Patrick Hoffman
21.3K posts
@pathoffman35
Online hockey writer covering the Rangers, Devils and Isles for @NHLwraparound. Formerly of Inside The Rink, @kuklaskorner, https://t.co/uG3bLpf7Bw and many others
The @HockeyHallFame must induct @StanFischler in the Class of 2026. In the 90's he was *40* years into his hockey career, and now 30 years later he's STILL going at 94. He's contributed to the sport at an unprecedented level. #NJDevils #NYR #Isles #NHL
The @HockeyHallFame must induct @StanFischler in the Class of 2026. In the 90's he was *40* years into his hockey career, and now 30 years later he's STILL going at 94. He's contributed to the sport at an unprecedented level. #NJDevils #NYR #Isles #NHL
In 2018, Hal Gill reflected on playing against — and eventually with — Sidney Crosby: “The first thing that struck me about Sidney Crosby was his size. He was … small. I wanted to dominate and overpower him. When we matched up, I wanted him to feel every ounce of my strength. I was still with the Bruins in 2005 when I played him for the first time. He was tearing up the league and I thought, All right, kid, you haven’t played me yet. First shift, I get him in the corner and I lean on him, and he doesn’t move. It’s like I’m pushing against a brick wall. And then he slips right off me, and he’s gone. I tried it again and again and again. Then sometime in the second period I realized: I’m doing exactly what he wants. He wants me to lean on him, so he can slip off me. He wants me to try to bully him, because he can’t be bullied. He’s too strong. So the next shift I get out there, and I think, OK, I’m going to force him to his backhand every time. That’s what I would do to guys I couldn’t handle, because everyone is weaker on their back hand; it makes it harder for them to pass. But Sid would fire pinpoint backhand passes 30 or 40 feet across the ice. It was like he was playing a different sport. How?! This guy is only 19. I don’t get it. Then I became teammates with him in 2007, and it all made sense. I saw his work ethic, his leadership and his passion for the game — nobody loves hockey more than Sid. And I saw his skill up close. His vision, his speed and — yeah, he’s got thighs like tree trunks — I saw why I couldn’t move him on the ice.” playerstribu.ne/Gill @Skillsy75 | @penguins | @NHL
It was an HONOR to be at that game last night.. Happy Birthday @DariusJButler 👏 #PMSLive
