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Adam graves to have number retired on feb 3.

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Richter and Leetch Forevor Team USA

When the news came down a few days or weeks or however long it was ago that Mike Richter and Brian Leetch, two Legends of Broadway hockey were going to be inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame i had some strange feelings. Like…why werent they already inducted? Both were awesome NHL players, great ambassadors for hte game and o yea won the 96 World Cup and the Silver in 2002.Most definitely the best Americans at their positions.

Leetch Captained the 96 World Cup team with Richters big time goaltending to the Gold and probably the biggest USA hockey moment since 1980. Sure they were both part of hte 98 Olympic team that dissapointed but who cares since htey made that dramatic run in 02 to the Gold Medal game, where canda flexed their muscles and left Team USA in hte dust. But hey, the Silver is still pretty damn cool. Like you wouldnt take a silver medal. Please.

Onto the debate about best ever at their positions. Tom Barasso is the only other netminder who is even in the discussion with Richter. But i think Richters Team USA moments may compensate for his shortened NHL career plus Richter is so incredibly awesome and as far as i can tell Tom Barasso is not.

Leetch also only has one player in his way and that man is actually still playing. Chris Chelios. Chelios is a future HOFer as is Leetch but Chelio’s has never been hte two way force that Leetch was. Chelio’s is a great player and its a testament to how good he still is that he is still playing, at i believe 79 years old. Sure he didnt play at all in hte Cup this year but he lost his dentures, common mistake. Leetch i think has more USA experience, though that might be completely made up, and i love Brian Leetch so to me he is hte best US born D Man ever.

Not My Prucha!!!

Ever since he laced up the skates in those first games after hte lockout Petr Prucha has always been my guy. What i mean is that every few years fans develop man crushes/crushes on players or more and overly root for them to do well. Its usually a secondary player of sorts because everyone loves the star, ie Jags. Its like when a  couple of new people join the team and you pick the one you like more. Gomer over Drury in last seasons case. Its not to say you dont love the other player but if i had to choose who would score a goal i would pick Gomez over Drury.

So i chose Prucha over everyone else, Lundqvist not withstanding because he is a goalie so its different circumstances, and i have never left him. There was just something about a little kid from the Czech who was living with Jagr and scoring constantly. We all knew Prucha wasnt the type of player who you build a franchise around but i loved him nonetheless especailly his willingness to get crushed by a check and pop right back up.

So when Shanny came aboard i knew Prucha’s powerplay days were numbered. His goal total went from 30 to 20, still awesome, then fell to 7 goals. Yes that was a combo of injuries and low ice time and scratches, but the most important reason his goals were down was because he wasnt playing on the power play.

Now that Shanny is gone and so is Jags and Straks and even Avery, Prucha should get more PP time and get his numbers back up again.

That is why i hate that Prucha seems to be in every deal that would clear cap space for Mats Sundin. Though i really dont think Sundin is coming to the Rangers, giving up Prucha for a chance to win it all with Sundin doesnt sit well with me. Getting rid of Prucha isnt getting rid of Kovalev but losing Prucha as he should enter his prime isnt a  good move.

Am i biased? Yes. Do i think Prucha can hit 30 goals again? Maybe not. Is 20-30 a possibility? Only on the powerplay.