Players who had everything.. BUT hockey sense.

[Dipsy Doodle]

Interesting topic, I like the vote for Fata. However, how about the player who had the least limited ability but the best hockey sense, and was able to have a successful career because of it?

I would think this one would be Bobby Clarke across the board.

The man had pretty poor basic skills, relative to most NHL stars. But his exceptional hockey sense and desire made him one of the best ever.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

Billy Tibbetts

If by "Had Everything" you're including a long rap sheet as a prerequisite, then yeah, you're right.


Excluding career criminals, I'm going to throw the name Mike Wilson out there. He had all the physical tools, but he was a laughingstock on the ice.

 

[Passchendaele]

How do you define hockey sense?

Well, basically, it's the ability to be at the right place at the right time on the ice.

A player like Wayne Gretzky had probably the best hockey sense of all-time cause he knew, in advance, what the situation on the ice would be, and also, where the puck would be.

 

[Koivu84*]

I would think this one would be Bobby Clarke across the board.

The man had pretty poor basic skills, relative to most NHL stars. But his exceptional hockey sense and desire made him one of the best ever.

I'm not a fan of Clarke but I disagree

 

[Infinite Vision*]

Maxim Afinogenov

 

[a79krgm]

Todd Bergen

He once looked as if he had a promising future with the Flyers. Then he quit saying he wanted to pursue a pro golf career. His depature from the game somehow didn't stop Lou Nanne from making a trade for him. Turn out he wasn't a very good golf player so he gave hockey another shot. Turned out he wasn't really good at hockey so he quit again.

 

[tiger_80]

wayne gretzky

 

[Dark Shadows]

I would think this one would be Bobby Clarke across the board.

The man had pretty poor basic skills, relative to most NHL stars. But his exceptional hockey sense and desire made him one of the best ever.

I actually agree with this 100%

Clarke was not a great skater, shooter, or goal scorer, and his passing hands were a bit rough at times, as well as his stickhandling. But the guy invented playmaking from the office(Gretzky later perfected it), and just plain knew what was going to happen when. It made him one of the best two way forwards ever, and a terrific playmaker as a result.

His raw skills were a bit lesser than other superstars of his caliber, but his intangibles and hockey sense rocketed him above his peers.

 

[Wetcoaster]

I actually agree with this 100%

Clarke was not a great skater, shooter, or goal scorer, and his passing hands were a bit rough at times, as well as his stickhandling. But the guy invented playmaking from the office(Gretzky later perfected it), and just plain knew what was going to happen when. It made him one of the best two way forwards ever, and a terrific playmaker as a result.

His raw skills were a bit lesser than other superstars of his caliber, but his intangibles and hockey sense rocketed him above his peers.

Not to mention he was prepared to give a guy "a tap" on the ankles to hobble him.

 

[VladNYC*]

Maxim Afinogenov

Ding Ding Ding! we got a winner!

 

[Dark Shadows]

Not to mention he was prepared to give a guy "a tap" on the ankles to hobble him.

That part of his game loses him points with me. I do not respect certain aspects of his game.

 

[canucks4ever]

I actually agree with this 100%

Clarke was not a great skater, shooter, or goal scorer, and his passing hands were a bit rough at times, as well as his stickhandling. But the guy invented playmaking from the office(Gretzky later perfected it), and just plain knew what was going to happen when. It made him one of the best two way forwards ever, and a terrific playmaker as a result.

His raw skills were a bit lesser than other superstars of his caliber, but his intangibles and hockey sense rocketed him above his peers.

Yeah man for sure, Bobby Clarke's peak was amazing. It's too bad that he slowed down a bit from 79 and onwards, if he would have would put up 3 more elite seasons of top 10 scoring combined with two way excellence, this guy would rank 10 spots higher in my books.

 

[sabrefan2930]

Ding Ding Ding! we got a winner!

Just saw this thread and before even clicking on it thought "Maxim Afinogenov". Nice to know that plenty of people agree with me.

 

[Dark Shadows]

How do you define hockey sense?

Predicting the play and putting the puck into the spaces needed. Its different for Dmen and Forwards depending on offensive and Defensive instincts. Anticipation of other players(Yours and theirs), and the ability to see the game as if you were 200 feet above the rink.

 

[Wetcoaster]

Gene Carr. One of the fastest skaters ever but he was always out of position.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Everything but hockey sense: Steve Tambellini
Hockey sense, but not some other things (skating): Luc Robitaille

 

[Hippasus]

How do you define hockey sense?

Being able to use your talent. So a player that lacked hockey sense for me is a player who is unaware of his ceiling and not capitalizing on skill that could make him a better player.

