city of Los Angeles and he was able to fulfill his dream and win a Stanley Cup.”

The Legacy

The legacy is to all of his teammates, all of the young people, enjoy this while you have the opportunity because someday you’re going to look back and ask ‘why didn’t I enjoy it more.’ And that’s when you’ll be on the outside looking in.
— Bob Miller

Indeed, Robitaille’s legacy mirrors his down-to-earth approach to the game, to the fans, to the community, and to life.

“He leaves a legacy where you should enjoy what you’re doing, do it to the fullest and to the best of your ability, and the bottom line: just enjoy it,” said Miller. “Enjoy a career that’s not going to last your whole life, unlike some other professions. Here is a profession where you know the day is going to come when you’ve got to say ‘I think I’m through.’”

“Off the ice, Luc personifies the word ‘class,’” said former Kings right wing and current television color commentator Jim Fox. “How he treats people shows his class. Even as he grew into a Hall-of-Fame hockey player, he still maintained the same attitude. He treats everyone with respect and class and, as an added bonus, he does it with a big smile.”

“Luc continues to reach out to the fans and the community,” said former Kings left wing Daryl Evans, now the Kings radio color commentator. “[He is] truly a great role model both on and off the ice for future hockey players.”

For what he has accomplished in his NHL career, and especially in his time with the Kings, Luc Robitaille has reached a level of achievement—a level of greatness—that only the best of the elite have ever reached. Equally important are his stellar contributions off the ice, to his team, to his fans and to his community.

And as we all prepared for the night when Robitaille would play in his final home game for the Kings when the fans would pour their love and appreciation for him onto the ice, perhaps Nickson summed it all up best.

“The puck is dropped and the game begins. The buzzer sounds and the game ends. And so it goes for the players. We just hate to see the great ones go.”

Keith Korneluk and Chris Kaliszewski have shot a new episode of Overtime by KingCast as a tribute to Robitaille. You can watch Episode 25: A Tribute To Luc right here:

All stories and audio content on this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. You may copy, distribute and/or transmit any story or audio content published on this site under the terms of this license, but only if proper attribution is indicated. The full name of the author and a link back to the original article on this blog are required.

The following is an updated story written for the Online Kingdom back on April 14, 2006, a few days after Los Angeles Kings left wing Luc Robitaille announced his retirement as a player. It is being re-published in honor of Robitaille’s induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 9, 2009. To read part two, click on Luc Robitaille: The King Of Kings – Part Two.

Luc Robitaille
Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein
Getty Images

“No Kings’ player had ever measured up to Taylor when it came to heart, the desire to excel and win and the ability and willingness to go into the corners and sacrifice his body for his team,” I wrote. “No other Kings’ player has ever come close to Taylor as far as leadership—on the ice and off—is concerned, [and] no Kings’ player has ever matched his relentless work ethic, his dedication to his team, the game of hockey and his community.”

To be sure, Taylor had earned the right to wear the crown as the King of Kings, and was a great standard bearer for the organization, both on and off the ice. But on Tuesday, April 11, 2006, the day that Kings all-time great left wing Luc Robitaille announced at a press conference that he would retire at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, Taylor immediately abdicated the crown because his reign is over. Robitaille now wears the crown as new Kings of Kings.

The Legend Begins

One of my proudest moments as a general manager came when I drafted Luc Robitaille, who became the greatest left wing in NHL history.
— Former Kings star goaltender and general manager Rogie Vachon

Believe it or not, Robitaille was considered to be among the longest of long shots to make it to the National Hockey League as a ninth-round pick (171st overall) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

“I remember in 1984 when I got drafted, it started at 1:00 PM, and by the time I heard my name, it was 6:30 or 7:00,” Robitaille explained to reporters at Tuesday’s press conference. “Everybody had left the Montreal Forum. The Forum was known for its great hot dogs, and I think I had five or six throughout the day. When I heard my name, I went down—everyone had left the building. The security guard says ‘you’re not allowed to go in.’”

“I’m trying to speak my best English, Robitaille continued. ‘I got drafted, I got drafted!’ Pierre Lacroix, who was then an agent—he saw me and he had seen me in juniors. He said, ‘this kid just got drafted.’ So they let me go and I went to the Kings’ table.”

“Alex Smart, the man who drafted me, was there, and John Wolf [former Kings Assistant to the General Manager], and that’s it. Everyone else was gone. Wolfie looked at me and asked ‘who are you?’”

“I’m Luc Robitaille. You just drafted me.”

“He looks at me, he looks in the box. ‘I don’t have anymore t-shirts, I don’t have anymore hats. But here.’ And he gave me his pin. I still have that pin at home somewhere. So that’s how it started.”

“I remember my thinking going home and telling my Dad ‘my name’s on the list,’ said Robitaille. “‘I have a chance. They will have to look at me one day,’ and that’s the way I took it. So from then on, I just did everything I could to make it.”

When Robitaille finally got his chance two years later in the 1986-87 season, he certainly made the most of it, scoring 45 goals with 39 assists, good for 84 points in 79 games in his rookie season, and going on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.

“I remember Luc coming to camp for the first time in 1984 and playing in his first games as a King in 1986,” said Taylor, formerly the Kings general manager and now the Director of Player Personnel for the Dallas Stars. “He has always had a passion to play the game and he has always been a goal scorer.”

“I was warned by the scouts about Luc’s skating but with his marvelous intelligence for the game, skating never became a factor, even in the high-paced game of the 1980’s,” said Edmonton Oilers head coach, Pat Quinn, who was the head coach of the Kings from 1984-85 through a bit more than half of the 1986-87 season. “The puck seemed to follow him around and he seemed to know what to do with it.”

“Luc not only had intelligence and hands, his best asset was his competitive drive,” added Quinn. “Luc was a pleasure to be around and you know he loved to play the game. Alex Smart was right. Luc Robitaille was someone special.”

A Pure Goal Scorer

When I think of Luc, I think “pure goal scorer.”
— Former Kings and current Vancouver Canucks defenseman Mathieu Schneider

After such a great start, Robitaille took the NHL by storm, scoring at least 44 goals in each of his first eight seasons with the Kings, including three seasons with fifty or more goals, and one season (1992-93) that saw the Kings reach the Stanley Cup Finals, in which he scored 63 goals with 62 assists for 125 points, setting the all-time NHL record for goals and points by a left wing in one season.

Robitaille still holds the points record by a left wing in one season, but Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin broke Robitaille’s record for goals in one season by a left wing when he scored 65 goals in the 2007-08 season.

Without question, Robitaille was among the purest of pure goal scorers who could put the puck in the net with a deadly, accurate wrist shot, a deceptively hard, accurate slap slot without much of a backswing, and one of the best one-timers in the game.

“I feel Luc is one of the most natural goal scorers I’ve ever played with,” said former Kings right winger Bernie Nicholls, who is fifth on the Kings’ all-time scoring list. “Luc didn’t score so many goals, however, because he’s lucky. He’s a pure goal scorer and it was an absolute pleasure to have played with him for five years.”

