I like doing mailbags because you can get some really unique questions that might not otherwise be on my radar. Sometimes the questions are too good for a mailbag and they deserve the stand-alone treatment. I received such a question for the latest mailbag and it definitely deserves its own space. We are going outside the box today and inside the ring.
Who’s the hockey player that you think could transition to professional wrestling and do ok at it?
I’m actually going to go a slightly different route on this question and expand on things. I’m going to pair up NHL players with the wrestlers that best match them. I, like many others, grew up watching WWF/WWE and have great memories doing so. One of my close friends was the co-founder and co-owner of Wrestlezone.com which he started when we were in high school. My first ever blog on the internet wasn’t hockey, it was on some upstart named Chris Jericho which was posted on Wrestlezone sometime in the late 90’s.
Then things got busier. College hit, then real life, and wrestling fell off my radar for close to twenty years. My wife didn’t even know I ever watched wrestling until the pandemic hit and I started watching AEW when live content was lean. I was more of a WCW Nitro guy back during the Monday Night Wars and AEW reminded me of those days. Having Jericho didn’t hurt. So now I’m back on the train. Part of my hiatus was that the WWE product wasn’t really doing it for me. Going from the Attitude Era to whatever the ultimately landed on felt like a really different product. So if you’re looking for some WWE comparisons in this piece, you won’t find them. It isn’t for me these days ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
With all that said, ring the bell.
Connor McDavid – Will Osprey
Do you like seeing awesome things? Do you like seeing physical feats only a rare select few can pull off? Then I’ve got two athletes for you. McDavid and Osprey are both high end talents with high end work rates. If you blink you might miss their greatness. They are explosive in their attacks and have their foot on the gas pedal at all times. They are both dazzling and make others better around them.
They not only share physical attributes, they also share the fact they are in a location where their exposure isn’t what it could be. McDavid was famously drafted to Edmonton while Osprey performs in New Japan Pro Wrestling. It is worth the effort to seek both of them out. The Stanley Cup playoffs are an easy way to do it with McDavid and Forbidden Door 2 June 25th in Toronto is likely the next landing spot for Osprey in North America.
Jack Eichel – CM Punk
The talent is unmistakable with Eichel and Punk. So is the fact they have pissed off a lot of co-workers with their approach and attitude. They are also no stranger to major injuries. Eichel had his major neck issue on the tail end of his Buffalo tenure while Punk’s run in AEW has been marred with a foot and triceps injury during his title run(s). Frustrating injuries aside, these two also couldn’t help themselves when a microphone was thrust in front of them. On Eichel’s return to Buffalo he went the heel route and was shooting on the Buffalo fans
This was in spirit with Punk’s pipe bomb promos and his All Out media session which led to the huge real life locker room brawl with The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega.
CM Punk never main evented Wrestlemania and Jack Eichel hasn’t been at the top of the NHL individually or team wise. Both have huge chips on their shoulders and aren’t afraid to express it. It’s an either you love them or hate them kind of deal.
Sidney Crosby – Kenny Omega
There are no weaknesses to be had with either Crosby or Omega. They are near perfect in all facets of their respective trades. They can beat you with speed. They can beat you with force. They can beat you with finesse. They can definitely beat you cerebrally. They will let their work in the ring and on the ice do the majority of the talking. Their work tells a story.
Omega is an executive with AEW. Sidney Crosby isn’t one in name, but he stepped in over the summer and made it clear Evgeni Malkin wasn’t going to sign elsewhere as a free agent. They are both loyal to their people.
Crosby and Omega unfortunately share an injury past where they missed upwards of a year plus to serious injuries. The setbacks were temporary and they are back firing on all cylinders. The great ones have that extra gear to bounce back not only physically, but mentally.
Their reach is international. The two are global stars and are respected around the world. Even in the twilight of their careers they still are performing better than the other 99% to ever do it.
Brad Marchand – MJF
They are brash and they are hated. There is no bigger heel in the NHL than Brad Marchand. There is no bigger heel in professional wrestling than MJF. Their ability to own their roles as villains can many times overshadow and distract from the fact they are damn good at what they do professionally. Marchand is one of the best wingers in hockey and Maxwell Jacob Friedman is one of the elite talents in professional wrestling. Neither can get out of their own way to allow people to enjoy the adulation of their accolades. They are justly met with scorn and contempt. No amount of success will change this. This is who they are. They can’t help but being themselves. Their villain role is what fuels their greatness and it is also what prevents them from being loved.
