I wasn't ready for the end of the post season, and just because it's here, I'm not any more prepared for it. I'm still feeling fairly nauseous about that game, so rather than analyze it, or critique the power(less) play, or question how the Penguins allowed the Lightning to overcome a 3-1 series deficit, I'm going to keep tonight's blog fun.
Who's your favorite player and why?
My active favorite is none other than Marc-Andre Fleury. The Flower is known for his poke check and acrobatic saves. Something about his demeanor reminds me of the French Canadian goalie of Slap Shot, or maybe that goalie reminds me of him. I tend to favor goalies. I had been favorite-less for years now and leaning toward Sid, but this season I made up my mind. Fleury had such a tough start this year (and some of the "fans"--yes, you know who you are--thought we should deal him early), but with some adjustments on his part and more solid play from the defense, he put himself in the Vezina discussion. Sometimes it's easy to forget just how young these players are; at 26, Fleury has already hoisted the Cup and serves as a veteran of the team.
My longtime favorite is the non-active Ron Francis. Of course, it breaks my heart that he's instrumental on the bench of the Carolina Hurricanes and not the Penguins, even though I understand why. As a roller hockey player, I strove to perfect my stretch pass, a la Francis. One of the highlights of my youth was meeting him at an event, and I proudly display his autographed photo on my wall of fame. I think my only regret is that I didn't start watching hockey earlier, as I missed his contribution to the Penguins' first two cup wins. He always seemed like a quiet player, a sleeper, and also one who was okay with taking the supporting role to help achieve the greater goal.
So tell me about the player(s) you admire.
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