"The 10 Smartest NHL Players Of Modern Times"

[Legionnaire]

Interesting article by John McGourty from NHL.com.

1. Wayne Gretzky
2. Mario Lemieux
3. Jacques Lemaire
4. Bob Gainey
5. Pierre Pilote
6. Ray Bourque
7. Gordie Howe
8. Dave Keon
9. Nicklas Lidstrom
10. Bryan Trottier

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=345319

Can't say that I disagree with their selections all too much. I would have Trottier higher I believe, but I'm sure exactly where. Probably at 5.

Click to read more...

 

[VladNYC*]

No Larionov? ********.

 

[Legionnaire]

No Larionov? ********.

Damn. I forgot about him too.

 

[MXD]

I'd have....


<-----------------------

Ahead of Lemaire...
and of Larionov as well.

 

[Sens Rule]

Orr? Beliveau perhaps?

 

[PensfanUK]

Not the greatest but Al McInnis should have a mention I think

 

[Sens Rule]

Chelios is a very smart player... which is why he is still playing.

In reflection of this thread Doug Harvey HAS to be on the top 10 list. He dictated the pace of games like no defenceman before or after by slowing the game down to the pace he wanted it to be played at. That is why Harvey was so great and won all those Norris trophies and a large reason Montreal won all those Cups in the 1950's. In smarts on the ice Harvey has to be there.... as his greatness was for the most part purely mental.

 

[barfy2000]

Just to let you guys know, the list wasn't ranked. He numbered them but they are there as a group, not in an order. There are a few glaring omissions, but overall it is a pretty decent list.

 

[thehabsvolta]

I like this list but wondered if anyone thought a goalie could be in a group like this and if so, who?

 

[Sens Rule]

I like this list but wondered if anyone thought a goalie could be in a group like this and if so, who?

Brodeur or Barrasso. They were both so good at moving the puck to their D-Men.

 

[MXD]

If they're not ranked.... Probably the best list someone could come up with. Not sure about Pierre Pilote, but it's not like he's out of place either.

The only one other guy I could see as being in is Bobby Clarke, but I don't know would have been out, should Clarke be in.

 

[pappyline]

Chelios is a very smart player... which is why he is still playing.

In reflection of this thread Doug Harvey HAS to be on the top 10 list. He dictated the pace of games like no defenceman before or after by slowing the game down to the pace he wanted it to be played at. That is why Harvey was so great and won all those Norris trophies and a large reason Montreal won all those Cups in the 1950's. In smarts on the ice Harvey has to be there.... as his greatness was for the most part purely mental.

Article says he left Harvey off because he didn't see him in his prime. If he didn't see Harvey in his prime, then he didn't see Howe in his prime either but Howe is on the list. I am not sure what the definition of "smart" is. Most great players say that the way they play comes naturally. they really don't have to think about it.

 

[WHA Euro]

Larionov and Adam Oates. I know he means hockey smarts, but how about Joe Juneau? He is some kind of rocket engineer.

 

[MXD]

Larionov and Adam Oates. I know he means hockey smarts, but how about Joe Juneau? He is some kind of rocket engineer.

Stu Grimson and Enrico Ciccone are lawyers...

 

[Ogopogo*]

I wonder where Gino Odjick ranks on the list?

 

[arrbez]

I wonder where Gino Odjick ranks on the list?

Pretty high I'd wager. He got an NHL salary for how many years?

 

[Ogopogo*]

Pretty high I'd wager. He got an NHL salary for how many years?

Good point.

My favorite Gino story was the time, during the off-season that he drank himself into the 'Spirit World' and the spirits told him to run from Calgary to Vancouver to raise money for a charity (can't remember which).

Gino was the people's champion.

 

[arrbez]

Good point.

My favorite Gino story was the time, during the off-season that he drank himself into the 'Spirit World' and the spirits told him to run from Calgary to Vancouver to raise money for a charity (can't remember which).

Gino was the people's champion.

best hockey story ever:

When Gino Odjick was in minor hockey he did not possess an appropriate set of formal attire for attending games . His coach ponied up the cash to get him a fine suit, and then the next day Gino arrived with the suit in tatters and stained with blood. Apparently Gino and his father had encountered a deer on the road and had hunted it down and returned the carcass to their pickup's bed for later consumption.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Ron Francis has to be up there. He didn't have the most natural talent but was a first ballot hall of famer because he always knew the right thing to do.

Sakic would be up there too for me, maybe not top 10. Lacked the natural talents of Forsberg, but usually managed to outproduce him.

 

[V-2 Schneider]

Those are all excellent selections,particularly how he recognizes the greatness that was Jacques Lemaire.He was a complete talent.

One guy who merits mention is Serge Savard.He could slow the play down, control the flow, made so few mistakes, played tough, made great passes.To me, he's a more physical version of Lidstrom.

 

[jiggs 10]

Not being sure what is meant by "smart", I'd have to say having Gordie Howe on this list invalidates it. Great guy, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer. And if they mean hockey smarts, this list is ridiculous without Igor Larionov on it. Probably the smartest hockey player (in both ways) I've seen in 40 years.

Lemieux? Huh? Great skill isn't the same as "smarts".

For actual "smarts", I'd put many different players ahead of any of these players. Players who went to college and got degrees, and are articulate in interviews and the like. But I'm sure that isn't what he meant by this.

 

[Dark Shadows]

Mario Lemieux -- Lemieux, amazingly, comes closest to dropping from this list because of his superior physical skills. He makes it not only because of his incredible shot selections that led to him being the highest point producer per game in NHL history, but also because of his uncanny defensive play. He had the largest stick-sweep arc of any NHL forward I've seen, allowing him to break up rushes that no other forward could. He also had great defensive anticipation that put him in position to break up those rushes.

Is this supposed to be serious? Lemieux is one of my all time favorite players, but in my years watching him, I never considered him to be anything more than average, if that, defensively.

 

[Mad Habber]

I don't see Lafleur on there, so I guess this list doens't count talent. Fine, I don't see what Lemieux and Howe are doing on there. I would tend to take Gretzky out of the list also mostly because who knows where skill and just plain smarts begin and end.

From a Hab perspective, Lemaire belongs on the list for sure and so does Gainey. Someone mentioned Serge Savard, and he would definitaly be near the top ten for sure.

I will also add Guy Carbonneau. Drafted as an offensive star in junior, he had to learn the defensive game because there was no room for another offensive star in Montreal. All his former coaches would put Carbo on the list, so to me, he belongs.

The hard part for such a list is to distinguish between natural ability and talent and pure hockey smarts.

 

[BNHL]

Doctor Randy Gregg?

 

[Heat McManus]

Not being sure what is meant by "smart", I'd have to say having Gordie Howe on this list invalidates it. Great guy, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer. And if they mean hockey smarts, this list is ridiculous without Igor Larionov on it. Probably the smartest hockey player (in both ways) I've seen in 40 years.

Lemieux? Huh? Great skill isn't the same as "smarts".

For actual "smarts", I'd put many different players ahead of any of these players. Players who went to college and got degrees, and are articulate in interviews and the like. But I'm sure that isn't what he meant by this.

Lemieux had incredible vision. One example, letting the pass go through him to Kariya in the 2002 Olympics. As his injuries deflated his physical ability it was Mario's intelligence that enabled him to produce at a high level.