Mike Vernon (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #125)
Adjusted Stats
1982-1983 Cgy 2 GP, 0-2-0, .000 win%, 103 min, 9 GA, 5.25 GAA
1983-1984 Cgy 1 GP, 0-1-0, .000 win%, 11 min, 3 GA, 17.01 GAA
1985-1986 Cgy 18 GP, 9-3-3, .700 win%, 944 min, 41 GA, 2.62 GAA
1986-1987 Cgy 55 GP, 31-22-1, .583 win%, 3031 min, 153 GA, 3.03 GAA
1987-1988 Cgy 66 GP, 40-16-7, .690 win%, 3654 min, 178 GA, 2.93 GAA
1988-1989 Cgy* 53 GP, 38-6-5, .827 win%, 3011 min, 110 GA, 2.18 GAA
1989-1990 Cgy 48 GP, 24-14-9, .606 win%, 2865 min, 125 GA, 2.62 GAA
1990-1991 Cgy 55 GP, 32-19-3, .620 win%, 3199 min, 157 GA, 2.94 GAA
1991-1992 Cgy 65 GP, 25-31-9, .454 win%, 3731 min, 197 GA, 3.16 GAA
1992-1993 Cgy 62 GP, 28-25-9, .524 win%, 3643 min, 168 GA, 2.77 GAA
1993-1994 Cgy 47 GP, 25-17-5, .585 win%, 2731 min, 121 GA, 2.67 GAA
1994-1995 Det 51 GP, 32-10-7, .724 win%, 3087 min, 134 GA, 2.60 GAA
1995-1996 Det 32 GP, 21-7-2, .733 win%, 1855 min, 68 GA, 2.21 GAA
1996-1997 Det* 33 GP, 13-11-8, .531 win%, 1952 min, 83 GA, 2.56 GAA
1997-1998 SJ 62 GP, 30-22-8, .567 win%, 3564 min, 170 GA, 2.86 GAA
1998-1999 SJ 49 GP, 16-22-10, .438 win%, 2831 min, 125 GA, 2.65 GAA
1999-2000 SJ/Fla 49 GP, 24-18-3, .567 win%, 2791 min, 129 GA, 2.77 GAA
2000-2001 Cgy 41 GP, 12-23-5, .363 win%, 2246 min, 135 GA, 3.61 GAA
2001-2002 Cgy 18 GP, 2-9-1, .208 win%, 825 min, 45 GA, 3.24 GAA
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1985-1986 Cgy 21 GP, 12-9, .571 win%, 1229 min, 52 GA, 2.53 GAA
1986-1987 Cgy 5 GP, 2-3, .400 win%, 263 min, 14 GA, 3.27 GAA
1987-1988 Cgy 9 GP, 4-4, .500 win%, 515 min, 26 GA, 2.98 GAA
1988-1989 Cgy* 22 GP, 16-5, .762 win%, 1381 min, 45 GA, 1.94 GAA
1989-1990 Cgy 6 GP, 2-3, .400 win%, 342 min, 16 GA, 2.82 GAA
1990-1991 Cgy 7 GP, 3-4, .429 win%, 427 min, 18 GA, 2.52 GAA
1992-1993 Cgy 4 GP, 1-1, .500 win%, 150 min, 12 GA, 4.93 GAA
1993-1994 Cgy 7 GP, 3-4, .429 win%, 466 min, 23 GA, 2.91 GAA
1994-1995 Det 18 GP, 12-6, .667 win%, 1063 min, 36 GA, 2.04 GAA
1995-1996 Det 4 GP, 2-2, .500 win%, 243 min, 11 GA, 2.60 GAA
1996-1997 Det* 20 GP, 16-4, .800 win%, 1229 min, 38 GA, 1.85 GAA
1997-1998 SJ 6 GP, 2-4, .333 win%, 348 min, 16 GA, 2.69 GAA
1998-1999 SJ 5 GP, 2-3, .400 win%, 321 min, 14 GA, 2.67 GAA
1999-2000 Fla 4 GP, 0-4, .000 win%, 237 min, 14 GA, 3.66 GAA
Career - 807 GP, 402-278-95, .580 win%, 46074 min, 2151 GA, 2.80 GAA
Career-Highs - 66 GP (87-88); 40 wins (87-88); .827 win% (88-89); 3654 min (87-88); 2.18 GAA (88-89)
Avg. (16 seasons) - 49 GP, 25-15-6, .580 win%, 2814 min, 131 GA, 2.80 GAA
Peak Avg. (87-95) - 56 GP, 31-17-7, .622 win%, 3240 min, 149 GA, 2.76 GAA, 1 Cup
Playoff Career - 138 GP, 77-56, .579 win%, 8214 min, 335 GA, 2.45 GAA
Playoff-Highs - 16 wins (twice); .800 win% (96-97); 1.85 GAA (96-97)
Accolades - Jennings Trophy, Conn Smythe
All-Star Teams - 1-time 2nd-team
2-time Stanley Cup Champion
It's funny that Mike Vernon and Chris Osgood were the goaltending tandem for the Red Wings in the mid-1990s, and that they are ranked right beside each other on my Pyramid, because essentially Osgood's career is Vernon's shifted ten years later. Go ahead, look for yourself. The similarities are there, both in the rhythm of their careers and in the ways in which they were viewed.
Both played for teams that were stacked and suffered from the "well anyone could win with those teams" syndrome (lest we forget, the 1989 Flames team is one of the greatest ever assembled...they're just not often discussed because they came after the Oilers dynasty). Both earned second all-star team honours during a season in which their teams went apeshit and tore through the league (the '89 Flames in Vernon's case, the '96 Red Wings in Osgood's). Despite winning a Stanley Cup early in their careers, both Vernon and Osgood were criticized for subsequent early playoff exits. And both battled through towards the end of their careers to earn the respect of fans with postseason runs that made people think "Hey, maybe this old dude wasn't such a bad goalie after all".
If you want to earn a free pint from a drunk who knows hockey but not in the encyclopedic sense, bet him that he won't be able to guess the Conn Smythe winner for the Red Wings' 1997 Cup (their first of the modern era). They get only one guess. He won't guess Yzerman, because he'll know that since you've made the bet, it can't be the obvious one. Fedorov? Nope. Shanahan? No. Lidstrom? No. That's right...it was Mike Vernon, the beleaguered goaltender who wasn't even the team's #1 option heading into the playoffs. Mike Vernon, who just two years earlier had been criticized for his playoff performance as the Red Wings were swept in the Stanley Cup final by a less-talented Devils' squad, with Martin Brodeur soundly outplaying him. Vernon made up for all of his past shortcomings in the postseason by going 16-4 with a sparkling .927 save percentage.
Again, the comparisons to Osgood are hard to ignore. Both goaltenders have won two Stanley Cups as a starter, one in which they were integral, another in which they were merely passable. And both played well in leading their team to the Cup finals in a losing cause...in Vernon's case, he led the Flames to the 1986 Cup finals as a rookie, matching up with his longtime rival Patrick Roy in the first of what was to be many classic head-to-head duels (Vernon bested Roy in 1989, then again in 1997 as the Red Wings defeated their rivals the Avalanche). Of course, the most famous Roy/Vernon battle was this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5D7iHruPFI. You had to love those Wings/Avs games.
Again, as with Osgood, I say this: Mike Vernon wasn't a goaltender who made your jaw drop at his excellence. He wasn't as remarkably acrobatic as Curtis Joseph or as positionally sound as Roberto Luongo, nor was he a workhorse like those two. Like Osgood and some of the other goaltenders on this Pyramid, he was lucky to play for some excellent teams. But as his 77-56 career postseason record attests, despite his shortcomings, Vernon came through when it mattered. He won, and in the end, that's what a goaltender's job is.
