Oh god they are back AGAIN! The turkeys make their season finale of sorts on this edition. The year end edition will be coming sometime in the next week or three. I was thinking they may be too exhausted to do this but they were raring to go especially when they saw how the Stanley Cup Finals ended. It was like a sign to them.
So who are this week’s three turkeys? This was very tough and really there is a level of unfairness here as these two teams (Philly and Chicago) made the Stanley Cup Finals. However it must be done and we will do it. Now of course the turkeys present……well you know.
Stanley Cup Turkeys
Michael Leighton (G) — Philadelphia Flyers
Like I said it is the Finals and really things like this are not fair. But to play so well throughout the game and then give up a goal like Leighton did to clinch it for Chicago is in a word TURKEY. It is kind of weird that Evgeni Nabokov did this earlier in the playoffs in Overtime against Chicago as well. The problem was these Finals had moments where the goaltending was great and then moments where you thought maybe you locked yourself in a barn watching an ECHL game. It really was night and day at times and downright freightening. Do not worry the other goalie gets mentioned at some point too but the final gaffe was the wound that cut the deepest. The turkeys were all over it and really no one could blame them. Its an unfortunate way to treat a guy who came in as a replacement for another guy who replaced him. Go figure on the irony.
Chris Pronger (D) — Philadelphia Flyers
In the end Chris Pronger did not make the difference in Games 5 and 6. Though Pronger was a +1 in Game 6. His two minors in the first period set the tone where Philly would be in a dogfight all night. It was one they would ultimately lose. Combine that with the Game 5 clunker that was so spectacularly bad and this really was an easier decision for the turkeys than people think. It was not just the fact that he was a -5 but the fact that he also took dumb penalties in that game as well that led to Chicago glory. I still think either Pronger was hurt or he flat out ran out of gas. Something was definitely amiss the last two games and I am sure there will be an explanation at some point. The bottom line is that the turkey label is justified for Pronger. When you start grabbing and clutching at straws err opposing players, it is a bad sign that the worst is yet to come. Sure enough, it did.
Duncan Keith (D) — Chicago Blackhawks
A bit of an odd choice perhaps? After last night however, this was a pretty easy choice. Sure he did win the Stanley Cup and had a pretty good Final points wise but there were times where Keith was literally falling all over the ice in spite of himself. It is rare to see the defenseman look that out of place that many times, especially one of Keith’s caliber. Yet it happened in Game 6 over and over and over again. Last night it led to Philly goals and scoring chances that were too many to count or at least it felt like it did. The turkeys were so dismayed over this one that they even walked out. They thought it was a much worse defenseman out there and not a Norris nominated defenseman. Maybe Mike Green and Duncan Keith switched bodies? Wonders will never cease. At any rate, the season is over thankfully and Keith can now get some rest after all the minutes logged.
DISHONORABLE MENTIONS:
1. The Refs — they were just plain horrific particularly in Game 6 and during Game 5’s helmet flying fest.
2. Gary Bettman — I swear that GL 27 hair stuff is on his head. At any rate, it looks bad.
3. Simon Gagne — Came up snake eyes in the biggest game of the season. Was he even out there?
4. Jeff Carter — One goal in the Finals…an empty netter….not going to cut it. Bit snakebitten in Game 6.
5. Krsi Versteeg — Except for Games 1 and 5 was largely invisible in this series. Can you say traded?
There you have it ladies and gentlemen…the last first run Turkeys of the year. Give us some time to come up with the Turkeys Of The Year and then these gobblers will get a nice summer vacation. They will be back before you know it but they really have earned the rest. Stay safe you gobblers!
