Ogopogo*
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chooch said:
chooch, maybe you can get this, but that may be assuming too much.
Some players are so good offensively, playing defense is irrelevant and it would hurt their game. Some players are so good defensively, playing offensive is irrelevant and it would hurt their game. (Remember your Bob Gainey comment about his "explosive" 47 points one year?)
When you score 200 points per season nobody cares how well you back check. When you hit 70 home runs, nobody cares if you can steal bases. And if you throw 49 touchdowns in a season, there is no concern that you can't run.
If Gretzky played more defensively it would have hurt his team and he wouldn't have been as great of a player. You use the talent you are given, you don't try to do something you shouldn't to appease detractors.
Remember chooch, Gainey was only playing half a game by not scoring much. So was Gretzky but, when you are so dominant at one half you are great without having to worry about the other half. Besides, there are two defensemen and a goalie that are supposed to worry about thier own end a whole lot more than a forward is. Honestly, I think defensive forwards are overrated. They are good to have but, they are not as valuable as a great scorer. That is universally agreed upon - just look at the Hart Trophy, 1st and 2nd team all stars and even the Pearson Trophy. Even the players themselves say a great scorer is much more valuable/important/dominant than a defensive forward.
In fact, most times players become exclusively defensive players because they realize that they cannot score at a professional level. They give up on scoring and try to do something else that will keep them in the league.
Simple enough for you?
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