Better hockey player: Lindros or Forsberg? [not career accomplishments]

[MrOT]

The NA bias on full display again. Lindros has no business leading this poll with such a margin.

Most experts has Forsberg and Lindros fairly similar in terms of peak and ability. Yet HF voters have Lindros almost as far ahead as Forsberg was in the Forsberg - Iginla poll. Ridicolous

 

[ElLeetch]

I know most of this board is too young to have seen either player live, but i will say this: When my team had COL and PHI coming up in the schedule, i feared the PHI games. I knew we would likely lose to both, but with PHI, we could come out both mentally and physically destroyed, and i genuinely worried about Lindros breaking the bones and the spirits of our players.

The Rangers, after 1997, essentially rebuilt their entire team just because of Lindros and his team. Thats how much of an impact he had on the game.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

Prime for prime it's easily Lindros. Forsberg is literally Lindros-lite.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

The NA bias on full display again. Lindros has no business leading this poll with such a margin.

Most experts has Forsberg and Lindros fairly similar in terms of peak and ability. Yet HF voters have Lindros almost as far ahead as Forsberg was in the Forsberg - Iginla poll. Ridicolous

That's just not true, the poll should be even more slanted towards Lindros. We're talking about a generational player vs a perennial superstar, there's a bit of a tier difference.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

how was lindros the better hockey player overall when his only advantage to Foppa was his unique physical attributes?
Foppa had as you said better skillset, much better hands, better vision and was a better two way player.
Lindros is the type of player North Americans love but let's be honest, in term of pure skills and subtility, he was good but not incredible and certainly not at Foppa's level.

Lindros was bigger, more physical, just as good defensively (super underrated in that aspect) much better shot, much better skater. Skillset-tools wise Lindros is almost unmatched. Forsberg only advantage is playmaking/passing.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

In the 90s you have Lemieux, Jagr, Hasek, Gretzky who all peaked at a higher level than Lindros. I'd probably have Lindros 5th - but guys like Forsberg, Sakic and a few others are in that vicinity too.

I'm not trying to disparage Lindros - he was great, especially at his best - but top 5 all time is such a ridiculous overstatement.

Prime for prime lindros is a top 5 forward in NHL history. He was that dominant.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

He'd of been more sheltered as well as getting get the #2 minutes behind Sakic. So he may score more in a Malkin-esque way (competition will be focused on Sakics line) but does not get the premium ice time to rack up the points.

Now Forsberg still had some great seasons behind Sakic,. but a couple of those were when he (Sakic) was hurt. So maybe in this fantasy scenario the same thing happens w/ Lindros.

Yeah, no. Lindros would not have been behind Sakic.

 

[bobholly39]

Prime for prime lindros is a top 5 forward in NHL history. He was that dominant.

If you remove from history all of Gretzky, Lemieux, howe crosby jagr hull lafleur ovechkin - maybe.

And of course - thats only if we focus on playing ability, and not actual accomplishments. If not we'll have to remove another 15 guys i expect

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Yeah, no. Lindros would not have been behind Sakic.

Game on the line, I’ll take Sakic over Lindros everyday of the week.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Lindros was pretty amazing and dominant when healthy. Forsberg was pretty darn good too. I would pick Lindros over anyone in the 90's except Lemieux.

 

[Maag80]

Interesting results.
Well I confess I am from Sweden, but come on?
I would value Forsberg on a Yzerman / Sakic-level, believe it it not.
Especially when healthy.
Lindros of course have a great tool box and were a fantastic player, but have you seen Forsbergs dominance in games for several years?
All canadiens can't be better players than Swedens most gifted in modern times..???

 

[ScaredStreit]

At their peaks Lindros was better.

 

[Regal]

That's just not true, the poll should be even more slanted towards Lindros. We're talking about a generational player vs a perennial superstar, there's a bit of a tier difference.

That's ridiculous.

 

[HarryLime]

There's so many people coming in here and pulling the classic HF "not even close" "easily player a" I think this is splitting hairs.

 

[BigKing]

Forsberg was an amazing player that was the total package.

Lindros was also the total package in a body that could easily end careers on clean hits every night if he wanted to do so. Just insane.

If you dropped them both in to today's game, they would obviously thrive but I think Lindros would be even that much better. He played during a time where the other team made it a point to physically abuse him and, literally, knock him out of games. The guy took so many cheap shots during his career. Other teams would sic guys like McSorley on him but he'd still go out, put up a couple of points and then drop the gloves with a legit heavyweight.

Not to say Forsberg wasn't targeted but Lindros basically got the hack-a-Shaq treatment except--in hockey--that hacking is done with sticks, elbows and head shots. Much like a Shaq or Cam Newton, he wouldn't always get the call either because he was so big.

Just an unreal force of nature. When the light flicked on an he got pissed off, it was frightening. That additional element puts him over Forsberg for me when the skill sets are pretty equal. Lindros was like Bo Jackson in a sense that you had to be there for it and you can't really describe it well enough to those that weren't there about how unbelievable it was.

 

[Star Ocean]

Prime for prime it's easily Lindros. Forsberg is literally Lindros-lite.

Lindros poor playoff record says othervise.

 

[Star Ocean]

What changed since this poll?

Eric Lindros vs Peter Forsberg

 

[HarryLime]

What changed since this poll?

Eric Lindros vs Peter Forsberg

I can get edibles on snapchat now

 

[Fig]

Interesting results.
Well I confess I am from Sweden, but come on?
I would value Forsberg on a Yzerman / Sakic-level, believe it it not.
Especially when healthy.
Lindros of course have a great tool box and were a fantastic player, but have you seen Forsbergs dominance in games for several years?
All canadiens can't be better players than Swedens most gifted in modern times..???

I just want to mention that Lindros has Swedish heritage.

What changed since this poll?

Eric Lindros vs Peter Forsberg

The questions look similar, but are not the same. This thread is a question is basically about a snapshot at the absolute peak of the players, the thread you are mentioning is about the overall everything of the players. IMO, both poll results are accurate.

 

[Star Ocean]

Lindros is overrated as f***, evident since he took longer than Forsberg to enter HHOF.

Only canadian bias thinks othervise.

Plus he was nothing special in the playoffs.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Lindros, top 5 player of all time when healthy.

What? No.

 

[daver]

Lindros is overrated as f***, evident since he took longer than Forsberg to enter HHOF.

Only canadian bias thinks othervise.

Plus he was nothing special in the playoffs.

I take you aren't Canadian. What makes you think you aren't biased?

 

[biturbo19]

Forsberg. He actually kinda was what Lindros was supposed to be. And he was that for a long time.

I feel like the mythos of "The Lindros" has grown to kind of insane proportions these days. Yes, he was good when he was healthy...but even at his peak, he wasn't this McDavid-esque talent who completely changed the game as people seem to refer to him. He played great on a completely dope line with a pair of other terrific players. Did well...and then his career basically ended. It's crazy to me, the reverence he's somehow garnered as a player based on that. It's on a totally different level, from my perception of what he was and what he did as a player.

 

[ahmon]

Yeah I take Forsberg. Personal taste, I always preferred centeres who are can distribute the puck and make plays.

Its true Lindros was a physical beast. At his peak it looked like Donkey Kong out there. I think if the question was who had a higher "peak" I probably go Lindros.

But Forsberg was the better playmaker, smarter and battled as hard as anyone on the ice.

 

[Lotusflower]

Lindros poor playoff record says othervise.

By the age of 24 Lindros had led the Flyers to two conference finals and a final. Scoring 53 pts in 43 games.

No Joe Sakic at his side no Patrick Roy in net.