1970 NHL Goalie poll - Best Shooters

[Habsfan18]

From the 1971 Official Hockey Annual, published before the 1970-1971 season. The goaltenders were asked which NHL players have the best shot.

1. Bobby Hull (overwhelming majority)
2. Bobby Orr
3. Jean Beliveau
4. Gordie Howe
5. Frank Mahovlich
6. Phil Esposito
7. Jacques Lemaire
8. Dennis Hull
9. Danny Grant
10. Red Berenson/Ken Hodge

Honorable Mentions:

Bill Goldsworthy
Stan Mikita
Eddie Joyal
Rod Gilbert
Vic Hadfield
Walt Tkaczuk
Yvan Cournoyer
Ab McDonald
Ron Ellis
Wayne Connelly
Garry Unger

Click to read more...

 

[Killion]

We talking slapshot and wrist shot, both, or one or the other? Im guessing slapshot, and if so, some curious names on that last, guys not noted for having killer slappers. If you can see it, you can stop it, and for sure you could see a Phil Esposito or Ron Ellis slapshot. Several others as well. Orr there as well. Not a terribly hard/heavy nor even fast shot, just deadly accurate & deceptive.

 

[BamBamCam*]

We talking slapshot and wrist shot, both, or one or the other? Im guessing slapshot, and if so, some curious names on that last, guys not noted for having killer slappers. If you can see it, you can stop it, and for sure you could see a Phil Esposito or Ron Ellis slapshot. Several others as well. Orr there as well. Not a terribly hard/heavy nor even fast shot, just deadly accurate & deceptive.

Call me silly but I am not sure how much distinction was put into the different shots like they are now. With wrister, snap and slapper. I am think considering it's 1970, it's just shot on net.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Scoring Ability

View it as the ability to score with an appropriate shot for the on ice circumstances.

 

[mbhhofr]

We talking slapshot and wrist shot, both, or one or the other? Im guessing slapshot, and if so, some curious names on that last, guys not noted for having killer slappers. If you can see it, you can stop it, and for sure you could see a Phil Esposito or Ron Ellis slapshot. Several others as well. Orr there as well. Not a terribly hard/heavy nor even fast shot, just deadly accurate & deceptive.

It says best shot. I saw them all play, and there are some on the list who's slap shot was very questionable.

 

[yave1964]

It says best shot. I saw them all play, and there are some on the list who's slap shot was very questionable.

DANNY GRANT!!!!!My first hockey hero with the Wings! Came over for Henry Boucha from the North Stars had a wonderful year in 1974 with 50 goals, won a cup once with the Habs, the next year won the Calder with the North stars. Injuries derailed his career way too early.

 

[Killion]

View it as the ability to score with an appropriate shot for the on ice circumstances.

It says best shot. I saw them all play, and there are some on the list who's slap shot was very questionable.

So which is it Gentlemen? On the one hand I like C58's suggestion, a homogenization of shots, whatever puts the biscuit in the basket as being "best shot" however I'd have preferred the 70/71 poll's criteria to have been more specific. For example Flick & Snap Shot; I'd hazard to guess Esposito might lead the pack in that regard. Next up, we'd have Wrist Shot; Gordie Howe or Jean Beliveau? Slap Shot's obvious, gotta be Bobby Hull.... then back to C58, "Best All Round Shot" in 1970/71? Id go with Bobby Orr on that one.... and yes ,mbh, some "highly questionable" inclusions, like Dennis Hull. That guy was lucky to keep his shot in-bounds. Usually wound up in the 2nd level balconies somewhere. Ricocheting off of some poor unsuspecting blue hairs noggin, careening off the jaw of her 87yr old husband seated innocently, peacefully & until that moment quite contentedly right next to her, holding hands & happy, a life well lived. Hulls shot destroying hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of very expensive dental work. Pretty much all of the upper & a large portion of the lower denture plates. Turned to chalk, dust. Both of course removed from the building on stretchers.... Dennis in the dressing room post-game collecting on the bets he'd made pre-game that he couldnt possibly hospitalize two spectators with one shot.

 

[cam042686]

DANNY GRANT!!!!!My first hockey hero with the Wings! Came over for Henry Boucha from the North Stars had a wonderful year in 1974 with 50 goals, won a cup once with the Habs, the next year won the Calder with the North stars. Injuries derailed his career way too early.

