Salming vs Fetisov

[Kshahdoo]

Who was the better player at his best?

Click to read more...

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

At his best, Fetisov was in the conversation for the best player in the world, or at least the best non-Gretzky player in the world.

Salming was great, but he wasn't at that level.

 

[Sentinel]

Fetisov by a sizable margin.

 

[FerrisRox]

Who was the better player at his best?

Fetisov, and by a fair margin.

 

[VanIslander]

Salming vs. Robinson
Fetisov vs. Chelios

These would be more interesting comparisons.

 

[The Panther]

Salming vs. Robinson
Fetisov vs. Chelios

These would be more interesting comparisons.

I think you might be under-selling Robinson and over-selling Chelios (just my opinion).


I only saw Salming play towards the end of his career, when he was with the sad-sack Leafs (as well as that last year in Detroit), and a bit at Canada Cup '91 when he was 40 years old. So, I certainly didn't see him at his best. For six years in a row, he was a 1st/2nd-team All Star, though, which is pretty rarefied.

It's remarkable that Salming was a teammate of both Norm Ullman and Teemu Selanne.

 

[Anton13]

It's remarkable that Salming was a teammate of both Norm Ullman and Teemu Selanne.

I don't think he was a teammate of Teemu. Maybe you have him mixed with Randy Carlyle who was still playing in Winnipeg during Teemu's rookie season.

 

[The Panther]

I don't think he was a teammate of Teemu. Maybe you have him mixed with Randy Carlyle who was still playing in Winnipeg during Teemu's rookie season.

I refer to Canada Cup '91...

 

[VanIslander]

I think you might be under-selling Robinson and over-selling Chelios (just my opinion)..

Nah. I'm not so big on Chelios but have met several Chelios-better-than-Fetisov fans. I actually think Fetisov vs. Potvin is better careerwise (all things considered) and I ain't sold on Denis in this match-up.

BUT... the op wanted to talk about Salming and said "at his best", not in terms of overall career. Robinson and Salming played in the same era and there could be some interesting regular season comparisons made.

 

[Anton13]

I refer to Canada Cup '91...

Well, they weren't teammates there either. Salming is a Swede, Selänne a Finn. Anyway it's just nitpicking, your point stands. Salming had a remarkably long career.

 

[The Panther]

Well, they weren't teammates there either. Salming is a Swede, Selänne a Finn. Anyway it's just nitpicking, your point stands. Salming had a remarkably long career.

Whoa, what was I thinking...?

(I am actually aware that Salming is Swedish!)

Yes, anyway, a long career. Sometimes I think when we see players near the end of their careers, it's easy to get really distorted views of them when they're already on the decline.

 

[VanIslander]

.... when we see players near the end of their careers, it's easy to get really distorted views of them when they're already on the decline.

Indeed.

When I was young I thought Larry Robinson was awesome but Guy Lapointe was not very good (Guy started playing in the NHL the year I was born). I recall trading away Lapointe's hockey card as a throw-in bonus on a deal for some other player I wanted. I didn't start to appreciate his game until I started studying hockey history many years later.

 

[JackSlater]

I'm not all that high on Fetisov but I don't really see the case for Salming. I think it's probably a bit closer than most will conclude but it's very difficult in this case to make a direct comparison.

 

[psycat]

Fetisov is very overrated but it's still, somewhat clearly, him.

 

[VMBM]

Fetisov is very overrated but it's still, somewhat clearly, him.

Mmmm, why?

And if he's very overrated but still is clearly better than Salming, then you must have quite a low opinion of Salming.

 

[streitz]

I'd take Salming since he's a better human being.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Mmmm, why?

And if he's very overrated but still is clearly better than Salming, then you must have quite a low opinion of Salming.

Fetisov has the burden of three distinct career phases. USSR pre and post car accident plus NHL.

 

[brachyrynchos]

Salming was before my time and I'm more familiar with Fetisov in his time with Jersey. Anyway...was their style of play similar? And how much do you think (if at all) Fetisov's familiarity to his linemates and coaching factor in? I mean, Fetisov was part of that 5 man unit for so many years, same defensive partner (Kasatonov), same forwards (KLM line), Tretiak in net, and the same system and coaching (Tikhonov)...they played together all the time. Was Salming in a relatively similar situation in Toronto, and how does his adjustment to North America on and away from the rink matter, and the level of competition he played with and against? Both seem to have been great in their prime,under different conditions, is there perhaps a stronger argument in favor if Salming?

 

[FerrisRox]

Salming vs. Robinson

Robinson, again, by a fair margin.

 

[FerrisRox]

It's remarkable that Salming was a teammate of both Norm Ullman and Teemu Selanne.

Selanne and Salming were never teammates.

 

[FerrisRox]

I refer to Canada Cup '91...

Selanne is Finnish and Salming is Swedish, they were not teammates.

 

[FerrisRox]

Very strange seeing Lapointe wearing #10.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Old version of photoshop.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Indeed.

When I was young I thought Larry Robinson was awesome but Guy Lapointe was not very good (Guy started playing in the NHL the year I was born). I recall trading away Lapointe's hockey card as a throw-in bonus on a deal for some other player I wanted. I didn't start to appreciate his game until I started studying hockey history many years later.

Are you sure that isn't Chief Inspector Clouseau?

 

[Tuna Tatarrrrrr]

Fetisov was better than Salming but clearly overrated too because in his heyday, many referred to Fetisov as the Russian Bobby Orr and some even claimed he was better than Orr. As great as Fetisov was, he couldn't hold Orr's jockstrap.