February 21st, 1976 NHL Coaches Poll - Toronto Star

[reckoning]

I was researching some newspaper articles from the mid 70s when I came across this article. It was a poll of NHL coaches conducted in Feb. 1976 choosing the best NHL players in 25 different categories. Being a huge fan of 70s hockey, I thought I`d post the results here in case anyone was interested.

Keep in mind that at this point Bobby Orr`s future was in doubt, so he wasn`t as much of a factor here as he otherwise would have been. There`s a few names here that come as a surprise. Rick Martin was very highly regarded at the time and Stan Mikita was past his prime but still commanded a lot of respect.

The big story here though, is Bobby Clarke as his name shows up again and again. A lot of people have forgotten just how great he was.

Keep in mind that these choices were made by the coaches, who would probably know more than the writers who select most awards:

Most underrated: Curt Bennett

Best Shot: Rick Martin

Hardest Shot: Dennis Hull

Best Stickhandler: Stan Mikita

Best Penalty Killer: Bobby Clarke

Best Skater: Bobby Orr

Fastest Skater: Yvan Cournoyer

Best Checker: Bobby Clarke

Best Referee: Lloyd Gilmour

Best on Faceoffs: Bobby Clarke

Best Fighter: Dan Maloney

Most Dangerous in Goal Area: Rick Martin

Best Coach: Al Arbour

Smartest Player: Stan Mikita

Best Bodychecker: Hilliard Graves

Hardest Worker: Bobby Clarke

Best Defensive Defenceman: Larry Robinson

Best Goalie: Ken Dryden

Best Player under 23 years old: Pierre Larouche

Best Playmaker: Bobby Clarke

Most Improved: Walt McKechnie

Most Colourful: Gil Perreault

Best Rookie: Bryan Trottier

Most Valuable Player: Bobby Clarke

First Player You`d Choose Starting a Team From Scratch: Bobby Clarke

Click to read more...

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

fun read, reckoning

thanks

 

[MXD]

Hummm.... interesting.
But actually : UTTER GARBAGE.

Look at the standings for 1975-76 and the 4 years following.

Aaahheemmm... Don Cherry & Fred Shero were coaches in these days, right?

 

[jiggs 10]

Well, I would agree with a few of the choices here (Orr, Robinson, Dryden, Larouche, Trottier, Hull & Perreault), but some of the others are jokes! Bobby CLarke? Walt McKechnie? Hilliard Graves?

Names from the past to be sure, but certainly not names who should be mentioned in a "best-of" list.

Remember, Don Cherry was actually considered one of the top coaches of that time, so...

 

[Higgy4]

Well, I would agree with a few of the choices here (Orr, Robinson, Dryden, Larouche, Trottier, Hull & Perreault), but some of the others are jokes! Bobby CLarke? Walt McKechnie? Hilliard Graves?

Names from the past to be sure, but certainly not names who should be mentioned in a "best-of" list.

Remember, Don Cherry was actually considered one of the top coaches of that time, so...

Well, technically Walt McKechnie was voted Most Improved. Not necessarily a "Best of" anything.

 

[BM67]

Wow. Bobby Clarke, who was leading the league in +/-, assists and maybe points, was on his way to a third Hart in 4 years, while playing for the two-time defending Cup winner, doesn't deserve to be mentioned as one of the better players in 1976?

Compare Forsberg in 2002-03 with Bobby Clarke in 1975-76

Clarke GP 76 G 30 A 89 PTS 119 +/- 83 PIM 136 PPG 10 SHG 4 GWG 2 GTG 1
Forsberg GP 75 G 29 A 77 PTS 106 +/- 52 PIM 70 PPG 8 SHG 0 GWG 2 GTG 0

Raw +/-
Clarke TGF 164 PPGF 59 OFF 105 TGA 52 PPGA 30 DEF 22 +/- 83
Forsberg TGF 138 PPGF 44 OFF 94 TGA 42 PPGA 0 DEF 42 +/- 52

 

[Higgy4]

Clarke was great. I have no beef at all with his name being all over that list.

 

[Chili]

Hardest Shot: Dennis Hull

I don't think he is mentioned often enough because of who his brother was but Dennis Hull was a good player himself who did have a heckuva slapper...several all star game appearances and 300 goals.

Edit: Great sense of humour too...He has a book called "The Third Best Hull: I Should Have Been Fourth but They Wouldn't Let My Sister Maxine Play".

