Player Intangibles - resource

[Doctor Coffin]

From the Toronto Star, March 26, 1935:

"A supplementary write-in to the annual Canadian Press all-star player poll has produced a few startling results and what most people will regard as proof that nobody knows who is the fastest skater in pro hockey.

"Sports writers around the National league circuit reviewed the the fleetest men in the game - Hec Kilrea, Buzz Boll of Toronto; Mush March of Chicago; George Mantha of Canadiens; Cecil Dillon of Rangers. But they gave more votes to old Howie Morenz of the Black Hawks than to anyone else.

"Morenz, who would have won a poll of this kind without opposition four or five years ago, caught the eye of six writers with his occasional bursts of blinding speed this season. If the result proved anything, it's that no successor has yet appeared to the Morenz of yesterday.

"Howie's six ballots were taken from a total of 23. The chunky Boll, the former Regina Pats' star, had one less and Kilrea - Ottawa's "Hurricane Hec" - ran away with three. March and Mantha received two apiece.

"The write-in revealed that Charlie Conacher, Joe Primeau and Harvey Jackson of the Leafs may still be regarded as the N.H.L.'s greatest forward line; that the unluckiest player of this season was Ching Johnson of Rangers; that Alex. Connell scored the best comeback of 1934-35 and that there isn't a stickhandler in the league to compare with Aurel Joliat of Canadiens - unless it's Chicago's Johnny Gottselig."

 

[Doctor Coffin]

From the Windsor Star, 28 March 1953:

"EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a story of one of a Canadian Press series on outstanding players and teams in the National Hockey League. League Selections were made in a poll of sports writers and sportscasters in N.H.L. cities.

"Fastest Skater: Bill Mosienko of Chicago Black Hawks, a 12-year veteran; Best Stickhandler: The ailing Max Bentley of Toronto Maple Leafs who has 11 seasons of big-league play behind him;
Most under-rated Player: Bob Goldham, Detroit Red Wings defenceman with nine years' big-league experience;
Best Two-way Player: Red Kelly, Detroit defenceman now in his sixth N.H.L. season

"Mosienko showed his heels to a field of seven nominated by the experts. He polled 17 votes, 14 more than Milt Schmidt of Boston Bruins 15 up on Fleming Mackell of the Bruins, Eddie Kullman and Wally Hergesheimer, New York Rangers, and Marcel Pronovost of the Wings.

"One selector, Joe Falls of The Associated Press, Detroit, saw it this way: Howie Meeker of Toronto Maple Leafs is the fastest during 'his first minute on the ice' and Johnny Wilson of the Wings is the fleetest 'for the whole game.'

"Bentley had an easy time winning his title but Kelly and Goldham squeezed to the top over a big field by single-vote margins.

"Bentley, dipsy-doodle centre from Delisle, Sask., polled nine votes, six more than Elmer Lach of Montreal Canadiens and Gordie Howe of Detroit, tied for the runnerup spot with three each. Single votes went to Kelly, Alex Delvecchio and Ted Lindsay, all of the Wings; Schmidt and teammates Joe Klukay and Mackell; Johnny McCormack of Montreal and Chicago's playing-coach Sid Abel.

"Howe, already chosen as the greatest player in the league, the most improved player over the past five seasons, lost out by a whisker to Kelly in the "best two-way player" balloting. He polled seven votes, just one less than the redhead, and two up on Schmidt.

"Ted Kennedy of Toronto, out of action with an injury since New Year's Day, caught the eyes of two selectors and singles went to Lach, Harry Watson of the Leafs and Tony Leswick, another Red Wing.

"Fifteen players, representing every team in the league, received "most under-rated player votes, and the width of a skate separated them. Goldham polled three, one up on Klukay; Marty Pavelich, Detroit; Al Rollins, Chicago; Nick Mickoski, New York, and Bobbie Hassard, Leaf rookie."

 

[Michael Farkas]

1999 is about to be 25 years ago, so...

Hockey News - Oct 1999

That said, when a number of NHL GMs and pro scouts were asked to rate the game's top defensive defensemen, Pronger was the consensus No. 1.

There is no statistical way to measure a defensive defenseman's effectiveness. Plus-minus rating, shots blocked and hits are indicators, but the best defensive defensemen contribute in ways that never show up on the scoresheet.

Attributes such as moving the puck out of the defensive zone, not allowing forwards inside position, clearing the front of the net, breaking up odd-man rushes and neutralizing opponents are critical commodities. And in an era where goal-scoring has bottomed out, defense has become the lifeblood of most NHL teams.

...

Pronger, who turned 25 Oct. 10, evokes comparisons to two of the all-time greatest defensive defensemen, Larry Robinson and Rod Langway.

“Chris and Rod are both very competitive,” said Murray, who coached Langway when he was with the Washington Capitals. “(Langway would) play all the minutes you wanted him to play and more. Chris appears to have the same kind of poise. He's rangier and a better skater than Rod was.”

Langway won two Norris Trophies (1983, 1984), finished runner-up to Wayne Gretzky for the 1984 Hart Trophy and is a good bet to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in 2001. (Langway will be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Dec. 3.)

“(Rod) was brought up the old way, where defense came before offense and he rarely showed any interest in offense,” said current Nashville Predators' and former Washington GM David Poile. “He thought his job was strictly to be a defensive defenseman. He wanted to be on the ice playing against the No. 1 line, playing in the last minute of the game and on the penalty kill. That was his niche.”

...

Chris Pronger emerged as the overwhelming choice as the NHL's top defensive defenseman from an informal poll of NHL GMs and scouts. Here were the six most respected rearguards.

1.Chris Pronger, St. Louis

2.Derian Hatcher, Dallas

3.Scott Stevens, New Jersey

4.Nicklas Lidström, Detroit

5.Adam Foote, Colorado

6.Rav Bouroue. Boston

 

[Dulind]

Surprised Lafleur didn't rate higher in more categories - as much as I loved Perreault, LaFleur had it all including best "Flow".

Every time I imagine LaFleur, I see the flow and effortless glide.