EDIT: THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO! HE DESERVES HIS PLACE IN HOCKEY HISTORY! I grew up in a MTL household. My DAD, mom, grandmom, 5 older brothers...etc. All Canadiens fans.My dad was the spitting image of Maurice Richard and lived in MTL at the height RICHARD mania. So he'd get mistaken for him all the time and he enjoyed it lol. But as a kid born in 72, I used to love sitting on the floor of the living room when my dad and uncles would watch the playoffs...etc. I made a makeshift net against the wall and In between whistles and intermission I would pretend to be a goalie and my dad would shoot rolled up socks and I'd try to make great saves like on TV. I gravitated to goalkeeping for some reason. So when the Oilers started to dominate, I became obsessed with BILLY SMITH! He had the look of the perfect goalie. I just loved him. Had to have his jersey. And for 4 years he was KING! The the Oilers came around and everyone jumped onto the Gretzky train. So did I, about 10 years later lol. But to me, Billy was my FIRST HOCKEY HERO!
Another great video!!! Loved this story of Billy Smith. I wonder if there will ever be another dynasty like the Islanders, or even if there will be a three in a row Stanley Cup winners
You should do a video on the absolute INSANITY that Dominik Hasek was. My favorite highlite of his was when he was caught behind the net so he just knocked it over.
The Dominator's was a peculiar career. For a couple years he was in the shadows of the flashy and talented Eddie The Eagle. Drafted 199TH OVERALL!! Who in the world could've predicted what this late bloomer was going to accomplish. By his 2 year as Buffalo's Number 1 he was putting up ungodly numbers that just got crazier and crazier every year. And on a less than mediocre team at best. 2 HART trophies and he could have won 4 easy! 6 Vezinas! He could've won 10! This guy was the definition of being LOCKED IN! And at the 1998 Winter Olympics he was more locked in than ANY goaltender ever was! I remember thinking during the Canada vs Czech shootout, noone is going to beat this guy. Everyone made a huge stink about Marc Crawford not putting Gretzky or Yzerman in as one of the shooters instead of Ray Bourque. Laughable yes. But it wouldn't have mattered. Hasek would not be beaten.
Here is a recommendation, I absolutely can nkt stand this player, he is the complete opposite of what I consider a true hockey player but i do have some respect for how much he would get under the opposing team, Matthew Baranby! I cant believe im actually asking for a bio on him. Btw, nice job on tne Hextall video. Im a life long Flyers fan!!!
It was his positioning that was the best part of his game. Also, he was the first goalie coach of the Florida Panthers and it was his teaching, emphasis positioning that saved John Vanbiesbrouck 's career. My top 4 were MARTIN BRODEUR, VLADISLAV TRETIAL, JOHN VANBIESBROUCK AND CHRIS TERRERI. BTW. Roland Melanson had as good as a season as Smith did in 82-83
Great video, but I still can't buy him as great. He was good at times, but he was helped by a wagon of a team. He did well enough to not lose at times. He wasn't much for winning games himself. 🤷♂️
Oh give me a break. He won four consecutive cups, went to five consecutive finals. Held Gretzky to zero goals and swept the Oilers who had one of the greatest offenses ever. "He was good at times". How charitable of you. 🙄
9:32 I'm not sure who that was, Semenko maybe ? BLATANTLY throws a right cross right to SMITH'S face DURING play! Can you IMAGINE something like that happening today?? LMFAO! Talk about DRAMA! There's be about 15 fighting majors, 8 suspensions...etc. Probably a criminal assault charge! lol What a fuckin LEGEND! If you can get under a players skin to the point that he flat out PUNCHES you, A GOALIE, during play. Well, what more can be said. He was the goalie, AND, the instigator, AND the enforcer! There will never be another BILLY SMITH.
Unless you watched him back then. You don't really know how great he was come playoff time. Anyone thinking he was a goon never played goal back then. Being a goalie, players crashed the net all the time. The rules weren't like today. You needed to protect your crease more than goalies do today.
Maybe by today's standards, Smith was "dirty", but I and a ton of others have only ever had respect for the way the dude played. You *learned* not to rush Battling Billy's crease because he was going to make sure you felt it. Guy was a third defenseman out there who showed up to the biggest games playing like he hated to lose way more than he loved to win. To pigeonhole him in the title as "One of the dirtiest goalies" is just flat out wrong.
Thank you guys so much for the support lately!💯
Billy Smith was my sports hero growing up. Saw him play many times in Springfield, Once he even fought Dave Schultz.
Smith and Hextall were pure entertainment. Makes people want to watch.
He's really a great guy to meet. That whole era to this day is so grounded. They still just joke around and talk to you as if you're their neighbor.
Billy was a character…not afraid to mix it up, used his stick like an axe, took great pride in taking a dive, and the best clutch goaltender ever!
EDIT: THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!
HE DESERVES HIS PLACE IN HOCKEY HISTORY!
I grew up in a MTL household. My DAD, mom, grandmom, 5 older brothers...etc. All Canadiens fans.My dad was the spitting image of Maurice Richard and lived in MTL at the height RICHARD mania. So he'd get mistaken for him all the time and he enjoyed it lol.
