Mike Bossy comparison?

[Hug Ben Laf]

Since Im a "modern" hockey fan, so to say I know only about the player from 95 till now. I dont know much pre the 90 and so on. I always thought Brett Hull was a great goalscorer, but in a poll I saw on this forum I saw how he got dismantled by Mike Bossy in a poll compeition. I know what a great goalscorer Bossy was from the stats. But I want to go further than the stats.

So my questions to ya "old" folks whom have watch Bossy, what kind of player was he? was he good at defensive? was he a fast skater? stickhandling? passing? I know he was not a physical player. But most important of all, which player/s from the modern hockey era look like Bossy?

Palffy? Bondra? Hejduk? Someone told me Rick Nash, but Nash is a physical player and is a power forward. Bossy from what I know, is a sniper and not a powerforward.

Come folks, help me out

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[pnep]

Bossy ~ Selanne
imho...

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Bossy ~ Selanne
imho...

Was Bossy that fast? and I thought Bossy mainly was about his shot? where Selanne focus more on his speed.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Come on GeeWally, share some light for me

 

[Trottier]

...what kind of player was he? was he good at defensive? was he a fast skater? stickhandling? passing? I know he was not a physical player. But most important of all, which player/s from the modern hockey era look like Bossy?

I watched Mike Bossy in person and otherwise religiously for his entire career. Simply, he was the most natural goal scorer ever, at least in my lifetime. He scored from the perimeter, in front, anywhere. Slapshot, wristshot, one-timers, tips, you name it. Scored in his first NHL game in Buffalo in fall '77 and never looked back.

He was an average skater and he came into the league with a reputation for not being good defensively. Al Arbour, his Hall of Fame coach, saw to it that he became a complete player. You either played a complete game or your didn't play for AA. He ultimately became defensively solid enough to play regularly on the PK. He was a good stickhandler and good passer. He was not a physical player, and was wirey, but he should never be miscast as a shrinking violet. He played in high traffic areas. And despite having a bodyguard (Clark Gillies) on his LW much of the time, he took his lumps. (Which is why he retired prematurely from a back injury.)

Who resembled Bossy? No one. Hull clearly had the awesome release which was Bossy's signature (interestingly Bossy claims he never aimed for a spot on the net, he just shot the puck), but the only time I've even considered a comparison has been in watching Milan Hejduk weave his magical hands around the net on occasion. Bossy made those moves nightly.

Some will say that #22 benefitted from having a Hall of Famer (Bryan Trottier) centering for him. Of course he did (and vice versa)! But only a fool would consider that a reason for detracting from his accomplishments, IMO. The guy scored prolifically wherever he played. He was truly one of a kind.

 

[Tundra]

Since Im a "modern" hockey fan, so to say I know only about the player from 95 till now. I dont know much pre the 90 and so on. I always thought Brett Hull was a great goalscorer, but in a poll I saw on this forum I saw how he got dismantled by Mike Bossy in a poll compeition. I know what a great goalscorer Bossy was from the stats. But I want to go further than the stats.

So my questions to ya "old" folks whom have watch Bossy, what kind of player was he? was he good at defensive? was he a fast skater? stickhandling? passing? I know he was not a physical player. But most important of all, which player/s from the modern hockey era look like Bossy?

Palffy? Bondra? Hejduk? Someone told me Rick Nash, but Nash is a physical player and is a power forward. Bossy from what I know, is a sniper and not a powerforward.

Come folks, help me out

Think of a more versatile, mobile Ray Sheppard. Sheppard had worse skating impediments but ridiculous hands to go with a sixth sense too. I'm not necessarily slagging on Bossy by bringing him down to Sheppard's level but its hard to find a relatively contemporary comparison.

 

[#66]

Was Bossy that fast? and I thought Bossy mainly was about his shot? where Selanne focus more on his speed.

His skating flaws were overblown but he wasn't even close to Selanne as a skater. Bossy had more quickness than outright speed and also had a good work ethic so he kept his legs pumping. He also had some great hockey sense so he was a natural for jumping into openings.

Some things that he never gets credit for was his fine two way play, passing, toughness and clutch ability. While he was always known as a goal scorer Bossys assit totals were always very good, his best being 83 assists. He was tough in his own way. Not really hitting and fighting but going into traffic, taking abuse in front of the net and digging for pucks along the boards. As for clutch ability his 3 years of 17 playoff goals pretty much speaks for itself.

