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Best players by franchise

Randall Graves*

Guest
Haven't seen this done here.. name the best players in each franchises history.


Anaheim: Teemu Selanne
HM: Paul Kariya

Atlanta: Ilya Kovalchuk

Boston: Bobby Orr
HM: Ray Bourque

Buffalo: Dominik Hasek
HM: Gilbert Perrault, Dave Andreychuk

Calgary: Al McInnis
HM: Theo Fluery

Carolina/Hartford: Ron Francis

Chicago: Bobby Hull
HM: Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, Stan Makita, Tony Esposito

Colorado: Joe Sakic
HM: Patrick Roy, Peter Forsberg

Columbus: Rick Nash

Dallas/Minnesota: Mike Modano
HM: Neal Broten

Detroit: Gordie Howe
HM: Niklas Lidstrom, Steve Yzerman, Red Kelly

Edmonton: Wayne Gretzky
HM: Mark Messier

Florida: John Vanbiesbrouck

Los Angeles: Luc Robitaille
HM: Wayne Gretzky, Marcel Dionne

Montreal: Doug Harvey
HM: Larry Robinson, Maurice Richard, Ken Dryden, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur

Nashville: Tomas Vokoun
HM: Scott Walker

New Jersey Devils: Martin Broduer
HM: Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer

New York Islanders: Denis Potvin
HM: Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy, Billy Smith

New York Rangers: Mark Messier
HM: Brian Leetch, Jean Ratelle, Brad Park

Ottawa: Daniel Alfredsson
HM: Marian Hossa

Philadelphia: Bobby Clarke
HM: Bernie Parent

Phoenix/Winnipeg: Keith Tkachuk
HM: Dale Hawerchuk

Pittsburgh: Mario Lemieux
HM: Jaromir Jagr

San Jose: Patrick Marleau

St.Louis: Brett Hull
HM: Chris Pronger, Al McInnis

Tampa Bay: Vincent LeCavalier
HM: Brad Richards

Toronto: Tim Horton
HM: Mats Sundin, Bjorne Salming, Red Kelly

Vancouver: Pavel Bure
HM: Trevor Linden

Washington: Peter Bondra
HM: Mike Gartner, Olaf Kolzig

Some teams were really hard to nail down, such as Montreal who has several candidates that can claim they are the best player in Canadiens history.

Some of the newer teams, such as Tampa Bay and San Jose were pretty difficult.

Obviously my list is not perfect so flame away or come up with your own.
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#66

#66

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Dec 30, 2003
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Harvey over Rocket is a better debate than people would want to admit. Also IMO:

Bill Cook = Best Ranger ever.

Eddie Shore > Ray Bourque

Dionne > Luc
 

Randall Graves*

Guest
RSBPC said:
The other Minny...
Click to expand...
I knew that, but all I could think of for the 'new' minny was Gaborik or one of the goalies..

and just because I didn't list a guy as an honorable mention doesn't mean a case can't be made for a certain player.
 
raleh

raleh

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Oct 17, 2005
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I'll do top three from the original 6

Montreal- Rocket, Morenz, Harvey
Toronto- Apps, Keon, Horton
Boston- Orr, Shore, Bourqe
Chicago- Hull, Mikita, Pilote
New York- Messier, Cook, Bathgate
Detroit- Howe, Yzerman, Kelly
 
Sens Rule

Sens Rule

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Sep 22, 2005
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I think Gretzky is the greatest player in Kings History. While Marcel Dionne was there longer and had an amazing career as a King he wasn't nearly as good as Gretzky in peak performance as a King. And the Kings had alot more success in the Gretzky era than they did when Dionne was the best player on the Kings.

Dionne played 11.75 seasons for the Kings getting traded at the 1987 trade deadline. He put up an amazing 1307 points in 921 games those years and was never a sub PPG player on the Kings (1.42 PPG). He played 43 playoff games in his Kings career and put up 43 points in them. He won 1 scoring title and was a first team All-star twice and a second team All-Star twice. He never won a Hart but was the Pearson winner twice in 1979 and 1980. He had 7 100 point seasons.

Gretzky played 7.75 seasons for the Kings and was traded at the 1996 deadline. He won the Hart Trophy once and the Art Ross 3 times. He was a 1st team All-star once and a 2nd team All-star 3 times. He had years of 168, 162, 142 points with the Kings and 5 100 point years overall. He scored 918 points in 539 games for the Kings in the regular season (1.70 ppg). The biggest reason for picking Gretzky of Dionne is his playoff performances. Gretzky played 60 playoff games for the Kings. He got 94 points in those games and was far and away the best player on the Kings only Stanley Cup finals appearance in 1993.

