ESPN: Mount "Puckmore" for All 31 Franchises

[Dr Pepper]

I'd throw in Hatcher or Belfour over Broten.

 

[b in vancouver]

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

That's what I noticed.
Bruins is way harder than Montreal despite The Habs having so much more talent throughout their history yet they still gave it to Roy instead of Dryden. ? I just can't agree with that.
Bruins have Orr - then Espo, Bourque, Bergeron, Bucyk, Schmidt, Shore and Neely all pretty deserving. I'm a life-long Bruins fan and don't know whom I'd pick.

as I go through the list.
The Isle's made me smile - but you just realize how amazing that team was. Could've put Lafontaine, Turgeon or Tavares ahead of Smith maybe just to spread it out but am glad they never.
The Rangers is just sad. How can a team that's been around that long have those four players.
No Gartner for Washington?
I'd have Danny Gare over Ray for the Sabres.
Toronto's is also kinda sad as it shows how little recent history they've created. Probably would've had Sittler on there over Salming but splitting hairs.
wish they'd left Kovalchuk off Winnipeg's list. same with Hawerchuk and Tkachuk on Arizona. and Francis on Carolina - and if you're going to do that then Peter Statsny 100% needs to be on Colorado's.
Not sure about Vernon. Lanny was/is iconic in Calgary. Nieuwendyk and Kipper and possibly even Pepper could've made it instead.

Where's Elias. Ryan Smyth was a pretty iconic Oiler and should definitely be on there instead of McDavid.

Minnesota's is strange.

 

[b in vancouver]

Honestly this might be a little controversial but I have Johnny Bucyk over Shore by a hair. He's the all time leading goal scorer and #2 in points behind Bourque. He's effectively top-2 or 3 in almost every all-time important offensive categories. He played 21 years for the franchise and has continued to have a role with the team for well after that. He's effectively been with the Bruins for 60 years. Shore had the higher peak and was more popular for his time but on my personal Mount Rushmore I can't leave Chief off.

Orr-Bourque-Esposito-Bucyk

HM: Shore-Chara-Bergeron-Neely

IMO Boston is the toughest to pick. It feels like a crime leaving Bucyk off but after Orr, there's seven players going for three spots.
Bruins could have a Mount Rushmore for defensemen with Orr, Shore, Bourque and either Chara or Park facing off (bad pun intended) versus a forward version of Esposito, Schmidt, Bucyk and either Bergeron or Neely.
There's just no right or wrong answer with the Bruins.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

I do enjoy the argument that a Mount Puckmore is not only the best players of the team history but those that also embody the team.

Using that criteria the Isles list can be a little more argumentative for Bobby Nystrom to be included. Since he was a member of the inaugural team, part of the dynasty and never played an NHL game in a jersey other than orange and blue.

**Hides from tomato throwing**

 

[b in vancouver]

Honestly this might be a little controversial but I have Johnny Bucyk over Shore by a hair. He's the all time leading goal scorer and #2 in points behind Bourque. He's effectively top-2 or 3 in almost every all-time important offensive categories. He played 21 years for the franchise and has continued to have a role with the team for well after that. He's effectively been with the Bruins for 60 years. Shore had the higher peak and was more popular for his time but on my personal Mount Rushmore I can't leave Chief off.

Orr-Bourque-Esposito-Bucyk

HM: Shore-Chara-Bergeron-Neely

one more and I'll quit but using NHL.com's faulty top 100 list between Boston and Montreal you're missing
6. Harvey
10. Shore
18. Esposito
25. Robinson
26. Dryden
32. Dickey Moore
41. Dit Clapper
42. Geoffrion
45. Bucyk
49. Park
Harvey and Shore make every team including Boston and Montreal. Esposito makes every other team. While every other player makes every other team's list except for possibly Detroit, Edmonton, The Isle and Pittsburgh. Maybe Chicago.

 

[Habsfunk]

My suggestions:
New Jersey - Elias over Daneyko
Rangers: Bathgate over Messier
Washington: Bondra over Hunter
Boston: Esposito and Shore over Bergeron and Schmidt
Buffalo: Lafontaine over Ray
Detroit: Possibly Sawchuk over Lindsay, but that's a really tough call.
Montreal: Possibly Plante or Morenz over Roy, but that's also a toss-up.
Chicago: I'd go with Kane over Toews, but I can see the argument the other way.
Colorado: Peter Stastny over Foote - and it's not even close. This might be the biggest oversight on the list.
St. Louis: As has been said - Pronger over Plager
Winnipeg: Since Atlanta is being include, I'd take Heatley over Little right now.
Vancouver: Dan over Stan.

 

[seafoam]

Fisher for Nashville is...interesting.

Think Legwand fits better there.

 

[thedustman]

maybe this has already been mentioned...

but I think it would be equally as interesting to know who would be on the Mount "Suckmore" of every team. I guess it'd be like infamous blunders, or careers filled with them, notorious traitors, players who burned their own team the most, etc.

