JaysCyYoung
Registered User
This is a really excellent poll comparison. Both were physically-intimidating defenders that could fight and often did, although like it has already been pointed out Robinson tended to do this fewer times in the second-half of his career in order to preserve his aura of invincibility somewhat. Both were also extremely talented offensively but dropped off in production once they were on the wrong-side of thirty. I don't believe that there's much of a question that Chelios was a quality defenceman for a longer period of time. His Norris Trophy runner-up to teammate Lidstrom and First All-Star Team selection in 2001-02 at age forty is indicative of his high level of play over an insanely long period of times. And obviously right now he's somewhat of a "compiler" in the vague sense of the term, still contributing at a high level in the AHL. But for peak value, like a few other posters have mentioned, you have to go with Robinson. Big Bird was the best defenceman and go-to-guy on the blueline for four consecutive Montreal Stanley Cup champion squads. He was probably the best all-around defenceman in the world or close to it (with only Denis Potvin challenging him) from 1976-77 until 1980-81. I don't think that you could have ever said the same thing about Chelios. To be fair, he did have an overall slightly more difficult set of star contemporaries to contend with than Robinson did in Leetch, Bourque, Coffey, Lidstrom, MacInnis, and Pronger, but I also don't think that he ever reached the monumental heights that Robinson did with those legendary Habs squads.
Chris Chelios
Career overall totals: 1651 GP 185 goals 763 assists 948 points +350
Career averages: 64 GP 7 goals 30 assists 37 points +14
Career 82 game averages: 9 goals 38 assists 47 points +17
*11-time All-Star Game selection: 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002
*James Norris Memorial Trophy: 1989, 1993, 1996
*NHL All-Rookie Team: 1985
*NHL First All-Star Team: 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002
*NHL Second All-Star Team: 1991, 1997
*Stanley Cup Champion: 1986, 2002, 2008
Larry Robinson
Career overall totals: 1384 GP 208 goals 750 assists +730
Career averages: 69 GP 10 goals 38 assists 48 points +36
Career 82 game averages: 12 goals 44 assists 56 points +43
*10-time All-Star Game selection: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992.
*James Norris Memorial Trophy: 1977, 1980
*NHL First All-Star Team: 1977, 1979, 1980
*NHL Second All-Star Team: 1978, 1981, 1986
*Stanley Cup Champion: 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986
Chelios has the edge in longevity, with six additional seasons played to Robinson's still-impressive twenty total. Robinson was a better offensive player who scored more goals and compiled more assists (albeit with a superior supporting cast in most years), and the two both played a large portion of their careers in highly-offensive eras (Robinson in the late 70s and early 80s and Chelios in the mid 80s and early 90s) so a direct comparison is possible in this regard. Chelios has the edge with three Norris Trophies to Robinson's two and was on two more First All-Star Teams (five to three) than Robinson. Robinson had one more Second All-Star Team nod (three to two). All together, Chelios was selected to seven year-end All-Star Teams to Robinson's six. From a team standpoint Robinson, as previously mentioned, was the fortunate beneficiary of playing on arguably the greatest hockey dynasty of all-time, but he was a key cog on that team and his 1976-77 season where he put up 85 points and was a +120 (second only to Orr's +124 in 1969-70) remains one of the finest seasons by a defenceman in league history. He won six Stanley Cup titles over a twenty year period to Chelios' three titles over twenty-six years, and was a key cog on every one of them with the sole exception of the 1973 win where he was a rookie (albeit produced well in the playoffs with five points in eleven games and solid defensive play).
Personally I will go with the man with more championships and a higher peak. On a list of all-time defencemen in the NHL I generally put Chelios in the ten to twelve range while Robinson routinely cracks my top eight list. It's a close call but I think you have to give the edge to Big Bird in this instance.
Chris Chelios
Career overall totals: 1651 GP 185 goals 763 assists 948 points +350
Career averages: 64 GP 7 goals 30 assists 37 points +14
Career 82 game averages: 9 goals 38 assists 47 points +17
*11-time All-Star Game selection: 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002
*James Norris Memorial Trophy: 1989, 1993, 1996
*NHL All-Rookie Team: 1985
*NHL First All-Star Team: 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002
*NHL Second All-Star Team: 1991, 1997
*Stanley Cup Champion: 1986, 2002, 2008
Larry Robinson
Career overall totals: 1384 GP 208 goals 750 assists +730
Career averages: 69 GP 10 goals 38 assists 48 points +36
Career 82 game averages: 12 goals 44 assists 56 points +43
*10-time All-Star Game selection: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992.
*James Norris Memorial Trophy: 1977, 1980
*NHL First All-Star Team: 1977, 1979, 1980
*NHL Second All-Star Team: 1978, 1981, 1986
*Stanley Cup Champion: 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1986
Chelios has the edge in longevity, with six additional seasons played to Robinson's still-impressive twenty total. Robinson was a better offensive player who scored more goals and compiled more assists (albeit with a superior supporting cast in most years), and the two both played a large portion of their careers in highly-offensive eras (Robinson in the late 70s and early 80s and Chelios in the mid 80s and early 90s) so a direct comparison is possible in this regard. Chelios has the edge with three Norris Trophies to Robinson's two and was on two more First All-Star Teams (five to three) than Robinson. Robinson had one more Second All-Star Team nod (three to two). All together, Chelios was selected to seven year-end All-Star Teams to Robinson's six. From a team standpoint Robinson, as previously mentioned, was the fortunate beneficiary of playing on arguably the greatest hockey dynasty of all-time, but he was a key cog on that team and his 1976-77 season where he put up 85 points and was a +120 (second only to Orr's +124 in 1969-70) remains one of the finest seasons by a defenceman in league history. He won six Stanley Cup titles over a twenty year period to Chelios' three titles over twenty-six years, and was a key cog on every one of them with the sole exception of the 1973 win where he was a rookie (albeit produced well in the playoffs with five points in eleven games and solid defensive play).
Personally I will go with the man with more championships and a higher peak. On a list of all-time defencemen in the NHL I generally put Chelios in the ten to twelve range while Robinson routinely cracks my top eight list. It's a close call but I think you have to give the edge to Big Bird in this instance.