Neither are afraid to call out their bosses. Neither are afraid to call out fans.
Brad Marchand is not taking the Marchand Miss very well
No matter how long these two “behave”, their next deranged act is just around the corner.
Alexander Ovechkin - Jon Moxley
We are talking about big elite forces with these two. They are absolute units and they are going to take what they want through blunt force and it is going to be very physical. They can bust out the finesse when necessary, although it is rarely needed. The striking power is unrivaled in their respective professions. There is an uncanny consistency in their success despite the physicality of their approach. Both competitors are 37 years old and are still going strong. Neither Ovechkin or Moxley would ever pass up the opportunity to go for the kill whether it is a death driver or a one-timer from the left circle. Either way it's lights out for the other guy.
Drew Doughty - Chris Jericho
When you’re younger and you still have your best stuff it is a hell of a lot easier to stay relevant. Drew Doughty and Chris Jericho were both elite talents in their younger days. Their highs were incredibly high. They love talking crap and they aren’t above cutting corners to get the job done. Nobody does the cry baby heel better than either of them
Doughty won multiple Stanley Cups, a Norris Trophy, and was on the top pairing for multiple Gold Medal winning Canadian teams at the Olympics. Chris Jericho famously defeated both The Rock and Stone Cold Steven Austin the same night to unify both the WWF and WCW Heavyweight titles at Vengeance 2001. I don’t think too many wrestlers have had a better night than that. He is also the record holder winning the Intercontinental Championship nine times. He is also renowned in Japan for his Wrestle Kingdom matches at the Tokyo Dome.
Then time catches up to an athlete. Things don’t always go as well as they once did. Most athletes fade away after greatness, very few reinvent themselves. It would have been easy for Jericho to call it a career and wait for his invite for the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Instead, he helped a little upstart wrestling company known as AEW and became their first Heavyweight Champion. He was one of the driving forces behind AEW gaining traction as a brand-new company. His name had drawing power. It got people in the door. It got me in the door. A name isn’t enough to keep people coming, though. Jericho has had a renaissance in AEW and one could make an argument 2022 was one of the best years of his career. Reinventing his gimmicks is a hallmark of Jericho’s career.
Doughty had similar hurdles to overcome. He was slipping as a player. His team was starting over from scratch. He could fade away or step up. The Kings have been slowly building back into a playoff caliber team. During the Kings rise Doughty’s play has picked up as well. He had 31 points in 39 games last year. This year he put up 52 points, his most in five seasons. His WAR had bottomed out and is on the climb. Much like Jericho he reinvented himself in later years to remain relevant.
Jericho is a savvy behind the scenes politiker. He has gained the trust and ear of his boss Tony Khan and recently earned an advisory role. Drew Doughty has also taken control of his destiny. His monster contract of 8 years and 88 million was negotiated by none other than himself. You don’t have to share money with an agent if you don’t use one. A move you know a guy like Jericho would appreciate.
Phil Kessel – Orange Cassidy
This apathetic duo has an aura of cool surrounding them despite the lack of effort in trying to acquire that reputation. Their superficial lack of desire shouldn’t fool anybody. They are incredibly talented and are among the best at what they do. Phil Kessel is a two-time Stanley Cup champion while Orange Cassidy has elevated the AEW International Championship with his consistently great title defenses. Cassidy is a fighting champion putting the belt on the line on a consistent basis. Much like how Phil Kessel shows up day in and day out at the rink as the NHL’s reigning iron man at 1,064 games in a row.
Orange Cassidy’s gimmick is a deep cut from a scene in the movie Wet Hot American Summer where Paul Rudd’s character didn’t want to clean up his breakfast. Who couldn’t see Phil Kessel hanging out at Camp Firewood? Perhaps grilling hot dogs.
Fans adore them and their quirkiness. They are champions for the people and by the people. They do it their own way and they do it well.
Patrice Bergeron – Bryan Danielson
Mostly quiet and unassuming both of these individuals are actually silent assassins. They will break you down systematically and won’t give you an inch. Bryan Danielson is well known as one of the best technical wrestlers of all-time while Patrice Bergeron is one of the absolute best tactical forwards to ever lace up their skates. Being able to defend is something both excel at, but not limited to. If you leave yourself exposed for a brief moment the American Dragon or St. Patrice will not waste time on the attack. If you try to play patiently to avoid mistake they will wear you down minute after minute until you break. Their conditioning is better than yours. It is only a matter of time before you slip up, then it is over. When you combine this kind of cerebral intellect with textbook fundamentals you are exposed to both the quick and short defeat as well as a long and painful demise. Pick your poison, but it’s coming.
