How would Peter Forsberg perform in today’s game at his peak?

[ohheyhemsky]

How many packs of smokes are we talking about here?

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Even though Crosby’s peak was
Ruined by injuries he was still able to squeeze out 2 Lindsay’s 1 art Ross and 1 hart

 

[Riddum]

Lol this thread is full of people who have never seen Forsberg play in his prime. The Sedin twins can beat Ovi, Malkin and Crosby at their best but Forsberg can't? Lollll

 

[GreatGonzo]

Even though Crosby’s peak was
Ruined by injuries he was still able to squeeze out 2 Lindsay’s 1 art Ross and 1 hart

That’s true, but like I said, Forsberg missed An entire year while then leading the entire league in post season scoring. There is no telling what he could have accomplished, but I see him beating Iginla. Crosby should get credit for being healthy enough, but they are still similar. Not sure if Crosby would have beaten Malkin in 2012 though, similar to Sakic in 2001.

 

[winnipegger]

Before Sid and Geno, Toews and Kane, Kopitar and Doughty, there were these two guys Sakic and Forsberg. Terrifyingly good hockey players and the era they played in wouldn't have made a lick of difference.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Forsberg= Crosby lite. Forsbergs peak is clearly below Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin. Mcdavid has likely not peaked yet but is also clearly better. Forsberg was a great player but one of those that get glorified due to nostalgia. He never cracked 30 goals in his career.

 

[GreatGonzo]

Before Sid and Geno, Toews and Kane, Kopitar and Doughty, there were these two guys Sakic and Forsberg. Terrifyingly good hockey players and the era they played in wouldn't have made a lick of difference.

There’s a clear and significant gap between Kane/Geno/Sid and Toews/Kane/Kopitar.... is

Forsberg= Crosby lite. Forsbergs peak is clearly below Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin. Mcdavid has likely not peaked yet but is also clearly better. Forsberg was a great player but one of those that get glorified due to nostalgia. He never cracked 30 goals in his career.

You complain about Nostalgia, yet decide to use the 30 goal standard? That’s ridiculous. Don’t be that guy and create/move goalposts at will. Forsberg was just as dominant of a hockey player as all 3 of those guys, and at times more. He doesn’t have the achievements to show for it, but for what he did in his short career, it’s easy to suggest, if healthy, he would have walked away with a lot more people being convinced. It’s less “nostalgic” and more a lack of actually watching him play and believing every player from this era is superior to anyone before the lock out.

I mean since when is 30 goals even a standard? What about the fact that he lead all playoffs in points twice without even making the finals? That doesn’t mean more than a stupid benchmark you decided to create. Or the fact that in ‘06, he was tailing Crosby in points and assists before missing a significant amount of games.

 

[cassius]

Forsberg= Crosby lite. Forsbergs peak is clearly below Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin. Mcdavid has likely not peaked yet but is also clearly better. Forsberg was a great player but one of those that get glorified due to nostalgia. He never cracked 30 goals in his career.

nailed it

There's a reason why Crosby will go down as one of the top 10 players to ever play the game... and Forsberg would be lucky to squeak into the Top 50.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

There’s a clear and significant gap between Kane/Geno/Sid and Toews/Kane/Kopitar.... is

You complain about Nostalgia, yet decide to use the 30 goal standard? That’s ridiculous. Don’t be that guy and create/move goalposts at will. Forsberg was just as dominant of a hockey player as all 3 of those guys, and at times more. He doesn’t have the achievements to show for it, but for what he did in his short career, it’s easy to suggest, if healthy, he would have walked away with a lot more people being convinced. It’s less “nostalgic” and more a lack of actually watching him play and believing every player from this era is superior to anyone before the lock out.

I mean since when is 30 goals even a standard? What about the fact that he lead all playoffs in points twice without even making the finals? That doesn’t mean more than a stupid benchmark you decided to create. Or the fact that in ‘06, he was tailing Crosby in points and assists before missing a significant amount of games.

Nothing arbitrary about 30 goals. Even if he had scored 31 goals it doesn't really change my point. He wasn't a particularly good goal scorer. Whereas Crosby and Malkin are both elite goal scorers and playmakers.

 

[Chris P Hundo]

nailed it

There's a reason why Crosby will go down as one of the top 10 players to ever play the game... and Forsberg would be lucky to squeak into the Top 50.

