So, let me begin by setting up the logic for my "nommes de guerre"
Fact 1. - Detroit for decades WAS INDEED the automobile capital of the world. Even today, despite the decimation of its worldwide market-share dominance and the lower profile in "Motown" itself, it is the ONLY city in the world so identified (long after the manufacturers moved to "right-to-work" states and third-world economies).
Fact 2. - Cars are made of two kinds of steel -- that cold-sheet 'METAL' which is shaped and welded and melded into the conveyances that win our hearts, appeal to our whims, tap our wallets, and whisk us about; and that fire of “drive�, desire and determination known as 'METTLE', of which autoworkers and the people (and professional pucksters) of Detroit have exhibited for decades -- especially when the chips are down.
So...
Playing off their numbers per the 'PERIODIC' (hehe) TABLE OF METALS --
Kirk Maltby: 18 Ar -- ARGON -- is a Nonmetal
* It is a "Noble Gas" (Kirk's ALWAYS been a stand-up, crunch-time, team player)
* It is used as an inert gas shield in many forms of WELDING (like ahhh -- like in assembling automobiles!)
* It is used primarily for ICE coring -- however, for these purposes we'll say, "CORPS-ing" (i.e., a tactical or military force that carries out 'specialized' duties -- like Penalty KILLING/Killing the clock).
* Liquefied with additional agents, ARGON destroys 'cancer' cells (Penalty KILLER).
Steve Yzerman: 19 K -- POTASSIUM -- is a Metal
* It is an important industrial chemical used as a strong base, strengthening agent (#19 is without a doubt the franchise's BEST EVER draft pick -- one of the game's ALL-TIME "FRANCHISE-iest" puck-pushers).
* It is used in fertilizer (#19 made franchise GROW around him; made teammates around him better; linemates, goal-scoring, winning, the franchise itself, STANLEY CUPS -- all in turn "blossomed").
* It is used in gunpowder and black powder (#19 clearly is a prolific SHOOTER and EXPLOSIVE Player).
* "K" stands for "Captain" in many of the world's hockey leagues.
* POTASSIUM is a basic ingredient of salt (#19 is the "Salt" of the earth; a "Good Salt").
Kris Draper: 33 As -- ARSENIC -- is a Metalloid
* It is an important semiconductor material, used in integrated circuits, circuits made using the compound are MUCH FASTER (Duh-huhh -- Drapes has been one of the FASTEST 'slick-kicks' in the league!)
* It is an age-old reliable and deadly poison -- it KILLS things (Penalty KILLER).
Thus, using the the PERIODIC TABLE OF METALS to pay homage to the Detroit Auto industry ("metal"/"mettle") I then submitted these suggestions as a "GRIND LINE" alias "nommes de guerre"!
ice pirate14