Mike lowe lacrosse. Mike Lowe: Towson University’s Lacrosse Defensive Powerhouse

Who is Mike Lowe and what are his achievements in lacrosse. How did Mike Lowe contribute to Towson University’s lacrosse program. What awards and recognitions did Mike Lowe receive during his college lacrosse career.

Mike Lowe’s Rise to Lacrosse Stardom

Mike Lowe, a standout defender for Towson University’s men’s lacrosse team, has left an indelible mark on the program. His journey from a promising high school athlete to a collegiate All-American is a testament to his skill, dedication, and impact on the field.

High School Accomplishments

Before donning the Towson Tigers’ jersey, Lowe was already making waves in the lacrosse world. At Urbana High School, he showcased his leadership qualities by serving as the defensive captain for both the football and lacrosse teams. His exceptional play earned him two selections to the prestigious Adidas All-American game, highlighting his status as one of the nation’s top high school lacrosse players.

Lowe’s athletic prowess extended beyond lacrosse. He was selected for the Metro Bowl in football and played a crucial role in securing a Maryland 3A/4A football state title during his junior year. This multisport success laid the foundation for his future achievements in collegiate lacrosse.

Freshman Year: Laying the Groundwork

Lowe’s freshman year at Towson in 2013 saw him quickly integrate into the team’s defensive unit. He played in 18 games, starting two, and began to showcase his ability to impact the game beyond traditional defensive statistics.

• 24 ground balls collected
• 10 caused turnovers
• 4 shots taken, demonstrating his potential for offensive contributions

His performance against No. 18 Drexel in the CAA semifinals, where he secured a crucial ground ball, hinted at his ability to perform in high-pressure situations.

Sophomore Season: Expanding His Role

In 2014, Lowe’s role on the team expanded significantly. He saw action in 15 games, starting four, and became a key player in Towson’s defensive strategy.

• First defender off the bench
• Occasionally served as a wing on face-offs
• Scored 2 goals on 3 shots, both in crucial games against ranked opponents
• 18 ground balls and 6 caused turnovers

Lowe’s ability to contribute offensively while maintaining his defensive prowess made him a versatile asset for the Tigers.

Junior Year: Anchoring the Defense

The 2015 season saw Lowe cement his position as a cornerstone of Towson’s defense. Starting all 18 games, he played a pivotal role in the team’s top-five defensive unit.

• 22 ground balls
• 11 caused turnovers
• Standout performance against No. 2 Notre Dame in the NCAA First Round

Lowe’s disciplined play was evident in his minimal time spent in the penalty box, serving just 8 penalties for a total of 5 minutes throughout the season. His contributions to the man-down unit helped Towson achieve a 72.9% penalty kill rate, ranking seventh in the country.

Senior Season: Reaching New Heights

Lowe’s final year at Towson in 2016 was marked by individual accolades and team success. His performance earned him numerous recognitions and solidified his status as one of the top defenders in college lacrosse.

Notable Achievements:

• Honorable mention All-CAA preseason selection
• CAA Player of the Week (May 2)
• Second Team All-CAA honors
• CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
• USILA All-America honorable mention
• Selected to play in the prestigious USILA North/South game

Lowe started all 19 games at close defense, anchoring a unit that led the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 7.26 goals per game. His statistical output was impressive:

• 21 caused turnovers (2nd on team, 9th in CAA, 72nd nationally)
• 47 ground balls (2nd on team)
• 1 goal and 1 assist

Mike Lowe’s Impact on Towson Lacrosse

Throughout his four years at Towson, Mike Lowe’s contributions extended far beyond the stat sheet. His leadership, versatility, and consistent performance helped elevate the Tigers’ lacrosse program to national prominence.

Defensive Prowess

Lowe’s ability to cause turnovers and secure ground balls made him a disruptive force for opposing offenses. His senior year performance, in particular, was instrumental in Towson boasting the best scoring defense in the country.

Offensive Contributions

While primarily known for his defensive skills, Lowe demonstrated the ability to contribute offensively when the opportunity arose. His goals in key games against ranked opponents showcased his versatility and big-game mentality.

Leadership and Consistency

Starting every game in his junior and senior seasons, Lowe provided a steady presence in Towson’s backline. His role in the team’s success during conference play and postseason tournaments highlighted his leadership qualities.

Legacy and Future Prospects

Mike Lowe’s collegiate career at Towson University has set a high bar for future defenders in the program. His progression from a promising freshman to an All-American honoree demonstrates the potential for player development within the Towson lacrosse system.

Professional Potential

Given his accolades and performance at the collegiate level, Lowe has positioned himself as a potential prospect for professional lacrosse. His selection to the USILA North/South game provides additional exposure to scouts and could open doors for a professional career.

Inspiring Future Tigers

Lowe’s success story serves as an inspiration for incoming Towson lacrosse players. His journey from a multi-sport high school athlete to a specialized lacrosse defender showcases the opportunities available within the program for player growth and specialization.

Mike Lowe’s Playing Style and Strengths

Throughout his career at Towson, Mike Lowe developed a distinctive playing style that made him a formidable defender and a valuable asset to his team. Understanding his strengths provides insight into what made him such an effective player.

Tactical Awareness

Lowe’s ability to read the game and anticipate opponents’ moves was evident in his consistent ability to cause turnovers. This tactical awareness allowed him to disrupt offensive plays and quickly transition the ball to Towson’s offense.

Physical Presence

Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 205 pounds during his senior year, Lowe had the physical attributes to match up against top attackmen. His size and strength enabled him to hold his ground in one-on-one situations and contest ground balls effectively.

Versatility

While primarily a close defender, Lowe’s experience as a wing on face-offs and his occasional offensive contributions demonstrated his versatility. This adaptability made him a valuable player in various game situations.

Discipline

Lowe’s minimal time spent in the penalty box, particularly during his junior and senior seasons, highlighted his disciplined approach to defense. This allowed him to stay on the field and contribute consistently to Towson’s defensive efforts.

Statistical Analysis of Mike Lowe’s Career

A closer look at Mike Lowe’s statistical output over his four years at Towson reveals a player who consistently improved and adapted his game to meet the team’s needs.

Ground Balls

Lowe’s ground ball statistics show a steady increase over his career:

• Freshman Year: 24
• Sophomore Year: 18
• Junior Year: 22
• Senior Year: 47

The significant jump in his senior year demonstrates his increased involvement in all aspects of the game and his importance to the team’s success.

