Brett Hull: Mike Modano is a top 5 (American?) player of all time

[Nick Hansen]

Modano would've been a very good or great player in any era. Hatcher wouldn't. Zubov is a little in between.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Sundin is better, so are Federov, Bure, Yzerman, Sakic, Selanee, etc... That's 6 better contemporaries already

Not a chance

 

[Schmee]

He's perhaps top five smoothest skaters to ever play, up there with Bure and Lafleur.

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

I don’t think you’ll find any Dallas fans calling him a top five player, but he was exactly the type of player the Stars needed when they moved to Dallas; marketable, fast, and really transformed into a two way player. Sucks that he isn’t overly involved with the organization nowadays.

 

[hairylikebear]

You can read between the lines and stop taking my words literally.

Modano was the best player on those Dallas teams by far.A two-way center who can play both special units and face any other centers, in a conference filled with a disgusting lineup of all-time great centers is beyond vital.

I consider Zubov to be that team's best player but you're entitled to your opinion. Modano was essential, no doubt.

 

[Leafblooded]

Not a chance

I think there's a chance ... then Forsberg, Lindros, Jagr, Iginla, St. Louis, not even mentioning Messier, Lemieux, 99, a whole host of defencemen like Borque, and like 20 more players I'm forgetting about who were better than and more valuable than Modano

 

[M88K]

We'll never know what could have been with him
if he played today he'd really be the prototypical player for todays NHL.
Amazing skating and speed with the actual talent to put up impressive numbers, but alas his career would be stifled by both playing for a consistently defense first oriented team, during the dead puck era.
He's better than his numbers would have you believe (though i could definitely see an argument for Selanne being better from that draft year)
But not top 5, definitely belongs on the top 100 and I'd go maybe as high as top 50, but nowhere near top 5

 

[Leafblooded]

Not a chance

Mike Modano or Mats Sundin?

 

[hairylikebear]

Mike Modano or Mats Sundin?

Sundin is winning by 9 votes. Do you think that maybe there are at least 9 more Leafs fans than Stars fans on HF?

 

[M88K]

Mike Modano or Mats Sundin?

Oh yes, HF opinion polls. the definitive source on all player debates

 

[Boxscore]

Top 5 American, sure. I have him in the 3/4 slot battling with Kane. Chelios and Leetch are 1/2 in my book.

But Top-5 NHL player all-time? Come on now. And I like me some Mikey Mo.

 

[Leafblooded]

Sundin is winning by 9 votes. Do you think that maybe there are at least 9 more Leafs fans than Stars fans on HF?

Read the thread as per why there's a chance though... Just like Sundin wasn't top 5, neither was Modano, it's just a preposterous idea that you have that there's no chance that Sundin is better even though at best they're objectively equal players with different strengths. Modano was soft, Sundin was not. Hence why Sundin was more valuable in that era in my opinion. But neither of them even comfortably make the top 15 of their generation.

 

[MadLuke]

According to brett hull during the nhl 100 tribute. Gets pretty high praise from peca as well. Is he underrated or overrated?

(Obviously not top 5)

Brett Hull is generous on those quote for videos I think:

A chorus of Red Wings regularly sang the center's praises. Hall of Famer Brett Hull, his linemate for three seasons, said, "He's the smartest player I've ever played with."

But I think underrated because he played before advanced/usage stats took off is probable, he was still a really great relative corsi guy from 37 to 40 year's old.

 

[hairylikebear]

Read the thread as per why there's a chance though... Just like Sundin wasn't top 5, neither was Modano, it's just a preposterous idea that you have that there's no chance that Sundin is better even though at best they're objectively equal players with different strengths. Modano was soft, Sundin was not. Hence why Sundin was more valuable in that era in my opinion. But neither of them even comfortably make the top 15 of their generation.

I think that poster just likes to speak in superlatives.

 

[Boxscore]

Read the thread as per why there's a chance though... Just like Sundin wasn't top 5, neither was Modano, it's just a preposterous idea that you have that there's no chance that Sundin is better even though at best they're objectively equal players with different strengths. Modano was soft, Sundin was not. Hence why Sundin was more valuable in that era in my opinion. But neither of them even comfortably make the top 15 of their generation.

I'm an American who is a Flyers fan and I'd take Sundin over Modano. Not by much, but I prefer Sundin.

 

[NyQuil]

Mike Modano or Mats Sundin?

