Okay, so we’ve unloaded some hatred… but what about those guilty pleasures, those players you just hate to love but can’t help it?
Who are your favorite non-Caps, current/all-time?
Peerless: Current – Patrice Bergeron. I just like guys who play the game with versatility and skill and do so without drawing attention to themselves, letting the product speak for them. For me, Bergeron is the epitome of such a player. And his performance in the 2013 playoffs while playing with injuries that would have put me in the hospital (broken rib, torn rib cartilage, separated shoulder, a pinhole puncture in his lung; it took his lung collapsing to get him to the hospital) …amazing.
All-time – Tim Kerr. OK, this is an odd one, but he fits the “low fanfare producer” profile, even if he was a Flyer. I hated that he scored as often as he did against the Caps (his 31 goals against the Caps are most of any Flyer ever), but he acted like a professional going about his work effectively and efficiently, and I have a lot of respect for that.
J.P.: Current – Braden Holtby, Andre Burakovsky, Jakub Vrana, Jay Beagle, Michael Kempny, Philipp Grubauer, Brett Connolly, Chandler Stephenson, Alex Chiasson, Nathan Walker. I also like Anze Kopitar.
All-time – I always loved Keith Tkachuk. Shame he was allowed to reproduce…
Luke: All time, I’ve always been a huge King Lundqvist fan, which is odd because he killed so many good Caps teams in the playoffs. But he’s a likable guy and was just fun as hell to watch, especially as a fellow goalie. It was a huge dagger in the heart when he was thiiiiis close to playing for the Caps then had to retire due to health issues. Currently? Love me some Tomas Hertl. Wish he hit UFA status because Caps probably would have been all over him with Backy’s injury status. Imagine him with Kuz as your top six centers.
Becca: Oddly enough, I actually have quite a few players I like despite their existence on other – even downright evil – teams. Top of the list for me are Brayden Point and David Pastrnak, each of whom I consider just too damn fun to watch for me to hate (and in Pastrnak’s case, seemingly delightful off the ice, as well). I’ll agree on Kopitar and Hertl, as well, for the same reasons. And if I’m being honest… I have a little love-hate relationship with Kris Letang. It’s the French-Canadian thing, y’all. I can’t help myself.
All-time, it’s 100% Jarome Iginla. Sheer delight.
Alright, friends, time to spread the love! Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments below.