(This
is a series that will run through the offseason that highlights the best,
worst, and most irrelevant players to wear each number from 1 to whenever there
isn’t enough players that wore a certain number to do this. So…here…we…go…)
Do you find it strange that more forwards have worn
#8 for the Avs then defenseman? We do. Only 5 players have worn this number for
the Avalanche, but even if 15 players had worn it, the three impressively well
written choices we always present you with would be the exact same. Oh, and 8
is the number of years from now it will take Teemu Selanne to retire and not
score 30 goals a year. What a god…for other teams.
The Best: We could’ve two ways here. But that would
have been silly so we decided Sandis
Ozolinsh (Our spell checker just exploded) is the BEST #8 in Avs history. When
the Avs traded away former 1st overall pick Owen Nolan, who was a
rising star and still improving every year, for a Latvian defenseman with inconsistent
numbers, they were skeptical. But then that all went away. 19 points and a
Stanley Cup in the playoffs to go along with 13 goals in the regular season
will do that. Ozo would be an offensive dynamo for the Avs until he was traded
in 2000 for Nolan Pratt and a ton of draft picks that never amounted to
anything.
The Worst: Teemu
Selanne. This is the only well deserved “worst” list you will ever find
Selanne on. Selanne managed to save his worst season of his career for when he
played for the Avs with a whopping 32 points in 78 games. He should be putting
up those numbers now considering he’s 70-something, but no. He had to blow it
on one of the best teams on paper in NHL history. Don’t worry Teemu, we didn’t
need you against the Wild in the playoffs.
Selanne not scoring for the Avs
Mr. Irrelevant: Kevin
Shattenkirk. We’ve beaten the trade to death so we won’t talk about it. But
bottom line is this: he didn’t get enough time in Colorado. Have fun sitting in your empty office
twiddling your thumbs all day Sherman. If it was our decision we would have
fired you so hard that you wouldn’t get a job managing a 7 year old rec hockey
league in Louisiana. We hope you’re warm under that pathetic little blanket
that Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic have created for you.
Other
#8’s
Wojtek Wolski – runner up for the best. Obviously
not taking into account his time spent with Florida and the Rangers.
Jan Hejda – winner of the “Guy who goes unnoticed
most games only because every other defenseman on the team is messing up so
badly” award. The trophy for that one looks weird.
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