Monday, March 21, 2011
#124 - Chris Osgood
Chris Osgood (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #124)
Adjusted Stats
1993-1994 Det 40 GP, 22-8-5, .700 win%, 2153 min, 97 GA, 2.71 GAA
1994-1995 Det 32 GP, 24-9-0, .727 win%, 1857 min, 72 GA, 2.33 GAA
1995-1996 Det 50 GP, 39-6-5, .830 win%, 2933 min, 104 GA, 2.12 GAA
1996-1997 Det* 47 GP, 23-13-9, .611 win%, 2769 min, 112 GA, 2.42 GAA
1997-1998 Det* 64 GP, 33-20-11, .602 win%, 3807 min, 163 GA, 2.57 GAA
1998-1999 Det 63 GP, 34-25-4, .571 win%, 3691 min, 174 GA, 2.83 GAA
1999-2000 Det 53 GP, 30-14-8, .654 win%, 3148 min, 141 GA, 2.69 GAA
2000-2001 Det 52 GP, 25-19-4, .563 win%, 2834 min, 142 GA, 3.00 GAA
2001-2002 NYI 66 GP, 32-25-6, .556 win%, 3743 min, 183 GA, 2.93 GAA
2002-2003 NYI/Stl 46 GP, 21-17-6, .545 win%, 2525 min, 144 GA, 3.41 GAA
2003-2004 Stl 67 GP, 31-25-8, .547 win%, 3861 min, 172 GA, 2.68 GAA
2005-2006 Det 32 GP, 20-6-5, .726 win%, 1846 min, 86 GA, 2.81 GAA
2006-2007 Det 21 GP, 11-3-6, .700 win%, 1161 min, 49 GA, 2.54 GAA
2007-2008 Det* 43 GP, 27-9-4, .725 win%, 2409 min, 95 GA, 2.37 GAA
2008-2009 Det 46 GP, 26-9-8, .698 win%, 2663 min, 148 GA, 3.33 GAA
2009-2010 Det 23 GP, 7-9-4, .450 win%, 1252 min, 69 GA, 3.31 GAA
2010-2011 Det 11 GP, 5-3-2, .600 win%, 629 min, 33 GA, 3.11 GAA
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1993-1994 Det 6 GP, 3-2, .600 win%, 307 min, 12 GA, 2.30 GAA
1994-1995 Det 2 GP, 0-0, --- win%, 68 min, 2 GA, 1.56 GAA
1995-1996 Det 15 GP, 8-7, .533 win%, 936 min, 32 GA, 2.02 GAA
1996-1997 Det* 2 GP, 0-0, --- win%, 47 min, 2 GA, 2.68 GAA
1997-1998 Det* 22 GP, 16-6, .727 win%, 1361 min, 53 GA, 2.35 GAA
1998-1999 Det 6 GP, 4-2, .667 win%, 358 min, 15 GA, 2.58 GAA
1999-2000 Det 9 GP, 5-4, .556 win%, 547 min, 22 GA, 2.38 GAA
2000-2001 Det 6 GP, 2-4, .333 win%, 365 min, 18 GA, 2.89 GAA
2001-2002 NYI 7 GP, 3-4, .429 win%, 392 min, 20 GA, 3.09 GAA
2002-2003 Stl 7 GP, 3-4, .429 win%, 417 min, 20 GA, 2.92 GAA
2003-2004 Stl 5 GP, 1-4, .200 win%, 287 min, 15 GA, 3.20 GAA
2007-2008 Det* 19 GP, 14-4, .778 win%, 1160 min, 31 GA, 1.63 GAA
2008-2009 Det 23 GP, 15-8, .652 win%, 1406 min, 48 GA, 2.06 GAA
Career - 756 GP, 410-220-95, .631 win%, 43281 min, 1984 GA, 2.75 GAA
Career-Highs - 67 GP (03-04); 39 wins (95-96); .830 win% (95-96), 3861 min (03-04); 2.12 GAA (95-96)
Avg. (17 seasons) - 44 GP, 24-13-6, .631 win%, 2546 min, 117 GA, 2.75 GAA
Peak Avg. (95-03) - 55 GP, 30-17-7, .617 win%, 3181 min, 145 GA, 2.74 GAA, 2 Cups
Playoff Career - 129 GP, 74-49, .602 win%, 7651 min, 290 GA, 2.27 GAA
Playoff-Highs - 16 wins (97-98); .778 win% (07-08); 1.63 GAA (07-08)
Accolades - 2 Jennings Trophies
All-Star Teams - 1-time 2nd-team
3-time Stanley Cup Champion
Chris Osgood never quite got the respect he deserved, and it's likely he never will. He was the backstop for a Detroit Red Wings team that had such top-to-bottom organizational excellence and such a sound defensive system that it seemed inevitable that they would be one of the best teams in the league even if their goaltending was average. When the Red Wings won a Stanley Cup or 60 games in the regular season, it was in spite of Osgood. When they lost early in the first or second round, it was his fault. For a goaltender lucky enough to be in one of the best situations in hockey, Osgood also was in one of the unluckiest in terms of getting individual accolades.
Like the man right behind him on the Pyramid (Mike Vernon), there's no way I would make a case for Osgood being one of the twenty best goaltenders to ever play the game, even though he's one of only sixteen goaltenders to make my hall-of-fame list. It would be a difficult argument trying to prove that Osgood was a better goaltender than Roberto Luongo, Mike Richter, Curtis Joseph, Henrik Lundqvist, Miikka Kiprusoff, and probably about another seven or eight goalies who have passed through the league in the last twenty or so years. But Osgood has had one of the best careers, by virtue of playing for Detroit.
Osgood and Vernon's careers have been like the hockey equivalent of Andy Pettitte's in baseball. In fact, the similarities are eerie between Osgood and Pettitte. Both were recognized as runner-up for the best at their position early in their careers, in the mid-1990s (in Pettitte's case, it was as Cy Young runner-up to Pat Hentgen...in Osgood's case, it was as Vezina runner-up in 1996 to, get this, Jim Carey). Both then won championships but didn't earn much respect because of the view that "anyone could win a boatload of games on the Yankees/Red Wings". Both went to other teams and proved that they weren't solely dependent on playing for excellent squads (it's forgotten that Osgood took a doormat Islander team to the playoffs, then had an excellent first full year with the St. Louis Blues). And then both returned to their original teams and eventually started earning fan respect with playoff performances that defied their age.
Look, Billy Smith is ranked a good fifty spots higher than Osgood, and his regular-season numbers are just as underwhelming. One of the main reasons Osgood may be underrated is that although he is associated with the Red Wings' Stanley Cup wins, he was only the main goaltender for two, while Mike Vernon was the Cup winner (and Conn Smythe winner) in 1997 and Dominik Hasek was the go-to goalie in 2002. The feeling is that, since the Red Wings could win Cups with any goaltender, the fact that Osgood won two is somewhat less impressive. Whereas Fuhr and Smith are immediately identified with their teams, Osgood wasn't always "the man" for the Red Wings.
But the thing is, in every year that the Red Wings have won the Cup, their goaltending has been excellent, whether it's Vernon, Osgood or Hasek. That's why I think Osgood finally started getting his due in the back-to-back runs the Red Wings made in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, when the Wings won the Cup, Osgood took over for an enigmatic Dominik Hasek and had a sparkling 1.63 adjusted-GAA and .930 save percentage in the playoffs. The following season, he had a dreadful 3.33 adjusted-GAA in the regular season, but won 15 games and had a .926 save percentage in the playoffs as the Red Wings came within one win of yet another Cup. Osgood clearly showed that, like Fuhr and Smith, he didn't need to be at his best for a great team in the middle of January, but was perfectly capable of stepping up when needed in the postseason.
With over 400 wins now and two Stanley Cups, it will be hard to keep Osgood out of the hall-of-fame. Many won't want him there, and will point to the fact that he was almost never considered one of the league's top five (or even top ten) goaltenders from season to season. I point to his 74-49 career playoff record and his postseason save percentage, which is eleven points higher than his regular season mark and getting into the area of a Martin Brodeur. Did Osgood benefit from playing for an excellent team? Yes. But it's fair to say that he helped them more than a little when the chips were down.
Adjusted Stats
1993-1994 Det 40 GP, 22-8-5, .700 win%, 2153 min, 97 GA, 2.71 GAA
1994-1995 Det 32 GP, 24-9-0, .727 win%, 1857 min, 72 GA, 2.33 GAA
1995-1996 Det 50 GP, 39-6-5, .830 win%, 2933 min, 104 GA, 2.12 GAA
1996-1997 Det* 47 GP, 23-13-9, .611 win%, 2769 min, 112 GA, 2.42 GAA
1997-1998 Det* 64 GP, 33-20-11, .602 win%, 3807 min, 163 GA, 2.57 GAA
1998-1999 Det 63 GP, 34-25-4, .571 win%, 3691 min, 174 GA, 2.83 GAA
1999-2000 Det 53 GP, 30-14-8, .654 win%, 3148 min, 141 GA, 2.69 GAA
2000-2001 Det 52 GP, 25-19-4, .563 win%, 2834 min, 142 GA, 3.00 GAA
2001-2002 NYI 66 GP, 32-25-6, .556 win%, 3743 min, 183 GA, 2.93 GAA
2002-2003 NYI/Stl 46 GP, 21-17-6, .545 win%, 2525 min, 144 GA, 3.41 GAA
2003-2004 Stl 67 GP, 31-25-8, .547 win%, 3861 min, 172 GA, 2.68 GAA
2005-2006 Det 32 GP, 20-6-5, .726 win%, 1846 min, 86 GA, 2.81 GAA
2006-2007 Det 21 GP, 11-3-6, .700 win%, 1161 min, 49 GA, 2.54 GAA
2007-2008 Det* 43 GP, 27-9-4, .725 win%, 2409 min, 95 GA, 2.37 GAA
2008-2009 Det 46 GP, 26-9-8, .698 win%, 2663 min, 148 GA, 3.33 GAA
2009-2010 Det 23 GP, 7-9-4, .450 win%, 1252 min, 69 GA, 3.31 GAA
2010-2011 Det 11 GP, 5-3-2, .600 win%, 629 min, 33 GA, 3.11 GAA
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1993-1994 Det 6 GP, 3-2, .600 win%, 307 min, 12 GA, 2.30 GAA
1994-1995 Det 2 GP, 0-0, --- win%, 68 min, 2 GA, 1.56 GAA
1995-1996 Det 15 GP, 8-7, .533 win%, 936 min, 32 GA, 2.02 GAA
1996-1997 Det* 2 GP, 0-0, --- win%, 47 min, 2 GA, 2.68 GAA
1997-1998 Det* 22 GP, 16-6, .727 win%, 1361 min, 53 GA, 2.35 GAA
1998-1999 Det 6 GP, 4-2, .667 win%, 358 min, 15 GA, 2.58 GAA
1999-2000 Det 9 GP, 5-4, .556 win%, 547 min, 22 GA, 2.38 GAA
2000-2001 Det 6 GP, 2-4, .333 win%, 365 min, 18 GA, 2.89 GAA
2001-2002 NYI 7 GP, 3-4, .429 win%, 392 min, 20 GA, 3.09 GAA
2002-2003 Stl 7 GP, 3-4, .429 win%, 417 min, 20 GA, 2.92 GAA
2003-2004 Stl 5 GP, 1-4, .200 win%, 287 min, 15 GA, 3.20 GAA
2007-2008 Det* 19 GP, 14-4, .778 win%, 1160 min, 31 GA, 1.63 GAA
2008-2009 Det 23 GP, 15-8, .652 win%, 1406 min, 48 GA, 2.06 GAA
Career - 756 GP, 410-220-95, .631 win%, 43281 min, 1984 GA, 2.75 GAA
Career-Highs - 67 GP (03-04); 39 wins (95-96); .830 win% (95-96), 3861 min (03-04); 2.12 GAA (95-96)
Avg. (17 seasons) - 44 GP, 24-13-6, .631 win%, 2546 min, 117 GA, 2.75 GAA
Peak Avg. (95-03) - 55 GP, 30-17-7, .617 win%, 3181 min, 145 GA, 2.74 GAA, 2 Cups
Playoff Career - 129 GP, 74-49, .602 win%, 7651 min, 290 GA, 2.27 GAA
Playoff-Highs - 16 wins (97-98); .778 win% (07-08); 1.63 GAA (07-08)
Accolades - 2 Jennings Trophies
All-Star Teams - 1-time 2nd-team
3-time Stanley Cup Champion
Chris Osgood never quite got the respect he deserved, and it's likely he never will. He was the backstop for a Detroit Red Wings team that had such top-to-bottom organizational excellence and such a sound defensive system that it seemed inevitable that they would be one of the best teams in the league even if their goaltending was average. When the Red Wings won a Stanley Cup or 60 games in the regular season, it was in spite of Osgood. When they lost early in the first or second round, it was his fault. For a goaltender lucky enough to be in one of the best situations in hockey, Osgood also was in one of the unluckiest in terms of getting individual accolades.