Caused Turnovers

Lowe’s ability to disrupt opposing offenses is evident in his caused turnover statistics:

• Freshman Year: 10
• Sophomore Year: 6
• Junior Year: 11
• Senior Year: 21

The dramatic increase in his senior year coincided with Towson’s exceptional defensive performance, highlighting Lowe’s role in the team’s success.

Offensive Contributions

While not a primary scorer, Lowe’s occasional offensive contributions added an unexpected element to Towson’s game plan:

• Sophomore Year: 2 goals
• Senior Year: 1 goal, 1 assist

These statistics, while modest, demonstrate Lowe’s ability to contribute in transition and capitalize on fast-break opportunities.

Mike Lowe’s Role in Towson’s Defensive Schemes

As a key member of Towson’s defensive unit, Mike Lowe played a crucial role in implementing and executing the team’s defensive strategies. His versatility and skill set allowed the coaching staff to employ various defensive schemes effectively.

Man-to-Man Defense

In Towson’s man-to-man defensive setups, Lowe often drew assignments against the opponent’s top attackmen. His physical presence and one-on-one defensive skills made him an ideal matchup against skilled offensive players.

Zone Defense

When Towson employed zone defenses, Lowe’s field awareness and communication skills were essential. His ability to direct teammates and anticipate offensive movements helped maintain the integrity of the zone.

Transition Defense

Lowe’s speed and agility made him an asset in transition defense. His ability to quickly move from offense to defense helped prevent fast-break opportunities for opponents.

Man-Down Situations

As part of Towson’s man-down unit, Lowe contributed to the team’s impressive 72.9% penalty kill rate during his junior year. His positioning and ability to disrupt passing lanes were crucial in these high-pressure situations.

Mike Lowe’s collegiate lacrosse career at Towson University is a testament to his skill, dedication, and impact on the program. From his early days as a promising freshman to his senior year as an All-American honoree, Lowe consistently demonstrated the qualities of a top-tier defender. His contributions to Towson’s defensive success, particularly during his senior year when the team boasted the nation’s best scoring defense, have left an indelible mark on the program. As Lowe moves forward, whether into professional lacrosse or other endeavors, his legacy at Towson serves as an inspiration for future players and a benchmark for defensive excellence in collegiate lacrosse.

Mike Lowe – Men’s Lacrosse

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Biography

2016 Season: Named honorable mention All-CAA preseason … tabbed as the CAA Player of the Week (May 2) … collected Second Team All-CAA honors … voted as the CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player … played in the prestigious USILA North/South game for the South squad … earned USILA All-America honorable mention plaudits … started all 19 games at close defense during his senior season … caused 21 opponent turnovers, ranking second on the team, ninth in the CAA and 72^nd nationally … scored in transition “Leroy Jenkins” style at UMass (April 9) for his first goal since the 2014 season … added an assist in Towson’s overtime win at Ohio State (March 15) … grabbed 47 groundballs, ranking second on the team … came alive during CAA action, getting eight groundballs against Fairfield (April 23) and seven at Hofstra (April 30) … backed the best scoring defense in the country as Towson allowed just 7. 26 goals per game.

2015 Season: Played and started all 18 games for a top-five defensive unit … grabbed 22 groundballs and caused 11 turnovers, including three against No. 2 Notre Dame (May 9) in the NCAA First Round … took one shot against UMBC (March 7) … served just eight penalties for five minutes … when not in the box, played on a man-down unit that ranked seventh in the country, killing penalties at a 72.9 percent rate.

2014 Season: First defender to enter the game after the start … sometimes served as a wing on face-offs … saw action in 15 games, starting four … scored two goals on three shots … added 18 ground balls and six caused turnovers … tallied his goals in big games – at No. 14 Johns Hopkins and at No. 16 Drexel in the CAA semifinals – both goals came on fast breaks … ranked fourth on the team in caused turnovers.

2013 Season: Played in 18 games, starting two … picked up two ground balls against St. Joseph’s … took four shots … notched 24 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers … had a ground ball against No. 18 Drexel in the CAA semifinals on May 1.

At Urbana H.S.: Defensive captain for both football and lacrosse … two-time selection to the Adidas All-American game … selected to the Metro Bowl for football … won a Maryland 3A/4A football state title as a junior … helped team post an undefeated record as a junior.

Personal: Roots for the Redskins and Robert Griffin III … has two brothers … son of Dave and Christy Lowe … major is sports management.

Statistics

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Historical Player Information

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©2023 Towson University Athletics

Princeton University

At Princeton

Honors/Records

* 2023 second-team All-American (USILA, Inside Lacrosse, USA Lacrosse Magazine)

* 2023 unanimous first-team All-Ivy League

* 2023 Tewaaraton Award Final 25 Nominee

* school record for goals in a season (55)

* only player in program history with multiple games of at least eight goals

* one of two players in program history with multiple games of at least 10 points

2023

USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Magazine second-team All-American . .. unanimous first-team All-Ivy League selection … was a Tewaaraton Final 25 nominee … set the program record for goals ina season with 55 … tied for fourth on Princeton’s single-season points list with 78 … is the only player in program history with at least 50 goals and 20 assists in a season … three time Ivy League Player of the Week … had at least three goals in 11 of 15 games … was third in Division I in points per game and fourth in goals per game … tied program record for goals in an NCAA tournament game with six against Penn State … is one of two players in program history with multiple games of at least 10 points (had 8G, 2A against both Harvard and Yale; Michael Sowers is the other player, and he did so five times) … is the only player in program history with multiple career games of at least eight goals … is the second Princeton player ever with at least 45 goals and 20 assists in a season (Mike MacDonald in 2015 was the other) … is one of three Princeton players with at least 10 games of three goals or more in a season (Mike MacDonald in 2015, Chris Massey in 1997) . .. became the first Princeton player with at least three goals in five or more games since Gavin McBride did it twice (2016, 2017) … has three or more goals in 14 of 29 career games … had career highs of eight goals and 10 points in win over Yale, earning Ivy Player of the Week and USA Lacrosse National Player of the Week honors … had three goals and three assists against Brown for his second straight Ivy Player of the Week award … had two goals against Penn in the ILT semifinal … had five goals and six points against Georgetown … had three goals and three assists against Rutgers … had three of Princeton’s five goals against Maryland … had four goals and two assists against Monmouth … had three goals against Manhattan … had 28 goals and 15 assists a year ago; his 43 points were the fourth-most ever by a Princeton freshman, behind only Michael Sowers, Kevin Lowe and Ryan Boyle

