All time Team Canada?

[Neutrinos]

I find it interesting that Connor McDavid hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread

With all due respect to Howie Morenz, does anybody really think he's better at hockey than McDavid?

 

[JackSlater]

I find it interesting that Connor McDavid hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread

With all due respect to Howie Morenz, does anybody really think he's better at hockey than McDavid?

At the hockey of his own era? Most certainly. McDavid may become an all time Canada level player, but he would be out of place right now. Lafleur is a player who could realistically miss the roster for Canada, and right now Lafleur is unquestionably far ahead of McDavid and he plays at a less loaded position.

 

[Neutrinos]

At the hockey of his own era? Most certainly. McDavid may become an all time Canada level player, but he would be out of place right now. Lafleur is a player who could realistically miss the roster for Canada, and right now Lafleur is unquestionably far ahead of McDavid and he plays at a less loaded position.

If given a choice, I don't think anybody would build around LaFleur if McDavid were available

 

[JackSlater]

If given a choice, I don't think anybody would build around LaFleur if McDavid were available

I would at the moment, so that's pretty demonstrably wrong.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

If given a choice, I don't think anybody would build around LaFleur if McDavid were available

how do you figure?

mcdavid has had an amazing start, and was just as highly touted coming into the league as lafleur, but can you guarantee that he will have a six year peak of three art rosses, two third place finishes, and a fourth; two MVPs, a runner up, a 3rd, a 4th, and a 5th; four cups, leading the playoffs in goals twice and points three times, and potting whatever this era's playoff equivalent of 72 GP, 51 G, 59 A, 110 P is?

that's the amazing thing about lafleur's peak: he had one of the greatest regular season scoring peaks ever, and then equaled it in the playoffs.

mcdavid sure looks like he is on his way to at least those regular season accomplishments, but i don't know if he is any more of a sure thing to do it as lafleur was, given their different circumstances.

 

[Neutrinos]

I would at the moment, so that's pretty demonstrably wrong.

Do you think LaFleur was as talented as McDavid is?

 

[JackSlater]

Do you think LaFleur was as talented as McDavid is?

Roughly yes. More importantly I am confident that Lafleur reached a peak that McDavid has yet to reach.

 

[Neutrinos]

Roughly yes. More importantly I am confident that Lafleur reached a peak that McDavid has yet to reach.

I'm confident that McDavid would've reached that peak had he swapped places with LaFleur

I'm less confident that LaFleur would've been an Art Ross winner with the 2017 and 2018 Oilers

 

[JackSlater]

I'm confident that McDavid would've reached that peak had he swapped places with LaFleur

I'm less confident that LaFleur would've been an Art Ross winner with the 2017 and 2018 Oilers

That's nice. You also suggested that in your opinion no one would choose to build around Lafleur rather than McDavid. At this point Lafleur has done what McDavid has done, but more. Lafleur didn't win scoring titles on a crappy team, but McDavid didn't win scoring titles on a team with a defensive approach and he certainly didn't dominate playoff scoring. There is no comparison between them for now, especially when one is up against wingers and one is up against centres.

 

[jj cale]

Do you think LaFleur was as talented as McDavid is?

Yep, I do. Lafleur was the f***in bomb in his prime.

 

[Sentinel]

Roughly yes. More importantly I am confident that Lafleur reached a peak that McDavid has yet to reach.

Absolutely. McD has done nothing to be placed over Lafleur.

 

[Sentinel]

If we are talking short tournament:

Lemieux Gretzky Howe
Hull Beliveau M. Richard
Yzerman Crosby Lafleur
Trottier Esposito Bossy
Messier

Orr Bourque
Harvey Coffey
Potvin Shore
Robinson

Roy
Plante

Trottier in an off-position, but I think he'd manage.

 

[bobholly39]

I'm confident that McDavid would've reached that peak had he swapped places with LaFleur

I'm less confident that LaFleur would've been an Art Ross winner with the 2017 and 2018 Oilers

You shouldn't sell Lafleur short for peak.

His offensive peak is among the greatest in the history of the sport. He doesn't have a whole lot outside of his peak maybe - and i'm sure in terms of potential you can easily argue drafting McDavid over what you know Lafleur's career turned out to be for example - but if this is about peak there's very very few players you take above Lafleur.