Like the man right behind him on the Pyramid (Mike Vernon), there's no way I would make a case for Osgood being one of the twenty best goaltenders to ever play the game, even though he's one of only sixteen goaltenders to make my hall-of-fame list. It would be a difficult argument trying to prove that Osgood was a better goaltender than Roberto Luongo, Mike Richter, Curtis Joseph, Henrik Lundqvist, Miikka Kiprusoff, and probably about another seven or eight goalies who have passed through the league in the last twenty or so years. But Osgood has had one of the best careers, by virtue of playing for Detroit.
Osgood and Vernon's careers have been like the hockey equivalent of Andy Pettitte's in baseball. In fact, the similarities are eerie between Osgood and Pettitte. Both were recognized as runner-up for the best at their position early in their careers, in the mid-1990s (in Pettitte's case, it was as Cy Young runner-up to Pat Hentgen...in Osgood's case, it was as Vezina runner-up in 1996 to, get this, Jim Carey). Both then won championships but didn't earn much respect because of the view that "anyone could win a boatload of games on the Yankees/Red Wings". Both went to other teams and proved that they weren't solely dependent on playing for excellent squads (it's forgotten that Osgood took a doormat Islander team to the playoffs, then had an excellent first full year with the St. Louis Blues). And then both returned to their original teams and eventually started earning fan respect with playoff performances that defied their age.
Look, Billy Smith is ranked a good fifty spots higher than Osgood, and his regular-season numbers are just as underwhelming. One of the main reasons Osgood may be underrated is that although he is associated with the Red Wings' Stanley Cup wins, he was only the main goaltender for two, while Mike Vernon was the Cup winner (and Conn Smythe winner) in 1997 and Dominik Hasek was the go-to goalie in 2002. The feeling is that, since the Red Wings could win Cups with any goaltender, the fact that Osgood won two is somewhat less impressive. Whereas Fuhr and Smith are immediately identified with their teams, Osgood wasn't always "the man" for the Red Wings.
But the thing is, in every year that the Red Wings have won the Cup, their goaltending has been excellent, whether it's Vernon, Osgood or Hasek. That's why I think Osgood finally started getting his due in the back-to-back runs the Red Wings made in 2008 and 2009. In 2008, when the Wings won the Cup, Osgood took over for an enigmatic Dominik Hasek and had a sparkling 1.63 adjusted-GAA and .930 save percentage in the playoffs. The following season, he had a dreadful 3.33 adjusted-GAA in the regular season, but won 15 games and had a .926 save percentage in the playoffs as the Red Wings came within one win of yet another Cup. Osgood clearly showed that, like Fuhr and Smith, he didn't need to be at his best for a great team in the middle of January, but was perfectly capable of stepping up when needed in the postseason.
With over 400 wins now and two Stanley Cups, it will be hard to keep Osgood out of the hall-of-fame. Many won't want him there, and will point to the fact that he was almost never considered one of the league's top five (or even top ten) goaltenders from season to season. I point to his 74-49 career playoff record and his postseason save percentage, which is eleven points higher than his regular season mark and getting into the area of a Martin Brodeur. Did Osgood benefit from playing for an excellent team? Yes. But it's fair to say that he helped them more than a little when the chips were down.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
#116 - Serge Savard
Serge Savard (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #116)
Adjusted Stats
1966-1967 Mtl 2 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1967-1968 Mtl* 74 GP 2 goals 16 assists 18 points 0.25 PPG
1968-1969 Mtl* 80 GP 9 goals 26 assists 35 points 0.43 PPG
1969-1970 Mtl 69 GP 14 goals 22 assists 35 points 0.51 PPG
1970-1971 Mtl* 39 GP 5 goals 10 assists 16 points 0.40 PPG (no Stanley Cup ring for Savard)
1971-1972 Mtl 24 GP 1 goal 8 assists 9 points 0.39 PPG
1972-1973 Mtl* 78 GP 7 goals 32 assists 38 points 0.49 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 70 GP 4 goals 14 assists 18 points 0.26 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 82 GP 18 goals 37 assists 55 points 0.67 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 73 GP 7 goals 36 assists 43 points 0.60 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 80 GP 9 goals 31 assists 40 points 0.50 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 79 GP 8 goals 33 assists 40 points 0.51 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 82 GP 6 goals 23 assists 30 points 0.36 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 47 GP 4 goals 7 assists 12 points 0.25 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 79 GP 3 goals 11 assists 14 points 0.18 PPG
1981-1982 Wpg 48 GP 2 goals 4 assists 5 points 0.11 PPG
1982-1983 Wpg 78 GP 3 goals 13 assists 16 points 0.21 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1967-1968 Mtl* 6 GP 2 goals 0 assists 2 points 0.33 PPG
1968-1969 Mtl* 14 GP 4 goals 6 assists 10 points 0.71 PPG
1971-1972 Mtl 6 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1972-1973 Mtl* 17 GP 3 goals 7 assists 10 points 0.57 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 6 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.33 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 11 GP 1 goal 6 assists 7 points 0.67 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 13 GP 3 goals 6 assists 9 points 0.67 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 14 GP 2 goals 6 assists 8 points 0.57 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 15 GP 1 goal 7 assists 8 points 0.52 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 16 GP 2 goals 6 assists 8 points 0.51 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 2 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 3 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1981-1982 Wpg 4 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1982-1983 Wpg 3 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
Career - 1084 GP, 102 goals, 323 assists, 424 points, 0.39 PPG
Career-Highs - 18 goals (74-75); 37 assists (74-75); 55 points (74-75); 0.67 PPG (74-75)
Avg. (16 seasons) - 68 GP, 6 goals, 20 assists, 27 points, 0.39 PPG
Peak Avg. (72-80) - 74 GP, 8 goals, 27 assists, 35 points, 0.47 PPG, 5 Cups
Playoff Career - 130 GP, 19 goals, 45 assists, 64 points, 0.49 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 4 goals (68-69); 7 assists (77-78); 10 points (68-69); 0.71 PPG (68-69)
Accolades - Conn Smythe
All-Star Teams - 1-time 2nd-team
7-time Stanley Cup Champion
As with Scott Stevens and Tim Horton, Serge Savard makes the Pyramid for reasons that have nothing to do with his offensive numbers. They are among the worst of anyone on my hall-of-fame list, but they are irrelevant, because Serge Savard's job was to shut down the opposition, retain the puck, and move it up-ice so that the other wizards on the Canadiens could pot a goal. At that, few were better.
His career +/- is an excellent +36 per 82 games played, although that is hardly surprising considering that Savard spent almost his entire career with a Canadiens team that won Stanley Cups more often than it didn't. Savard wasn't some mere passenger on the team though...he was the defensive glue that allowed more offensive experimentation from Lapointe in the early part of the decade and Robinson in the later half. It's been said time and again (on this blog and elsewhere) that the late-1970s Canadiens were the most defensively-sound team ever assembled, and since that led to an unprecedent run of success, doesn't it stand to reason that we should recognize those who contributed to that defence? That is why Robinson, Lemaire, Lapointe, Gainey and Savard are all no-brainer hall-of-famers. Who cares that in the case of Gainey and Savard, there offensive numbers aren't eye-popping.
With that said, Serge Savard did have it within him to be more of a puck-moving defenceman than he let on, even if he would never be mistaken for Bobby Orr. Contrary to popular belief, the "Savardian spinorama" was actually named for Serge, not Denis (although Denis later demonstrated it many times himself). He became the first defenceman in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe award in 1969, leading the Canadiens to a championship with 10 points in 14 games and sterling defensive play. And his career PPG in the playoffs is about 25% higher than it is in the regular season. This is a man who, like so many of the Habs, stepped it up when it mattered most.
