TheDevilMadeMe
Registered User
Lady Byng apparently loved Nighbor's clean but dominating style of play in an era, where most players had to resort to violence to dominate. She created the award specifically to reward his style of play.
As for Bowie and Malone, I think a lot of us know that once the Taylor/Lalone/Nighbor/Malone generation came of age, the previous generation just couldn't compete. Kids on the main board talk about how the game has evolved too much for the previous generation, and we rightfully laugh at them.
But back in hockey's development era, one generation did supplant the other, which makes perfect sense when the game was in its infancy. So, I do think Malone was "better," but for the purpose of the Hall of Fame, that doesn't really matter, since we should honor the importance of the dominant players from the developmental era.
As for Bowie and Malone, I think a lot of us know that once the Taylor/Lalone/Nighbor/Malone generation came of age, the previous generation just couldn't compete. Kids on the main board talk about how the game has evolved too much for the previous generation, and we rightfully laugh at them.
But back in hockey's development era, one generation did supplant the other, which makes perfect sense when the game was in its infancy. So, I do think Malone was "better," but for the purpose of the Hall of Fame, that doesn't really matter, since we should honor the importance of the dominant players from the developmental era.