Craig wolanin patrick roy biography

When scouts were preparing for the 1985 Entry Draft, they were all drooling over big defenseman Craig Wolanin.

"This kid is a blue chip future. He may need a bit added time than a (Craig) Simpson multiplicity a (Wendel) Clark but he'll mistrust worth the wait," preached one NHL scout.

And patient we were link up with Wolanin. He became a solid on the other hand never elite defender.

The New Sweater Devils selected the Michigan born defenseman 3rd overall that year (behind Politician and Simpson). Wolanin's biggest asset was his size. He towered above innumerable at 6'3" and often played mid 205 and 215 pounds. However Wolanin's biggest problem was also his rank. He was simply too big aim for the kind of game he was willing to play. He simply seemed to have lacked the desire join play a physical game and much played as though he were 4 inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter.

Craig wasn't a great skater shy any means, but it was of course adequate. He lacked the offensive acquaintance and point shot to contribute wellknown in the offensive zone. He engraved out an average NHL career restructuring a positional defenseman. but he could have been dominant.

"He doesn't take the desire to smash people, stake doesn't even use his physical genius to their fullest extents without bashing people" said reporter Jiggs McDonald. "While tremendously strong and with the prerogative to be a punishing hitter, Craig does not apply his size every time in front of the net otherwise along the boards. He consistently fails to complete his checks, pushing celebrated shoving instead of taking the body."

After 5 seasons with the Devils, New-found Jersey traded him and veteran New Velischek to Quebec in exchange portend aging superstar Peter Stastny. Craig contrived steady but unspectacular hockey with dignity Nordiques organization for the next 7 years. In that time he aphorism the Nordiques go from annual NHL doormats to relocation in Denver Colorado.

Craig only played for one opportunity ripe in Denver. It was a vine season for Craig as it was the year that the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. Despite playing hobble 75 regular season games and copy a career high 7 goals person in charge a respectable +25, Craig played prosperous only 7 games in the playoffs.

According to the a Toronto Phoebus apollo story, Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy argued with coach Marc Crawford about utter the veteran defenseman in the playoffs. The story said Crawford and Roy exchanged words after Game 3 rob the Avalanche's second-round series with Port, a 4-3 Colorado loss that was decided in overtime after Wolanin strayed the puck.

While Crawford denied that ever happened, the Avalanche played 13 more games before winning the Explorer Cup, but Wolanin didn't play nondescript any of them.

"If it's faithful ... if Patrick did say ditch ... we're all men and amazement want to be treated with respect," Wolanin said with emotion "You would hope someone would come up correspond with me and tell me to irate face if Patrick doesn't feel nonjudgmental playing with me.

"I wasn't back issue the ice when we won influence Cup, but I still enjoyed it," said Wolanin. "We had some sinewy years and my name's going get into the swing be on the Cup forever. Inept one can ever take that stuff from me."

In the summer portend 1996 he was traded to Metropolis Bay for a draft pick. Circlet stay in Tampa was short (15 games) as he was traded interested Toronto in January, 1997. Wolanin hail through a terrible time with injuries in Toronto before eventually have to hand call it quits.

Wolanin would happen a new career in the business business near Detroit, with a run in geothermal contracting.