Jarome Iginla vs Pavel Bure

[Felidae]

Who was the better player? Take into account their peak and prime.

Iginla

Award placements

Hart: 2, 2, 3, 10, 12, 15
1 Pearson

Stat placements

Points: 1, 3, 6, 8
PPG: 2, 3, 7, 9
Goals: 1, 1, 3, 3
GPG: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6


Bure

Award placements

Hart: 3, 9, 12

Stat placements

Points: 2, 3, 5, 7
PPG: 3, 3, 7, 8
Goals: 1, 1, 1, 3, 5
GPG: 1, 2, 2, 3, 6, 7

Bure has the edge in goalscorer, and overall I'd say slightly better point producer. He faced stronger competition.

In the early 90s there was peak Hull for the goalscoring title and Lemieux for any award

In the late 90s there was Jagr, Hasek for the MVP, Pearson, and Selanne for the goalscoring title.

There was no comparable Art Ross, MVP or Richard threat during Iginla's years. I suspect Bure's Hart, Point and goal finishes would look better in the 2000s where the competition was weaker.

However, Iginla is that rare breed of elite power forward, the impact of which can't really be seen on the score sheet. All the while being very comparable to Bure in overall offensive production.

Click to read more...

 

[Albatros]

Iginla made more of less.

 

[Felidae]

Iginla made more of less.

Idk they both had pretty lacklustre teammates offensively. But iginla's flames during his prime were never as bad as Bure's Panthers teams.

 

[biturbo19]

Idk they both had pretty lacklustre teammates offensively. But iginla's flames during his prime were never as bad as Bure's Panthers teams.

Yeah. To me, Bure was pretty much the epitome of "linemate proof". Even with the Canucks, there was some talent around him, but more often than not...he kind of ran show on his own line anyway.

Not that Iggy had tremendous linemates most of his career, but i wouldn't really cite "did more with less" as something for Iginla over Bure.

 

[Albatros]

Idk they both had pretty lacklustre teammates offensively. But iginla's flames during his prime were never as bad as Bure's Panthers teams.

...meaning that Iginla was never nearly as skilled, but more often played at his personal limit doing what it took to win whereas Bure got comfortable as one-dimensional goal scorer.

 

[BLNY]

Bure. Iggy was a great all around player, but people paid money to go see what Bure might do next. Pavel was a human highlight reel for hockey.

 

[biturbo19]

...meaning that Iginla was never nearly as skilled, but more often played at his personal limit doing what it took to win whereas Bure got comfortable as one-dimensional goal scorer.

I wouldn't really call Bure a "one dimensional" goal scorer.

He did settle in a bit as, "just a goal scorer"...but he was always able to score goals in a variety of different ways. Far from a one trick pony. He wasn't just all breakaways and highlight reels. He was an absolutely lethal shooter in a lot of different ways too.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Ignila but it's close.

 

[Felidae]

...meaning that Iginla was never nearly as skilled, but more often played at his personal limit doing what it took to win whereas Bure got comfortable as one-dimensional goal scorer.

The implication your making is absurd. There is not much any player by themselves could have done to make those Panthers teams a regular playoff team.

 

[Mr Kot]

As an Oiler fan, give me Iginla. He made life awful for the Oilers for 15+ years

 

[Albatros]

The implication your making is absurd. There is not much any player by themselves could have done to make those Panthers teams a regular playoff team.

Regardless Bure's game consisted of little more than this, rinse and repeat:

He had all the skills to backcheck and make plays, just didn't bother to. Sixty goals per season and the rest was somebody else's problem.

 

[tfong]

Bure was 55 points ahead of the next 2 point producers in FLA. Both of which were his linemates. Let that just sink in there.

92 points to Kozlovs 37 even though he only played 51 games that season. Nilson and sillinger at 36 and 34 points.

Love Iggy and he was great and franchise. Bure was just...better and I had the absolute pleasure to watch both in their primes. It was great.

 

[Zuluss]

Peak and talent - Bure
Career and lifetime value to a team - Iginla

 

[mobilus]

Regardless Bure's game consisted of little more than this, rinse and repeat:

He had all the skills to backcheck and make plays, just didn't bother to. Sixty goals per season and the rest was somebody else's problem.

He did back check and play excellent defensive hockey when he first came over. Nobody was being groomed to play first line for the National team in the old Soviet system and not be able to play defensively. Bure seemed to realize after a couple seasons here that he wasn't getting paid or applauded for anything other than scoring.

 

[Three On Zero]

Iginla was the better all around player, but Bure had fans buying tickets just to see him play due to his offensive skill.

