Mighty Makar
I hate this fu*ken team
- May 24, 2016
- 14,815
- 16,146
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.
He didn't win the Selke.
I think that Yzerman was the better player. Sakic has the better resume.
Close but Sakic was the superior player especially in the playoffs, he was more clutch and clearly a better leader.
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 isI don't remember Sakic carrying his team to a cup on 2 busted knees.... hmm....
Might change, though.Sakic.
Yzerman has been the better GM though.
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
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.
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.Sorry buddy still too many points in the way.
Really? sakics prime was all in the clutch and grab era where yzerman had his younger years in the highest scoring era.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
Forsberg > FedorovSakic was the only redeeming player on a Avs roster full of reprehensible turds...
Really? sakics prime was all in the clutch and grab era where yzerman had his younger years in the highest scoring era.
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.
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.