T1B

What a great career. Think about what he could have done without the injuries...

He'll go to the HOF.

I remember watching his first game back as a Flame after his inital neck injury. It was a Hockey Night In Canada against the Leafs. He went out on his 1st shift and pasted every single leaf on the ice. Incredibly tough.

Good luck in the future, Joe. You will be missed.

3 cups
1 Conn Smythe
1126 points

Joe Who? was a great player, and one of my favourite Flames of that era. Nobody could deflect MacInnis shots the way Nieuwy could. Unreal hand-eye coordination. Not only that, I don't know if I've seen any other player this side of Jagr that was money on breakaways the way Nieuwendyk was.

He's also part of a pretty nice link to the past for the Flames: Kent Nilsson was traded for a 2nd rounder that turned out to be Nieuwendyk. Nieuwendyk was traded for a young pup named Iginla.

But it's in that where Nieuwendyk's image as a Flame is tarnished. His Yashinesque holdout when he had a contract with the team was damned near unforgiveable, especially considering he was the team's captain. The Flames' dark years were already beginning, but Nieuwendyk's departure was the beginning of that 7 year playoff absense. The Flames were swept by the Blackhawks that spring, and didn't see playoffs again until '04.

Nieuwendyk wasn't entirely to blame, however. Doug Risebrough was an awful GM at the time, as he fucked up the handling of a long list of great players over his tenure.

Gary Roberts is now the last remaining active player from the 1989 Flames' team. Hard to believe that any player from that team would still be playing!

VOTE PANG
EASIER TO SPELL THAN NIEUWENDYK

There is sure to be some kind of ceremony in Dallas and perhaps his number will join Neal Broten's in the rafters. Joe was awesome. He had BOTH ACLs repaired after the '98 season, came back and bagged himself a Cup and Conn Smythe the next year (though I think 'ol drunk Eddie should've gotten it...but no complaints). Kind of sucks what went on in Calgary but I'll always remember him as a great player for the Stars.

Believe it or not, some actually grumble that they gave away Iginla for him. Pffft. So be it! Stanley Cups don't come cheap. Sure, I'd love to have Iginla, but I'd rather have that Cup.