1971 NHL Entry Draft

[Alex514]

Guy guy guy

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Marcel Dionne was a very good player....he would of been a really good player for the habs....like a Jacques Lemaire or Steve Shutt (not comparing styles, just value to team), but they don't build a statue as one of the four greatest players, for the most storied NHL franchise, for those players.

They do for Guy Lafleur though.

I don't think that's really fair to Dionne, he scored almost 1000 more points career wise than either of them, and more points than those two players combined. It's a shame he never stuck with one team, I think he could've had a much bigger impact in the league.

It's almost impossible to argue against lafleur though, the poll I put in the polls section was around 50/50 last time I checked but I changed it just to who would you have taken #1.

 

[Raimu]

Speaking of the 1971 NHL entry draft, it's weird to think in 2015 that a team used to just be able to trade for the #1 pick no problem.

Just pick up the phone and be like "Yea we want the #1 pick, want to trade it to us for some dudes? Sure? Okay."

 

[CupInSIX]

I don't think that's really fair to Dionne, he scored almost 1000 more points career wise than either of them, and more points than those two players combined. It's a shame he never stuck with one team, I think he could've had a much bigger impact in the league.

It's almost impossible to argue against lafleur though, the poll I put in the polls section was around 50/50 last time I checked but I changed it just to who would you have taken #1.

all that really matters is what the old far- er, I mean, fans lucky enough to have seen the game in the 70's think.

but the point you're trying to make - his good seasons early on, and his longevity. Would it mean another cup for the Habs? Doubtful. Certainly not with the Isles and Oilers dynasties. Probably not against the Broad Street Bullies, either.

 

[JC Superstar]

Speaking of the 1971 NHL entry draft, it's weird to think in 2015 that a team used to just be able to trade for the #1 pick no problem.

Just pick up the phone and be like "Yea we want the #1 pick, want to trade it to us for some dudes? Sure? Okay."

When Pollock did his magic, the Seals were not a sure bet to finish last. But when the Kings threatened them, he traded his third line center Ralph Backstrom to get their first draft choice, making sure they outrun the Seals. So not only they got Lafleur, but they got a better skater, Murray Wilson, too.

 

[Brainiac]

It's a huge 'what if' scenario. Dionne could have been a Habs legend and Lafleur in California might have had less success. And today we'd all be talking about Dionne the legend while Lafleur would be a very good player with little team accomplishment.

Imagine Dionne, but with a more than capable team around him. Could have finished even higher up in career points.

 

[BLNY]

Dionne was a great regular season player. Lafleur was prime time. The bigger the stage, the bigger the performance. Difference in total points can be summed up by two things. 1, Lemaire and mgt went full on defense first and pretty much ran Guy out of town. 2, he quit for 3 years.

He might not have beat Marcel in total points, but if Montreal stayed the course with how they played in the 70s, drafted Savard instead of Wickenheiser, things would have been a lot different imo. Imagine if Guy got to play with Denis. Guy plays with one of the best scorers of the 80s, rejuvenates him, his production doesn't fall off because he's still playing on an up tempo team, and I'd wager he wouldn't have retired the first time. In that scenario, I think Howe's record for points was reachable.

 

[25th]

For his first three years in the NHL, It was as if Lafleur was coached by Michel Therrien. He was either on a leach or in the doghouse. After 1980, his stardom and his lifetyle cought up with him. Then he didn't play for 3 years. If it wasn't for those three facts, Guy would have had as many of more points than Dionne. Throw in the hardware and the clutch performance and there is no point having this debate.

 

[OldCraig71]

For his first three years in the NHL, It was as if Lafleur was coached by Michel Therrien. He was either on a leach or in the doghouse. After 1980, his stardom and his lifetyle cought up with him. Then he didn't play for 3 years. If it wasn't for those three facts, Guy would have had as many of more points than Dionne. Throw in the hardware and the clutch performance and there is no point having this debate.

I saw Guy in an old timers game and he frankly still looked NHL capable. It was in the early 90s.It was against guys in their 20s.

 

[calder candidate]

I don't think there was a bad choice, I don't think we can argue that Dionne could have been even greater with a power house team like Mtl or with a few SC...

 

[Darz]

I don't think that's really fair to Dionne, he scored almost 1000 more points career wise than either of them, and more points than those two players combined. It's a shame he never stuck with one team, I think he could've had a much bigger impact in the league.

It's almost impossible to argue against lafleur though, the poll I put in the polls section was around 50/50 last time I checked but I changed it just to who would you have taken #1.

You might be right (Dionne vs Shutt/Lemaire) but at their peaks Dionne was a very good maybe even top 10-15 player in the league, Lafleur was the undisputed best player in the league over a 6-7 year span.

I also disagree with those who say Dionne would of put up better numbers on the habs, than he did with the Wings and especially the Kings...firstly, on the kings the Crown line was as good or better than any one line on the habs at the time (remember your removing Lafleur from the team), secondly with the depth the habs had, Dionne's ice time, PP time etc, would not of been as much as it was on a team with less depth, and thirdly, if he would of remained on the habs during the Lemaire coaching era, his scoring numbers during those years would of been greatly reduced.

 

[groovejuice]

It's really a philosophical debate and there's can never be real evidence. Both HOF, both local, both genius.

Now, Wickenheiser vs. Savard...

 

[groovejuice]

I'll vote Lafleur, because I was already a huge fan when Sam made the 2 magical moves to obtain him.

The most dynamic player ever to wear the bleu, blanc, et rouge.

 

[Scintillating10]

This is something that I'm genuinely curious about. At the 1971 draft the Canadiens had the 1st overall selection and picked Guy Lafleur. Without a doubt, Lafleur was fantastic for the Habs and is one of the all-time greats, but my question is.... did they get the pick wrong? Marcel Dionne was picked 2nd overall, and produced better as an individual.

A breakdown goes as

Lafleur: 1126 games, 560 goals, 793 assists, 1353 points

Dionne: 1348 games, 731 goals, 1040 assists, 1771 points

Lafleur is an all time Hab hero, but going back in time was he the wrong pick? I wasn't alive then so I'm looking for your answers haha.

Yes, I'm bored.

Both are hall of famers, either would not have been wrong. But Lafleur thrived in playoffs. Given he was on lot better team than Dionne though. Dionne was instant star while it took Lafleur 3 years to break out.

 

[kingdok]

It's really a philosophical debate and there's can never be real evidence. Both HOF, both local, both genius.

Now, Wickenheiser vs. Savard...

and then Fischer vs Giroux...

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Knowing what they know today, Pollock still drafts Lafleur. I mean, how can you pass on arguably the best piece of arguably the best team ever.