Ewe this is hard... Can I make it 20? No, okay.. There are so many sentimental favorites that weren't necessarily anywhere close to being one of the best players on the ice at the time, but I adored them none the less. Anyway, here's the best I can manage with your criminally restrictive criteria...
6. I'm already cheating, but an honorary mention for Terry Crisp. He never played for the team, but I adore the man. Keep him on my T.V. and Radio as long as he's willing to do it.
5. Steve Sullivan: He might be kind of a forgotten man so many years later, but he was one of the first really skilled players the Preds had, and I loved watching him play.
4. Greg Johnson: Greg ever being our #1 center was an extreme stretch, but talent was thin back then. Still, I always loved Greg. His style of play just seemed to fit so perfectly with how the Preds had to play back then. RIP.
3. Scott Hartnell: Who didn't love Scott when he was younger. Had that rare combination of skill and grit. Preds still haven't been able to replace it all these years later.
2. Filip Forsberg: Don't think I need to explain this one. Most talented forward the teams ever had not named Karyia.
1. Pekka Rinne: I don't care what anybody thinks about how his level of play has regressed the past few years, or his tendency to be inconsistent over the years. That doesn't change what he's meant to this team over the past decade. I've been ready for Saros to take over for a while now, I'm always team first over sentiment, but that will never change how I feel about the guy. Forget how great a career he's had for the Preds, he's just an overall awesome dude, and I love that about him as much as I love everything he's done for the Preds in net. He'll hopefully be the first player to play his entire career in a Preds uniform, and his number should be retired the very next home game played after he's retired. You'll always have a home here dude.
Just for fun, top 5 most hated... (Not Personal, but the impressions I get in general)
1. Corey Perry
2. Ryan Kesler
3. Patrick Kane
4. Gary Suter (You know what you did. There's a reason every one else who leaves gets cheered and a welcome home package on the big screen when they come back, and you get booed every time you touch the puck)
5. Radulov or Vesey I guess.... Though I think most of us have gotten over those two by this point. |