ARTICLES


Category: Europe

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1972 Summit Series,Russia / Feb-2016


Azerbaijani refugees and my lost Summit Series postcards

Photos courtesy JP Melville These days, I only really ever play a rare pickup hockey game. Most…

FT-Rivers

Countries,Croatia,Europe,Kontinental Hockey League / Sep-2015


THE DEATH CERTIFICATE

I was unrestricted and unsigned and it was getting late in my career. I pretty much knew that a one-way ticket in the NHL was not gonna come and a two-way contract was not what I was looking for.

BIDNER

American Hockey League,Detroit Red Wings,Edmonton Oilers,National Hockey League,United Kingdom,Washington Capitals / Sep-2015


FIGHTING CLAUDE JULIEN

I got in a fight that night with Claude Julien. I’d fought him in junior, so I knew I could beat him up. I did pretty good against him, and all the scouts were there.

FT-Darius

Russia / Sep-2015


THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY

Sometimes, I call myself the man without a country. I left Lithuania at a young age, went to Russia, and ended up just everywhere.

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Countries,Kontinental Hockey League,Leagues,Russia / Sep-2015


LIFE, FATE & STEVE MONTADOR

The next morning I got a call from Steve’s brother saying he’d passed the night before. It was at the same time that I was walking home.

FT-Ling

Kontinental Hockey League,Russia / Sep-2015


GUNS, MONEY AND MOSCOW

When it was my turn to go get my money, I walked in to find an old lady sitting at a small table with a mail bag full of 100 dollar bills (all American), a money counter and a list of the players and their salaries. Behind her was a big scary looking mob guy for security.

FT-1992

Lithuania,National Hockey League,New York Islanders,Olympics,Russia / Sep-2015


1992

1992 was one of the best years of my life. I won Gold at the World Juniors and the Olympics; got drafted; and then played my rookie year with the Islanders.

FT-Plante

Boston Bruins,Canada,Russia,St Louis Blues / Sep-2015


LET’S FACE IT, AS A TEAM GUY HE WAS A PIECE OF S*&T

Jacques Plante was a great goalie, but as a team guy he was a piece of shit. He was always broke and borrowing money, but he’d never pay you back.

FT-Darius3

Lithuania,The Modern Game / Jun-2015


THE LOST ART OF HITTING

I played the game hard and no matter where I played, I played to win. But I’ll be honest: I always played to hit someone. That was my number one goal.

FT-White

1972 Summit Series,Chicago Blackhawks,Events,Russia / Jun-2015


1972

I tried getting in shape before the 72 Series, but I hated running. I’d jogged a little up north but had come across a mother bear and her cubs, which gave me the excuse: “Too dangerous.”

FT-Warriner

Europe,Finland,Germany,Switzerland / Jun-2015


THE EUROPEAN WAY

That’s the biggest thing when you go to Europe, don’t stand around and think you have all kinds of time, you still have to play with pace.

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New York Islanders,Russia / Apr-2015


RECOVERY

Alcohol is a disease. If you have it, you have it. It doesn’t have to happen right away. It happens over years. Once you’re made aware you have this problem, you must accept it.

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United Kingdom / Apr-2015

Wayne Cowley:
ONE GAME

Maybe I was destined to play one game in the NHL, because I only dreamed of playing. I never thought about it any further than that. It could’ve been one game or a hundred.