Basisphilosophie » He hasnt taken his customary place between the

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Dominik Hasek is not a goaltender anymore. He hasnt taken his customary place between the posts since his last game on Feb. 27, 2011 for Spartak Moscow of the KHL. He has thought and talked about playing since, but never followed through. "My equipment is still in the same bag," he said. Even when the 49-year-old plays with friends once or twice a week, Hasek plays as a defenceman. Forty years as a goalie was enough. And its unlikely the man nicknamed "The Dominator" can capture the kind of performances that made him one of the best goaltenders in his era, alongside Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. Hasek played his final NHL game five years ago, and then officially retired in 2012. Its taken time since he left the league for his true place in NHL history to come into focus. Six Vezina Trophies as the leagues best goaltender, two Hart Trophies as MVP, one Olympic gold medal, six first-team all-star selections and two Stanley Cups -- one as a starter -- dont even tell the whole story. Few goalies during the 1990s and 2000s could do what Hasek did to opponents. "He mentally and physically intimidated you," said St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock, who beat Hasek in the 1999 Cup final with the Stars. "I think there were games that you knew you were never going to score on him, and I think it was very discouraging at times. I think thats a great quality. Id never seen the guy quit on a puck, Id never seen the guy give up on anything. And thats hard to play against." Haseks .922 save percentage is the best of any goalie since the league started keeping track in 1982-83. His 2.02 goals-against average is the best in the modern era, slightly lower than Ken Dryden and Brodeur. Brodeur has many more shutouts, but when Hasek was on his game, he had the ability to almost will teams to win. "He makes a team believe," ex-Sabres and current Stars coach Lindy Ruff said in a phone interview. "You just start believing that with him in goal you can win any given night." Ruff recalled times when Hasek was so locked in that "we really only had to score one. And if we got two, it was almost guaranteed-win night." Hasek, who is being inducted into the Sabres hall of fame Saturday night and will be the first NHL player to have the number 39 retired next season, wanted victories more than trophies or honours. "I want to be remembered as a competitor who gave the teams always (the chance) to win the game," Hasek said Friday at First Niagara Center. "As a great goalie, as the person or goalie who gave the team (a chance) to always win the game. Thats what was hockey for me. I enjoyed my time, I enjoyed when I played here and any time I step on the ice my goal is to win the game and try to help my teammates win the game." Hasek will forever trail Brodeur (three Cups with the New Jersey Devils) and Roy (four, two each with the Montreal Canadiens and Colorado Avalanche), and one of his two in Detroit came as Chris Osgoods backup. But Hasek could potentially have won another title in 1999, had it not been for Brett Hulls controversial skate-in-the-crease overtime series winner in Game 6. A Cup there would have burnished Haseks legacy even more, but its not something that he laments 15 years later. "Its part of the life," he said. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you come close and you dont win it the whole way. It was an unfortunate night for us, it was something disappointing, but for me it wasnt end of my life." Far from it. In fact, Hasek teamed up with Hull to win the Cup in 2002 with the Red Wings, posting six shutouts along the way. "Winning a Stanley Cup anywhere, its hard," said Sabres coach Ted Nolan, who spoke with Hasek Friday for the first time since Nolan was fired in Buffalo in 1997. "Its hard and all the stars have to line up. They didnt quite line up here but he went and lined it up in Detroit pretty well." In 1999, Hasek had two shutouts and a playoff-best .939 save percentage in almost getting the Sabres their first championship in franchise history. Stars centre Joe Nieuwendyk won the Conn Smythe Trophy, but it easily couldve gone to Hasek even in a losing effort. "We were a huge underdog, obviously, going through the playoffs," Ruff said. "I thought that our team really fed off of Doms performance for the most part. He wouldve been able to take a team that wasnt supposed to get there and win it." Haseks dominant prime lasted six seasons, from 1993-94 through 1998-99, when he led the league in save percentage every single time and came away with five of his six career Vezinas. Asked about those years, Hasek smiled and brushed off the notion that it mightve been the best stretch any goalie has ever played. "I dont think about this that way," Hasek said. "I got a chance to prove, to become starting goalie and after that I had, I dont know, six, seven years, which we had great teams, we made it every year to the playoffs except one of nine years." Hasek proved much more than that, something that will more than likely be validated with induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame in November. "For me its a no-brainer," Ruff said. "I think he definitely stands as one of the best. He was on the cutting edge of the way a lot of goaltenders play. Always looking for a way to be better. He could take a team a long ways with the way he played." Hasek isnt carrying teams anymore, instead living back home in the Czech Republic and working "a little bit" in hockey and also in business. As much as hed appreciate it, making the Hall of Fame was never his goal, and thats not his focus even now. "There are new goals in life and always something new to prove. The hockey career is something what is behind me," Hasek said. "What great years, what fantastic things to do something what you enjoy, what you love to do, and be very well paid and be around the people who you love and spend great time with them. However its part of the life that every professional player has to retire some day, and you wake up and you enjoy your life different ways." Stefano Sturaro Jersey . "It was a little weird looking over and seeing all the green uniforms," he said of his first game against the Boston Celtics. Blaise Matuidi Jersey . