Yardbarker: Martin Gelinas

The 9 best NHL teams of the last decade

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:08:53 -0500

(No, the first decade of the 21st century doesn't technically end until 2011. Save your bellyaching. But we've had nine NHL seasons and one stolen from us since 1999-2000, and Yahoo! Sports has decided it's time to rank the best and worst of the last "decade." Enjoy, and snark freely in the comments.)Puck Daddy's Best & Worst of the Decade lists will run on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through the end of 2009. (Yes, that includes holidays; cynical appraisal nev...

Top 5 Calgary Flames moments, from Edmonton

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:23:47 -0500

Let me just say that it's a shame that there could only be five... 5. Mike Krushelnyski scoring from his stomach in double-overtime to eliminate the defending-champion Flames (Game 6, Smythe Division semifinal, April 15, 1990). It came after the Flames thought Doug Gilmour had the winner in the previous overtime, but for some reason, the goal light never came on and referee Denis Morel said he had whistled the play dead. The footage of Terry Crisp FREAKING OUT and the Krushelnyski ...

Top Five Edmonton Oilers Moments, from Calgary

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:15:12 -0500

5). Carolina Wins First Franchise Stanley Cup. The Official Home of the Calgary Flames on radio, the Fan 960, went so far as to call themselves the Official Home of the Carolina Hurricanes. Couldn't have anything to do with on-personality Rob Kerr's love of the song Brass Bonanza. 4). Wayne Gretzky breaks Gordie Howe's Career All-Time Points Record against the Oilers. Where you would have been if you didn't sell him to L.A. 3). Gretzky's Kings beat Gretzky-less...

The Biggest Trade In Hockey History

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:54:08 -0500

August 9 marks the anniversary of the biggest trade in the history of the National Hockey League. Edmonton Trades Wayne Gretzky On August 9, 1988 Wayne Gretzky, Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley were traded to the Los Angeles Kings from Edmonton in exchange for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first round draft choices (1989, 1991, 1993) and [...]Post from: NHL Digest- Hockey News and Equipment Reviews The Biggest Trade In Hockey History

1988 NHL Entry Draft…

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:49:00 -0500

With Jeremy Roenick retiring today, let’s look back at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft and just marvel at how amazing it has turned out. As per usual, the New York teams did nothing exciting. The Rangers didn’t have a 1st round pick (trying to track down what happened to it with no avail) but chose Troy Mallette and Murray Duval (no NHL games) with picks 22 and 26 in the 2nd round. Keep in mind, only 21 teams in the league at the time meant only 21 picks in the 1st round. The Islanders took Kevin Cheveldayoff 16th overall. He was one of only 2 players in the 1st round to not ever play a game in the NHL (Joey’s cousin, Kory Kocur, went 17th to Detroit). So, how great was the first round? Look at this top 10… 1) Mike Modano 2) Trevor Linden 3) Curtis Leschyshyn 7) Martin Gelinas Jeremy Roenick 9) Rod Brind’Amour 10) Teemu Selanne So, who would you rather have? The greatest American-born player of all-time? A born-leader who played with heart and soul? A solid defenseman? A winger who played until he was 38 and made the finals with 4 different teams? A 500-plus goal scorer who drew fans to every building he was in, including remote locations like Phoenix and Los Angeles? The best faceoff man in league history who also is great on the power play and is still playing 21 years later? Or a guy who scored 76 goals in his rookie year, scored 48 three seasons ago, and is going to suit up one more time at age 39? Also that year… 2nd Round Tie Domi, 27th, Toronto Tim Taylor, 36th, Washington 4th Round Mark Recchi, 67th, Pittsburgh Tony Amonte, 68th, Rangers Rob Blake, 70th, Los Angeles (Can you imagine how different the history of the NHL – and Continue reading 1988 NHL Entry Draft…

1988 NHL Entry Draft...

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:49:00 -0500

With Jeremy Roenick retiring today, let's look back at the 1988 NHL Entry Draft and just marvel at how amazing it has turned out.

As per usual, the New York teams did nothing exciting. The Rangers didn't have a 1st round pick (trying to track down what happened to it with no avail) but chose Troy Mallette and Murray Duval (no NHL games) with picks 22 and 26 in the 2nd round. Keep in mind, only 21 teams in the league at the time meant only 21 picks in the 1st round. The Islanders took Kevin Cheveldayoff 16th overall. He was one of only 2 players in the 1st round to not ever play a game in the NHL (Joey's cousin, Kory Kocur, went 17th to Detroit).

