A "healthy Lindros" is an oxymoron since his style of play led to him missing 10-20 games a year even before the major injuries set in. Whereas Bure had several complete seasons before his knees deteriorated. In a magical world where we can ignore that fact, I'll take a healthy Lindros - unlike Bure, he actually made his teammates better.
Bure if you allow him to just cherry pick for 25-30 mins a game and he's guaranteed to score 60+ goals and excite the fans. However he was useless in every other aspect of the game and a detriment to his team defensively when on the ice.
Lindros could do everything for you at all ends of the ice and put up as much offense and carry a team much better.
However I would've loved to see Bure with a guy who could cover alot of his defensive liabilities and make him those perfect outlet passes like Bourque.
i may be the biggest bure fan in the world and i'd still take lindros. in the dead puck era, now, and in any other period of hockey history. the only consideration bure has over lindros is that he was less of a punk in the room. but bure wasn't exactly the most popular guy on the team either.
Bure if you allow him to just cherry pick for 25-30 mins a game and he's guaranteed to score 60+ goals and excite the fans. However he was useless in every other aspect of the game and a detriment to his team defensively when on the ice.
Lindros could do everything for you at all ends of the ice and put up as much offense and carry a team much better.
However I would've loved to see Bure with a guy who could cover alot of his defensive liabilities and make him those perfect outlet passes like Bourque.
Lindros vs Fedorov would be closer as Bure is nothing compared to Lindros.
Lindros in his PRIME was w/ some debate the best player in the NHL. The guy had the size, the shot, skating abilities, play making abilities that just isn't seen in players of his size. Had Lindros been healthy he would have been battling it out with Jaromir Jagr every season for the Art Ross. In fact in 94-95 they both tied in points but Jagr won the Art Ross based on a higher goal total. Had Lindros been healthy, like Jagr, he would have gone down as one of the top 10 offensive players to ever play the game and he would have had quite the resume. Bure or Fedorov really weren't close to what this guy was capable of. Not to mention he was better at both ends of the ice.
Lindros gets overrated here. Bure in 1994 had a ridiculous regular season and playoff combined. In 2000 and 2001 he posted back to back amazing goal scoring seasons. I take his 5 best seasons over lindros's 5 best. Lindros was only better around 95-97. Bure was better in 92-94, 98, and from 2000-2003.
Sure Lindros had a great overall game and could play physical, but thats what also led to all of his injuries. The silly bure sat out in 1999, he would have outpointed Lindros that year too.
Lindros in his PRIME was w/ some debate the best player in the NHL. The guy had the size, the shot, skating abilities, play making abilities that just isn't seen in players of his size. Had Lindros been healthy he would have been battling it out with Jaromir Jagr every season for the Art Ross. In fact in 94-95 they both tied in points but Jagr won the Art Ross based on a higher goal total. Had Lindros been healthy, like Jagr, he would have gone down as one of the top 10 offensive players to ever play the game and he would have had quite the resume. Bure or Fedorov really weren't close to what this guy was capable of. Not to mention he was better at both ends of the ice.
Fedorov's regular best season > Lindros's regular best season. Fedorov playoffs > Lindros playoffs. People forget how good Fedorov used to be.
Lindros. And this is coming from a Canuck fan who became a hockey fan largely because of Pavel Bure. But Lindros was unstoppable when healthy. A brilliant career cut short, unfortunately.