“His ability to be in the right place at the right time, combined with his poise with the puck, has been and remains uncanny,” said Nick Nickson, the Kings long-time radio play-by-play announcer.

“I have never been around a player who liked to score goals more than Luc,” said former Kings and current San Jose Sharks defenseman Rob Blake. “He loved to score goals whether it was a game or practice. Not only did he love to score, he also knew how to score. That is what made him one of the best.”

“The first time I saw Luc was at his first Kings training camp,” former Kings right wing and current television color commentator Jim Fox explained. “I remember a shot he took in one of the scrimmages that was a true ‘goal scorer’s’ goal, and it was at that very instance that you could tell he was special. Luc can score goals every way possible.”

But it was not just his incredible shooting ability that made Robitaille one of the game’s greatest goal scorers of all-time.

“I think an underrated part of his game is that he has been willing to take a lot of punishment to score many of those goals,” said Fox.

Indeed, Robitaille worked his rear end off, mostly by taking punishment in front of the opponent’s net, to get into position to score.

“What people don’t always realize is his physical presence in front of the net,” said Schneider. “He pays a price to score goals.”

“Luc and I played together with the Kings and Rangers, and in the 1991 Canada Cup as well,” said former Kings winger Russ Courtnall. “In New York, I played on a line with Luc and Wayne Gretzky, and I remember a conversation I had once with Mark Messier. Mess and I talked about how tough Luc was and how much punishment he took in front of the net. Everyone knows about his goal scoring ability, but it seems lost a lot of times in that he really has paid the price to score many of those goals over the years.”

“Hockey is the toughest game in the world to play, said former Kings left wing Pat Conacher. “A lot of people measure toughness in terms of penalty minutes. But I think you have to be a real tough player to score as many goals as he has because you look at where he scores all his goals, it is that fifteen-foot circle around the goaltender. The ‘red zone’ is the toughest place to score and that is an indication of how tough a player he is.”

Whether he was fighting off a check to get open, or just skating to an open spot on the ice, Robitaille knew how to make himself available to his teammates, and he worked hard at it…harder than many believed.

“Luc is one of the greatest goal scorers in the game because he went to the hard areas and always knew where the puck was going to be,” said former Kings defenseman Charlie Huddy. “If the game was on the line, you could count on ‘Lucky’ to give your team a chance to win.”

“When we played on the same line, he was easiest line mate to find for a shot,” said Sergei Fedorov, who played on Robitaille’s line while both played for the Stanley Cup-winning Detroit Red Wings in 2002. “He just found open spaces to play in and he always seemed open.”

Indeed, Robitaille did not just take punishment to score goals. He also did just about anything to score.

“When I first teamed with Luc on the [New York] Rangers, I knew Luc could score, but I quickly found out that he competed far harder than I realized,” said former Kings center Ray Ferraro, who is now a color commentator for TSN in Canada.

“He’s a dirty player,” former Kings and current Calgary Flames center Craig Conroy joked. “He’s a dirty guy out there. With these new rules you can’t slash and hook like you used to. He’d ride along with you and do stuff like that.”

“When I played against him, I was always mad at him because he was so dirty,” added Conroy. “I always hated playing against him. He’d hook you, hold you and trip you and then he’d score one of those goals. He’d get in a position and then bang, it was on his stick and in the net. I always disliked playing against him, but I loved playing with him this year.”

A Flair For The Dramatic

Game tied at two. Robitaille’s in front alone. He’s got it but he fell down. He backhands it and he SCORES! What a goal! The Kings win!
— Bob Miller’s call of Robitaille’s overtime game-winner at Detroit on February 24, 1999

Former Pittsburgh Penguins teammate and Hall-Of-Famer Mario Lemieux said, “Luc has been an exceptional goal scorer in the NHL for a very long time. He’s always had a flair for the dramatic and has been a thrill for fans of the league to watch for many years.”

That might be an understatement.

Robitaille has been well-known for scoring dramatic goals that leave one asking, “how did he do that?”

Early in his career, Robitaille scored the first of those goals when he slid into the left corner at the Forum in Inglewood, flat on his stomach, and when he reached the goal line, he took a two-handed swing at the puck, knocking it into the net, leaving everyone in the building totally dumbfounded.

And that included the Hall-Of-Fame “Voice of the Kings.”

“The most memorable goal that I remember…he was sliding on his stomach against Calgary into the corner,” said Bob Miller, who is in his 37th season of calling the action for the Kings. “I was thinking, ‘he doesn’t have a chance to score from there.’ In fact, I think I made an awful call on the play-by-play because I was amazed, as I think Luc was amazed, that he was able to sweep the puck into the net.”

Fast forward to February 24, 1999, and Robitaille does it again in even more dramatic fashion at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. As he fell backwards at the bottom of the right circle, he took a pass and, using both hands, he immediately swept the puck into the middle of the net, this time on his backhand, beating Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood for a stunning overtime game-winner.

Once again, everyone in the arena was left scratching their heads and with their jaws agape.

“Late in the game at Detroit, he went down to our right, and again I thought, ‘there’s no play here,’ and it’s in the net,” said Miller. “Goals like that just defy explanation. I’m not even sure Luc can explain it, except for having a sense for where that net is, even if it’s behind your back. The great goal scorers know where it is, and they can score.”

Indeed, Robitaille never hesitated on the play. He got the puck as he fell to the ice and as he did so, he immediately swept it into the net, all in one motion. It was evident that he knew exactly what he was going to do, where he was on the ice and where the net was throughout that sequence of events, and it is these kinds of plays that set the elite, all-time great goal scorers apart from the rest.

Just less than two years later, Robitaille was, once again, up to his old tricks.

At Ottawa on January 16, 2001, the Kings and Ottawa Senators were in embroiled in a shootout that the Kings ended up winning, 7-6. Robitaille scored twice in the game, but it was his first one that was memorable. Here is how this reporter described the play in the Online Kingdom’s report:

“[Rob] Blake chased down a long clearing pass on right wing in the Ottawa zone. He took a little wrist shot from the low right circle, but hit the side of the net. [Ziggy] Palffy picked up the loose puck in the right corner, but was checked into the right corner boards. He did manage to get off a quick pass to Robitaille, who was coming out from behind the right goal post. Robitaille got off a quick wrap-around that was stopped by [Ottawa goalie Patrick] Lalime. But Robitaille dove and poked the puck from between Lalime’s legs and into the net.”

“Lalime looked behind him after Robitaille’s first shot…he clearly did not know if he had the puck covered… .”

To be sure, this was another of Robitaille’s many goals that left everyone asking, “how did he do that?”

Some say it is because he just has the natural ability, while others say it an obsession.

“You can practice deflections and tip-ins, but there’s some sense that the great goal scorers have that other people don’t have, regardless of how many times they want to practice, or spend time on the ice, they can’t do what a guy like Luc can do,” said Bob Miller.

“With Luc, scoring is an obsession,” said former Kings defenseman and occasional right wing Marty McSorley. “Whether standing in street shoes lofting pucks into a net or banking pucks off the back of the goalies legs from the corner in warm-ups, the need to put the puck in the net is simple and consuming. That burning desire has given all of us a smile and forced the thought, ‘Is he Lucky or is he just that good?’”

