| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| MarkhamMax |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 09:43:19
If you remember playing Atari, lifting up your license plate to expose your gas cap, maybe even going to games before there was any advertising on the arena boards, then you have seen some great players come and go.
Thinking back on those bygone days, put together your ultimate starting lineup.
And if you only go as far back as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, that's ok too.
Want to include a current star? Absolutely.
This isn't a contest as to who puts the best lineup together, just a grouping of your favorite all time players. It's hard to limit it to just 5 skaters and a goalie, but that makes the task more challenging.
I'll get the puck rolling...
Center: Wayne Gretzky
Right Wing: Guy Lafleur
Left Wing: Alex Ovechkin
Defence: Börje Salming
Defence: Bobby Orr
Goalie: Patrick Roy
*Bonus - All around favorite player that doesn't crack the starting lineup: Lanny McDonald.
He just seemed like the friendly Uncle to me as a kid growing up. And you just never expected a guy with a moustache like that to be a hockey player - let alone one of the greats. |
| 40 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Guest6131 |
Posted - 02/14/2008 : 15:45:30
LAlex Ovechkin
R:Sid the kid
C:Mario Lemieux
G:Patrick Roy
D:Bobby Orr
D:Tie Domi
MY Favorites:
1.Ovechkin
2.Sundin
3.Crosby
4.Orr |
| CaliforniaSeal |
Posted - 02/13/2008 : 17:06:04
My all time favourite players:
Dino Ciccarelli
Bill Lindsay
Jude Drouin
Doug Jarrett
Barcalay Plager
Tony Esposito
Best Player lineup:
Mario Lemeiux
Wayne Gretzky
Mike Bossy
Bobby Orr
Nik Lidstrom
Martin Brodeur
No cup for Dino, what a shame |
| kingwoody2 |
Posted - 02/13/2008 : 08:49:07
quote:
Originally posted by Alex
quote:
Originally posted by Guest4055
gretzky
gretzky
gretzky
gretzky and
gretzky
Here is one that could actually happen
Sutter
Sutter
Sutter
Sutter
Sutter
Sutter
Habs get number 25 this year
Sorry but that couldn't actually happen because no Sutter brother played goalie or defence. Technicality yes...
My favourites:
Wendel Clark
Wayne Gretzky
Theo Fleury
Scott Stevens
Paul Coffey
Martin Brodeur |
| Patchy |
Posted - 02/12/2008 : 20:17:00
quote:
Originally posted by Guest4912
FAVORITES
C: Eric lindros
RW: Pavel bure
LW: Ilya kovalchuck
D: Paul coffey
D: Brian rafalski
G: Marty Brouder
STANLEY CUP TEAM
C: Peter worrell
RW: Donald brasher
LW: Chris simon
D: Butch goring
D: Tie domi
G: Tie conklin
fighter- wayne gretzky
Going by the theme of your stanley cup team, wouldn't you want Ron Hextall in goal?? 
And Domi on defence? That would be...funny.
~~Go Leafs Go~~ |
| Guest4486 |
Posted - 02/12/2008 : 14:58:33
Centre Wayne Gretzky
Rw Mario Lemieux
Lw Brett Hull
Defence Paul Coffey and Bobby orr
Goalie Grant Fuhr because he would be the best goalie for this team.(No defence all offence)
|
| Guest4912 |
Posted - 02/12/2008 : 11:49:55
FAVORITES
C: Eric lindros
RW: Pavel bure
LW: Ilya kovalchuck
D: Paul coffey
D: Brian rafalski
G: Marty Brouder
STANLEY CUP TEAM
C: Peter worrell
RW: Donald brasher
LW: Chris simon
D: Butch goring
D: Tie domi
G: Tie conklin
fighter- wayne gretzky |
| framer87 |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 14:11:21
LW:Mario Lemeiux
C:Wayne Gretzky
RW:Bobby Hull
D:Bobby Orr
D:Ray Bourque
G:Patrick Roy
Wow Wayne would get alot of assists playing with these guys! |
| andyhack |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 14:06:08
quote:
Originally posted by Beans15
Hey, I hear that Willus. I know that many people just say, "Gretzky, look at the stats." That's not me, or others.
I guess I need to understand why I am wrong that Gretzky is both by favorite player and the player who I also think is the best ever??
