The Return of Lord Stanley’s Cup
If you have some bones to pick with last week’s column, then you should read ahead and see if some of those qualms have been resolved. In short, Sidney Crosby has been touted as the next Great One. Alexander Ovechkin can seemingly score while sliding on his backside. If these two men do indeed represent the next generation of NHL Superstars, then I introduce a fellow contemporary of theirs, who is equally as talented and deserving the attention.
Marek Svatos.
Listed as a right wing out of the former Czechoslovakia, Svatos’ route to the NHL was a bit more difficult than that of Crosby’s. Drafted in the seventh round by the Colorado Avalanche (the 227th overall pick, in comparison to the first round selections of Crosby and Ovechkin) in 2001, he made his NHL debut during the 2003-2004 season, where he notched two goals in four games played. Following last year’s lockout, Svatos seemingly picked up where he left off this season, and has accordingly risen in ranks to log the best rookie campaign ever by a Colorado Avalanche player. In fact, Svatos has notched more game-winners this season than any other player in the NHL, and with eight game winners, he now stands tied with Joe Nieuwendyk. Nieuwendyk logged eight game winning goals with the Calgary Flames during his rookie 1987-1988 season.
Svatos can more than keep up with his Russian and Canadian counterparts. Tied for 8th in the league with 28 goals, he actually leads the entire Western Conference in goals scored, and is second only to Ovechkin in rookie goals scored. In his own conference, he is among the top five rookies in assists, and is in the top ten league-wide. He’s third amongst all rookies in points (Ovechkin and Crosby lead him), and also has a higher shooting percentage than either Crosby or Ovechkin. But what really makes Svatos stand out isn’t his accolades on the ice, but rather what he’s done for his team. Ovechkin and Crosby, while impressive in their own rights, have not made Washington and Pittsburgh legit contenders in the East. Svatos, who leads the Western Conference in goals, is a key component of a Colorado Avalanche team that is only six points back of division leader Calgary and second place Vancouver. Svatos will potentially have an opportunity this season that Crosby and Ovechkin will not: helping lead his team to victory in postseason play. At this juncture, Colorado has to be considered a legitimate playoff contender, and Svatos will be one of the guns that gets them there.
Is it fair that a player with the caliber of play that Svatos possesses gets put on the backburner in the wake of Crosby’s arrival? Of course not, and it was people like myself who still ignored his play while singing the praises of the early Rookie of the Year favorite, Alexander Ovechkin. But there are people that have taken notice of Svatos, and they can vouch for his talent on the ice. So fans beware in Calgary and Vancouver, for there’s a new gun in Colorado, and unlike some other choice rookies out there, his bite is mightier than his roar. And if you’re not careful, your team may end up seeing this:
Last week, we led off with a bit about the retirement of Mark Messier, one of the most revered figures in New York Rangers history. That led into the Great Crosby vs. Ovechkin Debate that got fans of the Avalanche talking. Truth be told, I was hoping to talk a bit about the forthcoming Winter Olympic Games, and the early favorites to place in the Medal Round. But then, something important came up that deserved the space more. And if you listen to Inside Pulse Sports Radio tonight, you’ll know why.
In the age of Gretzky, the debate always seemed to center around who the second best player in the NHL was. Today, most would find it difficult to pick anyone other than Mario Lemieux for that designation. Unlike Gretzky however, Lemieux logged his seventeen years of service in the National Hockey League for one team, and one team only: the Pittsburgh Penguins. Perhaps never before in the history of the game has one man done so much for a franchise as Mario Lemieux has for his Penguins. Now a part owner of the team, Lemieux can look back on a career that marked his amazing resolve and his courage. As a survivor of Hodgkin’s Disease, Lemieux also had to endure crippling back and hip injuries that sidelined him at various points in the later years of his career. Not only did take these setbacks in stride, but he actually used these very real threats to his health to bolster his resolve to play the game at a level rarely seen before.
