Players who are remembered for what they DIDN'T do

arrbez

bad chi
Jun 2, 2004
13,352
261
Toronto
I've noticed a trend that theres some guys who have had long, excellent (even dominant) careers, but only seem to be remembered for their shortcomings.

If I didn't know better and was reading these forums, I'd swear Marcel Dionne, Curtis Joseph, and Pierre Turgeon were borderline AHLers. It's not like they've done something awfull like Bertuzzi to overshadow their careers. They were just never quite as good as people wanted them to be, despite being allstars in the best league in the world.

Who else do you feel falls into this category?
 

12# Peter Bondra

Registered User
Apr 15, 2004
8,688
0
I've noticed a trend that theres some guys who have had long, excellent (even dominant) careers, but only seem to be remembered for their shortcomings.

If I didn't know better and was reading these forums, I'd swear Marcel Dionne, Curtis Joseph, and Pierre Turgeon were borderline AHLers. It's not like they've done something awfull like Bertuzzi to overshadow their careers. They were just never quite as good as people wanted them to be, despite being allstars in the best league in the world.

Who else do you feel falls into this category?
Yashin.

He once finished 2nd in Hart voting but reading the forums, you would think he wouldnt even make a AHL team.
 

God Bless Canada

Registered User
Jul 11, 2004
11,793
17
Bentley reunion
If you want to talk about all-time great players who maybe didn't meet the expectations that were facing them, then I think Frank Mahovlich might top that list. While the resume looks pretty good (beat Bobby Hull for the Calder, beat Hull three times for the first-team all-star selection), with his size and skill, I think he could have been better. The potential was there to be the No. 2 LW of all-time, and possibly challenge Hull for that No. 1 LW spot. No individual awards beyond the Calder (yes, the competition was strong, with Hull, Mikita, Beliveau, etc.), and a lot of seasons in which his production didn't match his abundant skill level.

No. 3 LW of all-time and a top 40 player all-time looks like a great resume (I think he came in too high on the THN top 100 list, he shouldn't be ahead of Trottier, to be certain), but I think Mahovlich could have been much more.
 

reckoning

Registered User
Jan 4, 2005
7,012
1,251
I remember reading a story a long time ago about ex-Habs goalie Gerry McNeil where he said that even though he won a Stanley Cup, the only thing fans ever ask him about are the goals he gave up against Bill Barilko (`51) and Tony Leswick (`54).
 

Granlund2Pulkkinen*

Guest
Daigle?

That's like having a huge present under the christmas tree (big enough to be a car or a stripper or something) and then when you open it up it's a dead puppy. :(
 

Lux Aurumque*

Guest
He never had a great career, but Nathan LaFayette is remembered for not being able to get the puck past the post multiple times in game 7 of the 1994 finals.
 

revolverjgw

Registered User
Oct 6, 2003
8,483
19
Nova Scotia
Brad Park is often remembered as the guy that never won a Norris because he was overshadowed by this other guy

Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux are remembered for not sucking
 

EpochLink

Canucks and Jets fan
Aug 1, 2006
59,515
15,337
Vancouver, BC
Brad Park is often remembered as the guy that never won a Norris because he was overshadowed by this other guy

Brad Park finished being a Norris Trophy finalist SIX times in his career and yeah all of those six were runner ups to Bobby Orr..even though Park never reached POINTS WISE a season to Orr, he was as good or even on par in terms of puck handling, puck protection, defense shutdown and offensive support.

Patrick Lalime, so far will be remembered as always choking in the playoffs and not recognizing his other playoff accomplishments in the playoffs ( 2002 against Philly where he shut them out in 3 straight games, his GAA in 2002 and 2003 )
 

kingpest19

Registered User
Sep 21, 2004
12,298
693
I've noticed a trend that theres some guys who have had long, excellent (even dominant) careers, but only seem to be remembered for their shortcomings.

If I didn't know better and was reading these forums, I'd swear Marcel Dionne, Curtis Joseph, and Pierre Turgeon were borderline AHLers. It's not like they've done something awfull like Bertuzzi to overshadow their careers. They were just never quite as good as people wanted them to be, despite being allstars in the best league in the world.

Who else do you feel falls into this category?

With Dionne I think it has to do more with him playing in an era that very few people on here actually saw him play during. PPG player, 700 goals, 4th all time on the scoring list. 4x post season all star ,Lady Byng 2x ,Pearson award 2x, Art Ross Trophy. The only thing unfortunately he didnt do was win a Cup. He was on some pretty average teams in his career.

He was one of the best players in the league for a number of years. Unfrotunate most people dont realize how good he actually was.
 

hgo

Registered User
Mar 21, 2004
7,890
0
Manhattan
Probably Martin Brodeur's two most famous moments were not stopping Mark Messier in game 6 and Stephane Matteau in game 7.
[exaggeration]Yeah, right. I guarantee you there are people on this board who don't even know who Stephane Matteau is.[/exaggeration]

That's easily the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard, considering Brodeur was a rookie in 1994, led the Devils to the Cup the next year, won 2 more after that, and has several Vezinas.
 

NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS

Registered User
Feb 28, 2006
13,542
5,771
Even after only half a decade it seems half the people on teh intarnets remember Roy for the statue of liberty and whining himself out of a gold medal.
 

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