I picked McCarthy, just barely, over Simon. I had a good laugh when I went to a game with my Mom in the late 90's. She asked me who the guy who skated like crap was and why he was there. It was McCarthy.
Simon and McCarthy were two of the scariest MFers to wear Flames silks not just for their fights ,but I remember them as throw backs to the 70's/80's crazy & tough kinda players.
Going with Simon a bit crazier therefore scarier lol , and he did score a couple of goals (5!) in the '04 run
Simon, though I am still attempting to figure to this day how the Flames managed to get within inches of a Cup with him, Conroy, and Iginla as a top line.
Simon a great trade deadline pickup in 2004, with the Flames being buyers for the first time in probably 8 years.
McCarthy was the heavyweight champion off an on in the league, and a presence on the ice with ok skills for him role. Highlights in those late 90's was seeing who the tough guy was on the other team and seeing Sandy destroy him. I recall Brashear running away like a coward from McCarthy in a fight after a couple punches thrown. EDIT: Knew it had to exist...here, at the 1:00 mark:
Problem is he got some bonus goals one season and figured (ala Clarke Wilm and others over the years) that he deserved more ice time and a different role. I think his wife wanted out of the city too (or Sandy to get paid) Properly, and promptly, shipped off to Tampa.
Give it to Simon. All the pieces of that 2004 playoff team had a role and had to excel in it. Having a big man like him who could play a regular shift and add brute force to whatever line he was on, making his teammates feel 3" taller, was just as valuable as many of the other role players there to get the Flames to where they got.
You're all dumb. Steve Tambellini led the Edmonton Oilers to back-to-back worst-in-the-league records and followed that by being second-worst. No one else on this list has done more for the Calgary Flames.