So, how great was the first round? Look at this top 10...

1) Mike Modano
2) Trevor Linden
3) Curtis Leschyshyn
7) Martin Gelinas
8) Jeremy Roenick
9) Rod Brind'Amour
10) Teemu Selanne

So, who would you rather have? The greatest American-born player of all-time? A born-leader who played with heart and soul? A solid defenseman? A winger who played until he was 38 and made the finals with 4 different teams? A 500-plus goal scorer who drew fans to every building he was in, including remote locations like Phoenix and Los Angeles? The best faceoff man in league history who also is great on the power play and is still playing 21 years later? Or a guy who scored 76 goals in his rookie year, scored 48 three seasons ago, and is going to suit up one more time at age 39?

Also that year...

2nd Round
Tie Domi, 27th, Toronto
Tim Taylor, 36th, Washington

4th Round
Mark Recchi, 67th, Pittsburgh
Tony Amonte, 68th, Rangers
Rob Blake, 70th, Los Angeles
(Can you imagine how different the history of the NHL - and the Rangers - would be had they drafted Blake or had Recchi fallen to them? Maybe no '91 & '92 Cups for the Penguins. And definitely no "Matteau, Matteau, Matteau!" as he came over with Brian Noonan in '94 in a trade for Amonte.)
Keith Carney, 76th, Buffalo
Joe Juneau, 81st, Boston

5th Round
Alex Mogilny, 89th, Buffalo

6th Round
Dmitri Khristich, 120th, Washington

7th Round
Val Kamensky, 129th, Quebec

8th Round
Sean Hill, 167th, Montreal

9th Round
Tony Twist, 177th, St. Louis

10th Round
Bret Hedican, 198th, St. Louis

12th Round
Claude Lapointe, 234th, Quebec

Not a bad group of Stanley Cup winners and Olympic Gold medalists in that draft class, eh? That's got to rank up there with the best drafts of all-time, along with 1990 (Nolan, Nedved, Primeau, Ricci, Jagr, Sydor, D. Hatcher, Brodeur, Tkachuk, Smolinski all in the 1st round) and possibly, when all is said and done, 2003 (1st rounders include M.A. Fleury, Eric Staal, Horton, Zherdev, Vanek, Michalek, Suter, Coburn, Phaneuf, Jeff Carter, A. Kostitsyn, D. Brown, Seabrook, Bernier, Parise, Getzlaf, Perry, Mike Richards, and Hugh Jessiman).

And a great career by Roenick, as well. He broke 100 points 3 straight years, and was dominant until the year before the lockout, when he dropped heavily down from his status as a point-per-game player. His year in L.A. was laughable, and his return to Phoenix was horrendous as well. But he was re-energized as a Shark the last 2 years, and in the playoffs last year against Anaheim, he was one of the 3 best Sharks out there.

Should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but his lack of a Cup might be the one hinderance. It shouldn't be a real issue though; he has the numbers and the international experience to merit being in there.

(Plus, he was incredible in NHL '93 for Sega Genesis. Him, Chris Chelios, and Ed Belfour made the Chicago Blackhawks nearly unstoppable in the game!)

Martin Gelinas Named Preds Director of Player Development

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:52:00 -0500

Nashville, Tenn. (June 15, 2009) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has named former Predator Martin Gelinas Director of Player Development. Gelinas will be respo...

Alumni get the grill out for charity

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:35:00 -0500

Join Calgary Flames and NHL Alumni including; Martin Gelinas and Charlie Simmer along with Cassie Campbell on Saturday, May 23rd for the 3rd Annual Celebrity Cook Off in support of the Ronald McDonald House at The Main Dish in Bridgeland, Calgary....

Some news and notes

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:57:27 -0500

Apparently Don Waddell's job isn't in jeopardy in Atlanta.A The Atlanta situation is probably going to get worse before it gets better. The Slap Shots Sunday column from Larry Brooks has been trimmed down.A He is going to increase his online presence to try and keep readers as informed. Martin ...

Turbulent Week

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:00:51 -0500

Saga strikes again with what has been a strange week for the Preds.....