'95-'96 to '05-'06 Forsberg vs '06-'07 to '15-'16 Crosby

[Regal]

Crosby will go down as the 5th greatest player of all-time. Maybe some disagree and have him 7th or 8th or whatever - but he's certainly in the running for 5th. And the biggest reason why is his consistency throughout his prime (so those specific years).

In every single season he played here, he was either the best player, or in contention for being the best player. Entering any of those seasons - there's not a single season on this list where if you ask any GM across the league "if you could take only one player going into next season for one season only, who do you take" where majority don't pick Crosby #1, most of the time unanimously. (maybe on an exceptional basis he finishes behind Ovi once or twice). He was just as good in the playoffs, as he was in the regular season in that stretch.

Forsberg - he might be in the top 50 of all-time. On a recent top 100 listed made on the history forum, he finished 51st for example.

If I ask the similar question, "going into every season, for one year only pick one player who do you pick" - I'd argue Forsberg finishes outside the top 5 players picked more often then he finishes in the top 5. Compared to Crosby, #1 probably every year, most of the time probably unanimously, and at the very most #2 once or twice.

Also - Forsberg is one player who actually makes Crosby's injured prime look good.

This should be unanimous.

I don't think he finishes outside the top 5 in any of the seasons, except maybe 95-96. After that, the only people ever really considered better at points were Lemieux, Jagr, Hasek and Sakic.

 

[Mac2Rants]

Probably Crosby, but what Foppa did back then with his two way game physical presence and players drenched over him and still manage to toy with them was something else to watch.

 

[BHD]

Not even going to bother engaging in the Top 50 (lol) talk. Forsberg was one of the more dominant forwards from the past 25 years. However, we're comparing him to #87.

 

[bobholly39]

I don't think he finishes outside the top 5 in any of the seasons, except maybe 95-96. After that, the only people ever really considered better at points were Lemieux, Jagr, Hasek and Sakic.

Don't forget Lindros, Roy, Selanne, Pronger, Brodeur, etc.

Not saying all of those players were always seen as better than Forsberg - but in any given year, he's closer to ~5 than he is to 1.

 

[slimbob8]

This should not be close and the voting accurately reflects that. Yes Forsberg had a very short period where he was considered the best in the game. But Crosby was pretty much viewed as the consensus best player in the league by a mile for a long, long stretch despite missing a lot of time in his prime years due to injury.

 

[Bumpus]

Forsberg didnt dive, flop and act like a baby so

 

[nowhereman]

Crosby is a top 5-10 player of all time. There's really not much of a debate to be had here. I hate to say it but it's not close.

 

[slimbob8]

Don't forget Lindros, Roy, Selanne, Pronger, Brodeur, etc.

Not saying all of those players were always seen as better than Forsberg - but in any given year, he's closer to ~5 than he is to 1.

Completely agree. Forsberg has finished top 5 in Hart voting only once his entire career compared to Crosby's 7 times. It's not even close. Forsberg had a great peak, but he was never viewed anywhere close to the level of player Crosby was over a long period of time. Forsberg was always in a group of 5-10 players that you could consider the best player in the league at any given time depending on who you asked. Crosby was THE best player in the league for a long period of time according to the vast majority people. There was Crosby and then everyone else. Even the years Ovi, Sedin, Perry, etc. were winning Hart trophies, that just answered the question who had the best season. But Crosby was still considered the best player.

 

[psycat]

Crosby clearly but it's not by much. Pretty equal players at their best with Crosby having a slight edge. Career is obviously NOT close.

Some people in this thread make it sound like Crosby is on another level skillwise or per game but that's simply not true.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Forsberg had very similar production to Crosby in a much lower scoring era, so you could argue he was better att scoring points. Forsberg had a much more complete game too, with considerably better physicality, defense and work ethic. I don’t see how taking Forsberg is controversial at all, he is a top 20-10 player of all time.

There was higher leaguewide scoring in the time period provided for Forsberg than for Crosby

 

[Syrinx]

Forsberg didnt dive, flop and act like a baby so

His nickname was Floppa.

 

[Syrinx]

Forsberg had very similar production to Crosby in a much lower scoring era, so you could argue he was better att scoring points. Forsberg had a much more complete game too, with considerably better physicality, defense and work ethic. I don’t see how taking Forsberg is controversial at all, he is a top 20-10 player of all time.

The bolded is ludicrous.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Crosby for peak, prime, playoffs, career and it's not close.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Ovechkin
Bourque
Mikita
Harvey
Lidstrom
Beliveau
Mcdavid
Messier
Bobby Clarke
Potvin

Are absolutely not better, not a chance. Here in Sweden, most hockey fans rate Forsberg considerably higher than Lidström, and it isn't much of a discussion.

LMAOOOO

 

[Plural]

Forsberg didnt dive, flop and act like a baby so

He was called Floppa for a reason.

 

[Foppberg]

Forsberg at his best > any version of Crosby

 

[tony d]

Crosby.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Forsberg at his best > any version of Crosby

There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no....

 

[Regal]

Don't forget Lindros, Roy, Selanne, Pronger, Brodeur, etc.

Not saying all of those players were always seen as better than Forsberg - but in any given year, he's closer to ~5 than he is to 1.

Lindros as well I guess for a couple years,but I dont think the others really were in the sense that you're considering Crosby here in the "who would you pick to start a team" rather than simply who was the best in a given year. And while Crosby was generally number 1, I think Ovechkin and Malkin were right there. Crosby was more of a top 3 that usually went first than a clearcut standout number 1, whereas Forsberg was generally top 5 that moved around those 5 at various points, including number 1 at times. I see what you're saying but I think it's closer than the idea of #1 and 5th suggests. Objectively, Crosby was the better player, but I think he's still the closest comparable for Forsberg.

 

[HockeyFan100]

Big Avs fan and Forsberg fan but it's Crosby, come on now.

 

[Big Phil]

This is Crosby here for sure. Forsberg was great but he wasn't the best player in the NHL until around 2003. Crosby was for several years.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

This thread isn't legitimate until Crosby's vote percentage reaches 87%.

 

[spiny norman]

Lopsided result.