Blade Paradigm
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- Oct 21, 2017
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The common misconception about Bure is that people believe defencemen were sending him out on breakaways all the time and that his game was a north-south game. This was not so, especially as there has been footage to document his game and his style of play.
I sampled six of Bure's seasons: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, and 2000-01, as well as all of Bure's goals with the New York Rangers (2001-02; 2002-03).
What I wanted to know was which players touched the puck last before every goal scored by Bure -- the primary assist.
This is statistical evidence to support the idea that forwards were more pivotal to his game than defencemen:
Here are the goal-scoring logs for Bure from the seasons 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, and 2000-01, as well as from Bure's time as a New York Ranger.
The goals are in no particular order.
1991-92:
22 primary assists by forwards = 64.71%
5 unassisted
7 primary assists by defencemen = 20.59%
1992-93:
39 primary assists by forwards = 65.0%
6 unassisted
15 primary assists by defencemen = 25.0%
1993-94:
34 primary assists by forwards = 56.67%
4 unassisted
22 primary assists by defencemen = 36.67%
1999-00:
37 primary assists by forwards = 63.79%
7 unassisted
14 primary assists by defencemen = 24.14%
2000-01:
35 primary assists by forwards = 59.32%
5 unassisted
1 primary assist by goalie
18 primary assists by defencemen = 30.51%
Pavel Bure as a New York Ranger (2001-02; 2002-03):
19 primary assists by forwards = 61.29%
4 unassisted
8 primary assists by defencemen = 25.81%
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Notice that, on average, 63% of primary assists on Bure's goals are awarded to forwards -- 1993-94 is slightly lower at 56.67% -- and only 25% go to defencemen. This is a very consistent statistic over the course of Bure's most respected seasons.
We can compare this with the 1992-93 season of a player who, early in his career, relied more on defense than forwards to a much greater degree than Bure -- Teemu Selanne. Teemu was a player who one rightfully could claim would benefit more from elite defence than forward linemates:
Teemu Selanne (1992-93):
34 primary assists by forwards = 44.74%
10 unassisted
1 by goalie
31 primary assists by defencemen = 40.79%
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We can see just how different the percentages are compared to Bure's. Less than half of Selanne's goals that season featured primary assists from forwards, and the defencemen were within just a few percentage points.
Phil Housley led the group with 15 primary assists, while Alexei Zhamnov had 12, Fred Olausson had 10, and Keith Tkachuk had 8.
This was a much more skilled group than Bure ever worked with, and we can also see just how much more important defencemen were to Selanne's production that season. The myth that Bure would have been better with an elite defenceman than an elite forward should be put to rest. Bure's game required more partnership and teamwork with other forwards even when those forwards were not elite.
Housley: 15 primary assists on Selanne's goals
Zhamnov: 12
Olausson: 10
Tkachuk: 8
Shannon: 4
Steen: 4
Domi: 2
Olczyk: 2
Bautin: 2
Numminen: 2
Ulanov: 2
King: 1
Barnes: 1
Essensa: 1
-------------------------------------------------
Now, let's look at which forwards on Bure's teams received the primary assists on his goals during the sampled seasons so that we understand the caliber of players that Bure worked with:
1991-92:
Larionov: 10 primary assists on Bure's goals
Ronning: 3
Adams: 3
Courtnall: 2
Nedved: 2
Walter: 1
Fergus: 1
----------------------
1992-93:
Adams: 11 primary assists on Bure's goals
Semenov: 8
Courtnall: 5
Ward: 4
Ronning: 3
Nedved: 3
Craven: 2
Momesso: 1
Odjick: 1
Morin: 1
----------------------
1993-94:
Courtnall: 9 primary assists on Bure's goals
Craven: 8
Adams: 5
Carson: 5
Ronning: 4
Odjick: 2
Gelinas: 1
-----------------------
1999-00:
Kozlov: 13 primary assists on Bure's goals
Whitney: 9
Mellanby: 6
Sillinger: 2
Parrish: 1
Neidermayer: 1
Dvorak: 1
Kvasha: 1
Sheppard: 1
Worrell: 1
Johnson: 1
---------------------------
2000-01:
Kozlov - 7 primary assists on Bure's goals
Nilson - 5
Niedermayer - 5
Greg Adams - 3
Sillinger 3
Shvidki - 3
Whitney - 2
Mellanby - 2
Kevyn Adams - 1
Larionov - 1
Barrie - 1
Worrell - 1
Prospal - 1
---------------------------
Bure as a New York Ranger (2001-02; 2002-03)
Lindros - 6 primary assists on Bure's goals
Nedved - 3
Petrovicky - 3
Barnaby - 2
Murray - 2
Rucinsky - 1
Dvorak - 1
Lundmark - 1
---------------------------
The forward who tallied the most primary assists during Bure's first three seasons in Vancouver was his most consistent linemate: Greg Adams. Over the course of two-and-a-half seasons with Bure, Adams tallied 19 primary assists. Ranked either first or second in each of these seasons was his primary center during that campaign: Igor Larionov (1991-92), Anatoli Semenov (1992-93), Murray Craven (1993-94), and Viktor Kozlov (1999-00). Gino Odjick and Jimmy Carson, who each spent time on Bure's line in 1993-94 -- Odjick spent most of that season with Bure --, tallied a handful of primary assists.
With a legitimate centerman, Bure would have benefited immensely. Larionov contributed primary assists to 10 of Bure's 34 goals as a rookie. Despite Bure's increase in production from 34 that year to 60, 60, and 58 in the other three seasons, no particular player ever played such a significant role relative to Bure's goal production as Larionov did in 1991-92.
Here is an article about it from 1993:
Opponents tried everything to stop him, even putting three defencemen on the ice at one time.
Some examples of Bure finding open ice:
Bure was nearly always hampered by a lack of skilled linemates to work with, and his prime would have been much more successful with players who were capable of greater offensive output in both the goals and assists columns.
In 1991-92, Bure finished the season with 23 goals in 22 games with Igor Larionov and Greg Adams as his linemates. In 1992-93, he had 44 goals, 77 points in 53 games at the time of the All-Star break on a line with Adams and Semenov and was on the same pace as Mogilny and Selanne despite the difference in teammates -- Mogilny had Hawerchuk and Lafontaine; Selanne had Housley, Zhamnov, and a young Keith Tkachuk. In 1993-94, Bure battled through a groin injury in the first half of the campaign and scored 49 goals in the final 51 games of the season on a line with Odjick and Craven. He led the league in goals that season with 60 and scored 46.45% of his team's goals in the final 47 games of the season -- with Odjick and Craven.
In 1999-00, Bure once again led the NHL in goals and was the most important player in securing his team many victories with his prowess in shorthanded situations. His 9 EN goals that season is an all-time NHL single-season record, but he also led the team in +/- with a rating of +25 and was, as he was in Vancouver, the team's best penalty killer: he played the third-most shorthanded minutes of the forwards on his team but allowed far fewer goals against than the team's other high-minute penalty killers. He was a Hart Trophy finalist.
When Bure scored, the 1999-00 Florida Panthers held a record of 29-10-2. When he scored more than once, they were 12-0. When he did not score, they were 10-19-4.
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...e-as-a-penalty-killer.2414653/#post-138242773
Not too long afterward, he became the sixth-fastest player of all time to reach 400 goals.
In better circumstances and with better players to work with, Bure would have found more success. Not only were his devastating injuries the disruptor of a great career; the teams he played for gave him a challenge every night that most other star players never faced. To have found as much success as he did is to have done his best against all odds.
After Gretzky retired in 1999, he said that he would have extended his career for one more year if the Rangers had been able to acquire Pavel Bure in a trade. Gretzky, the most studious of any player to ever play the sport, had played against Bure for many years in the Smythe and Pacific Divisions. He knew that Bure needed a centerman.
