When should Coffey have retired?

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Coffey hit more than 30 points in just twice of his last 5 seasons, after scoring 50+ points in each of his 15 previous seasons.

1995-1996: 76 GP, 14 goals, 74 points (Detroit Red Wings)
1996-1997: 37 GP, 9 goals, 34 points (Hartford-Philadelphia)
1997-1998: 57 GP, 2 goals, 29 points (Philadelphia Flyers)
1998-1999: 44 GP, 2 goals, 10 points (Chicago-Carolina)
1999-2000: 69 GP, 11 goals, 40 points (Carolina Hurricanes)
2000-2001: 18 GP, 4 assists, 4 points (Boston Bruins)

When would have been the ideal time to retire? I would say 1997. The year after he hit 74 points with the Wings, and got 34 points with Hartford + Philly.

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[Bring Back Bucky]

Coffey hit more than 30 points in just twice of his last 5 seasons, after scoring 50+ points in each of his 15 previous seasons.

1995-1996: 76 GP, 14 goals, 74 points (Detroit Red Wings)
1996-1997: 37 GP, 9 goals, 34 points (Hartford-Philadelphia)
1997-1998: 57 GP, 2 goals, 29 points (Philadelphia Flyers)
1998-1999: 44 GP, 2 goals, 10 points (Chicago-Carolina)
1999-2000: 69 GP, 11 goals, 40 points (Carolina Hurricanes)
2000-2001: 18 GP, 4 assists, 4 points (Boston Bruins)

When would have been the ideal time to retire? I would say 1997. The year after he hit 74 points with the Wings, and got 34 points with Hartford + Philly.

I still have the fondest of memories Paul, and as long as he was happy playing, it didn't matter to me. I don't think our hockey heroes need to retire at the peak of their games to preserve their greatness. They can stay till they drag em off kicking and screaming for all I care.

 

[hunter1909*]

I still have the fondest of memories Paul, and as long as he was happy playing, it didn't matter to me. I don't think our hockey heroes need to retire at the peak of their games to preserve their greatness. They can stay till they drag em off kicking and screaming for all I care.

i never saw a faster skater than paul coffey...

he used to skate around the ice like an angry bee

awesome

 

[Big Phil]

I voted for 1997. He was in the delicne at that time. He was traded to Hartford that year because Keith Primeau was holding out with Detroit. He never was the same after that.

But a marvellous career he had though. And there has never been a faster skater in NHL history. Paul had smooth skating ability. He didnt look like he was going too fast cuase he wasnt choppy when he was skating but he would still be the fastest in the NHL today in his prime. There's a clip in the '87 Canada Cup in game 2 or three where he leads a rush deep into the Russian end and then the Russians counter and go the other way. Paul just casually skates backwards and is standing right in front of Makarov who is a fast skater in his own right.

Coffey was just so much faster than anyone else on the ice and he knew it too.

 

[discostu]

I put 2001.

I've never understood fans who want players to retire before they want to.

Paul had a desire to keep playing. I don't blame him. He dedicated himself to the game his entire life. It's hard to switch that part of you off. Nothing he could do in the late stages of his career can take away from his accomplishments of his peak years. I don't know what Coffey is doing in his post playing career now, but up until 2001, it obviously wasn't exciting enough to him to justify quitting the game he loves.

As a fan, I admire a player that will keep playing until he can't make it in the league anymore. It shows a passion for the game.

 

[Ric Flair]

One of my favorite all time players. I would have liked to have seen him go out on top rather then playing 10 mintues stints with a team here and there.

 

[Accord]

He should have retired at the end of the 1999-00 season.

 

[StevenintheATL]

He should have retired after the 1993-1994 season. This was the last really good season he had (other than the 1995-1996 season with Detriot).

 

[hockeytown9321]

I picked 1996 because it was the earliest date available. I wish he would've retired the year before the Red Wings got him. What a liability he was. If he didn't have the speed he had to cover up for his thousands of defensive gaffs, he would never have made the league. Its no wonder Scotty Bowman traded him twice.

 

[X8oD]

The year he scored on Detroit, when he played for Detroit, and started to celebrate.

 

[jacketracket*]

Don't want to sound selfish here, but I wish he would have played one more season, so that I might have had a chance to see him play in person.

 

[CH Wizard]

2001

 

[VanIslander]

The year was 1994. As a university student in Windsor in I went to watch my childhood hero Coffey play at the Joe. I knew to expect him to be slower than his heydays. What I didn't expect was to see an entire game of absolutely horrid defense on his part. Every shift I followed his play and was amazed at his lack of defensive skill. The guy is like a bungee chord tied to the puck, easily faked, often out of position, stripped twice of the puck, sad really. Sure he got an assist that game. But he cost them a goal too as well as a couple of other opportunities. I was so shocked that I had to go to another game just to assure myself that it was an especially off night for him. And the next game he was worse. I lost all respect for him as a defenseman. Thankfully the Red Wings played a left wing lock, to provide a second d-man. All those who used to say Coffey wasn't a defenseman, but instead a fourth forward were correct. He plays as much defense as Cliff Ronning. Though he used to look a lot more like a Pavel Bure.

Coffey should've been no more than a powerplay specialist in 1994.

 

[hockeytown9321]

The year he scored on Detroit, when he played for Detroit, and started to celebrate.

I have no dobut that cost Detroit the Cup that year. If he wouldn't have scored that goal, Detroit would've won the game and the entire series would've been different. Even if everything else was equal, there would have been a game 7 back in Detroit.

Its not just that it went in off him. He actually physically shot the puck into his own net. Its said Scotty had nothing to do with him from that pint forward, and I don't blame him.

 

[hockeytown9321]

The year was 1994. As a university student in Windsor in I went to watch my childhood hero Coffey play at the Joe. I knew to expect him to be slower than his heydays. What I didn't expect was to see an entire game of absolutely horrid defense on his part. Every shift I followed his play and was amazed at his lack of defensive skill. The guy is like a bungee chord tied to the puck, easily faked, often out of position, stripped twice of the puck, sad really. Sure he got an assist that game. But he cost them a goal too as well as a couple of other opportunities. I was so shocked that I had to go to another game just to assure myself that it was an especially off night for him. And the next game he was worse. I lost all respect for him as a defenseman. Thankfully the Red Wings played a left wing lock, to provide a second d-man. All those who used to say Coffey wasn't a defenseman, but instead a fourth forward were correct. He plays as much defense as Cliff Ronning. Though he used to look a lot more like a Pavel Bure.

Coffey should've been no more than a powerplay specialist in 1994.

I was watching a tape from the 94 series vs. San Jose a few weeks ago. There is no way Coffey could make any team today the way he played. More than once he got trapped behind San Jose's net while killing a penalty after leading a 1 on 3 or 1 on 4 rush. It was mind boggling.

 

[Rowsdower]

I put 2001.

I've never understood fans who want players to retire before they want to.

Paul had a desire to keep playing. I don't blame him. He dedicated himself to the game his entire life. It's hard to switch that part of you off. Nothing he could do in the late stages of his career can take away from his accomplishments of his peak years. I don't know what Coffey is doing in his post playing career now, but up until 2001, it obviously wasn't exciting enough to him to justify quitting the game he loves.

As a fan, I admire a player that will keep playing until he can't make it in the league anymore. It shows a passion for the game.

I'm with you.