Maybe Kovalev would have been more productive if he studied plays more earlier in his career, I don't know. But I'm also perplexed about Kovalev in this topic. To me he just lacked desire at points in his career, but that's nothing a person can change. Actually, Kovalev is a player with a lot of hockey sense these days.

 

[ObnoxiousPensFan*]

Konstantin Koltsov: all the speed in the known universe, hands of poo-poo.

 

[Licou]

Being able to use your talent. So a player that lacked hockey sense for me is a player who is unaware of his ceiling and not capitalizing on skill that could make him a better player.

Maybe Kovalev would have been more productive if he studied plays more earlier in his career, I don't know. But I'm also perplexed about Kovalev in this topic. To me he just lacked desire at points in his career, but that's nothing a person can change. Actually, Kovalev is a player with a lot of hockey sense these days.

Meh.... The biggest problem about Kovalev, "hockey sens wise" is that he isn't capable (or just probably doesn't want to) of making simple plays.

Because of this, some will call him an artist and some will call him a moron (as a Habs fan, I call him both hehe). It just always has to be grandiose with him. Playing in Montreal is actually beneficial for a guy like that because, people will explode when he starts dangling.

He just doesn't want to make ugly plays and in the NHL, half of the offense is created by "ugly-make-your-way-to-the-net" kind of plays, especially in the playoff. He is just a unique case.

I have a very limited time frame to speak of, being younger than most of you, but I would like to nominate Patrick Stefan

 

[benji]

Kovalev has his own hockey sense He sees and tries things that no one else does, which I guess can be called a lack of "hockey sense". A guy like Spezza should be mentioned in the same breath as him I'd say, sometime you just wonder what the hell they were trying to do.

I think of guys like Brad Isbister and Chad Kilger, who had great size, good speed and hands, they each showed glimpses but couldn't put it together for any extended period of time. It was rare for them to be in the right spot at the right time.

 

[Donkeyz]

Predicting the play and putting the puck into the spaces needed. Its different for Dmen and Forwards depending on offensive and Defensive instincts. Anticipation of other players(Yours and theirs), and the ability to see the game as if you were 200 feet above the rink.

Then Kovalev definately has hockey sense... he's the catalyst of MTL's PP, based on puck movement and positionnal play.

For me, a good exemple of a player lacking hockey sense is Michael Ryder; he dangles when he should shoot, passes when he should dump the puck, shoots when the goaltender clearly sees the shot. He's also very adept at making suicide pass.

But, he's still able to score 30 goals.

HM: Berezin

 

[God]

First guys that came to mind were Fata and Jackman. Sometimes I thought that Fata should have stuck to track and field. Jackman had all the size in the world and a tremendous slapshot. He was also ppg with the Leafs or Penguins, I believe. But he was too dumb...which is why he isn't playing in the NHL.

And right now, this might be somewhat biased, but Taylor Pyatt. I don't know if it's consistency issues, but he always loses the puck and can never figure out how to properly use his body unless he's in front of the net. I kind of think that it may just be a lack of skill, though. Then again, he was drafted pretty high.

 

[seventieslord]

Not the perfect example, but Tie Domi had speed, hitting and fighting ability, and the willingness to play through pain and block shots... but he was a moron whose brainfarts happened at the worst possible time.

 

[Dark Shadows]

Then Kovalev definately has hockey sense... he's the catalyst of MTL's PP, based on puck movement and positionnal play.

For me, a good exemple of a player lacking hockey sense is Michael Ryder; he dangles when he should shoot, passes when he should dump the puck, shoots when the goaltender clearly sees the shot. He's also very adept at making suicide pass.

But, he's still able to score 30 goals.

HM: Berezin

Markov is easily the catalyst of Montreal's PP.

When Kovalev slows himself into the role of PP, sure, he can think somewhat because of a man advantage, time and space and because he is looking for openings and is in that state of mind constantly due to the PP. But throw him into a spur of the moment rush and he just seems to go blank and do the wrong thing. He shoots when he should pass, passes when he should shoot, and stickhandles into the bleachers instead of taking a shot more often than not. He is the kind of guy who can accidentally run into his own teammate because he was not aware his teammate was skating his way

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Vladimir Malakhov.

I think he's more of a case of caring about hockey than hockey sense. While he wasn't THE smartest player out there, he normally was more than competent in that regard.

His problem was that he simply was there to collect a paycheck.

He could've been one of the best defensemen in the game. Probably a top 100 player of all-time if he actually gave a ****.

Such a shame.