Prime Sundin - Forsberg - Alfredsson vs Ovechkin - Malkin - Kovalchuk

[MrOT]

Who do you take?

Click to read more...

 

[avsfan9]

Ovechkin>Forsberg> Malkin > Sundin>Kovalchuk> Alfredsson.
It’s close but it’s easier to take the Russians than too close to call. Although if I were taking them for playoffs it would be the Swedes

 

[TheGoldenJet]

The best two players are on the Russian team, so it’s an easy choice. Wouldn’t have them on the same line though.

 

[Agent Zub]

Ovechkin>Forsberg> Malkin > Sundin>Kovalchuk> Alfredsson.
It’s close but it’s easier to take the Russians than too close to call. Although if I were taking them for playoffs it would be the Swedes

Alfredsson was a 100 point player and better defensively than both Sundin and Kovalchuk.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Russians for me. They are one dimensional but what a dimension.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Alfredsson was a 100 point player and better defensively than both Sundin and Kovalchuk.

Alfredsson scored 100pts 1x, on a stacked line in the highest scoring season in the last 25 years. There's a reason he only came top 15 in hart voting 1x in his career.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Ovechkin>Forsberg> Malkin > Sundin>Kovalchuk> Alfredsson.
It’s close but it’s easier to take the Russians than too close to call. Although if I were taking them for playoffs it would be the Swedes

Swedes for playoffs? Russians have 2 smythe winners vs 0 for the Swedes.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

OV and Malkin are the 2 best players listed. Forsberg is great but Sundin and Alfredsson don't belong in a poll with them.

 

[Stuzchuk]

to me...
Ovechkin
Malkin

Forsberg
Alfredsson

Kovalchuk
Sundin

 

[MrOT]

Swedes for playoffs? Russians have 2 smythe winners vs 0 for the Swedes.

Forsberg was leading scorer twice though... The Smythe is very much team dependent

For playoffs I´d take
Forsberg > Malkin > Ovechkin >= Sundin (just cause of the cup really, Sundin gets punished for playing on an inferior team) = Alfredsson (a really good SC performer in his own right) > Kovalchuk

Agree with former speaker. For playoffs, swedes

 

[Agent Zub]

Alfredsson scored 100pts 1x, on a stacked line in the highest scoring season in the last 25 years. There's a reason he only came top 15 in hart voting 1x in his career.

Alfredsson was the motor on that line and clearly the best player. He also paced for close to 100 points in 2 other seasons. clearly he was 100 point talent.

Kovalchuk got close once and the only year Sundin did he wasn't even top 10 in scoring, and there were were like twenty 100 point scorers that year.

 

[MrOT]

to me...
Ovechkin
Malkin

Forsberg
Alfredsson

Kovalchuk
Sundin

Incredible take...

Yeah, certainly Malkin is a tier above Forsberg and Alfredsson is a tier above Sundin. Rethink

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Individually and on paper it’s the Russians all day.

If I had to pick one to play as a line and win a single game or series though, I’d take the Swedes without even blinking.

 

[joe dirte]

Incredible take...

Yeah, certainly Malkin is a tier above Forsberg and Alfredsson is a tier above Sundin. Rethink

Forsbrrg vs malkin at peak is a tough choice. But yeah sundin was obviously way better than alfredsson. Sundin is a first ballot HOFer and alfredsson is going to need a down year. If ever.

 

[avsfan9]

Swedes for playoffs? Russians have 2 smythe winners vs 0 for the Swedes.

If it weren’t for Roy and Sakic ,Forsberg would have had 2 himself. Hard not to choose those guys but Forsberg was a playoff beast in his own right

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Russians for sure, Ovechkin and Malkin are the 2 best players here.

 

[NyQuil]

I agree that the Russians individually are better players.

As a group though, I don't know, I'd take the Swedes.

Russia never seemed to get Ovechkin-Malkin-Kovalchuk to really work together on the big stage.

 

[JackSlater]

I don't fully get the question. The Russian players are better but I'm confident that the Swedes would make a better line.

 

[Hisch13r]

Easily the Russians

 

[Hisch13r]

If it weren’t for Roy and Sakic ,Forsberg would have had 2 himself. Hard not to choose those guys but Forsberg was a playoff beast in his own right

If it weren't for Roy and Sakic then he wouldn't have the cups either. That's a bad argument. Using your argument you can say that if it weren't for Crosby then Malkin would've won his 2nd in 2017.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Canadians Lemieux Gretzky whoever
Then Russians
Swedes
Americans
Fins

 

[avsfan9]

Russians for sure, Ovechkin and Malkin are the 2 best players here.

Nah, Forsbergs better than Malkin. My opinion of course.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

The Russians are more talented, but I think the Swedes would functionally play better together.

Forsberg is the best playmaker of the group. Alfie can do it all and Sundin's big bod could be a help against Malkin & Ovie.

Kovy and Ovie do the same stuff (extremely well, but it relies on selfish play). Malkin can do it all as well.

Matchup wise...
Foppa covering Malkin is a win for Foppa (IMO).
Sundin on Ovie (win for Ovi, but tough matchup)
Alfie covering Kovy (win for Alfi, but tough again)

 

[duckbear]

This is such a weird question because it's almost you can interpret what you are taking them 'for'. Is it for raw points? Wins in a full team? Head to head 3on3?

I think outside of raw points on a full roster, the Swedes win almost every scenario easily. The Russians game is one dimensional: shooting. It's not even 'offense'. They can't all sit at the top of the circle and fire one-timers. The Swede's are far more well rounded - shooting, passing, defense. They would dominate the play. This is coming from someone who likes Russian players.

For me the question becomes a lot more interesting if you replace Kovy with Datsyuk, who would really round out the Russian squad. I think then the Russians would be better.​

 

[BrindamoursNose]

Swedes for playoffs? Russians have 2 smythe winners vs 0 for the Swedes.

Forsberg's prime Playoff record...Dude was a tank in the playoffs when on the ice

1996 playoffs - Forsberg scores over 20p, but Sakic was better and deserved the CS.
1997 playoffs - 17p in 2 rounds, however detroit got the best of Colorado. Forsberg suffered injury vs edmonton.
1998 playoffs - Forsberg off to a great start vs edmonton, but Avs lost.
1999 playoffs - Has league leading 24p in 3 rounds, got a serious shoulder injury by richard matvichuck, avs loses in round 3 game 7. Safe to say that Forsberg was the CS winner here if colorado gotten through.
2000 playoffs - Avs loses to dallas again in round 3, everyone including Sakic was playing terrible. Forsberg leads team with 16p.
2001 playoffs Forsberg scores series deciding OT goal vs canucks, plays like a man possessed in the infamous kings series. Andy Murray calls Forsberg a human robot on ice. He is the leading scorer after 2 rounds. suffers a spleen injury in wait for round 3. Pretty sure Forsberg would had walked away with the CS in this one.
2002 playoffs Forsberg scores league leading 27p in 3 rounds, but suffers game7 defeat vs Detroit. Once again Forsberg was the CS favorite if they went to the finals.