reckoning
Registered User
- Jan 4, 2005
- 7,023
- 1,271
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
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