Turtles Could Skate Faster

Not bad for a late-round draft pick who could not skate or backcheck.
— Former Kings tough guy Ken Baumgartner

OK, so I’m exaggerating about turtles, but you get the point. But as most know, Robitaille was a poor skater when he entered the NHL back in 1986, and that did not change much throughout his nineteen-year career.

Although better speed and skating ability would have enhanced his offense and to be sure, his defensive capabilities, no one can say that Robitaille was anything less than an elite player. He clearly overcame his poor skating by doing what he did best so well.

“I remember when Luc came into the NHL and people said he wouldn’t stay because of his skating,” said Kings assistant coach Mark Hardy, who played parts of four seasons with Robitaille. “He sure showed the world what kind of a hockey player and person he is. His dedication and perseverance as it relates to the game is second to none.”

“If you judged a player solely on their skating ability, you would probably say, ‘Geez, how can this guy play in the NHL?’ But he was efficient in everything he did and he always was an asset around the net,” said former Kings defenseman and head coach Larry Robinson, who was a big star for the Montreal Canadiens before coming to the Kings.

“A scout with the Canadiens asked me once who my best player was, said Pat Burns, who coached Robitaille when he played for the Hull Olympiques in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. “I pointed to Luc and the scout said he couldn’t skate. Well, some 600-plus goals later he is still at it.”

“Coaching against him in the NHL, I would always tell my teams to pay close attention to him,” added Burns, who coached the Toronto Maple Leafs when they lost in seven games to Robitaille and the Kings in the 1992-93 Campbell Conference Finals. “While he isn’t always the first to the puck, he will eventually hurt you.”

As usual, Bob Miller’s eloquence and insight summed up the importance of Robitaille’s most glaring shortcoming.

“I’ll always remember the fact that he was just a pure goal scorer,” said Miller. “As much as people said he’s slow and can’t skate, the bottom line is he could score goals, and in this game, what’s the bottom line? Score goals.”

Indeed.

It Was Time

As a player, you always feel like you have something left in the tank. But there’s a time when you have to know and use your sense to say ‘that’s enough.’ And I think it’s that time for me.
— Luc Robitaille

Prior to the 2005-06 season, many speculated that Robitaille might not play again after the NHL locked out the players and cancelled the 2004-05 season.

And when Robitaille decided to play in 2005-06, many wondered if he would be able to keep up in the new NHL, a league that has been transformed by rule changes that emphasize skating, skill and speed.

And as the season wore on, it was clear that Robitaille was having some difficulties in the now fairly wide-open game. And with just fifteen goals and nine assists for 24 points in 63 games, it is clear that Robitaille was not playing at the level he had hoped.

“I think Luc realizes, with what’s gone on last year and this year, that this is the time,” said Miller. “He’s accomplished so much. He’s won the Stanley Cup he wanted, although it was with Detroit and not with the Kings, unfortunately. Highest-scoring left wing in the history of the game, all-time goal scoring leader for the Kings…so it’s not like there were some other things he wanted to accomplish, except win a Cup with the Kings. So I guess it was time and in his own mind, it was time.”

“During the lockout, I knew I was coming back for one more year for sure,” said Robitaille. “I felt too good physically to not come back. It’s a decision that I felt sometimes throughout the season and even at the beginning of the year. I really wanted to come back and I felt really good physically.”

It was not an easy decision for him, but his wife Stacia supported and helped him.

“It’s never easy, but I’d call it a common-sense decision where I just know it’s time,” Robitaille explained. “Something my wife and I have been talking about for awhile. I just know it’s time.”

“It was definitely in the back of my mind,” he added. “A couple of weeks ago is when we talked and it’s definitely a decision we made together. It’s me who’s playing, but she’s made so many sacrifices throughout the years. It was something we did together.”

One of the reasons Robitaille decided to announce his retirement on April 11, 2006, was because the Kings’ chances to make the playoffs were now all but gone.

“All along, I thought we were going to be in the playoffs, so I wasn’t going to announce it until August,” he explained. “But now, knowing that we’re probably not going to be in the playoffs unless things go our way, and I’ll do everything possible for that, I just felt it was the right thing to do now.”

“I don’t think it would be fair to my family, my friends or my fans to just go out if we don’t make the playoffs and then announce a week from now that I’m going to retire,” he added. “That didn’t feel right. Sometimes things just happen in life, and that’s kind of the way it happened.”

Robitaille also stressed that the fact that he had been a healthy scratch for three games prior to their 4-2 loss against Anaheim on April 8 had no bearing on his decision.

“It had nothing to do with what happened to me last week, that I can honestly say,” said Robitaille. “I remember playing in Montreal this year, I told my Mom ‘you’d better come. This is probably my last game in Montreal.’”

The Kings played at Montreal on December 3, 2005.

A Dream Come True

Luc Robitaille is living every child’s dream. The aspiration to play in the big leagues and to score goals is the definition of who Luc is. Luc has a child-like love/passion to be on the ice, to be a good teammate, to create a positive and fun environment around him, but most of all he enjoys scoring goals.
— Marty McSorley

When you observe Robitaille in practice and after games, you usually see a big smile on his face, you will often hear him laughing and joking with his teammates and with the media. To be sure, he seems to enjoy what he is doing now as much as he did when he was a wet-behind-the-ears rookie.

“Off the ice, every single player, especially young guys, should look at Luc,” said former Kings defenseman and team captain Mattias Norstrom. “The way he prepares himself coming to the rink. That’s the way he’s been doing it for the last nineteen years. You wonder sometimes if it’s Luc’s first year because he comes to the rink with a big smile and most times, he leaves with a big smile. He really has a love for the game.”

He loved the game so much that he made sure that he gave it his all in every one of them.

“Everyday, I gave everything I had,” said Robitaille. “I wasn’t great every day, but I know I made sure I was ready for every game. There was a lot of games where I didn’t play the way I wanted to. So by me going away, I have no regrets because I know every single day of my career, I made sure was ready for the next game. In that way, I can walk with a lot of pride in the fact that I gave everything I could to this game every day. I know in my heart that every day, I did my best.”

“I think that’s what it’s about,” added Robitaille. “When you have an opportunity to do your dream, for any of us, I think that’s the most important thing to never forget. That’s probably one of the proudest things about me that I know that I did every day.”

Indeed, and it all goes back to that dream.

“It has been a great, great run for me,” said Robitaille. “I was a little kid who had a dream, and I got to live my dream and now I think it’s time to go. I love this game so much, and I wouldn’t want to hurt it. I’ve been living my dream. It’s been something very special.”

“I remember looking at a map, seeing how far Los Angeles was [from his hometown, Montreal, Quebec],” added Robitaille. “And now this is my home, it’s where I’m going to live. It’s been a real dream come true, and I can’t believe I’m saying all those words in English, too.”

All stories and audio content on this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. You may copy, distribute and/or transmit any story or audio content published on this site under the terms of this license, but only if proper attribution is indicated. The full name of the author and a link back to the original article on this blog are required.

Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images

Around the Rink had experienced some technical difficulties over the last two weeks, which is why this feature has recently been M.I.A. We apologize for the down time and will now return to running this feature every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as before.

Detroit ends San Jose’s six-game winning streak

The Red Wings earned their third straight victory at Joe Louis Arena Thursday evening in a 2-1 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks, who had strung together a six-game winning streak entering the game. Detroit earned its first win in three shootouts so far this season.

Detroit netminder Chris Osgood had a strong outing, making 33 saves and stopping both of San Jose’s shootout attempts.

“Ozzie’s got to be feeling really good about himself,” Babcock said of his starting goaltender, who’s allowed just two goals in winning three in a row. “We’re playing well in front of him, but he’s playing well.”

DRW.com’s Michael Caples breaks down the Wings’ win, including some interesting stats in the 65 minutes of play. You can read other game recaps at The Detroit News, MLive.com, Motown Wings, Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangle, The Triple Deke, Unconnected Red Wings Blog, and Winging It In Motown.

Red Wings honor Budd Lynch

Former broadcaster and longtime PA announcer Budd Lynch was recognized in a ceremony before Thursday’s game to mark Lynch’s 60th year with the Wings. All fans in attendance received a commemorative Budd Lynch bobblehead, which proved to be a hot ticket at the Joe last night.

In addition to the ceremony, “the Little Caesars Veterans Program and Coca-Cola will provide a Joe Louis Arena suite to military veterans and active military members home on leave every home game during the 2009-10 regular-season” in honor of Lynch.

Lynn Henning wrote a great article about Lynch in The Detroit News, which details the story of how he lost his arm in the war and how he landed his job with the Wings. Bob Duff of the Windsor Star goes back to Lynch’s start with the franchise.

In Other News

• With the 2009 Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony quickly approaching, Wings’ fans can find a nice chunk of articles on three of their former players. Michael Caples of DRW.com spoke with current Red Wings’ players about Steve Yzerman. Dan Rosen of NHL.com wrote two features on The Captain that were posted on Thursday.
• Forward Valtteri Filppula received the Carhartt award as the “Hardest Working Player of the Month” for October. Filppula remains out until December with a broken right wrist, which has provided Patrick Eaves with an opportunity that he appears to be taking advantage of.
• The Wings have got some good news from defenseman Andreas Lilja, who hasn’t had a headache in three days after seeing a chiropractor in Vancouver by the suggestion of teammate Brad May. There is no specific timetable for his return, but this three-day span has been the first time since his fight in February without headaches. He has started to practice with the team and at some point will have to see how he handles getting hit.
• Forward Dan Cleary is one goal away from notching his 100th career goal and it appears he’s getting a bit antsy to reach the benchmark.
• USA Hockey will announce its roster for the 2010 Winter Olympics on Jan. 1 during the NBC broadcast of the third annual Winter Classic at Fenway Park. A blog for the LA Times has the announcement dates for all of the national hockey federations.
• Bruce MacLeod of The Macomb Daily notes that Brad May will return to the lineup on Saturday after suffering an eye injury on Oct. 31.

COMMENTARY: On October 26, Montreal Gazette writer Dave Stubbs wrote a story on former Los Angeles Kings goaltender Rogie Vachon, “Honour Overdue For Ex-Habs Goalie Vachon.” To provide more of a Los Angeles Kings angle to the Vachon story, I decided to spruce up, update and re-publish a story I wrote way back in March, 1998 about Vachon, who should have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame years ago, but remains on the outside looking in.

Rogie Vachon
Photo: LA Kings

So why, then, has he not been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF)?

When you look closely at the numbers, Vachon certainly deserves to be enshrined among his peers. No one can deny that he was one of the great goalies to ever play the game. Consider that:

During his final year of eligibility in 1998, Vachon was fifth all-time in career wins with 355. Only Glenn Hall (407), Tony Esposito (423), Jacques Plante (434) and former Kings’ goalie Terry Sawchuk (447) had more (all are honored members of the HHOF). Twelve HHOF goalies had fewer wins than Vachon.

Vachon is now sixteenth all-time in career wins, as the likes of Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Grant Fuhr, Dominik Hasek and others have passed him. Nevertheless, of the fifteen netminders who have won more games than Vachon, only Roy and Fuhr have joined the four goalies mentioned above who are ahead of Vachon in wins and have been inducted into the HHOF.

Nine other goalies who are in the top forty all-time in career wins are honored members of the HHOF despite the fact that Vachon ranks ahead of them. Several other HHOF netminders are not even among the top all-time leaders in wins.

In 1998, Vachon was seventeenth all-time in shutouts with 51. Seven HHOF goalies (Frances Brimsek, John Bower, Gerry Cheevers, Ken Dryden, William Durnen, Billy Smith and Lorne “Gump” Worsley) had fewer shutouts than Vachon.

Today, Vachon is tied for twentieth all-time in shutouts, while Brimsek, Bower, Cheevers, Dryden, Durnen, Smith and Worsley have all been bumped off the list. Indeed, a good bunch of goalies who are honored members of the HHOF are no longer on the all-time shutouts list while Vachon remains.

Vachon also won three Stanley Cups while he played for the Montreal Canadiens (1967-68, 1968-69 and 1970-71). He is a Vezina Trophy winner, having won the award in 1968, sharing it with Worsley, his teammate with the Canadiens. Vachon was also the Vezina runner-up to Philadelphia Flyers great Bernie Parent in 1975. Many have said he should have won the award that season, when he led the league in save percentage (.926) and was second in goals-against average (2.24).

Vachon twice was named as a second-team NHL All-Star (the end-of-the-season honor, not for the mid-season all-star game), in 1974-75 and 1976-77. That same year, he was the named as a first-team All-Star by The Hockey News and The Sporting News.

While he was with the Kings, Vachon was named to the mid-season All-Star team three times (1973, 1975 and 1978). In 1974-75, Vachon and Bobby Orr were the only unanimous selections to the All-Star Game.

Vachon was also named The Hockey News Player of the Year that same season and was runner-up to Flyers star forward Bobby Clarke for the NHL’s Most Valuable Player.

In international play, Vachon led Canada to victory in the 1976 Canada Cup tournament with a 1.39 goals-against average (GAA), a .963 save percentage and two shutouts in seven games. He was named as the best goalie of the tournament and the Most Valuable Player for Canada.

If you compare Vachon with the star goalies of the same era, Ken Dryden, Bernie Parent, Eddie Giacomin, Gerry Cheevers, Gump Worsley, Tony Esposito and Billy Smith, his numbers might surprise some. Vachon is:

• Third in games played. Only Esposito and Worsley played in more games.
• Second in wins. Only Esposito won more games.
• Fourth in shutouts. Only Giacomin, Parent and Esposito have more.
• Fifth in winning percentage. Only Giacomin, Esposito and Dryden were better.

He also led the NHL with a 1.42 GAA in the 1969 playoffs.

