If you could have any one (and only one) player...

[beaucoup_fish 0]

Who'd it be?

I'd pick Jarome Iginla for his:

a. youth

b. ferocity/heart/passion

c. leadership

d. ability to pot goals (and in the clutch, too)

[DarkStar50 679]

Who'd it be? 

I'd pick Jarome Iginla for his:

a. youth

b. ferocity/heart/passion

c. leadership

d. ability to pot goals (and in the clutch, too)

Nuff said!! Jarome is everything in a hockey player. The more I see this guy play, the more I love to watch him play. He is old school, he is new school. He is the complete package. Name a skill, he has it. His third period on Monday night(3 points including GWG) was awesome testament to the player Jarome Iginla is. I want him on my team as No. 1 not only for what he does on the ice but in the room as well. The elite Euros have on ice talent to spare but other than Sundin and Koivu, none of them lead in the room. I want it all from my No. 1. Jarome Iginla is the man.

[beaucoup_fish 0]

Current players and building a team from scratch?

Ovechkin probably..honorable mention to Nash and Staal, Spezza.

Although if I wanted to build out from the goal, which is where a team should build from, Lundqvist.

These guys are very young and have all the tools and already are showing them.

Wow Theo, Ovechkin?! That's lofty praise for a kid that hasn't played half a season in the pros yet...the kid's good and exciting, but not the guy I'd pick to build my team around.

And, Rangers biases aside, you'd really pick Lundqvist over Luongo?

[OTHockey96 0]

Ovechkin all the way. In some ways, he kind of reminds me of iginla. Big guy who can hit, has heart, and scores like crazy. Now all he has to do is start fighting and carry the caps to the finals, which should be a cakewalk.

[mik3 1]

Probably Spezza, in a year or two I'll probably say Crosby though.

[mack 44]

Bouwmeester or Phaneuf since d-men seem more rare.

[Jim A 4]

Brad Richards

Young, playoff tested (Conn Smythe) play big when it counts type of player...

[beaucoup_fish 0]

DS- I tend to agree and not to sound biased (racist), but I usually like a hard nose NA captain.

But Ovechkin plays hard and chances are he will be a better player then Iginla. He is clutch, hits, scores the big goal and he is only a rookie. If he shows he is not afraid to drop them eventually as well as becomes a leader, there is nothing stopping him. He is 3 goals from league lead in goals right now- UNreal

Iginla is awesome. Great guy, leader, and player. But if I was building a team from scratch I would take the 20 year old with much more promise then the aging 28 year old. Especially if the 20 YO has the tools to become a great leader.

You're building a team it might take it a few years to get going. Iginla would be in his 30s and Ovechkin in his prime mid 20's. So I put age consideration into it as well.

Lundqvist- I stick with it. No question in my mind he will be a franchise goalie and super star in this league. If I had to pick a second it would be Luongo or Dipietro.

28 isn't aging. He's just hitting his prime. Although, I have to admit, I didn't specify a time frame in which you were trying to build for...

In any event though, I just can't see Ovechkin bringing a team together and leading them to the cup. It probably has a lot to do with him being Russian (language barrier), but I don't think I've ever seen a Russian really bring a team together and bring them to the cup...

No doubt, the kid is dynamite though.

[beaucoup_fish 0]

We will see. He has played 20 NHL games only. He has already proved he will be a top scorer in this league for years to come. He just has to show he has leadership.

Definitely a top scorer in the future - exciting times ahead for the league...can't wait for the Art Ross and Richard races b/w Kovalchuk, Heatley, Ovechkin, Crosby, Nash, Thornton, Lecavalier, Spezza, Staal, Gaborik and Malkin...maybe even Zherdev if he gets his ass in gear...

[Chadd 916]

It probably has a lot to do with him being Russian (language barrier), but I don't think I've ever seen a Russian really bring a team together and bring them to the cup...

