Skillswise, Who's The Worst NHL That You Have Ever Seen

[Dennis Bonvie]

I'm going with Marek Malik on this one...

You must be forgetting Malik's brilliant between-the-legs shootout game winner.

 

[Kovalev27]

Dale purinton would be the worst if not for one guy........

Ryan Hollweg. Easily the worst EVERYDAY nhler I've ever seen in my life. He has a legit spot in the lineup for 3 years playing for Tom Renney. I've never seen a less talented player in this league

 

[greatgazoo]

Was Kelly Buchberger put on that list as a joke?

Former Captain of the Oilers, fought, killed penalties, blocked shots, and led them during their miracle comebacks against the Stars and AVS during the playoffs.

He also had a 20 goal season.

Like, unless you're a Flames fan with an axe to grind...

 

[xavi4life]

Warren Rychel.

 

[Dreakmur]

Worst guy I've ever seen is Eric Cairns - played for the Islanders before the lock-out.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

I'm going with Marek Malik on this one...

He was as steady and reliable as you can get. Ed Jovanovski was never better than when he had Malik watching his back.

 

[JT Dutch*]

... Well, since I've been a Kings fan since the mid-80s, I've seen more of them than any other team (and yes, that truth hurts) -- I'd have to say that if we're going by a simple qualifier of a season's worth of games (82 games or more) the worst player I ever saw here ...

... was Steve McKenna. 137 games, 5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points, -8. Was used primarily to be an enforcer, but didn't really impress in that capacity, either. To be fair, not many wanted to engage a guy who was 6'8" and 245. McKenna actually was able to score 9 goals in a season for Pittsburgh, which made me think the end of the world was nigh.

If we're talking non-enforcers, it was Steven Finn. 104 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points, -14. He was a pretty decent enforcer during his time in Quebec, but he had clearly lost his taste for that once he came to L.A., so he was left with exactly zero redeeming qualities.

If we're talking goalies, it was clearly Darren Eliot. 84 games, 25-41-11, GAA around 4.5, save percentage around .850. He was even more impressive in the playoffs, playing exactly 40 minutes and giving up 7 goals in that span. He was, perhaps more affectionately, known as "Darren Idiot" by his adoring fans in the L.A. Forum.

 

[seventieslord]

Dale purinton would be the worst if not for one guy........

Ryan Hollweg. Easily the worst EVERYDAY nhler I've ever seen in my life. He has a legit spot in the lineup for 3 years playing for Tom Renney. I've never seen a less talented player in this league

Boy, am I glad that guy's not a Leaf anymore.

Was Kelly Buchberger put on that list as a joke?

Former Captain of the Oilers, fought, killed penalties, blocked shots, and led them during their miracle comebacks against the Stars and AVS during the playoffs.

He also had a 20 goal season.

Like, unless you're a Flames fan with an axe to grind...

No, it was not a joke. The list was "worst players with 1000+ games played". Craig Berube and Donald Brashear had the first two spots easily. It was down to Domi and Buchberger for the 3rd. I chose Domi as he was a better fighter and skater, comparable offensively, and was a master agitator and drawer of penalties. Buchberger had an absolutely terrible adjusted +/- indicating he was an even strength liability. But then, his PK prowess could very well put him over the top.

If he's not #3, he's #4.

If we're talking non-enforcers, it was Steven Finn. 104 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points, -14. He was a pretty decent enforcer during his time in Quebec, but he had clearly lost his taste for that once he came to L.A., so he was left with exactly zero redeeming qualities.

Finn was just more of a nondescript 3rd pairing stay at home defenseman who could fight middleweights. I wouldn't say he was ever much of an enforcer.

He probably got to hang around the NHL a bit too long because Quebec was so bad, and so when they got good and no longer had room for him, he was gone to LA. It's no wonder you didn't think he was any good in LA.

 

[overpass]

No, it was not a joke. The list was "worst players with 1000+ games played". Craig Berube and Donald Brashear had the first two spots easily. It was down to Domi and Buchberger for the 3rd. I chose Domi as he was a better fighter and skater, comparable offensively, and was a master agitator and drawer of penalties. Buchberger had an absolutely terrible adjusted +/- indicating he was an even strength liability. But then, his PK prowess could very well put him over the top.

