Who is it? No real need to add anyone, even having more than 5 guys means this poll is more than generous. (unless im missing someone obvious, i did this in 5 min)
This isn't who your favorite hitter is, even though you might dislike someone like Kronwall, Clutterbuck, or Phaneuf cause they destroyed someone from your team, you should try not to be biased, feel free to make a favorite hitter or hardest hitter thread if you want to fill that void.
Clutterbuck - Most big hits, will hit anybody anywhere at anytime no matter what
Stuart - Perfect open ice hits
Brown - Lots of big hits
Kronwall - Biggest hits
Phaneuf - Lots of big hits, injuring hits
Sarich - Hardest hits
Murray - Human Wall, turns any hit against into a hit for
Jaques - Lots of big hits
Orpik - Hard in the corners, catches guys in vulnerable, awkward positions and makes them pay
Morrow - Hits like a boulder
Ballard - Hipcheck, enough said
Ovechkin - Is allowed to charge, thus making hits massive
Volchenkov - Similar ot Phaneuf
Seabrook - Underrated, but you will know when he crushes someone
Robidas - Current NHL hit leader, has already KO'ed one player with a gigantic hit this year
This isn't a 'your favorite hitter poll', here are other good hitters that would have no chance of being #1 in the pole:
Lucic <probably top 10 but he hasn't done **** this year besides a tap on talinder and a pretty big hit on Jackman.
Greene
Armstrong
Callahan
Neil
Ohlund
Abdelkader
Wilson
Oshie
Neal
Methodt
Boogaard
*insert name here*
Last edited by Crossovert*: 12-09-2009 at 01:46 PM.
Went with Phaneuf. But to continue with the HF Boards tradition of "how dare you leave my team's player off this list", Chara and Lucic are glaring omissions. How dare you!
that was the glaring obvious one that i missed, probably cause he's been injured half the year, Chara is no where near the top hitter but i wouldn't put Lucic top 5 anyways, he def makes the top 10 again, my apologies, this long list of names is only to please the homers that demand their fav hitter on their team be mentioned, ony 8 guys have been picked so far and the obvious names like Clutterbuck, Volchenkov, Kronwall, Phaneuf are all getting solid votes.
Lucic should be there. He's a devastating hitter at 6-4 230lbs. There's honestly not many forwards with his size who have the ability to throw their weight around like him.
You have to admit Murray is unique. Coaches are telling their players NOT to hit Murray because they will just end up on their ass and out of position. It's like the man's center of gravity is in his feet.
I remember a few occasions where two opposing players have come together and attempted to hit Murray at the same time and both ended up on the ice.
Plus he can literally clear the crease like a bulldozer. The man is a monster. Oh, and of course he hits like a freight train and does so without throwing himself out of position or being a liability.
Love Murray, I absolutely think he is worth his contract and vital to the team.
I would classify the 'best' hitter not as the guy who has the most statistical hits because that guy is more than likely throwing himself out of position on a regular basis. I would say the guy who hits a lot, is respected and feared by the opposing teams, and makes hitting (hard) and effective part of his play without being a liability is the 'best'. Murray fits that bill imo.
I would classify the 'best' hitter not as the guy who has the most statistical hits because that guy is more than likely throwing himself out of position on a regular basis. I would say the guy who hits a lot, is respected and feared by the opposing teams, and makes hitting (hard) and effective part of his play without being a liability is the 'best'.
That is Patrick Kaleta's sole purpose in the NHL. The guy flies around, every opposing player is looking around when he is on the ice because they know he is coming, 2nd on the team in +/-, and draws a ton of penalties.
That is Patrick Kaleta's sole purpose in the NHL. The guy flies around, every opposing player is looking around when he is on the ice because they know he is coming, 2nd on the team in +/-, and draws a ton of penalties.
HAve you seen Clutterbuck, same thing x10, Clutterbuck even hits people when they are looking right at him
You have to admit Murray is unique. Coaches are telling their players NOT to hit Murray because they will just end up on their ass and out of position. It's like the man's center of gravity is in his feet.
