Steve Yzerman vs. Joe Sakic

[Mighty Makar]

Sakic usually wins these polls. Flip a coin. Both legends. I hated Detroit back in the day when we had a rivalry, but always had respect for Yzerman.

 

[DrRad]

I might be a little biased because Sakic is my favorite player of all time, but I'll give the slight edge to him.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Sakic.

Yzerman has been the better GM though.

 

[Voight]

He didn't win the Selke.

I think that Yzerman was the better player. Sakic has the better resume.

Correct, my mistake but he did come in 2nd, had only 3% less of the vote while also having 1 more 1st place vote than John Madden, he was damn close. Not often a high scoring player finishes that high, he was just that good in 2001.

 

[thadd]

Close but Sakic was the superior player especially in the playoffs, he was more clutch and clearly a better leader.

I don't remember Sakic carrying his team to a cup on 2 busted knees.... hmm....

 

[22FUTON9]

I don't remember Sakic carrying his team to a cup on 2 busted knees.... hmm....

Better leader is really subjective but he was clearly a better player in the playoffs. Probably doesn’t help that Yzerman was past his prime when the wings got real competitive but it is what it is

 

[klozge]

Sakic.

Yzerman has been the better GM though.

Might change, though.

 

[thadd]

Better leader is really subjective but he was clearly a better player in the playoffs. Probably doesn’t help that Yzerman was past his prime when the wings got real competitive but it is what it is

They had 2 times. They were awesome in the 90's when they brought Larionov, Konstintinov, Federov, Kozlov and Festisov over over and yeah he was out of his prime the 2nd time around when Datsuk was still growing into his own.

 

[heretik27]

I have to go with my NHL 94' team captain Steve Yzerman, because there isn't much really separating these two legends it's tough to make an objective call on this debate. If it wasn't, we'd have come to a consensus over 10 years ago.

 

[Foppberg]

Close but Sakic was the superior player especially in the playoffs, he was more clutch and clearly a better leader.

^^^
This is a false belief.

You're right, thinking the opposite is a false belief for sure.

Can't see your argument, too many cups in the way.

Can't see your argument, too many Hart in the way.

Sorry buddy still too many points in the way.

Sorry bud still too many playoff points and OT goals in the way.

Must be a playoff choker then, 3 still greater than 2

Must be a playoff choker, 3 series win in head to head is still greater than 2. Second biggest choker ever after 2018-19 Lightning, 62 wins but no Cup and beat by who? Oh ya Sakic and the Avalanche.

I appreciated this.

 

[Captain Bowie]

Sorry buddy still too many points in the way.

Yzerman had the benefit of playing in the high flowing, bad defence and goaltending era of the 80's for several years more than Sakic did. And he didn't come into his own as a defensive player until about a decade into it, when Scotty Bowman came around. Didn't have much team success until then either.

 

[newfy]

Sakic has the hart trophy but if pre injury Yzerman played in the era that Sakic won his, instead of playing it head to head with Gretz and Lemieux, he would have a hart trophy or 2 as well. Timing worked well to help Sakics case here.

At his best offensively, Yzerman was better offensively, at his best defensively Yzerman was better defensively but I think for a longer period of time Sakic may have provided a better combo of both. Really can flip a coin for these 2, there isnt a right or wrong answer

 

[Mac2Rants]

Sakic has the hart trophy but if pre injury Yzerman played in the era that Sakic won his, instead of playing it head to head with Gretz and Lemieux, he would have a hart trophy or 2 as well. Timing worked well to help Sakics case here.

At his best offensively, Yzerman was better offensively, at his best defensively Yzerman was better defensively but I think for a longer period of time Sakic may have provided a better combo of both. Really can flip a coin for these 2, there isnt a right or wrong answer

Really? sakics prime was all in the clutch and grab era where yzerman had his younger years in the highest scoring era.

 

[FMichael]

Sakic was the only redeeming player on a Avs roster full of reprehensible turds...

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Sakic was the only redeeming player on a Avs roster full of reprehensible turds...

Forsberg > Fedorov

 

[newfy]

Really? sakics prime was all in the clutch and grab era where yzerman had his younger years in the highest scoring era.

Yeah, Sakic played some big years in a time that I would probably consider the weakest for forwards in a while. Those early to mid 2000s right around the lockout. It was before the 2003ish draft aged guys moved into the league and took over from the old guard. He wasnt going against a prime Gretzky/Lemieux or even guys like Messier who played a game voters loved back when Yzerman was in his prime. If Yzerman isnt up against Gretzky and Lemieux, hes viewed as the best offensive player in the league for a streak of about 3 years or so and probably takes some serious hardware home for a season or two at least.

