Peak Fedorov vs Peak Forsberg

[Boreal01]

Who was the better player at their peak

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[Buck Naked]

If we define Fedorov's peak as the season he won the Hart, Lindsey, and Selke, then it's him.

 

[norrisnick]

If we define Fedorov's peak as the season he won the Hart, Lindsey, and Selke, then it's him.

You can stretch it to those 3 seasons. 93-96.

 

[blundluntman]

Even as an Avs fan this is Fedorov for me. It's extremely close though.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Feds had higher peak seasons (Selke/Lindsay/Hart).

But I think Forsberg had the higher peak performance? (2001 playoffs)


I put too close to call.

 

[bobholly39]

Forsberg

Can argue Fedorov had the more 'perfect storm' of a season however, for 1994.

 

[norrisnick]

Forsberg

Can argue Fedorov had the more 'perfect storm' of a season however, for 1994.

Is that a fancy way to avoid using the term peak?

 

[BLNY]

I would give the edge in pure offensive skill to Fedorov and the 200ft game and physical presence to Foppa. I think it's a coin toss who had a better peak though. Very tough to call.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

For a full season - Federov. With things being very close otherwise, the fact that he wasn't constantly injured gives him a pretty significant edge.

For a single game - angry Forsberg

 

[Regal]

Is that a fancy way to avoid using the term peak?

There’s a difference between ability and results. Just because everything went right one year for a player within a season doesn’t mean it’s a repeatable performance, and even if it is, being contained within one season doesn’t make it a higher level of play than if it’s spread out in other years. Crosby for example has an extremely high peak, but his individual complete seasons aren’t as good as some others who were worse players. Forsberg’s performance when on the ice in ‘03 and ‘04 was arguably as good or better than Fedorov in ‘94, even if he didn’t put together a complete 82 games. It’s really close though

 

[amnesiac]

94 Feds
Vs
03 Foppa

I'll go with Feds.... Hart and Selke is quite the season that we probably won't see for decades

 

[norrisnick]

There’s a difference between ability and results. Just because everything went right one year for a player within a season doesn’t mean it’s a repeatable performance, and even if it is, being contained within one season doesn’t make it a higher level of play than if it’s spread out in other years. Crosby for example has an extremely high peak, but his individual complete seasons aren’t as good as some others who were worse players. Forsberg’s performance when on the ice in ‘03 and ‘04 was arguably as good or better than Fedorov in ‘94, even if he didn’t put together a complete 82 games. It’s really close though

There isn't a center in the world I take over 93-96 Fedorov. What he brought in terms of a complete game, offense, defense, even physical, is unmatched. There isn't a matchup out there that if he didn't dominate outright I wouldn't trust him to at the very least neutralize.

Fedorov is one of those truly rare players that could legitimately do anything needed. Pass, score, defend, check, faceoffs, whatever. And for a meme stat, pretty sure he's still the only NHLer to win two different individual skill events (fastest skater and hardest shot) at the Skills competition.

 

[centipede2233]

Really close, gotta go with feds, he was out scoring yzerman in his prime for awhile there…not to mention he was an amazing skater and fast and had a rocket of a shot. And supremely defensively.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Is that a fancy way to avoid using the term peak?

I think it depends on what one views as a peak. Is it the best season? Best stretch of 40 games? Best 3 seasons? Best 20 game stretch?

IMO, a peak has to be more than just 1 season because it has to be able to cover for any sort of fluke year where everything goes right. Look at a guy like Bernie Nicholls in 1988-89.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

There isn't a center in the world I take over 93-96 Fedorov. What he brought in terms of a complete game, offense, defense, even physical, is unmatched. There isn't a matchup out there that if he didn't dominate outright I wouldn't trust him to at the very least neutralize.

Fedorov is one of those truly rare players that could legitimately do anything needed. Pass, score, defend, check, faceoffs, whatever. And for a meme stat, pretty sure he's still the only NHLer to win two different individual skill events (fastest skater and hardest shot) at the Skills competition.

That's just overrating him. Peak McDavid and peak Crosby are very easily above Fedorov.

 

[norrisnick]

That's just overrating him. Peak McDavid and peak Crosby are very easily above Fedorov.

Not if you line them up against each other.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Not if you line them up against each other.

Only if he brings Lidstrom with him. Let me guess you think Fedorov is better than Gretzky and Lemieux too?

 

[norrisnick]

Only if he brings Lidstrom with him. Let me guess you think Fedorov is better than Gretzky and Lemieux too?

Who are they bringing with them? In a head to head matchup Fedorov has the tools and ability to play against anyone. Fedorov can defend against them. Can they defend against him?

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Fedorov has health on his side. Maybe Forsberg has the peak edge but Fedorov was no slouch.

 

[Gurglesons]

Forsberg.

 

[HockeyWooot]

This is super close, in a vacuum probably Fedorov in terms of ability but the physicality of Forsberg takes it for me personally.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Peak definitively goes to Fedorov. He was much better defensively than Forsberg and a better goal scorer to boot.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Fedorov.. at their peaks he gives up some physicality to Forsberg but is way better defensively, a significantly better goal scorer, and a playoff stud so Forsberg doesn't gain anything there, either.

Plus Fedorov plays most of the games.

 

[Mrb1p]

Forsberg was the best player in the league for a roughly 24 months period.

Fedorov had one season where he had the most impressive season but was never the best player.
Fedorov did play against better players though.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Peak definitively goes to Fedorov. He was much better defensively than Forsberg and a better goal scorer to boot.

I agree that Federov was better defensively, but Forsberg was a runner up for the Selke in 96-97, so "much better" might be a stretch.

From 94-2004 (Forsberg's "prime"), he took 1444 shots over 580 games, and scored 216 goals (15% shooting rate).

From 1990-2004 (Federov's "prime" in Detroit), he took 3416 shots over 988 games and scored 431 goals (12.6% shooting rate). Even if I only look at Federov's best ~600 game stretch (604 games from 1990-1999), he took 2080 shots (more than 600 more than Forsberg over a similar number of games), but he only shot 13.2%.

Does taking an extra shot per game really make Fedorov a "better" goal scorer, or just more prolific?