propp was the least physical of my 1st liners, but was more physical than any of montreal's top 6. very hard working, gritty player with a nose for the net.
he was also a great clutch scorer. propp is the highest scoring LW in NHL playoff history.
Speaking of Propp ...
As I looked at the forward matchup on the first line I was struck by how even two-thirds of the first lines are.
Personally, I think Stan Mikita & Henri Richard is one of the best centre matchups in the opening round of the ATD. I was also struck by the two first line right wingers and their similarities.
Teemu Selanne – led league in goals three times
Charlie Conacher – led league in goals five times
Teemu Selanne – top ten in points six times
Charlie Conacher – top ten in points five times
Teemu Selanne – goals per regular season game 1.96
Charlie Conacher – goals per regular season game 2.04
Teemu Selanne – goals per playoff game 3
Charlie Conacher – goals per playoff game 2.88
In looking over the posts of the series however the name, Frank Mahovlich has been scarcely mentioned.
according to jean beliveau, toe blake once said he would not trade tremblay for frank mahovlich
And in season one of Legends of Hockey, Bertrand Raymond states that the one player that Sam Pollock coveted above all was Frank Mahovlich, vowing that if he ever got the chance, he would get him for the Canadiens, which he did in 1971.
In this series Mahovlich figures to play a prominent role.
In evaluating his counterpart on Lada I think we have one of the mismatches of the series.
Much to my surprise Brian Propp never finished top ten in goals, assists, or points during his career and was never once named a first or second team All-Star at Left Wing. Since he was a first line ATD left winger I assumed his credentials may have been better than I remembered.
I'm not quite sure what the point of Propp on this line is when a guy like Robitaille was available. I mean, Propp adds grit, defensive awareness and intangibles, sure, but those were already in abundance on this line and he doesn't add so much of any one thing to make it a real over-the-top-skull-cracker like Nanaimo's 1st line. In terms of talent and scoring ability, he's on the extreme low end by 1st line standards.
So I decided to widen my criteria into a top twenty and to see who some of his competition was at the position during the prime years of his career.
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List of All-Star left wingers 1979/80 – 1990/91.
Charlie Simmer, Steve Shutt, Bill Barber, Mark Messier, John Tonelli, Michel Goulet, John Ogrodnick, Mats Naslund, Luc Robitaille, Gerard Gallant, Brian Bellows, Kevin Stevens.
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List of left wingers in top twenty goal scorers 1979/80 -1990/91
1979/80 - Charlie Simmer 56 goals, Steve Shutt 47 goals, Rick Martin 45 goals, Steve Payne 42 goals, Bill Barber 40 goals
1980/81 – Charlie Simmer 56 goals, Jacques Richard 52 goals, Bill Barber 43 goals, Darryl Sutter 40 goals, Anton Stastny 39 goals
1981/82 – Mark Messier 50 goals, Bill Barber 45 goals,
Brian Propp 44 goals, Al Secord 44 goals, Morris Lukowich 43 goals, Michel Goulet 42 goals
1982/83 – Michel Goulet 57 goals, Al Secord 54 goals, Mark Messier 48 goals, Brian Sutter 46 goals, Darcy Rota 42 goals, John Ogrodnick 41 goals
1983/84 – Michel Goulet 56 goals, Charlie Simmer 44 goals, John Ogrodnick 42 goals, Brian Bellows 41 goals, Sylvain Turgeon 40 goals
1984/85 – John Ogrodnick 55 goals, Mike Krushelnyski 43 goals,
Brian Propp 43 goals, John Tonelli 42 goals, Mats Naslund 42 goals
1985/86 – Michel Goulet 53 goals, Sylvain Turgeon 45 goals, Mats Naslund 43 goals
1986/87 – Michel Goulet 49 goals, Luc Robitaille 45 goals, Walt Poddubny 40 goals, Brent Ashton 40 goals, Gerald Gallant 38 goals
1987/88 – Craig Simpson 56 goals, Luc Robitaille 53 goals, Michel Goulet 48 goals
