Top 20 Montreal Canadiens Forwards since 2000 - #1
- Thread starter Le Barron de HF
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ArtPeur
Have a Snickers
- Mar 30, 2010
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I had to choose Max, 'cause of his 2x30 goals seasons in the last 3. Who knows how many he would have scores if there wasn't a lockout 2 years ago. That 33 goals season in which he came back from an injury is what truly made me choose him over Koivu and Kovalev.
Koivu would be my #2 and Kovy might be my #3
Add Ribeiro, Ryder, Cole, Gionta, Zednik for the next polls?
Koivu would be my #2 and Kovy might be my #3
Add Ribeiro, Ryder, Cole, Gionta, Zednik for the next polls?
Disappearing Semin
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2012
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Pacioretty is probably the best goal-scorer of the bunch, but I'm not sure if he is the best forward. There is a lot I want to see improved in Max's game before I would give him that honor.
Sadly, for me, it has to be between Koivu and Kovalev (as much as I hated him near the end). I will go with Koivu because of longevity with the club, he was the team's best forward and go-to-guy until Kovalev came around and challenged him for that title.
Also, outside of Cammalleri, very few players come close to elevating their game in the POs like Koivu and Kovalev did in their time as Canadiens.
My top 5 will probably end up looking something like this:
Koivu
Kovalev
Plekanec
Pacioretty
Cammalleri
Sadly, for me, it has to be between Koivu and Kovalev (as much as I hated him near the end). I will go with Koivu because of longevity with the club, he was the team's best forward and go-to-guy until Kovalev came around and challenged him for that title.
Also, outside of Cammalleri, very few players come close to elevating their game in the POs like Koivu and Kovalev did in their time as Canadiens.
My top 5 will probably end up looking something like this:
Koivu
Kovalev
Plekanec
Pacioretty
Cammalleri
Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
I've already made a list of players made. I put 5 for this one since I think these guys are a tier above everyone else.
Dagistitsyn
Registered User
This is a tough one. Voted Kovy, but I don't know who I'd vote for 2nd. Could be any of them aside from Cammy.
Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
That's debatable in my opinion, Zednik at his best was Cammy at his worse. Cammalleri was on pace for 30+ goals in his first season here and it's not like he was given the most minutes offensively. Plek & Gomez were splitting duties. His playoff performances put him above Zednik in my books.
I voted for Koivu but I absolutely hate the "since 2000" stipulation. It's hard for me to tell them apart per year. So i'm judging more on overall time spent in Montreal.
When Koivu was in his prime, he was at one point one of the BEST players in the NHL - and on his way to the top of the scoring race in the NHL before injury. He was VERY, VERY good for stretches.
When his game dropped a bit over the years - he was still always 100% full on effort. And not a defensive liability either. So very few weaknesses in his game.
Kovalev - great in spurts (although I'd argue even his greatness wasn't all that great compared to the best in the league when he was in Mtl), but sometimes very bad too. And not good defensively.
Pacioretty - he scores goals. It's the most important criteria for a hockey player, and he's excellent at it. I have trouble considering him as an elite player yet tho. His overall game is still so-so, and i see him more as a strong striker than a complete player. So I wouldn't rate him #1 above the others.
Plekanec - honnestly, he's had an amazing career. I always felt as though he could have gone higher - there are seasons where I really thought he might be a PPG or even 100+ points, but never quite peaked that high.
This may be a controversial opinion, but I think the best forward to have worn a Montreal Canadian's uniform since 2000 is Vanek. When Montreal traded for him this year, I know I thought to myself "wow, this is the biggest offensive name to play for Montreal in 20+ years". Super short sample size, and his playoffs were horrendous, but still.
When Koivu was in his prime, he was at one point one of the BEST players in the NHL - and on his way to the top of the scoring race in the NHL before injury. He was VERY, VERY good for stretches.
When his game dropped a bit over the years - he was still always 100% full on effort. And not a defensive liability either. So very few weaknesses in his game.
Kovalev - great in spurts (although I'd argue even his greatness wasn't all that great compared to the best in the league when he was in Mtl), but sometimes very bad too. And not good defensively.
Pacioretty - he scores goals. It's the most important criteria for a hockey player, and he's excellent at it. I have trouble considering him as an elite player yet tho. His overall game is still so-so, and i see him more as a strong striker than a complete player. So I wouldn't rate him #1 above the others.
Plekanec - honnestly, he's had an amazing career. I always felt as though he could have gone higher - there are seasons where I really thought he might be a PPG or even 100+ points, but never quite peaked that high.
This may be a controversial opinion, but I think the best forward to have worn a Montreal Canadian's uniform since 2000 is Vanek. When Montreal traded for him this year, I know I thought to myself "wow, this is the biggest offensive name to play for Montreal in 20+ years". Super short sample size, and his playoffs were horrendous, but still.
ArtPeur
Have a Snickers
- Mar 30, 2010
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I forgot that Koivu had some 60/70+ points seasons which would change my vote. Koivu may not be the most talented forward of this group but he was such a warrior, even more in the playoffs like you said. It ***** that he played on such a weak team for so long. Maybe Pacioretty will really be the best forward a few years from now
MXD
Original #4
- Oct 27, 2005
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Zednik wasn't as soft, and if you factor Cammy's injuries, you have to factor in Zednik injuries as well. Zednik also played more seasons. Not to mention that points were statistically harder to come by when Zednik had his best seasons. ....
Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
Zednik barely missed any games with Montreal and his best season is equivalent to Cammalleri's worse in terms of points. Zednik played four full seasons with Montreal, Cammalleri almost played three. Zednik might have played in a period where it was harder to score but Cammalleri played under Jacques Martin and his defensive system. Also Zednik saw more PP time in his time here than Cammy did.
I only saw the worst version of Zednik (post-lockout) but I think many will argue that Cammalleri was more memorable in his time than Zednik.
Harpo
Lyle forever
I'd go with Kovalev, but that's kind of depressing since he only had one elite season with us. None of the others were gamebreakers after 2000, just very good players.
MXD
Original #4
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Sweeney
Registered User
Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
MXD
Original #4
- Oct 27, 2005
- 50,840
- 16,584
Le Barron de HF
Justin make me proud
You can make a poll if you want, you're making it sound like I ranked Jose Theodore over Jacques Plante. I'm pretty confident that Cammalleri would win the poll (by a pretty good margin too). I would say even Ryder was more impactful than Zednik for crying out loud. The player is known more for getting clotheslined by Kyle McLaren and holding onto the puck with one hand than scoring 31 goals in a season with Montreal.
Indeed, Sergei Kostitsyn/Matt D'Agostini/Marcel Hossa/Chris Higgins name it.
MXD
Original #4
- Oct 27, 2005
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Was a HUGE Kovy fan, but I don't see how you can deny Koivu here. Had two 70+point seasons and had to carry the team before Kovalev and sometimes even with him.
Kovy comes in at a close 2 for me.
Koivu
Kovalev
Pacioretty
Plekanec
Cammalleri
Kovy comes in at a close 2 for me.
Koivu
Kovalev
Pacioretty
Plekanec
Cammalleri
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