Remember this? The raising of number five

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

Can you remember the Soo Greyhound alum that said, “There was this hype about the guy who didn’t want to come here. I took it personally…and I was so motivated to play against him” (Sault Star, 16/03/2012, p. 14)?

The player that is referred to in this quote is none other than Eric Lindros, who was the focus of controversy when it was his turn to be drafted into the Ontario Hockey League - a league that is known as one of, if not the best developmental league for young players who wish to pursue a career in hockey.

Our Soo Greyhounds have played a part in the development of many National Hockey League players who have made a name for themselves, including the rugged defenseman that ‘took it personally’ when Lindros did not want to play for the Greyhounds, Adam Foote.

Originally from Whitby, Ontario, Foote was selected by the Soo Greyhounds twenty first overall in the 1988 Ontario Hockey League Draft. After a rookie season, Foote was seen as “every coach’s dream and he symbolized everything that’s good about hockey; the speed and skill, all done with an effortless grace” (Sault Star, 18/01/1990, p. 10).

As you can imagine, when a player has a successful first season, an expectation of a repeat performance comes with it, especially in a hockey town such as our own. However, the start of his second season had a slow start, and when Foote was asked about his struggles, he talked to this point. Foote stated, “Last year we had no pressure on us because we were rookies. We just had to go out there and work hard…” (p.10). Being a veteran on the team came with additional pressure to perform, which led our number five to “put too much pressure on himself to score a lot of points this season” (p.10), said former Greyhounds bench boss, Ted Nolan.

Foote’s experience was like many others in a developmental league such as the Ontario Hockey League: it had elements of brilliance and opportunities to improve and refocus. The main example here is the disparity between his first year contributions and the start of his second season with our hometown Hounds.

Foote was drafted by the then Quebec Nordiques in the 1989 draft. The general manager at the time, Pierre Page stated, “…there’s still a little grey area and that’s whether he is going to be an offensive defenseman or a defensive defenseman”, in the May 15, 1991 Sault Star (p.10). The amount of pressure to produce points that Ted Nolan spoke about certainly contributed to Foote’s slow start in his second season, leading him to be “…caught up ice and out of position” (Sault Star 18/01/1990). These struggles are all a part of the development of players who have potential to become professional hockey players.

The Whitby product was clearly able to refocus and learn from the slow start. Foote stated, “if they want me to be a defenseman then I’ve got to stay back, and the points will come. I can’t rush as much as I did at the start of the season,” when talking about his struggles at the start of the 1989-1990 season (Sault Star. 18/01/1990).

This statement spoke to Foote’s primary focus as a player: to take care of the defensive zone and rush when the opportunity presents itself. In his third season, Foote’s play provided a glimpse into the type of defenseman he would become for the Nordiques, Avalanche, and Bluejackets.

In the May 1991 article in the Sault Star, Page spoke to Foote’s refocus, stating, “It’s been a big improvement and he seems to be a more coachable and more intense player (Sault Star, 15/05/1991).

This intensity served Foote well when he competed for the Greyhounds in the 1991 playoffs against the aforementioned Lindros, “shutting down Generals superstar centre…, who Foote matched speed-for-speed” (Sault Star, 15/05/1991, p.10). In the 1991 playoffs, Foote proved himself as an elite performer and was one of the leaders of the Greyhounds that brought their second Ontario Hockey League championship back to the Sault.

Needless to say, Adam Foote was a player who developed well while he played for the Soo Greyhounds. In the lead-up to the retirement of his number at the Memorial Gardens, Foote expressed that “It’s definitely in the top achievements of my career. It’s a great honour. I’m still so overwhelmed. That’s where it all started for me” (Sault Star, 16/05/2012, p. 14). In the May 2012 write-up in the Sault Star, Foote shares ‘fond memories’ of his time in the Sault playing for our Greyhounds. Foote went on to praise his coach, Ted Nolan, stating “[he] was a definitely a players’ coach and he taught me a lot. He prepared me to be a good pro” (p.14). The Greyhounds number five went on to have a successful career, winning two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche and Olympic gold when he represented Canada at the 2002 games.

This season as the Soo Greyhounds raise Joe Thornton’s number 19 to the rafters, it allows us to reflect on which former Greyhounds jerseys could be retired in the future. Who do you think it will be?

Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.