Ovechkin is not the next Lemieux!

[Jacob]

By then Ovechkin will probably have a restraining order on Foppa.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

By then Ovechkin will probably have a restraining order on Foppa.

 

[Foppa_Rules]

It's a different era. Hockey is different now. Mario Lemeuix or Wayne Gretzky couldn't have gotten as many points in this league as they did then. So then in order to break Gretzky's records, Ovechkin/Crosby would have to be BETTER than Gretzky. I don't see that happening. All that maybe maybe maybe maybe might happen is we'll see a similar impact, not similar points. But it's very very very very doubtful either of them will have THAT kind of impact. The next Forsberg or Jagr--before he cut his hair--is PERFECTLY fine with me.

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

Ovechkin in many ways will be better than lemieux >> Bigger stronger checks plays defense scores goals and is a playmaker >> He could be and I think he will be a 45 - 50 goal scorer and 100 + points yearly >>

So, a better scorer than Iginla, Kovy, or Nash, AND a better playmaker than Forsberg or Thornton, PLUS as good defensivly as anyone?

Uh.... and they talk aobut Crosby being over hyped....

 

[SwOOsh*]

You can't really compare players from different decades. Had Ovechkin started his career at the same time as Lemieux then you could compare the two.

I personally don't think Ovechkin will be as good as Lemieux in many ways, but he will be a great player and will be better in some ways.

Had he started when Mario started it could be a different story but we will never know that forsure.

 

[WVP]

By then Ovechkin will probably have a restraining order on Foppa.

The line of the day.

 

[Le Golie]

By then Ovechkin will probably have a restraining order on Foppa.

Solid burn.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I think there are several posters that could definitely use ESPN Classic, ESPN Classic Canada or at the very least an extensive library of old hockey games on tape.

You would think that the appreciation for a player like Lemieux wouldn't subside so quickly...not while he's still ACTIVE!

 

[BIGTRAIN*]

I think there are several posters that could definitely use ESPN Classic, ESPN Classic Canada or at the very least an extensive library of old hockey games on tape.

You would think that the appreciation for a player like Lemieux wouldn't subside so quickly...not while he's still ACTIVE!

AS an offensive force he was very good but never was the best >> The rest of his game sucked >>

 

[Jaded-Fan]

AS an offensive force he was very good but never was the best >> The rest of his game sucked >>

you are out of your friggin' mind . . . when he wanted to (playoff time) he could play defense with the very best . . . name one aspect of his game that lacked . . . apparently you are one of those that needs to review ESPN classics

 

[Jacob]

AS an offensive force he was very good but never was the best >> The rest of his game sucked >>

Who cares about the rest of his game? When you're turning Rob Brown and John Cullen into major scoring threats, while still putting up 150+ point seasons, you don't NEED to play defense. Lemieux probably never spent more than 10 consecutive seconds in his own zone.

Any time Lemieux was healthy, he was the best player in the league. You can argue that Gretzky had the better career, but Gretzky was only the best player in the game until Lemieux hit his prime in about 1987.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

people forget that mario dominated in the freeflying 80s and the deadpuck 90s/00s.

161 pts in 1996, 122 pts in 1997, 76 pts in 43 games in 2001, 91 pts in 67 games in 2003 as a 37 year old.

i have no doubt a healthy, 23 year old lemieux would put up 160+ pts in today's nhl

 

[GoM]

AS an offensive force he was very good but never was the best

Second best line of the day :thumb:

 

[electric]

people forget that mario dominated in the freeflying 80s and the deadpuck 90s/00s.

161 pts in 1996, 122 pts in 1997, 76 pts in 43 games in 2001, 91 pts in 67 games in 2003 as a 37 year old.

i have no doubt a healthy, 23 year old lemieux would put up 160+ pts in today's nhl

Don't forget that Lemieux had 51 points in his first 26 games in 2002-03. The last time someone reached 50 points that fast was in 1995-96 and his name was... Mario. Then his injuries/frustration/trades kicked back in and he wasn't the same in the second half of the season.

In any case, I clearly remember Mario being one of the best DEFENSIVE forwards in the game in his prime, at least when he wanted to be. If you can get your hands on the first round of the 1989 playoffs (Penguins/Rangers) you're going to see something just unbelievable. The way Mario was playing in his own end back then makes Mike Peca and Jere Lehtinen look like pee-wees.

Mario wasn't the most consistent player because of his injury poblems and sometimes a lack of dedication... but when he was at his top, there was NO one who could match him.

One thing about Mario is that people rely too much on his stats to judge him. Don't forget that there were a lot of games in the 90s in which he only played on the powerplay and stayed on the bench for most of the game. Also for many years (namely a good part of the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons among others) he almost never practiced with the team because of his injuries and still played games and dominated the score sheet. How do you think that a player who practiced as little as he did could even play the game in the NHL and stay in shape?

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

Ovechkin will never be as good as Mario, Wayne or Bobby, hell, or Gordie or any of the top 5 players ever....

Anyone who claims that, is just naiive..

 

[SneakerPimp82]

people forget that mario dominated in the freeflying 80s and the deadpuck 90s/00s.

161 pts in 1996, 122 pts in 1997, 76 pts in 43 games in 2001, 91 pts in 67 games in 2003 as a 37 year old.

i have no doubt a healthy, 23 year old lemieux would put up 160+ pts in today's nhl

160 points in today's NHL is unrealistic, even for a young Lemieux. 120-130 maybe, but 160, no way. If it was just that the league has increased its use of defensive systems, then I'd say maybe. But more defense coupled with a harder hitting physical style that leads to more injuries(look at how many star players have been injured in the last 2 years alone) makes 160 very unrealistic.

 

[Jacob]

He did say healthy.