Phil Esposito Versus Jaromir Jagr

[GlitchMarner]

Who's the better all-time NHL player?


Both won five Art Rosses.



If you don't know who Phil Esposito is, please refrain from voting.

Click to read more...

 

[MMC]

Jagr

 

[sparxx87]

Jagr without question. Esposito could dominate around the net but Jagr could dominate the entire offensive zone at his peak.

 

[tony d]

Jagr

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Jagr easily though I love Esposito and he founded my favorite team

 

[Midnight Judges]

I am alarmed by anyone who thinks this is an easy choice.

IMO this is a great poll. I think both guys get a little underrated as hockey players (Esposito is a world class butthead).

I think Esposito's 76 goal season - purely in terms of statistical offensive output - is one of the all time great seasons ever, and yes, arguably up there with Gretzky's best peak seasons or perhaps a half a step below. Obviously there is a huge asterisk for having played with Bobby Orr. Still awesome though.

Can't there be a poll option for tie? I feel like there ought to be in these cases. Why can't posters feel as if two players are pretty even?

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I am alarmed by anyone who thinks this is an easy choice.

IMO this is a great poll. I think both guys get a little underrated as hockey players (Esposito is a world class butthead).

I think Esposito's 76 goal season - purely in terms of statistical offensive output - is one of the all time great seasons ever, and yes, arguably up there with Gretzky's best peak seasons or perhaps a half a step below.

Can't there be a poll option for tie? I feel like there ought to be in these cases. Why can't feel as if two players are pretty even?

yup, said it before. Espo's greatness gets overlooked because of Gretzky

Phil Esposito.

He gets diminished by some as simply feeding off of Orr, and was unfortunately too close to when Gretzky played.

People forget that he literally re-wrote the record books. Problem is Gretzky came along only 5 years later and re-wrote them again. So he didnt get the benefit of being the best scorer of all time for a couple decades so that his legend could grow. Gretzky was close enough time wise to cut the legs out from under the Espo legend.

717 G - 813 A - 1,590 Pts
5x Ross
6x Rocket
Finished 2nd all time in points and goals, and 3rd all time in assists
Retired with the single season goals and points records
first to score 60 goals in a season
first to score 70 goals in a season
retired as only player to score 1,000 points in 1 decade
retired with a record 13 consecutive 30+ goal seasons

 

[jj cale]

Kind of a tough call.

Jagr was indeed more gifted offensively all around but if I a going into a big game or playoff series I take Espo all day long.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Jagr, but it's close.

 

[Thenameless]

I went with Esposito by a hair. Nothing at all wrong with taking Jagr in this one too though.

 

[The Macho King]

Espo I think, but it's close.

 

[olli]

JJ

 

[Golden_Jet]

Jagr.... Phil just sat in the slot and waited for a pass.

 

[ESH]

Jagr without question. Esposito could dominate around the net but Jagr could dominate the entire offensive zone at his peak.

Really disingenuous to a talent like Esposito to say that he was only effective in one small area of the ice

 

[Plural]

JJ.

 

[sparxx87]

Really disingenuous to a talent like Esposito to say that he was only effective in one small area of the ice

That was always my observation. I watched a lot of old Bruins game tape to see Bobby Orr and at times forgot Esposito was even playing.

Esposito was one of the greatest finishers of all time... but Jagr was one of the greatest offensive players of all time... Weighing what they each brought to the table, I take Jagr easily and I’m not even a fan.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Jagr no doubt

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

That was always my observation. I watched a lot of old Bruins game tape to see Bobby Orr and at times forgot Esposito was even playing.

Esposito was one of the greatest finishers of all time... but Jagr was one of the greatest offensive players of all time... Weighing what they each brought to the table, I take Jagr easily and I’m not even a fan.

career per game:

goals

Espo - .56
Jagr - .44

assists

Espo - .68
Jagr - .67

points

Espo - 1.24
Jagr - 1.11

per game at their peak (boston years for Espo, Pitt years for Jagr)

Espo: .73 G - .88 A - 1.62 P
Jagr: .54 G - .79 A - 1.34 P

 

[Plural]

career per game:

goals

Espo - .56
Jagr - .44

assists

Espo - .68
Jagr - .67

points

Espo - 1.24
Jagr - 1.11

per game at their peak (boston years for Espo, Pitt years for Jagr)

Espo: .73 G - .88 A - 1.62 P
Jagr: .54 G - .79 A - 1.34 P

And you don't see anything dishonest in comparing these numbers head to head?

 

[ESH]

That was always my observation. I watched a lot of old Bruins game tape to see Bobby Orr and at times forgot Esposito was even playing.

Esposito was one of the greatest finishers of all time... but Jagr was one of the greatest offensive players of all time... Weighing what they each brought to the table, I take Jagr easily and I’m not even a fan.

Esposito lead the league in assists 3 times. The same amount as Jagr. Esposito was far from one-dimensional.

 

[sparxx87]

career per game:

goals

Espo - .56
Jagr - .44

assists

Espo - .68
Jagr - .67

points

Espo - 1.24
Jagr - 1.11

per game at their peak (boston years for Espo, Pitt years for Jagr)

Espo: .73 G - .88 A - 1.62 P
Jagr: .54 G - .79 A - 1.34 P

Can’t even begin to compare eras.

 

[sparxx87]

Esposito lead the league in assists 3 times. The same amount as Jagr. Esposito was far from one-dimensional.

That’s phenomenal, but he didn’t have the depth to his game that Jagr had. Again, I don’t mind numbers when comparing such different eras. I’m looking at their individual skill sets and with this I pick Jagr quite easily.

You’re welcome to disagree.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I went with Esposito. I think he is the 3rd greatest scorer of all time after Gretzky and Lemieux. Jagr has an edge in some areas, but both spent their careers as basically "offense first" type players, and Espo vs his peers was just a bigger gap than Jagr vs his peers. Longevity easily to Jagr, but quality in their peak I'll give to Espo.

 

[Fantomas]

It is close, but I will take Phil for the playoff stretch.