Your favorite player of all time?

[flyerman 0]

Bobby Clarke then.

Mike Richards now.

[Dubs 0]

Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman

My hero's growing up

[mrusse01 0]

same with wayne. put wayne in the howe era, or the post roy era..... and watch him suck.

Well, considering Roy came into the league in 85-86, from that point on Wayne still scored 1735 points, that would be 6th all-time. So I don't think he was sucking too bad as the butterfly style came into the league. I think Orr and Mario are the two most physically gifted players ever, but Wayne was just on a different level mentally. People always say stats are made to be broken, but nobody in my lifetime will approach his assist or point totals. I mean, someone has to average 80 assists for TWENTY FIVE seasons to beat him. Last year Thornton led the NHL with 67. Let's say Stamkos comes in this season and goes crazy and gets 120 assists. He'd probably be close to doubling up anybody else in the league in assists, he'd win the scoring title on assists alone, he'd be unanimous ROY, and MVP. He'd only have to do that for SIXTEEN consecutive seasons to beat Gretzky's assists mark. It's insane.

I think Brodeur is an all-time great for sure, but best ever? I don't know, it's really tough to say because he's played in that damn Devils system for his entire career, and they are always among the best defensive teams in the league. I'm sure having one of the best goalies of all-time helps those defensive schemes, but I think you could throw 8-10 NHL goalies in there right now and they'd suddenly look like world beaters.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

I probably sound like a broken record here, but my favorite player I wish I saw play (and Best player EVER): Bobby Orr, my favorite Player I have seen play and the man who made me a Rangers fan, instead of an Isles fan: Mark Messier, and my favorite player to watch now: Alex Ovechkin. I never thought my favorite player would ever be a euro let alone a russian who will probably single handly beat my Rangers in the playoffs someday soon, but he is so much better than Crosby, it's not even funny.

[Law Goalie 147]

I think Brodeur is an all-time great for sure, but best ever? I don't know, it's really tough to say because he's played in that damn Devils system for his entire career, and they are always among the best defensive teams in the league. I'm sure having one of the best goalies of all-time helps those defensive schemes, but I think you could throw 8-10 NHL goalies in there right now and they'd suddenly look like world beaters.

Not calling you out or anything, but here's the problem...

Wins are wins, Cups are Cups, and Brodeur has plenty of both, but it's the shutout record that really gets him into consideration for #1, at least within the NHL.

When Sawchuck set the bar at 103, the average goals per game were about 50% lower than they are now. Scoring in general was much, much lower. So with 50% more goals being scored around him, Brodeur will have broken a record that nobody else has even come close to in half a century. Hell, only he and Sawchuck will ever have broken the 100-shutout barrier, and he'll have done it SEVEN YEARS faster than Sawchuck - a third of a career. Hasek and Belfour are 20 shutouts behind Brodeur; Roy is 30 behind him; there isn't a single active NHL goalie with HALF as many shutous as Brodeur.

The Devils' system certainly afforded Brodeur plenty of opportunities to win games and Cups, but shutouts are another thing entirely. The mental strength it takes to hold one together at that level is insane.

Now, it is my strong suspicion that if Vladislav Tretiak defected to Canada at 18 and was signed by the Canadiens, and didn't lose his head in the culture, there wouldn't be an NHL goaltending record he didn't own - and that in the 70's-80's era when scoring skyrocketed.

P.S. This thread is way, way off track, and I'm partially to blame. This should be about *favourite* players, not a bitchy "Who's *really* the best?" argument. Let's just stick to describing the players we admire...

[biff44 0]

Reggie Dunlap. Best player of all time. I was AT that championship game, will remember it for the rest of my life!

http://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/...-reggie-dunlap/

http://members.aol.com/sstribute1/RegToys.mp3

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Pretty pathetic that the NYTimes can't even spell it right. It's Dunlop, not Dunlap.

[thejackal 46]

I think Brodeur is an all-time great for sure, but best ever? I don't know, it's really tough to say because he's played in that damn Devils system for his entire career, and they are always among the best defensive teams in the league. I'm sure having one of the best goalies of all-time helps those defensive schemes, but I think you could throw 8-10 NHL goalies in there right now and they'd suddenly look like world beaters.

Not calling you out or anything, but here's the problem...

Wins are wins, Cups are Cups, and Brodeur has plenty of both, but it's the shutout record that really gets him into consideration for #1, at least within the NHL.

When Sawchuck set the bar at 103, the average goals per game were about 50% lower than they are now. Scoring in general was much, much lower. So with 50% more goals being scored around him, Brodeur will have broken a record that nobody else has even come close to in half a century. Hell, only he and Sawchuck will ever have broken the 100-shutout barrier, and he'll have done it SEVEN YEARS faster than Sawchuck - a third of a career. Hasek and Belfour are 20 shutouts behind Brodeur; Roy is 30 behind him; there isn't a single active NHL goalie with HALF as many shutous as Brodeur.

The Devils' system certainly afforded Brodeur plenty of opportunities to win games and Cups, but shutouts are another thing entirely. The mental strength it takes to hold one together at that level is insane.

Now, it is my strong suspicion that if Vladislav Tretiak defected to Canada at 18 and was signed by the Canadiens, and didn't lose his head in the culture, there wouldn't be an NHL goaltending record he didn't own - and that in the 70's-80's era when scoring skyrocketed.

P.S. This thread is way, way off track, and I'm partially to blame. This should be about *favourite* players, not a bitchy "Who's *really* the best?" argument. Let's just stick to describing the players we admire...

tretiak is a legend for sure, but i think he's as much of a product as the soviet system (new training methods etc) as a natural talent. i don't know if he would have been THAT great had he developed in north america instead

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

The Devils' system certainly afforded Brodeur plenty of opportunities to win games and Cups, but shutouts are another thing entirely. The mental strength it takes to hold one together at that level is insane.