Danny Grant was also my first favorite player! I really liked him when he played with the North Stars. Great two way player and always kicked it up a notch in the playoffs.

Craig Wallace

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

DANNY GRANT!!!!!My first hockey hero with the Wings! Came over for Henry Boucha from the North Stars had a wonderful year in 1974 with 50 goals, won a cup once with the Habs, the next year won the Calder with the North stars. Injuries derailed his career way too early.

I also seem to recall him beating Daryl Sittler in the final of Howie Meeker's Showdown competition, an old HNIC intermission feature.

 

[mbhhofr]

You can add Mr. T to that list.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/...er-ice-video_n_2963481.html?utm_hp_ref=sports

 

[Killion]

You can add Mr. T to that list.

Never ceases to amuse me how neophytes hold a stick when shooting. Like the sticks a #6 Iron. Eddie Shore would not approve. Got a charge out of the Chick in the 12" stiletto's as well. Giddyup or what huh?....

 

[Big Phil]

Surprised Cournoyer never got on the top 10. Heavy wrist shot that's for sure. Typical classic sniper shot too. Dangerous.

 

[Killion]

Surprised Cournoyer never got on the top 10. Heavy wrist shot that's for sure. Typical classic sniper shot too. Dangerous.

Maybe we should start threads, Best Slap Shot, Best Wrist Shot, Best Snap or Flick Shot, Best Backhand & Dekemeister All Time. Shouldnt be all that difficult as we do have the All Star Game Stats & other sources for speed, while with Wrist, Snap, Backhands & Dekes pretty good handle on which players would fall into those categories.... or has this already been done?

 

[Hardyvan123]

I'm preparing for a draft in baseball today so I don't have the time but it would be interesting to note the number of goals, and shots, beside the guys in the ranking both the year before and year of the poll.

The shots are here on the bottom and I still contend that Orr played more like a Rover than a Dman.

http://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/shots_top_10.html

 

[Killion]

The shots are here on the bottom and I still contend that Orr played more like a Rover than a Dman.

Interesting link Hv and yes, Orr did play the position like a Rover. Who's telling you he didnt? Just send them my way. Iron that opinion right out.... but what does it have to do with "Best Shot"? Orr's shot wasnt heavy, nor was it super fast just accurate and often shot through screens, defencemen or forwards used like blinds, in close tricky with a deke or quick flick, excellent backhand as well.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Touch

Interesting link Hv and yes, Orr did play the position like a Rover. Who's telling you he didnt? Just send them my way. Iron that opinion right out.... but what does it have to do with "Best Shot"? Orr's shot wasnt heavy, nor was it super fast just accurate and often shot through screens, defencemen or forwards used like blinds, in close tricky with a deke or quick flick, excellent backhand as well.

Bobby Orr's shots and passes had "touch" and "feel". Rarely seen since or today.

 

[Killion]

Bobby Orr's shots and passes had "touch" and "feel". Rarely seen since or today.

Yes you generally do see that, spot it (hard not to) amongst the gifted & skilled at varying
levels of course. Orr's shots & passes coming to life of their own accord. Presence...........

 

[Rhiessan71]

Yes you generally do see that, spot it (hard not to) amongst the gifted & skilled at varying
levels of course. Orr's shots & passes coming to life of their own accord. Presence...........

The closest I think we have seen to Orr's ability to almost magically get his shots through traffic and on net was Bourque.

 

[Killion]

The closest I think we have seen to Orr's ability to almost magically get his shots through traffic and on net was Bourque.

Ya, Bourque was crafty that way and Id agree with that, the closest we've seen to Orr in that regard. Others did it as well of course but not in the same sort of inimitable style as Orr & Bourque, nor as frequently, consistently, using all that power down low the way they did. Lots of snipers from the point, breakaway artists but in traffic? Orr, Bourque, possibly Harvey I suppose but I never saw him play, told he was of the same ilk in a pinch, but beyond that who? Park, Coffey, Stevens, Lidstrom, Murphy, bunch of them but they didnt really put a set of bi-focals on the puck the way those two could during rush hour.