And while playing on Kings teams that were usually horrible, Vachon’s numbers were that much more impressive. He earned a 2.86 GAA with the Kings. During the 1974-75 season, he earned an even more impressive 2.24 GAA (a Kings record) and had a .926 save percentage.

The latter would be the Kings’ all-time record, but the league did not start keeping save percentage records until the 1982-83 season.

Vachon was 171-148-66 with 32 shutouts in 389 games with the Kings and was their Most Valuable Player for three straight seasons (1972-73 through 1974-75). If the NHL had started keeping save percentage records earlier, Vachon would lead the Kings in four of the five major statistical categories for goaltenders (games played, wins, shutouts, goals-against average and save percentage).

Vachon also faced six penalty shots while he played for the Kings, but never allowed a penalty shot goal while he wore the Kings’ “Forum Blue and Gold.”

Rogie Vachon is introduced at Luc Robitaille’s jersey retirement ceremony
on January 20, 2007.
Photo: Noah Graham/Getty Images

• Assistant Coach, 1982-84
• General Manager, 1984-92
• Special Assistant to Chairman Bruce McNall, 1992-94
• Assistant to the President, 1994-95
• President, 1995-96
• Chief Hockey Operations Officer, 1996-97

Vachon also served as Vice President of Special Projects and as one of the team’s Royal Ambassadors.

One of Vachon’s most notable contributions was his role in bringing Wayne Gretzky to the Kings. Gretzky’s arrival in Southern California helped generate new interest in the Kings and hockey in general in the Western United States, which has resulted in new teams in San Jose and Anaheim, not to mention the moves of established franchises to places where no one ever dreamed hockey would be popular, such as Dallas and Phoenix.

Former Kings great and HHOF honored member Marcel Dionne said that the Kings must push to get Vachon into the HHOF.

“The organization’s got to get behind this,” Dionne stressed on August 29, 2009, during the Kings’ Hockeyfest 09 event. “It’s a political thing. If you look at the research, [Vachon’s] stats are as good as some of the guys who are elected.”

“I noticed some [prior HHOF inductees] that are political choices,” Dionne noted. “So you’ve got to get behind it. You have to make some phone calls and [go through the process]. You have to put pressure on them.”

After 36 years of following the Kings, I can say that Rogie Vachon is the biggest reasons why I became hooked on hockey.

I remember watching Vachon in the nets whenever I was at the Fabulous Forum for a game or when I watched the few televised games on KHJ-TV 9 here in Los Angeles way back in the mid-Seventies. Vachon was usually spectacular and since he played mostly for teams that were awful, he was a real standout. Vachon’s quickness, positional play, and ability to remain focused appeared to be his biggest strengths.

Indeed, Vachon was so good, he often won games all by himself. I know many other long-time Kings’ fans who went to games just to see Vachon play. To them, he was incredible. He dominated games, night in and night out.

I have vivid memories of him making, not just the first save, but often the second, third and fourth saves as well, time and time again. Of course, that was because he usually had little to no help from the Kings’ skaters. But the frustration in the faces of opposing forwards after Vachon had stoned them after a flurry in front of the Kings’ net, was a frequent sight.

And in the days when players were nowhere where near as big as they are today and when goalies did not wear the oversized equipment that came into play in recent years, Vachon’s skill and competitive spirit is all that much more impressive.

Because of his great ability and his dedication, Vachon was truly a fan favorite here in Southern California. He often got the loudest cheers when he was introduced and he certainly deserved the few accolades he received while he played for the Kings in obscurity—in a town where hockey has been mostly an afterthought compared to the other major professional and collegiate sports.

Certainly, Vachon was a bona fide NHL superstar, but playing in Los Angeles where NHL games were hardly ever on television back then, let alone in Eastern Time Zone cities because of the three-hour time difference, he never got the exposure that most other star players received.

Of course, there was no cable or satellite television when Vachon toiled on the ice of the Fabulous Forum. Versus and the NHL Network were still many years away, as was NHL Center Ice. In short, unless you were in Southern California, you probably did not see Vachon on television at all.

Obscurity indeed.

Based on his record, Vachon would certainly have received much more consideration for election to the HHOF in years past if people in the Eastern Time Zone, where the vast majority of the NHL teams were located at the time and still are, for that matter, could have seen him play more frequently. It is quite clear that Vachon’s bid to be elected to the HHOF was adversely affected by an acute lack of exposure to fans and hockey pundits alike.

Vachon’s case for induction into the hallowed halls of the Hockey Hall of Fame remains as strong as it was eleven years ago when he was passed over by the HHOF Selection Committee yet again. It is a shame that he has not been inducted. Indeed, it is unjust and is an utter travesty that should be rectified post haste.

For more:

Honour Overdue For Ex-Habs Goalie Vachon
Time For Hall To Include Rogie
Why Isn’t Rogie Vachon in the Hall of Fame?
Building A Case For Rogie Vachon’s Inclusion In The Hockey Hall Of Fame
THN.com Blog: Making a case for Rogie Vachon

The Hockey Hall of Fame accepts letters from interested parties (including fans) nominating people for possible induction. You can send letters and supporting documentation to:

Jim Gregory
Selection Committee Co-Chair
Hockey Hall of Fame
Brookfield Place
30 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON M5E 1X8

For more of my coverage of the Los Angeles Kings as well as coverage of the entire NHL, check out HockeyTalk.

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Three days after being cut by the Calgary Flames, Theoren Fleury has announced his retirement from the game of hockey.

Fleury attempted a comeback to the NHL this September, six years after he was suspended by the league for breaking terms of the NHL’s substance abuse program.

Fleury, an admitted recovering alcoholic, had a very promising training camp, scoring four points in the same number of games, but was ultimately cut due to age and the limited number of roster spots.

It is sad to see an end to Fleury’s journey, especially considering how much more positive and well-deserving Fleury is compared to athletes in other sports who have received second chances. Fleury simply wanted a chance to see where he was as a hockey player, but more so to see how much of a man he had become.

Fleury has kicked drinking andand now aims to help other victims of drinking addictions.

The only question left to be answered is whether or not Fleury will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He will not be eligible for induction until 2014, but the next four years should allow for much debate to decide if the seven time all-star’s 455 goals and 633 assists in 1084 games, one Stanley Cup, two Olympic appearances (one gold), two World Junior of Hockey appearances (one gold), two World Championship appearances (one silver), one gold medal Canada Cup,  a silver at the World Cup, being awarded the WHL’s  Bob Clarke Trophy as the leagues top scorer, and a Turner Cup is enough to get him into the hall.

It’s been 25 years since a new public ice facility has been built in the Toronto-area.  That’s going to change this September during the grand opening of the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence.

The centre will replace the Lakeshore Lions Arena which was built in 1951 and it will continue to be operated by the Lakeshore Lions Club.

The MasterCard Centre is a shared initiative between MLSE, MasterCard, and the Lakeshore Lions Club.  It is a state-of-the-art building with three NHL-size ice-pads and one Olympic-size pad.

The building will be open to the public but it will also be used for Maple Leafs and Marlies practices.  On top of that, it will be home to Hockey Canada’s Ontario Regional Offices and the Hockey Hall of Fame’s archives and research facilities.

