Bobby Clarke Versus Bryan Trottier

Who was better?


  • Total voters
    99

GlitchMarner

Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Jul 21, 2017
9,712
6,432
Brampton, ON
Which centre was better?

one_clarke03.jpg


Trottier-captain-2.jpg
 

Pantokrator

Who's the clown?
Jan 27, 2004
6,147
1,311
Semmes, Alabama
I think Clarke's desire to win made him a better player - according to various players, he'd carve your eye out with his stick if it meant it would help the team win.
 

Appleyard

Registered User
Mar 5, 2010
31,646
40,710
Copenhagen
twitter.com
Objectively I would say the balance tips slightly in Clarkes favour.

Offensively he had a similar prime (71-78) vs (77-84), and he was better defensively.

Primes:

Clarke: 540gp, 627 adjusted points: 1.16 adjPPG
Trottier: 532gp, 646 adjusted points: 1.21 adjPPG
 

ESH

Registered User
Jun 19, 2011
5,294
3,394
Objectively I would say the balance tips slightly in Clarkes favour.

Offensively he had a similar prime (71-78) vs (77-84), and he was better defensively.

Primes:

Clarke: 540gp, 627 adjusted points: 1.16 adjPPG
Trottier: 532gp, 646 adjusted points: 1.21 adjPPG

Not that it would change things THAT much, but adjusted points on hockey-reference (I’m pretty sure that’s what you used) are adjusted to an 82 game season, so both players would have slightly lower P/GP.
 

Nick Hansen

Registered User
Sep 28, 2017
3,119
2,649
Clarke might be better defensively but Trottier at his peak was seen as maybe the most complete center of all time. Could do it all and did it with excellence. Trottier for me.
 

Voight

#winning
Feb 8, 2012
40,374
16,649
Mulberry Street
Trottier, hes a little underrated due to being on the same dynasty as a top 7 defensemen of all time and one of the best goal scorers ever.
 

Sasso09

Registered User
Jan 2, 2009
12,409
1,892
Chicago
Clarke might be better defensively but Trottier at his peak was seen as maybe the most complete center of all time. Could do it all and did it with excellence. Trottier for me.
Clarke was the best defensive forward of all time, won 3 Harts, 6 points off an art ross, gritty and physical, they don't get more complete
 
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Iceman

Registered User
Jun 9, 2014
10,640
2,024
Clarke is a part of the Messier/Esposito tier which is right behind the Morenz/Mikita/Crosby tier of centers but ahead of Trottier/Sakic/Yzerman/Taylor.
 

Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
24,540
13,832
Vancouver
The numbers are pretty similar all things considered, with probably a bit of an edge to Trottier, but Clarke was better defensively. I don't always put a lot of stock in award voting for players I have seen extensively, but for these two, who I haven't as much, the fact that Clarke won 3 Harts and a Pearson over Orr seems telling.
 
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Iapyi

Registered User
Apr 19, 2017
5,072
2,361
Canadian Prairies
I choose Trottier because in my opinion he was a better player though I must say this has been one of the better polls ever on this forum.
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
18,042
12,663
Clarke has the better peak. Each of them had a somewhat short prime. I think they are pretty similar offensively, Clarke the better playmaker and Trottier the better goalscorer, but Clarke is definitely better defensively even though Trottier was good in that regard. Clarke was a good leader as well.
 

AZviaNJ

Setbacks, no Defeats
Mar 31, 2011
6,620
4,199
AZ
Close call, but definitely Trottier IMO. I saw most of Bryan's NYI games, he was the best player and glue on those legendary Islander teams. Not sure I've seen a better 200 foot player who could play (exceedingly well) in all situations.

Then reinvented himself into a 3C when his skills began to diminish, playing an important role on the Cup winning Pittsburgh teams.

Won SIX Cups!
 

LordNeverLose

Registered User
Jul 2, 2015
6,509
3,776
Picking a fight
The numbers are pretty similar all things considered, with probably a bit of an edge to Trottier, but Clarke was better defensively. I don't always put a lot of stock in award voting for players I have seen extensively, but for these two, who I haven't as much, the fact that Clarke won 3 Harts and a Pearson over Orr seems telling.
In Trottier's defense he was competing against Gretzky for awards throughout much of his prime. In '82 for example he finished 2nd in Hart voting behind 99.
 

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