I'd pick Berube for the 1000 games list, but Buchberger would be my pick for "worst player with 1100+ games". That's not as bad as it sounds, you generally have to be pretty good to get 1100 games played. Not even close to most of the players in this thread.

If you go to the list of players with 1400+ games played, Luke Richardson really sticks out, and not in a good way.

 

[greatgazoo]

Boy, am I glad that guy's not a Leaf anymore.



No, it was not a joke. The list was "worst players with 1000+ games played". Craig Berube and Donald Brashear had the first two spots easily. It was down to Domi and Buchberger for the 3rd. I chose Domi as he was a better fighter and skater, comparable offensively, and was a master agitator and drawer of penalties. Buchberger had an absolutely terrible adjusted +/- indicating he was an even strength liability. But then, his PK prowess could very well put him over the top.

If he's not #3, he's #4.



QUOTE]

In Buchberger's defense, he played 3rd line minutes on some horrific teams in Edmonton and Atlanta while Domi played 4th line minutes on some pretty good teams in T.O.

And really, should fighting skills be allowed in this discussion???

P.S. Buchberger was chosen 3 times to represent Canada at the World Championships. And it seems to me that you have to be able to skate to play in that tourney!

 

[seventieslord]

Boy, am I glad that guy's not a Leaf anymore.



No, it was not a joke. The list was "worst players with 1000+ games played". Craig Berube and Donald Brashear had the first two spots easily. It was down to Domi and Buchberger for the 3rd. I chose Domi as he was a better fighter and skater, comparable offensively, and was a master agitator and drawer of penalties. Buchberger had an absolutely terrible adjusted +/- indicating he was an even strength liability. But then, his PK prowess could very well put him over the top.

If he's not #3, he's #4.



QUOTE]

In Buchberger's defense, he played 3rd line minutes on some horrific teams in Edmonton and Atlanta while Domi played 4th line minutes on some pretty good teams in T.O.

And really, should fighting skills be allowed in this discussion???

P.S. Buchberger was chosen 3 times to represent Canada at the World Championships. And it seems to me that you have to be able to skate to play in that tourney!

That's fine with me. Like I said, if he's not #3, he's #4. never meant he's a bad player. you have to be pretty good to get to 1000 games at all.

 

[Zaphod]

Jeff Shantz.

 

[Tavaresmagicalplay*]

He was as steady and reliable as you can get. Ed Jovanovski was never better than when he had Malik watching his back.

And Malik had some dangles too. Only it was in slow motion.

I'm surprised Jeff Schantz keeps coming up. He scored that one really youtube worthy goal. That alone has got to take him off the list.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

The two names that jumped to mind were John Blum and Allen Pedersen.

Related question; who is the least talented player to have his name on the Cup?

Mike Hartman

 

[MXD]

Mike Hartman

I think Jay Caufield was worst.

 

[SpitsOHL89]

Boogaard and Peter Worrell no doubt about it

 

[MS]

Dale purinton would be the worst if not for one guy........

Ryan Hollweg. Easily the worst EVERYDAY nhler I've ever seen in my life. He has a legit spot in the lineup for 3 years playing for Tom Renney. I've never seen a less talented player in this league

The amazing thing about Hollweg is that he was a prodigy at age 14-16, and was the #1 overall pick in the WHL bantam draft in 1999 (between Jay Bouwmeester in 1998 and Braydon Coburn in 2000). When he was 15 years old, he was getting hyped as a future NHL superstar.

His skills simply didn't develop past that age, and regressed, if anything. Jeremy Stevenson would fit the same description as well - prodigy at 16, bust by 20, but somehow eventually went the long way around through the ECHL to stick as a very poor NHL player for a few years.

_________

I'll toss Dean Malkoc's name into the pool as well. Slow, dreadfully unskilled defender who somehow spent 3 full seasons in the NHL at the height of the clutch/grab era. The worst defenseman I've ever seen as a full-time roster player for the Canucks.