This is an excellent opportunity to promote hockey in Toronto where basketball and soccer have stolen a huge chunk of the market.

The Maple Leafs are finally realizing that their influence in Toronto is losing potency.  Hockey must learn to share with other sports and entertainment and fight for its position.

The Leafs will also be going from a four-hundred thousand dollar community investment, in the past three years, to $2.3 million in the next five years.

The money will be used to refurbish outdoor city-owned rinks.  Brian Burke didn’t lie when he said that the Maple Leafs will increase their community influence in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs want to give every youth in the city a chance to develop their love for hockey.  MLSE has had a revelation that, through community involvement, Toronto can truly become the hockey Mecca and not just by name.

MLSE’s recent hockey related investments make me believe that they want to create a “hockey factory” in the Toronto-area.  The Leafs want potential players that will stay loyal to the team and/or city that fostered their development.

This is a fantastic outreach program and creating a facility where the grassroots community can skate and play hockey, on the same surface as the Maple Leafs, is an excellent marketing plan.

Not only does it promote hockey development but it also brings NHL players closer to the public.  The accessibility to players and hockey archives allows people to study the game and mesh with the NHL community. 

Suddenly, players become human in our minds and a new generation of hockey fans may develop from MLSE’s public participation.

Learn more about the MasterCard Centre for Hockey Excellence.

Thanks to CNW Group for details.

COMMENTARY: Forward Jeremy Roenick announced his retirement from the National Hockey League on August 6, 2009, ending a stellar NHL career that spanned twenty years and will earn him induction into the hallowed halls of the Hockey Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible. But there is one nagging little thing that, especially to the chagrin of Los Angeles hockey fans, no one is talking about…

LOS ANGELES — At a press conference on August 6, San Jose Sharks forward Jeremy Roenick announced his retirement from the National Hockey League, ending a glorious NHL career that saw him don the jerseys of the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and the Sharks.

In that twenty-year span, Roenick scored 513 goals and contributed 703 assists for 1,216 points with 1,463 penalty minutes in 1,363 regular-season games. The only American-born players who have scored more goals are Mike Modano and Keith Tkachuk.

In the playoffs, Roenick scored 53 goals and tallied 69 assists for 122 points with 115 penalty minutes in 154 games, although the Stanley Cup would elude him.

In international play, Roenick represented the United States at the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Games (won the silver medal in 2002). He also played in the 1992 Canada Cup, World Championships (1991, runner-up) and World Junior Championships (1988 and 1989).

Roenick, easily one of the greatest US-born players to ever play the game and will undoubtedly be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, should be proud of what he accomplished in his twenty years in the NHL.

“I am not only happy but proud of the twenty-year career that I have had in the National Hockey League,” said Roenick. “To end my career on my terms was very important to me and I must thank [Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager] Doug Wilson and the San Jose Sharks organization for providing me that opportunity.”

“I also want to thank all of the teams and players that I have been associated with for making my career much more exciting than I could have ever dreamt,” added Roenick.

Roenick was known not only for his high level of skill, but his toughness and the passion he brought out onto the ice.

“Jeremy Roenick will be remembered as one of the most dynamic players to ever play in the NHL,” said Wilson. “The level of passion he brought to the ice in his final game was just as high as the first time he laced up his skates over twenty years ago.”

At Thursday’s press conference, Roenick received congratulatory phone calls from the likes of Modano, Tkachuk and Chris Chelios, while many other NHL players chimed in to praise Roenick via several published stories.

To be sure, Roenick deserves all the accolades and honors, especially upon his retirement. His record of achievement is indisputable.

However, there is one glaring black mark on his career and to provide some balance, especially for readers who follow the Los Angeles Kings, that black mark was Roenick’s 2005-06 season with the Kings.

In that lost season for Roenick, he scored a miniscule nine goals with thirteen assists for 22 points with 36 penalty minutes in 58 games.

To be fair, Roenick was already in the twilight of his career and no one should have expected to see the same player who starred with the Blackhawks for nine seasons or even the one who played very well for the Coyotes for five seasons from 1996-2001.

Nevertheless, more was expected of him in terms of offensive production, grit, working hard on every shift and providing veteran leadership, both on and off the ice. Instead, all the Kings got was an ineffective whiner who blamed everyone but himself for his shortcomings.

Roenick’s most infamous whine came when he blamed the Kings’ equipment staff for not being able to sharpen his skates correctly.

“I struggled because I couldn’t get my skates sharpened the way I like,” Roenick lamented. “I wasn’t confident in my footing. I wasn’t confident in my feet. When you feel like you’re going to fall down and you’re off balance, you’re going to struggle.”

“When you can’t skate the way you like, it leads to a bad back, bad groin, bad hamstrings, bad hips,” Roenick elaborated. “It’s been a battle from the beginning. I have a different skating radius than most guys, so when I change teams, it’s tough for the trainers to find the right lie and the right cut that I need to use with my skates, so it’s tough.”

When was the last time you heard any NHL player talking about their “skating radius?”

Roenick could not have been thinking clearly if he thought anyone bought the skate-sharpening excuse, probably the most ridiculous and embarrassing excuse ever given for poor play. Indeed, based on that absolutely lame excuse, one would think Roenick was a figure skater, not a hockey player.

Perhaps just as bad, at a time when fan ridicule of his less-than poor play had reached a fever pitch, Roenick had some choice words for the fans, which were published in a poem that he wrote.

“The fans can kiss my ass,” was a repeated refrain in the poem.

Great way to endear yourself to the people who help pay your salary, JR. A real genius-type move there. Hopefully, you aren’t thinking of going into politics, or seeking a post-hockey career in public relations or diplomacy.

Roenick also spent time in front of the camera in at least six television appearances—time he should have been spending getting himself into top physical shape after obviously letting himself go during the lockout year.

And speaking of Roenick being badly out of shape that season, he came up with another doozy of a lame excuse when he said that he intentionally came to training camp out of shape to protest the lockout and the unfairness of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, in which the National Hockey League Players Association was, for all intents and purposes, forced to agree to a salary cap.

Roenick also turned out to be a divisive force in the Kings’ dressing room, helping lead the team into a downward spiral that led them out of playoff contention and to the firing of then-head coach Andy Murray and former general manager Dave Taylor.

Without question, Roenick was not just a complete, utter failure with the Kings but he is also one of the former Kings players that Kings fans loathe the most.

To be sure, the Kings have had more than their share of players who were so bad that they soiled the ice just by skating on it (for their sake, they will not be named here). But they were despised by Kings fans simply because they lacked skill and failed miserably as hockey players.

In stark contrast, Roenick was not such a player. Rather, he had some skill left and he knew what he needed to do to get the job done. But he could not hide his lack of dedication to the Kings and the fans saw that. Indeed, Roenick’s failure went much deeper than other former Kings who fall under the “failure” category.

In the end, Roenick was lacking in just about every way imaginable during his brief tenure with the Kings. But most glaring was his lack of honesty, integrity, commitment, professionalism and heart. That showed in just about every game he played for the Kings and even more when he opened his big mouth that season.