Erik Karlsson vs Luke Schenn

Some familiar names in this thread.

 

[MadLuke]

But he was a great two-way franchise center, and if you look at the playoffs ice-time among forwards in the last 30 years (for deep runs), I'm pretty sure his back-to-back runs are #1.He played defensemen minutes.He should have won the Smythe in 1999.

99-00 Modano: 25:26, 23 games
98-99 Sakic: 25:01, 19 games
01-02 Brind'Amour: 24.52, 23 games
98-99 Modano: 24:40, 23 games

NHL.com - Stats

PPG 25 minutes forward, 3:11 of penalty killing and 3:56 of powerplay, that is quite something it is true

 

[Leafblooded]

Oh yes, HF opinion polls. the definitive source on all player debates

Not getting into this, don't care enough to write a disertation. But read my response above to the other dude. Sundin was more valuable even if you don't conaider his higher PPG. Had team on his back. Modano was a soft speedy playmaker whose only career advantage is his (unfairly awarded) stanley cup.

 

[trentmccleary]

We'll never know what could have been with him
if he played today he'd really be the prototypical player for todays NHL.
Amazing skating and speed with the actual talent to put up impressive numbers, but alas his career would be stifled by both playing for a consistently defense first oriented team, during the dead puck era.
He's better than his numbers would have you believe (though i could definitely see an argument for Selanne being better from that draft year)
But not top 5, definitely belongs on the top 100 and I'd go maybe as high as top 50, but nowhere near top 5

He was drafted high, became a star, captain and franchise player for a team he led to the Cup and another Finals appearance. He had an ideal career.

The slight benefit he had to being a part of the "smile generation" (start in a high scoring, peak in low scoring and finish in high scoring) is that people generally call them all extremely consistent throughout their long careers. Modano scored 77 points in 1992, 2002 and 2006. Most people would say that's consistent, not realizing that those numbers meant wildly different things at the time.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Any reason you didn't include, "Brett Hull:" in the title?

Then we could all have a fun laugh at Brett's expense, without getting so riled up first .

 

[Bear of Bad News]

(Obviously not top 5)

Well, then why the f*** did you put that as your thread title?

Edited. Don't do the "look at me" crap again.

 

[mrhockey193195]

I consider Zubov to be that team's best player but you're entitled to your opinion. Modano was essential, no doubt.

Personally, I feel like that's revisionist history. Zubov elevated himself to Norris-caliber defenseman after those cup runs. Before, many would have said he was the second most important defenseman behind Hatcher.

FWIW, in 98-99, Hatcher (6-18-24) had the same number of even strength points as Zubov (5-19-24), both playing 80+ games and co-leading the team in ice time. The next year, 99-00, Hatcher had one fewer even strength point (2-14-16) than Zubov (5-12-17) in 20 less games. Obviously Zubov played the PP and was effective there (one could argue that the title "PP Specialist" applied), but Hatcher played the PK and was arguably equally as effective there.

Back on topic - I personally find a claim that anyone other than Modano was the Stars most valuable skater to be pretty controversial. As others have said, he was an elite scorer and a marvelous two-way center, especially in the late 90s/early 00s. His stature at the time was similar to that of Kopitar or Toews from 2010 until now.

 

[McRpro]

Gretzky
Orr
Howe
Lemieux
Modano!

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Regardless, obviously Nieuwendyk was great too.But Modano was the motor on that team, the heart.No Modano, no team.

The motor was Zubov, the heart was Hatcher.

what would belfour be? he was the most important player on those teams, imo.

modano vs kopitar would an interesting poll

 

[hairylikebear]

what would belfour be? he was the most important player on those teams, imo.

modano vs kopitar would an interesting poll

Hopefully not the liver

 

[sr edler]

Modano was just so quiet for such a successful franchise center. No awards 'n stuff (even robbed (not performance wise) on the Calder by an over aged Soviet). One 2nd team all-star selection in 99–00. And despite having all the right attributes (skating, shot, hair) for a flashy game, he wasn't that flashy. And not a lot of dramatic headlines (except high prices on dog food). Kopitar's almost a carbon copy, except for the looks.

The reason Modano was better than Sundin in the NHL was because Sundin became slower when he bulked up, and it also always felt he was 10% winger (Sundin) with perhaps not optimal instincts for a fluid 200-foot game.