Does Serge Savard deserve to be ranked higher on the Pyramid than Borje Salming, his contemporary? I debated this for a while. Salming has more year-end all-star accolades and was undeniably more talented. Given that their careers coincided in the 1970s, it's clear that those watching at the time thought that Salming deserved recognition for his regular-season work and was the better player. But due to the fates, Salming was saddled with a mediocre Maple Leafs team, while Savard was one of the key leaders (and eventually captain) of one of the greatest teams assembled.
Is this luck, or do we have to factor this stuff in? I lean toward the Bill Simmons "secret" of winning, and there's no doubt that Serge Savard knew it. As captain or alternate-captain, he knew what it took to maintain a team's identity and work ethic. Certainly the Canadiens were an ultra-talented group. But they also got the most out of their third and fourth-liners, and that's why they were so successful. It was players like Savard and Gainey who always knuckled down and shut down the opposition, and I have a lot of admiration for players like that.
Look at Serge Savard's subsequent career as general manager of the Canadiens. He assembled two more Stanley Cup winners, the 1986 and 1993 squads, teams that are generally viewed as among the less-talented to win in the modern era, groups that were just "lucky" in that odd off-year of the dynasty-caliber Oilers and Penguins. Certainly it helps that they had Patrick Roy standing on his head. But when you look at the character players that Savard assembled, the Carbonneaus, the Keanes, the Mullers, you realize that it was no fluke. As a GM, as a captain, and as a player, Savard demonstrated that he innately could recognize (and contained himself) that intagible quality that separates merely good players from those who can truly be called champions.
Adjusted Stats
1966-1967 Mtl 2 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1967-1968 Mtl* 74 GP 2 goals 16 assists 18 points 0.25 PPG
1968-1969 Mtl* 80 GP 9 goals 26 assists 35 points 0.43 PPG
1969-1970 Mtl 69 GP 14 goals 22 assists 35 points 0.51 PPG
1970-1971 Mtl* 39 GP 5 goals 10 assists 16 points 0.40 PPG (no Stanley Cup ring for Savard)
1971-1972 Mtl 24 GP 1 goal 8 assists 9 points 0.39 PPG
1972-1973 Mtl* 78 GP 7 goals 32 assists 38 points 0.49 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 70 GP 4 goals 14 assists 18 points 0.26 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 82 GP 18 goals 37 assists 55 points 0.67 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 73 GP 7 goals 36 assists 43 points 0.60 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 80 GP 9 goals 31 assists 40 points 0.50 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 79 GP 8 goals 33 assists 40 points 0.51 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 82 GP 6 goals 23 assists 30 points 0.36 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 47 GP 4 goals 7 assists 12 points 0.25 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 79 GP 3 goals 11 assists 14 points 0.18 PPG
1981-1982 Wpg 48 GP 2 goals 4 assists 5 points 0.11 PPG
1982-1983 Wpg 78 GP 3 goals 13 assists 16 points 0.21 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1967-1968 Mtl* 6 GP 2 goals 0 assists 2 points 0.33 PPG
1968-1969 Mtl* 14 GP 4 goals 6 assists 10 points 0.71 PPG
1971-1972 Mtl 6 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1972-1973 Mtl* 17 GP 3 goals 7 assists 10 points 0.57 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 6 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.33 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 11 GP 1 goal 6 assists 7 points 0.67 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 13 GP 3 goals 6 assists 9 points 0.67 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 14 GP 2 goals 6 assists 8 points 0.57 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 15 GP 1 goal 7 assists 8 points 0.52 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 16 GP 2 goals 6 assists 8 points 0.51 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 2 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 3 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1981-1982 Wpg 4 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1982-1983 Wpg 3 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
Career - 1084 GP, 102 goals, 323 assists, 424 points, 0.39 PPG
Career-Highs - 18 goals (74-75); 37 assists (74-75); 55 points (74-75); 0.67 PPG (74-75)
Avg. (16 seasons) - 68 GP, 6 goals, 20 assists, 27 points, 0.39 PPG
Peak Avg. (72-80) - 74 GP, 8 goals, 27 assists, 35 points, 0.47 PPG, 5 Cups
Playoff Career - 130 GP, 19 goals, 45 assists, 64 points, 0.49 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 4 goals (68-69); 7 assists (77-78); 10 points (68-69); 0.71 PPG (68-69)
Accolades - Conn Smythe
All-Star Teams - 1-time 2nd-team
7-time Stanley Cup Champion
As with Scott Stevens and Tim Horton, Serge Savard makes the Pyramid for reasons that have nothing to do with his offensive numbers. They are among the worst of anyone on my hall-of-fame list, but they are irrelevant, because Serge Savard's job was to shut down the opposition, retain the puck, and move it up-ice so that the other wizards on the Canadiens could pot a goal. At that, few were better.
His career +/- is an excellent +36 per 82 games played, although that is hardly surprising considering that Savard spent almost his entire career with a Canadiens team that won Stanley Cups more often than it didn't. Savard wasn't some mere passenger on the team though...he was the defensive glue that allowed more offensive experimentation from Lapointe in the early part of the decade and Robinson in the later half. It's been said time and again (on this blog and elsewhere) that the late-1970s Canadiens were the most defensively-sound team ever assembled, and since that led to an unprecedent run of success, doesn't it stand to reason that we should recognize those who contributed to that defence? That is why Robinson, Lemaire, Lapointe, Gainey and Savard are all no-brainer hall-of-famers. Who cares that in the case of Gainey and Savard, there offensive numbers aren't eye-popping.
With that said, Serge Savard did have it within him to be more of a puck-moving defenceman than he let on, even if he would never be mistaken for Bobby Orr. Contrary to popular belief, the "Savardian spinorama" was actually named for Serge, not Denis (although Denis later demonstrated it many times himself). He became the first defenceman in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe award in 1969, leading the Canadiens to a championship with 10 points in 14 games and sterling defensive play. And his career PPG in the playoffs is about 25% higher than it is in the regular season. This is a man who, like so many of the Habs, stepped it up when it mattered most.
Does Serge Savard deserve to be ranked higher on the Pyramid than Borje Salming, his contemporary? I debated this for a while. Salming has more year-end all-star accolades and was undeniably more talented. Given that their careers coincided in the 1970s, it's clear that those watching at the time thought that Salming deserved recognition for his regular-season work and was the better player. But due to the fates, Salming was saddled with a mediocre Maple Leafs team, while Savard was one of the key leaders (and eventually captain) of one of the greatest teams assembled.
Is this luck, or do we have to factor this stuff in? I lean toward the Bill Simmons "secret" of winning, and there's no doubt that Serge Savard knew it. As captain or alternate-captain, he knew what it took to maintain a team's identity and work ethic. Certainly the Canadiens were an ultra-talented group. But they also got the most out of their third and fourth-liners, and that's why they were so successful. It was players like Savard and Gainey who always knuckled down and shut down the opposition, and I have a lot of admiration for players like that.
Look at Serge Savard's subsequent career as general manager of the Canadiens. He assembled two more Stanley Cup winners, the 1986 and 1993 squads, teams that are generally viewed as among the less-talented to win in the modern era, groups that were just "lucky" in that odd off-year of the dynasty-caliber Oilers and Penguins. Certainly it helps that they had Patrick Roy standing on his head. But when you look at the character players that Savard assembled, the Carbonneaus, the Keanes, the Mullers, you realize that it was no fluke. As a GM, as a captain, and as a player, Savard demonstrated that he innately could recognize (and contained himself) that intagible quality that separates merely good players from those who can truly be called champions.
#121 - Borje Salming
Borje Salming (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #121)
Adjusted Stats
1973-1974 Tor 80 GP 5 goals 34 assists 39 points 0.49 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 62 GP 11 goals 23 assists 34 points 0.55 PPG
1975-1976 Tor 80 GP 15 goals 38 assists 53 points 0.66 PPG
1976-1977 Tor 78 GP 11 goals 63 assists 74 points 0.95 PPG
1977-1978 Tor 82 GP 15 goals 57 assists 73 points 0.89 PPG
1978-1979 Tor 80 GP 15 goals 50 assists 66 points 0.82 PPG
1979-1980 Tor 76 GP 17 goals 47 assists 64 points 0.84 PPG
1980-1981 Tor 74 GP 4 goals 50 assists 54 points 0.73 PPG
1981-1982 Tor 71 GP 9 goals 35 assists 44 points 0.62 PPG
1982-1983 Tor 71 GP 6 goals 31 assists 37 points 0.52 PPG
1983-1984 Tor 70 GP 4 goals 30 assists 34 points 0.49 PPG
1984-1985 Tor 75 GP 5 goals 27 assists 32 points 0.42 PPG
1985-1986 Tor 42 GP 6 goals 12 assists 17 points 0.42 PPG
1986-1987 Tor 57 GP 3 goals 14 assists 17 points 0.30 PPG
1987-1988 Tor 68 GP 2 goals 20 assists 22 points 0.33 PPG
1988-1989 Tor 65 GP 3 goals 14 assists 17 points 0.26 PPG
1989-1990 Det 50 GP 2 goals 15 assists 16 points 0.32 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1973-1974 Tor 4 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.24 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 7 GP 0 goals 4 assists 4 points 0.52 PPG
1975-1976 Tor 10 GP 3 goals 4 assists 7 points 0.68 PPG
1976-1977 Tor 9 GP 3 goals 5 assists 8 points 0.88 PPG
1977-1978 Tor 6 GP 2 goals 2 assists 4 points 0.65 PPG
1978-1979 Tor 6 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.15 PPG
1979-1980 Tor 3 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.57 PPG
1980-1981 Tor 3 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.47 PPG
1982-1983 Tor 4 GP 1 goal 3 assists 4 points 0.98 PPG
1985-1986 Tor 10 GP 1 goal 5 assists 6 points 0.61 PPG
1986-1987 Tor 13 GP 0 goals 3 assists 3 points 0.21 PPG
1987-1988 Tor 6 GP 1 goal 2 assists 3 points 0.50 PPG
Career - 1181 GP, 133 goals, 560 assists, 693 points, 0.59 PPG
Career-Highs - 17 goals (79-80); 63 assists (76-77); 74 points (76-77); 0.95 PPG (76-77)
Avg. (17 seasons) - 69 GP, 8 goals, 33 assists, 41 points, 0.59 PPG
Peak Avg. (75-83) - 77 GP, 12 goals, 46 assists, 58 points, 0.75 PPG, 0 Cups
Playoff Career - 81 GP, 12 goals, 32 assists, 44 points, 0.54 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 3 goals (76-77); 5 assists (76-77); 8 points (76-77); 0.98 PPG (82-83)
Accolades - None
All-Star Teams - 1-time 1st-team, 5-time 2nd-team
Never Won Stanley Cup
Before there was Nicklas Lidstrom, there was Borje Salming. No, Salming never won a Stanley Cup or a Norris trophy, things that Lidstrom has done so many times that it's become routine. But Salming paved the way for not just Swedish defencemen, but European players everywhere in the North American game. Before Salming's impact, there had been European-born players who had thrived (like Stan Mikita), but rarely someone who had actually grown up oversees and had their junior training anywhere but in Canada.
