farzamk

Antropov gets his due



Sometimes it takes eight years, a rash of injuries, and heaps of criticism and doubt, to finally feel comfortable wearing a maple leaf on your hockey jersey.

Nik Antropov, the perennial poster boy for underachievment in a Leafs uniform, is finally hearing high praise for the player and person he is.

"That's always kinda surprised me. There's almost been an anti-Nik Antropov marketing campaign, and I'm not sure who started it. This guy is a really good player," coach Paul Maurice said yesterday after the annual Blue and White game.

Team Blue walked over Team White 5-1 in a game that means nothing and is as much great community relations for the franchise as it is an opportunity to test players in their first game situation of training camp.

But there was Antropov, leading the scoring with two goals and looking like one of the best players on the ice.

"I've played on the Island (with the New York Islanders) for seven seasons and whenever we played the Maple Leafs, there were two players who were always (focused) on, and they were Mats Sundin and Nik Antropov," Blake said.

Those accolades were hard to even imagine for much of the time since Antropov was drafted in the first round, 10th overall, in 1998. Critics looked at the fact Antropov, due to knee injuries and surgery, missed 200 of the 574 NHL games he's been eligible for.


FULL STORY: TheStar.com | NHL | Antropov gets his due

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MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

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2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
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6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

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farzamk

Well he's looking good in camp, now it's time for him to deliver some stuff. If he's playing on a top line with Sundin and Blake, he's gotta give us 25-30 goals no problem.

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

farzamk

Oh ya what are your predictions for Antropov?

__________________
When you make "big" money, you need to play "big."

MY FAVE 6 TEAMS!!

1) Leafs
2) Flames
3) Devils
4) Canucks
5) Sabres
6) Ducks

My Fave Player: Mats Sundin

CLICK HERE AND CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.hockeyforum.com/off-topic...a-zone-16.html

Fave Athlete: Asafa Powell

Amoroq

He has such soft hands for a big man, I can only imagine what his stats would be right now if he had been injury free all this time.

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subby13

Agreed... I've been one of the eternal optimists who's always believed that Antropov will one day stay healthy and really emerge as an impact player. Maybe this is the year? I hope so, but I've been hoping that for a few years now so I'll go with a "hope for the best, expect the worst" approach to avoid disappointment.