Archives for June 24, 2014

‘“In 1992 I was traded to Buffalo, and actually it was probably the best thing that could happen for me because in Buffalo I got a chance to play and prove that I could play on the highest level,” Hasek said on a conference call. “I got a chance in Buffalo, and I was ready. Thank you to Buffalo because without getting a chance in Buffalo I probably wouldn’t be here today and getting in the Hockey Hall of Fame.”’

‘The Sabres select second overall at the draft, and they’d certainly be interested in the top-end skill that the 6-foot-1, 186-pounder could provide to their center position. Buffalo interviewed him at the NHL Scouting Combine.’

‘The trade ranks as perhaps the most lopsided ever. The Sabres sent Chicago goalie Stephane Beauregard, who never played for the Blackhawks. Beauregard was out of the NHL after 1993-94, the same year Hasek won the first of his six Vezina Trophies.’

‘The Sabres traded him to Detroit nearly a decade later and he helped the Detroit Red Wings hoist the Stanley Cup in 2002. Hasek becomes the seventh player from that team to be elected to the Hall of Fame as a player and it was led by Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman. Hasek was a backup in 2008 when Detroit won another championship.’

‘Hasek, who is from the Czech Republic, won the Vezina Trophy six times in his 16-year NHL career, and he is the only goaltender to win the Hart Trophy more than once, earning MVP honors in 1996-97 and 1997-98 with the Buffalo Sabres.’

‘Hasek played 491 games in Buffalo posting a 234-170-70 record. His goals against was 2.22 with a .926 save percentage.’

‘In the past, the late first round has been a place to grab underrated prospects – some of which have turned into the league’s stars.’