Goals in a season

55 Coulter Mackesy (2023)

54 Gavin McBride (2017)

53 Jesse Hubbard (1997)

49 Wick Sollers (1977)

Points in a season

90 Michael Sowers (2019)

83 Michael Sowers (2018)

82 Michael Sowers (2017)

78 Coulter Mackesy (2023)

78 Mike MacDonald (2015)

74 Jon Hess (1997)

72 Jesse Hubbard (1996)

2022

* began the year as a middie and made first career start on attack against Georgetown

* had 28 goals and 15 assists; he and Michael Sowers are the only two Princeton freshmen ever to reach at least 25G/15A . .. is fourth in points by a Princeton freshman all-time, trailing only Sowers, Kevin Lowe and Ryan Boyle …  had two goals and two assists in the first four games; has 25 goals and 13 assists in the last nine … had two goals and an assist in NCAA win over Yale …had five goals and six points against Cornell … had four goals and two assists in second career start, against Rutgers, to earn Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors … had four goals against Harvard … had three goals and an assist against Boston University … had three assists against Marist

 

Freshman point scorers

1. Michael Sowers (82)

2. Kevin Lowe (55)

3. Ryan Boyle (53)

4. Coulter Mackesy (43)

At Brunswick High School – Varsity four times in lacrosse and squash. Varsity lacrosse and squash captain senior year. Helped lead Brunswick to a 14-3 record and a top 5 ranking. All-New England, team MVP, Under Armour All-American, team leader in scoring sophomore and senior year. Helped lead Brunswick to three high school squash National Championships, All-American junior year. 87 career goals and 58 career assists. Played club lacrosse for Westchester Predators. 

 
Personal – Son of Jennifer and Scott Mackesy. Mother and father graduated from William & Mary. Older brother Tyler plays squash at UVa.

“Ovechkin is a bull who can walk through a brick wall. But I would take Gretzky to my team.” Interview with Alexei Kovalev

About the development of hockey in China, the role of personal acquaintances in the NHL, lacrosse-style goals and a Moscow apartment bought with a Kazan salary.

About the development of hockey in China, the role of personal acquaintances in the NHL, lacrosse-style goals and a Moscow apartment bought with a Kazan salary.

Alexander Ovechkin caught up with Alexei Kovalev in the list of the main Russian long-livers of the NHL. The AK-27 played 1,316 regular league games in its time. Ovechkin repeated the record on Friday against Nashville.

On Sunday, Alex the Great will update the achievement by meeting Columbus. In the meantime, read an hour and a half interview with Match TV with another legend of our hockey, Kovalev, where a lot of interesting things await you. After all, Alexei managed to play in the same team with both Gretzky and Ovi!

“They told me that they don’t take Russians to Kunlun anymore”

— Alexey, hello! What are you doing now? The last time you were in sight was when you worked at the Kunlun headquarters and went to the Beijing Olympics.

– When it all started at the end of February 2022, Kunlun said that they were no longer taking Russians into the team. This is due to the fact that I will not be able to go to the World Cup.

I tell them: “But you have a Russian goalkeeper coach.” They answer: “This is completely different. And you are a star, there will be a lot of attention to you.” Now I’m looking at the Kunlun squad – there are Russian players…

– Goalkeeper Alexei Murygin, defender Dmitry Kostenko, forwards Ivan Lisin and German Tochilkin…

– It is clear that they found an excuse not to work with me further. But I calmly reacted to this: “If you don’t need it, then you don’t need it.” Just tell it like it is, and don’t look for excuses. What am I doing now? I improve my health, I help individual hockey players.

– Adam Oates recently gave an interview to Match TV and told how he personally leads such stars as Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov.

– I also started working with one NHL player. This is indeed fashionable among the younger generation of hockey players. Everyone is looking for individual trainers who have achieved something themselves and can share their experience.

– Who is your client player?

– This is the Czech Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, number 88. He is 23 years old. We analyze the video, I watch his matches and help during the season.

Artemy Panarin and Martin Nechas / Photo: © REUTERS / Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports

– He is the best scorer of Carolina, which is second in the NHL table.

– Previously, he scored a maximum of 41 points per championship. And now he has 36 by the middle of the season. Already set a personal record for goals (16). He plays a lot in threes with Andrey Svechnikov, if you noticed. Martin and I had a lot to discuss. But so far everything is going well for him, and progress is obvious.

– Did you have any offers from the KHL to return to the post of coach?

— Not yet. At first they were offered to Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. But the proposals did not go further.

– Are you ready to “live on an airplane”?

– I would like to get into a team that has opportunities. I’m not saying that Amur and Admiral don’t have them. But after working for several years at Kunlun, you understand how hard it is when you constantly fly, you get exhausted by the middle of the season. With any players it is so hard to fight for high goals, to get into the playoffs.

I would like to work in a team that regularly goes to the playoffs. I think I ruined my coaching reputation with Kunlun, the statistics became bad. We need to fix it with a normal team, where there is an opportunity to achieve something.

“Chinese rejoiced at the success in the World Cup”

– Are you curious about what is happening with Kunlun this season?

– I don’t care what they do there. These are their questions.

Alexey Kovalev / Photo: © KHL

– How did the party and the government evaluate the result of the Chinese team at the Olympics?

– You can’t tell right away. But it is more valuable for China how they then took first place in the World Cup group, playing with incomprehensible teams.

– China won the second division of the World Cup in April, beating the teams of the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, Israel and Australia.

– Just about. The Chinese were really happy that they had won the World Cup and moved up one division. Therefore, their entire concentration is to shoot at the first division of rank B.

– There you already have to play with Japan, Ukraine, Estonia, Serbia and again with the Dutch.

– China is throwing all its strength into it in order to break into the next Olympics. But I think it will be hard for them already in this group. It’s not like playing with the Spaniards, who couldn’t even touch the puck.

And if it’s about the Olympics, it’s hard to judge whether people in China are happy. If you haven’t won a single match, then it’s hard to be satisfied. On the other hand, before the tournament, the Chinese kept asking me the question: “Will we score at least one goal? We are playing against Canada, the USA and Germany.”

I said, “Why shouldn’t we score?” They were worried about an example from football, how the Chinese could not score a single goal at the World Cup. It was considered a disgrace.

But we scored two goals against the Germans, and with the same Canada (0:5) we showed good hockey. I think this result eventually suited the Chinese.

“You can’t find a job in the NHL without connections”

— How do you like the news that Lada might return to the KHL? You yourself are from Togliatti. Have you been there for a long time?

– A new hockey palace was built there in Togliatti. And after a year or two, the team was removed from the KHL. It looked strange. The arena is good.