While it might seem that all this story is doing is raining on the parade of a future member of the Hockey Hall of Fame upon his retirement, that is not the purpose. Rather, this story is about balance and fairness, especially for those who had to suffer through the one big blemish on Roenick’s otherwise stellar record of achievement.

Indeed, among Los Angeles hockey fans, the name “Jeremy Roenick” often does not evoke the same kinds of great, positive memories or reactions one will encounter elsewhere.

Of course, Roenick has no one to blame for that but himself.

Photo: Jeremy Roenick. Courtesy canyonero on Flickr per a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

This exchange I find hilarious:

“Feel like an ice cream sundae?” asked Jordan. He took the Stanley Cup to Merla-Mae Ice Cream. While three young ladies were dishing up treats at the front, Jordan arrived at the backdoor with the Cup, entering with intent on making a great sundae in the bowl of the Cup. “I don’t think our boss would like this,” sputtered one of the girls, not understanding the magnitude of the Cup. “You’re not really supposed to be doing that!” Jordan replied, “I don’t think he will mind when you tell him,” and proceeded to make a delicious sundae in the Stanley Cup. On the way out, Jordan left the ladies a nice tip.

Considering I’ve heard what’s been in the Cup, not so sure I’d ever want to eat or drink out of it, but to hear this girl (from Canada, nonetheless) trying to talk Jordan Staal out of making his own ice cream sundae in the Stanley Cup? Now, that’s funny.

Here’s the story: Spending the Summer with Lord Stanley

The photos of Jordan’s day with the Cup are really cool. Their hometown really loves the Staal brothers (take note of all the signs).

Check out these pics from the Eastcoast Encounter.

The Westcoast Blogger

A Trip 9 in ‘09 update!

The Westcoast Blogger

Dear Parents of Trip 9,

We’ve only been together for one week and already we have countless adventures, stories, and experiences to share with each and every one of you. After leaving Ithaca for the mystical Niagara Falls, we got to ride the Maid of the Mist, enjoy a fabulous picnic lunch of sandwich wraps, salads, and fruit parfaits, and then take part in jet boating! We started our day on the Maid of the Mist, which definitely prepared us for our afternoon soak and splash on the jet boat. Getting to see the falls so close up was amazing, and it was a good thing we had our blue ponchos on because otherwise we would have been soaked from all the mist that sprayed throughout the boat!

Jet boating was a whole other adventure on its own- all 53 of us sat in one big boat together and rode through the rapids and whirlpools of Niagara on the Lake. Even though we were covered head to toe in ponchos and lifejackets, nothing could have prevented every single one of us from getting completely drenched! It was a fantastic time of cheering and screaming, trying to figure out who got the best seats for soaking on the boat, even though there wasn’t a dry seat in the house! Ilana D., Haylee M., Jodi Z., Austin Z., Madison B., Adam G., Sherilyn G., Becki R., Evan S., Becky T., Suzannah D., Joey S., Jessie B., Lindsay W., Talia G., Evan R., and Jordan S. braved the waves and sat in the first 3 rows of the boat, while Jack M., Steph P., Ali S., Rhianne V., Ross S., and Sarah R. tried to stay dry in the back but didn’t succeed!

After drying off from the boating, we headed back to the campground to put together Italian Night and enjoy delicious pastas and salads for dinner. In the evening we got to enjoy an Imax movie all about the stories and myths behind Niagara Falls.  The next morning we packed up the site and set out for Toronto, and started out at Canada’s Wonderland where we all got to ride the crazy roller coasters like the Behemoth and the Vortex! Ben G., after 2 tries, won a carnival game which won him a huge stuffed lobster that now takes a nice seat on the back of the bus. Everyone had a great time and once we got back to the dorms at the University of Toronto, we all celebrated Amanda S.’s birthday with cake and singing before bed!

Saturday morning we got to experience the best view of Toronto by visiting the CN tower and enjoying everything from the amazing views to the glass floors that make the tower one of the greatest sights to see in Toronto. Then it was off to the Hockey Fall of Fame where fans alike marveled at all the memorabilia there was to be seen. The Habs fans of the group, Jesse F., Noah W., Jake M., and Evan R., all loved seeing their Montreal Canadian hall of fame players who were inducted. In the afternoon we got to tour around Queen Street and visit all of the funky stores, and in the evening we played our way through the Sega Playdium arcade where everyone got to show off their gaming skills, including their dance moves where Dan S. and Stephanie P. were showing off with Dance Dance Revolution. 

Ann Arbor, Michigan was our next stop and once we got settled at the University of Michigan dorms we paid a visit to the campus bookstore to pick up some University of Michigan apparel, and then off we went to play whirlyball, which is a competitive game involving bumper cars, basketball, and lacrosse! We had a great time and got to see everyone’s bumper car steering skills- good thing these kids don’t drive yet! A river canoe ride, trip to the Laundromat, and an evening of ice skating completed our visit in Michigan and as we get ready to hit the Windy City of Chicago, we look forward to a baseball game, as well as tons of other fun activities that we have planned!

Speak to you all soon!

Swami, Frances, Matt, Shaun, Johanna, Christina

Brian Leetch, here scoring in Game Seven of the 1994 Stanley cup finals, showed true class and character in helping children who lost parents on 9/11.

Hockey fans in general, and New York Ranger fans in particular, know all about newly-inducted Hall of Fame defenseman Brian Leetch and his on-ice exploits.

Leetch, the Rangers second all-time leading scorer with 240 goals and 981 points, won the Calder Trophy as top rookie, two Norris Trophies as best defenseman, and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1994 when the Rangers beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to win their first Stanley Cup in 54 years.

Who will ever forget his goal in the final game against Vancouver? With New York on the verge of a nervous breakdown after blowing a 3-1 lead in the series, Leetch scored the all-important first goal of the game to help lead the Rangers to a 3-2 win. I’ll never forget it.  I was in Madison Square Garden that night.

But there was another side of Brian Leetch that few fans knew, a side I was privileged to witness in person just before Christmas in 2001. Barely three months after the terrible attacks on the Twin Towers, a group of businesses and non-profits, including New York Cares, put on a toys for tots event in Manhattan for those unfortunate children who lost parents in the 9/11 attacks.

This event was held in the Garden, though not on center ice, and lasted most of the day. Other Ranger players came, handed out toys, signed a few autographs, and left.

But Leetch was there when the doors opened, and he didn’t leave until the last toy had been given out and the last child had left. He seemed to have a kind word for all.

There were no news cameras there day, no ESPN coverage, no feature stories in the next day’s Sunday papers.

But I know. I was there to see a great Ranger, and an even greater man, put smiles on kids’ faces and give them a little boost at a time when they needed it most.

You’re a good man, Brian Leetch, because you really do care. A Hall of Famer off the ice as well as on.

TORONTO — On June 23, former Los Angeles Kings left wing Luc Robitaille was named to the 2009 class that will be inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame on November 9, 2009, in Toronto.