It would have been a spectacular finish to Gretzky's career.
Gretzky would have stayed for Bure
Fastest players to 100 goals and more • r/hockey
Top 20 fastest players to 100 goals
1. Mike Bossy 129 games
2. Teemu Selanne 134 games
T-3 . Wayne Gretzky 145 games
T-3. Maurice Richard 145 games
5. Joe Nieuwendyk 153 games
6. Pavel Bure 154 games
7. Luc Robitaille 160 games
8. Alex Ovechkin 163 games
T-9. Mario Lemieux 165 games
T-9. Dino Ciccarelli 165 games
11. Pat LaFontaine 168 games
12. Richard Martin 174 games
13. Jean Beliveau 180 games
14. Paul Kariya 181 games
15. Brett Hull 183 games
T-16. Dale Hawerchuk 190 games
T-16 Pierre Larouche
18. Glenn Anderson 195 games
19. Peter Stastny 197 games
T-20. Mike Gartner 200 games
T-20. Steve Larmer 200 games
T-20. Dave Taylor 200 games
T-20 Bernie Geoffrion 200 games
Top 20 fastest players to 200 goals
1. Wayne Gretzky 242 games
2. Mike Bossy 259 games
3. Brett Hull 282 games
4. Mario Lemieux 290 games
5. Alex Ovechkin 294 games
6. Jari Kurri 315 games
T-7. Teemu Selanne 323 games
T-7. Pat LaFontaine 323 games
T-7. Richard Martin 323 games
10. Luc Robitaille 324 games
11. Pavel Bure 328 games
12. Maurice Richard 330 games
13. Dale Haertchuk 335 games
14. Glenn Anderson 345 games
15. Rick Vaive 350 games
16. Joe Niewendyk 352 games
17. Paul Kariya 357 games
18. Alex Mogilny 358 games
19. Guy Lafleur 260 games
20. Jean Beliveau 360 games
Alex Ovechkin scores 300th career goal
Fastest players to 300 goals
1. Wayne Gretzky 350 games
2. Mario Lemieux 368 games
3. Brett Hull 377 games
4. Mike Bossy 381 games
5.Jari Kurri 441 games
6. Teemu Selanne 464 games
7. Alex Ovechkin 476 games
8. Pavel Bure 478 games
Ovechkin Becomes Sixth Fastest Player in NHL History to Reach 400 Goals
Fastest players to 400 goals
1. Wayne Gretzky 436 games
2. Mike Bossy 506 games
3. Mario Lemieux 508 games
4. Brett Hull 520 games
5. Jari Kurri 608 games
6. Alex Ovechkin 634 games
7. Pavel Bure 635 games
Bure finished his career with 437 goals. He was the sixth-fastest player in NHL history ever to reach that total.
1. Wayne Gretzky 510 games
2. Mario Lemieux 543 games
3. Mike Bossy 550 games
4. Brett Hull 576 games
5. Jari Kurri 669 games
6. Pavel Bure 702 games
7. Alex Ovechkin 711 games
Look at the select few names ahead of Bure. Kurri and Gretzky accomplished their feats on the same line and on a very talented dynasty squad; Gretzky elevated Kurri, who used speed and intelligence to race into open ice. Mike Bossy played on a Stanley Cup Dynasty squad. Mario Lemieux. Hull's three years with Oates catapulted him to a new level that he could never again achieve without Oates. Alex Ovechkin began his career in the new NHL with levels similar to when Bure began his career, and had more to work with after his first two seasons, hence his lower placement on the 100 goals list.
Bure played two-and-a-half seasons with Greg Adams as his mainstay opposite winger in Vancouver although Dixon Ward filled in during Adams' injury; Anatoli Semenov was his center in his second year; in year three, Murray Craven was his center, while Jimmy Carson, Adams, and Gino Odjick split the year on his other wing -- Odjick played half of the year with Bure.
In Florida, the majority of Bure's primary setups came off of the stick of Viktor Kozlov, who was a lazy, enigmatic underachiever.
To have placed himself on the above lists in spite of this, as well as his career-plaguing injuries following 1995-96, is -- as I said in another thread -- to have done so against all odds.
The five fastest players to reach 300 and 400 goals all played in the wide-open 1980s, where defensive systems were only in their infancy. The second half of Bure's career took place in an era of scoring similar to today with the two-line pass rule in effect, as well as obstruction far more egregious than anything in the post-2004 NHL.
Most importantly, we look at linemates: Bure reached all four milestones with sub-par teammates. He relied on his forwards for 65% of the primary assists on his goals, and an average of just 25% from his defencemen, so he would have benefited from better forward linemates. The myth that he only ever scored breakaway goals is obviously false.
Over the past few years, several myths have been put to bed: 1) the idea that he relied more on defence than forwards to score; 2) the reputation of not being responsible in his own end; 3) that the majority of his goals were breakaway goals.
Another pertinent example of a falsehood about Bure is the oft-parroted story that, when Bure scored his 50th goal in 1997-98 against Calgary, it was a late goal in a blowout. The reality is that it was the opening goal, ten minutes into the match.
The reason that people are so vocal about Bure is that these categorically false myths are undermining the reality of the player's value and ability.
See also: Rethinking Pavel Bure (1999-00): The Idea of the Closer, and a Look at His Value as a Penalty Killer
As history proved, Bure was better off having a strong passing dman. In Vancouver for example he and Lumme were a match made in heaven.
I have done some number-crunching, and it turns out that forwards were significantly more important to Bure's performance than defencemen.Regardless.. I don't think Bure would benefit much from playing with better players. This guy generated his scoring chances by himself. It's not like he was a cerebral sniper who positioned himself in the offensive zone.. he blew everyone else with his powerful stride and shot.
That's why playing on a brutal team like the Panthers didn't really affect his goal totals.
I sampled six of Bure's seasons: 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, and 2000-01, as well as all of Bure's goals with the New York Rangers (2001-02; 2002-03).
What I wanted to know was which players touched the puck last before every goal scored by Bure -- the primary assist.
This is statistical evidence to support the idea that forwards were more pivotal to his game than defencemen:
Here are the goal-scoring logs for Bure from the seasons 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1999-00, and 2000-01, as well as from Bure's time as a New York Ranger.
The goals are in no particular order.