After looking back on people's teams, the vast majority put both Gretzky and Lemieux on their teams. Why the heat towards Gretzky but not towards Lemiuex.
Beans - I am not saying you are "wrong" for picking Gretzky as your favorite player. As I said in my last post, I can see why someone would pick him.
Willus phrased my point pretty well, but in addition to the "just going along with popular opinion" part, I'm also wondering if almost everyone picking Gretzky (AND Lemieux) is a comment on our obsession with "just the VERY BEST", or at least what is perceived to be the VERY BEST. And the other thing I am getting at is that, as a consequence of that way of thinking, other great players in the history of the game (or current stars) are not getting chosen as favorites. To me, that is too bad.
And you're right Beans, it''s not just Gretzky. If 80% of the country chose Lemieux as their favorite left winger, I'd find that a little sad too, especially considering he wasn't even a left winger. In fact, that may be even more indicative of my point, as when people pick Lemieux, a centre, as a winger, they are bypassing all the true left wingers in the history of the game. Why would someone go to the lengths of calling Lemieux their favorite left winger when he wasn't even a left winger? The simple answer I suppose is that they REALLY loved Lemieux. That may well be true in many cases, and who am I to criticize that, but I think it goes deeper than that. And that's where the point about going along with popular opinion and about obsessing with what I'll call "supreme greatness" comes in. And though I don't lose sleep over these things, yes, I would find it a bit sad if 80% of Canadians voted Mario Lemieux as their favorite "left winger" in the history of hockey.
Last point - this isn't a Gretzky or a Lemieux attack. I feel the same way about other sports superstars becoming just about everybody's favorite. So if just about everyone is picking Micheal Jordan as their favorite basketball player ever, or Roger Federer as their favorite tennis player ever, or Tiger Woods as their favorite golfer ever, to me it again reflects the same things as mentioned above. And I am a Roger Federer fan by the way. Is that wrong? Of course not. But I would still find it sad if 80% of everyone in Canada said that Roger Federer was their favorite tennis player ever. I really hope that is not the case given all the other greats in the history of the game (and other greats now).
|
| MarkhamMax |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 13:58:04
I don't even think you need to go to the stats to find Gretzky at the top of peoples favorite player list. You just had to watch him continually rewriting hockey history, and by osmosis - you became inspired, floored, in awe, etc...
He became my favorite simply by doing what he did. I loved (and in '93) hated what he did on the ice lol.
I remember my dad relaying a story to me when my brothers and I were still playing at a competitive level. We were in an arena that had 4 rinks. Slowly, the parents started sneaking out of their own kids' game, because playing on one of the other rinks there was this crazy kid using another team as pylons.
Even going that far back, he was a legend of sorts.
Still, he tops my list as favorite center, but not my favorite player. That honor goes to #4 my friend. |
| spade632 |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 12:42:58
LW: Bobby Hull
C: Gretzky
RW: Gordie Howe
D: Bobby Orr
D: Doug Harvey
G: Patrick Roy |
| Beans15 |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 11:27:58
quote:
Originally posted by willus3
Beans, favourite and best are not mutually exclusive. Your favourite player does not have to be the best player or who is perceived to be the best player.
My favourite player over the years, surprised as you may be was Denis Savard. Orr was the best but for some reason Savard has ended up my favourite.
I think Andy's point is that it's sad that so many just go with the popular opinion instead of finding a favourite on their own.
"I broke a mirror in my house. I'm supposed to get 7 years of bad luck but my lawyer thinks he can get me 5."
-- Steven Wright
Hey, I hear that Willus. I know that many people just say, "Gretzky, look at the stats." That's not me, or others.
I guess I need to understand why I am wrong that Gretzky is both by favorite player and the player who I also think is the best ever??
After looking back on people's teams, the vast majority put both Gretzky and Lemieux on their teams. Why the heat towards Gretzky but not towards Lemiuex. |
| n/a |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 11:21:44
Beans - Yeah, you got me! Coffey/coffee . . . I guess you know what I needed at that time in the morning!  At least I know how to spell my homophones . . . (insert joke here) 
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
| willus3 |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 11:17:28
Beans, favourite and best are not mutually exclusive. Your favourite player does not have to be the best player or who is perceived to be the best player.
My favourite player over the years, surprised as you may be was Denis Savard. Orr was the best but for some reason Savard has ended up my favourite.
I think Andy's point is that it's sad that so many just go with the popular opinion instead of finding a favourite on their own.