Photo: © GAU SO “Arena”

In the second half of 2022, I flew home twice. Not so long ago I went to Moscow, visited my mother in Togliatti. It’s so hard to believe that Lada will be returned to the KHL. But let’s see, God bless them. Moreover, the city has everything for big hockey, and Lada is doing well in the VHL table.

The command as such is. You can collect a decent composition. The main thing is that there is a right approach, and money is invested in development. I would like to return the famous Togliatti school in which we were brought up. It would be great to see a new generation of talented hockey players.

— Would you like to work with Lada in the KHL?

– Who doesn’t dream of coaching a team from their hometown? It would be interesting to pass on the experience of that old school so that a new generation rises, so that Togliatti has a worthy team that can fight for the Gagarin Cup.

– “Lada” is no worse than “Kunlun”.

— She could be better. “Kunlun” won’t even stand next to it! Although, if the Chinese club starts recruiting Russian players… But then it will no longer be Kunlun. But if this team of hockey players of Chinese origin is defined in the VHL, then I am not sure that Kunlun will be the leader there.

— When will they go back to China?

– As I heard, Kunlun will also spend the next two years in Mytishchi. Because there is still quarantine due to the pandemic. Everything can change, of course… It would be better for Kunlun to return home, because all the sponsors are there. All their money is there. But you need to work very hard to increase attendance and promote hockey in China.

— Is it realistic for you to find a job in the NHL? Your friend Sergey Zubov, when not working in the KHL, became a consultant for St. Louis, and then for Dallas.

– You can get into the NHL club. But it’s like everywhere else, like in the KHL – you need to have connections, and there must be those who want to work with you. Everything is built on connections, and even more so in the NHL. Look – Chris Drury became the general manager of the Rangers, and began to bring all his own. Martin St. Louis became the head coach of Montreal – he assembled his staff.

Photo: © Graham Hughes / Keystone Press Agency / Global Look Press

So you have to be part of the social circle. Three years ago, I called NHL teams, and I did it for two seasons in a row. I asked in the summer if you even need a development coach to help the young. They kept repeating the same thing like an answering machine: at the moment there is nothing.

At first they said that I was calling late and all seats were taken. Then they began to answer that there were no vacancies yet, but call later.

“Panarin’s son was born, now you can’t just call him”

– Does Artemy Panarin live close to you in New York?

— Yes, 15 minutes by car.

– Do you visit each other?

– We meet sometimes, we go somewhere to eat. We are friends at home. It’s just that now you can’t visit Artemy so easily. He has a new addition to his family, and he has no time for walks with friends. Plus, you need to prepare for the matches, and Artemy is doing great.

– New York Rangers top scorer.

– Artemy takes hockey very seriously, and this is important to him. Therefore, you won’t call him again, you won’t bother him.

– You have two sons. And who was born to Panarin and Alice?

– I think it’s a boy.

– Panarin Jr. will grow up, go to hockey – you will train him.

– If I make it to that time. And most importantly, you need to invest in a child from a young age. What we give to children is deposited in the head. Even if they reach the main truths only at 18-20 years old, and their parents will no longer be an authority, they are already tired, and it’s time to listen to someone else. But the laying of the foundation goes from childhood.

Another thing is that it is difficult to get the new generation to train in the summer. They all think: the season will start, then we will prepare. But in the summer you can relax. You try to teach young people, but it can fly in one ear and fly out the other. If a child is talented, reaches for something, then he will perceive the words of his elders.

– It is a pity that Panarin does not have the strongest partners in the club trio. He could play even better.

– I spoke about this to Artemy, and many people are discussing this topic. It can be seen that with the best Rangers players, he comes out only in the majority. On the other hand, I told Tyoma last year: “You and these partners in the trio have the opportunity to take over the game and show who is the leader.”

Photo: © REUTERS / Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

Last year, Panarin played at the end of the championship and the playoffs injured, so it was hard for him to do it. But this season, it is clear that he takes the game more upon himself. Of course, he is small in stature, not so fast. But he has other abilities.

I remember back when I was playing – the hardest thing was with short sharp technical opponents. Artemy has this. He pulls other players onto himself and sees the court well, passing. He reads the game two moves ahead. These leadership qualities are visible in him.

Of course, Kreider and Zibanejad will be kept together on the first line, because they have teamwork. If you put Panarin next to them, then all the other fives will be broken, and you won’t go far on one link. Panarin is now playing at full power, and he can be placed with any players – he will make them stronger.

Compared to Ovechkin, Sanya plays with partners who can create a moment for him and bring him to a striking position. Panarin, on the other hand, is not in the top three with those who help him a lot. At the same time, he cannot take the whole game on himself, otherwise they will adjust to him and quickly close. Therefore, he distributes a lot of passes and does more work than an ordinary star with strong partners.

“I don’t think the Rangers put an end to Kravtsov”

— If your champion Rangers in 1994 and the current Rangers played, who would win?

– Modern Rangers wouldn’t stand a chance. We would easily beat them. Our line-up was more correct. Now the Rangers have a good attack and goalkeeper, but the defense leaves much to be desired. And who played defense in 1994? The best scorer of the team was the defender – Sergey Zubov (89 points). The third scorer was Brian Leach (79), and Kevin Lowe (19), Zhora Karpovtsev (18), Jeff Bukibum (16) also played for us.

Joe Kokur / Photo: © Mitchell Layton / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

There were leading defenders, there was a depth of the squad – the rest who helped them and did the dirty work. I think the Rangers are missing that right now. There are no defenders who can start an attack, pass in time.

– Adam Fox (37) – third scorer on the team, he received the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman.

– He has something bright in places. This is the only defensive player we can talk about. And Fox doesn’t always do the right thing. But in attack he shows himself well, well done.

It’s hard to succeed with one top defenseman. If the defense is good, Igor Shesterkin should not receive more than 30 shots on his goal per match. And he makes 45 saves per game. It’s too much.

– Why don’t young people reveal themselves brightly – Alexi Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko? They have less than half a point per game, and they are draft stars. I’m not talking about Vitaly Kravtsov.

– Kravtsov just got out – after seven minutes he was injured. He traveled a lot between the KHL and the NHL, he was not given the opportunity to the Rangers. Now they give, it seems like he is showing something. But again, injury after injury. And in the NHL you need to survive, and they will bet on such people.

I don’t think that they put an end to Kravtsovo. And the Rangers have a good coach – Gerard Galant. I know him from the days when he worked in Florida and Vegas. So if a hockey player has potential and he shows something, then Gallan will let him play. So something else is interfering.

