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Legends of Hockey wrote:One scouting report on Apps during his first professional season summed up his play like this: Apps, Jr. is a splendid skater, a good puck handler and playmaker, just like his father."
That is the highest compliment anyone could ever give Syl Jr.
...Syl immediately stepped in [and] became a star in the Steel City.
"That was the best trade I ever made," proclaimed the architect of the deal - XXX XXXXX, then the coach and GM of the Penguins.
"Young Syl's dad was a great guy and a great player. He went so fast I looked like a post on the ice by comparison. His son shows similar qualities. He's strong and he hits and he has a good fake. This is something that has to be born in a hockey player. It comes from breeding. Young Syl has the breeding and I've always said that bloodlines are a wonderful thing."
XXXXX added: Syl doesn't skate as fast as his dad. Busting out of his own end, he could really hunch his shoulders and go. But I think maybe he handles the puck a bit better. Physically, he's just as strong."
But Syl Jr. erupted into one of the game's best playmakers in his 3rd full season in the league. Playing most often with Greg Polis and Jean Pronovost, he scored 29 goals and 56 assists for 85 points.
Syl was named as the game's Most Valuable Player after scoring 2 goals in a 7-1 Wales Conference romp in Montreal.
Unfortunately for him, playoff success never followed him to the west coast either. That was probably the one thing separating Syl from elite status like many other top centers of the 1970s. Only once did the team he played for make it past the 1st round, and half the time they didn't make the playoffs at all.
Beaver County Times - Apr. 10, 1976 wrote:After [the injury to Apps] Lowell MacDonald took over as the center in the Apps line while XXXXX XXXXX was moved into one wing spot. But without the skating ability of Apps, that line wasn't very effective the rest of the night. "Syl's absence had to affect the team," Pronovost explained...
New York Times - Apr. 29, 1973 wrote:He has dealt away several prospects who bloomed with others teams, such as Syl Apps with the Pittsburgh Penguins...
The Calgary Herald - Feb. 5, 1973 wrote:"But what surprises me is that they got three of the goals off Syl's line. They are all plus players and haven't been scored on recently" (coach insinuating that Apps' centers a very capable two-way line)
Stu Barnes doesn't care about what line he's on or which position he plays. ... So now, Barnes has the offensive and defensive game to play anywhere.
It happens every time Stu Barnes touches the puck at the Civic Arena. Every time he throws his body into an opponent. Every time he breaks up an opponent's rush.
Any time Barnes is even remotely involved in a play, it seems, the home crowd serenades him with howls of "Stuuuuuuuuuuuu.''
At least that's what it sounds like.
MRandall25 wrote:
MRandall25 wrote:With the 66th pick I'll take Mario...
Wait, no.
I'll take d-man Brad Werenka, who, by all accounts, was a Rob Scuderi-like player. He played solid, positional D and was able to eat minutes.
mikey287 wrote:MRandall25 wrote:With the 66th pick I'll take Mario...
Wait, no.
I'll take d-man Brad Werenka, who, by all accounts, was a Rob Scuderi-like player. He played solid, positional D and was able to eat minutes.
Defensive-minded, yes. Solid as a "babysitter" for roving types...Kevin Hatcher in Pittsburgh, Phil Housley in Calgary. Felled by concussions.
meow wrote:And I quote,MRandall25 wrote:
mikey287 wrote:Might be too much in the way of minutes for him. Played top-pairing for us in 1999, no other time in his career really. Couldn't handle top offensive units with great acumen. If you had a 2nd or 3rd pairing offensive guy (or get one), Werenka would slot nicely there I feel. Even at this limited level of competition, I'm not sure that Werenka could handle the top lines that are in this "league" - just my personal opinion.
Rylan wrote:You better not...
Legends of Hockey wrote:...but he was a solid defenseman who played a very smart game, which allowed him to stay in the pro ranks for close to 20 years. Not overly large, or fast, he compensated by reading plays before they unfolded.
MRandall25 wrote:mikey287 wrote:Might be too much in the way of minutes for him. Played top-pairing for us in 1999, no other time in his career really. Couldn't handle top offensive units with great acumen. If you had a 2nd or 3rd pairing offensive guy (or get one), Werenka would slot nicely there I feel. Even at this limited level of competition, I'm not sure that Werenka could handle the top lines that are in this "league" - just my personal opinion.
Yeah, I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do with Zalapski since there aren't any TOI stats for the seasons he was here (that I can see, anyway)
Rylan wrote:Sigh....
Rylan wrote:Sigh....
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