Luc Robitaille was an amazing player for the Kings but he simply was not as good a player as Gretzky or Dionne who were at one point in their Kings career either the best player in the world or top 3. Lucky Luc was great and a Hall of Famer but was never one of the very best players in the NHL.
 
Sens Rule

Sens Rule

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saskganesh said:
as any Jets fan knows, it has to be Bobby Hull.
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If not Hull than clearly Hawerchuk. Tkachuk is not close to Hawerchuk. Hawerchuk played 9 years for the franchise and missed only 7 games in that time. Tkachuk played 10 seasons with only 17 games his first season and was traded in his last season. So about 9 full seasons after that but missed 70+ games in those 9years. So Hawerchuk played more games for the franchise, scored more goals, got more points.

Hawerchuk: Seven 40 goal seasons; Six 100 pt years; Eight 90 pt years; Nine 80 point years; was a point a game player every Jets season he played.

Tkachuk: Four 40 goal seasons; Zero 100 pt years; One 90 pt years; Three 80 point years; was a point a game player 5 times in 10 seasons for the Jets.

There is no possible way Tkachuk should even be considered for the best franchise player.

Though Bobby Hull is the winner becuse the team was NAMED after him. If a team is named after you you are the Franchise!!!!!!!

I'd pick Thomas Steen and Teppo Numminen over Tkachuk as well.
 
JimmyPage

JimmyPage

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Jan 22, 2005
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Toronto
Calgary: Al McInnis
HM: Theo Fluery
Have to add Joe Neiuwendyk here.

Dallas/Minnesota: Mike Modano
HM: Neal Broten
I would add Bobby Smith as an HM.

Edmonton: Wayne Gretzky
HM: Mark Messier
Huge omisions here. If you are adding multple HMs to the other lists, where are Paul Coffey & Jari Kurri?

Los Angeles: Luc Robitaille
HM: Wayne Gretzky, Marcel Dionne
No doubt it should be Gretzky.

Phoenix/Winnipeg: Keith Tkachuk
HM: Dale Hawerchuk
Hawerchuk should be number one here.

I'll add the this:

Quebec: Peter Stansny
HM: Michel Goullet, Dale Hunter

Overall a great job on the list. Kudos:clap: .
 

Randall Graves*

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RE: Edmonton, there were lots of names that could've been listed but really there's not much of a contest, whereas with a team like the Canadiens you can make a case for several guys.
 

God Bless Canada

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Jul 11, 2004
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Bentley reunion
raleh said:
I'll do top three from the original 6

Montreal- Rocket, Morenz, Harvey
Toronto- Apps, Keon, Horton
Boston- Orr, Shore, Bourqe
Chicago- Hull, Mikita, Pilote
New York- Messier, Cook, Bathgate
Detroit- Howe, Yzerman, Kelly
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Beliveau isn't in the top three all-time for the Habs? Care to elaborate why? There are some who rank him No. 1 all-time among the Habs. I'll rate Richard No. 1 myself, but Beliveau has to be one of the top three. Not just for skill, but physical play, leadership and class.

RallyKiller, I'll rate Linden No. 1 all-time among the Canucks. A better playoff performer than Bure, and we all know that playoffs are what counts. Ted Lindsay has to be an HM for Detroit. I'd rate him ahead of Lidstrom, even though Lindsay's departure wasn't under the most felicitous circumstances. But a commendable, excellent effort.

There was a rare interesting thread in the NHL forum asking for the all-time lines for each franchise. Toronto would likely be the most difficult, as they've had a lot of all-time greats, but outside of Horton, nobody who stands out as a cinch for Toronto's all-time team. BTW, LL, how can you rate Wendel Clark ahead of Frank Mahovlich (a top-three all-time LW) or King Clancy?
 
Static

Static

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In its history...as in ever playing for the team? No offense to Teemu, but Scott Niedermayer is easily the best player to ever wear a Ducks uniform.
 
Sens Rule

Sens Rule

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Static said:
In its history...as in ever playing for the team? No offense to Teemu, but Scott Niedermayer is easily the best player to ever wear a Ducks uniform.
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Well Selanne led the NHL in goals in 1999. He also led the NHL in goals in 1998 in a Ducks uniform. In 1997 he was second in goals. In 1997 he was 2nd in NHL points, 8th in 1998, 2nd in 1999, 5th in 2000. So in 4 full seasons for the Ducks he was in the top 2 in the NHL in Goals 3 times, was in the top 8 in scoring all 4 seasons. He was a 1st team All star in 1997 and a 2nd team in 1998 and 1999. He had two 50 goal seasons and two 100 point seasons in the dead puck era. In 1998 when Kariya his linemate played only 22 games Selanne led the NHL in goals.

