11/05/24
February 12, 2004
Jim Kelley over at ESPN is talking about Hasek: and he thinks that everything is pretty eerie. Great read.
An out-of-shape 39-yr-old criminal with clear team loyalty issues and multi-retirements, and they drop $6mil on him? With his track record before and after joining the Wings, I would have to say that Wings management is "eeriely stupid" for re-signing him.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:59 PM on February 12, 2004
Some damning stuff in the article, but should Kelley really be the one to write stuff like this, considering their history? The accusation that Hasek intentionally threw playoff games is huge -- if I was editing ESPN.Com, I wouldn't be comfortable having that charge come from Kelley.
posted by rcade at 01:20 PM on February 12, 2004
rcade: He doesn't accuse Hasek of throwing the games, although he certainly implies it. The reader is left to draw his or her own conclusions. Very well-written article. And Hasek's a punk.
posted by Scott Carefoot at 01:28 PM on February 12, 2004
In Game 6, the Sabres were just over a minute away from eliminating the Penguins when a loose puck popped up in the air. Seemingly everyone in the building saw it except Hasek. And as it came down, Mario Lemieux swept it into the net to force overtime. The Penguins went on to win, forcing a Game 7 in Buffalo. That is a REALLY pathetic. Not for Hasek, but for the writer. There are hundreds of cases where a goalie loses sight of the puck that everyone else can see. Once it's above the boards, you are dealing with a black object against a dark background. If you are looking at the wrong angle, you aren't going to see it, period. That said, when I heard about Hasek announcing his own season-ending injury, I thought it sounded a bit weird.
posted by grum@work at 01:33 PM on February 12, 2004
I've been saying since Hasek announced he was quitting the season, that CuJo should pull a Patrick Roy on the Wings. Go into Ken Holland's office and announce that he's never playing another game for them, and demand to be traded. I love the Wings, but their treatment of CuJo this season has been beyond reprehensible. And now that they're gonna try to kiss his ass because he's the clear-cut #1 now, he should fuck them like he's been fucked all season...
posted by MeatSaber at 03:08 PM on February 12, 2004
the first part of the article, with the accusatory bits, certainly felt like it was written by somebody that was attacked by Hasek. interesting nonetheless. really now, what team would take a risk on hasek next season? The same team that bring Fleury back from the hinterlands?
posted by gspm at 03:11 PM on February 12, 2004
The floater goal by Lemieux seemed like a genuine fluke, but the Kasparitis 50-footer was absolutely pathetic. He didn't even try to save it, and once it hit the back of the net Hasek skated straight to the bench and off the ice, not even taking a second to mourn the loss. I'd always suspected something was amiss with that goal. Hasek is an enigma. There is no rational explanation for his behaviour, on or off the ice. He's as erratic as his goaltending style. Say what you will about him, but he's been quite a character for the ages in a mostly characterless NHL. Another tough question: say you're putting the Czech Republic's World Cup team together....who do you choose as your goalie? Come to think of it, isn't there another thoroughly crazy-ass Czech goalie out there whose name rhymes with "check-panic"?
posted by Succa at 07:18 PM on February 12, 2004
Stunts like this are exactly why I never liked Hasek. He was a damned good goalie, but his attitude and commitments (or lack there of) will follow him and because of them he'll never be equated as an all-time top class NHL goaltender. Or at the least, he'll have an asterisk beside his name with "dick" in small print. Also, Turek is Czech. I'd go with him.
posted by mkn at 07:55 PM on February 12, 2004
"Or at the least, he'll have an asterisk beside his name with "dick" in small print." hehe.
posted by owl at 08:00 PM on February 12, 2004
I don't feel like Kelley out-and-out said he threw the games, either. He just *nudge nudge* said there was some weird stuff going on there. It's all circumstantial evidence, but when you compile it ... it's pretty damning.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:22 PM on February 12, 2004
Thanks to Jim Kelley for going to the store and getting a can of tarnish and starting the enviable job of re-finishing Dom's career.
posted by garfield at 09:48 PM on February 12, 2004
garfield, your comments are fair enough. but, honestly, it sounds to me that all in all, hasek is refinishing his career, no help needed.
posted by owl at 11:01 PM on February 12, 2004
Regardless of how flakey or weird things may look in hindsight, there is NO denying that he's an easy choice for the hall of fame (when his turn comes up). While he didn't have the longest of careers, he put together more than enough amazing years (1993-2002) where he was the best or 2nd best goalie in the league (2 Harts, 6 Vezinas). And he was putting up those crazy numbers BEFORE it became common-place. If he'd played at that level for 3 or 4 more years, I think he'd be a strong candidate for best goalie ever.
posted by grum@work at 11:52 PM on February 12, 2004
Yeah, he was awesome. He beat my Leafs several years in a row in the playoffs, and for that, I have nothing but bad things to say about him.
posted by garfield at 08:25 AM on February 13, 2004
You must also hate Dwayne Roloson.
posted by mkn at 08:33 AM on February 13, 2004
What did Roloson do? Did he win a series against the Leafs?(what year are you referring to?) If so, then yes. The Leafs would out play the Sabres, but Hasek would outplay the Leafs.
posted by garfield at 08:59 AM on February 13, 2004
Roloson was in net for Hasek against Toronto in the conference finals. Leafs still lost.
posted by mkn at 09:25 AM on February 13, 2004
I tend to block out bad memories. I was also in school at the time, so extracurricular retention is minimal. Hasek is still the Knicks' MJ, IMO.
posted by garfield at 09:53 AM on February 13, 2004
OUCH! I hadn't considered all the similarities between this situation and the other "injuries" in Hasek's career. That's pretty damned ballsy of Kelley to call him out for the softie goals Hasek allowed in Buffalo to end the Penguins series a few years back. I just feel badly for Joseph. Yes, he's a big boy and he's rich, but the Wings crapped all over him at every turn this season. I hope he plays extremely well for the remainder of the season.