 

[seventieslord]

I will never forget baumgartner beating up malkoc.

 

[Claimed Off Waivers]

Andre Racicot is probably the worst goalie of all-time. 68 games played, a 3.50 G.A.A, a .880 save percentage and he has a Stanley Cup ring.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8450657

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

No votes for Rocky Thompson? Hell, just the name alone should be a hint that he was in the wrong sport. I think he was a decently high draft pick (first 3 rounds?), for whatever reason.

And Barry Melrose always makes my list of absolutely horrendous NHL talent:mullet ratios. (if we're staying away from the more obvious goons of NHL history)

 

[seventieslord]

Now I'm not saying Racicot is good, he wasn't, but he was just more of a "high profile" bad goaltender because he played for the Habs.

here's a list of all the goalies to play 60+ games during Racicot's career:

http://www.hockey-reference.com/pp/...l=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=save_pct

Racicot's sv% is 36th out of 56. Which isn't bad.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Now I'm not saying Racicot is good, he wasn't, but he was just more of a "high profile" bad goaltender because he played for the Habs.

here's a list of all the goalies to play 60+ games during Racicot's career:

http://www.hockey-reference.com/pp/...l=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=save_pct

Racicot's sv% is 36th out of 56. Which isn't bad.

That's just another incident of stats leading you guys astray. Actually watching the guy, he was horrible. So horrible, in fact, that during his prime years he couldn't even stick around in the IHL, let alone find a permanent home there (or even in the WPHL, whatever the hell that is). That, and watching him play, says way more to me than any stat line you could pull of the internet.

I'm guessing the team in front of him somehow helped salvage 36th out of 56th for him. On just his talent, he likely would have finished 57th. Seriously, he and Darren Pang are probably two of the worst goalies I've personally watched play the goaltending position during my lifetime.

 

[DaveG]

Dale Purinton immediately comes to mind.

A fine candidate for selection

I think Jay Caufield was worst.

And one right up there with him.


That said, one I'm rather surprised hasn't been mentioned yet:
Jason Doig

I'm absolutely amazed that a guy that was as slow and ineffective as he was somehow managed nearly 2 full seasons with the Capitals, even in their worst seasons. He may also hold the distinction of being the worst player to ever win gold at the World Junior Championships.

 

[seventieslord]

A fine candidate for selection



And one right up there with him.


That said, one I'm rather surprised hasn't been mentioned yet:
Jason Doig

I'm absolutely amazed that a guy that was as slow and ineffective as he was somehow managed nearly 2 full seasons with the Capitals, even in their worst seasons. He may also hold the distinction of being the worst player to ever win gold at the World Junior Championships.

Are you sure? Lots of guys win gold that never make any sort of impact at the NHL level.

 

[seventieslord]

That's just another incident of stats leading you guys astray. Actually watching the guy, he was horrible. So horrible, in fact, that during his prime years he couldn't even stick around in the IHL, let alone find a permanent home there (or even in the WPHL, whatever the hell that is). That, and watching him play, says way more to me than any stat line you could pull of the internet.

I'm guessing the team in front of him somehow helped salvage 36th out of 56th for him. On just his talent, he likely would have finished 57th. Seriously, he and Darren Pang are probably two of the worst goalies I've personally watched play the goaltending position during my lifetime.

It's kinda interesting how this list so closely follows our perceptions that are based on watching them, though, isn't it?

Look who's on top: Hasek, Potvin (who, for two seasons, was a top-5 goalie), Roy, Joseph, Belfour, Vanbiesbrouck.

Look who's close: Hebert, Richter, Essensa (who, for two seasons, was a top-10 goalie), Puppa, Terreri, Irbe, Barrasso.

Look at the next tier: Moog, Ranford, hextall, Casey, McLean, Beaupre, Burke.

clearly sv% statistics in this five-year period do a pretty good job of illustrating who was performing and who wasn't.

Racicot could have been worse than his sv% indicated (there are plenty of cases of this) but also it's undeniable that his ineptitude was exacerbated by playing in Montreal, and having an elite starter (Patrick Roy, .909) to be compared to.