How about them Habs

[mack 44]

You are seriously on crack if you think he's the most talented player ever. I wouldn't even say he's the most talented player in the NHL and let Jagr have that, let alone of all-time.

[Neo5370 132]

We couldn't convince KovyRibs last year so I don't think it's gonna happen this year.

Unless someone sends him some old Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux, Bourque, Howe, Coffey, etc......tapes B)

[Chara3 0]

I agree with Kovy. I also think Kovalev is the most talented player in the league, I haven't seen or heard of players that can pull off some of the things Kovalev can do in both games and practices. His hands are simply unbelievable.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I agree with Kovy. I also think Kovalev is the most talented player in the league, I haven't seen or heard of players that can pull off some of the things Kovalev can do in both games and practices. His hands are simply unbelievable.

Talent goes beyond great "basic" skills like stickhandling and skating. He doesn't read the ice overly well and doesn't come to play on a nightly basis. If every player is playing to their peak on a give night, he isn't the best player in the league.

[thejackal 46]

I agree with Kovy. I also think Kovalev is the most talented player in the league, I haven't seen or heard of players that can pull off some of the things Kovalev can do in both games and practices. His hands are simply unbelievable.

Talent goes beyond great "basic" skills like stickhandling and skating. He doesn't read the ice overly well and doesn't come to play on a nightly basis. If every player is playing to their peak on a give night, he isn't the best player in the league.

He's been showing up regularly ever since he's been in Montreal. My only gripe with him is that he doesn't shoot enough.

[J-Shera 0]

So Dangles=Most Skilled player EVER? I think not.

[Gongshow11 1]

the best player ever to play hockey was bobby orr. would score at will and go end to end whenver. i believe that if he played today he would still put up unreal numbers. the only guys that could still play and get sick numbers in the new NHL are rocket richard, bobby orr, and gretz, and no way is kovalev even on the same page. i agree he is one of the ebst players in the NHL these days, yes, but not ever.

if kovalev ever has a season where his plus/minus is +127, ill say he's the best ever

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I agree with Kovy. I also think Kovalev is the most talented player in the league, I haven't seen or heard of players that can pull off some of the things Kovalev can do in both games and practices. His hands are simply unbelievable.

Talent goes beyond great "basic" skills like stickhandling and skating. He doesn't read the ice overly well and doesn't come to play on a nightly basis. If every player is playing to their peak on a give night, he isn't the best player in the league.

Looks like you haven't seen him play much this season...He is very constant this year...

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I agree with Kovy. I also think Kovalev is the most talented player in the league, I haven't seen or heard of players that can pull off some of the things Kovalev can do in both games and practices. His hands are simply unbelievable.

Talent goes beyond great "basic" skills like stickhandling and skating. He doesn't read the ice overly well and doesn't come to play on a nightly basis. If every player is playing to their peak on a give night, he isn't the best player in the league.

Looks like you haven't seen him play much this season...He is very constant this year...

He isn't the best player, so give me name, who do you think is better...IMO Jagr is right behind him but he's not as much elusive and his skating is weaker.

[kosydar 0]

I'm impartial to Kovalev, but for argument's sake... Why is Jagr a worse player, but have more points? Jagr has 54 points in 36 games compared to Kovy's 22 points in 19 games. I don't think you can say its because Jagr plays with better players. I also wouldn't buy that Kovalev has a complete game and that his defense or other assests make up for it, he is solely an offensive player. I agree with Eazy, Kovy is a great talent, but there are many players I'd rather have on my team than him.

[mack 44]

I agree with Kovy. I also think Kovalev is the most talented player in the league, I haven't seen or heard of players that can pull off some of the things Kovalev can do in both games and practices. His hands are simply unbelievable.

Talent goes beyond great "basic" skills like stickhandling and skating. He doesn't read the ice overly well and doesn't come to play on a nightly basis. If every player is playing to their peak on a give night, he isn't the best player in the league.

Looks like you haven't seen him play much this season...He is very constant this year...

This YEAR. To be the best, you'd have to do it over a career and he has missed that train.

[Chadd 916]

the best player ever to play hockey was bobby orr. would score at will and go end to end whenver. i believe that if he played today he would still put up unreal numbers. the only guys that could still play and get sick numbers in the new NHL are rocket richard, bobby orr, and gretz, and no way is kovalev even on the same page. i agree he is one of the ebst players in the NHL these days, yes, but not ever.

if kovalev ever has a season where his plus/minus is +127, ill say he's the best ever

I don't think Orr would be as out of place today as you believe. I do think he changed the game of hockey more than any other player in the history of the game. I'm actually going to shock a lot of people with this one but I actually believe Mario was the most physically gifted (skilled) man to ever play in the NHL. Kovalev has a great shot but hits more posts than any five other players I can think of. I've never seen a game where he doesn't hit at least one post.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I may agree on thing with you, he is maybe not the best player, but he is certainly IMO the most gifted player without a doubt in my mind.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

No question in my mind that in terms of players helping their teams win, no one comes close to Jagr this year. Look at the Rangers as a team and when you watch them, he almost has to score for us to win (goals or assists). Tonight with 3 assists and we win 4-2. That is the story of our season.

Kovy might be a better stickhandeler...Perhaps some other skills, but at the end of the night Jagr uses his elite skills to bring his team on top night in and night out.

Kovy has not done that as a Ranger and even with his "good" teams, he still has never had an effect like this.

At least in my humble opinion

I agree that Jagr really help the rangers this year, but look at kovy with the habs, when he was there at the begining of the season, the habs were in term of standings in the 3-4-5 in the league, but when kovy was on the IR, they got 4 win and 9 losses, and then he comeback and boom another win...IMO, Kovy help MTL as much as Jagr do it with the Rangers.

