| 20 January 2010
If you went to high school in the U.S., you have no doubt read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Other than Randall Patrick McMurphy, the most compelling character in the book is Big Chief Bromden, a huge, enormously strong, yet mostly silent and extremely gentle giant.
I submit to you: Erik Johnson is Big Chief. Johnson, 21, is listed at 6'4" and 236 pounds--a hulking defenseman. However, he's not known as a big hitter, or even a physical player. In his 116 NHL games, he has accumulated a puny 81 PIM, with many of those coming on inadvertent delays of game. When there's trouble in front of the net, EJ can often be found over in the corner, sweeping the ice and minding his own business, lest he draw the unwanted attention of The Combine.
Who will be crazy enough to get him to wake up?
Johnson's NHL team, the St. Louis Blues, has its own version of McMurphy--Cam Janssen, the brash, brawling, outspoken energy player. Thus far, however, Janssen's antics have failed to inspire Johnson, and most of his teammates still believe him to be a deaf-mute.
There is no one nearly as crazy as Janssen on Team USA. Zach Parise? Patrick Kane? Brooks Orpik? A bunch of Bibbits and Cheswicks.
On the other hand, maybe it's for the best. After all, before Big Chief mentally grew into his size and broke free, he did smother McMurphy with a pillow.
LeNoceur makes hockey jokes at Melt Your Face Off in addition to making Olympic hockey jokes for the Bloguin's Olympic Hockey Blog.
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