campbell came a few years later. however...zhitnik, mckee, woolley, varada, grosek, etc. they were a good team just didn't have any real stars outside hasek. calling them a scrub team would be revisionist history.
The guy playing 60mins a game over the guy playing 30 mins a game over the guy playing 20mins a game.
G > D > F
Name 5 skaters off that Buffalo team when Hasek was in his prime and carried them to SCFs. Ya I thought so.
But it evens out a lot when the goalie is sitting out games.
I would probably take the D, but only cause Orr showed what he could do. But it is actually pretty hard question since when talking about the greatest Forward ever Gretzky comes to mind, Orr in the defense and Hasek in goal (some might think of Roy).
If the talent level of these players would be equal, meaning that the best player ever would emerge next season to your team and you could decide if it would be a Goalie, D-man or Forward i would probably take Goalie.
If a player would come who would take the unanimous spot as the greates hockey player ever then it would be hard not to think goal would be the most desirable place to have him.
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Exhibit A as to how hockey doesn't matter on ESPN:
Last night an ESPN program was discussing how the Detroit Pistons needed a hero citing the heroes on the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions and no mention of the Detroit Red Wings. All this despite the Red Wings probably being the most succesful team in Detroit right now.
Forward no doubt. Guys like Gretzky and Lemieux can transform teams, franchises, and cities in a way no goalie or defenseman can. Their value transcends hockey. Here's how i would rank it.
1. Generational forward
2. Generational dman
3. Generational goalie
4. Star goalie
5. Star dman
6. Star forward
campbell came a few years later. however...zhitnik, mckee, woolley, varada, grosek, etc. they were a good team just didn't have any real stars outside hasek. calling them a scrub team would be revisionist history.
They were a team full of decent players, their primary weakness was offense. They were very solid defensively and played a style that complemented Hasek very well; they cleared rebounds and cleared the crease very well. When Hasek moved to Detroit, he faced a comparable number of shots but the types of chances were different and his stats suffered considerably.
__________________ “It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed to be here right now. It’s not even funny. And it’s just embarrassing, the way we, you know, the energy we have in the room and the way we approach practices and the way we approach this game. It’s not how you’re going to win any games in this league." - Jean-Sebastien Giguere, April 8 2013
These are the best players at each position on the cup winning teams since the last lockout. No neccessarily the highest scoring players in the regular season or playoffs, just the guys that I remember being their best players that particular year.
From those I see the best player being the goalie twice(Quick and Thomas), forward 3 times(Toews, Crosby/Malkin, and Staal) and defenseman twice (Lidstrom and Pronger).
Again, this is not who was best in the playoffs because I know Ward stole the show in the playoffs and Keith won the Norris. Its about who is the best player on the team that year and as a carrer. A goalie or player can get hot in the playoffs, it doesnt mean they will do that throughout their career and we are talking about a whole career here.
Last edited by Juicy Couturier*: 01-22-2013 at 03:10 PM.
Forward no doubt. Guys like Gretzky and Lemieux can transform teams, franchises, and cities in a way no goalie or defenseman can. Their value transcends hockey.
You really aren't familiar with Orr's capabilities, are you? Take Gretzky, move him to the point and make him every bit as good defensively as he was offensively and you have Bobby Orr.
You really aren't familiar with Orr's capabilities, are you? Take Gretzky, move him to the point and make him every bit as good defensively as he was offensively and you have Bobby Orr.
You forgot taking away a large part of Gretzky's transcendence.
I don't think people here are familiar with just how much Gretzky dominated his peers.
You really aren't familiar with Orr's capabilities, are you? Take Gretzky, move him to the point and make him every bit as good defensively as he was offensively and you have Bobby Orr.
I believe a good defense is a more important cornerstone in a team, BUT I think offensive talent is something more exclusive, where one single player can make more of a difference. Defense on the other hand is achieved through a lot of players working together and it is something that is easier to teach. Because of this I will go with the forward.
The man had four seasons in a slightly lower scoring era of at least 120 points as a defenseman. I don't think it's a huge stretch to suggest he'd break 200 if he was a forward playing for the Oilers in the 80s.
Three players have had 100 assist seasons. Gretzky did it an astonishing eleven times. Lemieux did it once. The other guy, again, was a defenseman.