It's worth noting the prejudices that Salming had to overcome. He arrived in hockey-mad Toronto when they were a team in transition. The Original Six days were over, and Toronto struggled to keep up with the dynasty Canadiens and the solid teams that the Bruins and Flyers had assembled. Without Darryl Sittler and Borje Salming, the Leafs of the 1970s would have been the laughingstock they turned into in the 1980s. Instead, they were perenially average but sometimes surprised come playoff time, winning a playoff round or two where they had no business doing so. Salming's excellent two-way play and visionary passing eventually earned him the respect of the Toronto fanbase, as demonstrated by the fact they gave him a standing ovation when he played for Sweden in the 1976 Canada Cup.
Unfortunately, moronic owner Harold Ballard remained convinced that European players couldn't thrive in the NHL and went out of his way to make things difficult for Salming. If Salming had been fortunate enough to play for the Canadiens or Bruins during the prime years of his career instead of for a mediocre organization with an unappreciative owner, we'd be talking about him in the top 100, no question.
His accomplishments as they are still stand up. While he never won the Norris, Salming was considered one of the league's four best defencemen six times (all in a row, from the period of 1974 to 1980). This is all the more impressive when you consider that that stretch coincided with the run of the greatest hockey team of all-time, the late-1970s Habs, as well as excellent teams like the Islanders, Bruins and Flyers whom Salming had to face on a regular basis. Furthermore, he was earning all-star honours going up against fellow Pyramid defencemen Denis Potvin, Larry Robinson, Brad Park, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and, oh yeah, Bobby Orr in 1974 and 1975. It's arguably the time when the NHL was deepest at defence, and yet Salming was consistently considered one of the best.
That stretch is what makes Salming's legend. His career +/- averages out to a decent +13 per 82 games played (all the more impressive when you consider the truly awful Maple Leaf teams Salming toiled on throughout the 1980s). But if you isolate his six-year stretch from 1974 to 1980, Salming's impact becomes clear. During that run, Salming averaged 61 adjusted points and a +25...and as mentioned before, it's not like he and the Maple Leafs were running into creampuffs.
Salming doesn't rank higher on the Pyramid not only because of his lack of team success (like Sundin, that could be forgiven given that he was cursed with playing for the Maple Leafs), but rather because after his first eight or nine seasons, Salming's impact and production dropped off considerably. He never made another all-star team, and sank into the 25-30 point range. Part of this may have been due to Salming's admitted cocaine use. In 1986, he was almost suspended for the entire season after admitting to regularly using cocaine in a newspaper interview, but the suspension was reduced to eight games. It wasn't exactly shocking news: Salming looked like a cross between Rutger Hauer and Peter Weller from Robocop. There wasn't a lot of meat on his face to say the least.
Salming ended his career with the Red Wings, but he is of course remembered as a Maple Leaf. He's the best defencemen they've had since the post-expansion era, and quite possibly their best offensive-defencemen ever. Stanley Cup glory and Norris recognition never came to Salming. Instead, he is revered in Sweden, and quite possibly by all Europeans, for showing the North American audience that a European defencemen could not only survive in the NHL, but thrive.
Adjusted Stats
1973-1974 Tor 80 GP 5 goals 34 assists 39 points 0.49 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 62 GP 11 goals 23 assists 34 points 0.55 PPG
1975-1976 Tor 80 GP 15 goals 38 assists 53 points 0.66 PPG
1976-1977 Tor 78 GP 11 goals 63 assists 74 points 0.95 PPG
1977-1978 Tor 82 GP 15 goals 57 assists 73 points 0.89 PPG
1978-1979 Tor 80 GP 15 goals 50 assists 66 points 0.82 PPG
1979-1980 Tor 76 GP 17 goals 47 assists 64 points 0.84 PPG
1980-1981 Tor 74 GP 4 goals 50 assists 54 points 0.73 PPG
1981-1982 Tor 71 GP 9 goals 35 assists 44 points 0.62 PPG
1982-1983 Tor 71 GP 6 goals 31 assists 37 points 0.52 PPG
1983-1984 Tor 70 GP 4 goals 30 assists 34 points 0.49 PPG
1984-1985 Tor 75 GP 5 goals 27 assists 32 points 0.42 PPG
1985-1986 Tor 42 GP 6 goals 12 assists 17 points 0.42 PPG
1986-1987 Tor 57 GP 3 goals 14 assists 17 points 0.30 PPG
1987-1988 Tor 68 GP 2 goals 20 assists 22 points 0.33 PPG
1988-1989 Tor 65 GP 3 goals 14 assists 17 points 0.26 PPG
1989-1990 Det 50 GP 2 goals 15 assists 16 points 0.32 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1973-1974 Tor 4 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.24 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 7 GP 0 goals 4 assists 4 points 0.52 PPG
1975-1976 Tor 10 GP 3 goals 4 assists 7 points 0.68 PPG
1976-1977 Tor 9 GP 3 goals 5 assists 8 points 0.88 PPG
1977-1978 Tor 6 GP 2 goals 2 assists 4 points 0.65 PPG
1978-1979 Tor 6 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.15 PPG
1979-1980 Tor 3 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.57 PPG
1980-1981 Tor 3 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.47 PPG
1982-1983 Tor 4 GP 1 goal 3 assists 4 points 0.98 PPG
1985-1986 Tor 10 GP 1 goal 5 assists 6 points 0.61 PPG
1986-1987 Tor 13 GP 0 goals 3 assists 3 points 0.21 PPG
1987-1988 Tor 6 GP 1 goal 2 assists 3 points 0.50 PPG
Career - 1181 GP, 133 goals, 560 assists, 693 points, 0.59 PPG
Career-Highs - 17 goals (79-80); 63 assists (76-77); 74 points (76-77); 0.95 PPG (76-77)
Avg. (17 seasons) - 69 GP, 8 goals, 33 assists, 41 points, 0.59 PPG
Peak Avg. (75-83) - 77 GP, 12 goals, 46 assists, 58 points, 0.75 PPG, 0 Cups
Playoff Career - 81 GP, 12 goals, 32 assists, 44 points, 0.54 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 3 goals (76-77); 5 assists (76-77); 8 points (76-77); 0.98 PPG (82-83)
Accolades - None
All-Star Teams - 1-time 1st-team, 5-time 2nd-team
Never Won Stanley Cup
Before there was Nicklas Lidstrom, there was Borje Salming. No, Salming never won a Stanley Cup or a Norris trophy, things that Lidstrom has done so many times that it's become routine. But Salming paved the way for not just Swedish defencemen, but European players everywhere in the North American game. Before Salming's impact, there had been European-born players who had thrived (like Stan Mikita), but rarely someone who had actually grown up oversees and had their junior training anywhere but in Canada.
It's worth noting the prejudices that Salming had to overcome. He arrived in hockey-mad Toronto when they were a team in transition. The Original Six days were over, and Toronto struggled to keep up with the dynasty Canadiens and the solid teams that the Bruins and Flyers had assembled. Without Darryl Sittler and Borje Salming, the Leafs of the 1970s would have been the laughingstock they turned into in the 1980s. Instead, they were perenially average but sometimes surprised come playoff time, winning a playoff round or two where they had no business doing so. Salming's excellent two-way play and visionary passing eventually earned him the respect of the Toronto fanbase, as demonstrated by the fact they gave him a standing ovation when he played for Sweden in the 1976 Canada Cup.
Unfortunately, moronic owner Harold Ballard remained convinced that European players couldn't thrive in the NHL and went out of his way to make things difficult for Salming. If Salming had been fortunate enough to play for the Canadiens or Bruins during the prime years of his career instead of for a mediocre organization with an unappreciative owner, we'd be talking about him in the top 100, no question.
His accomplishments as they are still stand up. While he never won the Norris, Salming was considered one of the league's four best defencemen six times (all in a row, from the period of 1974 to 1980). This is all the more impressive when you consider that that stretch coincided with the run of the greatest hockey team of all-time, the late-1970s Habs, as well as excellent teams like the Islanders, Bruins and Flyers whom Salming had to face on a regular basis. Furthermore, he was earning all-star honours going up against fellow Pyramid defencemen Denis Potvin, Larry Robinson, Brad Park, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe and, oh yeah, Bobby Orr in 1974 and 1975. It's arguably the time when the NHL was deepest at defence, and yet Salming was consistently considered one of the best.