Along with Robitaille, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Steve Yzerman were named in the players category, while New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello was named in the builders category.

Robitaille, the highest scoring left wing in National Hockey League history and the all-time Kings leader in goals, played in 1,431 career regular season games with the Kings, Detroit Red Wings (where he won a Stanley Cup in 2002), New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins. “Lucky” scored 668 goals and added 726 assists for 1,394 points over his 19-year NHL career.

In 159 playoff games, Robitaille scored 58 with 69 assists for 127 points.

“This is a tremendous achievement for Luc, his family and the entire Kings organization,” said Kings Governor/Chief Executive Officer Tim Leiweke. “We have always been honored to have the greatest left winger represent our franchise and our fans, and we are thrilled to now share Luc with the Hockey Hall of Fame.”

Robitaille said he was excited when he got the call.

“When I saw the 416 [Toronto] area code on my phone, I called back right away,” said Robitaille. “Certainly, I figured if they were calling me, it wasn’t to give me bad news, so I was excited.”

The ninth round pick (171st overall) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft said that he never dreamed of becoming an honored member of the Hockey Hall Of Fame.

“What I am feeling right now is very difficult to explain,” said Robitaille. “I never set out to accomplish anything like this. When I was a kid, I dreamed of playing in the National Hockey League and to now be alongside greats like Rocket Richard, Guy Lafleur and Wayne Gretzky is not only indescribable, it is beyond anything I ever dreamed of.”

“When I came into the league, I just wanted to play in the NHL,” added Robitaille. “I was fortunate that they put me on the same line with Marcel Dionne and Marcel basically said ‘just go to the net, kid, and I’ll find you.’ So I just found a way to get to the net. But at the end of the day, I always felt it was about winning.”

Robitaille also talked about being inducted with Hull and Yzerman, two of his teammates from the 2002 Detroit Red Wings team that won the Stanley Cup.

“Certainly, being [inducted] with [two] of my teammates is very special,” said Robitaille. “I want to thank everyone.”

After the Kings decided they were not interested in Robitaille’s services after the 2000-01 season, Robitaille set his sights on Hockeytown.

“The biggest thing for me was we [the Kings] beat Detroit [in the 2000-01 playoffs] so, in a way, that helped me,” Robitaille explained. “When the decision came and I was a free agent, I remember talking with my wife, trying to figure out where we were going to go. She asked me who I thought had the best shot to win the Cup. I said Detroit, so she said ‘well, why don’t we try to go there first?’”

“I’ll never forget when my agent called [Red Wings general manager] Ken Holland,” Robitaille elaborated. “He came back and said they were interested. So we didn’t really shop any other team. That was really the goal, to go there and we were able to get it done."

"To go there the next year and to see the team that was put together, it was a great amount of good pressure where we were expected to win, but it was good fun.”

The 2001-02 Red Wings was a team that was so loaded with talent, they are sometimes compared to the all-time greatest NHL teams.

“Looking back, I do remember someone [telling] me at the time that they thought there were ten to eleven potential Hall of Famers on that team,” said Robitaille. “It certainly was something very special. At the time, the goal was simply to win, but looking back, it certainly was an amazing team.”

Despite having to leave the Kings to win the Stanley Cup with Detroit, for Robitaille, it all comes back to Los Angeles and the Kings.

“The team you start with is always the team you feel that you belong to,” he said. “Obviously, when you play for another team, at the time, it’s all about the logo and the team you represent. I spent so much time here and I ended up finishing my career here. A lot of people have treated my very special here in Los Angeles, so that will always be something I really can’t describe.”

“Saying that, I had an amazing experience in Pittsburgh and with the Rangers,” he added. “Obviously, winning the Cup in Detroit is something I will cherish forever. I think for me, I just wanted to play in the NHL and I got lucky that I got to play for one franchise for a long time. But at the end of the day, I wanted to play in the NHL and today, to have this to happen, it’s something truly amazing. It’s hard for me to truly describe.”

Robitaille has traveled an unlikely road to the Hall of Fame, one that started with him almost not being selected on draft day in 1984.

“I do remember thinking that my name was on the list, so someone was going to have to give me a chance and watch me one time,” Robitaille said about being selected so late in the draft. “I remember thinking at the time that I want to make sure I’m ready for that. All I cared is that I was on the list. From then on, it was up to me.”

“They got it right, they drafted me,” Robitaille added. “The biggest thing was that I refused to listen to that. I just played the game. I was trying to improve every day, I was trying to be better every day. I was always trying to help the team win. Maybe sometimes it didn’t look good out there or it didn’t look fast, but I knew that no matter what, I was trying to give my best and that’s the reason I played so long.”

Robitaille’s infamous speed, or lack thereof, was just one of many obstacles that he overcame during his ascent to the hallowed halls of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“The good thing about me was that I never had a step so I never lost it,” Robitaille said with a chuckle. “Maybe that’s why I was able to play nineteen years.”

Indeed.

Photos: Luc Robitaille. Courtesy Los Angeles Kings.

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First off, a big congratulations to Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille, Brian Leetch and Lou Lamoriello on their induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame today. All are very well respected individuals and more than deserving of the honour that’s been bestowed upon them.

Quick notes on the HHoF class of 2009:

• Yzerman posted 1,755pts in 1,514 career NHL regular season games
• Yzerman also secured the following individual awards/trophies over his illustrious career: Lester B. Pearson (1988-89), Conn Smythe (1997-98), Frank J. Selke (1999-00), Bill Masterton (2002-03)
• Hull posted 1,391pts in 1,269 career NHL regular season games
• Hull also secured the following individual awards/ trophies over his brilliant career: Lady Byng (1989-90), Hart (1990-91), Lester B. Pearson (1990-91)
• Robitaille posted 1,394pts in 1,431 career NHL regular season games
• Robitaille was also awarded the Calder Trophy in 1986-87
• Leetch posted 1,028pts in 1,205 career NHL regular season games
• Leetch also wrapped up the following individual awards: Calder (1988-89), James Norris (1991-92), Conn Smythe (1993-94), James Norris (1996-97)
• Lamoriello has been with the New Jersey Devils since 1987, leading them to three Stanley Cup Championships (1995, 2000, 2003)

Also just finished watching the Calgary Flames live press conference where GM Darryl Sutter and President & CEO Ken King introduced the teams new coaching staff. I have to say that I am quite excited for the prospects that this new staff holds. In the leagues worst kept secret, Brent Sutter was introduced as the head coach, along with assistants Ryan McGill, Dave Lowry, and Jamie McLennan. McGill was formerly the head coach with the Flames top farm team in Quad City and he should bring some quality experience to the group. Dave Lowry led the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL all the way to the league finals this past season in his rookie year as head coach. This young coaching staff should revitalize a Calgary Flames team that on paper was one of the league’s best last season. In the press conference, Brent spoke about defensive accountability being an important part of his philosophy, so time will tell as to how well he carries that plan out.

That’s all for now. Keep your eyes peeled for Part 4 of my Calgary Flames Offseason Preview. Should hopefully be up later today.

-m.o.b.