Neely elected to Hockey's Hall of Fame (also Valeri Kharmalov and Murray Costello)

AP/Boston Herald ^ | 6-8-05

[Alberta's Child]

Something to keep in mind is that there is no National Hockey League Hall of Fame -- this is the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Most of the inductees are former NHL players, but playing in the NHL is not a requirement for induction. That's why there are a number of prominent inductees (like Valeri Kharlamov this year) who never played a single game in the NHL.

[The Drowning Witch]

What is this "hawk-eee" you speak of????

[Alberta's Child]

You can add Gord Kluzak to that mix, too. He was a can't-miss prospect drafted #1 overall out of the storied Notre Dame Prep School in Saskatchewan back in the early 1980s, but his career was cut short after a couple of serious knee injuries in his first few seasons.

[buccaneer81]

You can add Gord Kluzak to that mix, too. He was a can't-miss prospect drafted #1 overall out of the storied Notre Dame Prep School in Saskatchewan back in the early 1980s, but his career was cut short after a couple of serious knee injuries in his first few seasons.

January 15, 1988. I was at Boston Garden. Montreal vs. Bruins. O ver 100 minutes of penalties in the first period. Kluzak got into it with I believe Chris Chelios. They both go to the box. They both jaw at each other. Kluzak goes over the glass and fights again with Chelios. Boston PD get into the act.

The best NHL game I ever attended.

[infidel29]

Samuelsson was known as a low hitter, most of which were legal hip-checks. Players didn't like it, but it was legal. The reason he wasn't the dirtiest ever, is he was always attacking the puck carrier. He was using the body in the course of the play. Guys like Claude "the fraud" took their shots away from the play, and it was usually with the stick and not the body. Claude wore a shield too.

Then you have the guys like Messier who throw elbows and use the stick behind the play, away from the play and instead of the play. For Messier the stick work was okay because commentators and anylists alike would excuse it as "that's just the way he plays." IMO that's more punk than what Ulfie did.

He didn't have goons protecting him either. He'd get slashed, speared punched etc. for the way he played, that was his punishment instead of dropping the gloves. Claude perfected the art of the turtle, Messier has protection with and without stripes on their shirts. Just because a guy doesn't throw down doesn't make him any more dirty than a guy who does. It makes him prettier.

[infidel29]

I agree, Probert had some skill too when he chose to use it. He wasn't a Hart Trophy candidate by any means, but he could have been a steady 15 goal scorer if he hadn't let the booze get to him. His play suffered greatly after that and he became little more than a side show.

[spinestein]

[...if he hadn't let the booze get to him. His play suffered greatly after that...]



Life lesson.

[spinestein]

[Samuelsson was known as a low hitter, most of which were legal hip-checks. Players didn't like it, but it was legal. The reason he wasn't the dirtiest ever, is he was always attacking the puck carrier. He was using the body in the course of the play.]



Correct. Hip checks are legal, legitimate, and (should be) expected by good hockey players.

The most important test of whether a hockey hit is right or wrong is if it's done to a player who has possession of the puck.