Boylen: Five Favorite Players to Watch

The following article, which features former Cornell standout Douglas Murray, appeared October 12 on the Hockey News Web site.

By Rory Boylen

I’m still in disbelief over the result of an innocuous shove by Johnny Boychuk on Mason Raymond in Game 6 of June’s Stanley Cup final. It’s a shame that Raymond is still unsure of when, or if, he’ll return to an NHL ice surface not just because it’s an unfair twist of fate, but also because he was, simply, an exciting player to watch.

I really began watching Raymond closely in the early-going of his breakout 2009-10 season and though he dropped off his production last year I still convinced a few friends that bigger things were yet to come. I loved his speed and his stride; I loved watching him, waiting for that moment when he’d blow you away with the skills that brought him to the NHL.

Some players – obviously, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby – appeal to the masses. Others have smaller followings, but draw fans to watch their teams just to catch a glimpse of a certain someone. We all like different things about hockey and that translates into a wide variety of player types being labeled a “favorite.” This doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy watching Sidney Crosby, Jeff Skinner or Daniel Sedin, it just means I enjoy watching these guys a little more.

These are five players I enjoy watching the most and why.

2. Douglas Murray

When you hear the word explosive when describing a hockey player it usually refers to his foot speed. But when it comes to this big Swede, explosive generally refers to the aftermath of his bodychecks. At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Murray isn’t going to bring it offensively, though he’s not a liability when it comes time to move the puck up the ice and out of the zone. And his skating isn’t half-bad either for a big man. I thought he was the best San Jose player in the 2011 post-season and really neutralized a lot of rushes.

What I like most about watching Murray is the anticipation of the big hit. You know it’s coming, but when? And when it finally does happen it almost always lifts you out of your seat with an exclamation. If someone asks me what I think of Douglas Murray, two words suffice: Boo Ya.

Complete article can be accessed via the Hockey News Web site by clicking here.