Tribute Damn, Chris Chelios was so good with the Habs

[Habs]

I think the early to mid 90s was the golden era.

The players are bigger, stronger and faster today but that is a natural evolution for all athletes over time, and it doesn't necessarily make the game more entertaining.

The earlier hockey brought out stronger emotions, and there were more clearly defined villains.

The goalies were not as refined as they are now, but it also made it more fun because there were so many different styles unlike today. You had your stand up guys like mclean, scramblers like hasek, hybrids like brodeur, and butterfly specialists like Roy.

Goaltending is down to a science now, and it's looks pretty generic these days. It takes away from some of those eye popping saves you see back then. Goalies also didn't look like they were playing lacrosse back then. Take a look at how small patrick roy looked on 1986 compared to 2003.

But the evolution of goaltending reflects what has happened to the game in general. The coaching has refined, and the players have refined to the point where the game has become more robotic.

It's more about all players playing within a system now, whereas the early to mid 90s was more chaotic, and aggressive. Coaches hadn't quite got to the point of breaking down video yet except for a few exceptions, and there was generally less x and o type coaching, and more emotional button pushing.

I think the player is better today, but I can't say the same about the entertainment value of the product.

The players are much better today, you are correct though, the product was better. Fights, rivalries, tons of goals I miss the 90's hockey.

 

[ole ole]

I always get trashed for this, but 80's-90's hockey was a total joke looking back. Goalies were awful, small, the net looked enormous. Guys like Probert could pot 19-20 goals , you could clutch and grab .. try and find legitimate one-knee sniper highlights like what Stamkos, Ovy and some of these kids today do, you won't. I grew up watching hockey from the 70's onwards, and its funny to watch how awful the majority of the players were. Lemieux would be a god in any decade, but Gretzky? Not so sure, the stars alligned for him having the fighting rules of today, no Semenko and the boys to patrol the superstars.

TLDR - Chelios was awesome regardless.

Imagine Gretzky with no clutching and Grabbing. He'd be unstopable.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Entirely different times. I prefer that hockey though. It was more entertaining. Stand up goalies and not being locked into a trap system is a lot more interesting to watch.-for me. YMMV

That, and was a lot less influenced by luck IMO. The better team usually won. We are slowly returning to that, but from dead puck era onwards that wasn’t often the case IMO.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Imagine Gretzky with no clutching and Grabbing. He'd be unstopable.

I don’t want to get into this again, but yes, Gretzky would be winning every scoring title in his prime years if those years were today AINEC.

 

[V13]

Chelios was indeed an absolute beast in his prime. He pretty much had it all. Didn't win 3 Norris for nothing. Our last true generational D imho (Markov/Subban/Weber were good but not prime Chelios good)

Chris Chelios (b.1962) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

That's one hell of a long hockeydb resume. And yes the man was a nasty piece of work. Look at all those PIM . That's some crazy stuff lol

 

[667ekip]

I don’t want to get into this again, but yes, Gretzky would be winning every scoring title in his prime years if those years were today AINEC.

Yep... People are so quick to say player are soo much better today. I agree that they are much better at certain things


Although a player like Gretzky would still destroy any era. Sorry but players in this "era" aren't exactly the best passer I've seen during my lifetime. A lot of player are not very accurate on their passing (And I'm not talking about player having a better active stick and intercepting passes) Just overall breakout or accuracy of passes, just take the Habs right now, a lot of player aren't good and accurate on their passing. Same thing goes for receiving a pass.


People on HF tend to underestimate I think 90's hockey. It wasn't as bad as you think, the game was just different.

I mean guys like Gretzky, Oates, Janney would still destroy most of the player in this league for passing.

 

[JianYang]

I don’t want to get into this again, but yes, Gretzky would be winning every scoring title in his prime years if those years were today AINEC.

I think Gretzky would do very well today. I didn't get to see the goal scoring machine in Edmonton, but I saw the play making wizard in LA, and the way he was able to see the ice is something I've never seen since. He's the one guy who would make me question why the he would do a blind drop to the middle of nowhere. Next thing you know, someone like mcsorely jumps into your screen with a golden scoring chance.

He was playing chess while the rest of the guys were playing checkers.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I think Gretzky would do very well today. I didn't get to see the goal scoring machine in Edmonton, but I saw the play making wizard in LA, and the way he was able to see the ice is something I've never seen since. He's the one guy who would make me question why the he would do a blind drop to the middle of nowhere. Next thing you know, someone like mcsorely jumps into your screen with a golden scoring chance.