If we are doing a "Puckmore", might as well do the equivalent of the Crazy Horse Memorial.
The "Puck-Crazy Horse memorial" would be a hero that will probably forever be trudging in underratedness or not quite getting the full respect deserved for what the player actually did for the team.

 

[pi314]

Pens Mario Jagr Sid, Malkin definition of no brainer.

With Ron Francis 5th all time in points and Mark Recchi 12th all time in points riding the bench.

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

The Bruins one is way off.

Shore - Orr - Esposito - Bourque

i select those 4 without thinking twice.

 

[LordNeverLose]

The Isle's made me smile - but you just realize how amazing that team was. Could've put Lafontaine, Turgeon or Tavares ahead of Smith maybe just to spread it out but am glad they never.

If the Mount Puckmore is meant to represent the legacy or whatever of a franchise, then it has to be 4 guys from that dynasty. With the exception of a few seasons here or there where we were slightly above average, we've been dog shit ever since that team died out. But what a f***ing team it was. People forget they were one of the 5 best teams in the league each of the 4 seasons preceding the Cup runs but just kept stumbling in the playoffs. Then they go on a run of 19 consecutive playoff series wins before finally succumbing to the Gretzky Oilers, who according to Gretzky "often credit the Islanders players and Islanders teams for teaching us exactly what it’s all about and how hard it is to win"

For a franchise that has nearly nothing else going for it, I don't see how you could possibly not make it 4 guys from those teams up there. I'd put any of Trottier, Bossy, Potvin, Smith, Gillies, Goring, Nystrom, or Tonelli on there before Lafontaine, Turgeon, or anyone else.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Obviously with a team like Vegas it would be filled with current players, but who are some other players in the league right now that would be in contention to get a spot on their own franchise's version of "Mt. Rushmore", remembering that it has to be limited to 4 names?

Edit: didn't see this was already being discussed in another thread, please delete.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Crosby
Malkin
Thornton
Mcdavid

 

[chaosrevolver]

Crosby
Malkin
Thornton
Mcdavid

McDavid isnt there yet

 

[Mr Tadakichi]

McDavid can be right there with Gretzky if he continues to rack up awards in his career. Not as good mind you, but he would be on that mountain.

Gretzky
Messier
Coffey
McDavid

for me

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

McDavid isnt there yet

Besides Gretzky mess and Coffey who would you put above him?

 

[chaosrevolver]

Obvious ones to me include:

Malkin
Crosby
Ovechkin
Backstrom
Getzlaf
Rinne
Stamkos

 

[chaosrevolver]

Besides Gretzky mess and Coffey who would you put above him?

Kurri and probably Fuhr for sure. Potentially a few others who have accomplished more due to longer careers. McDavid will get there tho

 

[justafan22]

Honestly, if Matthews continues his paces and stays in toronto for at least 10-12 years, he'll be on it.

 

[RememberTheName]

Hall, and maybe even Hischier, but time will tell on that one

 

[Patrik Barkov]

From Finns Koivu, Rinne and maybe Barkov

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Stamkos and one of Hedman/Kucherov (imo Hedman)

 

[IceNeophyte]

Flower
Karlsson
Gallant
McPhee

 

[b in vancouver]

If the Mount Puckmore is meant to represent the legacy or whatever of a franchise, then it has to be 4 guys from that dynasty. With the exception of a few seasons here or there where we were slightly above average, we've been dog **** ever since that team died out. But what a ****ing team it was. People forget they were one of the 5 best teams in the league each of the 4 seasons preceding the Cup runs but just kept stumbling in the playoffs. Then they go on a run of 19 consecutive playoff series wins before finally succumbing to the Gretzky Oilers, who according to Gretzky "often credit the Islanders players and Islanders teams for teaching us exactly what it’s all about and how hard it is to win"

For a franchise that has nearly nothing else going for it, I don't see how you could possibly not make it 4 guys from those teams up there. I'd put any of Trottier, Bossy, Potvin, Smith, Gillies, Goring, Nystrom, or Tonelli on there before Lafontaine, Turgeon, or anyone else.

Don't disagree. The Isle dynasty team is my favourite non-Bruin team of all-time. I'm happy they picked those four but was just saying that I would've understood if they wanted to spread it out a bit to one of those other three guys. The closest we've seen since was The Bruins from '11 to '14 in The Team style they played.

p.s. I mention Gretzky's reaction to going over to The Isle dressing room after the game, when they were too exhausted to celebrate and had ice-bags on them and bruises everywhere quite often. One of my favourite stories.

p.p.s. I'm one of the people out there that argues that Potvin is the third best defence man of my lifetime, only behind Orr and Bourque and that he's a lot closer to Bourque than people think. And both are well ahead of Lidstrom, Park, Pronger, Coffey, Robinson, Langway, etc.

 

[b in vancouver]

With Ron Francis 5th all time in points and Mark Recchi 12th all time in points riding the bench.

I'd probably choose Syl Apps before Malkin, Francis or Recchi.