Kakko – he has talent. Of course, you need to work with it, develop it. His only problem is instability. He can play well and then fall apart. It is very important who you go out with. Such a young talented forward will have a hard time on the fourth line. We need partners from whom we can push off so as not to take the whole game on ourselves.

“Ovechkin can play until 50 like Jagr”

– Alexander Ovechkin overtook Gordie Howe in goals at 37. Does he surprise you?

– What’s surprising? There is a shot, he throws accurately, the partners give passes. Why not score? So you can play at 45. The main thing is that the throw does not disappear, and the forces would not go anywhere.

Photo: © REUTERS / Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

And Ovechkin is full of energy. And with his power, he can play up to 50 years. Sasha is the same build as Jaromir Jagr.

– You were the captain of the Russian Olympic team in Turin 2006 when Ovechkin came to his first Games. Has his style changed much since then?

– Then Sasha was young, he tried to do more individually. I wanted to circle, run away. He continues to do this now, and his game has not changed so much.

But now Ovechkin is more important to be in the right place at the right time. Someone will pass, and he will throw. Somewhere he will come out and play finishing moves. Or dig a puck in the patch.

When Ovechkin arrived in the NHL, he started shooting more than in the Super League. And in Russian hockey, in his youth, he was more aimed at passing and drawing combinations.

– In the 2004/2005 season, you played for Ak Bars, and 19-year-old Ovechkin played for Dynamo Moscow. Did you see something unique in it?

– After the lockout, I returned to the NHL, trained in Novogorsk in the summer. And Ovechkin approached me in 2005: “Does it make sense for me to go to the NHL now?”

I answered him: “San, of course, go. You are still young, there is an opportunity.” I liked his aggressiveness, his desire to score goals. I was not a supporter of this style, I have my own game. Ovechkin was a different forward, and his game brought him results. He chose the right style for himself.

But I saw that Sasha has a character, that he loves to score. Therefore, I thought that he could show himself in the NHL. But, of course, no one ever imagined in 2005 that Ovechkin would claim Gretzky’s record for goals, that he would set so many achievements.

Sanya – well done, God bless him, so that he breaks all records in the NHL. Play as long as you have the strength and desire.

— How did you communicate at the Olympics in Turin? Did they take care of him?

– I was always on the same wavelength with the young guys. Especially when you see the potential and capabilities of the player. When I started, the veterans strangled me, and I could not afford some things.

Alexey Kovalev / Photo: © Al Bello / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Having gone through this, on the contrary, you somehow try to help young guys. Somewhere to tell you what to do. And I was always happy for the juniors, who at that age already showed themselves at a high level.

— What was in our locker room when Russia defeated Canada (2:0) in the quarterfinals? Ovechkin scored the winning goal, and you fixed the score.

– Everyone understood how prestigious it was to play against Canadians in the strongest squad. They remembered the 1981 Canada Cup Final when they were beaten 8-1. We set ourselves up so that we would not be overwhelmed by emotions. It was important not to burn out, but just to go out and show our best hockey, so that each of us could do it.

That match turned out to be very interesting, and we did a great job when we defeated Canada in the strongest NHL squad. But two days later we played in the semi-finals with the Finns (0:4), and just with them we burned out. Everyone was overwhelmed with euphoria, and we thought that it would be easier with Finland than with Canada. But it turned out that this is not so.

“Lacrosse is beautiful and masterful, but not wow”

– Will Ovechkin overtake Gretzky?

– Let’s not guess, but I think there is a chance. Ovechkin is having a very strong season this season. Age affects everyone, and with the new championship, it is becoming increasingly difficult to score 30-40 goals. But there are 85 goals left, and there are three more years of the contract. Up to 40 years old you can meet. I believe that Ovechkin’s health is like that of a bull that can go through a brick wall and not break anything. Let’s wish Sanya to continue to be so strong.

– When will Ovechkin be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto?

– As soon as he announces his retirement. They won’t wait three years.

– Imagine that you are the general manager of an NHL club and you can take 18-year-old Wayne Gretzky and Alexander Ovechkin in the draft. Who would you choose?

– Judging by the game, I would take Gretzky. At one time he was very technical, agile and fast. He started from a place in such a way that he could give odds to others.

Wayne Gretzky / Photo: © Bruce Bennett / Contributor / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

His way of playing, changing direction, constantly looking for moves, like a chess player, was unique. Ovechkin does not use his technique like that, but is more focused on shooting. I went into the zone, made one movement – quit.

I don’t want to say that Ovechkin is a bad player, but he has a completely different talent. Some of his game is suitable, others – not. Now many children look at Ovechkin, look up to him. Everyone is practicing their throws.

But in our time, I always liked to be a person who enters the arena as a circus performer and pleases all people. Yes, I didn’t score all the goals as much as I could according to my talent. But there are other nuances why this did not happen. I liked doing shows more. The fans came up: “Wow, how did you do it? This is impossible!”

We can all practice throwing. Maybe not as accurate as Sanya Ovechkin’s. But the throw is not unique. But to own skates, stick and perform a feint on a handkerchief – you need to work hard to learn this.

I spent a lot of time on this, it was my bread and butter. No matter how the partners adjusted to me, they could not read exactly what feint I would perform in the next moment.

– Why didn’t you play lacrosse in the 90s?

– Then foppish goals were not welcomed. I remember that they looked askance at you even for a throw from under your foot. And now it is believed that if you score an unusual goal, then you are no longer a hockey player, but a god.

I have never coached lacrosse, I was not interested in it. There are certain feints – so, I remember, everyone liked how I threw nines, holding the stick with one hand. These things can be used in the game if you jump out from the side and lay the hull. You have a stick in just one hand. Once – and scored. And the goalkeeper does not expect this.

I remember I was doing a feint, which was also performed by Pasha Datsyuk. You stand outside the goal, shoot, and so that the puck lands on the back of the goalkeeper, and he enters the net with it. Or you just throw it on a nickel, and there it ricochets into the goal. I tried that a couple of times, but it didn’t work.

Photo: © B Bennett / Contributor / Hulton Archive/ Gettyimages.ru

Lacrosse is beautiful, unusual, masterful. But for me, this is not a “wow” movement. Now, if you are like Connor McDavid, and you score, starting from the “mustache” to the goal, circling three players – this is “wow”. Well, what is lacrosse? You put the puck on the stick and throw it from behind the goal. If the goalkeeper missed a moment, then you scored. Well done. But I’m a different style player and I like different tricks.