More than anything Bossy was known for his hands and shooting. Not only was his shot super accurate but also very hard. His quick release made it almost impossible to stop. Plus he was a master at deflecting pucks in front of the net.

IMO a good comparison is Joe Sakic with also having some qualities of a young Niewendyk.

 

[MXD]

I'd say that Michel Goulet is a toned-down version of Mike Bossy.


But for "recent" players. I really don't have a clue.

 

[V-2 Schneider]

Bossy wasn't a bad skater at all,in fact, he was quite quick, and used short strides.He was unusual in that he kept the puck close to his skates,with his stick tucked in close to the body, and i've never seen anyone dig the puck out faster from his skates, and shoot, than him.At times,Hedjuk has similar moves,but the closest comparison to hand speed and release, was Steve Shutt.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Hmmm. After doing some google and some reading on HFboards about Mike Bossy I come to this conclusion:

Mike Bossy is a Milan Hejduk equiped with a harder and better shot a la Brett Hull? Im correct/close to the truth or am I totally wacky out of place?

 

[God Bless Canada]

Nobody compares to Mike Bossy. Period. Nobody combines shot velocity, accuracy, release and power like Bossy, and he did it with uncanny goal scorer's instincts. As good as Hull and Kurri were as goal scorers, there weren't nearly as good as Bossy. And Bossy turned it up in the playoffs in each of his Cup-winning season. Bossy is the best pure goal scorer since Rocket Richard, and none of the modern players have earned the right to be mentioned in the same breath as him.

 

[Transported Upstater]

Nobody compares to Mike Bossy. Period. Nobody combines shot velocity, accuracy, release and power like Bossy, and he did it with uncanny goal scorer's instincts. As good as Hull and Kurri were as goal scorers, there weren't nearly as good as Bossy. And Bossy turned it up in the playoffs in each of his Cup-winning season. Bossy is the best pure goal scorer since Rocket Richard, and none of the modern players have earned the right to be mentioned in the same breath as him.

No one in my lifetime had better hands than Bossy.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Man, ya guys make him sound like a super player

And from the stats, he was. But there must be a modern player in the last 15 years that have been like Bossy, one way or another.

 

[Rumblick]

I wouldn't have a problem comparing him to Hull. He had an uncanny knack of showing up out of nowhere, and he was a marvelous shooter. God knows he killed my Rangers on any number of occasions. If his back hadn't given out (he retired at the age of 30), he would've likely been good for a couple hundred more goals.

No question that being part of the Trio Grande with Trots and Gillies for most of his career helped him out, but he was a superior talent.

 

[V-2 Schneider]

Mario Lemieux compares as a shooter to Bossy.

 

[arrbez]

Pierre Dagenais

 

[Transported Upstater]

Pierre Dagenais

LOL

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

ohh, wow! so funny

 

[RangerBoy]

He was a great goal scorer.Lethal.It's not easy to find a comparable

 

[justsomeguy]

The Shutt comparisons in terms of his speed of release are quite valid. Was a tougher player than Shutt was. Bossy occasionally went into the corners. Also took more than his share of abuse in front of the net.

Good skater, not blessed with blinding speed but he got to where he had to be by the time he had to be there. A guy who knows a little bit about being a 50 goal scorer, he' be flattered by the comparison to Richard but would quickly disagree as do I.

Basically, he was good at alll aspects of the game but outstanding in terms of scoring instinct and the skills needed to put the puck in the net.

Not sure there's anyone out there that has the same skill set he brought to the rink until his back gave out.

Very pleasant fellow too. Have met him on a couple occasions and he was gracious to anyone who approached him.

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Hmmm does not help me much there as I dunno who shutt were either

 

[Trottier]

Hmmm does not help me much there as I dunno who shutt were either

Just wait until the day sometime in the future, when you logon to HF, and some poster writes that he is too young to recall Crosby or Ovechkin! Then you'll know how some of us feel reading this thread!

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Just wait until the day sometime in the future, when you logon to HF, and some poster writes that he is too young to recall Crosby or Ovechkin! Then you'll know how some of us feel reading this thread!

Hopefully by then I can tell them that Crosby was the Greztky of the 20th century and Ovechkin was the Richard of the 20th century

 

[Hug Ben Laf]

Trottier, check ya private messenger

 

[Heavy Fuel]

In the winter of '76 Reggie Leach went on a tear, ripping 61 goals and being so dominating in the playoffs with a record 19 goals that he won the Conn Smythe despite having his Flyers lose to the Canadiens. His slapshot was a beauty.

Mike B. was kinda like that...all the time.