Top 10 hitters of all time

[BlueDream]

I always thought Dallas Drake was one of the best, at least for his size.

 

[BostonBruins11]

Johnny Boychuk over the past 10 years anyways, Stevens throughout the 90's

 

[Beville]

Chris Neil / Dustin Byfuglien...

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Garent Exelby was an excellent hitter for years.







Keith Ballard was an exellent hip checker. And Brian Campbell could throw sneaky big hits for his size.

Tootoo is another good choice to add at forward. Colby Armstrong too.

 

[Hullois]

For a couple of years Emelin was one of the best hitter in the league.

 

[psycat]

Stevens and Kronwall are certainly in my top 10, after that? Not really thought about it, winged it a bit.

 

[psycat]

Forsberg and Lidstrom in a big-hitters list?

Swedish homer detected.

Lidström obviously doesn't belong(and neither does Bourque so doubt it's Swedish homerism at play, much anyway). Forsberg was great at using his body and threw a ton of good hits, especially to keep defenders away- certainly belongs. If the thread was about best open ice hitters he certainly doesn't belong but it's a pretty vague thread to begin with.

 

[Ace of Hades]

Lidstrom should nowhere near this list.

Replace him with Konstantinov or Peca.

 

[Machinehead]

Babe Ruth
Barry Bonds
Ted Williams
Willie Mays
Ty Cobb
Hank Aaron
Lou Gehrig
Mickey Mantle
Alex Rodriguez
Mike Trout

 

[Eisen]

If we're doing 'all-time' then Eddie Shore has gotta be on there. He was the most-feared player ever. He broke Ace Baily's skull and his nickname was "Old Blood and Guts". I'm certain that 80% of the league in those days was tougher than Nic freakin' Lidstrom.

While Lidstrom prefered not to play the body, I don't think he wasn't tough. Look at the guys he played against for decades.

 

[Tetsuo]

While Lidstrom prefered not to play the body, I don't think he wasn't tough. Look at the guys he played against for decades.

Similar story with Ovie, but as an actual Defender. Lids was always too good to be playing super physical (though Ovie has a few devastating hits on his resume) but Lids was a tough customer, he just didn't need to show it that often because he was usually the smartest player on the ice.

 

[AvroArrow]

Lidstrom
Patrick Kane
Mitch Marner
H. Sedin
D. Sedin
Gerbe
Kessel
Kaberle
Yakupov
Lebda

On a serious note, my top 10. Scott Stevens, Gary Roberts, Byfuglien, Ovechkin, Chara, Pronger, Clutterbuck, Tootoo, Domi Iginla (Biased my fav player ever). Just the guys I've seen play

 

[Stealth JD]

Surprised TJ Oshie hasn’t gotten any love. Maybe he’s cooled down some in Washington, but he used to routinely blow people up in his early days in STL. Rick Nash was a favorite target of his.

 

[Midnight Judges]

Surprised TJ Oshie hasn’t gotten any love. Maybe he’s cooled down some in Washington, but he used to routinely blow people up in his early days in STL. Rick Nash was a favorite target of his.

Oshie hits some, and he's a good physical player.

Doesn't belong in this conversation though.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Robyn Regehr has to be up there..

 

[a mangy Meowth]

Rob Blake top 10

 

[frisco]

A few write-ins: Luke Richardson, Jerry Korab, Brooks Orpik, Tim Horton, Jeff Beukeboom.

Peter Forsberg has 28 votes!?! No doubt if someone ran a best goaltender poll and had Forsberg as one of the choices he's probably garner a good amount of support.

My Best-Carey

 

[GreatGonzo]

Derian Hatcher is another guy who gets overlooked.

Kyle McLaren was a nasty hip checker. Some of the best I’ve ever seen.

Jeff Beukeboom was always a personal favorite. Hard nose hitting Defenseman.

Lidström obviously doesn't belong(and neither does Bourque so doubt it's Swedish homerism at play, much anyway). Forsberg was great at using his body and threw a ton of good hits, especially to keep defenders away- certainly belongs. If the thread was about best open ice hitters he certainly doesn't belong but it's a pretty vague thread to begin with.

Bourque wasn’t the biggest hitter but he was actually quite physical and had really good timing. He was always a big solid guy and would use that to his advantage.

 

[newfy]

Derian Hatcher is another guy who gets overlooked.

Kyle McLaren was a nasty hip checker. Some of the best I’ve ever seen.

Jeff Beukeboom was always a personal favorite. Hard nose hitting Defenseman.


Bourque wasn’t the biggest hitter but he was actually quite physical and had really good timing. He was always a big solid guy and would use that to his advantage.

Hatcher was one of the meanest to ever do it but I'm not sure he was as big of a hitter as a good chunk of these guys mentioned above. He could really hit and he mightve actually been the meanest dman in the game at one point but i dont think his hitting was quite as high as these guys. McLaren was really good too. His time was pretty short lived though or he mighta worked his way on this list

 

[GreatGonzo]

Hatcher was one of the meanest to ever do it but I'm not sure he was as big of a hitter as a good chunk of these guys mentioned above. He could really hit and he mightve actually been the meanest dman in the game at one point but i dont think his hitting was quite as high as these guys. McLaren was really good too. His time was pretty short lived though or he mighta worked his way on this list

For sure He definitely wasn’t known for his hitting in the sense of it being on another level compared to his peers, but I just feel he gets underrated for his physical presence. He could really hit and like you said, he hit with the intent to make you feel it the next day. Hell of a fighter too, just an overall tough and mean dude.

McLarens time was short. Always saw it to be a shame. But man within that time, he made a lot of noise with those hip checks.

 

[psycat]

Derian Hatcher is another guy who gets overlooked.

Kyle McLaren was a nasty hip checker. Some of the best I’ve ever seen.

Jeff Beukeboom was always a personal favorite. Hard nose hitting Defenseman.


Bourque wasn’t the biggest hitter but he was actually quite physical and had really good timing. He was always a big solid guy and would use that to his advantage.

Agreed on Bourque but wouldn't have him anywhere near top of the list in any kind of "hitting poll". Clearly good but not one of the greatest, in my opinion.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Was Bourque a hitter?

 

[SotasicA]

Defensemen:

Darius Kasparaitis
Craig Muni
Igor Ulanov
Ulf Samuelsson
Bryan Marchment
Scott Stevens

Forwards:

Cam Neely
Karl Stewart
Darcy Tucker
Jarkko Ruutu
David Koci
Eric Lindros

I can semi-understand Bourque being listed though not really, but Lidstrom was the opposite of a big hitter.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

Jocelyn Lemieux was a human pinball.
Loved watching that guy play. He hit everything that moved.

 

[GreatGonzo]

Agreed on Bourque but wouldn't have him anywhere near top of the list in any kind of "hitting poll". Clearly good but not one of the greatest, in my opinion.

For sure. I just feel many don’t realize just how physical he actually was. Not a big time hitter, but nevertheless, physical.