[The Chosen One]

This is a thread dedicated to all of those legendary hockey players who've helped create, revolutionize, innovative, dominant, and help pave the way for the world of Hockey as it is today. Please, take the time to write a short write-up on your favourite, or some of your favourite legends of hockey, forgotten legends or not. Retired players only please, or very promising early career players/very accomplished near retirement players.




In 1945 Frank "Ulcers" McCool became the first goaltender in NHL history to record an assist of a goal. His nickname, Ulcers was given to him post-career because he was forced to retire after playing just two seasons due to severe ulcers. He was awarded The Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) in 1945, and won one stanley cup with The Leafs in 1945, beating the Red Wings in 7 games. He also set a then playoff record, recording three consecutive shut-outs in the first 3 games against the Wings. Recently, Anaheim goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov achieved this same playoff shut-out feat., becoming the first rookie since McCool to pull this off.







Inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1986, David Keon accumulated an impressive 6 trophies in his lengthy 22 year (and 1296 game) career, starting with the Calder Trophy in '61 and ending with his second consecutive and second overall Paul Deneau Trophy (most gentlemanly player) in '79. Additionally in his second and third seasons he was awarded the Lady Byng Trophy (awarded for best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with performance in play) and arguably most impressively, the Conn Smythe Trophy (most valuable player during the playoffs) when he helped lead the Leafs to their '67 Stanley Cup victory. Keon accumulated a total of 986 points (396 goals, 590 assists) placing him within the top 100 all-time point leaders.








[Bryan Trottier (Left), Denis Potvin (Right) - Potvin being another player who more than deserves a spot in this thread]

Debuting for the Islanders in 1974, Bryan "Trots" Trottier was an integral member of one of the most impressive single-club dynasty's in playoff history, helping the Islanders to the Stanley Cup in 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1983. Foreshadowing this incredible run, Trottier racked up 134 points in '79, making him well worthy of his Art Ross Trophy (goal scoring leader at the end of the regular season) and Hart Trophy (MVP of regular season) both secured that year. Trottier was for much of the early-mid 80s considered the most important player in the National Hockey League, being valued as a better rounded player than even "The Great One" Wayne Gretzky. An unforunate (and very significant) dip in skill in 1989 would ultimately be the primary thing holding Trottier back from what could have been an immortalized career which may or may not have been bested (and even then, by only the very elite). Despite having a very disappointing 5 seasons (his final season scoring just 4 goals in 41 games) he managed to average 1.11 points per game (tieing him for 14th all-time best PPG for players with at least 1,000 points, along with Buffalo Legend Gilbert Perreault). Though he has been bumped down to 14th since, at the time of retirement he ranked 6th in NHL history for most points. But despite retirement, he was determined to win a 7th Stanley Cup (he won two with the Pens in '91 and '92) and he did so as assistant coach of the Colorado Avalanche in '01. Tragically like his hockey career, his coaching career went down the drain after his skills seemingly deteroriated once again.







Nicknamed the "Russian Rocket" for his speed and quick mobility across the ice, Russian Phenom Pavel Bure took the NHL by storm in 1992, capturing the Calder Trophy with an impressive 34 goals in 65 games, and 10 points in 13 playoff contests. Bure lead Vancouver to the Stanley Cup in '94, the same year he became the first Canuck to reach and surpass the 50 goal barrier (totalling 60). Pavel Bure was destined for only the greatest of success in the National Hockey League, as a very young man he became the 6th fastest player in history to net 100 goals, scoring against every team he ever played against in the process. However tragedy would strike in his next season, only 4 seasons into his career he suffered a knee injury at the hands of Steve Smith. Displaying great honour, he accepted that this was part of the game and showed no hard feelings towards Smith. Always thinking of his fans, when Bure wasn't signing autographs for youngsters or plowing past the defense and wiring one home, Bure not only publically provided his postal as well as electronic mail addresses, he even hosted a chat room on one occasion too. All hope was not lost though for this man, anyone who only starts playing hockey at the age of 16 and attains the Calder Trophy cannot have such a potentially great career cut that short. He would return the season after sustaining his knee injury, and he did not disappoint. By 1998 he finished 3rd in the NHL points leadership at 90 points (with 51 goals). He was not quite the specimen he was earlier in his career, but he could still hang with the best, and outskate all of them. Sadly this would be his last season in which he would really produce at such a high level, his injuries worsened and worsened, ultimately leading to an early retirement early on in the 2005-2006 season because he had re-injured his knee badly in 2003. Bure was built to be everything but fate worked in twisted ways, hindering this classy man's expected future record breakings. He will never be remebered in a prolific way like Wayne Gretzky, but no one can ever deny his incredible accomplishments and impact he made, revitilizing the Canucks in the early 90s, and capturing the Maurice Richard Trophy (most goals scored in the regular season) twice, in '00, and '01. For his incredible potential, and exploitation of said potential while he still had the opportunity, Pavel Bure will forever be immortalized as one of my favourite players, and a legend in his own right.






Players to be covered (by myself) in following days:
Ron Francis, Adam Oates, Glenn Anderson, Jean Béliveau, Denis Savard, Ron Francis, David "Tiger" Williams, Terry Sawchuk, Clint Benedict, and finally Ron "Hexy" Hextall.



It is highly encouraged that any of you who would like to contribute do so! If you would like to do anyone that i've already done, or intend on covering soon feel free! I'll just merge the two descriptions one on top of the other in one post, creditting whoever posted which. Enjoy these and the ones to come. I'm open to constructive critisms if you think I should've written something differently, added something, left something out, or of course if I posted anything incorrect I'd love to be corrected - thanks!

PS: I hope you all will appreciate this thread even if you only read it, i'm going to be putting quite a lot of time into it. Also note that it wasn't easy to get those youtube videos embedded into this post, I had to do a little coding to set that up. Speaking of which, if you would like to add a video highlighting anything from a player that you do a little write-up on, please pm me a link to the video, and I will set it up for you. Same thing applies to images, this way we will not have to hotlink other people's images.

[DarkFalcon]

Cool thread bro. When I have more time I'll be adding to it.