He was playing chess while the rest of the guys were playing checkers.

Mario Lemieux would be even better in this league than he was back then. Back then the league let guys hang off of him. Imagine him with the no obstruction rules. He'd be invincible.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Chelios was indeed an absolute beast in his prime. He pretty much had it all. Didn't win 3 Norris for nothing. Our last true generational D imho (Markov/Subban/Weber were good but not prime Chelios good)

Chris Chelios (b.1962) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

That's one hell of a long hockeydb resume. And yes the man was a nasty piece of work. Look at all those PIM . That's some crazy stuff lol

Subban is the only guy in Chelios' league. A true 'get out of your seat' player. We haven't had that since Lafleur. Chelios was a completely different kind of guy. Not dynamic or fancy but just fearless and could drive the play. My God if you had both of them on the same team you'd never lose a playoff game.

 

[JianYang]

Mario Lemieux would be even better in this league than he was back then. Back then the league let guys hang off of him. Imagine him with the no obstruction rules. He'd be invincible.

I've always rated Mario ahead of Gretzky, but my first memories of this league was just about the time when Mario was unofficially taking the torch for Wayne.

I never witnessed Gretzky's prime when he was an oiler, but what I saw from him in LA was already ridiculous.

You won't hear any arguments from me about Mario though.

 

[sandviper]

One of my favourite Habs of all time.

 

[JianYang]

Mario Lemieux would be even better in this league than he was back then. Back then the league let guys hang off of him. Imagine him with the no obstruction rules. He'd be invincible.

Also think of pavel bure without the 2 line pass and obstruction.

I remember when he was in Florida, and the habs had damphousse on him. It would literally be a good defensive play to hook your stick on a player at all times, even when the player is standing still. The guys still scored like a machine regardless, but the game today is tailor made for him.

 

[crosbyshow]

You have to put the players in the same environement:

Mcdavid and Crosby in the 80s for example:

Wood sticks
Food
Not the same off ice training (plyo)... the players at the time barely trained in Summer
Heavier equipment (skates). My skates at 7 years old in 1982 were heavier than my adult skates now...

No video to help to improve your own skills.
Red line
Hooking ...especially in the 90s

Now put 99 and 66 in todays hockey.

Composite stick.
Modern equipment.
Diet food
Off ice training

My ranking for those 4 generational players in any era would be:

Lemieux
Gretzky
Mcdavid
Crosby.


Lemieux came back after 4 years retirement at 35 years old in 2000 with Hasek, Brodeur, Roy etc.. in net and Red line , hooking, dead puck era and the dude did....:

35 goals in 43 games... and 76 points.....

A martian.....

 

[Toene]

An argument can be made that he is top 5 best American born player of all time

Top-5? For me it's him, Kane and Modano at the top.

 

[Tyson]

An argument can be made that he is the best, lol. He is for sure a top 3, if not top 2.

Modano and Kane?

Brian Leetch was pretty good too.

 

[Tyson]

Top-5? For me it's him, Kane and Modano at the top.

Agreed but like I just posted you have to give props to Brian Leetch too

 

[JianYang]

You have to put the players in the same environement:

Mcdavid and Crosby in the 80s for example:

Wood sticks
Food
Not the same off ice training (plyo)... the players at the time barely trained in Summer
Heavier equipment (skates). My skates at 7 years old in 1982 were heavier than my adult skates now...

No video to help to improve your own skills.
Red line
Hooking ...especially in the 90s

Now put 99 and 66 in todays hockey.

Composite stick.
Modern equipment.
Diet food
Off ice training

My ranking for those 4 generational players in any era would be:

Lemieux
Gretzky
Mcdavid
Crosby.


Lemieux came back after 4 years retirement at 35 years old in 2000 with Hasek, Brodeur, Roy etc.. in net and Red line , hooking, dead puck era and the dude did....:

35 goals in 43 games... and 76 points.....

A martian.....

Penguins were must see hockey at that time.
Mario
Jagr
Kovalev
Straka
Lang

They were all on one PP unit if I recall correctly.

 

[Toene]

Agreed but like I just posted you have to give props to Brian Leetch too

Sure and Brett Hull. Which rounds out the top-5

 

[V13]

Also think of pavel bure without the 2 line pass and obstruction.