His English is getting pretty good and it has improved a bunch since the start of the season. Usually the best scorers on a team aren't the best "team" guys as well, regardless of nationality.

[nspeen 0]

its very hard to pick out of heatley, spezza and a few others for me but i would say that i am a fan of lecavalier. he can score and he can stick up for his teamates with his fists if needed.

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

I'd say Dion Phaneuf. Sure the scorers are great, but this guy is a tank, and I say he will finish 2nd in rookie of the year voting, and would have won if Crosby wasen't in the league this year. I'm not saying Ovechkin sucks by this (because clearly Crosby will win the Calder purely because of the hype and the fact he's living up to it) but I think Phaneuf is showing he is already an elite defenceman on the Flames and is a leader in the room and on the ice.

[Chadd 916]

I think Seabrook is playing better than Phaneuf but he isn't a Canadian kid playing for a Canadian team in his home province.

[DarkStar50 679]

Seabrook- 3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points, 18 games, + 4, GWG 2

Phaneuf- 5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points, 20 games, + 4, GWG 2

They are very close statiscally. I have not seen enough of Seabrook. Dion has "tremendous upside." At the moment, I think Phaneuf deserves the press he is getting, regardless of location. Sutter has him on the PP at the point. Sometimes he struggles with passing decisions through center ice on PP but the coach is not giving up on him. Not to often is a rookie at the point on the PP in the NHL.

[Chadd 916]

Seabrook- 3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points, 18 games, + 4, GWG 2

Phaneuf- 5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points, 20 games, + 4, GWG 2

They are very close statiscally. I have not seen enough of Seabrook. Dion has "tremendous upside." At the moment, I think Phaneuf deserves the press he is getting, regardless of location. Sutter has him on the PP at the point. Sometimes he struggles with passing decisions through center ice on PP but the coach is not giving up on him. Not to often is a rookie at the point on the PP in the NHL.

It's not like they have a lot of good offensive defensemen in the bench

[DarkStar50 679]

If you are talking Flames blueliners, Sutter is sending Dion over the boards with Hamrlik and leaving Jordan Leopold on the bench. Leopold can run the PP point for any NHL team. Sutter does have choices and right now he is seeing what he's got with Dion in early season situations. Sutter is a smart coach. What he learns now about Dion will help his team in the second half of the season. As long as there is a Sutter behind the bench, the players will have the respect of their coach.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Staal

[beaucoup_fish 0]

On the language thing, why do Swedes pick up English so much better the Russians or Finnish, for example?  Swedes almost sound American in some cases after a few years...

Same types of facial movement/ muscels used for most of the sounds in each?

Sorry to take this in another direction.

No worries. I noticed it too, but some Russians and Finns are pretty adept at picking up the language...Fedorov, Selanne and Koivu come to mind...

I think it depends on how committed you are to learning it as well...generally speaking, I think the Czechs are pretty bad with the language as well...

And c'mon Theo, don't you mean that they almost sound Canadian? :P

[Hockeyman9621 0]

Kurri was pretty good with his english too.

Back on topic, Heatley is someone you could build a team around the way he is playing now. He has a positive attitude and is a fan favourite.

[snipe-show12 0]

Id say Iginla or kovalchuk...

as for a rookie building a team..ovechkin.

[flaming_june 2]

Seabrook- 3 goals, 8 assists, 11 points, 18 games, + 4, GWG 2

Phaneuf- 5 goals, 8 assists, 13 points, 20 games, + 4, GWG 2

They are very close statiscally. I have not seen enough of Seabrook. Dion has "tremendous upside." At the moment, I think Phaneuf deserves the press he is getting, regardless of location. Sutter has him on the PP at the point. Sometimes he struggles with passing decisions through center ice on PP but the coach is not giving up on him. Not to often is a rookie at the point on the PP in the NHL.

plus fanuuf's playing with hammerlick. i duno who seabrook's playing with.

on any given day it would be iggy, but i'd have to say stall, such a young talented, and huge centreman who can be a real leader.