The fabulous life and return of Razor

By Willem Thomas

um, goalie-on-goalie action

(fights, ahem) that has occurred
in the NHL over the past few weeks
(see: Pittsburgh netminder Brent
Johnson’s spectacular one-punch
clean-up on the Islander’s Rick
Dipietro, among others), I was
originally meaning to do an article.
based on just that: goalie-fights and
the unnervingly pointlessness of
them in relation to the game itself,
but also why they well, rule. When
I hear the term “‘goalie-fight’, my
brain responds “Ray Emery”, and
just last week it’s been officially -
announced that the supreme badass
of NHL netminders is returning after
a few seasons of injury, mediocrity,
and courting Keshia Chante (in that
chronological order).

On February 7, it was
announced that Emery has been
signed to a one-year, two-way
deal with the Anaheim Ducks, and
is currently on waivers and thus
sent down to their farm team, the

[== by the recent influx of,

Syracuse Crunch for conditioning/
preparation/giving him ample time to
decide which Lamborghini he’ll be
bringing to Anaheim.

As talented as he is/was, Emery
was diagnosed with a degenerative
disease known as avascular necrosis
in 2010, which was fortunately
found and treated early-on. After
being essentially dropped by the
Philadelphia Flyers due to his
condition, he has spent the majority
of his time post-March 2010
undergoing surgery, rehabilitation
and beginning his training to return
to the NHL. ;

Ray’s bout against Josh Gratton
in 2005 is widely considered one the
better goalie-fights in NHL history,
right up there with the 1998 Chris
Osgood-Patrick Roy matchup. With
Emery most likely being in the top-
five for goalie’s with the most fights
on their record (AHL and other
leagues included), its no surprise
many associate him as a dismissible
thug of sorts. Look back to his days
in Ottawa and you’ll quickly think
otherwise.

If you had asked me a week
prior to his signing with Anaheim
where I thought Emery would make
his return to the NHL, I most likely
would of stated a team elsewhere
of Anaheim. Detroit comes to mind
foremost, or San Jose, or even maybe
the Flyers would take another stab
at a healthy Emery, but its the Ducks
who’ve picked him up, and my
prediction is that he won’t be playing
with Anaheim come the 2011-2012
NHL season. Maybe Ottawa will
look towards their former star for a
rebuild they desperately need...

A character both on and off
the ice, Emery is a huge personality:
who often comes to conflict with his
teammates and management (hence
him leaving the Senators in 2008),
but is a committed, talented, and just
hilarious human being who lives the
lifestyle of a rap-star and considers
shoes, pythons, and racing (and
crashing) his many vehicles among
his prime interests. He has plenty of
years of decent hockey still in him
pending, well, his legs don’t give
out. Here’s to the return of Razor.

Ray Emery

 

 

 

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