 

[Ogopogo*]

Wow. Bobby Clarke, who was leading the league in +/-, assists and maybe points, was on his way to a third Hart in 4 years, while playing for the two-time defending Cup winner, doesn't deserve to be mentioned as one of the better players in 1976?

Compare Forsberg in 2002-03 with Bobby Clarke in 1975-76

Clarke GP 76 G 30 A 89 PTS 119 +/- 83 PIM 136 PPG 10 SHG 4 GWG 2 GTG 1
Forsberg GP 75 G 29 A 77 PTS 106 +/- 52 PIM 70 PPG 8 SHG 0 GWG 2 GTG 0

Raw +/-
Clarke TGF 164 PPGF 59 OFF 105 TGA 52 PPGA 30 DEF 22 +/- 83
Forsberg TGF 138 PPGF 44 OFF 94 TGA 42 PPGA 0 DEF 42 +/- 52

+/- stats are not worth the cyberspace they are written on.

 

[reckoning]

UTTER GARBAGE.

Look at the standings for 1975-76 and the 4 years following.

Aaahheemmm... Don Cherry & Fred Shero were coaches in these days, right?

When I printed this I didn`t think it would inspire such anger. Sorry.

Yes, Fred Shero and Don Cherry were coaches back then. Great coaches. What`s your point?

Well, I would agree with a few of the choices here (Orr, Robinson, Dryden, Larouche, Trottier, Hull & Perreault), but some of the others are jokes! Bobby CLarke? Walt McKechnie? Hilliard Graves?

You`d consider Pierre Larouche a great player, but not Bobby Clarke?

Raw +/-
Clarke TGF 164 PPGF 59 OFF 105 TGA 52 PPGA 30 DEF 22 +/- 83
Forsberg TGF 138 PPGF 44 OFF 94 TGA 42 PPGA 0 DEF 42 +/- 52

Plus/minus marks from the 70s are a little inflated due to the lack of parity, but Clarke`s numbers are still impressive after any era adjustments. The thing I never understood about Forsberg`s `03 MVP year was that everyone always talked about how he was one of the best defensive forwards around. If he was so great defensively, how come Colorado never used him on the penalty kill that year?

I don't think he is mentioned often enough because of who his brother was but Dennis Hull was a good player himself who did have a heckuva slapper...several all star game appearances and 300 goals.

Dennis Hull`s shot was every bit as hard and lethal as Bobby`s. The main difference was that Bobby would usually hit the net while Dennis would miss the net and hit the boards.

+/- stats are not worth the cyberspace they are written on.

No statistic is perfect. Goals and assists aren`t perfect because it doesn`t take into account how good a player`s linemates are or how defensively oriented his team may be. Save percentage isn`t perfect because it doesn`t take into account quality of shots or how a goalie is at key moments of the game. The number of Stanley Cups a player won isn`t perfect because it doesn`t consider how good his teammates were or how much he contributed. Award winning isn`t perfect because there`s often a lot of bias and politics at work from the writers (did you see the interview on the Score awhile back where a baseball writer admitted that he never voted for Gary Carter, not because of his play, but because he didn`t get along with him?)

Does that mean we throw away all those statistics because of that? No. You have to look at the entire picture. Same with plus/minus. It`s not perfect, and you have to consider a lot of factors, but it still tells you a lot. When good defensive defencemen like Bill White, Bill Hajt, Brad McCrimmon, Scott Stevens, Keith Carney, etc. put up good +/- numbers year after year, it`s not just some coincidence.

 

[brianscot]

From my view, the coaches poll was very accurate.

Even the selection of Pierre Larouche as best player under 23 works because at that time, Pierre was in the midst of putting together his first 50 goal season on a bad Pittsburgh team.

Only later did he become lucky floating Pierre. Nobody ever questioned his talent.

I was never a Bobby Clarke fan, but the things he tops in (especially playmaking, face offs, and penalty killing) were all things he excelled in.

Beyond that, are we somehow supposed to believe that a poll of active coaches during that very season is inaccurate, while negative opinions 30 years later are more valid?

 

[Chili]

Dennis Hull`s shot was every bit as hard and lethal as Bobby`s. The main difference was that Bobby would usually hit the net while Dennis would miss the net and hit the boards.

I can remember some claims that Dennis' shot was even harder than Bobby's though I never saw any actual test results comparing the two. Suffice to say though that they both had scary shots.