One can argue that the Devils system also allowed him to see low-percentage shots.

[Law Goalie 147]

The Devils' system certainly afforded Brodeur plenty of opportunities to win games and Cups, but shutouts are another thing entirely. The mental strength it takes to hold one together at that level is insane.

One can argue that the Devils system also allowed him to see low-percentage shots.

I had the impression that the system was more about limiting the sheer number of chances; rather than "bend but don't break," they would never give an inch in the neutral zone and risk giving up a big break here and there, knowing Brodeur was behind them, and that the rebound from even a brilliant chance was a non-issue.

That said, what I was getting at was more about attitude than anything. The Allaire-dominated generation has had it pounded into their heads that all they want or need is 90 sv%. Stop 9 out of 10, you've done your job; nothing else matters. Goals that beat a blocking butterfly are 'not your fault', since your system eliminates a sufficient percentage of shots; you don't push for the shutout. Brodeur simply doesn't accept those goals as allowable; he does push for the shutout, because his game is more about getting into opponents' heads.

[spanphly 0]

my favorite of all time is Sergei Fedorov... just loved the way the guy played, it had a lot of influence on me as a young player...

and the white and black Nike Zoom skates were awesome!

[Viking 1]

here's my argument. maybe law goalie can help. same argument.... just a different position.

who is the greatest goalie of all time?

now most flip through the record book and say that it was roy. his stats are impressive. even though he is the biggest jerk in all the world. but couldnt you argue that it's brodeur? roy was the catalyst that changed the game. he was good for his time. and he has the stats to prove it.... but for my money (and watching both) marty is better.

same with wayne. put wayne in the howe era, or the post roy era..... and watch him suck.

the best player... skill wise is a toss between orr, and lemuixe.

You said earlier that Gretzky's stats aren't valid because he played in the 80's, for the Oilers, and people 'didn't hit him' (which has as much to do with Gretzky not letting people hit him as it does with people not wanting to, by the way)... But Martin Brodeur is the greatest goaltender ever because of his statistics; even though he played in the 1990's-2000's, for the Devils, and faced approximately one scoring chance per game throughout his career?

[tommym96 0]

Patrick Roy- My all time favorite player.... I invited him to my birthday party one year haha

I liked Bourque but I loved watching Neely play

[Awdcft 0]

My favorite players from alltime is Pavel Bure and Sergei Fedorov.

Nowadays from current players there are one over the other favorites, Maxim Afinogenov

and

honorable mention for upcoming "junior" Phil Kessel, he is just phenomenal

[cammerz12 0]

all-time: gretzky, lemiuex, yzerman, messier, neely, and orr

now: lucic, crosby, datsyuk, shanahan, zetterberg..

i really cant pick a particular player

[pavel10 0]

pavel bure is my favorite player of all-time, right now i like mike richards and kovalchuk

[hockeytim18 0]

I have to say that Mr. David Perron would be my new favorite. His story is great and he is a big inspiration to me, not to make the NHL but to love the game and give it everything I got.

[aarondevera 0]

All-time: Joe Sakic

Currently: Jarome Iginla... the single most complete player in the game right now, IMO.

[Jarick 5]

Haven't followed hockey my whole life, but here's my list:

Modano - I was a fan of him as a kid because he was fast and exciting

Gaborik - another fast exciting player who got me back into hockey

Mikko Koivu - just a warrior, fun to watch, great with the puck

Crosby - really exciting guy to watch with puck, all over the ice in a good way

And I like watching the highlight reels of Orr, Bure, Bossy, Brett Hull, Lemieux, Yzerman, etc.

[ronnychencharik 0]

All time... Yzerman, Konstantinov was another big one until accident.

Nowadays is probably Spezza.

[Philly Fly-hairs 0]

title says it all.... we all know hockey players are the best athletes in the world - and coincidentally tend to be some of the greatest people as well. so if you have someone youve always admired, lets hear it

for me 4 guys i really admire are ian laperierre, nick lidstrom, mario lemieux and scott hartnell.

Lappy is a true gentleman on and off the ice. he is the epitomy of a lunch pail player. ive always loved him, and was fortunuate enough to see him play for my flyers for only a year but what an impression he left on me. Not only was he a guy who was beloved in every locker room he was in, but he was a true family man, and charitable guy as well. just an all around gem. he deserved a better fate in the end, but thats what kind of a guy he was, laying out his face for the team (on more than one occasion). i cried when we found out he was out indefinately and pretty much his career is now over.

Lidstrom is the kind of guy you would want your daughter to date. just a terrific human. there is a reason why is one of the most respected players of all time, and like laperierre a true professional both on and off the ice. He has such an influence on the game with being a european and achieving the success he has. what a guy! and a role model

mario lemieux, although playing for the hated pens, has always been my fav player of all time. the talent this guy had was just unreal. and the amount of shit he went through and still was able to do what he did just speaks volumes of what a special person he is. one of the first dominant big men in the league as well. what a guy and what a player!

scott hartnell is easy to hate when he doesnt play for your team, but is a guy who defines what a teammate should be. he is just an average joe who works his ass off and to see him having the year he is currently having makes me smile! truly a great guy off the ice with charity work, and his willingness to give back! the thing i admire most about him is his love for the game... he takes alot of criticism as well, and takes it all in stride and still comes to play!

[Steve_v3 289]

Ray Bourque.

[gerbe3:16 19]

Brian Gionta. Gotta love a kid that just keeps proving them wrong when they said he was too small. Nice nice nice kid too.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Merged

[Philly Fly-hairs 0]

@JR - did not know this topic already existed - thanks for the merge