Kariya was 7th in 1996; 3rd in 1997, 3rd in 1999, 4th in 2000, 13th in 2003 in NHL points. He played 9 years with the Ducks. 2 hundred point years and a 99 point one. Was on the only Duck team that advanced to the finals. First team All-star in 1996, 1997, 1999 and a second team All-star in 2000 and 2003.

Really saying Niedermeyer is easily better than Kariya or Selanne in their primes is ignorant. You lead the NHL in goals 2 straight years and finish 2nd the year before that and that is crazy dominance.

And Niedermeyer has played a whopping 1 season with the Ducks. Sorry winning the Rocket Richard trophy is more impressive than finishing second in the Norris voting.
 
Static

Static

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Selanne was a goal scorer and not much else. Did he play defense? Not really. Did he lead us to postseason runs? No. Since when do stats define how good, or valueble a player is? A great measure of great players, but not the defining factor.

I watched Selanne when he was leading the league in goals, so dont call me ignorant. Simply put, Scott Niedermayer is the best player Ive ever seen in a Ducks uniform. I dont care about the stats, longevity, whatever, he is the best Ive seen.

Oh, and sorry, winning the Rocket is not as good as winning the norris, or finishing 2nd. Why? Becuase scoring goals is a team effected stat, its not like he scored 50 unassisted goals. Defense is individual, pure and simple.By your assessment, Cheecho is better than Niedermayer because he won the Rocket....is that even close to being true? Hell no.
 
Sens Rule

Sens Rule

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Static said:
Selanne was a goal scorer and not much else. Did he play defense? Not really. Did he lead us to postseason runs? No. Since when do stats define how good, or valueble a player is? A great measure of great players, but not the defining factor.

I watched Selanne when he was leading the league in goals, so dont call me ignorant. Simply put, Scott Niedermayer is the best player Ive ever seen in a Ducks uniform. I dont care about the stats, longevity, whatever, he is the best Ive seen.

Oh, and sorry, winning the Rocket is not as good as winning the norris, or finishing 2nd. Why? Becuase scoring goals is a team effected stat, its not like he scored 50 unassisted goals. Defense is individual, pure and simple.By your assessment, Cheecho is better than Niedermayer because he won the Rocket....is that even close to being true? Hell no.
Click to expand...

Selanne was one of the top players in the NHL for the entire 6 seasons he was in Anaheim. He wasn't some useless one dimensional player. What I found ignorant was how you said Nieds was EASILY the best player ever to play for the Ducks. You might think he is the best, maybe many Ducks fans do, but saying he is EASILY better than a surefire Hall of Famer who was at his absolute peak with the Ducks is IGNORANT. It is like saying Lidstrom is EASILY better than Jagr. You can debate who is better but to say one is EASILY better is ignorant.

Defence is important of course but really the Norris is a far more team affected trophy then is the Rocket Richard trophy. Saying that Defence is INDIVIDUAL PURE AND SIMPLE is also ignorant. How many Norris winners were on crappy teams?

Both Defence and Offence are team things and not up to the individual.
 

Randall Graves*

Guest
Static said:
In its history...as in ever playing for the team? No offense to Teemu, but Scott Niedermayer is easily the best player to ever wear a Ducks uniform.
Click to expand...
1 year is not enough to make him the best player in franchise history. it was a combination of length and excellence..
 

Chrisd

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Dec 20, 2005
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this just in the wild and stars are different franchises....

broten best player in stars history.

gaborik best in wild history.
 

Ofuzz

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Jul 11, 2006
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When they played in these cities....

Winnipeg[/B]: Bobby Hull.....period. Honerable mention: Dale Hawerchuk, Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson.

Hartford: Ron Francis, honerable mention:Mike Liut

Quebec: Peter Stastny, Honerable mention: Michel Goulet,

California Seals: Gilles Meloche, Honerable mention, Dennis Maruk, Al MacAdam

Kansas City Scouts: Wilf Paiement

Colorado Rockies: Lanny MacDonald

Quebec Bulldogs: Joe Malone

Vancouver Millionaires: Fred "Cyclone" Taylor


Help me out with these teams: Montreal Maroons, Brooklyn Americans, anymore....
 
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