ESPN's Decade's Top Players Missing Decade's Top Scorer
 

http://espn.go.com/nhl/features/decade

Not cool. The Space Shark is angry.

I think you have to consider his lack of even reaching the third round in considering him the best of the decade, which I would probably give to Lidstrom personally, but not even to have him in the poll is a serious omission. I mean, in what sense should Jagr be included and not Thornton? He didn't go deep in the playoffs once. He didn't win the Hart once. He was outscored by Thornton. His stint in Washington was terrible.

it's ESPN, what did you expect?

the reason why Jagr was included and Thornton wasnt is because Thornton plays for a west coast team.

He did spend half the decade on the east coast with Boston.

not enough for espn to care. I mean honestly I get that it's good business to pander to larger markets, but could they atleast give the west coast some attention for ****s sake? Whenever I watch a highlight from a west coast (non-la) game it seems significantly shorter. The other day I watched the highlights of the kings game on sportscenter and it was literally the last 2 baskets of the game and that was it. ESPN can go **** off somewhere.

/rant

No, the reason why Jagr was picked is because he's Jaromir Jagr, not because he played in the East and Thornton is at the west coast.

Seeing how they counted from 1999 to 2009, having Jagr in there makes sense. 3x Art Ross, a Hart and even when he was struggling did he put up numbers that were close to the top. I'd definately put him in the top 10. He's more deserving than, say, Iginla. Apart from that, Jagr has a name that you simply cannot ignore.

I would have put Thornton ahead of Iginla as well.


The funny part about that article is the first sentence in the Brodeur snippet. He wasn't overlooked, he simply wasn't the best goalie, so why should he have won any Vezinas?

Why is Iginla on that list? Iginla has two Rocket Richards and an Art Ross. He has 752 points in 742 games for 1.01 points per game. He also has less then a ppg playoff performance.

For comparison Thornton has an Art Ross and Hart (plus two 90 assist seasons, he's lead the league in assists three times) and is currently leading the league in points again. He has 842 points in 735 games for 1.15 ppg.


Also I don't know if Niedermayer should be on that list, maybe Luongo in his place?

List of accomplishments, 1999-2009:

Scott Niedermayer
Norris Trophy, 2003-04
Conn Smythe Trophy, 2006-07
3 first All-Star Team selections (2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07)
3 Stanley Cups (2000, 2003, 2007)

Roberto Luongo
2 second All-Star Team selections (2003-04, 2006-07)

A player is more then trophies. You should acknowledge them, but not base every piece of fact on them. Luongo has been stuck on sup-par team for years, he's a player that made a worthless Florida team have a bite. You can argue he's done more for his teams then Nied's has done.

Ender, stop smoking ganja. Trophies mean something. We are not talking about SCs only. Norris - the best defenseman. Conne Smythe - the reason they won the cup. Come on, Luongo hasn't even won a Vezina yet.

Not sure if I would put Iginla over Thornton on the list, but its a good list of some of the best players. Who is "the best?" :dunno:

Honestly I think Nied's is just overrated and shouldn't be on that list. The cups are hard to argue against as is the Conn Smythe.

I'm actually surprised the Thornton trade isn't in the "Trades" category.

WHY would they include the 98-99 season (and what makes you think they are)? That is in no way part of this decade. "Starting with 1999" would mean starting with the 99-00 season. Jagr has not won a Hart this decade. I'm not even sure they should include the 99-00 season, because if they do, then by logic they can't include this one (although, technically, half of each are in this decade.)

Interestingly, although he has only been in the league for half of it, Ovechkin has the most Hart trophies of the decade, as the only person with two, unless Thornton or Crosby wins this year's.

I was also a bit surprised about the "trades" category. I think they only listed unbelievably one-sided trades (basically trades of prospects where one of the prospects became a star and the others didn't). They also didnt have any of Jagr's deals.

Just wanted to note this here - since it should make a few of you smile

Thornton: Player of the Decade
'Behind the Net' at SBnation
:clap:

Yeah, you could make a case for Thornton not being one of the 10 best players of the decade.....but not even in the trades section? C'mon.

I watched the little video blurb on the "Trades" page.....right off the bat, Barry Melrose says the Thornton trade is the biggest trade of the decade. This is the video ESPN put up on their own page......a page on which the Thronton trade apparently didn't even make the top 10 (beaten out by Malakhov for Souray???)

ESPN's right hand doesn't even know what it's left hand is doing, much less know anything about hockey.

marek svatos as a late pick gem? oh dear me.

maybe this will inspire Joe to greater things in the post season.