Monday, July 28, 2008

Coyotes: Franchise Player? Where?!

Gotta have a franchise before you can have a franchise player.... or maybe its like the chicken and the egg theory. In Phoenix, we'll definitely know which came first... it ain't the franchise.

Seriously, can we even call the Coyotes a franchise until lately? Its more like a motley collection of fairly good players who battle their hearts out every single night and get no love, no recognition and close, but no cigar for postseason aspirations.

Now Tracey may attempt to beat up on me for saying this... Shane Doan is not a franchise player. Not in the old school definition of the phrase. He's a great captain w/ the heart of a lion and a really decent skill set. But he really doesn't qualify as a 'franchise player'. Sure he's the last of the Jets and the oldest current Coyotes but is that ALL it takes to be a franchise player? A core player? sure. A skill player? sure. But not the guy you build a team around. The dumbasses running the team into the ground in the past brought in players like...Hull, Amonte, Handzus and a host of others were brought in to form a nucleus around Donor... didn't really work to make a viable franchise.

To me, the franchise player was that guy who you could throw on line w/ a pile of rocks and a blind iguana and he could lead your team to victory. A guy like Super Mario or Gretzky.

But maybe the definition is changing. Iginla and Ovie and Crosby and Malkin and Lecavalier, no matter how talented, can't do it all by themselves but they are the faces and fortunes of their franchises. But they are the guys that give their team an identity. Whether that ID is speedy and score hungry, defense and stamina or just plain old hard hat wearin, blue collar, 100% effort kinda team *Coyotes!* cough, cough*

hmmm maybe Shane Doan IS our franchise player. Just a new school definition of the word. The player that sets the tone and direction of the team. Sometimes the franchise player of today doesn't even wear a letter on his chest (Datsyuk comes to mind here). The guy that lays it all on the line night in and night out, making it impossible for anyone else to shirk or loaf and still call themselves a hockey player.

Fortunately for Phoenix, we have a couple of franchise contenders hitting the ice soon in Kyle Turris and Peter Mueller. Either one may earn that old school honoriffic in the near future. Our franchise is coming. *you think I kid?* Its coming in on the back of our interpid captain by example and by way of mentorship of the young, talented gunners. I guess our franchise is being built with oldschool ways (build it and earn it) but with a newschool flavor.

10 comments:

hipcheck said...

Nice Z!

I think Doan could have been more of a franchise player had they started to build a good team around him sooner.

I can't wait to watch Mueller and Turris develop. They are just going to keep getting better.

Keep up the good writing!

faux rumors said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Z4Dfense said...

faux troll isn't fit to hold my pelvic protector.

Euro forward? mmm Neither of the 2 players mentioned is European. Rather than soft I would say Mules is skilled and you don't want your skill guys bangin, thats why we have Carcillo, McGrattan, Sauer.

If I wanted to read ridiculously retreaded tripe, sure I'd hit your blog... I often print it out to wipe my dogs butt with... I guess I could read it first on occasion.

I'll be in a kitchen when you grow a hairy pair bud...

Have a good day.

Jennifer Hammer said...

@faux--

For real? you're gonna pull the "stove and laundry machine" crap?

ladies, for a good perspective see

http://wraparoundcurl.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/do-you-like-hockey-and-blow-jobs/

faux rumors said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
The Acid Queen said...

We need a moderator on aisle 6 for troll cleanup, please.

faux rumors said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Miss. Scarlett said...

We sincerely hope whatever issues you seem to have with women get sorted out for your own sake. I wish you a speedy trip to the 21st century.

In the meantime, such rudeness has no space on the blog. Goodbye.

Anonymous said...

I AM COMING FOR YOU!! That was just plain hurtful. I would most definitely call the Doaner our franchise player. BUT... I do see where you and I would get off-path. Described the way you did, a franchise player he is not; but he's ours damnit! New school. Old school. Doan is the face of our franchise (or hockey team... depending on who you ask).

Z4Dfense said...

Now now... you know I LOVE the big lug and I loves you too Trace!

I wish he would've gotten the love and teammates he deserved as a younger pup but that didn't happen and he is relegated to being a very good player... a power forward par excellence. But at this stage of the game the only franchise he is a 'star' on is ours. Brutal but hey... there it is.

That being said... there are many teams in the NHL who would give up certain left parts of their anatomy to have the boy on their squads. And that counts. yes it does preciousssss