That stretch is what makes Salming's legend. His career +/- averages out to a decent +13 per 82 games played (all the more impressive when you consider the truly awful Maple Leaf teams Salming toiled on throughout the 1980s). But if you isolate his six-year stretch from 1974 to 1980, Salming's impact becomes clear. During that run, Salming averaged 61 adjusted points and a +25...and as mentioned before, it's not like he and the Maple Leafs were running into creampuffs.
Salming doesn't rank higher on the Pyramid not only because of his lack of team success (like Sundin, that could be forgiven given that he was cursed with playing for the Maple Leafs), but rather because after his first eight or nine seasons, Salming's impact and production dropped off considerably. He never made another all-star team, and sank into the 25-30 point range. Part of this may have been due to Salming's admitted cocaine use. In 1986, he was almost suspended for the entire season after admitting to regularly using cocaine in a newspaper interview, but the suspension was reduced to eight games. It wasn't exactly shocking news: Salming looked like a cross between Rutger Hauer and Peter Weller from Robocop. There wasn't a lot of meat on his face to say the least.
Salming ended his career with the Red Wings, but he is of course remembered as a Maple Leaf. He's the best defencemen they've had since the post-expansion era, and quite possibly their best offensive-defencemen ever. Stanley Cup glory and Norris recognition never came to Salming. Instead, he is revered in Sweden, and quite possibly by all Europeans, for showing the North American audience that a European defencemen could not only survive in the NHL, but thrive.
#122 - Dave Keon
Dave Keon (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #122)
Adjusted Stats
1960-1961 Tor 82 GP 24 goals 30 assists 54 points 0.66 PPG
1961-1962 Tor* 75 GP 31 goals 42 assists 73 points 0.97 PPG
1962-1963 Tor* 80 GP 34 goals 34 assists 68 points 0.85 PPG
1963-1964 Tor* 82 GP 30 goals 48 assists 78 points 0.95 PPG
1964-1965 Tor 76 GP 26 goals 36 assists 63 points 0.82 PPG
1965-1966 Tor 81 GP 28 goals 36 assists 64 points 0.79 PPG
1966-1967 Tor* 77 GP 23 goals 40 assists 63 points 0.81 PPG
1967-1968 Tor 74 GP 13 goals 45 assists 59 points 0.79 PPG
1968-1969 Tor 81 GP 30 goals 38 assists 68 points 0.84 PPG
1969-1970 Tor 78 GP 37 goals 34 assists 71 points 0.91 PPG
1970-1971 Tor 80 GP 39 goals 39 assists 79 points 0.99 PPG
1971-1972 Tor 76 GP 19 goals 32 assists 51 points 0.67 PPG
1972-1973 Tor 80 GP 37 goals 36 assists 72 points 0.90 PPG
1973-1974 Tor 78 GP 25 goals 28 assists 54 points 0.69 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 80 GP 15 goals 40 assists 54 points 0.68 PPG
1979-1980 Hfd 78 GP 9 goals 47 assists 56 points 0.71 PPG
1980-1981 Hfd 82 GP 11 goals 28 assists 39 points 0.47 PPG
1981-1982 Hfd 80 GP 6 goals 9 assists 15 points 0.19 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1960-1961 Tor 5 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.45 PPG
1961-1962 Tor* 12 GP 5 goals 3 assists 8 points 0.66 PPG
1962-1963 Tor* 10 GP 7 goals 5 assists 12 points 1.19 PPG
1963-1964 Tor* 14 GP 7 goals 2 assists 9 points 0.68 PPG
1964-1965 Tor 6 GP 2 goals 2 assists 4 points 0.73 PPG
1965-1966 Tor 4 GP 0 goals 2 assists 2 points 0.53 PPG
1966-1967 Tor* 12 GP 3 goals 5 assists 8 points 0.69 PPG
1968-1969 Tor 4 GP 1 goal 3 assists 4 points 0.99 PPG
1970-1971 Tor 6 GP 3 goals 2 assists 5 points 0.77 PPG
1971-1972 Tor 5 GP 2 goals 3 assists 5 points 0.93 PPG
1973-1974 Tor 4 GP 1 goal 2 assists 3 points 0.73 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 7 GP 0 goals 5 assists 5 points 0.65 PPG
1979-1980 Hfd 3 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.28 PPG
Career - 1420 GP, 437 goals, 642 assists, 1081 points, 0.76 PPG
Career-Highs - 39 goals (70-71); 48 assists (63-64); 79 points (70-71); 0.99 PPG (70-71)
Avg. (18 seasons) - 79 GP, 24 goals, 36 assists, 60 points, 0.76 PPG
Peak Avg. (63-71) - 79 GP, 28 goals, 40 assists, 68 points, 0.87 PPG, 2 Cups
Playoff Career - 92 GP, 32 goals, 36 assists, 68 points, 0.74 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 7 goals (62-63); 5 assists (74-75); 12 points (62-63); 1.19 PPG (62-63)
Accolades - 2 Lady Byngs, Calder, Conn Smythe
All-Star Teams - 2-time 2nd-team
4-time Stanley Cup Champion
Dave Keon's offensive numbers wouldn't appear to make him deserving of a spot on the Pyramid. Here is a center who never topped 80 points or a point-a-game. Remarkably durable, Keon played in 18 seasons without ever missing more than eight games in a season, yet he was consistently, unspectacularly in the 60-70 point range. Is this a case of a Maple Leaf legend being overrated?
In Keon's case, no. We all know that Bob Gainey was a superb defensive forward, but Keon doesn't quite get his due amongst today's generation of hockey fans. He was his era's defensive specialist, but he still managed to pot 30 goals and 70 points every season. Those who saw the Maple Leafs during the 1960s speak fondly of Mahovlich, of course, and Tim Horton, but it is Keon who is often referred to as the team's best player, a speedster with a deadly backhand who was always pitted against the opposition's best centre, and usually stifled them.
Here's a good indication of Keon's two-way value: in 1967 (the last year the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup, in case you didn't know), Keon won the Conn Smythe award despite having a mere eight points in twelve playoff games. That is the lowest point total of any non-goaltender to win the Conn Smythe. Why did Keon deserve it? Because he shut down the great Jean Beliveau in the Cup finals, leading an aging Toronto team to hockey's pinnacle for one last time.
As the Leafs got more mediocre, Keon's play remained consistent. He made the second all-star team in 1971 after potting career highs in goals and points. Unfortunately for Keon, he followed that up with a lackluster 1972 season that may have cost him the final spot on the Team Canada roster for the '72 Summit Series. Even though he bounced back, Keon began to grow progressively more sour with Maple Leafs' management, specifically their notoriously cantankerous owner Harold Ballard. He left the NHL to play in the WHA for four seasons, before eventually returning for a retirement stint with the Hartford Whalers.
Perhaps because Keon's tenure with the Maple Leafs ended so badly, he's rarely mentioned in the same revered breath as more modern Leaf staples like Darryl Sittler, Borje Salming and Doug Gilmour. It's a shame though, because Keon was the team's most complete forward during the 1960s, even if he wasn't as dynamic a scorer as Mahovlich. Keon eventually found it within him to forgive the Maple Leafs' organization and return to the Air Canada Centre during the celebration of the 1967 championship team's 40th anniversary. He was given one of the longest ovations during that ceremony...Maple Leaf fans may not get much right, but they knew that Keon should be welcomed back and finally treated with the respect his career had earned.
Adjusted Stats
1960-1961 Tor 82 GP 24 goals 30 assists 54 points 0.66 PPG
1961-1962 Tor* 75 GP 31 goals 42 assists 73 points 0.97 PPG
1962-1963 Tor* 80 GP 34 goals 34 assists 68 points 0.85 PPG
1963-1964 Tor* 82 GP 30 goals 48 assists 78 points 0.95 PPG
1964-1965 Tor 76 GP 26 goals 36 assists 63 points 0.82 PPG
1965-1966 Tor 81 GP 28 goals 36 assists 64 points 0.79 PPG
1966-1967 Tor* 77 GP 23 goals 40 assists 63 points 0.81 PPG
1967-1968 Tor 74 GP 13 goals 45 assists 59 points 0.79 PPG
1968-1969 Tor 81 GP 30 goals 38 assists 68 points 0.84 PPG
1969-1970 Tor 78 GP 37 goals 34 assists 71 points 0.91 PPG
1970-1971 Tor 80 GP 39 goals 39 assists 79 points 0.99 PPG
1971-1972 Tor 76 GP 19 goals 32 assists 51 points 0.67 PPG
1972-1973 Tor 80 GP 37 goals 36 assists 72 points 0.90 PPG
1973-1974 Tor 78 GP 25 goals 28 assists 54 points 0.69 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 80 GP 15 goals 40 assists 54 points 0.68 PPG
1979-1980 Hfd 78 GP 9 goals 47 assists 56 points 0.71 PPG
1980-1981 Hfd 82 GP 11 goals 28 assists 39 points 0.47 PPG
1981-1982 Hfd 80 GP 6 goals 9 assists 15 points 0.19 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1960-1961 Tor 5 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.45 PPG
1961-1962 Tor* 12 GP 5 goals 3 assists 8 points 0.66 PPG
1962-1963 Tor* 10 GP 7 goals 5 assists 12 points 1.19 PPG
1963-1964 Tor* 14 GP 7 goals 2 assists 9 points 0.68 PPG
1964-1965 Tor 6 GP 2 goals 2 assists 4 points 0.73 PPG
1965-1966 Tor 4 GP 0 goals 2 assists 2 points 0.53 PPG
1966-1967 Tor* 12 GP 3 goals 5 assists 8 points 0.69 PPG
1968-1969 Tor 4 GP 1 goal 3 assists 4 points 0.99 PPG
1970-1971 Tor 6 GP 3 goals 2 assists 5 points 0.77 PPG
1971-1972 Tor 5 GP 2 goals 3 assists 5 points 0.93 PPG
1973-1974 Tor 4 GP 1 goal 2 assists 3 points 0.73 PPG
1974-1975 Tor 7 GP 0 goals 5 assists 5 points 0.65 PPG
1979-1980 Hfd 3 GP 0 goals 1 assist 1 point 0.28 PPG
Career - 1420 GP, 437 goals, 642 assists, 1081 points, 0.76 PPG
Career-Highs - 39 goals (70-71); 48 assists (63-64); 79 points (70-71); 0.99 PPG (70-71)
Avg. (18 seasons) - 79 GP, 24 goals, 36 assists, 60 points, 0.76 PPG
Peak Avg. (63-71) - 79 GP, 28 goals, 40 assists, 68 points, 0.87 PPG, 2 Cups
Playoff Career - 92 GP, 32 goals, 36 assists, 68 points, 0.74 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 7 goals (62-63); 5 assists (74-75); 12 points (62-63); 1.19 PPG (62-63)
Accolades - 2 Lady Byngs, Calder, Conn Smythe
All-Star Teams - 2-time 2nd-team
4-time Stanley Cup Champion
Dave Keon's offensive numbers wouldn't appear to make him deserving of a spot on the Pyramid. Here is a center who never topped 80 points or a point-a-game. Remarkably durable, Keon played in 18 seasons without ever missing more than eight games in a season, yet he was consistently, unspectacularly in the 60-70 point range. Is this a case of a Maple Leaf legend being overrated?
