Hey hockey experts... find the hall of famer

[jb217676]

Hey guys,
Let's see who knows their stuff and can identify the hockey hall of famer in this postcard...

[Kurri17]

Wow, that's a good one. I guess I'm from the '70s, 'cause those guys all look familiar haha. So, that wouldn't happen to be Ray Bourque would it, first player on the left in the middle row?

[jb217676]

No, it's not Bourque... but you have the position right!

[Kurri17]

Top right corner, Larry Murphy? And who the heck is that coach, he looks familiar, but then again, the '70s.......

[jb217676]

You got it! Top row, far right is NHL legend Larry Murphy!

[Kurri17]

Alright! Loved that little trivia, such a classic old photo. There is a collector on another board who is a hardcore Murphy collector, real appreciation for guys devoted to collecting players who are off the hobby grid.

[Peter_Spaeth]

You got it! Top row, far right is NHL legend Larry Murphy!

That kid looks almost exactly like the kid in the bottom row, second from the right.

[nicknock-2013]

Alright I cop to it, I cheated. Surprisingly this whole question with picture is posted on Google. By the By, Murphy was and is one of the most underrated defensemen ever to lace up a pair of skates....just sayin'

[SAllen2556]

Alright I cop to it, I cheated. Surprisingly this whole question with picture is posted on Google. By the By, Murphy was and is one of the most underrated defensemen ever to lace up a pair of skates...

...as long as he was partnered with Nick Lidstrom! He got run out of Toronto for sucking didn't he? Just sayin'.

[Kurri17]

...as long as he was partnered with Nick Lidstrom! He got run out of Toronto for sucking didn't he? Just sayin'.

Well, let' see:

Larry Murphy was a six-time All-Star (only once while with the Wings), played on four Cup winners (twice with the Pens), selected and played for Team Canada in the '87 Canada Cup, is the fifth all-time in scoring by a defenseman, and is in the Hall of Fame.

Less than 20% of his career games were played with he Wings (and thus Lidstrom), so I don't really think we can attribute his entire career to Lidstrom. And, heck, I don't know, but if a guys plays 21 seasons in the NHL and is in the HOF with his credentials, wouldn't that cast some serious doubt over getting "run out of Toronto for sucking" when he was there for less than two seasons (and his numbers the first of those two were good). More like he was cast as the scapegoat for a bad team, and hey, the fans and management have to blame someone, right.

And bash me if you want, but I just think it is really unfortunate that all anyone wants to do is criticize, find something negative to say. Journalists and fans alike. If a guy is a jerk, beats his wife, acts like Dez Bryant, sure criticize all you want. But just looking to find something negative about players who are professionals and act like it, especially when they have proven themselves to be an elite player, is ridiculous. Give credit where credit is due.

[Butch7999]

That would be... inaccurate. Neil nicknock would be correct.

Ninja'd by Kurri, who would also be largely correct.
Murphy wasn't really even scapegoated in T-O (he played very well there);
aging Leafs were in a rebuild and a then 35-year-old All-Star defenceman was great trade bait.

[Kurri17]

That would be... inaccurate. Neil nicknock would be correct.

Ninja'd by Kurri, who would also be largely correct.
Murphy wasn't really even scapegoated in T-O (he played very well there);
aging Leafs were in a rebuild and a then 35-year-old All-Star defenceman was great trade bait.

Thank you for noting the specifics of that, I agree that is more accurate.

[boysblue]

Murphy was great junior defenceman with the Peterborough Petes before he moved to the NHL. I think he still holds the record for points--and maybe goals too--by a defenceman in his rookie season with the LA Kings.

Leaf fans never took to Murphy. The team was lousy, he was scapegoated by fans and became the target of their frustration. I think his confidence suffered as a result, and his time in Toronto was probably the low point of a HOF career. I am sure he was thrilled to move on to Detroit, and obviously he still had much to offer the Wings.

I like Larry Murphy as a player very much, and consider him underrated despite his election into the HOF--he sort of gets lost in the shuffle when folks discuss contemporary blue liners.