1991-92
07:17 VAN Pavel Bure (1)
18:12 VAN Pavel Bure (2) Cliff Ronning and Sergio Momesso
05:25 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (8) Igor Larionov and Dave Babych
08:46 VAN Pavel Bure (9) Igor Larionov and Greg Adams
12:06 VAN Pavel Bure (13) Petr Nedved and Geoff Courtnall
09:54 VAN Pavel Bure (14) Greg Adams and Igor Larionov
09:28 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (16) Cliff Ronning and Igor Larionov
06:52 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (17) Greg Adams and Gerald Diduck
08:15 VAN Pavel Bure (22) Igor Larionov
19:13 VAN Pavel Bure (23) Adrien Plavsic and Igor Larionov
05:10 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (28) Igor Larionov and Kirk McLean
18:31 VAN Pavel Bure (29) Igor Larionov and Dana Murzyn
06:10 VAN Pavel Bure (32)
18:02 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (33) Doug Lidster and Greg Adams
11:42 VAN Pavel Bure (34)
06:40 VAN Pavel Bure (3) Ryan Walter and Gino Odjick
10:31 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (4) Cliff Ronning and Sergio Momesso
01:21 VAN Pavel Bure (5) Greg Adams
14:58 VAN Pavel Bure (6) Igor Larionov and Doug Lidster
02:43 VAN Pavel Bure (7) Igor Larionov
19:56 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (10) Tom Fergus and Dave Babych
08:18 VAN Pavel Bure (11) Geoff Courtnall and Igor Larionov
19:35 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (12) Igor Larionov
00:34 VAN Pavel Bure (15) Jyrki Lumme and Igor Larionov
02:52 VAN Pavel Bure (18) Igor Larionov
16:27 VAN Pavel Bure (19)
13:46 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (20) Gerald Diduck and Dana Murzyn
17:19 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (21) Igor Larionov
18:59 VAN Pavel Bure (24) Adrien Plavsic and Petr Nedved
05:17 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (25)
10:20 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (26) Petr Nedved
12:05 VAN Pavel Bure (27) Robert Dirk
16:48 VAN Pavel Bure (30) Jyrki Lumme and Igor Larionov
09:35 VAN Pavel Bure (31) Geoff Courtnall and Adrien Plavsic
1992-93
05:26 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (2) Greg Adams and Dana Murzyn
14:03 VAN Pavel Bure (3) Greg Adams and Dixon Ward
17:23 VAN Pavel Bure (4) Jyrki Lumme
18:15 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (5)
13:59 VAN Pavel Bure (9) Geoff Courtnall and Robert Dirk
07:37 VAN Pavel Bure (10) Gino Odjick and Doug Lidster
15:48 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (11) Cliff Ronning and Greg Adams
08:04 VAN Pavel Bure (7) Greg Adams
08:05 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (8) Petr Nedved and Doug Lidster
11:02 VAN Pavel Bure (12) Greg Adams and Anatoli Semenov
18:42 VAN Pavel Bure (13) Cliff Ronning and Dana Murzyn
19:56 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (15) Anatoli Semenov and Greg Adams
08:08 VAN Pavel Bure (14) Greg Adams and Anatoli Semenov
09:41 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (16) Anatoli Semenov
01:08 VAN Pavel Bure (17) Anatoli Semenov and Geoff Courtnall
06:51 VAN Pavel Bure (19) Anatoli Semenov and Jyrki Lumme
14:31 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (20) Dixon Ward and Gerald Diduck
01:42 VAN Pavel Bure (21) Geoff Courtnall
09:46 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (22) Jiri Slegr
05:40 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (28) Jiri Slegr and Cliff Ronning
18:49 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (29) Greg Adams and Jyrki Lumme
19:06 VAN Pavel Bure (31)
11:00 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (32) Anatoli Semenov
08:34 VAN Pavel Bure (34)
09:55 VAN Pavel Bure (33) Greg Adams and Anatoli Semenov
02:45 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (37) Jyrki Lumme and Sergio Momesso
07:06 VAN Pavel Bure (38) Greg Adams and Dixon Ward
04:06 VAN Pavel Bure (39) Geoff Courtnall
03:01 VAN Pavel Bure (40) Greg Adams
17:10 VAN Pavel Bure (45)
17:23 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (46) Geoff Courtnall
18:06 VAN Pavel Bure (50) Dixon Ward and Robert Dirk
14:14 VAN Pavel Bure (51) Dave Babych
12:49 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (54) Cliff Ronning
03:15 VAN Pavel Bure (55) Anatoli Semenov
08:14 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (58) Murray Craven and Jyrki Lumme
12:29 VAN Pavel Bure (59) Petr Nedved and Adrien Plavsic
14:15 VAN Pavel Bure (1) Adrien Plavsic
07:39 VAN Pavel Bure (6) Petr Nedved and Greg Adams
16:40 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (18) Greg Adams and Jyrki Lumme
17:40 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (23) Jyrki Lumme and Petr Nedved
17:00 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (24) Sergio Momesso and Trevor Linden
02:39 VAN Pavel Bure (25)
15:45 VAN Pavel Bure (26) Greg Adams
18:15 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (27)
18:14 VAN Pavel Bure (30) Jyrki Lumme
12:32 VAN Pavel Bure (35) Dana Murzyn
18:53 VAN Pavel Bure (36) Jyrki Lumme
11:37 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (41) Doug Lidster and Geoff Courtnall
01:37 VAN Pavel Bure (42) Stephane Morin and Geoff Courtnall
03:34 VAN Pavel Bure (43) Anatoli Semenov and Garry Valk
11:47 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (44) Geoff Courtnall and Petr Nedved
05:11 VAN Pavel Bure (47) Robert Dirk
13:52 VAN Pavel Bure (48) Dixon Ward
07:11 VAN Pavel Bure (49) Jiri Slegr
14:55 VAN Pavel Bure (52) Dixon Ward and Anatoli Semenov
04:55 VAN Pavel Bure (53) Jyrki Lumme and Dixon Ward
10:11 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (56) Anatoli Semenov
13:27 VAN Pavel Bure (57)
12:13 VAN Pavel Bure (60) Murray Craven
1993-94
12:38 VAN Pavel Bure (41) Jyrki Lumme
01:38 VAN Pavel Bure (42) Greg Adams and Dave Babych
16:50 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (43) Jimmy Carson and Murray Craven
02:56 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (51)
05:07 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (52) Jimmy Carson
19:19 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (53) Jimmy Carson and Geoff Courtnall
19:47 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (23) Dave Babych and John Namestnikov
04:37 VAN Pavel Bure (24) Geoff Courtnall
00:54 VAN Pavel Bure (25) Martin Gelinas and Dana Murzyn
04:04 VAN Pavel Bure (35) Geoff Courtnall and Gino Odjick
09:46 VAN Pavel Bure (36) Murray Craven and Dave Babych
10:25 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (37) Jyrki Lumme and Kirk McLean
00:55 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (38) Cliff Ronning and Trevor Linden
00:20 VAN Pavel Bure (47) Gino Odjick and Murray Craven
11:50 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (48) Jyrki Lumme and Trevor Linden
08:16 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (57) Geoff Courtnall and Jeff Brown
00:57 VAN Pavel Bure (58) Murray Craven and Greg Adams
10:44 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (1) Greg Adams
18:52 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (2) Dave Babych
13:19 VAN Pavel Bure (3) Greg Adams and Dana Murzyn
01:50 VAN Pavel Bure (4) Gino Odjick
14:50 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (5) Greg Adams
19:16 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (6) Dave Babych
11:11 VAN Pavel Bure (13) Cliff Ronning and Gino Odjick
05:09 VAN Pavel Bure (14) Jiri Slegr and Cliff Ronning
16:22 VAN Pavel Bure (17) Jiri Slegr and Dana Murzyn
