Merrrlin
Grab the 9 iron, Barry!
- Jul 2, 2019
- 6,768
- 6,925
I think they were roughly on par as players. Similar offensively, with Lindros a better goalscorer and Forsberg a better playmaker. Forsberg was better defensively, but both dominated possession time and GF% though. Both were highly physical in different ways. I think I've always ultimately preferred Forsberg because I think he was a bit of a smarter player and seemed better able to adapt to different teams in the playoffs. I do wonder though if Lindros would have been better if he remained healthy, given he was more dominant offensively out of gate.
lol noLindros, top 5 player of all time when healthy.
Lindros, top 5 player of all time when healthy.
lol - he may not even be a top 5 player for his decade, let alone all time
When healthy, Lindros was challenging Jagr for best offensive player in the league (sans Mario) although Jagr took it up a slight higher notch at his peak.
Add in the obvious physicality he brought and, IMO, was arguably the best player (or soon to be crowned) after Mario's retirement in "97. Injuries kept him from taking that title.
Forsberg looked to be on that same level offensively from '02 to '04 but similarly could not take the best player title.
I honestly wonder if Lindros would have been better if he had gotten to grow with that Nordiques core. He had to really lift the Flyers on his shoulders it felt like.
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.
Lindros, top 5 player of all time when healthy.
top 5 forward* and i think Howe is highly overrated. Healthy Lindros is only clearly behind Mario and Wayne. He was the most dominant thing hockey has ever seen.Gretzky, Lemieux, Howe, and Orr are top four in no particular order. That cannot be argued.
What is your argument for Lindros over the likes of Bobby Hull, Hasek, or even say ..Jagr? I haven't even gotten to Richard, Beliveau, Harvey, Ovi, or Crosby.
Goal scoringOnly thing Lindros had on Forsberg was size
top 5 forward* and i think Howe is highly overrated. Healthy Lindros is only clearly behind Mario and Wayne. He was the most dominant thing hockey has ever seen.
Bobby Hull???
You're overrating Sakic retroactively. Lindros was on a best-on-best Canadian national team before Sakic, the 1991 Canada Cup. He would have slotted in in front of Sakic on the Nordiques solely based on hype. You're also overrating Sakic in relation to Forsberg. Forsberg wasn't a 2C behind Sakic except for perhaps one or two seasons early on. Forsberg around the turn of the century was the best allround C in the game and his aura alone scared opponent teams to death, I say that as a fan of a team in the same division as Forsberg for most of the late 90s/early 00s.