 

[jj cale]

If we are talking short tournament:

Lemieux Gretzky Howe
Hull Beliveau M. Richard
Yzerman Crosby Lafleur
Trottier Esposito Bossy
Messier

Orr Bourque
Harvey Coffey
Potvin Shore
Robinson

Roy
Plante

Trottier in an off-position, but I think he'd manage.

Great team, love this mix.

 

[Laineux]

I find it interesting that Connor McDavid hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread

With all due respect to Howie Morenz, does anybody really think he's better at hockey than McDavid?

Rather, you should probably just wait a bit before force-feeding him into historical comparisons that span through 100 years of hockey history.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

If we are talking short tournament:

Lemieux Gretzky Howe
Hull Beliveau M. Richard
Yzerman Crosby Lafleur
Trottier Esposito Bossy
Messier

Orr Bourque
Harvey Coffey
Potvin Shore
Robinson

Roy
Plante

Trottier in an off-position, but I think he'd manage.

Yzerman and Lemieux as well.

 

[Sentinel]

Yzerman and Lemieux as well.

Obviously, given their 2002 and 1987 performance.

 

[BenchBrawl]

The all time Team Canada is the same as the all time NHL team.

Not exactly but their difference would be splitting hairs.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Here's a possible lineup out of many.Not the best on paper, but something that could be workable.I disregard position completely and put many centers on the wing.

Lemieux-Gretzky-Howe
Hull-Beliveau(C)-Lafleur
Messier(A)-H.Richard-M.Richard
Lindros-Clarke(A)-Crosby

Trottier, Bossy, Esposito, Morenz, Nighbor

Bourque-Orr
Potvin(A)-Harvey
Robinson-Savard

Shore, Kelly, Park, Gerard

Roy
Plante

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Forwards:
Messier-Gretzky-Howe
Bo. Hull-Lemieux-Richard
Esposito-Crosby-Bossy
Mikita-Beliveau-Lafleur
Backups: Sakic, Yzerman and Trottier
Defencemen:
Orr-Bourque
Niedermeyer-Coffey
Harvey-Robinson
Backups: Pronger, Potvin and Park
Goalies:
Sawchuk
Roy
Brodeur

The fact that players like Pronger, Sakic and Yzerman are potentially backups on any sort of squad speaks major volumes as to how loaded this team is​

Trottier played for the USA.

 

[streitz]

Probert - Lindros- C. Lemieux
Verbeek - Bobby Clarke - Howe
Linseman- Messier - Tocchet
T. Williams- Dale Hunter- Schultz



Harvey- Stevens
Potvin - Pronger
McSorley- Manson



Billy Smith
Hextall




I have no idea how good they'd be, but I'm willing to bet they'd entertain everyone.


I'd also tell them to sweep the knee.



O'Rielly, Neely came close, but none are dirty enough for me.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Counting international play (Howe, Beliveau and others who didn't have memorable international career are out).

Forwards: B. Hull, B. Shanahan, M. Bossy, J. Iginla, M. Gartner, G. Lafleur, M. Dionne, W. Gretzky, P. Esposito, S. Yzerman, M. Lemieux, J. Sakic, M. Messier, S. Crosby

Defensemen: R. Bourque, P. Coffey, B. Orr, D. Potvin, S. Niedermayer, C. Pronger, A. MacInnis, R. Blake

Goaltenders: M. Brodeur, C. Price, R. Luongo

 

[seventieslord]

The all time Team Canada is the same as the all time NHL team.

Build an all-time 20-man roster regardless of country. Remove Lidstrom, Hasek, Ovechkin and Jagr, replace them as you see fit, and there's an all-time team Canada.

 

[JackSlater]

I see that I discussed this before, but I'd certainly have McDavid firmly on the team now. Maybe as LW with Beliveau and Howe.

 

[Pominville Knows]

How about this forward corps?

Mario Lemieux Wayne Gretzky Maurice Richard
Bobby Hull Jean Beliveau Gordie Howe
Mark Messier Frank Nighbor Bill Cook
Craig Ramsay Patrice Bergeron Claude Lemieux​