04:16 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (18) Geoff Courtnall and Jiri Slegr
02:36 VAN Pavel Bure (20) John Namestnikov
11:04 VAN Pavel Bure (19) Jimmy Carson and Jyrki Lumme
03:06 VAN Pavel Bure (26) John Namestnikov
05:23 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (27) Jyrki Lumme and Jimmy Carson
03:10 VAN Pavel Bure (31) Jyrki Lumme
06:29 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (32) Geoff Courtnall and Cliff Ronning
02:43 VAN Pavel Bure (7)
16:31 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (8) Greg Adams and Jyrki Lumme
01:36 VAN Pavel Bure (9) Geoff Courtnall and Dave Babych
05:26 VAN Pavel Bure (10) Geoff Courtnall and Murray Craven
09:01 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (11)
17:56 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (12) Cliff Ronning and Jiri Slegr
02:28 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (15) Murray Craven
13:26 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (16) Jiri Slegr and Murray Craven
19:45 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (21) Dave Babych
16:54 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (22) Jyrki Lumme
19:07 VAN Pavel Bure (28) Dave Babych and Martin Gelinas
09:03 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (29) Jimmy Carson and Jiri Slegr
17:37 VAN Pavel Bure (30) Dave Babych and Cliff Ronning
01:17 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (33) Murray Craven
15:12 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (34) Cliff Ronning and Geoff Courtnall
19:56 VAN Pavel Bure (39) Murray Craven and Martin Gelinas
09:04 VAN Pavel Bure (40) Gerald Diduck
14:27 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (44) Geoff Courtnall and Trevor Linden
11:49 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (45) Gerald Diduck
19:24 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (46) Adrien Plavsic and Gino Odjick
04:24 VAN Pavel Bure (49) Murray Craven
18:56 VAN EN — Pavel Bure (50) Murray Craven
10:35 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (54) Jeff Brown and Cliff Ronning
08:43 VAN PP — Pavel Bure (55) Jyrki Lumme and Jeff Brown
11:19 VAN Pavel Bure (56) Geoff Courtnall and Murray Craven
17:48 VAN SH — Pavel Bure (59) Murray Craven and Gerald Diduck
11:05 VAN Pavel Bure (60)
1999-00
07:42 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (16) Ray Whitney and Robert Svehla
19:38 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (18) Scott Mellanby
05:45 FLA Pavel Bure (17)
00:43 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (22) Ray Whitney and Viktor Kozlov
02:58 FLA Pavel Bure (23) Bret Hedican and Oleg Kvasha
09:03 FLA Pavel Bure (24) Viktor Kozlov
19:32 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (25) Scott Mellanby
19:58 FLA Pavel Bure (48) Ray Whitney and Viktor Kozlov
18:50 FLA Pavel Bure (49) Mike Sillinger
19:40 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (50) Mike Sillinger and Robert Svehla
05:02 FLA Pavel Bure (8) Viktor Kozlov
19:39 FLA Pavel Bure (13)
02:45 FLA Pavel Bure (12) Viktor Kozlov and Scott Mellanby
00:38 FLA Pavel Bure (11) Scott Mellanby
19:15 FLA SH , EN — Pavel Bure (20)
11:42 FLA Pavel Bure (19) Viktor Kozlov and Jaroslav Spacek
00:40 FLA Pavel Bure (21) Scott Mellanby and Viktor Kozlov
01:50 FLA Pavel Bure (26) Robert Svehla
13:28 FLA Pavel Bure (28)
07:03 FLA Pavel Bure (27) Ray Whitney and Oleg Kvasha
03:47 FLA Pavel Bure (33) Viktor Kozlov
01:31 FLA Pavel Bure (34) Viktor Kozlov and Robert Svehla
19:59 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (57) Robert Svehla and Jaroslav Spacek
00:22 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (56) Jaroslav Spacek and Ray Whitney
19:26 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (45) Rob Niedermayer
16:13 FLA Pavel Bure (44) Viktor Kozlov and Ray Whitney
08:03 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (46) Mark Parrish and Robert Svehla
11:55 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (47) Robert Svehla and Ray Whitney
13:33 FLA Pavel Bure (53) Jaroslav Spacek and Robert Svehla
01:38 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (54) Ray Whitney and Viktor Kozlov
19:26 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (2) Viktor Kozlov and Jaroslav Spacek
06:57 FLA Pavel Bure (3)
02:55 FLA Pavel Bure (4) Scott Mellanby and Robert Svehla
15:03 FLA Pavel Bure (5) Ray Whitney and Viktor Kozlov
08:36 FLA Pavel Bure (15) Scott Mellanby and Viktor Kozlov
15:57 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (30) Robert Svehla
10:35 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (31) Ray Whitney and Scott Mellanby
04:06 FLA Pavel Bure (36) Viktor Kozlov and Dan Boyle
16:01 FLA Pavel Bure (37) Viktor Kozlov and Bret Hedican
10:04 FLA Pavel Bure (38) Viktor Kozlov
03:28 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (1) Robert Svehla and Jaroslav Spacek
02:18 FLA Pavel Bure (6) Viktor Kozlov and Radek Dvorak
16:10 FLA SH — Pavel Bure (7) Radek Dvorak
17:58 FLA Pavel Bure (9) Bret Hedican
12:17 FLA Pavel Bure (10) Ray Sheppard and Viktor Kozlov
19:51 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (14) Jaroslav Spacek
15:08 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (29) Ray Whitney and Jaroslav Spacek
11:12 FLA Pavel Bure (32) Ryan Johnson and Ray Whitney
01:19 FLA Pavel Bure (35) Robert Svehla
08:32 FLA Pavel Bure (39)
07:51 FLA Pavel Bure (40) Peter Worrell and Robert Svehla
07:46 FLA Pavel Bure (41) Viktor Kozlov and Robert Svehla
10:34 FLA Pavel Bure (42) Robert Svehla and Jaroslav Spacek
14:57 FLA Pavel Bure (43) Jaroslav Spacek and Robert Svehla
17:11 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (51)
18:58 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (52) Robert Svehla
08:46 FLA Pavel Bure (55) Ray Whitney
08:18 FLA Pavel Bure (58) Oleg Kvasha and Bret Hedican
Here is the goal-scoring log for Bure during his time as a New York Ranger. I have combined the two seasons due to the small sample size of each season; first, his goal-scoring log:2000-01
16:34 FLA Pavel Bure (32) Marcus Nilson and Viktor Kozlov
10:18 FLA Pavel Bure (33) Rob Niedermayer
05:57 FLA Pavel Bure (34) Greg Adams and Rob Niedermayer
09:11 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (35) Rob Niedermayer and Vinny Prospal
07:19 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (36) Marcus Nilson
17:23 FLA Pavel Bure (37) Denis Shvidki
04:52 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (38) Viktor Kozlov and Anders Eriksson
09:06 FLA Pavel Bure (46) Mike Sillinger and Mike Wilson
11:41 FLA Pavel Bure (47) Mike Sillinger and Robert Svehla
19:03 FLA SH , EN — Pavel Bure (48)
18:02 FLA Pavel Bure (52) Marcus Nilson
08:27 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (53) Anders Eriksson and Bret Hedican
13:53 FLA Pavel Bure (54) Denis Shvidki
07:52 FLA SH — Pavel Bure (4) Jaroslav Spacek and Bret Hedican
19:54 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (5) Robert Svehla and Todd Simpson
06:00 FLA Pavel Bure (7) Viktor Kozlov and Greg Adams
07:00 FLA Pavel Bure (8) Robert Svehla
12:17 FLA SH — Pavel Bure (24)
14:03 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (25) Rob Niedermayer and Anders Eriksson
00:59 FLA Pavel Bure (28) Robert Svehla and Rob Niedermayer
11:20 FLA Pavel Bure (27) Viktor Kozlov and Marcus Nilson
07:28 FLA Pavel Bure (30) Anders Eriksson
16:26 FLA Pavel Bure (31) Robert Svehla and Viktor Kozlov
00:46 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (42) Viktor Kozlov and Marcus Nilson