"I broke a mirror in my house. I'm supposed to get 7 years of bad luck but my lawyer thinks he can get me 5."
-- Steven Wright |
| Beans15 |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 10:43:08
quote:
Originally posted by andyhack
Just so I don't get branded as "anti-Gretzky" again, I want to clarify what I was getting at in my earlier post. Max - if you or Beans or someone else love Gretzky for his passion, skills, intelligence, etc., of course, on an individual, or, "micro" level, I totally respect and understand that choice. And fair enough on your "whiney' point. It's just a subjective thing with me. It was just too much for my taste.
The problem I was raising in my earlier post comes up when I look at this thread on a "macro" level. If roughly 8 out of 10 guys choose Gretzky as their "favorite" centre of all time, to me that is, to some degree, a comment on an over-obsession/over-focus on one player in the history of a game which has included soooo many great centres. Of course, some players are going to get more votes than others. But if this vote were taken nationwide and 80% of the vote went for Gretzky, I personally would find that a bit sad. Just my opinion. Having said that, Max, I can certainly see why you or anyone else would choose Wayne.
Does someone, anyone, out there get my point here?
I don't get your point at all. And that is not as a Gretzky fan.
Speaking strickly on the NHL's direction and demographic. What has been viewed as the most important characteristic of a hockey player?? I mean, where does the credit go from the media, where does the hardware go each year, who are the top players in the "List of Gretest hockey Players??? It's all offense, Andy. That's just the breaks.
And what is the demographic of most people on this site?? I would say the majority are male, under the age of 25. That means that the greatest player that most everyone on here say was Wayne Gretzky. You also had Lemieux(occasionaly) and a few others. But Gretzky was driven down everyone's throat.
And considering that the NHL favors offense and drives their offensive players to the forefront, it's only normal for people to look at the top of the stats list to see who the best is.
And of all those great centres that you speak of, if you take Gretzky completely out of the list. Make it as if Gretzky never existed, who is the best then?? Mario?? Beliveau??? Esposito?? Messier?? Makita?? Richard?? Ratelle??Trottier?? Ullman???
Undenyable, human nature flocks to popular opinion. If you take Gretzky out of the mix, there would be so many different potential #1's. The popular opinion is Gretzky.
So weather he is the best of the best or not, he is the "popular" vote of the best ever. Justifably in my opinion, but does that make my opinion wrong or over obsessed.
Who has the right to tell anyone that their childhood hero is not the greatest??? |
| willus3 |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 10:35:50
quote:
Originally posted by andyhack
Does someone, anyone, out there get my point here?
I do. 
"I broke a mirror in my house. I'm supposed to get 7 years of bad luck but my lawyer thinks he can get me 5."
-- Steven Wright |
| andyhack |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 10:24:46
Just so I don't get branded as "anti-Gretzky" again, I want to clarify what I was getting at in my earlier post. Max - if you or Beans or someone else love Gretzky for his passion, skills, intelligence, etc., of course, on an individual, or, "micro" level, I totally respect and understand that choice. And fair enough on your "whiney' point. It's just a subjective thing with me. It was just too much for my taste.
The problem I was raising in my earlier post comes up when I look at this thread on a "macro" level. If roughly 8 out of 10 guys choose Gretzky as their "favorite" centre of all time, to me that is, to some degree, a comment on an over-obsession/over-focus on one player in the history of a game which has included soooo many great centres. Of course, some players are going to get more votes than others. But if this vote were taken nationwide and 80% of the vote went for Gretzky, I personally would find that a bit sad. Just my opinion. Having said that, Max, I can certainly see why you or anyone else would choose Wayne.
Does someone, anyone, out there get my point here? |
| Beans15 |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 09:56:03
You know what's most shocking to me on this entire thread??
There is more than one person that think Paul "Coffey" is spelled Paul "Coffee"
|
| n/a |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 08:38:09
I remember playing Commodore 64 and Intellivision, so here's my all time "favourite players" team:
RW - Theo Fleury
C - Dougie "Killer" Gilmour
LW - Wendel Clark
D - Paul Coffee
D - Scott Stevens
G - St. Patrick Roy
I really enjoyed watching these guys play. Every one of them (with the exception of Coffee, perhaps) wore their heart on their sleeve. Guys that didn't make the cut: Steve "Stumpy" Thomas, Alexander Ovechkin, Mark Messier, Gary Roberts, and of course, Gretzky.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
| MSC |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 22:57:47
Here's the line up for best "Stick" Handlers...hahahhahaha...Oh I'm to much for my own good sometimes...
