Sidney Crosby / Bobby Clarke

steve141

Registered User
Aug 13, 2009
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Strange question, but I'll bite.

Offensively, I'd rate Crosby slightly higher than Clarke. Sort of like Coffey was better offensively than Bourque.

Defensively, it's not even close. Sort of how Coffey was not even close defensively to Bourque.

Unless my team already had a great defense and really, really needed offence I'd take Clarke every day of the week, including draft day.
 

Crosbyfan

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Nov 27, 2003
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Crosby. Clearly better offensively, though Clarke was no slouch. Clarke is comparable defensively if you take away his stickwork and with the instigator rule in place his wings would be clipped.
 

Dark Shadows

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Jun 19, 2007
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www.robotnik.com
Crosby. Clearly better offensively, though Clarke was no slouch. Clarke is comparable defensively if you take away his stickwork and with the instigator rule in place his wings would be clipped.

That is a matter of opinion, and it seems a jaded one at that. Even when playing clean(Yes, it did happen), Clarke was excellent positionally and had great reaction time and great with his pokechecks and take aways. And he was as tenacious as they come.

The instigator rule may take away some of his agitator ability because he could run behind his goons, but realistically, he was still excellent defensively. Arguably the best of all time.

Clarke was better defensively than he was offensively, and he was an excellent offensive player.
 

Canadiens1958

Registered User
Nov 30, 2007
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Lake Memphremagog, QC.
Variables of History

The question is interesting but is subject to the variables of history.

Basically assumptions have to be made about how Clarke would have adapted to the short shift game that is played today and going the other way how Crosby would have adapted to the longer shifts that were part of Clarke's era.
 

Crosbyfan

Registered User
Nov 27, 2003
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That is a matter of opinion, and it seems a jaded one at that. Even when playing clean(Yes, it did happen), Clarke was excellent positionally and had great reaction time and great with his pokechecks and take aways. And he was as tenacious as they come.

The instigator rule may take away some of his agitator ability because he could run behind his goons, but realistically, he was still excellent defensively. Arguably the best of all time.

Clarke was better defensively than he was offensively, and he was an excellent offensive player.

Well there you go. IMJadedO that sounds like Crosby, and at 23 Crosby is probably as good or better in those areas than Clarke was at the same age.
 
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JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
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I'm assuming that this isn't based on how good they were as prospects. I would probably go with Clarke, given that it is already known how his career ends up. Clarke may be somewhat limited defensively by todays rules, but those same changes would likely benefit him offensively. If I knew that Crosby would end up having a long and healthy career I would take him.
 

WingsFan95

Registered User
Mar 22, 2008
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Kanata
Clarke would be on the checking line in today's NHL.

The guy was a bum, sure he had talent, but in today's NHL he's be in the penalty box half the time.

I mean seriously, if he did that Kharlamov bit in the NHL he'd be banned for a year.

Let's be serious here, you'd need to build a HELL of a lot around Clark to succeed.

Crosby can carry teams.
 

Hardyvan123

tweet@HardyintheWack
Jul 4, 2010
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Vancouver
I'll bite and compare them both through ages 23 which is the only fair way to evaluate this question at this time IMO.

Crosby by a landslide and it won't take very much for Sid to pass bobby on total career either IMO.
 

LeBlondeDemon10

Registered User
Jul 10, 2010
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375
Canada
These two are very even with Crosby getting the edge with his goal scoring prowess. Interesting to consider their primary deficits looking back. Do you take Clarke the diabetic or Crosby who is injury prone? My choice would be to take Crosby, but at year six in their careers, Clarke appears to have a slight edge because he is more durable. That one would have fooled anyone.
 

Maupin Fan

Hot Air
Sep 17, 2009
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Clarke would be on the checking line in today's NHL.

The guy was a bum, sure he had talent, but in today's NHL he's be in the penalty box half the time.

I mean seriously, if he did that Kharlamov bit in the NHL he'd be banned for a year.