1988/89 – Luc Robitaille 46 goals, Geoff Courtnall 42 goals
1989/90 – Brian Bellows 55 goals, Luc Robitaille 52 goals, John Ogrodnick 43 goals, Dave Andreychuk 40 goals, Steve Thomas 40 goals
1990/91 – Luc Robitaille 45 goals, Kevin Stevens 40 goals
Left – Wingers in Top-20 Goal Scorers 1979/80 - 1990/91
Michel Goulet – 6
Luc Robitaille – 5
John Ogrodnick - 4
Charlie Simmer – 3
Bill Barber – 3
Mark Messier – 2
Al Secord – 2
Brian Bellows – 2
Mats Naslund – 2
Sylvain Turgeon – 2
Brian Propp – 2
Steve Shutt – 1
Rick Martin – 1
Steve Payne – 1
Jacques Richard – 1
Darryl Sutter – 1
Anton Stastny – 1
Morris Lukowich – 1
Darcy Rota – 1
Mike Krushelnyski – 1
John Tonelli – 1
Gerard Gallant – 1
Craig Simpson – 1
Geoff Courtnall – 1
Dave Andreychuk – 1
Kevin Stevens – 1
Steve Thomas – 1
Walt Podubny – 1
Brent Ashton – 1
Brian Sutter – 1
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List of left wingers in top twenty point scorers 1979/80 – 1990/91
1979/80 – Charlie Simmer 101 points, Steve Shutt 89 points
1980/81 – Charlie Simmer 105 points, Jacques Richard 103 points
1981/82 – John Tonelli 93 points, Morris Lukowich 92 points
1982/83 – Mark Messier 106 points, Michel Goulet 105 points, Anton Stastny 92 points
1983/84 – Michel Goulet 121 points, Mark Messier 101 points, Charlie Simmer 92 points,
Brian Propp 92 points
1984/85 – John Ogrodnick 105 points, John Tonelli 100 points,
Brian Propp 97 points, Michel Goulet 95 points
1985/86 – Mats Naslund 110 points, Michel Goulet 104 points,
Brian Propp 97 points
1986/87 – Michel Goulet 96 points, Walt Poddubny 87 points, Luc Robitaille 84 points
1987/88 – Luc Robitaille 111 points, Michel Goulet 106 points, Kirk Muller 94 points, Craig Simpson 90 points
1988/89 – Luc Robitaille 98 points, Gerard Gallant 93 points
1989/90 – Luc Robitaille 101 points, Brian Bellows 99 points
1990/91 – Luc Robitaille 91 points
Left – Wingers in Top-20 Points Scorers 1979/80 - 1990/91
Michel Goulet – 5
Luc Robitaille – 5
Charlie Simmer – 3
Brian Propp – 3 (
tied for 19th overall in 1983/84,19th in 1984/85, tied for 15th in 1985/86)
John Tonelli – 2
Mark Messier – 2
Steve Shutt – 1
Jacques Richard – 1
Morris Lukowich – 1
Anton Stastny – 1
John Ogrodnick – 1
Mats Naslund – 1
Walt Podubny – 1
Craig Simpson – 1
Gerard Gallant – 1
Brian Bellows – 1
Kirk Muller – 1
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It turns out that Brian Propp twice finished in the top twenty in goals, and three times placed in the top twenty in points. Interestingly enough the highest he ever finished in one season for goals was 13th overall with a high position of third amongst left-wingers.
When it comes to points the highest rank he ever achieved in a particular season a tie for fifteenth overall amongst all scorers and only a high of third best amongst left wingers.
Just as a way of comparison I would note that his counterpart on the Montreal Canadiens;
- was a first team All-Star Left Winger three times in his career
- was a second team All-Star Left Winger six times in his career
- finished in the top ten for goals on eight occasions
- finished in the top ten for assists on three occasions
- finished in the top ten for points on seven occasions
Since Brian Propp never achieved any of these honours, I think it would be fair to see how Mahovlich faired vis-Ã -vis Propp when we take into account top twenty finishes in goals and assists during their respective career.
Brian Propp – Top Twenty in Goals 2 times
Frank Mahovlich – Top Twenty in Goals 14 times
Brian Propp – Top Twenty in Points 3 times
Frank Mahovlich – Top Twenty in Points 13 times
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And not to put too much of a point on it but Brian Propp compared to the much maligned Alexei Kovalev.
Alexei Kovalev – Top Twenty in Goals 4 times (Propp twice)
Top Twenty in Points 4 times (Propp three times)
And Kovalev has been named to a post-season All-Star team.