 

[Ludwig Fell Down]

Beyond that, are we somehow supposed to believe that a poll of active coaches during that very season is inaccurate, while negative opinions 30 years later are more valid?

Thanks for inserting some logic into the discussion. Of course, coaches had fewer or no assistants back then, so their opinions at the time are only worth .637 of a current coach's opinion.

Reconing, thanks for digging this up, I enjoyed the thread.

 

[reckoning]

Beyond that, are we somehow supposed to believe that a poll of active coaches during that very season is inaccurate, while negative opinions 30 years later are more valid?

A lot o people like to use revisionist history. They don`t like Bobby Clarke`s antics as a GM, so they use that bias against him when judging his playing career. Or they disagree with some of Don Cherry`s opinions on TV, so they say he was never a good coach. Or they look at how ineffective Eric Lindros was after the concussions, and forget about how great he was before them. Sometimes you have to go back in time to get a realistic picture.

 

[God Bless Canada]

A lot o people like to use revisionist history. They don`t like Bobby Clarke`s antics as a GM, so they use that bias against him when judging his playing career. Or they disagree with some of Don Cherry`s opinions on TV, so they say he was never a good coach. Or they look at how ineffective Eric Lindros was after the concussions, and forget about how great he was before them. Sometimes you have to go back in time to get a realistic picture.

A fun look back, thanks to one of the best posters on these boards. Well done, reckoning.

I've always thought Clarke doesn't get the respect he deserves. For my money, he's one of the ten best centres ever, and one of the top 25 or 30 players ever. One of the ultimate combinations of smarts, skills, heart, grit, defensive prowess, physical play and leadership in the history of the game. Yes, he can be a bit of an *** at times, and he rarely says the right thing at the right time (or does the right thing, for that matter), but there's no doubt the man is one of the greatest ever to play the game, and one of the most decorated players in NHL history.

 

[04' hockey]

A fun look back, thanks to one of the best posters on these boards. Well done, reckoning.

I've always thought Clarke doesn't get the respect he deserves. For my money, he's one of the ten best centres ever, and one of the top 25 or 30 players ever. One of the ultimate combinations of smarts, skills, heart, grit, defensive prowess, physical play and leadership in the history of the game. Yes, he can be a bit of an *** at times, and he rarely says the right thing at the right time (or does the right thing, for that matter), but there's no doubt the man is one of the greatest ever to play the game, and one of the most decorated players in NHL history.

Knowledgable post.....jiggs10, so much for your hockey IQ.
Ask the mighty ORR about Bob Clarke! Unlike MANY stars of today Clarke played to win games and NOT to make $. If he played today he would be just as good. If Orr played today he'd be the best, no question.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Well, I would agree with a few of the choices here (Orr, Robinson, Dryden, Larouche, Trottier, Hull & Perreault), but some of the others are jokes! Bobby CLarke? Walt McKechnie? Hilliard Graves?

Names from the past to be sure, but certainly not names who should be mentioned in a "best-of" list.

Remember, Don Cherry was actually considered one of the top coaches of that time, so...

Bobby Clarke was a two time MVP BTW.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Bobby Clarke was a two time MVP BTW.

Actually a 3 time Hart trophy winner.

Here is a list of players that have won the Hart Trophy more times than Bobby Clarke:

Wayne Gretzky (9)
Gordie Howe (6)
Eddie Shore (4)

The end. Thanks for coming Jiggs.

 

[barfy2000]

Actually a 3 time Hart trophy winner.

Here is a list of players that have won the Hart Trophy more times than Bobby Clarke:

Wayne Gretzky (9)
Gordie Howe (6)
Eddie Shore (4)

The end. Thanks for coming Jiggs.

wow. i thought lemieux would have more than 2. he did deserve that one in 89-90 i think it was? thats another story...but good point. bobby clarke doesnt get the (should i call it respect? haha maybe recognition is a better word) he deserves. tremendous hockey player if there ever was one.

and to see eddie shore on there just reasserts the fact that he is one of the best ever.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

wow. i thought lemieux would have more than 2. he did deserve that one in 89-90 i think it was? thats another story...but good point. bobby clarke doesnt get the (should i call it respect? haha maybe recognition is a better word) he deserves. tremendous hockey player if there ever was one.

and to see eddie shore on there just reasserts the fact that he is one of the best ever.

Lemieux, Clarke, Orr and Howie Morenz each won 3 Hart trophies.