Let's be serious here, you'd need to build a HELL of a lot around Clark to succeed.

Crosby can carry teams.

This just in!!!... Bobby Clarke<<<<<Darroll Powe, Blair Betts in today's NHL
 

Hardyvan123

tweet@HardyintheWack
Jul 4, 2010
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Vancouver
These two are very even with Crosby getting the edge with his goal scoring prowess. Interesting to consider their primary deficits looking back. Do you take Clarke the diabetic or Crosby who is injury prone? My choice would be to take Crosby, but at year six in their careers, Clarke appears to have a slight edge because he is more durable. That one would have fooled anyone.

It's interesting that they have Clarke 25th and Crosby 26th on the hockey reference all time voting board for what it's worth.

I just went back to see where Clarke has a slight edge on durability.

Sure Crosby has been injured 2 times but the 2nd time, his current concussion is part of the context of the times.

Now no one knows for sure but Clarke would very likely have injury problems playing his style in the current game as players like Forsberg and his namesake from Toronto had.

even with the durability edge to Clarke it's very dubious that you can give him the edge when you compare the 2 players after their 6 years in the NHL and I won't even go into the watered down NHL of 70-75 compared to Sid's context.

Sid has been 1,2,3 and 6th in points also tied for 1st in goals once
Clarke 2,5,6,10

Playoffs Clarke does have the 2 cups, due to being on a better team IMO, but for individual performance Sid almost doubles him.

Sid 62-30-52-82
Bobby 49-11-29-38

Even if Sid was a complete floater and Clarke was the best defensive forward from day one, which is not the case, Clarke's durability doesn't even come close to trumping Sid in their 6 years.
 

Eisen

Registered User
Sep 30, 2009
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Duesseldorf
You're the gm of the Oilers come the draft picking first overall, you have your choice:Sidney Crosby, Bobby Clarke. Who do you take?

I hate that SOB, but Clarke delivered. I take him. The guy was like a second goalie on ice And he could score.
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
18,042
12,663
I truthfully can't see how you don't pick Crosby here.

Clarke doesn't really have injury concerns, and it is clear that he can still be a very effective player even when past his prime. There is little doubt that you have to go with Crosby if both are healthy.
 

Ohashi_Jouzu*

Registered User
Apr 2, 2007
30,332
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Halifax
I'm assuming that this isn't based on how good they were as prospects. I would probably go with Clarke, given that it is already known how his career ends up. Clarke may be somewhat limited defensively by todays rules, but those same changes would likely benefit him offensively. If I knew that Crosby would end up having a long and healthy career I would take him.

This is what it comes down to for me too, I guess. I'm tempted to vote Crosby, because I see him as being slightly better when comparing each to their respective peer groups, which seems important to me if we're at the draft table. But it's hard to look at 3 Harts, a Lindsay, a Selke, 1200 regular season points, 2 Cups and almost 120 playoff points, and the durability aspect and say that Clarke isn't even in the running wrt this particular thought exercise.
 

Bryz4shiz

Registered User
Feb 10, 2009
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Alhoa Oe
Over two seasons (74/75 and 75/76) Clarke was on ice for 12 even strength goals against. He also had 89 assists those two years and 119 and 116 points respectively. I know there's a lot of hate for Clarke, but based on what Crosby has done so far, I don't see how anyone could pick him
 

Crosbyfan

Registered User
Nov 27, 2003
12,633
2,442
Unless you were old enough to have watched Clarke I guess, which 98% of the board isn't.

Therefore we all know who is going to win this poll.

But for the 40+ crowd...it's pretty one sided the other way

OK, give us a clue, if you have one, where you came up with this information.
 

Ohashi_Jouzu*

Registered User
Apr 2, 2007
30,332
11
Halifax
OK, give us a clue, if you have one, where you came up with this information.

Don't know exactly how long you've spent around this board, but the regulars seem pretty familiar with each other, how long they've been following hockey, and where their opinions lie with respect to the bulk of the league's star players of past and present.
 

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