Wayne Gretzky once told Paul Coffey that he would never be nearly as good as this hockey legend until he won a Stanley Cup, and even though Coffey has four cups to his name, he cannot compare to the winning legacy that Bryan Trottier has.
Bryan Trottier will probably be remembered as arguably the greatest player in New York Islanders history. Achieving the Conn Smythe and the Hart trophy while playing in Long Island. Not to mention he won 4 Stanley Cups in the early 80's, as being apart of one of the greatest hockey dynasties of all time.
However, his tenure as an NHL great was not just with the Islanders. Although, only have a short tenure with the Penguins, his impact was immediate and incredibly memorable. Bryan Trottier was one of the key members in a Penguins team that was filled with hall of famers, and Trottier was no exception. He won two Stanley Cups in the early 90's with the Penguins, making him one of the most decorated hockey players of all time. It wasn't just about scoring points, Bryan Trottier was a master at doing one thing. Winning...
However, the memories in Pittsburgh of Mr. Trottier expands far from just being a Champion, his on the ice and off the ice antics made him a local favorite in the city of Pittsburgh.
After winning the Stanley Cup for the 2nd time, the Penguins celebrated it's second consecutive cup in 3 rivers stadium. Former General Manager Craig Patrick noticed a lull in the celebration and so he asked Trottier to ask if Bob Errey and Troy Loney would go run around inside the stadium with the cup. Trottier rallied the guys and asked if they would celebrate with him. Although they agreed to it, once Trottier got to the bottom of the stairs, the players jokingly left him to celebrate on the field alone. Trottier made the best of his situation and saw that the tarp was wet from the night before. Therefore, Trottier decided to take a little slide with the cup on the tarp. Although Trottier admits that his first slide was sub-par. He stated that he got a bigger run and got a second great slide with the cup on the tarp at three rivers stadium. It was considered one of the best cup celebrations of all time.
And then there is this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MNA0_n32Hc
(Note, not for the young crowd, but boy is it funny!)
Bryan Trottier may have only had a brief stint for the Penguins, but he made his presence known as one of the best players of all time. Not only winning the cup for the Penguins twice, but being a local celebrity every time he comes into town. Although Trotts will be known as a New York Islander for the long haul, he will always be a Yinzer to us...
No comments:
Post a Comment