Top 5 players by position?

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Center
Gretzky
Lemieux
Beliveau
Mikita
Esposito

Right Wing
Howe
Richard
Lafleur
Jagr
Bossy

Left Wing
Hull
Lindsay
F.Mahovlich
Just can't make up my mind with the final two spots. Alot of good candidates such as Jackson, Schriner, Bentley, Robitaille, Shanahan, Barber, Shutt, Blake ect but IMO not a definitive #4 or #5.

Defense
Orr
Harvey
Shore
I can't make up my mind with regard to the next two spots between Potvin, Chelios, Robinson, Park, Lidstrom and Bourque. Most have Bourque, but I'm not as convinced.

Goalies
Plante
Hall
Roy
Hasek
Sawchuk

 

[Regal]

lol at all the Haseks
he couldnt hold the jock of Brodeur, Roy, Sawchuk, Plante, Dryden

Yet he won 6 Vezinas with Roy and Brodeur as competition?

 

[MXD]

I'd say Bobby Clarke is above Sakic and Stevie Y as well.

That's the guy I forgot.

 

[Dreakmur]

That's the guy I forgot.

I'd have Cyclone ahead of both Yzerman and Sakic too. Probably Nighbor too.

 

[jkrx]

lol at all the Haseks
he couldnt hold the jock of Brodeur, Roy, Sawchuk, Plante, Dryden

..and Arron Asham is far more of a superiour player compared to Jagr, right?

 

[MXD]

I'd have Cyclone ahead of both Yzerman and Sakic too. Probably Nighbor too.

The thing with Taylor is that I just cannot really consider him a C...

 

[Hardyvan123]

Except for jkrx's Delvecchio, it will be pretty consensual.

I see how points could be made for....

- Potvin vs. Lidstrom
- Brodeur vs Hall vs Sawchuck
- Bossy vs Jagr
- Trottier vs Mikita

I was thinking along the same lines except I'll take Potvin over gasp Shore (comparing pre WWII players with players after that time period isn't fair to either groups IMO) and I would take Bossy over Lafleur as well.

 

[Hardyvan123]

I admit that Delvecchio was a bit of a homer choice but he kept producing throughout his whole career (22 seasons). Not many 50s players did that.

11 times top 10 in points (8 of 11 in a 6 team league) but only 2 times in top 5 (4th and 5th).

He had a pretty good career but I'm not sure he is even in my top 10 at Center.

 

[Derick*]

Even though I think Hasek is the greatest goalie of all time, I'm surprised to see him being mentioned here so much, given that the OP said in terms of career, not peak by position. I realize there's more to Hasek's career than just his NHL time, but when most people (myself included) think of Hasek, they think of his 8-year span in which he won 6 Vezinas. Same with Dryden, who I saw listed for someone - he did win 4 cups, so career wise he's a pretty strong selection there, but would he really be ahead of guys like Brodeur or Sawchuk who managed to hold most the career records?

Don't get me wrong - I think measuring players by career is less interesting (and important) than measuring by a combination of peak and career both, but that was what the OP asked for.

The way I see it, "career" doesn't mean "longevity" or "total team awards." It means "peak + longevity + total team awards." So while you would probably say Selanne had a better career than Lindros despite not having as high a peak, if someone's peak was high enough to compensate for their relative lack of longevity, they can still have a better "career."

As for Hasek, there's also the pre-NHL argument, and the fact that his "career" was actually pretty damn long; he just didnt win a lot of stanley cups.

 

[WingedWheel]

Tis very disappointing that a lot of people are either leaving out lidstrom out of the top 5 D, or putting him 5th at best.

Which is hilarious. Lidstrom is 2-4 best defenseman.

Lidstrom > Bourque

 

[SidGenoMario]

Lidstrom > Bourque

How so?

I'd like to see how their hart trophy voting results compare.

 

[Derick*]

lol at all the Haseks
he couldnt hold the jock of Brodeur, Roy, Sawchuk, Plante, Dryden

Lol you mad?

 

[Hardyvan123]

Tis very disappointing that a lot of people are either leaving out lidstrom out of the top 5 D, or putting him 5th at best.

Which is hilarious. Lidstrom is 2-4 best defenseman.

Lidstrom > Bourque

I agree with this but I'm probably in the minority in that regard i this forum. Bourque is close but Lidstrom is slightly better and still building his resume.

 

[Zil]

Lol you mad?

Don't forget the two Harts as well.

 

[Mantha Poodoo]

Personally...

Center:

Gretzky
Lemieux
Beliveau
Morenz
Mikita

Wing:

Howe
Hull
Richard
Lafleur
Bossy (or Lindsay, close)

Defense:

Orr
Shore/Lidstrom
Lidstrom/Shore
Bourque
Harvey

Goalie:

Hasek
Roy
Plante
Sawchuk
Brodeur

I have a hard time deciding between Shore and Lidstrom. They both epitomize two completely opposite styles of defensive hockey.

 

[SidGenoMario]

Orr
Shore
Harvey
Bourque
Lidstrom


I really don't see how Lidstrom's ahead of Bourque.

 

[DaveG]

C:
Wayne Gretzky
Mario Lemieux
Jean Beliveau
Howie Morenz
Stan Mikita

RW:
Gordie Howe
Maurice Richard
Guy Lafleur
Mike Bossy
Jaromir Jagr

LW:
Bobby Hull
Valeri Kharlamov
Ted Lindsay
Frank Mahovlich
Doug Bentley? Luc Robitaille?

D:
Bobby Orr
Doug Harvey
Ray Bourque
Eddie Shore
Denis Potvin

G:
Jacques Plante
Glenn Hall
Terry Sawchuk
Dominik Hasek
Patrick Roy

really couldn't make up my mind on the #5 LW. I see Ovechkin taking that over eventually but not quite yet. Top 5 goalies order changes from day to day. Potvin vs Lidstrom? tough call but I'll take Potvin.

 

[markrander87]

C:

Gretzky
Lemieux
Esposito
dionne
Mikita

Nobody has mentioned this yet?

 

[Infinite Vision*]

Primes only, which is generally how I always rank players.

Center:

Lemieux
Gretzky
Forsberg
Crosby
Beliveau

Wing:

Howe
Jagr
Ovechkin
Hull
Lafleur

Defense:

Orr
Harvey
Bourque
Lidstrom
Shore

Goalie:

Hasek
Roy
Plante
Hall
Sawchuk