Now I know a guy like Coffey was a stud and would get his points regardless but just as an example, if you take Yzermans big 88-89 season and remove Gretzky/Lemieux and their teammates who didnt put up those points without them... Yzerman has 45 more points than the next closest non pen/king line mate of one of these 2. Obviously those guys did play though and I think Coffey is producing with or without Mario but I doubt its to the extent he did. I'm not talking the raw stats, I'm talking about just being dominant. But like I said, Yzerman did get hurt and he wasnt the combination of defense and offense that Sakic was. But at his offensive best he was better and his defensive best he was better. Flip a coin

If prime, healthy Yzerman played in that 2000ish era he would've definitely cleaned up on some hardware.

 

[Connor McConnor]

Sakic was the superior player.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Both had great careers, but I will go with Sakic.

 

[canucks4ever]

Sakic usually wins these polls because he has more top 10 scoring finishes. However, Yzerman was forced to play under bowman while the Avalanche played a run and gun style. Yzerman in his 20's was clearly a better offensive player than Sakic in his 20's. If Sakic was forced to play under bowman, hitchcock or the Devils, his numbers would have taken a nosedive. I view them as equals, Sakic has more top 10 finishes, but Yzerman from 88-90 is the better pure offensive player, i have no doubt about that.

 

[cgf]

Sakic usually wins these polls because he has more top 10 scoring finishes. However, Yzerman was forced to play under bowman while the Avalanche played a run and gun style. Yzerman in his 20's was clearly a better offensive player than Sakic in his 20's. If Sakic was forced to play under bowman, hitchcock or the Devils, his numbers would have taken a nosedive. I view them as equals, Sakic has more top 10 finishes, but Yzerman from 88-90 is the better pure offensive player, i have no doubt about that.

...Sakic was a Selke finalist while finishing second to Jagr in the Art Ross race...

 

[Sempiternal]

Joe Sakic easily.

 

[KevinRedkey]

If you were to exclude Lemieux and Gretzky from the Hart, Rocket, and Art Ross record books:

Yzerman:
1755 points in 1514 games
692 goals
6 major awards (Smythe, Lindsay, Hart, Ross, Ross, Selke)
Stanley Cup (x3)

Sakic:
1641 points in 1378 games
625 goals
3 major awards (Smythe, Lindsay, Hart)
Stanley Cup (x2)

If you only look at the seasons in which they both played, Yzerman's points per game is 1.16 (95 point pace), and Sakic's is 1.20 (98 point pace). Peak is definitely Yzerman. I don't see how anyone can even debate that. His 155pts is the best of anyone not named Wayne or Mario. Career are very similar but Yzerman has more achievements and was the better defensive player despite putting up almost identical numbers when they both played. I think Yzerman was better, but Sakic wins these polls because he was the better playoff performer, and better late in his career.

Peak: Yzerman
Defense: Yzerman
Playoffs: Sakic
Awards: Yzerman

All that said, I think these two are the two most comparable superstars in the history of the NHL. Realistically they are as close to neck-and-neck as it gets.

 

[FinProspects]

Yeah its too close to choose really.

 

[cgf]

If you were to exclude Lemieux and Gretzky from the Hart, Rocket, and Art Ross record books:

Yzerman:
1755 points in 1514 games
692 goals
6 major awards (Smythe, Lindsay, Hart, Ross, Ross, Selke)
Stanley Cup (x3)

Sakic:
1641 points in 1378 games
625 goals
3 major awards (Smythe, Lindsay, Hart)
Stanley Cup (x2)

If you only look at the seasons in which they both played, Yzerman's points per game is 1.16 (95 point pace), and Sakic's is 1.20 (98 point pace). Peak is definitely Yzerman. I don't see how anyone can even debate that. His 155pts is the best of anyone not named Wayne or Mario. Career are very similar but Yzerman has more achievements and was the better defensive player despite putting up almost identical numbers when they both played. I think Yzerman was better, but Sakic wins these polls because he was the better playoff performer, and better late in his career.

Peak: Yzerman
Defense: Yzerman
Playoffs: Sakic
Awards: Yzerman

All that said, I think these two are the two most comparable superstars in the history of the NHL. Realistically they are as close to neck-and-neck as it gets.

How's it look when you remove Jagr as well? And when was Yzerman the better defensive player?

 

[tony d]

I went with Steve Yzerman