– If you had hit foppish lacrosse in 1994, what would Rangers head coach Mike Keenan have done to you?

– If I had scored, I would not have done anything. And if he had failed the feint, he would have started shouting: “What kind of frills? Why did you ruin the moment?”

Back then, hockey players were afraid to do this, because it would be considered high stick play. After all, you can give a pass or get out yourself. In my time, no one showed off, and they played simply. The puck must be on the ice. And if you can beat two people in three meters, then that’s cool.

“I bought an apartment in Moscow with my salary at Ak Bars”

— Finally, I’ll ask about Ak Bars, which gathered a star team, but failed the first half of the championship.

– Just like we did in 2004, when we played in Kazan during the lockout. More precisely, we flew out in the first round of the playoffs. We had a good team, we could become champions. I don’t want to blame Zinetula Bilyaletdinov for anything, but when we talked, I asked myself purely for myself: why did they recruit so many stars in the line-up if they were not used to their fullest?

Bill then answered me: “Well, now I will start using all the NHL stars, and the rest will sit with me. Then the lockout will end, and with whom will I stay?”

That is, Bilyaletdinov thought that at any moment we would break loose and leave. And those who stay in Ak Bars will be cold and unprepared. We kept Plan B in mind all the time. And the NHL stars themselves felt that they were not allowed to press at full throttle.

Alexey Kovalev and Zinetula Bilyaletdinov / Photo: © KHL / Vladimir Bezzubov

I understand that this is a difficult situation for any coach. And I don’t want to remove the blame from the hockey players that we then lost to Lokomotiv in the first round (1-3). And other teams were in the same situation. But that Ak Bars was a big irritant, and everyone in the superleague wanted to show that they could play well against Lecavalier, Richards, Heatley, Kovalchuk, Kovalev, Khabibulin, Kasparaitis… The motivation of each opponent was crazy.

— Is it true that then in Kazan they were paid even more than under a contract in the NHL?

– I don’t think Ak Bars outbid the NHL. But they paid decently for those times. Just in that season, there was a sharp rise in contracts, when a lot of money came to Russian hockey from sponsors.

But I won’t say that at that time in Kazan they threw any money on the table, if only Canadians from Tampa would come to them. So I did not receive a huge salary, I could earn more. But it was interesting for me to play in that Ak Bars. It was important to find a good job while NHL players were on strike. And the Kazan club had excellent prospects.

But I don’t know the players who were then paid several million dollars at Ak Bars…

— There were no cards then, and you received cash from the accounting department?

– No, money was transferred to each player’s bank account. I did not receive cache. Maybe some bonuses were given in cash. They were too. But the salary was transferred to the bank. I remember this because with all that Kazan salary I bought myself a Moscow apartment.

– That is, the season in Ak Bars is an apartment in Moscow.

– Well, yes.

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20. Minnesota North Stars. Wayne Gretzky. 99. Autobiography [liters]

Mike Modano’s last contract with the NHL made him a day player for the Dallas Stars in 2011. He used this day to end his career. After that, it could be said that the last active player of the 1980s left the league, and the last connection with one of the most interesting expansion teams disappeared.’67 Modano was also the last of the Minnesota North Stars.

When Mike was drafted, everyone expected him to be a special player. It’s a lot of pressure, especially for an American boy who was drafted 1st overall. Mike became the second American to be selected at number one. The fact that the first was Brian Lawton, who was also taken by the North Stars, only made things more difficult for Mike. Lawton scored the first goal nineteen seconds into his first shift, but failed to silence critics who thought Minnesota should have picked Steve Yzerman, Cam Neely, or Pat LaFontaine in that draft. It was not easy for Lawton, and Mike’s career became more difficult because of all this.

But Mike exceeded all expectations. He was very reminiscent of someone like Connor McDavid. He was a big guy, but he skated as well as any player I’ve ever seen. He literally flew around the rink and had an incredible vision of the field. Mike could perform any action at full speed, whether it was a shot or a pass. He could also make three deceptive head movements after the goalkeeper reacted to the first. Sometimes the defenders didn’t react at all to Mike rushing past, because they had no idea where he was going.

No American player has scored more goals or scored more points. Thanks to him, the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999, and now Mike is a member of the Hall of Fame. He was a special player.

The fact is, if you live in Minnesota, you probably want such a player to end his career playing for the city that chose him.

When it was announced that there would be a hockey team in Minnesota, many thought that success was guaranteed. Detroit has become known as a hockey city, and Minnesota is definitely a hockey state. You could fill the NHL rink with fans who go to college hockey tournaments, and college hockey under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association is really big. They love hockey and they know hockey. For all of us, Minnesota was like Canada.

And over the years there have been many great bands. They were played by phenomenal hockey players, and the teams were successful. In twenty-six years, they’ve reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice and drafted players who performed well. Bobby Smith, Craig Hartsburg, Brian Bellows, Derian Hatcher.

One of their most interesting players was a guy who had been with the team since its very first season, Bill Goldsworthy. He played on the junior Bruins team with Derek Sanderson and Bernie Parent, but he never managed to establish himself as a first-team player in Boston, even when they were in last place. When Bill got his chance in Minnesota, he became the team’s star forward, scoring over a point per game during the team’s first playoff series (the team was one game away from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in that series). Bill played well, and he was included in the team, which at 1972 participated in the super series “USSR – Canada”. Fans in Minnesota loved him.

As for Bill, I remember him celebrating goals scored – in the media his movements were called “Goldie’s dance”. In those days, players were a bit more conservative at times like this, and even now players are criticized for celebrating too enthusiastically. But I don’t blame them. It’s very hard to score in the NHL today. It’s hard to score twenty goals, let alone forty or fifty. When a player scores a goal, I like to look at his joy and glee.

I met Goldie when I went to Edmonton. Due to injuries, he did not play much that year. And there is a phenomenon that is characteristic of all hockey players: we age. There was a group of older players on that team: Ace Bailey, Paul Schmier, Dave Dryden, Bill Flett. All of them were great for me. Since Goldie played infrequently due to injuries, I communicated with him more not on the ice, but off it. Goldie was a great guy. He called me Baby. This means a lot to a newbie.

The North Stars coach was a hot-tempered man. You never knew what Wren Blair would do. People in Minnesota didn’t know much about professional hockey, and Blair believed the fans needed to be coached just as hard as the players. If the team played poorly in the majority, he stood on the bench or at the board, turned to the audience, waved his arms and shouted at the fans, thus expressing his displeasure to the players.

