2008/09 NHL Thread

If Lady Byng had not possessed female genitalia, she would not have been "Lady" Byng.

Seriously, come on. Did you miss the open-mouth smiley after the "pussy prize" reference?

Any NHL honour is a great honour, in my opinion. But I believe there are more than a few NHL players who would rather masturbate with a cheese grater than win the Lady Byng. I remember a few years ago when Alexander Mogilny, after being nominated, publicly announced he wanted no part of it and wouldn't show up for the ceremony. Of course, he recanted a day or two later, and did in fact show up for the ceremony (at which he did in fact win the award).

The point I was trying to make with my joke about Gretzky and Bossy, although I admit that including Bossy was undeserved, is that no one should associate them with the Byng Trophy in order to prove its merit as a valued NHL award. They were great, all-world players, no question, but Gretzky in particular was also one of the biggest sucks in the NHL. Whining on the ice and hiding behind the likes of Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley, as far as I'm concerned, does not qualify one to win a sportsmanship/gentlemanly play award. Give me Paul Kariya, give me Ron Francis, give me Frank Boucher, give me anybody but Gretzky and Pierre (I Have Raisins Where My Testicles Should Be) Turgeon.

P.S. Also, don't give me Syl Apps Jr., who never won the Lady Byng no matter what John McGourty of NHL.com might think. Syl Apps Sr. won it while playing for the Leafs; his son had a half-decent NHL career, but he never won a league award.

 

wow I feel a little discontent directed towards the great one from Double J. And it is very fair to throw Bossy into there as well if you are going in that direction.

 

I don't know that Bossy was quite the whiner that Gretzky was.....but, as with most other aspects of hockey, who was on Gretzky's level when it came to whining?

 

Bossy denounced fighting but was more than happy to be protected by Gillies, Nystrom and the bunch.

Get Tiger Williams talking about Bossy, it's very entertaining

 

I hear you. And because of one name you exonerated - in addition to the explanation - it's all good.

I just didn't want the Lady Byng to automatically mean there was something wrong with each of the award winners. That would have started a major argument.

 

Oh, I know.....and I love the story about how he tried to cut Billy Smith's head off - he wanted to throw the head into the stands. That would've been awesome!

 

Wow, can't believe this, but JC and I are actually on the same page about something without the long drawn out debate.

 

How many Stanley Cups did Tiger win?

 

If you two can just get Mark to also agree, maybe Gary Bettman's head will explode!

 

Same number as his good buddy, former linemate and fellow legend Darryl Sittler, why do you ask?

 

For that end result, it's worth trying for

 

Here's a discussion we were having in the office the other day: Chris Osgood: 363 NHL reg season wins, 60 playoff wins, 3 Cups (and counting .). Hockey Hall of Famer or useful player on a great team? If his career were to end this year would you vote him in?