In Keon's case, no. We all know that Bob Gainey was a superb defensive forward, but Keon doesn't quite get his due amongst today's generation of hockey fans. He was his era's defensive specialist, but he still managed to pot 30 goals and 70 points every season. Those who saw the Maple Leafs during the 1960s speak fondly of Mahovlich, of course, and Tim Horton, but it is Keon who is often referred to as the team's best player, a speedster with a deadly backhand who was always pitted against the opposition's best centre, and usually stifled them.
Here's a good indication of Keon's two-way value: in 1967 (the last year the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup, in case you didn't know), Keon won the Conn Smythe award despite having a mere eight points in twelve playoff games. That is the lowest point total of any non-goaltender to win the Conn Smythe. Why did Keon deserve it? Because he shut down the great Jean Beliveau in the Cup finals, leading an aging Toronto team to hockey's pinnacle for one last time.
As the Leafs got more mediocre, Keon's play remained consistent. He made the second all-star team in 1971 after potting career highs in goals and points. Unfortunately for Keon, he followed that up with a lackluster 1972 season that may have cost him the final spot on the Team Canada roster for the '72 Summit Series. Even though he bounced back, Keon began to grow progressively more sour with Maple Leafs' management, specifically their notoriously cantankerous owner Harold Ballard. He left the NHL to play in the WHA for four seasons, before eventually returning for a retirement stint with the Hartford Whalers.
Perhaps because Keon's tenure with the Maple Leafs ended so badly, he's rarely mentioned in the same revered breath as more modern Leaf staples like Darryl Sittler, Borje Salming and Doug Gilmour. It's a shame though, because Keon was the team's most complete forward during the 1960s, even if he wasn't as dynamic a scorer as Mahovlich. Keon eventually found it within him to forgive the Maple Leafs' organization and return to the Air Canada Centre during the celebration of the 1967 championship team's 40th anniversary. He was given one of the longest ovations during that ceremony...Maple Leaf fans may not get much right, but they knew that Keon should be welcomed back and finally treated with the respect his career had earned.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
#118 - Sweeney Schriner
Sweeney Schriner (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #118)
Adjusted Stats
1934-1935 NYA 82 GP 38 goals 46 assists 84 points 1.02 PPG
1935-1936 NYA 82 GP 46 goals 63 assists 109 points 1.33 PPG
1936-1937 NYA 82 GP 45 goals 53 assists 98 points 1.20 PPG
1937-1938 NYA 82 GP 44 goals 35 assists 79 points 0.96 PPG
1938-1939 NYA 82 GP 27 goals 64 assists 91 points 1.11 PPG
1939-1940 Tor 67 GP 23 goals 32 assists 55 points 0.82 PPG
1940-1941 Tor 82 GP 47 goals 27 assists 74 points 0.91 PPG
1941-1942 Tor* 80 GP 34 goals 27 assists 61 points 0.76 PPG
1942-1943 Tor 61 GP 27 goals 24 assists 50 points 0.83 PPG
1944-1945 Tor 43 GP 30 goals 21 assists 51 points 1.19 PPG
1945-1946 Tor 77 GP 20 goals 9 assists 29 points 0.37 PPG
Career - 820 GP, 381 goals, 401 assists, 781 points, 0.95 PPG
Career-Highs - 47 goals (40-41); 64 assists (38-39); 109 points (35-36); 1.33 PPG (35-36)
Avg. (11 seasons) - 75 GP, 35 goals, 36 assists, 71 points, 0.95 PPG
Peak Avg. (34-42) - 80 GP, 38 goals, 43 assists, 81 points, 1.02 PPG, 1 Cup
Accolades - None
All-Star Teams - 2-time 1st-team, 1-time 2nd-team
2-time Stanley Cup Champion
Another gem of the pre-WWII era, Sweeney Schriner was the best left-winger in the league in the mid-to-late 1930s, leading the league in scoring two years in a row for the (now non-existent) New York Americans. Beyond that, there's not much I can say about him, aside from pointing out his four years of 40+ adjusted goals, two Stanley Cup rings, and three appearances on year-end all-star teams.
Schriner retired from hockey at quite a young age in 1943, annoyed with what he perceived as growing individualism within the game (one wonders how he would have reacted to, say, Ilya Kovalchuk sixty years later). He returned in 1945 after playing a year with an Army/Navy team, and still clearly had a fair measure of skill, scoring 51 adjusted points in only 43 games. Perhaps if he hadn't missed a season and a half, Schriner's career totals would be even more impressive.
The postseason numbers are lacking, which is probably due to the fact that the New York Americans never got over the hump to win a championship while Schriner was their star. In a trade that gives an indication of how highly Schriner was viewed, he was traded to the Maple Leafs for five different players, including former star Busher Jackson. Schriner was never quite as productive with the Leafs, but he was a part of two Stanley Cup champions, adding well-deserved team success to his individual accolades.
Adjusted Stats
1934-1935 NYA 82 GP 38 goals 46 assists 84 points 1.02 PPG
1935-1936 NYA 82 GP 46 goals 63 assists 109 points 1.33 PPG
1936-1937 NYA 82 GP 45 goals 53 assists 98 points 1.20 PPG
1937-1938 NYA 82 GP 44 goals 35 assists 79 points 0.96 PPG
1938-1939 NYA 82 GP 27 goals 64 assists 91 points 1.11 PPG
1939-1940 Tor 67 GP 23 goals 32 assists 55 points 0.82 PPG
1940-1941 Tor 82 GP 47 goals 27 assists 74 points 0.91 PPG
1941-1942 Tor* 80 GP 34 goals 27 assists 61 points 0.76 PPG
1942-1943 Tor 61 GP 27 goals 24 assists 50 points 0.83 PPG
1944-1945 Tor 43 GP 30 goals 21 assists 51 points 1.19 PPG
1945-1946 Tor 77 GP 20 goals 9 assists 29 points 0.37 PPG
Career - 820 GP, 381 goals, 401 assists, 781 points, 0.95 PPG
Career-Highs - 47 goals (40-41); 64 assists (38-39); 109 points (35-36); 1.33 PPG (35-36)
Avg. (11 seasons) - 75 GP, 35 goals, 36 assists, 71 points, 0.95 PPG
Peak Avg. (34-42) - 80 GP, 38 goals, 43 assists, 81 points, 1.02 PPG, 1 Cup
Accolades - None
All-Star Teams - 2-time 1st-team, 1-time 2nd-team
2-time Stanley Cup Champion
Another gem of the pre-WWII era, Sweeney Schriner was the best left-winger in the league in the mid-to-late 1930s, leading the league in scoring two years in a row for the (now non-existent) New York Americans. Beyond that, there's not much I can say about him, aside from pointing out his four years of 40+ adjusted goals, two Stanley Cup rings, and three appearances on year-end all-star teams.
Schriner retired from hockey at quite a young age in 1943, annoyed with what he perceived as growing individualism within the game (one wonders how he would have reacted to, say, Ilya Kovalchuk sixty years later). He returned in 1945 after playing a year with an Army/Navy team, and still clearly had a fair measure of skill, scoring 51 adjusted points in only 43 games. Perhaps if he hadn't missed a season and a half, Schriner's career totals would be even more impressive.
The postseason numbers are lacking, which is probably due to the fact that the New York Americans never got over the hump to win a championship while Schriner was their star. In a trade that gives an indication of how highly Schriner was viewed, he was traded to the Maple Leafs for five different players, including former star Busher Jackson. Schriner was never quite as productive with the Leafs, but he was a part of two Stanley Cup champions, adding well-deserved team success to his individual accolades.