LW- Ji#345;í Tlustı
C- Wendel Clark
RW- Stephane Richer
|
| MarkhamMax |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 22:28:03
quote:
Originally posted by Antroman
Sorry Hack, you are correct and I based my point after reading other member's picks. Oh well, I got to say my piece at least. I could make a list of favs for sure but it would be most difficult because of my age, I have had so many favourites over the years. Maybe making a top twenty-five list of all time favorite players or a list of players you have personally liked over the years might be an enjoyable and less forebidding task. I can guarantee my list wouldn't be all Leafs for sure.
Yeah that was sort of the point - the anguish of putting your top 5 on the table. And as Hack said, not necessarily the BEST 5, just your favorite 5. Like you and most of us, I'm sure we have a long list of faves.
And yep Hack, I really did put Gretz in there as my favorite centre because the man fascinated me as a player. To me his whining was inconsequential. How many players haven't complained to the ref as if they could change his mind on a call (or non-call)?
I didn't see him as a whiner really - just intensely passionate. |
| Patchy |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 18:11:50
Wayne Gretzky LW
Alex Ovechkin RW
Mario Lemieux C
Nicklas Lidstrom D
Denis Potvin D
Patrick Roy G
Coach:
Scotty Bowman
~~Go Leafs Go~~ |
| Kovy_Sniper |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 16:07:47
Pavel Bure
Pavel Datsyuk
Ilya Kovalchuk
....
how dirty of a line would that be... datyuk the russian playmaker with kovy the dirtyest sniper in my mind and bure the fastest with some dirty moves...
|
| Beans15 |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 10:06:40
quote:
Originally posted by PuckNuts
Dale Hunter
Dave "Tiger" Williams
Bob Probert
Tim Horton
Larry Robinson
Billy Smith
Champions take chances, and pressure is a privilege.
Billy Jean King to Maria Sharapova
http://www.maldesigns.ca/top50since1967.htm
This group would definately lead in the PIM catagory!
I most be scared to step onto the ice against these guys. |
| Antroman |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 10:00:47
Sorry Hack, you are correct and I based my point after reading other member's picks. Oh well, I got to say my piece at least. I could make a list of favs for sure but it would be most difficult because of my age, I have had so many favourites over the years. Maybe making a top twenty-five list of all time favorite players or a list of players you have personally liked over the years might be an enjoyable and less forebidding task. I can guarantee my list wouldn't be all Leafs for sure. |
| andyhack |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 08:46:09
Antro - this thread is about your personal favorites. It is not a "who do you think was the best" type of thread. MarkhamMax's original post mentions that point.
Actually, I'm kind of hoping that many of the others have made the same mistake as you and thought this was a best ever thread. Why? Because almost everyone here has chosen Gretzky as their "favorite" center. To me just picking Wayne, even if he was in your opinion INDISPUTABLY the greatest player ever, as your "favorite center" kind of shows a lack of imagination. Edit - I mean, there are loads of great centers in the history of the game (or currently) with very admirable qualities to qualify for being a "favorite".
On the other hand, if you truly do love the guy, who am I to stand in the way. Personally, his whiney ways on the ice prevented me from really liking him. But, all you guys who chose him, is he really your "favorite", or did you misunderstand what MarkhamMax was asking for in this thread? |
| Antroman |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 07:28:06
I looked at this thread and really wanted to contribute but just found it extremely hard to somehow compare the players from different eras. The most noticable difference has to be the overall game speed in today's hockey and secondly the physical conditioning of today's athletes. I grew up in the fifties and watched some of the all time greats of the times such as the Rocket, Howe, Harvey and the like. I just can't for the life of me see how these old time greats would be able to compete with the new generation of players like Ovie, Sid and others. You only have to watch some of the old games on the NHL channel and then visualize the crossover in eras to understand where I am coming from. The players today with the advances in equipment, the coaching from the smallest of minor leagues and the overall fitness levels make it almost impossible to figure out a way to logically put this list together. Perhaps an all-time favourites list, although probably not an accurate barometer, would most likely be the best way to go here. I know one guy for sure who could play and excel in all eras and that is Robert Gordon Orr. |
| MSC |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 06:17:36
well that's just great to know....I think I'll stick to "he's a great stickhandler".....what announcer said it first? |
| MarkhamMax |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 06:06:19
quote:
Originally posted by Alex
''Dangle'' is the equivalent to ''handles'' in basketball. It means stickhandle very well and smoothly.