08:17 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (43) Dan Boyle and Denis Shvidki
10:04 FLA Pavel Bure (50) Bret Hedican
00:44 FLA Pavel Bure (51) Robert Svehla and Bret Hedican
19:42 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (58) Marcus Nilson and Kevyn Adams
11:08 FLA Pavel Bure (57) Kevyn Adams and Marcus Nilson
16:39 FLA Pavel Bure (1) Igor Larionov and Rob Niedermayer
09:54 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (2) Robert Svehla and Igor Larionov
11:05 FLA Pavel Bure (3) Ray Whitney and Bret Hedican
02:41 FLA Pavel Bure (6)
03:59 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (9) Viktor Kozlov
13:09 FLA Pavel Bure (10) Trevor Kidd
09:38 FLA SH — Pavel Bure (11)
19:34 FLA EN — Pavel Bure (12) Rob Niedermayer
02:47 FLA Pavel Bure (13) Greg Adams and Anders Eriksson
00:43 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (14) Robert Svehla and Anders Eriksson
08:51 FLA Pavel Bure (15) Viktor Kozlov
06:49 FLA Pavel Bure (16) Ray Whitney and Viktor Kozlov
10:50 FLA Pavel Bure (17) Peter Worrell and Brad Ference
14:38 FLA Pavel Bure (18) Dan Boyle
13:30 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (19) Scott Mellanby and Rob Niedermayer
17:16 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (20) Scott Mellanby and Mike Sillinger
04:50 FLA Pavel Bure (21) Greg Adams
03:32 FLA Pavel Bure (22) Marcus Nilson and Robert Svehla
19:37 FLA Pavel Bure (23) Anders Eriksson and Olli Jokinen
13:45 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (26) Viktor Kozlov and Dan Boyle
13:53 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (29) Anders Eriksson and Vinny Prospal
19:48 FLA Pavel Bure (39)
09:52 FLA Pavel Bure (40) Bret Hedican and Marcus Nilson
14:37 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (41) Denis Shvidki and Mike Sillinger
01:50 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (44) Mike Sillinger and Viktor Kozlov
14:22 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (45) Dan Boyle and Len Barrie
14:46 FLA Pavel Bure (49) Len Barrie and Greg Adams
19:52 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (55) Dan Boyle and Len Barrie
02:43 FLA PP — Pavel Bure (56) Vinny Prospal and Marcus Nilson
06:47 FLA SH — Pavel Bure (59) Rob Niedermayer and Bret Hedican
Here are the breakdowns of the primary assists on every Bure goal from those seasons:2001-02 (only with Rangers)
18:24 NYR Pavel Bure (28) Eric Lindros
19:32 NYR EN — Pavel Bure (29)
00:54 NYR Pavel Bure (30) Eric Lindros
10:55 NYR Pavel Bure (31) Eric Lindros and Martin Rucinsky
03:22 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (32) Tom Poti and Brian Leetch
14:59 NYR Pavel Bure (33) Martin Rucinsky and Vladimir Malakhov
10:41 NYR Pavel Bure (23) Eric Lindros and Theoren Fleury
12:31 NYR Pavel Bure (24)
14:18 NYR Pavel Bure (25) Tom Poti and Eric Lindros
00:38 NYR Pavel Bure (26) Matthew Barnaby and Eric Lindros
15:53 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (27) Tom Poti and Brian Leetch
11:16 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (34) Tom Poti and Martin Rucinsky
2002-03
18:06 NYR Pavel Bure (14) Petr Nedved and Vladimir Malakhov
09:17 NYR Pavel Bure (12) Ronald Petrovicky and Petr Nedved
19:37 NYR Pavel Bure (13) Ronald Petrovicky and Petr Nedved
18:21 NYR Pavel Bure (1) Matthew Barnaby and Tom Poti
06:49 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (2) Brian Leetch and Jamie Lundmark
08:46 NYR Pavel Bure (6) Eric Lindros and Dale Purinton
18:02 NYR Pavel Bure (7) Eric Lindros
17:22 NYR Pavel Bure (11) Radek Dvorak and Petr Nedved
17:27 NYR Pavel Bure (10) Ronald Petrovicky and Petr Nedved
01:29 NYR Pavel Bure (15) Jamie Lundmark
02:39 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (16) Petr Nedved and Jamie Lundmark
11:09 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (3) Brian Leetch and Tom Poti
04:25 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (4)
19:03 NYR Pavel Bure (5) Rem Murray and Sylvain Lefebvre
00:57 NYR Pavel Bure (8) Petr Nedved
00:42 NYR Pavel Bure (9) Rem Murray and Tom Poti
16:34 NYR PP — Pavel Bure (17) Brian Leetch and Eric Lindros
13:42 NYR Pavel Bure (18) Cory Cross and Petr Nedved
08:53 NYR SH — Pavel Bure (19)
1991-92:
22 primary assists by forwards = 64.71%
5 unassisted
7 primary assists by defencemen = 20.59%
1992-93:
39 primary assists by forwards = 65.0%
6 unassisted
15 primary assists by defencemen = 25.0%
1993-94:
34 primary assists by forwards = 56.67%
4 unassisted
22 primary assists by defencemen = 36.67%
1999-00:
37 primary assists by forwards = 63.79%
7 unassisted
14 primary assists by defencemen = 24.14%
2000-01:
35 primary assists by forwards = 59.32%
5 unassisted
1 primary assist by goalie
18 primary assists by defencemen = 30.51%
Pavel Bure as a New York Ranger (2001-02; 2002-03):
19 primary assists by forwards = 61.29%
4 unassisted
8 primary assists by defencemen = 25.81%
------------------------
Notice that, on average, 63% of primary assists on Bure's goals are awarded to forwards -- 1993-94 is slightly lower at 56.67% -- and only 25% go to defencemen. This is a very consistent statistic over the course of Bure's most respected seasons.
We can compare this with the 1992-93 season of a player who, early in his career, relied more on defense than forwards to a much greater degree than Bure -- Teemu Selanne. Teemu was a player who one rightfully could claim would benefit more from elite defence than forward linemates:
Teemu Selanne (1992-93)
08:53 WIN Teemu Selanne (48) Sergei Bautin and Thomas Steen
16:46 WIN Teemu Selanne (49) Sergei Bautin and Tie Domi
18:55 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (50) Fredrik Olausson and Thomas Steen
07:33 WIN Teemu Selanne (51) Phil Housley
09:07 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (3) Fredrik Olausson and Phil Housley
16:46 WIN Teemu Selanne (4)
13:48 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (5) Fredrik Olausson and Phil Housley
16:24 WIN Teemu Selanne (21) Darrin Shannon and Thomas Steen
00:40 WIN Teemu Selanne (22)
11:14 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (20) Alex Zhamnov and Darrin Shannon
00:15 WIN Teemu Selanne (52) Phil Housley and Thomas Steen
16:59 WIN Teemu Selanne (53) Thomas Steen and Darrin Shannon
09:16 WIN Teemu Selanne (54) Tie Domi and Phil Housley
00:13 WIN Teemu Selanne (57)
14:26 WIN Teemu Selanne (58) Keith Tkachuk
01:08 WIN Teemu Selanne (59)
05:01 WIN Teemu Selanne (60) Alex Zhamnov
12:32 WIN Teemu Selanne (61) Phil Housley and Teppo Numminen
07:55 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (64) Keith Tkachuk and Alex Zhamnov
17:59 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (65) Fredrik Olausson and Phil Housley
07:46 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (66) Fredrik Olausson and Phil Housley
02:32 WIN Teemu Selanne (67) Keith Tkachuk and Alex Zhamnov
07:20 WIN Teemu Selanne (69) Alex Zhamnov and Thomas Steen
13:00 WIN Teemu Selanne (70) Alex Zhamnov and Thomas Steen
18:49 WIN Teemu Selanne (72) Tie Domi and Teppo Numminen
10:18 WIN Teemu Selanne (73) Alex Zhamnov and Phil Housley
08:13 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (10) Ed Olczyk and Thomas Steen
18:48 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (11) Phil Housley and Ed Olczyk
06:14 WIN Teemu Selanne (13)
04:29 WIN Teemu Selanne (14) Alex Zhamnov and Teppo Numminen
12:39 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (26) Phil Housley and Darrin Shannon
06:35 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (27)
