Is Jagr the greatest European player of all time?

[John Eichel da GOAT]

Best overall - Jagr
Best forward - Jagr
Best D - Lidstrom
Best G - Hasek

 

[Goodbahd]

That would've been a little tough after 40.

And if you read correctly, I said he was no longer elite after his return from the KHL. He was good, but not elite.

 

[authentic]

And if you read correctly, I said he was no longer elite after his return from the KHL. He was good, but not elite.

Yup I read it right. Goes without saying someone that old wouldn't be elite. Actually one season he produced at the third highest rate per minute at 5 on 5 though in his best season with Florida.

 

[slicedbread]

Ovechkin - ? - Jagr
Lidstrom - Fetisov
Hasek

The margins between them are so narrow that it comes down mostly to personal preference and generational perspectives. None of them is way out ahead of the others. Personally, late-90s Hasek is maybe the most consistently dominant player I've ever seen and I'd have a very hard time ranking him anything but #1 in this group.

It's interesting that there really hasn't been THAT European center. Perhaps it would have been Forsberg in an alternate reality where he was much healthier.

Datsyuk?

 

[traffic cone]

I think it's a 3 way tie between Jagr, Hasek, and Lidstrom.

This is the perfect answer. There should be no ”AINEC!!1” in this discussion.

So hard to compare players who played different positions.

My personal choice is Lidstrom. But it is very much a matter of what anyone values.

 

[Hal 9000]

Yes, Jagr is the best Euro ever. Hasek and Lidstrom were very good too, but Jagr is way above them.
Here's an anecdote; The Canucks asked Peter Nedved who the best player in the 1990 draft was, Nedved said Jagr, so the Canucks, in their infinite wisdom took Nedved at #2 (because of his integrity) and Pittsburgh grabbed Jagr at #5 - Oh, Canuck Luck.

 

[Albatros]

Makarov has played in the NHL and was better, albeit outside it.

 

[amnesiac]

including Russians (NHL only)

Ovie
Hasek
Jagr
Lidstrom

Malkin
Forsberg
Selanne
Feds
Stastny
Bure

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

100% yes.

Forward - Jagr
D - Lidstrom
G - Hasek

We can argue positions in circles, but overall I give it to Jagr for his longevity. Lidstrom won more titles on better teams and had teh individual success as well. Hasek was easily the best goaltender weve ever seen, just didnt have the teams in his prime around him.

 

[Star Ocean]

Datsyuk?

Forsberg was better

 

[Gordian Knot]

Best European talking head?

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

In terms of sheer dominance relative to position, for me it's:

Hasek
Lidstrom
Jagr

But as others have mentioned, you can make a case for just about any order of those three.

 

[Hal 9000]

Makarov has played in the NHL and was better, albeit outside it.

I think that these Russians who played outside the NHL get too much mythical status, that said, if you're gonna talk Makarov, why not Larionov?

 

[slicedbread]

Forsberg was better

Why do you think that? I DON’T want to undermine forsbergs hockey abilities (good old times with Hejduk, Foote and Sakic ), but it takes a lot of cojones to say he is better than the magic man

 

[amnesiac]

Why do you think that? I DON’T want to undermine forsbergs hockey abilities (good old times with Hejduk, Foote and Sakic ), but it takes a lot of cojones to say he is better than the magic man

No, if you did a poll it would be a landslide for Foppa

Malkin vs Forsberg would be more interesting

Datsyuk I believe would be closer with Sundin, Bure

Selanne somewhere in between Forsberg and Datsyuk

 

[amnesiac]

I think that these Russians who played outside the NHL get too much mythical status, that said, if you're gonna talk Makarov, why not Larionov?

take a look at Makarov's accolades in the 80s in comparison

Sergei Makarov at eliteprospects.com
Igor Larionov at eliteprospects.com

Makarov was simply the best in the USSR

 

[Hockeypete49]

All good players but I am a big Forsberg fan.

 

[Pens x]

Yes, Jags is definitely the best player from Europe.

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

You know, I was going to say Stan Mikita but apparently despite being born in Slovakia, his national team is Canada.

 

[ScaredStreit]

He's the best European skater of all time, but if you include goaltenders I'd go with Hasek.

 

[ScaredStreit]

It goes without saying that Lidstrom is the 2nd best dman behind Orr.

One can make a good case for Potvin (and a few other guys) being better than Lidstrom.

 

[thadd]

No. Hasek, Fetisov, and Lidstrom.

I agree on all accounts.
And most people on these boards are too young to actually know who Fetisov was.

 

[CashMash]

I'd have Hasek above Jagr. Not Lidström, though--but it's close.

 

[Wings4Life]

Hasek was better, and Ovechkin has surpassed Jagr as well.

 

[MightySelanne8]

Jagr or Hasek, hard to compare skaters vs goalies. But they are 1A/1B for me, Lidström just a step behind them.