40 years ago - They're going home

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Listen for commentary from Denis Potvin - No Russians licking the peanut butter from the bread with their fingers though.

/That's because the Russians had no bread

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Gallagher in the cesspool talking about Potvin admitting that, when he played, he intentionally went out and injured players ... talking about Bill Derlago being one of the victims ... dont recall ever seeing a clip of that hit

 

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Drafted by Vancouver, his rookie season was wrecked by a knee injury in November. He was hit by Denis Potvin and didn't play another game all year. As a sophomore - and coming off major knee surgery to boot - he got off to a slow start and in February was dealt to Toronto with Rick Vaive for Tiger Williams and Jerry Butler.

Tiger was wonderful, but this was a steal of epic proportions. Vaive and Derlago would be 2/3 of the Leafs' top line for years. Vaive would hit 50 three times while Derlago would hit 40 once and 30+ three more times.

The HHOF has this comment in their write-up. Just think about this:

"In Toronto, Derlago finally got the stable setting he needed to establish his game as a smooth-skating playmaker who had the deft passing touch that could successfully feed Rick Vaive's cannon-like shot."

I don't know what was going on in Vancouver in 1980, but if coming to the Ballard/Imlach Leafs of 1979-80 represented the stable setting he needed, it must have been catastrophic.

1984-85 Team - Bill Derlago

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I don't know what was going on in Vancouver in 1980, but if coming to the Ballard/Imlach Leafs of 1979-80 represented the stable setting he needed, it must have been catastrophic.

Jesus Christ hahaha