Even at seventh on the all-time scoring list, Lemieux’s talent is still not clearly visible. In comparing his statistics with Gretzky, you can find a noticeable gulf in areas such as goals scored (Gretzky’s 894 to Lemieux’s 690) and assists (1,963 to 1,033). Gretzky has over 900 more points in his career than Lemieux, and has more hardware on his mantle than Lemieux. At the same time, though, Gretzky accomplished these feats in 1,487 games. Lemieux accomplished his feats in only 915 games. What’s more, Gretzky in the early years of his career found himself on one of the NHL’s most legendary dynasties, the ’80s Edmonton Oilers. Before Lemieux arrived in Pittsburgh, the Penguins were statistically the worst team in the league. Mario led them to two consecutive Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, racking up three League MVP awards and six NHL Scoring Titles along the way. He was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy twice as the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as well.
People also tend to sell short his importance to the Pittsburgh franchise. Forget being the owner of the team; Lemieux’s 1,723 points in a Pittsburgh uniform are second only to Steve Yzerman’s 1,734 points for the Detroit Red Wings. Moreover, Lemieux’s arrival in 1984 signaled a reversal to what at that point in time had been a shoddy, poorly managed hockey team. Pittsburgh’s only two Stanley Cup Championships in the last quarter century came as a direct result of Lemieux and his leadership on the ice. Even as he returned for the first time from retirement, Lemieux managed to lead his Penguins to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2000-2001 season. “Super Mario” was the key contributor in a group that bought the Pittsburgh franchise in 1999, and is probably the only reason that the team hasn’t packed up and shipped out of western Pennsylvania by now. In short, Mario Lemieux is the most important Penguin in franchise history, and is easily the greatest athlete ever to call Pittsburgh their home.
And after all that – the injuries, the setbacks, and the triumphs – a heart condition has closed the book on the career of one of the NHL’s greatest players. Statistics notwithstanding, Mario Lemieux is one of the all-time greats, and is a testament to the human spirit, and all that it can overcome. Make no bones about it; the man has undoubtedly gone through Hell several times in the last decade. And yet he seems like the “Little Engine that Could”, chugging along through the good times and bad, giving every single ounce of energy he had on the ice 915 separate times. But there’s nothing “little” about the legend of Mario Lemieux. Seventeen illustrious years will not be forgotten easily, if ever in the hearts and minds of true hockey fans. And if it is true that there is only one “Great One”, it is also true that there is only one “Super Mario”.
vs. Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators
01.26.2006 – Ottawa, Canada – 7:30 PM
Montreal rolls into Ottawa Thursday night for what should be a fun game. Ottawa is by far the class of the NHL through the first months of play, while Montreal stands way back in fourth place in the division. If Montreal wants to hang with Ottawa, they’ll need excellent play from their forwards. The Canadiens are 23rd in the league in goals scored against (teams average 3.3 goals a game against them), and with Ottawa’s world-beating offense playing on their home ice, Montreal needs a steady offensive attack from the likes of Saku Koivu, while getting a great game out of Theodore in the net.
For Ottawa, playing at home gives them an added edge, but one shouldn’t be needed if the Senators show up to play. The game plan is simple; allow Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson attack Montreal’s inferior defensemen, then turn the game over to Dominik Hasek, who has been lights out between the pipes, battling Manny Fernandez of the Wild for top goalie honors in the league all season.
In the end, Ottawa will prove too strong for the Montreal Canadiens, who will play respectably in the national capital. Ottawa looks to finish strong down the stretch, and will only continue to improve as Heatley and Co. tear up the Eastern Conference.
Final Score: Ottawa 5, Montreal 2
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Game Over!
Barring any sudden retirements, we should finally get off the Rookies/Legends kick next week, with the promised look at a potential Carolina vs. Ottawa playoff match up, along with a new Game of the Week preview and a preview of the Winter Games from Italy. Be sure to look out for Inside Pulse Sports Radio XXII tonight, and for the return of Speed Addicts on Saturday. Until then, I remain your Host with the Most, signing off.
Peace.