The only player that’s come close to being as offensively gifted with such skating proficiency is McDavid and MacKinnon ( forwards)

 

[Albatros]

He did back check and play excellent defensive hockey when he first came over. Nobody was being groomed to play first line for the National team in the old Soviet system and not be able to play defensively. Bure seemed to realize after a couple seasons here that he wasn't getting paid or applauded for anything other than scoring.

He played with a lot of heart in the '94 playoffs, but rarely since. Maybe a team with winning culture would have done him good, but the Panthers weren't that.

 

[tfong]

He played with a lot of heart in the '94 playoffs, but rarely since. Maybe a team with winning culture would have done him good, but the Panthers weren't that.

One generation early but imagine Bure with the Sedins?

 

[jcs0218]

Iginla was close as a goal-scorer. And he brought so many other things to the table that Bure didn't bring.

My vote is for Iginla.

 

[authentic]

I wouldn't really call Bure a "one dimensional" goal scorer.

He did settle in a bit as, "just a goal scorer"...but he was always able to score goals in a variety of different ways. Far from a one trick pony. He wasn't just all breakaways and highlight reels. He was an absolutely lethal shooter in a lot of different ways too.

He was actually not a bad playmaker either if you watched him. He never really had any good offensive linemates to work with for 95% of his career. Could throw his body around too when needed. People see him as a cherry picker who scored lots but did not dominate games, but really at his best he was a dominant player.

 

[biturbo19]

One generation early but imagine Bure with the Sedins?

Would've been a terrible fit and total waste.

Bure was the opposite of the sort of player that the Twins thrived with.

 

[PensandCaps]

How is this even close?

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Would've been a terrible fit and total waste.

Bure was the opposite of the sort of player that the Twins thrived with.

Tomas Holmstrom would have been a perfect fit for the Sedins.

I vote Iginla but I am a Flames fan. Bure is likely better at his peak but injuries hindered his career. Iginla sort of developed into an all around offensive weapon at his best that I value more. Iginla was one of the better goal scoring forwards who could play a heavy game but he was also such an underrated passer/playmaker.

 

[biturbo19]

He was actually not a bad playmaker either if you watched him. He never really had any good offensive linemates to work with for 95% of his career. Could throw his body around too when needed. People see him as a cherry picker who scored lots but did not dominate games, but really at his best he was a dominant player.

idk about that. I never really saw much "playmaking" from Bure. He made his own plays most of the time. Part of that is just not playing with a ton of talent...but part of it is just the way he played in general, not being super conducive to elevating others along with him. He was just a super unique player who was able to dominate without a lot of support from his linemates.

Tomas Holmstrom would have been a perfect fit for the Sedins.

I vote Iginla but I am a Flames fan. Bure is likely better at his peak but injuries hindered his career. Iginla sort of developed into an all around offensive weapon at his best that I value more. Iginla was one of the better goal scoring forwards who could play a heavy game but he was also such an underrated passer/playmaker.

Oh f*** no. Holmstrom would've been absolutely horrific with the Sedins. You can't put a slug like that with the already slow Sedins and think it's going to work. They didn't need some clown to just stand around the net. What they needed...and eventually found in Burrows of all players...was a guy who was an extremely smart, hard-working grinder...who actually had some hands/finish. They desperately needed a guy like that who could get in first on the forecheck, dig up pucks, do the spadework to get them the puck so they could go to work on their cycle game. And then just get to the net and be ready to tap it in. But able to read the play at a top line level and anticipate what they were trying to do.


I always thought a guy like TJ Oshie would've been probably the "ideal" Sedin linemate.

 

[Regal]

idk about that. I never really saw much "playmaking" from Bure. He made his own plays most of the time. Part of that is just not playing with a ton of talent...but part of it is just the way he played in general, not being super conducive to elevating others along with him. He was just a super unique player who was able to dominate without a lot of support from his linemates.



Oh f*** no. Holmstrom would've been absolutely horrific with the Sedins. You can't put a slug like that with the already slow Sedins and think it's going to work. They didn't need some clown to just stand around the net. What they needed...and eventually found in Burrows of all players...was a guy who was an extremely smart, hard-working grinder...who actually had some hands/finish. They desperately needed a guy like that who could get in first on the forecheck, dig up pucks, do the spadework to get them the puck so they could go to work on their cycle game. And then just get to the net and be ready to tap it in. But able to read the play at a top line level and anticipate what they were trying to do.


I always thought a guy like TJ Oshie would've been probably the "ideal" Sedin linemate.

Yea, realistically I’m not sure if there were too many guys who would have been a better fit than Burrows ended up being at his peak. He was actually a surprisingly great finisher on their plays.

 

[biturbo19]

Yea, realistically I’m not sure if there were too many guys who would have been a better fit than Burrows ended up being at his peak. He was actually a surprisingly great finisher on their plays.

He was basically Hyman before being Hyman was cool.