But as a kid born in 72, I used to love sitting on the floor of the living room when my dad and uncles would watch the playoffs...etc. I made a makeshift net against the wall and In between whistles and intermission I would pretend to be a goalie and my dad would shoot rolled up socks and I'd try to make great saves like on TV. I gravitated to goalkeeping for some reason. So when the Oilers started to dominate, I became obsessed with BILLY SMITH! He had the look of the perfect goalie. I just loved him. Had to have his jersey. And for 4 years he was KING!
The the Oilers came around and everyone jumped onto the Gretzky train. So did I, about 10 years later lol.
But to me, Billy was my FIRST HOCKEY HERO!
Another great video!!! Loved this story of Billy Smith. I wonder if there will ever be another dynasty like the Islanders, or even if there will be a three in a row Stanley Cup winners
Video goes super hard, great work as always
You should do a video on the absolute INSANITY that Dominik Hasek was. My favorite highlite of his was when he was caught behind the net so he just knocked it over.
The Dominator's was a peculiar career.
For a couple years he was in the shadows of the flashy and talented Eddie The Eagle. Drafted 199TH OVERALL!! Who in the world could've predicted what this late bloomer was going to accomplish. By his 2 year as Buffalo's Number 1 he was putting up ungodly numbers that just got crazier and crazier every year. And on a less than mediocre team at best. 2 HART trophies and he could have won 4 easy! 6 Vezinas! He could've won 10!
This guy was the definition of being LOCKED IN!
And at the 1998 Winter Olympics he was more locked in than ANY goaltender ever was!
I remember thinking during the Canada vs Czech shootout, noone is going to beat this guy. Everyone made a huge stink about Marc Crawford not putting Gretzky or Yzerman in as one of the shooters instead of Ray Bourque. Laughable yes. But it wouldn't have mattered. Hasek would not be beaten.
I love insane goalies!
Here is a recommendation, I absolutely can nkt stand this player, he is the complete opposite of what I consider a true hockey player but i do have some respect for how much he would get under the opposing team, Matthew Baranby! I cant believe im actually asking for a bio on him. Btw, nice job on tne Hextall video. Im a life long Flyers fan!!!
Bearded Billy Smith gives me Ole Anderson vibes.
Dominik Hasek, yes...great goalies make everything better. Dominik is one of the all time favorites
He wouldn't take shit from ANYONE
Cornwall Royals, not Crownwall Royals. Make sure you actually have the ACTUAL name of a hockey club. Great video none the less! Loved it!!
He could have been in the 'Sabotage' video with that wig at the end. A real madman...
A dirty disrespectful hacker!
I'm sure Billy would be hurt by your comment,
if he could read.
@@anthonytripp2251 ehh, wgaf
Loved to watch him play. He changed how goalies played. You come too close to the criese you're going to pay for it. Love hockey back then.
It was his positioning that was the best part of his game. Also, he was the first goalie coach of the Florida Panthers and it was his teaching, emphasis positioning that saved John Vanbiesbrouck 's career. My top 4 were MARTIN BRODEUR, VLADISLAV TRETIAL, JOHN VANBIESBROUCK AND CHRIS TERRERI. BTW. Roland Melanson had as good as a season as Smith did in 82-83
@2:02 two can play that game lol
Great video, but I still can't buy him as great. He was good at times, but he was helped by a wagon of a team. He did well enough to not lose at times. He wasn't much for winning games himself. 🤷♂️
Oh give me a break. He won four consecutive cups, went to five consecutive finals. Held Gretzky to zero goals and swept the Oilers who had one of the greatest offenses ever. "He was good at times". How charitable of you. 🙄
Didn't get up ice enough, hence the low assists and goals numbers. Chico too!
9:32
I'm not sure who that was, Semenko maybe ? BLATANTLY throws a right cross right to SMITH'S face DURING play!
Can you IMAGINE something like that happening today?? LMFAO! Talk about DRAMA! There's be about 15 fighting majors, 8 suspensions...etc. Probably a criminal assault charge! lol
What a fuckin LEGEND! If you can get under a players skin to the point that he flat out PUNCHES you, A GOALIE, during play. Well, what more can be said. He was the goalie, AND, the instigator, AND the enforcer! There will never be another BILLY SMITH.
lose the background music that is louder than the dialoge!!!
Another good story might be Buffalo's 13 years of fail but at the same time drafting some of the best players of that time period.
I know you've done the Bure story but the Alex Mogilny story needs to be told.
Unless you watched him back then. You don't really know how great he was come playoff time. Anyone thinking he was a goon never played goal back then. Being a goalie, players crashed the net all the time. The rules weren't like today. You needed to protect your crease more than goalies do today.
Maybe by today's standards, Smith was "dirty", but I and a ton of others have only ever had respect for the way the dude played. You *learned* not to rush Battling Billy's crease because he was going to make sure you felt it. Guy was a third defenseman out there who showed up to the biggest games playing like he hated to lose way more than he loved to win. To pigeonhole him in the title as "One of the dirtiest goalies" is just flat out wrong.
beat us oilers then we kicked his ass
"We"😂
Ken Dryden was my favourite of all times. When hockey was hockey.