The grittiest superstar ever

[Kshahdoo]

Who, do you think, was/is the grittiest superstar hockey player ever? Makarov? Crosby? Lindros? Somebody else?

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[YoSoyLalo]

Clarke and Howe

 

[quoipourquoi]

What do we mean by grittiest? Playing style or physical look (kinda like how if you’re watching “Young Guns” you might think someone needs to take a bar of soap to Dermot Mulroney)?

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Gritty.

Obviously.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Gritty.

Obviously.

Could probably use Gritty’s fur as an exfoliant and give Mike Ricci a good scrubbin’.

 

[swimmer77]

From the City of Gritty - Bobby Clarke.

 

[Kshahdoo]

What do we mean by grittiest? Playing style or physical look (kinda like how if you’re watching “Young Guns” you might think someone needs to take a bar of soap to Dermot Mulroney)?

Well, it's what people mean, when they say about players, that they are gritty...

To me, it's about a playing style, that takes a lot of hard work on forchecking, defense, fighting for the puck along the boards etc.

 

[Big Phil]

Does Messier fall into this category? Ted Lindsay?

 

[koyvoo]

Pierre Turgeon

 

[JackSlater]

Lindros I guess. Howe is the best player who was gritty but from my understanding and viewing he knew when to pick his spots more so than he engaged all the time.

 

[frog]

Peter Forsberg

 

[MadLuke]

What about Eddie Shore ?

 

[Rebels57]

I actually think Clarke may have been "grittier" than Lindros overall. His entire game was predicated on ridiculous over-the-top determination and grit.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Clarke and Howe

Clarke was gritty.

Howe was not.

 

[MXD]

Mark Messier, probably.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Mark Messier, probably.

Not gritty.

 

[billybudd]

"Gritty" is either often-misused or has multiple meanings that have nothing to do with one another. A perimeter player who doesn't really do boardwork might fight, slash people or throw big bodychecks. Is that "gritty?" I would say no, but some would say yes. Another player might block shots, specialize in board play and battle for position in traffic all day long, but never drop the gloves and rarely commit infractions at all. Is that player "gritty?" If "yes," the two players are almost opposites, so what use is a term that can describe two contradictory play styles?

 

[ESH]

Seeing Crosby mentioned in the OP has me confused about what exactly they’re asking

 

[ResilientBeast]

Seeing Crosby mentioned in the OP has me confused about what exactly they’re asking

Makarov is even more confusing

 

[Nick Hansen]

Alexander Ovechkin - the man who shot too much.

 

[crobro]

Bobby Orr
Peter Forsberg
Lindros
Cam Neely

 

[NyQuil]

Clarke was gritty.

Howe was not.

You must be talking about Mark Howe.

Gordie Howe fractured JC Tremblay’s cheekbone because of something he had said to Gordie during a bridge game months earlier.

He wasn’t afraid to mix it up along the boards if required.

 

[NyQuil]

Seeing Crosby mentioned in the OP has me confused about what exactly they’re asking

Theres a distinction between being a “grinder” like Crosby can be and “gritty” which Crosby is not.

 

[spiny norman]

Bobby Clarke

 

[Staniowski]

"Gritty" is either often-misused or has multiple meanings that have nothing to do with one another. A perimeter player who doesn't really do boardwork might fight, slash people or throw big bodychecks. Is that "gritty?" I would say no, but some would say yes. Another player might block shots, specialize in board play and battle for position in traffic all day long, but never drop the gloves and rarely commit infractions at all. Is that player "gritty?" If "yes," the two players are almost opposites, so what use is a term that can describe two contradictory play styles?

Fighting and hitting are not among the most important elements of gritty play, although gritty players might do these things.