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View Full Version : Who is the Best NHLer of all time?



Count Steeler
11-07-2013, 06:06 PM
Bobby Orr.

Who do you pick?

zulater
11-07-2013, 07:17 PM
As much as I love Mario it's Gretzky. The numbers he put up are in their own stratosphere. Orr was great too. No question he was the greatest defenseman of all time. And Mario was the most talented player ever. And that's not contradictory. Because Gretzky gets the title of greatest because of his accomplishments. But Mario's talent was without peer. Unfortunately his back wasn't though. Given the comparative surrounding talent Mario's 199 point season in 89 was probably the single greatest season by any NHL player ever.

Shoes
11-07-2013, 09:11 PM
Mario sucks, he ripped off my brother in law . :chuckle:

X-Terminator
11-08-2013, 12:06 AM
Mario Lemieux. Plain and simple, he dominated the game like no one else, including Gretzky. As great as The Great One was, he was surrounded by FAR more talent than Mario was until 1992. Mario figurative and literally carried the team on his back his first 6 NHL seasons. I definitely agree his 199 point effort in 1988-89 was the single greatest season I've ever seen from any NHL player, for a team that, other than him, Coffey and a young Dan Quinn, was about as bereft of talent as it gets. He turned Robbie Brown into nearly a 50-goal scorer that year, for crying out loud. Robbie Brown!!! If he doesn't have back problems and then Hodgkin's Disease, he easily breaks all of Gretzky's records.

Count Steeler
11-08-2013, 02:35 PM
I can appreciate Lemieux and Gretzky as picks. Maybe even Gordie Howe.

However, for a defenseman, it was unheard of to have over 100 points. Yet he did it 6 years in a row. Twice over 130 points. He played the full length of the ice and could hit. Never have I seen a player that could handle the puck, skate, pass, hit and score at the level Orr did it.

Gretzky had great vision and was a great passer. Lemieux was smooth. However, they were not very gifted at the defensive end of the rink and forget about hitting.

I had the privilege to see Gretzky live, Orr live and Bourque live. I actually saw Ray Bourque in an exhibition game in Toronto, it was his rookie season. He instantly caught my eye. He also was a great defenseman, but unfortunately my crown goes to Bobby Orr.

zulater
11-08-2013, 07:15 PM
I can appreciate Lemieux and Gretzky as picks. Maybe even Gordie Howe.

However, for a defenseman, it was unheard of to have over 100 points. Yet he did it 6 years in a row. Twice over 130 points. He played the full length of the ice and could hit. Never have I seen a player that could handle the puck, skate, pass, hit and score at the level Orr did it.

Gretzky had great vision and was a great passer. Lemieux was smooth. However, they were not very gifted at the defensive end of the rink and forget about hitting.

I had the privilege to see Gretzky live, Orr live and Bourque live. I actually saw Ray Bourque in an exhibition game in Toronto, it was his rookie season. He instantly caught my eye. He also was a great defenseman, but unfortunately my crown goes to Bobby Orr.

Wrong. When Mario was healthy and motivated he was an excellent defensive forward. His reach, anticipation and stick work cut off passing lanes like you wouldn't believe. Just having him out there on the penalty kill was an intimidation factor because teams were frightened to death of him scoring shorthanded. Mario wasn't a big hitter, but he could hit when he had to. And he could steal the puck with the best of them.

ALLD
11-08-2013, 08:21 PM
Canadians will say The Great One.