 

[barfy2000]

Lemieux, Clarke, Orr and Howie Morenz each won 3 Hart trophies.

my bad. i meant to put 3. typo.

 

[Trottier]

In 1976, on the heels of captaining the Flyers to three straight Cup Finals (winining two), and in his prime, Bobby Clarke was easily one of the very best in the game, and I'd argue, the most complete player. He was overtaken in that category shortly thereafter by Bryan Trottier.

Anyone denying his place in the game at that time either wasn't around, or is still harboring a ridiculous bias 30 years later.

 

[Marcus-74]

Isn´t Clarke that guy who chopped off Valerie Kharma Chameleon´s legs off with an axe during the Cold War II? Oh, he´s just crap, isn´t he?

I´m not so sure he is an "all-time player" in a sense that he would have made it in any era, but it´s quite amazing that some still don´t give him any credit... Clarke was a great playmaker with "quick mind" (if he saw you open, he would get you the puck; ask Barber, Leach or even Paul Henderson [in´72] etc.), won face-offs, worked like hell and was one the first who had "an office" behind the goal (I believe Gretzky called him a forerunner in his book).

 

[justsomeguy]

Don't know which Hull had the heavier shot. I remember seeing Dennis break the plexi-glas with his, something I never saw Bobby do.

 

[Canadiens Fan]

In an article written by Frank Orr of the Toronto Star, dated February 21st, 1976, all of the NHL coaches were asked anonymously to submit their choices in various categories given by the Toronto Star. Each NHL head coach at the time participated.

Below I have listed the winners in each category. In brackets I have put the runner-ups in order of finish. Sometimes the article lists the runner-up only. Other times it goes a few players deep.

Most underrated - Curt Bennett (Jean Pronovost)

Best Shot - Rick Martin (Reggie Leach, Guy Lafleur, Mickey Redmond)

Hardest Shot - Dennis Hull (Rick Martin)

Best Stickhandler - Stan Mikita (Gilbert Perreault, Pierre Larouche, Guy Lafleur, Pete Mahovlich, Marcel Dionne)

Best Penalty Killer - Bobby Clarke (Don Luce, Craig Ramsey, Ed Westfall)

Best Skater - Bobby Orr (Gilbert Perreault, Rick Macleish, Errol Thompson)

Fastest Skater - Yvan Cournoyer (Marcel Dionne, Bobby Orr, Gilbert Perreault, Inge Hammarstrom)

Best Checker - Bobby Clarke (Wayne Cashman, Bob Gainey, Craig Ramsey, Don Luce)

Best Referee - Lloyd Gilmour (John McCauley, Bruce Hood)

Best on Faceoffs - Bobby Clarke (Stan Mikita, Doug Jarvis)

Best Fighter - Dan Maloney (Larry Robinson, J. Bob Kelly, Dave Schultz)

Most Dangerous in Goal Area - Rick Martin (Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur, Marcel Dionne)

Best Coach - Al Arbour (Fred Shero, Billy Reay, Scotty Bowman, Bob Pulford, Fred Creighton)

Smartest Player - Stan Mikita (Bobby Clarke, Bobby Orr, Guy Lafleur)

Best Bodychecker - Hilliard Graves (Larry Robinson, Denis Potvin)

Hardest Worker - Bobby Clarke (Ray Comeau, Jim Roberts, Darryl Sittler)

Best Defensive Defenceman - Larry Robinson (Bill White, Denis Potvin, Dave Burrows, Terry Harper)

Best Goalie - Ken Dryden (Tony Esposito, Bernie Parent, Rogie Vachon, Dan Bouchard)

Best Young Player - Pierre Larouche (Denis Potvin, Tom Lysiak, Bryan Trottier)

Best Playmaker - Bobby Clarke (Marcel Dionne, Stan Mikita, Bobby Orr, Pete Mahovlich)

Most Improved - Walt McKechnie (Curt Bennett, Jean Ratelle)

Most Colorful - Gil Perreault (Bob Kelly, Pete Mahovlich)

Best Rookie 1975-76 - Bryan Trottier (Mel Bridgeman, Dennis Maruk)

Most Valuable Player 1975-76 - Bobby Clarke (Brad Park, Pete Mahovlich, Guy Lafleur, Darryl Sittler)

If Starting a team from scratch, First Player Chosen - Bobby Clarke (Denis Potvin, Bobby Orr, Ken Dryden)