I remember a few occasions where two opposing players have come together and attempted to hit Murray at the same time and both ended up on the ice.
Plus he can literally clear the crease like a bulldozer. The man is a monster. Oh, and of course he hits like a freight train and does so without throwing himself out of position or being a liability.
Love Murray, I absolutely think he is worth his contract and vital to the team.
I would classify the 'best' hitter not as the guy who has the most statistical hits because that guy is more than likely throwing himself out of position on a regular basis. I would say the guy who hits a lot, is respected and feared by the opposing teams, and makes hitting (hard) and effective part of his play without being a liability is the 'best'. Murray fits that bill imo.
I would agree with this to a point, but Clutterbuck hits so damn much and they are all big, obviously i'd rather be hit by Clutterbuck, but his tenacity is staggering and that's my rationale for putting him over Murray, but it looks like voting is coming out the way it should be with Murray, Volchenkov, Cutterbuck, Kronwall, and Phaneuf in the top 5
For me, it was close between Clutterbuck and Brown, but I took Brown, even though I'm a Wild fan. I feel like Dustin's hits almost as often as Clutterbuck, and Brown's hits influence his team a bit more than Cal's. Cal just hits people for the sake of hitting people. Brooks Orpik is no stiff, either.
Other players who could have been considered (who are not surnamed Chara or Lucic) are:
- Cal Clutterbuck's teammate Derek Boogaard - I know not a whole lot of fans like him as a hockey player, but you have to admit, his hits might be the most exciting you'll ever see because, by virtue of him being 6'7 260, and only two players in the NHL being taller than he is (Chara and his teammate John Scott), his victims are often sent into oblivion upon impact.
- Tuomo Ruutu - when he hits people, he uses all of his 6'0, 200-pound body, and you can see it
- Colby Armstrong - you want to talk hard hitters, this guy shelves more players than anybody else. Does that necessarily make him the best hitter in the league? Probably not, but he should be considered.
For me, it was close between Clutterbuck and Brown, but I took Brown, even though I'm a Wild fan. I feel like Dustin's hits almost as often as Clutterbuck, and Brown's hits influence his team a bit more than Cal's. Cal just hits people for the sake of hitting people. Brooks Orpik is no stiff, either.
Other players who could have been considered (who are not surnamed Chara or Lucic) are:
- Cal Clutterbuck's teammate Derek Boogaard - I know not a whole lot of fans like him as a hockey player, but you have to admit, his hits might be the most exciting you'll ever see because, by virtue of him being 6'7 260, and only two players in the NHL being taller than he is (Chara and his teammate John Scott), his victims are often sent into oblivion upon impact.
- Tuomo Ruutu - when he hits people, he uses all of his 6'0, 200-pound body, and you can see it
- Colby Armstrong - you want to talk hard hitters, this guy shelves more players than anybody else. Does that necessarily make him the best hitter in the league? Probably not, but he should be considered.
If it went by hardness, yeah it prob would be Boogaard, but he plays liek 3 min a game and isn't able to throw his body around often enough for him to be considered.
I couldn't find a clip but lucic had a couple real nice hits in the short time he was back from injury. One on Henrik Tallinder and the other on Barret Jackman.
Not sure where he stand now, but Matt Greene was leading all NHL defenseman in hits this season. Is this poll really asking who the best hitter is or who makes the biggest hits?
If it's the former then Greene should be in this poll as he is actually a better hitter than Brown IMO.
Ryan Callahan is just behind Robidas in hit count so far.
Question: Is he actually that much of a physical force, or are love taps counting as hits there?
You just never see Callahan on any highlight packages, and I don't see Rangers games that often. He does have quite a few takeaways too, though. Pretty important player, looking at the numbers.
Dustin Brown, however, i do get to see and yes, he is a hitting machine.
Clutterbuck hits a lot too, but he's not your smartest player. Instead of taking over the puck, he just hits and runs.
imo Chris Neil is one of the most devastating hitters out there. While Getzlaf, Doan, Brown, Ovechkin and Morrow are the ones that use hitting the most effectively to create offense.
