Sturminator
Love is a duel
I'm going to use this thread as a place for dumping any and all interesting information that I happen to stumble upon in my trips around the internet. Mostly, I've found a lot of interesting bits and pieces on pre-war players who are maybe still a bit faceless to many of us. I invite other posters who I know do their fair share of research to use this thread, as well. One rule: let's please save our information until all players mentioned are drafted, or at least leave undrafteds out of what we quote in the articles.
Ok, first off, an article on Moose Johnson's retirement:
Ok, first off, an article on Moose Johnson's retirement:
In the hockey world "Moose" Johnson for years has occupied much the same position as did Larry Lajoie in baseball. For 21 years Johnson has been the idol of the hockey fans. He has been cheered and jeered, with emphasis on the cheers. No matter what the reception he always played remarkable hockey.
Big and husky, he carried fear into the hearts of the opposing players when he took the puck down the ice. Criticism from the fan always brought out the best that was in him. Fighting mad he would take chances that meant the constant flirting with serious injury. His nose dives in an effort to beat some player to the puck, and his "poke check", in which he took a big chance of being slashed by opponents' skates, always provided a big thrill.
Johnson began playing in the east in 1901. His long reach, great speed, and powerful build soon attracted much attention. For years, he starred with the Montreal Wanderers, the 1906 world champions, and for six years either holder or runner-up for the Stanley Cup, hockey's most prized trophy.
Johnson has the longest reach of any professional hockey player. He accentuates this with the longest stick used in the game, making him effective as far as 91 inches from the puck. When the cheers of the home fans turned to jeers Johnson decided he was through. In his passing hockey loses a player who has done much to popularize the sport.