Coffey vs. Leetch

[Hardyvan123]

I agree with this. I think Coffey was better than Leetch. But I think Leetch could play on almost any type of team, while Coffey almost needed a run-and-gun team.

Of course, you could also say that Coffey was so good offensively that him forcing your team into a run-and-gun style is a good thing.

I agree here with the "types" of player they were.

Funny I'm moving my office and read in a hockey journal that Leetch was better than Orr defesnivley by those who had seen both.

Very interesting little tidbit.

i copped out and couldn't decide but in a pinch I might take Leetch.

 

[Fourier]

The whole point is to transition quickly and to create odd man rushes.. you don't necessarily have to have 4 players going in deep as long as you out man the defenders and catch the other team going the wrong way.

You're right though, the Oilers seemed to just run back and forth trading chances a lot though.

But hey, they could afford to.

The Oiler's transition game was the best I have ever seen, and by a fair bit. But they were not bad defensively at all, especially when they needed to be.

Coffey, played a style that very much suited the teams he played with in Edmonton and Pittsburgh. I can say that he was better defensively than he was often given credit for. In good part this is because its really hard to score when the other team has the puck in your end. And, at least with the Oilers, Coffey was often responsible for this being the case.

 

[Dark Shadows]

I agree here with the "types" of player they were.

Funny I'm moving my office and read in a hockey journal that Leetch was better than Orr defesnivley by those who had seen both.

Very interesting little tidbit.

i copped out and couldn't decide but in a pinch I might take Leetch.

No doubt that Journal was written by Stan Fischler.
Leetch was not good defensively for a good portion of his career, excluding his best 3-4 years, while Orr is probably top 10 all time defensively.

 

[Hardyvan123]

No doubt that Journal was written by Stan Fischler.
Leetch was not good defensively for a good portion of his career, excluding his best 3-4 years, while Orr is probably top 10 all time defensively.

Actually it wasn't Stan the New York man, it was in one of the hockey news yearbooks around mid to early 90's, can't remember as instead of finishing moving "wasting" time on here.

The interesting point is that Leetch IMO was a better Dman than coffey who was more of a 4th forward IMO and that someone in the hockey elites actually said that someone was better than Orr in anything.

Forsberg for the record was their top guy for at least 2 years in a row in the 04 and 05 yearbooks.

for Dmen that year it went

4th Pronger who was 13th in 04
12 Lidstrom who was 2nd overall in the 04 yearbook
13th Nieds was 19th in 04
17th Blake was 12th in 04
21 Chara NR
30th Gonchar 24th
45th Adam Foote 28th
47th Leetch NR he was at the end and had a good finish with the Leafs that year.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Hard Choice

Hard choice. Paul Coffey was the better skater with higher skills. But he never impressed me as anything but a front runner. Do not see him having the leadership qualities or the ability to stay with a building process from the ground up.Brian Leetch I liked his progress especially after Michel Bergeron left. Roger Neilson helped him alot and he overcame a broken ankle to comeback and win a Stanley Cup under Mike Keenan.Then the hunger seemed to leave and he seemed to cruise.The coaching & management situation in New York was far from ideal but still the questions linger. Far from sold on his long term leadership potential.

For an established team the choice comes down to circumstance.A disciplined team like New Jersey or Dallas and the coaching, Paul Coffey would be a challenge but Brian Leetch would fit in.He may not have the offensive numbers but the team would be regular contenders. Inserting Brian Leetch in New Jersey for a Scott Neidermeyer would work. Inserting Paul Coffey instead of Leetch in New Jersey would produce a short term benefit but a quick divorce.

It comes down to a coaching and management situation as opposed to talent. Sometimes the slightly more talented may not be the more desirable.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

It's Coffey. Better career. Better peak.


But people need to stop trying to sugarcoat how putrid and timid he was defensively. I mean, who are we kidding? We're talking about Paul Coffey.


