ESPN: Mount "Puckmore" for All 31 Franchises

[LordNeverLose]

ESPN's hockey coverage is a joke but I thought this could be an interesting summer thread

Metro:
Mount Puckmore: Four players who define each Metro team
Carolina: Brind'Amour, Francis, E. Staal, Wesley
Columbus: Bobrovsky, Nash, Shelley, Vyborny
New Jersey: Brodeur, Daneyko, Niedermayer, Stevens
Islanders: Bossy, Potvin, Smith, Trottier
Rangers: Gilbert, Leetch, Lundqvist, Messier
Philadelphia: Clarke, Lindros, Hextall, Parent
Pittsburgh: Crosby, Lemieux, Jagr, Malkin
Washington: Hunter, Kolzig, Langway, Ovechkin

Atlantic:
Mount Puckmore: Four players who define each Atlantic team
Boston: Bergeron, Orr, Schmidt, Bourque
Buffalo: Hasek, Miller, Perreault, Ray
Detroit: Howe, Lindsay, Yzerman, Lidstrom
Florida: Bure, Barkov, Luongo, Vaniesbrouck
Montreal: LaFleur, Roy, Beliveau, Richard
Ottawa: Karlsson, Alfredsson, Yashin, Phillips
Tampa: Hedman, Stamkos, St. Louis, Lecavalier
Toronto: Kennedy, Keon, Salming, Sundin

Central:
Mount Puckmore: Four players who define each Central team
Chicago: Hull, Mikita, Toews, Esposito
Colorado: Foote, Sakic, Forsberg, Roy
Dallas: Benn, Broten, Modano, Zubov
Minnesota: Brunette, Parise, Gaborik, Koivu
Nashville: Fisher, Josi, Weber, Rinne
St. Louis: Federko, Hull, MacInnis, Plager
Winnipeg: Byfuglien, Wheeler, Kovalchuk, Little

Pacific:
Mount Puckmore: Four players who define each Pacific team
Anaheim: Getzlaf, Selanne, Niedermayer, Kariya
Arizona: Doan, Numminen, Tkachuk, Hawerchuk
Calgary: Fleury, Iginla, MacInnis, Vernon
Edmonton: Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, McDavid
Los Angeles: Dionne, Gretzky, Robitaille, Doughty
San Jose: Nolan, Thornton, Marleau, Nabokov
Vancouver: Bure, Linden, Henrik, Smyl
Vegas: Engelland, Karlsson, Fleury, Marchessault


Did they get your team right?

For the Islanders I'd say they did well. Glad they picked 4 guys from the dynasty rather than shoving in LaFontaine, Turgeon, or Tavares. I'd have gone Gillies over Smith maybe, but either works.

From a quick look at other teams, some ones that stand out:
Esposito/Shore missing out for Boston in favor of Schmidt/Bergeron
Kane missing out for Chicago in favor of Toews is sure to get some disagreements
Parise making it for Minnesota but Suter missing in favor of Brunette
No love for the f***ing all-star
McDavid in already? Over Coffey and Fuhr?
Seems like a crime that Daniel doesn't make it for Vancouver in favor of Smyl
Lol Vegas

Click to read more...

 

[jetsforever]

Yeah, no one defines Winnipeg like Ilya Kovalchuk

 

[Snakepit]

MacInnis gets the nod from two teams, what a player. Is anyone else listed twice?

 

[Nickmo82]

Yeah, no one defines Winnipeg like Ilya Kovalchuk

Clearly it should read Atlanta/Winnipeg.

 

[Scott Stevens]

I’d say Vancouver should have Danny Sedin there instead of Stan Smyl, and Sami Salo instead of Trevor Linden.

Hey, Sami never came back and pissed all over the franchise.

 

[Atas2000]

MacInnis gets the nod from two teams, what a player. Is anyone else listed twice?

Gretzky of course. I don't think it is appropriate for the Kings though.

 

[Atas2000]

Chuckled over Toews.

 

[JPeeper]

I know Vernon won a Cup with the Flames and Kipper didn't, but Kipper was way better and more important during the 2000's than Vernon was for the Flames in the 80's/90's. Kipper broke a modern day GAA average of 1.69 to get the Flames into the playoffs in 2004. Him and Iggy got us to game 7 of the finals. Vernon's teams were stacked af.

 

[Not So Mighty]

I think I'd put Giguere over Niedermayer but that can be heavily debated.

