[DEBATE] Which PLAYER in their prime are you taking?

[MikeBossy]

17 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

That wasn't my question.  My question was how many times did Bossy score 70 goals?  Gretzky did it 4 times.  Wouldn't the best pure goal scorer in hockey history also have the record of most goals in a season?  Or at least hit the 70 goal mark once since other players like Esposito, Hull, Lemieux, Kurri, Mogilny, Selanne, and Nicholls were able to do it as well?

 

And for the record Gretzky also scored 50 or more goals in 9 out of 10 seasons.  So that is pretty close to 9 in a row is it not?

You're killing me EP40 

 

 

I know I won't win you over and thats ok but you have to remember Mike only played 10 season and in those 10 seasons he scored 50 goals 9 times in a row - not even Wayne was able to accomplish that in his career - the others you mentioned also did not have the consistency Bossy had. Also his .762 goals per game average is the highest.

 

 

 

[PunjabiCanucks]

McDavid- the NHL is a different game now. We need an era adjusted sample to do this kind of stuff... goaltending was different then, teams were different

[Elias Pettersson]

12 minutes ago, MikeBossy said:

You're killing me EP40 

 

 

I know I won't win you over and thats ok but you have to remember Mike only played 10 season and in those 10 seasons he scored 50 goals 9 times in a row - not even Wayne was able to accomplish that in his career - the others you mentioned also did not have the consistency Bossy had. Also his .762 goals per game average is the highest.

 

 

 

That graph actually makes my point even stronger for Gretzky...  

 

Why did the graph only stop at 60 goals by the way?  What about 70 and 80 and 90?  

 

Anyways, Bossy was one of my favourites to be honest with you so I'm just busting your chops on this.  

 

I wish Bossy had played 20 years as well.  I'll never forget the moment Snepsts gifted him that goal however...

[erkayloomeh]

2 hours ago, BoKnows said:

1) 99

2) Orr

3) Roy

4) Mr Hockey

5) Mario

6) Brodeur

7) Hasek

8) McDavid

Orr

99

Mario

Hasek 

Mr hockey

McDavid

Brodeur 

Roy

Edited July 10, 2021 by erkayloomeh

[#Canucks]

Lemieux. I’ve always liked him more than Gretzky.

[Viper007]

Have to pick McDavid.  The game is so different from the era the other players played in.  Game is bigger, faster, so much skill involved now.  Only other player that probably could handle the game played nowadays is Lemieux.  Have you seen some of the goals in the olden days?  Goalies were so bad.

[ChuckNORRIS4Cup]

I want to take Bure 

 

My gut is telling me to pick Mario, but you just had to put McDavid in there....

[Patel Bure]

3 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Okay, no number on this one.  Just the player.  No messing around.  You know the drill. 

 

Which player in their prime are you taking?

 

This should be the best one yet, let's gooo!!!  

It’s tough to really say?   What are we basing it on?  Greatness relative to era?  Overall talent?   Does cap space matter? (I.e. McDavid plays in a cap era while those other players didn’t for the most part).   Why was prime Sidney Crosby omitted from this list?

 

Relative to era - Gretzky is the greatest of all-time without question.   Prime Sidney Crosby or Mario Lemieux is probably the greatest talent to ever play the game in terms of overall skill, two way play, etc.   

 

Personally?   I’d go Mario for the simple fact that Lemieux was murdering goalies out there even during the dead puck era.  I’m just not sure if I really understand the question however.  If “in prime” means “relative to one’s era,” than Gretzky is easily the runaway winner.
 

 

Edited July 10, 2021 by Patel Bure

[Brad Marchand]

Nearly 2 pages in and not even a single mention of the greatest to ever lace them up, Jayson Megna.

[Elias Pettersson]

5 minutes ago, Patel Bure said:

It’s tough to really say?   What are we basing it on?  Greatness relative to era?  Overall talent?   Does cap space matter? (I.e. McDavid plays in a cap era while those other players didn’t for the most part).   Why was prime Sidney Crosby omitted from this list?

 

Relative to era - Gretzky is the greatest of all-time without question.   Prime Sidney Crosby or Mario Lemieux is probably the greatest talent to ever play the game in terms of overall skill, two way play, etc.   

 

Personally?   I’d go Mario for the simple fact that Lemieux was murdering goalies out there even during the dead puck era.  I’m just not sure if I really understand the question however.  If “in prime” means “relative to one’s era,” than Gretzky is easily the runaway winner.
 

 

Great questions.  Prime means at their peak.  In any era. 

 

As for Crosby, I did consider him and I probably should have added him to the list as well as Ovechkin.  But honestly I don't think a prime Crosby is even close to a prime Gretzky, Orr, Mario, Howe or even McDavid.  McDavid is already better than what Crosby did in his prime.  I mean McDavid has already won more Art Ross trophies than Crosby and he's only 24.  And he's already got 2 Hart trophies which is the same as Crosby, who is 9 years older. 

[Silky mitts]

wayne

[Father Ryan]

3 hours ago, gurn said:

Orr - never be another like him

Mario- at his best he was the most talented,dangerous forward in history

Wayne- didn't like him, don't like him, yet he is still number three, even for me.

