One goalie started his career in the NHL in defense-first systems, learning the trade with top-flight defensemen.
He practiced the time-honored technique's and controlled movement with a hybrid stand-up/butterfly style. He came onto his own while playing on a team that many considered to be an update on the New Jersey Devils. Defense, defense, defense was the main component of his steady diet.
Unfortunately, there was another goalie, simultaneously groomed in the same mold. Eventually the team realized that one was ready to step up to being the sole number one, making the other goalie expendable.
Luckily, another team came along and signed the goalie, looking for that elusive "next Brodeur" and took him into their time-honored fold.
Unluckily, he was at that time damaged goods. Chock-full of experience and talent, but unhealthy enough to display it for his new employers.
The other goalie worked his way to the bright lights via the gutter. A journeyman who had more miles on his luggage than the Jupiter probe. Nothing was given to him, everything was taken with brute force, blind aggression, and a style that was noteworthy because it lacked any known style.
Then, his break came. Signed to a once-proud team that had fallen on the hardest of hard times, he worked his way with perseverance and attitude to be called up to the big club. He played the role of loyal soldier and bided his time, waiting for the spotlight to fall on him.
At first he was the backup to a winning rookie goalie who was unable to adapt when the league took away his air-mattress-sized padding. The soldier stole the job and carried the load for his less seasoned associate.
Then a new challenger came to bear (no pun intended). He had a remarkable butterfly style that hurt just to watch. Part Ninja, part yoga instructor, he seemed to have an extra hinge in his groin. "
Aha!", thought the team, "This is the star to carry us to greatness!". Unfortunately, he was found to be less than the sum of his parts, and the loyal soldier ended up carrying the load for him as another talented youngster slid away into obscurity.
At that point another challenge appeared on the horizon. The soldier should have been the king of his crease, but a new challenger was after his status and security. The classically trained netminder came onto the scene with great fanfare—and, luckily for the loyal soldier, a knee re-enforced with equal parts band-aids and salt-water taffy.
Again, the loyal soldier, now teamed with another forsaken castoff, carried his rejuvenated team to newly-discovered respectability.
Meanwhile
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about 1 month ago
And I thought "The Illiad" was confusing...
about 1 month ago
Sorry, but I did warn readers at the end of the article.
The Old Soldier= Tim Thomas
The Classic Veteran=Manny Fernandez
The Prize=Turka Rask
The Rookie goalie (with big pads) =Andrew Raycroft
The Rookie Golaie (with the slinky spine)= Hannu Toivonnen
The Other Castaway=Alex Auld
The Coach= Claude Julien
Thanks for the Homer reference though, as the articles intent was to chronicle the Bruins Goalie Odessey (the Illiad's sequel).
I was thinking of a later Habs/Bruins-King Arthur/Mordred parrallel but I guess I shouldn't pursue that one either.
Just tryin' to shake things up a bit...tossin' out somethin' new.
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