Evgeni Malkin - Penta El Zero M
Who doesn’t love large athletes who can do the same things the small guys do? Evgeni Malkin and Penta El Zero M are big dudes with strength and power. Their finesse and skill unmistakenly radiates for all to see. Talent which is usually reserved for a smaller framed athlete.. Neither guy talks a lot publicly. Their eye-popping talent does the talking. It is a spectacle. The kind of stuff that gets you out of your seat. The kind of stuff you talk about with your friends a day later.
Penta is famous for being part of the Lucha Brothers tag team with his real-life brother Ray Fenix. Evgeni Malkin is famous for his duo with Sidney Crosby forming the two-headed monster. They are as explosive as they are loyal. Don’t take them for granted, you’ll regret it.
Matthew Tkachuk - Swerve Strickland
Some athletes are doers and others are talkers. Some have a gift and can do both at a high level. There’s no mistaking the presence Tkachuk and Strickland have when they walk into a room. In between their aggressive multi-faceted attacks, you’ll more than likely hear some verbal assaults directed at their opponents. Sometimes the skill can hide the physicality, sometimes the physicality hides the skill. There are no delusions here, you’re getting both. Each guy switched organizations and both are on the rise to the top of their professions. If you find yourself the target from either star, make sure your health insurance is in order.
Jordan Binnington – Sammy Guevara
There are moments when the talent rises to the surface and they look the part. The problem is you have to sift through a whole lot of BS and its why each of these two have go away heat. They are so over the top with nonsense nobody wants to see them anymore. Being a past champion is almost a forgotten piece because of their nonsense. They’re usually picking fights with fan favorites like when Sammy Guevara had a real-life altercation with Eddie Kingston backstage and how Jordan Binnington wanted a piece of Marc-Andre Fleury of all people. This attention seeking duo needs to be tossed into the void.
Corey Perry – Jeff Jarrett
These guys are still around? Yes, as a matter of fact they are. Corey Perry has hung on in the league with Dallas, Montreal, and now Tampa Bay after his departure from the Anaheim Ducks. Jeff Jarrett is a true survivor in the business moving through WWF/WWE, WCW, TNA, a ton of independents and now AEW. Both have stayed true to themselves over the years. They can’t get enough of swinging objects at their opponents. Corey Perry with his stick and Jeff Jarrett with his balsa wood guitars. They both strut around like they own the place to disguise their inner carnie intentions.
Marc-Andre Fleury - Danhausen
Very nice, very evil is how Danhausen is billed in AEW and it is also a great way to describe Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury will flash his famous smile one moment and then when your back is turned he’s busy executing one of his many pranks on teammates new and old. Danhausen is famous for cursing his opponents and when Fleury makes his most acrobatic saves it probably feels like the shooter has been cursed. Each is adored by fans with an ability to bring a smile to people’s faces. Just don’t turn your back
The secrets behind Marc-Andre Fleury’s top pranks: Frozen clothes, fake dates and toilet hijinks
Sometimes it takes some adversity and hardship before someone is able to get to the top of the mountain. Sometimes the process doesn’t match the results. Difficult losses add up and self-doubt might creep in.
Ryan O’Reilly’s career started with an Avalanche team that couldn’t gain any traction and then he landed to a Buffalo Sabres team stuck in the mud. He famously uttered he lost his love for hockey at the conclusion of the 2017-18 season. Adam Page went through his own share of defeats losing ROH television title matches to Punishment Martinez, Jeff Cobb, and Silas Young. He suffered a loss to Jay White for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Moving to AEW brought more setbacks with a loss to Chris Jericho for the AEW Heavyweight Championship and a loss to MJF for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. The tide started to turn when Page joined up with Kenny Omega to win the AEW Tag Team Championship. The two eventually battled for the AEW Heavyweight Championship where Hangman finally broke through and defeated his former partner in an emotional win.
It took a trade to the Blues for O’Reilly to finally reach his full potential. He went on to overcome his underwhelming results from the past to win the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive player, the Conn Smythe as the playoff MVP, and the much-coveted Stanley Cup.
It isn’t always a straight path to the top. Sometimes you gotta earn it the hard way.
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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