[cobrAA 0]

I think that every player wo playe din the NHL before 1975, couldn't play in 2005... For their time(orr,richard,beliveau,hull etc..) they were very good...

But i actually see a lot of highlight form richard..and...it not that hot! golaie were so scared to take a puck(and i absoluty understand it!) in the face that they were more worried about themself than the guys who coming...

I saw some ',great', goal from richard and seriously i could have made this move when i was peewee(12yr old), equipement was bad, guys werent as tought as today!...

I dont think we can compare those guys to guys in the NHL now...yea they were very good for their time...but now...

[tbayrulz_10 0]

i say orr probably could play today under the new rules cuz he was so goddamn fast, when your that fast you could play pretty well in the nhl today

[Chadd 916]

Chadd....I think you misunderstood yglod w/ the Orr part. He thinks he would be great today as well.

I think he would be the top defenseman in the league too but he wouldn't be a +100, those days are long gone.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I agree with Kovy. I also think Kovalev is the most talented player in the league, I haven't seen or heard of players that can pull off some of the things Kovalev can do in both games and practices. His hands are simply unbelievable.

Talent goes beyond great "basic" skills like stickhandling and skating. He doesn't read the ice overly well and doesn't come to play on a nightly basis. If every player is playing to their peak on a give night, he isn't the best player in the league.

Looks like you haven't seen him play much this season...He is very constant this year...

He isn't the best player, so give me name, who do you think is better...IMO Jagr is right behind him but he's not as much elusive and his skating is weaker.

Right now I would take

Jagr, Staal, Kovalchuk, Marleau, Thornton, Heatley, Forsberg, Richards, Naslund to start.

I find it very hard to be consistant when he has only played 18 games. I'd say their record is more the rest of the teams adapting to the new rules than any injuries.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Chadd....I think you misunderstood yglod w/ the Orr part.  He thinks he would be great today as well.

I think he would be the top defenseman in the league too but he wouldn't be a +100, those days are long gone.

McCabe's on pace for 96

[Gongshow11 1]

I think that every player wo playe din the NHL before 1975, couldn't play in 2005... For their time(orr,richard,beliveau,hull etc..) they were very good...

But i actually see a lot of highlight form richard..and...it not that hot! golaie were so scared to take a puck(and i absoluty understand it!) in the face that they were more worried about themself than the guys who coming...

I saw some ',great', goal from richard and seriously i could have made this move when i was peewee(12yr old), equipement was bad, guys werent as tought as today!...

I dont think we can compare those guys to guys in the NHL now...yea they were very good for their time...but now...

richard was the toughest goal scorer ever, not only did he score, but he could tune any toughie for any team. not only that, but he was the heart and soul on hockey in quebec. who else has a riot thrown in honor of them for a year suspension.

Orr is and probably will always be the best player to have ever played hockey. not even kovalev gretzky, or any of them do what he did. btw i dont even think kovalev will ever even get into the HHOF, so how can he be most talented ever?

**chadd i meant orr could still light it up today**

[Chadd 916]

**chadd i meant orr could still light it up today**

Then we agree.

[Neo5370 132]

Its all a matter of opinion...But I think Gretzky is the best player to play hockey.  Gretzky didn't have Orr's awesome skating, but he dominated just as much using his mind, vision, and anticipation as his greatest assets.  That is what is most impressive.

Sorry, no way IMHO.

Gretzky is from another planet in terms of offensive talent.

But Orr dominated both ends of the ice. I am too young to have watched him in person but I've got a Bobby Orr tribute tape w/ tons of highlights. Orr really was the perfect hockey player.

Some say Coffey is the best all time skater, I say Orr is tied. He could rag the puck on a penalty kill for the full 2 minutes, no one could touch him. He could hit and fight and still make the finesse players look clumsy. He had passing vision similar to Gretz but numbers aren't as gaudy and he could score goals. Oh how pretty they would be.

Leading the league in overall scoring as a defenseman and still being able to shut down opposing forwards.

Straight from the tape, I'd take five Orr's over five Gretzky's anyday.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...?v=glance&s=dvd

It's a shame this is only on VHS, but Theo, please if you have the time and inclination get this tape and watch it. You may start to question if Gretzky really was the greatest overall hockey player.

[cobrAA 0]

I think that every player wo playe din the NHL before 1975, couldn't play in 2005... For their time(orr,richard,beliveau,hull etc..) they were very good...

But i actually see a lot of highlight form richard..and...it not that hot! golaie were so scared to take a puck(and i absoluty understand it!) in the face that they were more worried about themself than the guys who coming...

I saw some ',great', goal from richard and seriously i could have made this move when i was peewee(12yr old), equipement was bad, guys werent as tought as today!...

I dont think we can compare those guys to guys in the NHL now...yea they were very good for their time...but now...

richard was the toughest goal scorer ever, not only did he score, but he could tune any toughie for any team. not only that, but he was the heart and soul on hockey in quebec. who else has a riot thrown in honor of them for a year suspension.

Orr is and probably will always be the best player to have ever played hockey. not even kovalev gretzky, or any of them do what he did. btw i dont even think kovalev will ever even get into the HHOF, so how can he be most talented ever?

**chadd i meant orr could still light it up today**

Don't you think with all those 6'4 defenseman 230-250lb, richard couldn't get beat up...

[Gongshow11 1]

richard used to beat up anyguy who looked at him wrong. he could beat up any d-man today, and any tough guy in the league, and still score 50

[Gongshow11 1]

p.s. cobraa, goalies weren't scared back in the rockets days of the puck. sure they didnt wear masks but there were no slap shots. when slap shots cam around, so did the mask