07:04 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (29) Phil Housley
14:50 WIN Teemu Selanne (30)
00:57 WIN Teemu Selanne (32) Keith Tkachuk and Alex Zhamnov
19:59 WIN EN — Teemu Selanne (33) Darrin Shannon and Fredrik Olausson
04:20 WIN Teemu Selanne (43) Igor Ulanov and Darrin Shannon
11:23 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (44) Phil Housley and Evgeny Davydov
19:31 WIN Teemu Selanne (55) Keith Tkachuk and Thomas Steen
18:08 WIN Teemu Selanne (56) Kris King
19:41 WIN EN — Teemu Selanne (68) Bob Essensa and Teppo Numminen
10:31 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (71) Phil Housley and Thomas Steen
04:52 WIN Teemu Selanne (74) Igor Ulanov
18:23 WIN Teemu Selanne (75) Phil Housley and Alex Zhamnov
05:25 WIN Teemu Selanne (76) Fredrik Olausson
17:37 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (8) Thomas Steen
14:41 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (9) Fredrik Olausson and Ed Olczyk
14:22 WIN Teemu Selanne (12)
15:34 WIN Teemu Selanne (15) Alex Zhamnov and Teppo Numminen
00:22 WIN Teemu Selanne (16) Teppo Numminen
00:22 WIN Teemu Selanne (16) Teppo Numminen
02:59 WIN Teemu Selanne (18)
14:47 WIN Teemu Selanne (19) Fredrik Olausson and Thomas Steen
00:27 WIN Teemu Selanne (23) Darrin Shannon and Teppo Numminen
19:13 WIN Teemu Selanne (24) Phil Housley
08:01 WIN Teemu Selanne (25) Ed Olczyk and Thomas Steen
06:19 WIN Teemu Selanne (28) Phil Housley and Darrin Shannon
01:08 WIN Teemu Selanne (31) Alex Zhamnov and Igor Ulanov
13:02 WIN Teemu Selanne (34) Phil Housley
10:06 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (35) Fredrik Olausson and Phil Housley
16:44 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (36) Alex Zhamnov and Phil Housley
08:57 WIN Teemu Selanne (37) Keith Tkachuk and Sergei Bautin
12:57 WIN Teemu Selanne (38) Alex Zhamnov and Igor Ulanov
19:52 WIN EN — Teemu Selanne (39) Thomas Steen and Bob Essensa
07:34 WIN Teemu Selanne (40) Alex Zhamnov
15:44 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (41) Darrin Shannon and Phil Housley
15:50 WIN Teemu Selanne (42) Phil Housley and Thomas Steen
16:05 WIN Teemu Selanne (45) Stu Barnes
05:58 WIN Teemu Selanne (46) Keith Tkachuk and Mike Eagles
05:00 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (47) Thomas Steen and Darrin Shannon
14:14 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (62) Phil Housley and Alex Zhamnov
03:29 WIN Teemu Selanne (63) Keith Tkachuk and Phil Housley
16:13 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (1) Phil Housley and Keith Tkachuk
08:39 WIN Teemu Selanne (2) Alex Zhamnov and Darrin Shannon
09:27 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (6)
19:45 WIN PP — Teemu Selanne (7) Fredrik Olausson and Phil Housley
Teemu Selanne (1992-93):
34 primary assists by forwards = 44.74%
10 unassisted
1 by goalie
31 primary assists by defencemen = 40.79%
----------------------------------------
We can see just how different the percentages are compared to Bure's. Less than half of Selanne's goals that season featured primary assists from forwards, and the defencemen were within just a few percentage points.
Phil Housley led the group with 15 primary assists, while Alexei Zhamnov had 12, Fred Olausson had 10, and Keith Tkachuk had 8.
This was a much more skilled group than Bure ever worked with, and we can also see just how much more important defencemen were to Selanne's production that season. The myth that Bure would have been better with an elite defenceman than an elite forward should be put to rest. Bure's game required more partnership and teamwork with other forwards even when those forwards were not elite.
Housley: 15 primary assists on Selanne's goals
Zhamnov: 12
Olausson: 10
Tkachuk: 8
Shannon: 4
Steen: 4
Domi: 2
Olczyk: 2
Bautin: 2
Numminen: 2
Ulanov: 2
King: 1
Barnes: 1
Essensa: 1
-------------------------------------------------
Now, let's look at which forwards on Bure's teams received the primary assists on his goals during the sampled seasons so that we understand the caliber of players that Bure worked with:
1991-92:
Larionov: 10 primary assists on Bure's goals
Ronning: 3
Adams: 3
Courtnall: 2
Nedved: 2
Walter: 1
Fergus: 1
----------------------
1992-93:
Adams: 11 primary assists on Bure's goals
Semenov: 8
Courtnall: 5
Ward: 4
Ronning: 3
Nedved: 3
Craven: 2
Momesso: 1
Odjick: 1
Morin: 1
----------------------
1993-94:
Courtnall: 9 primary assists on Bure's goals
Craven: 8
Adams: 5
Carson: 5
Ronning: 4
Odjick: 2
Gelinas: 1
-----------------------
1999-00:
Kozlov: 13 primary assists on Bure's goals
Whitney: 9
Mellanby: 6
Sillinger: 2
Parrish: 1
Neidermayer: 1
Dvorak: 1
Kvasha: 1
Sheppard: 1
Worrell: 1
Johnson: 1
---------------------------
2000-01:
Kozlov - 7 primary assists on Bure's goals
Nilson - 5
Niedermayer - 5
Greg Adams - 3
Sillinger 3
Shvidki - 3
Whitney - 2
Mellanby - 2
Kevyn Adams - 1
Larionov - 1
Barrie - 1
Worrell - 1
Prospal - 1
---------------------------
Bure as a New York Ranger (2001-02; 2002-03)
Lindros - 6 primary assists on Bure's goals
Nedved - 3
Petrovicky - 3
Barnaby - 2
Murray - 2
Rucinsky - 1
Dvorak - 1
Lundmark - 1
---------------------------
The forward who tallied the most primary assists during Bure's first three seasons in Vancouver was his most consistent linemate: Greg Adams. Over the course of two-and-a-half seasons with Bure, Adams tallied 19 primary assists. Ranked either first or second in each of these seasons was his primary center during that campaign: Igor Larionov (1991-92), Anatoli Semenov (1992-93), Murray Craven (1993-94), and Viktor Kozlov (1999-00). Gino Odjick and Jimmy Carson, who each spent time on Bure's line in 1993-94 -- Odjick spent most of that season with Bure --, tallied a handful of primary assists.
With a legitimate centerman, Bure would have benefited immensely. Larionov contributed primary assists to 10 of Bure's 34 goals as a rookie. Despite Bure's increase in production from 34 that year to 60, 60, and 58 in the other three seasons, no particular player ever played such a significant role relative to Bure's goal production as Larionov did in 1991-92.
Here is an article about it from 1993:
If Bure had a linemate who could send him the puck while he found open ice, he would have been far more successful than he aleady was. There were moments when teammates made plays, but most of the work was done by Bure himself.Bure needs centre to prosper; Russian Rocket flies solo; Commentary: [Final Edition]
ARCHIE MCDONALD Vancouver Sun. Edmonton Journal [Edmonton, Alta] 02 Apr 1993: F2.
Let's play a name association game. I say Kurri. You say Gretzky. I say Richard. You say Lach and Blake. Get the idea?. Bossy? Trottier. Lafleur? Lemaire. Howe? Lindsay and Abel. Dionne? Simmer and Taylor. Mogilny? LaFontaine.
The point is, productive forwards in the NHL invariably run as an entry, often a three-horse entry. One great talent drags others along in his slipstream or two or three players complement each other so completely as to form a single dominating personality.
...
All this serves as a roundabout introduction to the place of Pavel Bure in hockey's dating game. Mention his name and who else comes to mind? I can't think of anyone. He is a gifted soloist but he could make sweeter music if he had someone to sing along with him. His 55 goals and 97 points are far ahead of Geoff Courtnall and Cliff Ronning, skilled players whose talents haven't magically meshed with those of the Russian Rocket.
...