Also, as a die hard Rangers fan and Leetch supporter, I can honestly say i was never impressed with Leetch's leadership abilities. He was a lead by example guy, played hurt and kept his mouth shut. But he was certainly no motivator, he was rarely vocal about anything controvertial, and the fact that he has admitted to not wanting the Rangers captaincy shows that the leadership intangible should not be mentioned in a discussion involving Leetch.

IMO, Leetch on the 1980s Oilers nets 100 points a season with relative ease. But you can say that about a lot of No. 1 d-men of the 1990s as well.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I agree here with the "types" of player they were.

Funny I'm moving my office and read in a hockey journal that Leetch was better than Orr defesnivley by those who had seen both.

Very interesting little tidbit.

i copped out and couldn't decide but in a pinch I might take Leetch.

Please identify where you got this from. I've got all the Hockey News yearbooks from the 90's. My memory isn't great but I think I might have remember this statement. Not questioning your integrity, just need to note who the clown is that made such a ludicrious statement in a national publication.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

It's Coffey. Better career. Better peak.


But people need to stop trying to sugarcoat how putrid and timid he was defensively. I mean, who are we kidding? We're talking about Paul Coffey.

Also, as a die hard Rangers fan and Leetch supporter, I can honestly say i was never impressed with Leetch's leadership abilities. He was a lead by example guy, played hurt and kept his mouth shut. But he was certainly no motivator, he was rarely vocal about anything controvertial, and the fact that he has admitted to not wanting the Rangers captaincy shows that the leadership intangible should not be mentioned in a discussion involving Leetch.

IMO, Leetch on the 1980s Oilers nets 100 points a season with relative ease. But you can say that about a lot of No. 1 d-men of the 1990s as well.

I wouldn't be that dramatic, but I believe you're general theme is correct.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Please identify where you got this from. I've got all the Hockey News yearbooks from the 90's. My memory isn't great but I think I might have remember this statement. Not questioning your integrity, just need to note who the clown is that made such a ludicrious statement in a national publication.

94-95 yearbook in the top 40 players (current for that time) written by Keith Allen and Steve Dryden

were they stated in ranking Leetch 5 th

"Comparisons to Bobby Orr flowed freely during the playoffs.But those who played against Orr said Leetch is much better defensively."

I never remembered Leetch being a defensive force, but I do find it interesting that anyone in the hockey elite circles even mentions that any Dman could be better than Orr at any facet of the game.

Also Leetch is only 25-26 when this is being written so it really stood out for me.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

94-95 yearbook in the top 40 players (current for that time) written by Keith Allen and Steve Dryden

were they stated in ranking Leetch 5 th

"Comparisons to Bobby Orr flowed freely during the playoffs.But those who played against Orr said Leetch is much better defensively."

I never remembered Leetch being a defensive force, but I do find it interesting that anyone in the hockey elite circles even mentions that any Dman could be better than Orr at any facet of the game.

Also Leetch is only 25-26 when this is being written so it really stood out for me.

I remember Harry Sinden was extremely upset that non-NY media were even mentioning Leetch and Orr in the same sentence. Look, Leetch had a historic 1994 playoff with highlight reel performances. I have yet to see a defenseman since 1994 dominate and control a game the way he did in that 23-game sample. The goal in Game 7 of the ECF, and his set-up of the GWG in Game 4 of the SCF were Orr-esque, but outside of that series and the 1992 season, Leetch couldnt touch Orr.

As far as his defensive prowess, the only knock I ever had on Leetch was his size. I've watched his career since Boston College on a nightly basis, and I can truly say the only time I saw Leetch struggle defensively was when the league got bigger and stronger, and he had a tough time handling guys like Leclair, Guerin, Tkachuk etc.

But he was certainly no liability, and to a man, I don't think there was one Ranger fan who felt he was the wrong guy to be on the ice during late-game situations from a defensive standpoint.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

This looks to be settled.