Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Phil
I think Iginla's peak and overall great regular seasons trump Alfredsson's. The Hart voting comparison isn't even worth brining up. I think his playoff resume is very Dionne-like, but his regular seasons are enough to make me put him over the top for Alfredsson.
Well the key word is "caliber". I too would have given it to Crosby had the Pens won. But Hossa still did score those goals and put up some gaudy numbers. Kind of like how Kurri had a "Conn Smythe caliber" year in 1985 but no one would argue that Gretzky wins it. No, Hossa is not Kurri, but you get the point. It was a very good playoff year.
And 2003 is an example of which player really mailed it in. Alfredsson was awful that year. Hossa, for the most part, pulled his weight.
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"mailed it in" doesn't describe Alfredsson ever. Alfredsson has always been good in the playoffs. He also has played regardless of any injuries he might have. A couple of years when the rest of the Sens were mostly actually "mailing it in" Alfredsson started to play to hard and force plays and tried to do too much, making him less successful until 2007 when he had a SMythe worthy playoff. Early in his career, the first several times the Sens made the playoffs Alfredsson was the best Senator every year.
We need to not use the words "terrible" or "mailed it in" when talking about Alfredsson or Hossa in the playoffs. They are ridiculous words or phrases to use when describing these players. I don't think either of these players ever "mailed it in" in a single regular season game in their entire careers. That is why they have always been great players. It isn't how they ever played or ever will play. Unsuccessful sometimes, trying TOO hard and forcing themselves when their teams struggled yes. Scored less then they might have, snakebitten, yes. Terrible? Never. Mailing it in is laughable. Both players work harder on the ice every single shift then almost anyone else I have ever seen.