Bure worked well in his freshman season with cagey countryman Igor Larionov and Greg Adams, and earlier this season he co-ordinated smoothly with Adams and Anatoli Semenov, another Russian. But Semenov has been ground down by the rigors of a travel mad 84-game schedule and Adams has sat out 27 games with injuries. So Bure logs a lot of solo flights. He has scored in only one of his last 11 games - a two-goal effort against the disorganized L.A. Kings - which leads to several conclusions. One of which is that he misses Adams, who is large, fast, and goes to the net, more than anyone would have guessed.
Where would Alexander Mogilny be without Pat LaFontaine in Buffalo? Brett Hull hasn't been quite the same since Adam Oates was sent to Boston. Teemu Selanne is brilliant in Winnipeg but he is glowing even more since Soviet Alexei Zhamnov is back making his sly moves. Sometimes Zhamnov looks even better than the Finnish Flash, but he lacks consistency. It doesn't hurt Selanne having Phil Housley on the blue-line either, creating acres of open ice with his lyrical skating. Toronto's Doug Gilmour has been on a Hart Trophy pace most of the year but he's picked up a step now that he's got towering Dave Andreychuk parked in front of the net. In Los Angeles, Luc Robitaille is scorching the opposition now that Gretzky is back in vintage form.
Pat Quinn said on trading deadline that he probably will continue to search "for that big, talented centre until the day I die."
...
Mike Bossy once described the chemistry which existed between him and Bryan Trottier. "It's instinct," he said. "There aren't any little signals. The thing between us is in the communication we have. We're not afraid to tell each other that we should have done this, or we should have done that. As much as Bryan helps me, I've helped him." The Canucks definitely need someone to help Bure. Get well soon, Greg Adams.
Opponents tried everything to stop him, even putting three defencemen on the ice at one time.
Phenomenal Pavel
by Sam Rosen - - FOX Sports
Wednesday, February 16, 2000
With all due respect to Jaromir Jagr and Paul Kariya, it's clear to me that Pavel Bure is the most exciting player in the NHL today.
Game after game, he electrifies the crowds he plays in front of. Almost single-handedly, Bure has revitalized the Florida Panthers' franchise.
As of this writing, he has 41 goals in 49 games, a pace that would give him a shot at breaking his personal high of 60, which he achieved twice with the Vancouver Canucks.
He's doing this while teams are devising new defensive schemes to try to stop him. In his last two games, against Montreal and the New York Rangers, every time Bure was on the ice, the other team put three defensemen on the ice with the express purpose of shutting Bure down.
So much for that idea. In Montreal, he scored the Panthers' lone goal in a 4-1 loss. Against the Rangers, he scored the first goal in a 3-0 victory.
The Rangers made one mistake while he was on the ice — they failed to get their third defenseman, in this case Brian Leetch, on the ice because of a faulty change by Jan Hlavac.
Bure was able to take advantage of the lapse and score. For the game, he had six shots on goal, plus six shots attempted. Mike Richter robbed him on a breakaway with a brilliant glove save. Bure was also stopped on other good chances.
Teams are so conscious of his presence on the ice and the threat he brings, that they tend to overplay him and that creates openings for people on the ice with Bure.
It can't be a total reliance on Bure, but his skills demand that other teams figure out another way to stop him.
...
Some examples of Bure finding open ice:
Bure was nearly always hampered by a lack of skilled linemates to work with, and his prime would have been much more successful with players who were capable of greater offensive output in both the goals and assists columns.
In 1991-92, Bure finished the season with 23 goals in 22 games with Igor Larionov and Greg Adams as his linemates. In 1992-93, he had 44 goals, 77 points in 53 games at the time of the All-Star break on a line with Adams and Semenov and was on the same pace as Mogilny and Selanne despite the difference in teammates -- Mogilny had Hawerchuk and Lafontaine; Selanne had Housley, Zhamnov, and a young Keith Tkachuk. In 1993-94, Bure battled through a groin injury in the first half of the campaign and scored 49 goals in the final 51 games of the season on a line with Odjick and Craven. He led the league in goals that season with 60 and scored 46.45% of his team's goals in the final 47 games of the season -- with Odjick and Craven.
In 1999-00, Bure once again led the NHL in goals and was the most important player in securing his team many victories with his prowess in shorthanded situations. His 9 EN goals that season is an all-time NHL single-season record, but he also led the team in +/- with a rating of +25 and was, as he was in Vancouver, the team's best penalty killer: he played the third-most shorthanded minutes of the forwards on his team but allowed far fewer goals against than the team's other high-minute penalty killers. He was a Hart Trophy finalist.
When Bure scored, the 1999-00 Florida Panthers held a record of 29-10-2. When he scored more than once, they were 12-0. When he did not score, they were 10-19-4.
Panthers' weaknesses exposed in playoffs
by Mark Long - - Yahoo
April 21, 2000
...
New Jersey, outscoring Florida 12-6 in the series, exposed the Panthers' biggest weaknesses -- a one-man offense and a porous defense.
It also reiterated that Florida, though young and talented, needs to make some changes this offseason.
"It is disappointing; it's frustrating," coach Terry Murray said. "We are a much better team than we showed throughout the series. We just didn't get it to the level that we had to.
"We have some thinking to do, some talking to do. We have to try to figure out what it is that we need to be better at."
Defense will be addressed. General manager Bryan Murray, Terry's brother, already has acknowledged the problem.
...
The Panthers need a second and third scoring threat to keep teams -- like New Jersey -- from focusing so much attention on Bure.
The Russian Rocket led the league with 58 goals this season, but was held to one score in the postseason.
...
"Bure was the main reason for Florida's turnaround this season. When Bure scored, the Panthers were tough to beat. When he scored multiple goals, they were unbeatable.
During the regular season, Florida was 29-10-2 when Bure scored, including 12-0 when he found the net more than once. With Bure in the lineup and out of the scoring column, the team was 10-19-4.
He still needs help, though.
The Panthers were a combined 64-77-33 the last two years. Bure gave them a huge boost in his first full season in South Florida.
...
http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...e-as-a-penalty-killer.2414653/#post-138242773
Not too long afterward, he became the sixth-fastest player of all time to reach 400 goals.
In better circumstances and with better players to work with, Bure would have found more success. Not only were his devastating injuries the disruptor of a great career; the teams he played for gave him a challenge every night that most other star players never faced. To have found as much success as he did is to have done his best against all odds.
After Gretzky retired in 1999, he said that he would have extended his career for one more year if the Rangers had been able to acquire Pavel Bure in a trade. Gretzky, the most studious of any player to ever play the sport, had played against Bure for many years in the Smythe and Pacific Divisions. He knew that Bure needed a centerman.
It would have been a spectacular finish to Gretzky's career.
Gretzky would have stayed for Bure
In the NHL's 100-year history, Bure is the 6th fastest player to reach 100 goals, the 11th fastest to reach 200 goals, the 8th-fastest player to reach 300 goals, and the 7th-fastest player to reach 400 goals. He retired with 437 goals in 702 games, the 6th-fastest in NHL history ever to reach that total.Wednesday, November 10, 1999
Gretzky would have stayed for Bure
TORONTO (CP) -- Wayne Gretzky says he would have put off retiring for a chance to play with Pavel Bure.
Gretzky, who emotionally announced his retirement from the NHL last spring, said in a TSN interview broadcast Wednesday that he would have played another season with the New York Rangers if they had acquired Bure.
"I'll tell you this, this is the best way I can say it: If they would have traded for Pavel Bure last year, I probably still would be playing right now," Gretzky said in an interview with Dave Hodge.
"Only him (Bure)?" Hodge asked.
"There's only one or two guys that were in the league that would excite me to play with at this time. He would be one of them," Gretzky replied.
Hockey's all-time leading scorer says he didn't tell anyone of his feelings.