Monday, March 14, 2011
#117 - Steve Shutt
Steve Shutt (Murillo Pyramid Rank = #117)
Adjusted Stats
1972-1973 Mtl* 53 GP 8 goals 8 assists 16 points 0.30 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 74 GP 15 goals 20 assists 35 points 0.48 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 79 GP 28 goals 32 assists 60 points 0.76 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 82 GP 42 goals 31 assists 73 points 0.89 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 82 GP 57 goals 43 assists 100 points 1.22 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 82 GP 47 goals 35 assists 82 points 1.00 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 74 GP 33 goals 36 assists 69 points 0.94 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 79 GP 42 goals 38 assists 80 points 1.01 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 79 GP 29 goals 31 assists 60 points 0.76 PPG
1981-1982 Mtl 58 GP 24 goals 19 assists 43 points 0.74 PPG
1982-1983 Mtl 80 GP 29 goals 18 assists 46 points 0.58 PPG
1983-1984 Mtl 65 GP 11 goals 18 assists 30 points 0.46 PPG
1984-1985 Mtl/LA 71 GP 15 goals 20 assists 35 points 0.49 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1972-1973 Mtl* 1 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 6 GP 5 goals 3 assists 8 points 1.30 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 9 GP 1 goal 5 assists 6 points 0.71 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 13 GP 7 goals 8 assists 15 points 1.12 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 14 GP 7 goals 9 assists 16 points 1.13 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 15 GP 9 goals 8 assists 17 points 1.10 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 11 GP 4 goals 6 assists 10 points 0.91 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 10 GP 5 goals 3 assists 8 points 0.77 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 3 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.71 PPG
1982-1983 Mtl 3 GP 1 goal 0 assists 1 point 0.26 PPG
1983-1984 Mtl 11 GP 6 goals 2 assists 8 points 0.73 PPG
1984-1985 LA 3 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
Career - 958 GP, 380 goals, 349 assists, 729 points, 0.76 PPG
Career-Highs - 57 goals (76-77); 43 assists (76-77); 100 points (76-77); 1.22 PPG
Avg. (13 seasons) - 74 GP, 29 goals, 27 assists, 56 points, 0.76 PPG
Peak Avg. (74-82) - 77 GP, 38 goals, 33 assists, 71 points, 0.92 PPG, 4 Cups
Playoff Career - 99 GP, 46 goals, 45 assists, 91 points, 0.92 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 9 goals (77-78); 9 assists (76-77); 17 points (77-78); 1.30 PPG (73-74)
Accolades - None
All-Star Teams - 1-time 1st-team, 2-time 2nd-team
5-time Stanley Cup Champion
Let's be honest: Steve Shutt probably benefited from his circumstances and surroundings more than almost any other player on the Pyramid...even more than a Jari Kurri or Johnny Bucyk. Shutt was a short, pudgy man with limited defensive abilities and a slow skating style, but he struck gold by being on the Montreal Canadiens right as Guy Lafleur was entering his prime, providing Lafleur and Lemaire with a premier finisher who was stealthy and potted goals at just the right time.
Talent wise, Shutt doesn't belong on the Pyramid. His final career numbers are middling because he only played for thirteen seasons, of which only five were particularly good. The adjusted averages of 29 goals and 56 points are quite lame, especially when one considers he only played for thirteen years (not that there was ever any question of him playing longer...his conditioning was so mediocre that it would have been sad to see a mid-30s Shutt lumbering around).
But Shutt belongs here for the same reason that Serge Savard and Bob Gainey do: because I have a lot of time for someone who peaked during a run in which their team won four straight Championships. From 1975 to 1980, Shutt averaged 44 goals for the Habs as they were in the midst of their dynasty. Like so many of his teammates, Shutt reached his peak during the 1976-1977 season, scoring 60 goals (57 when adjusted) and earning first-team all-star honours at LW. Shutt was also particularly reliable come playoff time, stepping up his already-impressive scoring average and recording nearly a point a game over 99 playoff games.
Perhaps due to conditioning or possibly simply due to a lack of sustained motivation, both Shutt and Lafleur saw their production plummet after Lemaire retired in 1979. The Habs wouldn't win another Cup during Shutt's career, and sadly he ended as a Los Angeles King, not with the Montreal team that he had spent his entire career with. It's still a hall-of-fame career merely because Shutt was the premier finisher on one of the best teams ever assembled. And if I were in doubt, Shutt would make it onto my Pyramid simply because he's such a likeable personality: laidback, relaxed and always willing to joke about his own shortcomings as a player.
That's what it comes down to with Shutt: you can criticize the shortcomings in his game or claim that he was lucky to have been in the right place at the right time, but he would probably just shrug off those criticisms. And with five Stanley Cup rings, I would to.
Adjusted Stats
1972-1973 Mtl* 53 GP 8 goals 8 assists 16 points 0.30 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 74 GP 15 goals 20 assists 35 points 0.48 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 79 GP 28 goals 32 assists 60 points 0.76 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 82 GP 42 goals 31 assists 73 points 0.89 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 82 GP 57 goals 43 assists 100 points 1.22 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 82 GP 47 goals 35 assists 82 points 1.00 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 74 GP 33 goals 36 assists 69 points 0.94 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 79 GP 42 goals 38 assists 80 points 1.01 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 79 GP 29 goals 31 assists 60 points 0.76 PPG
1981-1982 Mtl 58 GP 24 goals 19 assists 43 points 0.74 PPG
1982-1983 Mtl 80 GP 29 goals 18 assists 46 points 0.58 PPG
1983-1984 Mtl 65 GP 11 goals 18 assists 30 points 0.46 PPG
1984-1985 Mtl/LA 71 GP 15 goals 20 assists 35 points 0.49 PPG
Adjusted Playoff Stats
1972-1973 Mtl* 1 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
1973-1974 Mtl 6 GP 5 goals 3 assists 8 points 1.30 PPG
1974-1975 Mtl 9 GP 1 goal 5 assists 6 points 0.71 PPG
1975-1976 Mtl* 13 GP 7 goals 8 assists 15 points 1.12 PPG
1976-1977 Mtl* 14 GP 7 goals 9 assists 16 points 1.13 PPG
1977-1978 Mtl* 15 GP 9 goals 8 assists 17 points 1.10 PPG
1978-1979 Mtl* 11 GP 4 goals 6 assists 10 points 0.91 PPG
1979-1980 Mtl 10 GP 5 goals 3 assists 8 points 0.77 PPG
1980-1981 Mtl 3 GP 1 goal 1 assist 2 points 0.71 PPG
1982-1983 Mtl 3 GP 1 goal 0 assists 1 point 0.26 PPG
1983-1984 Mtl 11 GP 6 goals 2 assists 8 points 0.73 PPG
1984-1985 LA 3 GP 0 goals 0 assists 0 points 0.00 PPG
Career - 958 GP, 380 goals, 349 assists, 729 points, 0.76 PPG
Career-Highs - 57 goals (76-77); 43 assists (76-77); 100 points (76-77); 1.22 PPG
Avg. (13 seasons) - 74 GP, 29 goals, 27 assists, 56 points, 0.76 PPG
Peak Avg. (74-82) - 77 GP, 38 goals, 33 assists, 71 points, 0.92 PPG, 4 Cups
Playoff Career - 99 GP, 46 goals, 45 assists, 91 points, 0.92 PPG
Playoff-Highs - 9 goals (77-78); 9 assists (76-77); 17 points (77-78); 1.30 PPG (73-74)
Accolades - None
All-Star Teams - 1-time 1st-team, 2-time 2nd-team
5-time Stanley Cup Champion
Let's be honest: Steve Shutt probably benefited from his circumstances and surroundings more than almost any other player on the Pyramid...even more than a Jari Kurri or Johnny Bucyk. Shutt was a short, pudgy man with limited defensive abilities and a slow skating style, but he struck gold by being on the Montreal Canadiens right as Guy Lafleur was entering his prime, providing Lafleur and Lemaire with a premier finisher who was stealthy and potted goals at just the right time.
Talent wise, Shutt doesn't belong on the Pyramid. His final career numbers are middling because he only played for thirteen seasons, of which only five were particularly good. The adjusted averages of 29 goals and 56 points are quite lame, especially when one considers he only played for thirteen years (not that there was ever any question of him playing longer...his conditioning was so mediocre that it would have been sad to see a mid-30s Shutt lumbering around).
But Shutt belongs here for the same reason that Serge Savard and Bob Gainey do: because I have a lot of time for someone who peaked during a run in which their team won four straight Championships. From 1975 to 1980, Shutt averaged 44 goals for the Habs as they were in the midst of their dynasty. Like so many of his teammates, Shutt reached his peak during the 1976-1977 season, scoring 60 goals (57 when adjusted) and earning first-team all-star honours at LW. Shutt was also particularly reliable come playoff time, stepping up his already-impressive scoring average and recording nearly a point a game over 99 playoff games.
Perhaps due to conditioning or possibly simply due to a lack of sustained motivation, both Shutt and Lafleur saw their production plummet after Lemaire retired in 1979. The Habs wouldn't win another Cup during Shutt's career, and sadly he ended as a Los Angeles King, not with the Montreal team that he had spent his entire career with. It's still a hall-of-fame career merely because Shutt was the premier finisher on one of the best teams ever assembled. And if I were in doubt, Shutt would make it onto my Pyramid simply because he's such a likeable personality: laidback, relaxed and always willing to joke about his own shortcomings as a player.
That's what it comes down to with Shutt: you can criticize the shortcomings in his game or claim that he was lucky to have been in the right place at the right time, but he would probably just shrug off those criticisms. And with five Stanley Cup rings, I would to.
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