Peter Forsberg was the most complete hockey player who ever lived.
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tarheelhockey
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Wasn't even the most complete forward on his own team.
Anyway, this does bring up a good question, who was the most complete player in NHL's history? Was it Harvey? Or Beliveau? Lidstrom? Bourque?
Anyway, this does bring up a good question, who was the most complete player in NHL's history? Was it Harvey? Or Beliveau? Lidstrom? Bourque?
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TheDevilMadeMe
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I like that you are including defensemen as candidates. But I think the answer has to be Gordie Howe, right?
Among players I've seen, I'd probably say Mark Messier. Scoring, passing, physical game. Pretty good defensively. Forsberg wasn't a good enough goal scorer and that's an important part of being "complete" IMO, and that's before getting into the injuries.
Lidstrom and Bourque aren't bad answers either, but they are both limited to the amount of goals they could score as defensemen.
Plural
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Boom Boom Bear
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Denis Potvin had it all
young whippersnappers, imagine an unholy hybrid of Lidstrom & Pronger
best passing blueliner ever
meanest & tuffest d-man ever
best shutdown d-man ever
best puck possession d-man ever
hardest hitting d-man ever
best blueline shot ever
best PPQB ever
catalyst for one of the best offensive attacks ever
best d-man not named Orr ever
captained his team to four straight Stanley Cups
name one thing he couldn't do
he had the broadest elite skillset of any elite d-man i've ever seen, 7 he pulled everything off with such grace, ease & supreme confidence.
Potvin had wimps like Messier for brunch & still had room left over for cantaloupe
young whippersnappers, imagine an unholy hybrid of Lidstrom & Pronger
best passing blueliner ever
meanest & tuffest d-man ever
best shutdown d-man ever
best puck possession d-man ever
hardest hitting d-man ever
best blueline shot ever
best PPQB ever
catalyst for one of the best offensive attacks ever
best d-man not named Orr ever
captained his team to four straight Stanley Cups
name one thing he couldn't do
he had the broadest elite skillset of any elite d-man i've ever seen, 7 he pulled everything off with such grace, ease & supreme confidence.
Potvin had wimps like Messier for brunch & still had room left over for cantaloupe
TheDevilMadeMe
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I find it hard to believe Potvin was a better passer, better at puck possession, or a better PP QB than Orr.
ricky0034
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let's assume everything I just bolded is true
considering he was apparently the best ever at everything why is he worse than Orr?
Amazing player no doubt.
However, neither did he have elite scoring ability, nor amazing PPG. Of course he's 7th overall in PPG. He was a very consistent scorer. In order to call him an amazing PPG player he would have had to crack 1,5PPg at least one, imo. He was a very consistent scorer but he never really stood out that much.
As for goal scoring, he simply cannot be called elite.
Topped out at 30 goals twice. His best GPG is 0.46, average 0.35 Sorry that's not good enough to call him an elite goal scorer.
Don't get me wrong waht an amazing player he was. But imo he gets a little overrated in terms of offensive production.
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Plural
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His career average is very good. No doubt. But frankly you have to put it a little into perspective. He was a very consistent scorer but he never had really outstanding years. He was never clearly the best scorer in the leauge. His career average certainly benefits of his small number of total games, too.
Plural
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Agreed on many counts. I didn't see your edited post at first.
Forsberg was definitely a great offensive player. Not among the best ever tough.
sr edler
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Dennis Bonvie
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Iain Fyffe
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This cinches it, since everyone knows that Malkin is generally considered the most complete hockey player ever. Also, two Stanley Cups? Wow, no one's ever won two Stanley Cups before.
Howe is a very good suggestion for the title. I think Orr would have to be considered as well. And if Potvin can only be called the best defenceman not named Orr, how can he be in the running? If he's less complete than Orr, then he cannot be the most complete ever.
Theokritos
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Additionally, even at his peak he wasn't considered the best shutdown defender in the league by NHL coaches.
Pominville Knows
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Bobby Orr was more complete than Gordie Howe as far as i'm concerned. But maybe it's though to compare forwards with defencemen here, so the answer could be both.
gudzilla
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Bear of Bad News
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I find the "end thread" meme to be insulting to those who have actually put together quality arguments for other players.
Do you have an argument to add?
We won't be ending the thread, so feel free to elaborate.
Fast?
Glad to see someone use the "F" word in reference to Gordie Howe. My fear is that the image of him is that of an older guy getting by on his elbows and his know-how. Whatever doubts I may have had about him as far as skating ability and speed were dispelled when I saw a classic game between the Leafs and Howe's Wings from the 1957-58 season. He was easily the best skater on the ice, for either team, and he seemed to always have the puck. You could not miss him when he was on the ice.
As for his defensive ability, his teammates vouch for him. He knew where to be and what to do when the puck was in Detroit's end. Apparently, dealing with him in that end was no more fun than dealing with him in the opposition's end.
Glad to see someone use the "F" word in reference to Gordie Howe. My fear is that the image of him is that of an older guy getting by on his elbows and his know-how. Whatever doubts I may have had about him as far as skating ability and speed were dispelled when I saw a classic game between the Leafs and Howe's Wings from the 1957-58 season. He was easily the best skater on the ice, for either team, and he seemed to always have the puck. You could not miss him when he was on the ice.
As for his defensive ability, his teammates vouch for him. He knew where to be and what to do when the puck was in Detroit's end. Apparently, dealing with him in that end was no more fun than dealing with him in the opposition's end.
King Forsberg
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Ambidextrous?
As you can imagine, it was no fun for Howe - back then - going through life like that.
Ambidextrous too.
But to OP, it's Valeri Bure, or Berezin.
As you can imagine, it was no fun for Howe - back then - going through life like that.
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