Blair became famous for signing a contract with Bobby Orr. In season 1959/60 Wren managed the Kingston Frontenaks of the Eastern Professional Hockey League (VPHL). This team was associated with the Bruins. Harold “Baldy” Cotton, who was looking for talented players for the Bruins (he had previously played in the NHL, and began his career in 1926 with the Pittsburgh Pirates on the left wing), saw Bobby play in his children’s team in Parry. Sound. “Boston” at that time was building its system of farm clubs and was engaged in the selection of young talents. Cotton came to Lynn Patrick and said, “You need to see this kid.” Several people arrived in Gananoque (Blair among them) to watch Bobby Orr, who recently turned thirteen, dominate the ice for an hour. Scotty Bowman, who picked players for the Canadiens, was also there. He believed that Bobby was so small that it would be difficult to understand how good a player he could become. But Scotty saw that Bobby had the puck all evening.

Scotty sent a report to Ken Reardon, a former Montreal defensive end who was a rebounder, minor league manager, and vice president of the Canadiens. He told Kan, “You know, Bobby really knows how to move and in a year he will be ready to play with juniors.” But Bobby wasn’t even in ninth grade yet, so Reardon replied, “We don’t take high schoolers.” (To be fair, an eighth grader playing on a junior hockey team was unthinkable. But Bobby did.)

Blair was assigned to look after Bobby. In the days when the draft was not yet held, NHL teams trained young players in amateur clubs. This meant that teams got the rights to young hockey players from the moment they turned fourteen. At this age, the player was asked to sign the so-called “C” card. Most of the kids were eager to sign such cards, as it guaranteed that at least one of the six teams would look at these young hockey players. But Bobby’s parents were in no hurry to sign anything, they wanted him to have as many options as possible. So Blair had a tough job ahead of him.

He arranged for the Bruins to sponsor Bobby’s Parry Sound team for $1,000 a year. Blair eventually built a trusting relationship with Bobby’s parents, and in 1962 they signed the C card. Bobby was delighted. In turn, this benefited the Orr family: the house was plastered, dad got a car, and Bobby got $1,000. He will play for the Oshawa Generals, a team that Blair built almost on his own. He was also the general manager of the world champion Whitby Dunlops. So he knew what he was doing when he helped shape the North Stars roster.

In 1963, the NHL began phasing out team sponsorship and held its first 16-year-old amateur draft. By 1969, the draft had become universal, and there were no more young players who could not participate in it. By the time I was Bobby’s age, the “C” cards were gone. But you had to be 20 years old to be drafted and then play on a professional team. At sixteen I was a junior at Sault Ste. Marie and couldn’t play with the pros.

I got along well with my trainer Mazz McPherson. He was a great guy. When Mazz left, he was replaced by Paul Theriault. Paul paid a lot of attention to positional hockey, which is a good way to develop players. When Paul was coaching at Oshawa and Marty McSorley was with the Belleville Bulls in 1981/82, Marty was in the All-Star Game and Paul was his coach. He treated Marty well and taught him a lot. Marty just adored him.

I don’t want to praise myself, but I will say that I didn’t have to start from the basics. I have studied hockey all my life. When I was seven years old and I watched Hockey Night in Canada with my dad, he would give me a pen and paper. He told me to mark the movement of the puck with lines on paper without looking down. This developed my peripheral vision, which in turn helped me develop a more creative approach to the game. I knew where the guys were, so I went to where the puck would be. That’s why coach Paul Theriault’s style didn’t suit me well. I started thinking about turning pro, but juniors couldn’t enter the NHL draft.

My agent Gus Badali told me about the WHA and told me about an offer of $80,000 from John Bassett, owner of the Birmingham Bulls. John built a team of great young guys like Rick Vaive, Michel Goulet, Craig Hartsburg and Rob Ramage, all future NHL team captains, Team Canada players and Hall of Famers. Paul Henderson was their veteran. I’d love to play with these guys, but Gus felt the offer was too small. And then he got an offer from Hartford to team up with Gordie Howe for $200,000. It would have been a dream come true, but the offer was withdrawn. The owners of the WHA hoped that their teams would end up in the NHL, and since I was too young, they thought that I could not play there. Probably nothing just happens.

Bassett recommended me to his friend Nelson Skalbania, a wealthy real estate developer in Vancouver who was starting to invest in sports teams. Nelson owned two WHA teams. In 1976 he bought the Edmonton Oilers but then sold them the following year to Peter Pocklington. Then he bought the Indianapolis Racers on the basis that the WHA would enter the NHL. He wanted to add value to the league and decided that the best way to do that was to acquire good young players. And then the NHL will either take over the WHA teams, or it will pay them money for young hockey players.

Nelson approached my parents in June 1978 and Gus and I flew to Vancouver in Nelson’s private jet. I was seventeen, I was not suitable for the NHL, but I really wanted to play professional hockey. As soon as we arrived, Nelson asked me to run with him. He must have tested my stamina.

Remembering my childhood when I was six, seven, eight, nine, ten and eleven years old, I can say that I played not only hockey. I was looking forward to summer because I loved lacrosse and track and field. I was a big fan of athletics. Even at the age of ten, I ran long distances (eight hundred meters, fifteen hundred meters) over rough terrain. I trained every day and I liked it.

Every Sunday we went to my grandmother’s farm, and the first thing I did was put on my running shoes and started running along the country roads. I ran one mile after another. I didn’t do it to be a hockey player, but it increased endurance and maximum oxygen consumption. The indoor lacrosse game contributed to the same. We played four games on Saturday and three the next day. Each game I played almost completely (it consisted of four periods of fifteen minutes). In other words, there were approximately seven hours of lacrosse played each weekend.

Years later I played with the Oilers. Jari Kurri has always had the highest maximum oxygen consumption (he was second only to Paul Coffey in this indicator), and Messier has always been in incredibly great shape. This was the result of hard training and some features of their body. I was distinguished by the recovery time of the pulse. They needed twice as long. I could, for example, fully recover in ten seconds and get back on the ice, and Jari and Paul could need twenty seconds. This was my forte.

In 1984, when I scored eight points against the Minnesota, after the second period, Glen Sutter came into the locker room and said: “When you want to go on the ice, just go. Any time”. It was the only such case in my entire career. Glen always gave me a lot of playing time, but only once did the coach say, “Just go.” In the third period, I played a four-minute shift.

Modern athletes are in incredible physical shape. Seeing defenders play for thirty minutes, I can’t help but admire. I remember Paul Coffey and Kevin Lowe playing for twenty-seven minutes. That’s nine minutes per period. To withstand this, you must be in perfect shape. Duncan Keith plays twenty-five to thirty minutes in each match. It’s just amazing.

