| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Alex |
Posted - 03/15/2008 : 19:09:04
Impact magazine names the 10 best Captains since Yzerman first donned the "C" in 1986.
http://www.nhl.com/impact/march08_issue.html
As per this issue:
Messier
Stevens
Lemieux
Sakic
Borque
Gretzky
Peca
Sundin
Alfredsson
Koivu
Thoughts?
(EDITED BY ADMIN) |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| hanley6 |
Posted - 12/30/2008 : 15:08:00
Gretzky |
| andyhack |
Posted - 03/18/2008 : 14:40:41
To answer the current question, I suppose I can agree that Messier is overrated as a leader.
In some ways, I kind of wish the '94 thing never happened. People focus on that, both to praise him (rightly so, to a degree), and to come up with these arguments that too much has been made of that thing (again, rightly so, to a degree).
But any of you guys see early pre-Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio movies? I know, there he goes again with the movie analogies  (this one is not anywhere near a perfect analogy, but bear with me). Anyway, the guy was really quite qood as a kid in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and "This Boy's Life". But people don't really remember that. When they think of him, they think of Titanic and the Scorsese movies since then. Some like him in those, but some don't, saying things like he is an overrated pretty boy commercial product.
The point - '94 for Messier, like Titanic for DiCaprio, has unfortunately become a sort of focal point when thinking about the guy because it has all the hype and flash around it. But it really shouldn't be the focal point. The focal point for Messier should be what he did on those Oiler teams, first in the '80s (particularly how he led, at the very least with his play, the Oilers in the '84 playoffs, pushing them over the edge against the Isle dynasty), and then in '90 (how he led a Gretzky/Coffey-less team to a Cup).
Was he the best leader ever? Probably not. But let's not forget that he was a great leader (with his play anyway) well before 1994. |
| Pasty7 |
Posted - 03/18/2008 : 14:02:44
you know i'm going to say jason smith,, guy doesn;t say much but everyday he leads by example
Pasty |
| leafsfan_101 |
Posted - 03/18/2008 : 13:17:19
Messier is greatly overrated as a captain. Lets look at facts. Messier's famous prediction sounds very good, but was it really as magical as it seems? His team had the most points during the season, 112, and was 6 points better then the Devils.
So when Messier made the prediction he wasn't even the underdog. So, as you know, the story continues that Messier got a natural hat trick to force the series into Game 7, where there they beat the Devils to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, to beat the Canucks in 7 games.
And if Messier is such a good captain, how come after their Cup win in 94 his team barely made the playoffs? Could he not properly modivate them? And when he left New York, he never made the playoffs again. Ever.
And his prediction record isn't flawless either. Upon leaving the Canucks he returned to the New York Rangers. He said that the team would make the playoffs. Did they? No.
As a player Messier was fantastic and among the greatest to play the game. His intimidating stare made opponents, well, intimidated. But as a captain Messier is highly overrated.
Now please, somebody disagree .
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| SuperSakic |
Posted - 03/18/2008 : 06:55:57
Is the topic saying who is the best captain that came "after" Yzerman, or the best captain in and around the same time that he was around?
Cause I thought Gretz was a captain before Yzerman was even in the league...but anyway Sakic is the best! |
| ThorntonisTHEMAN |
Posted - 03/18/2008 : 05:10:31
Sundin would be one of the greatest captains ever, but he has never led his team to a cup. He's never even led his team to the cup finals. That lowers him quite a bit on my list.
"I'm not dumb enough to be a goalie."
Brett Hull. |
| Alex |
Posted - 03/17/2008 : 17:02:02
I dont think Peca nor Lemieux should really be as high as they are. And my vote goes to the Swede, Sundin. Maybe because he is one of the few I actually grew up watching, but I think that he is the greatest captain in every way, what he does on the ice, how he acts, what he says. Someone dare tell me I am wrong.
Had he been on a cup team he would be number one on that list.
All aboard the Price bandwagon
EDIT: Can all the members who look at this join the PickUpHockey Cyber Cup? It only will take two minutes, I am trying to get participation from all the active members. All you need to do for now is read the intro and tell me you will join. Time is of the essence. Thanks guys, I know I can count on you
This is the link:
http://www.pickuphockey.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3820#51395 |
| willus3 |
Posted - 03/17/2008 : 16:33:59
From my experience the captain is usually the guy with the biggest yap.
Personally I think Messier is greatly over rated when talking about leadership. i watched a program he did. Can't remember what it was called but it was basically a leadership seminar hosted by him. If i were on his team he would have a very hard time inspiring me. He speaks about as well as George W. Bush and I don't find meatballs all that inspiring.
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| Antroman |
Posted - 03/17/2008 : 12:11:33
It is kind of tough naming the best captain ever without knowing them personally and actually being associated with the team in some capacity. Most guys are named captain for a reason so most of them would naturally have the basic trait of being a leader and a pretty upstanding person to boot. They wouldn't be much of a captain otherwise. I think this thread is very much open to your personal likes and dislikes and I would say most people would choose a captain from their favourite team or from a team that has been very successful. There have probably been some awesome captains on very poor teams but they do not recieve the accolades that others do from being on teams in big markets or have not had the hoisting the Cup type of exposure. Personally from yesteryear I liked Beliveau and Armstrong. In the modern era I like Yzerman and Sundin. Having never been associated with any of them, it is hard to say who was the greatest. I can only go by what I hear that others in the game have said about them. Take a guy like Messier. He was great in New York but I remember when he was a real mean handy man with the stick and I can't get by that when asked my opinion of him. Bobby Clark was another one, how much respect can you have for a guy like that, although he led his team to the Stanley Cup. It would be really interesting to hear "anonymous" references to all these guys by the players who actually knew them and played with them. Now that would be really interesting reading!!!!! |
| Guest4803 |
Posted - 03/17/2008 : 11:53:59
anybody but messier, he came to vancouver and was given the C had bure and mogilny to work with and still stunk it up and forced out our real captain( linden who i think should be added to this category). |
| ThorntonisTHEMAN |
Posted - 03/17/2008 : 04:42:55
Definitly Moose. No question.
"I'm not dumb enough to be a goalie."
Brett Hull. |
| Timay |
Posted - 03/15/2008 : 23:21:59
gotta be the Moose.. the only one who could rival Stevie Y as the best captain of their generation. Although Steve Yzerman is the best -- all time. |
| Guest5725 |
Posted - 03/15/2008 : 20:27:54
SAKIC |
| Leafsfan_94 |
Posted - 03/15/2008 : 19:14:28
Mario
Leafsfan_94
|