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. http://www.juventusfcpro.com/Kids-Carlo-Pinsoglio-Jersey/ . "Opinion: Womens World Cup is the best Soccer of the year," Hanks tweeted to his 8.73 million followers on Friday. "Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod. Giorgio Chiellini Jersey . Halladays resume as a Blue Jay is among the elite in the franchises 36-year history. Over 12 seasons in Toronto, he was named an All-Star six times. He had arguably the finest campaign of his career in 2003 when he posted a 22-7 record, a 3. Blank Jersey . Last year, Matt Kuchar closed with a 4-under 68 to beat Kevin Chappell by two strokes for his second win of the 2013 season and sixth of his career. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants have agreed to terms keeping linebacker Jon Beason on the roster. A person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press that the veteran entering his eighth NFL season will return to the Giants. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. Beason was acquired from Carolina last October for a seventh-round pick after he lost his job. He played well for New York, which had been weak in the middle of its defence. The 29-year-old Beason was a first-round draft pick of the Panthers in 2007 and made the All-Pro team in 2008. New York also re-signed placekicker Josh Brown and safety Stevie Brown, and officially signed guard Geoff Schwartz, running back Rashad Jennings and centre J.D. Walton. New York also waived linebacker Marcus Dowtin on Wednesday. Josh Brown set a franchise record in 2013 by making 17 consecutive field goals in his first season with the Giants. He hit 23 of 26 field goal attempts, a percentage of 88.5 that is third highest in Giants history. Brown also made all 31 extra points for 100 points. At Philadelphia, Brown scored all of the Giants points in a 15-7 victory on field goals of 40, 44, 33, 46 and 27 yards. He was the first Giant to kick three field goals of 40 yards or longer in a game since 1991, when Matt Bahr did it. A 12-year veteran, Brown previously played for the Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams. Stevie Brown missed last season with a knee injury after a strong 2012 campaign. He tore his left anterior cruciate ligament in a preseason game against the Jets and underwwent surgery two weeks later.dddddddddddd In his first season with the Giants in 2012, Brown had 11 starts at strong safety and led the team and tied for second in the NFL with eight interceptions. Browns eight interceptions were the most by a Giant since Willie Williams had 10 in 1968 and his 307 interception return yards broke the former Giants single-season record of 251, set by Hall of Famer Emlen Tunnell in 1949 and matched by Dick Lynch in 1963. Brown twice intercepted two passes in a game. Stevie Brown played in 23 games with Oakland and Indianapolis before joining the Giants. The deals with Schwartz and Jennings address the Giants two biggest needs. Schwartz has played with Carolina, Minnesota and the Chiefs, and joins the Giants after they waived-injured centre David Baas, who missed most of last season with neck and knee injuries. With Chris Snee returning for an 11th season, Schwartz would fill the hole at left guard, and that would allow Kevin Boothe to play centre if he can be re-signed. Justin Pugh will be the right tackle and Will Beatty will return at left tackle, if he can get over the broken leg he sustained in the final game of the regular season. Walton could challenge Boothe for the centres job, and if he claimed it the Giants would have depth at guard, too. The running back situation was iffy because of the uncertainty involving former first-round pick David Wilson. He had surgery for a neck injury and his future is a question mark. Jennings rushed for 733 yards in 15 games with Oakland, and played well against the Giants, gaining 88 yards on 20 carries. Cheap Bills Jerseys Authentic Dolphins Jerseys Cheap Patriots Store Cyber Monday Jets Jerseys Cyber Monday Texans Jerseys Black Friday Colts Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Titans Store Black Friday Broncos Jerseys Cheap Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Authentic Chargers Jerseys Cheap Ravens Store Black Friday Steelers Jerseys Black Friday Cowboys Jerseys Cheap Giants Store Cheap Eagles Store Black Friday Redskins Jerseys Falcons Jerseys Online Panthers Jerseys Online Authentic Saints Jerseys Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys Authentic Cardinals Jerseys Black Friday 49ers Jerseys Black Friday Seahawks Jerseys Cyber Monday Rams Jerseys Black Friday Bears Jerseys Wholesale Lions Jerseys Packers Jerseys Online Authentic Vikings Jerseys Cyber Monday Bengals Jerseys Cyber Monday Browns Jerseys ' ' '