Not to be confused with 'fan dangle', which we all know is accompanied by thunder bolts and lightning. Very very frightening. 
|
| MSC |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 00:31:42
still waiting for someone to explain dangle to me and also tell me when people started using this term..... |
| 67LEAFS |
Posted - 02/09/2008 : 23:42:08
My all time starting line up for pond hockey...no whistles, icing or offside.
Alex Ovechkin
Gilbert Perreault
Ilya Kovalchuk
Bobby Orr
Paul Coffey
Ron Hextall
All these guys come with jet packs. Forwards can all dangle the puck...nobody would ever catch them. Because of his passing skills, Hextall would be like having a sixth skater . |
| Guest1461 |
Posted - 02/09/2008 : 14:14:20
goalie- martin brodeur
defense-robert gordon orr
defense-paul coffey
forward-gretzky
forward-bure
forward-lemieux |
| OILINONTARIO |
Posted - 02/09/2008 : 13:31:18
Wayne Gretzky
Guy Lafleur
Mario Lemieux
Paul Coffey
Rod Langway
Patrick Roy
The Oil WILL make the playoffs. |
| Guest4055 |
Posted - 02/09/2008 : 10:58:38
gretzky
gretzky
gretzky
gretzky and
gretzky |
| PuckNuts |
Posted - 02/09/2008 : 09:03:22
Dale Hunter
Dave "Tiger" Williams
Bob Probert
Tim Horton
Larry Robinson
Billy Smith
Champions take chances, and pressure is a privilege.
Billy Jean King to Maria Sharapova
http://www.maldesigns.ca/top50since1967.htm
|
| irvine |
Posted - 02/09/2008 : 00:25:51
Retired:
C - Wayne Gretzky
LW/C - Mario Lemiuex
RW - Gordie Howe
LD - Raymond Bourque
RD - Paul Coffee
G - Terry Sawchuk
Current Players:
C - Sidney Crosby
LW/C - Joe Thornton
RW - Alex Ovechkin
LD - Zdeno Chara
RD - Niklas Lidstrom
G - Roberto Luongo
Honorable: Martin Brodeur
Irvine |
| Timay |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 22:19:51
Best of all time:
C - Wayne Gretzky
LW - Mario Lemieux
RW - Maurice Richard
D - Doug Harvey
D - Bobby Orr
G - Patrick Roy
Best currently playing:
C - Sidney Crosby
LW - Alex Ovechkin
RW - Dany Heatley
D - Nicklas Lidstrom
D - Scott Niedermayer
G - Martin Brodeur
|
| MSC |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 22:07:11
I'm going to make 2 lines, my finesse line and my personal favorite the grind line....In their prime of course.....
RW - Mike Bossy
C - Wayne Gretzky
LW - Mario Lemieux
D - Bobby Orr
D - Paul Coffey
and the grinders
RW - Cam Neely
C - Bobby Clarke
LW - Eric Lindros
D - Scott Stevens
D - Chris Pronger
I really think my grinders would beat my finesse guys, especially in a best out of 7 series.
Looking over the picks I'd like to mention that it was unintentional to have no europeons on the team and I actually considered replacing Coffey with Sergei Federov just to avoid that. I'm also aware the Lindros and Lemieux aren't LW'ers but hey, their my lines.
edit: forgot the goalies....Hasek in his prime plays for both teams |
| Datsyuk 1 |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 15:45:53
That guest was me. Wow I always forget to log in |
| Guest4504 |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 15:44:08
The best line
Mario
Wayne
Sidney
Lidstrom
Orr
Luongo |
| andyhack |
Posted - 02/08/2008 : 14:58:43
My lineup of favorites:
Centre - Jean Ratelle
Left Wing - John Tonelli
Right Wing - Cam Neely
Defence - Brad Park *
Defence - Ray Bourque
Goalie - Gump Worsley
* saw a lot more of Park than Orr so Brad got the edge this time (it's about time he got the edge over Bobby!) Great poll by the way!
** There seem to be a lot of players from one team up there - as I said, Great poll!
|