Also, it's silly stupid to have McDavid up there based on expectations rather than accomplishments.

 

[Keeptdos]

Jets/Coyotes is being the other Anaheim?

I'm not quite sure about having Parise in Minnesota's without Suter.

 

[LordNeverLose]

Yeah, no one defines Winnipeg like Ilya Kovalchuk

He's probably the most defining player of the franchise even if he wasn't on the team when they moved.

 

[LordNeverLose]

Jets/Coyotes is being the other Anaheim?

I'm not quite sure about having Parise in Minnesota's without Suter.

Typo, my bad

 

[LordNeverLose]

MacInnis gets the nod from two teams, what a player. Is anyone else listed twice?

Gretzky (EDM/LA)
Messier (EDM/NYR)
Bure (VAN/FLA)
Niedermayer (NJ/ANA)
Roy (MTL/COL)

 

[Zenos]

I don't like seeing McDavid up there (yet) for the oilers - ahead of HHOF players Paul Coffey, Glen Anderson, and Grant Fuhr. In 20 years, I'll probably feel differently. But he hasn't "earned" it yet.

Some other (random) thoughts:

-I'm not a Flames fan, but I'd probably pick Kipper or even Joe Nieuwendyk before Vernon.

-Not sold on Roy ahead of Dryden for the habs either. What do Canadiens fans say?

-Nabokov? Really? I mean, I know he was San Jose's starter for a long time, but surely there's somebody more deserving out there?!

-Wait, where's Esposito on the Bruins?

 

[LordNeverLose]

-Wait, where's Esposito on the Bruins?

This is the omission that really blew me away. No idea how you leave him off.

 

[rfournier103]

I don't like seeing McDavid up there (yet) for the oilers - ahead of HHOF players Paul Coffey, Glen Anderson, and Grant Fuhr. In 20 years, I'll probably feel differently. But he hasn't "earned" it yet.

...

-Not sold on Roy ahead of Dryden for the habs either. What do Canadiens fans say?

...

-Wait, where's Esposito on the Bruins?

I agree with your Oilers take. As good as McDavid is now, and as high as his potential is, no way should he get the nod over Paul Coffey.

Definitely not a Canadiens fan, but Dryden should get the nod over Roy due to number of Stanley Cup championships in Montreal. I also take into account Dryden’s role in the Summit Series.

The Bruins Mount Rushmore is hard. Orr is the only 1000% lock. After that, Eddie Shore, Phil Esposito, Cam Neely, Ray Bourque, Milt Schmidt, and Patrice Bergeron all battle for the last three spots.

I can’t decide.

 

[Noldo]

Bell Center chose Morenz over Roy and Dryden, although their four player exhibition is more about Habs’ past and Roy could be considered too modern for that.

And having no goalie among the faces of franchise like Habs would seem weird.

 

[rfournier103]

Bell Center chose Morenz over Roy and Dryden, although their four player exhibition is more about Habs’ past and Roy could be considered too modern for that.

And having no goalie among the faces of franchise like Habs would seem weird.

For all the great players the Canadiens have had over the decades, I actually thought this exercise was pretty easy for Montreal.

 

[Chubbinz]

The Blues started out alright with Hull, Federko and MacInnis. I just can't take Bob Plager over Pronger seriously. I love what the Plager family has meant to the franchise all these years but the gap in on ice talent is just too big for Pronger not to be a slam dunk pick. Both Pronger and Pietrangelo being omitted on the HM list in favor of Jackman is another gem.

 

[Butch 19]

Gretzky of course. I don't think it is appropriate for the Kings though.

why not? Of course Gretzky is one of the Kings top 4 players ever.

The Kings need to swap in Kopitar for Luc

 

[Ms Maggie]

Pens Mario Jagr Sid, Malkin definition of no brainer.

 

[Black and Gold 11]

Esposito, Shore, Neely for Boston? Much better options than Bergeron

 

[Anglesmith]

I feel like Lanny McDonald should be over Mike Vernon. Tough call, though.

 

[EakinsMVP]

You forgot Datsyuk and Pronger on the Coyotes

 

[BlackDogg]

Somone forgot Matthews again.
Maybe the list was from a couple years ago....

Seriously though if Wheeler and Little are on there and somehow Hawerchuk and Selane doesn't qualify because it wasn't the same team?? But it was the Jets.