I was a centre-forward and played twenty-one minutes per match. And again, this is a lot. Seven minutes per period. Seven minutes of hockey. If I played seven minutes, Mark Messier also played seven, and the third and fourth players could share six minutes between themselves. But today I see centre-forwards who can play eight and a half minutes per period. It may seem like a small difference, but every extra minute on the ice reduces your recovery time by one minute. But they are used to it. These guys are in great shape.

If you think back to 1978, all these runs and lacrosse took my endurance to a high level. So when Nelson and I went on a six-mile run and I was awake afterwards, he must have been impressed.

That month we signed a personal services contract that I had handwritten as Nelson dictated it to me on his private jet. The contract was for four years. Its amount was $550,000 plus a $250,000 bonus for signing it. If there was a merger between the NHL and the WHA and the NHL would have given up too young players, I could keep all the money already received. Good deal, I was delighted with such an offer.

But what many do not know about. Although I signed this contract with Nelson and later played with the Oilers in the WHA, when the leagues merged, I almost got drafted. This is due to the fact that at first the owners of the NHL could not come to an agreement regarding the admission of WHA teams to the league.

They approached Lou Nan, longtime general manager of the Minnesota North Stars, and asked him to attend a meeting on the yacht of Chicago Black Hawks owner Bill Wirtz in Florida to reach an agreement. Nan was a true legend. An American of Canadian descent, he spent a long time with the North Stars. If not for him, the team would have moved to Dallas much earlier.

Lu suggested that each WHA team could keep two players and two goalkeepers, while the remaining players were to be distributed throughout the league. And young players like me who signed with the WHA but weren’t yet eligible for the NHL draft will be drafted when they reach the appropriate age. That meant Edmonton couldn’t keep me.

Then Frank Griffiths, owner of the Vancouver Canucks, came forward and said that if I was not allowed to stay at Edmonton, he would not support the deal. NHL team owners are sometimes undeservedly criticized, but I think that such a move testifies to what a generous and caring person Griffiths was.

At the very beginning, Minnesota was not a team with excellent defense. But by 1978/79, Lu Nan, having taken over from Blair as general manager, hired Glen Sonmore, who had once been a tough and strong player, to coach. Nan thought Glen was the best coach the North Stars had ever had. Sonmor put his heart and soul into hockey.

In 1978 Lou drafted Bobby Smith, Steve Payne, Kurt Giles and Steve Kristoff. It was the backbone of the team. And then, when the Cleveland Barons disbanded and joined the North Stars that same year, a few other key players appeared on the team, including goaltender Gilles Meloche.

The Minnesota were already strong in center field, and in 1979 they drafted Neil Broten, who along with Kristoff participated in the 1980 Miracle on Ice match when Team USA defeated Team USSR. Neal played in the NHL for seventeen years, played 1235 games there and scored over a thousand points, including in playoff matches.

In 1979, the Stars selected Craig Hartsburg first overall in the draft (they drafted six in total). Hartsburg was just incredible. I played Su with him at 1977/78 (He’ll play in Minnesota for the next ten years. And if Craig hadn’t been plagued by knee, groin, back, and hip injuries, he could have been another Bobby Orr.) Though the Stars didn’t pick Dino Sissarelli drafted, they were smart enough to sign him as a free agent when Dino went undrafted in 1979.

Sonmore made history in 1980 when the North Stars took on the Flyers coached by Pat Quinn. When Quinn was a young player, he had to choose between getting a scholarship or playing in minor league hockey. He turned to a high school gym teacher in his hometown of Hamilton for advice. That teacher was Glen Sonmore. He advised Quinn to get a scholarship.

Quinn went on to play well as an aggressive power guard (as well as captaining the added Atlanta Flames) and quickly became one of the best coaches in the league, winning the 1980 Jack Adams Coach of the Year award. He deserved such an honor because his team, the Flyers, managed to go unbeaten for thirty-five games in a row (it was the longest unbeaten streak in the history of sports in North America). That streak ended in Minnesota with a crowd that the North Stars had never been able to gather at their games before. The North Stars swept the Flyers 7–1 and went on their own twelve-game unbeaten streak at home. Once again, these teams met in the semifinals. This time around, Quinn’s Flyers took revenge and won the series 4–1.

By 1981 they had made another serious attempt to win the Cup. In their entire history, Minnesota has never beaten Boston at the Garden Arena. But on February 26, 1981, Glen Sonmore took Lu Nan aside and said, “Lou, I think we should now do our best and show them what we’re made of.” Nan agreed, and Sonmor informed the players, “We will fight every single one of them whenever they look at us.”

By the end of the game, Minnesota had five guys on the bench, and Boston had six. They set an NHL record for most penalty minutes. It seemed to be the prelude to a playoff series. Minnesota defeated Boston and then beat Buffalo. The North Stars then faced the Calgary Flames (a very good team) and beat them, taking them to the Finals against the defending champion New York Islanders. The North Stars lost their first two games at Long Island, but got off to a strong start in Game 3. Butch Goring scored a hat-trick (two goals scored just after Minnesota had a power play) and turned the tide. The Islanders went on to win 7–5 to win the series in five games. But no one could beat the Islanders that year. She lost only three matches in four series.

When Norm Green purchased the North Stars from George and Norman Gand in the early 1990s, he was already famous for moving teams to other cities. In 1979, he bought the Atlanta Flames and moved the team to Calgary (he remained part owner when it won the Cup in 1989). But his decision to move the North Stars to Dallas in 1993 came as a shock (less than two years after their surprise Finals run, where they unfortunately ran into Mario Lemieux), in 1993.

Green had his own reasons, of course. The Met Center, the North Stars arena, was getting old and cold. But the players liked this rink because its ice was the best in the league. Green claimed he was losing money, and the local government did little to nothing to keep the arena viable. Green wanted to move the team to Los Angeles, but the NHL was already making plans to partner with Disney in Anaheim. Green’s next option was Dallas.

At the last game of the North Stars, fans came with posters on which were written accusations against Norm Green. Fans have clearly expressed their attitude towards him. Some ripped off the seats to take as souvenirs or throw them somewhere. Today, the site of the Met Center is IKEA’s office, but the legacy of the North Stars has been preserved in the city. Hall of Famer Jean-Paul Pariset was with the North Stars in their first season. His son Zach was born there and has achieved great success in the league – he now plays for the Minnesota Wild, which entered the league in 2000/01 as part of a three-year expansion program.