Yes that reason is games played/ career length.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

nailed it

There's a reason why Crosby will go down as one of the top 10 players to ever play the game... and Forsberg would be lucky to squeak into the Top 50.

If you only care about offence, yes.

Forsberg was the whole deal.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

That’s true, but like I said, Forsberg missed An entire year while then leading the entire league in post season scoring. There is no telling what he could have accomplished, but I see him beating Iginla. Crosby should get credit for being healthy enough, but they are still similar. Not sure if Crosby would have beaten Malkin in 2012 though, similar to Sakic in 2001.

I believe Crosby would have beat malkin in 2012. But it would have been a good one. Crosby was by far the best player in the world in 2010-2011. Came back and was once again easily the best player in the world in 12-13 and 13-14. 11-14 Crosby was by far the best player in the world

 

[authentic]

There’s a clear and significant gap between Kane/Geno/Sid and Toews/Kane/Kopitar.... is

You complain about Nostalgia, yet decide to use the 30 goal standard? That’s ridiculous. Don’t be that guy and create/move goalposts at will. Forsberg was just as dominant of a hockey player as all 3 of those guys, and at times more. He doesn’t have the achievements to show for it, but for what he did in his short career, it’s easy to suggest, if healthy, he would have walked away with a lot more people being convinced. It’s less “nostalgic” and more a lack of actually watching him play and believing every player from this era is superior to anyone before the lock out.

I mean since when is 30 goals even a standard? What about the fact that he lead all playoffs in points twice without even making the finals? That doesn’t mean more than a stupid benchmark you decided to create. Or the fact that in ‘06, he was tailing Crosby in points and assists before missing a significant amount of games.

He had 39 points in 21 games that year before getting injured and never returning to the same type of player again. He would've easily challenged for the scoring title in 2005-06 if he stayed healthy. In January of that season he was voted the best player in the NHL with a convincing margin by the NHL players themselves.

 

[Goose]

I think of Malkin as the modern Forsberg, though not as much two-way.

Forsberg would have stretches where he is he best player in the league and end up in that 1B group just under Peak Crosby and Peak McDavid.

 

[authentic]

If you only care about offence, yes.

Forsberg was the whole deal.

For basically the entire span of his career he was a close 2nd in points per game to Jagr in the regular season and playoffs, and once again that's only considering his offensive game. People don't like hearing it I guess but if it wasn't for his injury shortened career he could've been a top 20 player just like Malkin could be. If anything he would rank above Malkin though as he was more consistent from season to season and I hardly see a difference in their peaks.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Nothing arbitrary about 30 goals. Even if he had scored 31 goals it doesn't really change my point. He wasn't a particularly good goal scorer. Whereas Crosby and Malkin are both elite goal scorers and playmakers.

This people like to say that sid and foppa are similar players... which is maybe a lil true but Crosby’s two Richards really make the difference

 

[GreatGonzo]

Nothing arbitrary about 30 goals. Even if he had scored 31 goals it doesn't really change my point. He wasn't a particularly good goal scorer. Whereas Crosby and Malkin are both elite goal scorers and playmakers.

Obviously it is since you made it a point against Forsberg as if not scoring more than 30 actually means something.

I agree, both Crosby and Malkin are better goal scorers, but Forsberg was better defensively with a more physical approach. Whoever you value more is subjective, all my point is one is not clearly ahead of the other. If Crosby and Forsberg were in the same league in their primes, and both healthy, I can see them fighting for Art Rosses, and I wouldn’t be shocked if Forsberg won one over him.

I believe Crosby would have beat malkin in 2012. But it would have been a good one. Crosby was by far the best player in the world in 2010-2011. Came back and was once again easily the best player in the world in 12-13 and 13-14. 11-14 Crosby was by far the best player in the world

i don’t know, not enough games on Crosbys part to say, but he definitely deserved to be mentioned as someone who would threaten for the title for sure.

I agree. It’s a shame his prime was cut short. This debate may be more lopsided in favor of Crosby if not for it, but then again if Forsberg was healthier, it may be the opposite, or very much even.