Bure was traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the Florida Panthers last Jan. 17. The struggling Rangers were interested in Bure, but did not want to part with a package of top young players.
New York finished the season 33-38-11 and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. A weary Gretzky announced his retirement as the season wound down.
The interview with Gretzky is to be broadcast in its entirety Nov. 22 on the Dave Hodge Special as part of TSN's coverage of Gretzky's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Fastest players to 100 goals and more • r/hockey
Top 20 fastest players to 100 goals
1. Mike Bossy 129 games
2. Teemu Selanne 134 games
T-3 . Wayne Gretzky 145 games
T-3. Maurice Richard 145 games
5. Joe Nieuwendyk 153 games
6. Pavel Bure 154 games
7. Luc Robitaille 160 games
8. Alex Ovechkin 163 games
T-9. Mario Lemieux 165 games
T-9. Dino Ciccarelli 165 games
11. Pat LaFontaine 168 games
12. Richard Martin 174 games
13. Jean Beliveau 180 games
14. Paul Kariya 181 games
15. Brett Hull 183 games
T-16. Dale Hawerchuk 190 games
T-16 Pierre Larouche
18. Glenn Anderson 195 games
19. Peter Stastny 197 games
T-20. Mike Gartner 200 games
T-20. Steve Larmer 200 games
T-20. Dave Taylor 200 games
T-20 Bernie Geoffrion 200 games
Top 20 fastest players to 200 goals
1. Wayne Gretzky 242 games
2. Mike Bossy 259 games
3. Brett Hull 282 games
4. Mario Lemieux 290 games
5. Alex Ovechkin 294 games
6. Jari Kurri 315 games
T-7. Teemu Selanne 323 games
T-7. Pat LaFontaine 323 games
T-7. Richard Martin 323 games
10. Luc Robitaille 324 games
11. Pavel Bure 328 games
12. Maurice Richard 330 games
13. Dale Haertchuk 335 games
14. Glenn Anderson 345 games
15. Rick Vaive 350 games
16. Joe Niewendyk 352 games
17. Paul Kariya 357 games
18. Alex Mogilny 358 games
19. Guy Lafleur 260 games
20. Jean Beliveau 360 games
Alex Ovechkin scores 300th career goal
Fastest players to 300 goals
1. Wayne Gretzky 350 games
2. Mario Lemieux 368 games
3. Brett Hull 377 games
4. Mike Bossy 381 games
5.Jari Kurri 441 games
6. Teemu Selanne 464 games
7. Alex Ovechkin 476 games
8. Pavel Bure 478 games
Ovechkin Becomes Sixth Fastest Player in NHL History to Reach 400 Goals
Fastest players to 400 goals
1. Wayne Gretzky 436 games
2. Mike Bossy 506 games
3. Mario Lemieux 508 games
4. Brett Hull 520 games
5. Jari Kurri 608 games
6. Alex Ovechkin 634 games
7. Pavel Bure 635 games
Bure finished his career with 437 goals. He was the sixth-fastest player in NHL history ever to reach that total.
1. Wayne Gretzky 510 games
2. Mario Lemieux 543 games
3. Mike Bossy 550 games
4. Brett Hull 576 games
5. Jari Kurri 669 games
6. Pavel Bure 702 games
7. Alex Ovechkin 711 games
Look at the select few names ahead of Bure. Kurri and Gretzky accomplished their feats on the same line and on a very talented dynasty squad; Gretzky elevated Kurri, who used speed and intelligence to race into open ice. Mike Bossy played on a Stanley Cup Dynasty squad. Mario Lemieux. Hull's three years with Oates catapulted him to a new level that he could never again achieve without Oates. Alex Ovechkin began his career in the new NHL with levels similar to when Bure began his career, and had more to work with after his first two seasons, hence his lower placement on the 100 goals list.
Bure played two-and-a-half seasons with Greg Adams as his mainstay opposite winger in Vancouver although Dixon Ward filled in during Adams' injury; Anatoli Semenov was his center in his second year; in year three, Murray Craven was his center, while Jimmy Carson, Adams, and Gino Odjick split the year on his other wing -- Odjick played half of the year with Bure.
In Florida, the majority of Bure's primary setups came off of the stick of Viktor Kozlov, who was a lazy, enigmatic underachiever.
Kozlov looms large for Bure
by Damien Cox - - Toronto Star
Monday, February 28, 2000
...
Similarly, it really hasn't mattered much to Bure over the course of his NHL career the identity of the players with which he has been aligned on forward units.
He's never been part of a notable duo - although he apparently got engaged to tennis star Anna Kournikova on the weekend - let alone an established trio. The names and faces have always changed despite the fact he's only played on two teams, Vancouver and Florida.
That has changed to a significant degree this season, for almost without exception Bure has skated with 24-year-old Viktor Kozlov as his centreman. While Bure has sizzled consistently and leads all NHLers with 42 goals, Kozlov has not surprisingly enjoyed a breakthrough season seven years after being the sixth player taken in the '93 NHL entry draft.
As of yesterday he was tied with Doug Weight for third place in league assists with 42, managed another three helpers in his first all-star appearance in Toronto this month and is well on his way to the best season of his young career.
But how much of this is Kozlov, and how much is Bure? Moreover, it seems clear that the Achilles heel of this very good Florida team is the real possibility that Kozlov will struggle in his very first exposure to the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, which may in turn neutralize Bure.
"I don't know what to expect," said Kozlov grimly yesterday. "I've watched the playoffs on TV. I know every shift is important, every moment is important."
The Panthers have played mediocre hockey since the break, and most recently a lack in production from the Kozlov-Bure combination has been part of the problem.
In the club's last four games, Kozlov has a goal but no assists, while Bure has one goal. Not surprisingly, Florida has lost three of the four.
Kozlov has always been viewed as an enigma, a little too indifferent or lazy for some tastes. His consistent production this season suggests he is maturing as a pro.
"Maybe I'm getting older, getting smarter," he smiled. "I know it's important how I prepare for games because in this league every team in the league can beat every other team. When I played in Russia I played for Dynamo and we just beat everybody, so sometimes you didn't have to play all that hard. Here, if you don't play hard, it doesn't work."
Head coach Terry Murray hasn't been able to find a consistent fit for the left wing spot beside Kozlov and Bure, which also looms as a problem.
Still, it's Kozlov and Bure that will have to fuel any Panther playoff drive. The focus will be on Bure, but the heavy pressure will undoubtedly be on Kozlov.
To have placed himself on the above lists in spite of this, as well as his career-plaguing injuries following 1995-96, is -- as I said in another thread -- to have done so against all odds.
The five fastest players to reach 300 and 400 goals all played in the wide-open 1980s, where defensive systems were only in their infancy. The second half of Bure's career took place in an era of scoring similar to today with the two-line pass rule in effect, as well as obstruction far more egregious than anything in the post-2004 NHL.
Most importantly, we look at linemates: Bure reached all four milestones with sub-par teammates. He relied on his forwards for 65% of the primary assists on his goals, and an average of just 25% from his defencemen, so he would have benefited from better forward linemates. The myth that he only ever scored breakaway goals is obviously false.
Over the past few years, several myths have been put to bed: 1) the idea that he relied more on defence than forwards to score; 2) the reputation of not being responsible in his own end; 3) that the majority of his goals were breakaway goals.
Another pertinent example of a falsehood about Bure is the oft-parroted story that, when Bure scored his 50th goal in 1997-98 against Calgary, it was a late goal in a blowout. The reality is that it was the opening goal, ten minutes into the match.
The reason that people are so vocal about Bure is that these categorically false myths are undermining the reality of the player's value and ability.
See also: Rethinking Pavel Bure (1999-00): The Idea of the Closer, and a Look at His Value as a Penalty Killer
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