I remember when he was in Florida, and the habs had damphousse on him. It would literally be a good defensive play to hook your stick on a player at all times, even when the player is standing still. The guys still scored like a machine regardless, but the game today is tailor made for him.

Prime pre knee injury Bure is the fastest skater with godlike clutch acceleration i have seen since watching hockey (visually that is. Some guys may be faster on a timed rink lap i don't know). Also , his ability to make plays at full speed was unmatched , kind of like McDavid now

Dude would be sick in a non clutch grab era for sure

 

[crosbyshow]

Penguins were must see hockey at that time.
Mario
Jagr
Kovalev
Straka
Lang

They were all on one PP unit if I recall correctly.

Yep but dont forget that un 87-88 , Lemieux did 168 points.

Second point scorer on the team was:

Dan Quinn with 78 points

The third

Randy Cunneyworth...with 74...

Lemieux was SEUL COMME Un BAS SALE

 

[crosbyshow]

You have to put the players in the same environement:

Mcdavid and Crosby in the 80s for example:

Wood sticks
Food
Not the same off ice training (plyo)... the players at the time barely trained in Summer
Heavier equipment (skates). My skates at 7 years old in 1982 were heavier than my adult skates now...

No video to help to improve your own skills.
Red line
Hooking ...especially in the 90s

Now put 99 and 66 in todays hockey.

Composite stick.
Modern equipment.
Diet food
Off ice training

My ranking for those 4 generational players in any era would be:

Lemieux
Gretzky
Mcdavid
Crosby.


Lemieux came back after 4 years retirement at 35 years old in 2000 with Hasek, Brodeur, Roy etc.. in net and Red line , hooking, dead puck era and the dude did....:

35 goals in 43 games... and 76 points.....

A martian.....

Also , good young players now have access to private coachs.

If you look Mcdavid off ice training at 13 years old on youtube with his personal coach ...you can see where he improved his eye hand coordination.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You have to put the players in the same environement:

Mcdavid and Crosby in the 80s for example:

Wood sticks
Food
Not the same off ice training (plyo)... the players at the time barely trained in Summer
Heavier equipment (skates). My skates at 7 years old in 1982 were heavier than my adult skates now...

No video to help to improve your own skills.
Red line
Hooking ...especially in the 90s

Now put 99 and 66 in todays hockey.

Composite stick.
Modern equipment.
Diet food
Off ice training

My ranking for those 4 generational players in any era would be:

Lemieux
Gretzky
Mcdavid
Crosby.


Lemieux came back after 4 years retirement at 35 years old in 2000 with Hasek, Brodeur, Roy etc.. in net and Red line , hooking, dead puck era and the dude did....:

35 goals in 43 games... and 76 points.....

A martian.....

That was an insane season but the '93 season might be the greatest season of all time. The guy has Hodgekins disease and misses 20 games. Still puts up 69 goals, 160 points in only 60 games and wins the scoring title. Pacing for 92 goals and 213 points over 80 games with Hodgekins... That is off the hook insane. I think it's the best season any player has ever had.

 

[1909]

Off the top of my head:

Markov has been mentioned
Plekanec
Koivu
Brisebois

Those guys have played at least 10 ish years with the habs, but only markov played his whole NHL career here.

I wrote ALL their career. Koivu finished it with Anaheim, and Brisebois, even if he finished in MTL spent some time in Colorado. Plekky has played some games in Toronto.

So, Markov is the ONLY recent one. And even then, he was UFA when he left for KHL whre he played another two seasons.

 

[1909]

Chelios was indeed an absolute beast in his prime. He pretty much had it all. Didn't win 3 Norris for nothing. Our last true generational D imho (Markov/Subban/Weber were good but not prime Chelios good)

Chris Chelios (b.1962) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

That's one hell of a long hockeydb resume. And yes the man was a nasty piece of work. Look at all those PIM . That's some crazy stuff lol

He only played 6 full seasons in MTL.... That's sad !!!!

 

[crosbyshow]

That was an insane season but the '93 season might be the greatest season of all time. The guy has Hodgekins disease and misses 20 games. Still puts up 69 goals, 160 points in only 60 games and wins the scoring title. Pacing for 92 goals and 213 points over 80 games with Hodgekins... That is off the hook insane. I think it's the best season any player has ever had.

Oh yes!!.

The dude had 104 points after his first 39 games....

Got cancer early January

Then came back in March and did 56 points in 21 points..

This martian..is from...Montreal...