 

[22FUTON9]

Crosby’s clearly a better goal scorer and Forsbergs clearly a better playmaker. Obviously the gap for goal scoring is a lot bigger but just because he’s a inferior goal scorer doesn’t mean he’s a clear step below those guys. With all due respect to Hejduk he turned Hejduk into a 50 goal guy, who the f cares if he tops out at 30 goals if he’s setting his linemates up for 50
Forsberg had a ppg 1.28 in a lower scoring era, that’s roughly around crosby’s and above Malkin and Ovi. His playoff stats are close to Malkin and Crosby and a lot better than Ovi’s.
Why is it so hard to accept that he maybe, just MAYBE be on the same level as those guys?

 

[Troubadour]

Crosby’s clearly a better goal scorer and Forsbergs clearly a better playmaker. Obviously the gap for goal scoring is a lot bigger but just because he’s a inferior goal scorer doesn’t mean he’s a clear step below those guys. With all due respect to Hejduk he turned Hejduk into a 50 goal guy, who the f cares if he tops out at 30 goals if he’s setting his linemates up for 50
Forsberg had a ppg 1.28 in a lower scoring era, that’s roughly around crosby’s and above Malkin and Ovi. His playoff stats are close to Malkin and Crosby and a lot better than Ovi’s.
Why is it so hard to accept that he maybe, just MAYBE be on the same level as those guys?

No problem on my side. And even if he lacked in point totals, he could still be considered the best player in the game based simply on the impact, just like he often was back in the day. I mean... There is this point when falling two, three, four or five points short of the Art Ross is just a formality, all things considered.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Crosby’s clearly a better goal scorer and Forsbergs clearly a better playmaker. Obviously the gap for goal scoring is a lot bigger but just because he’s a inferior goal scorer doesn’t mean he’s a clear step below those guys. With all due respect to Hejduk he turned Hejduk into a 50 goal guy, who the f cares if he tops out at 30 goals if he’s setting his linemates up for 50
Forsberg had a ppg 1.28 in a lower scoring era, that’s roughly around crosby’s and above Malkin and Ovi. His playoff stats are close to Malkin and Crosby and a lot better than Ovi’s.
Why is it so hard to accept that he maybe, just MAYBE be on the same level as those guys?

Forsberg is not clearly a better playmaker than Crosby lol. The gap in there goal scoring is much bigger

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Lol this thread is full of people who have never seen Forsberg play in his prime. The Sedin twins can beat Ovi, Malkin and Crosby at their best but Forsberg can't? Lollll

Sedins only won their rosses because OV (09/10) and Crosby (10/11) missed double digit games. Anyone with half a brain knows they were locks for the ross+hart if they played a full season.

 

[22FUTON9]

Forsberg is not clearly a better playmaker than Crosby lol. The gap in there goal scoring is much bigger

I already said that. I guess we could agree to disagree here. Maybe clearly wasn’t the right term.
If we’re just looking at Crosby in his best playmaking seasons it’s definitely close but once he started to focus more on goal scoring his assist totals have gone down, while Forsberg was constantly around that assist per game pace, even later into his career.

 

[daver]

Crosby’s clearly a better goal scorer and Forsbergs clearly a better playmaker. Obviously the gap for goal scoring is a lot bigger but just because he’s a inferior goal scorer doesn’t mean he’s a clear step below those guys. With all due respect to Hejduk he turned Hejduk into a 50 goal guy, who the f cares if he tops out at 30 goals if he’s setting his linemates up for 50
Forsberg had a ppg 1.28 in a lower scoring era, that’s roughly around crosby’s and above Malkin and Ovi. His playoff stats are close to Malkin and Crosby and a lot better than Ovi’s.
Why is it so hard to accept that he maybe, just MAYBE be on the same level as those guys?

Crosby and Malkin's peak play is higher, offense-wise anyways, and Crosby is simply on another level from Malkin. Malkin and Forsberg are a better comparable.

 

[Foppberg]

A healthy, prime Forsberg? He'd be #2 behind McDavid.

 

[authentic]

This people like to say that sid and foppa are similar players... which is maybe a lil true but Crosby’s two Richards really make the difference

Though it's funny how Forsberg was a better goal scorer than both in the playoffs though. It's almost as if he made a conscious decision to be a playmaker first and foremost and is downgraded for it when he showed he could score goals with the best of them when it mattered most. He wasn't on their level as a goal scorer but he had several seasons where he could've scored a fair bit more than 30 goals if not for missing games, and especially if he wasn't so focused on the playmaking aspect of the game. He has some of the top highlight goals of NHL history, his ability was certainly not lacking.