Rank the top 15 forwards since 1990 based on peak and/or prime

[Habsfunk]

One thing that hasn't been done is to define peak and prime. IMO, they're two different things. Peak is the best season, while prime would encompass several seasons (say, three or four). If you're talking peak, then Mogilny's 76 goal season is up there. If you look at prime (several seasons) then Mogilny doesn't make the cut.

 

[Czech Your Math]

1. Lemieux
2. Jagr
3. Crosby
4. Ovechkin
5. Gretzky
6. Forsberg
7. Fedorov
8. Sakic
9. Yzerman
10. Malkin
11. Thornton
12. Lindros
13. Messier
14. Bure
15. Selanne
HM: Iginla, Kariya, Sundin, Hull, Roenick, Modano

Looking at the top scorers of the past 25 years is interesting, a lot of names i wouldn't have anywhere near top 15 players of the past 25 years.

http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/seasons/last-25-nhl-seasons-players-stats.html

That's a legit list and given the uncertainty of what constitutes peak and/or prime, can't really argue with it much.

 

[Czech Your Math]

I am as big of a Jagr fan as there is, but if were going on purely on peak/prime

1. Lemieux
2. Selanne
3. Mogilny
4. Jagr

I challenge your assertion. Not sure if serious. lol
No one outside of Finland/Russia or their respective families would rank Selanne or Mogilny above Jagr.
One could probably make a rather contorted argument for each of a few forwards (other than Lemieux) being at Jagr's level on a peak/prime basis since 1990, but those two wouldn't be among them.

 

[JackSlater]

I am as big of a Jagr fan as there is, but if were going on purely on peak/prime

1. Lemieux
2. Selanne
3. Mogilny
4. Jagr

I am shocked by how bad some of these lists are. Selanne, Mogilny and Jagr had primes at the same time. No one thought that Selanne of Mogilny was better than Jagr. Only someone looking back at numbers, looking at the 1993 season and not understanding the context could possibly think that Selanne and especially Mogilny had better peaks/primes than Jagr.

?

You don't have to remove Lemieux from existence -- Gretzky did win the 1990, 1991, and 1994 scoring titles.

I intentionally excluded the 1989-1990 season. I assumed that the thread referred to the period beginning from the 1990-1991 season.

 

[Hackett]

It's hard to do rankings partly because some players had 1-2 incredible years, while others may have had a longer and more consistent prime but maybe not the glamorous numbers as someone with short prime.

All I will add is that Mario should be undisputed #1. Gretzky belongs on the list. I'll make room for mogilny and selanne because they had the best single season scoring numbers. Hull belongs there too as probably the best scorer of the 90s overall. Lafontaine at one point was arguably the 2nd most dangerous forward behind lemieux, so he belongs somewhere. Lindros was the most dominant player at one point in the 90s. Finally, iginla scored 500 goals and he did most of that in an unfriendly era for goals, which is incredible.

I mean, we can go forever on this topic.... there's so many I've left out still, and I'm mostly just focusing on goals.

 

[Blue Shakehead]

The best forwards since 1990:

1. Lemieux
2. Jagr
3. Crosby
4. Gretzky
5. Ovechkin
6. Yzerman
7. Sakic
8. Thornton
9. Lindros
10. Forsberg
11. Fedorov
12. Malkin
13. Selanne
14. Bure
15. Toews*

* expecting a lot of flack for this pick b/c of his offense, but realistically if I was betting my house on a season/playoff series and had to put together the best group of forwards since 1990 Toews is on my list. If we are betting on who is going to win the Art Ross, he's probably not in the top 100.

 

[Joedaman55]

Going to go Peak because Prime is tough to judge given the amount of years some players primes lasted.

1. Lemieux
2. Gretzky
3. Jagr
4. Lindros
5. Crosby
6. Ovechkin
7. Sakic
8. Hull
9. Fedorov
10. Malkin
11. Kane
12. Forsberg
13. Bure
14. Selanne
15. Iginla

Lindros and Fedorov are the ones I tend to shift around the most.

Edit: changed Fedorov spelling.

 

[authentic]

Going to go Peak because Prime is tough to judge given the amount of years some players primes lasted.

1. Lemieux
2. Gretzky
3. Jagr
4. Lindros
5. Crosby
6. Ovechkin
7. Sakic
8. Hull
9. Fedorov
10. Malkin
11. Kane
12. Forsberg
13. Bure
14. Selanne
15. Iginla

Lindros and Fedorov are the ones I tend to shift around the most.

Edit: changed Fedorov spelling.

You really believe Kane was better than Forsberg at each of their peaks? I also can't really see Hull over Fedorov, Malkin and Forsberg.