Hasek- he struck fear in his opponents

Roy- Almost up there with Hasek

Gordie- heck long career, but his best was not quite uop their with Mario and wayne

Broduer- not as good as Roy but very very good in his own right.

McDavid- will probably move up if he contiues to play as he is.

Pretty much exactly my thoughts. I'd put Mario half a hair ahead of Orr. Other than that, no changes. And that is EXACTLY how I feel about 99

[Alflives]

5 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Great questions.  Prime means at their peak.  In any era. 

 

As for Crosby, I did consider him and I probably should have added him to the list as well as Ovechkin.  But honestly I don't think a prime Crosby is even close to a prime Gretzky, Orr, Mario, Howe or even McDavid.  McDavid is already better than what Crosby did in his prime.  I mean McDavid has already won more Art Ross trophies than Crosby and he's only 24.  And he's already got 2 Hart trophies which is the same as Crosby, who is 9 years older. 

You’re only considering offence with McDavid.  Off the puck he’s horrid.  Sid is known as a complete player.  I’d rather have prime Sid, Forsberg, Fedorov, and a lot of other great 200 foot players before McDavid.  Kucherov puts up more points in harder games than McDavid.  

Give me Nic Lidstrom every day over Connor.  Until Connor puts up grotesque points like 99 and 66 he’s not even close to coming for his horrid play off the puck.  

[Patel Bure]

21 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

Great questions.  Prime means at their peak.  In any era. 

 

As for Crosby, I did consider him and I probably should have added him to the list as well as Ovechkin.  But honestly I don't think a prime Crosby is even close to a prime Gretzky, Orr, Mario, Howe or even McDavid.  McDavid is already better than what Crosby did in his prime.  I mean McDavid has already won more Art Ross trophies than Crosby and he's only 24.  And he's already got 2 Hart trophies which is the same as Crosby, who is 9 years older. 

Thank you for the clarification.

 

If it’s peak relative to era, then Gretzky wins hands down head above shoulders.   If it’s best player overall at one’s peak, taking  the evolution of the game and the evolution of off ice training, etc., into consideration, then it would probably be McDavid with Mario as a close second.   Athletes today are much bigger and faster than they were 30 years ago largely due to the off ice training, etc.  

 

If we were to hypothetically take cap hits and AAV’s into consideration however, then I’d add in Nathan MacKinnon and he’d blow McDavid out of the waters.

[Patel Bure]

14 minutes ago, Alflives said:

You’re only considering offence with McDavid.  Off the puck he’s horrid.  Sid is known as a complete player.  I’d rather have prime Sid, Forsberg, Fedorov, and a lot of other great 200 foot players before McDavid.  Kucherov puts up more points in harder games than McDavid.  

Give me Nic Lidstrom every day over Connor.  Until Connor puts up grotesque points like 99 and 66 he’s not even close to coming for his horrid play off the puck.  

Even though it was for a fleeting moment, prime Peter Forsberg is up there with Lemieux, Gretzky, Crosby in my opinion.    I think people often discount the greatness of prime Forsberg because he ran into so many injury problems.  Forsberg in his absolute prime however was absolutely insane.

[Elias Pettersson]

46 minutes ago, Alflives said:

You’re only considering offence with McDavid.  Off the puck he’s horrid.  Sid is known as a complete player.  I’d rather have prime Sid, Forsberg, Fedorov, and a lot of other great 200 foot players before McDavid.  Kucherov puts up more points in harder games than McDavid.  

Give me Nic Lidstrom every day over Connor.  Until Connor puts up grotesque points like 99 and 66 he’s not even close to coming for his horrid play off the puck.  

This is true. But at the end of the day neither prime McDavid nor prime Crosby are better than prime Gretzky, Orr, Lemieux or Howe so in terms of the poll question it’s a mute point. 
 

I kinda added McDavid just for fun to see the response. He actually got 5 votes so far so 5 people are taking McDavid over Gretzky. 

[CaptKirk888]

4 hours ago, smithers joe said:

gretzky was most talented but howe was the best all around player. gretzky needed a tough guy with him to protect him. howe could do it all. gretzky scored lots of hat tricks but it is the gordie howe hat trick has stood the test of time.

How about Gretzky centering Howe on rw with Ovi on left 

Edited July 10, 2021 by CaptKirk888

[JeremyCuddles]

Super Mario, if not for injuries he's the GOAT. Imo that is.

[Alflives]

8 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

This is true. But at the end of the day neither prime McDavid nor prime Crosby are better than prime Gretzky, Orr, Lemieux or Howe so in terms of the poll question it’s a mute point. 
 

I kinda added McDavid just for fun to see the response. He actually got 5 votes so far so 5 people are taking McDavid over Gretzky. 

Maybe do like we did with our 80’s hockey pools, and split Gretzky for goals and assists?  

[Elias Pettersson]

2 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Maybe do like we did with our 80’s hockey pools, and split Gretzky for goals and assists?  

Gretzky got 163 assists in 1986. Only Lemieux has ever scored more than 160 points.