Top 50 Playoff Players of All-Time

[BenchBrawl]

I think it's time we make a list of the top players or careers exclusively for the most important time of the year.Do you think it would be relevant?

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[kmad]

Some names:

Steve Yzerman
Bobby Orr
Butch Goring
Mario Lemieux
Joe Sakic
Nicklas Lidstrom
Chris Pronger
Patrick Roy
Claude Lemieux
Mark Messier
Trevor Linden
Ken Dryden
Jean Beliveau
Martin Brodeur

Also thought I'd point out this is topic # 810,000 even

 

[Regal]

Interesting idea. I imagine the names wouldn't be too different than many of the regular top 50, with a few notable exceptions (such as Dionne). The placement would bring up some interesting lists though.

One thing is, there will definitely be some modern bias due to longer runs, and some of the early players in particular will probably not fare too well, as the lack of long playoff runs makes it difficult to put much stock in the numbers. And international players are pretty much excluded as well.

I think Gretzky is the undisputed number 1 here, and some guys that would probably move up on the list from their regular place are:

Roy
Messier
Sakic
Kurri
Bossy
Trottier
Fedorov
Stevens
C. Lemieux
Fuhr
Parent

 

[Nahkiainen]

I would slip Esa Tikkanen somewhere in the lower part of the list. He was, in many ways, a difference-maker in a number of playoff-series.

 

[Dreakmur]

Here's a few more to add in:

Doug Gilmour
Jack Darragh
Hap Holmes
Billy Smith
Terry Sawchuk
Turk Broda

 

[Canadiens1958]

Maurice and Henri Richard

Surprised that no one has listed Maurice Richard - 7 SC OT goals and Henri Richard- 2 CW goals.

 

[Evgeny Oliker]

...

To not have Peter Forsberg in the top 50 would be a huge insult. Despite all his injuries, he always stepped up in the playoffs and played very well, even through injuries. His production in the playoffs was always higher than in the regular season, and he would step up his physical game as well!

 

[unknown33]

Theodore Samuel Kennedy
Top scorer on 4 SC winning teams

 

[pnep]

Gordie Howe?
10 Finals
55 Stanley Cup Finals Games
50 Stanley Cup Finals PTS

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Gordie Howe?
10 Finals
55 Stanley Cup Finals Games
50 Stanley Cup Finals PTS

It's still early days for this thread, but I am surprised that you're the first to list him.

 

[pluppe]

I think Doug Harvey deserves a mention. inspite of a famous own goal his resume on Montreals Cups are fantastic. I dont´t think it´s a coinsidence that as he really hit his prime, Montreal went on to win 5 straight cups.

as usual I think defenders get to little credit. I would think Harvey might close in on Orr and that Lidström and Potvin would overtake Shore and Bourque and fight it out for #3.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

1/2: Gretzky/Roy
3/4: M Richard/Jean Beliveau

Then a bunch of other names. One name conspicuously absent from lists I've seen above is Bernard Geoffrion, who led the 50s in playoff points.

Scott Stevens, Joe Sakic, and Sergei Fedorov are the 3 best playoff performers of the dead puck era in my opinion. Edit: I mean the era between the 1994-95 and 2004-05 lockouts.

Give him a few more years and Crosby should end up in the Top 50.

 

[IggyFan12]

I think Patrick Roy would have to be #1. He was the most clutch playoff performer of all time. 151 Playoff wins- a record no one can touch. He also has 4 Cups, 3 Con Smyths( A NHL Record), 5 finals appearances. He also took the 1986 Canadiens and 1993 Canadiens to Cups they had no business winning. At the beggining of the year no one picked the Canadiens to win either of their Cups. He also beat Gretzky, Vernon, Brodeur in the finals.

 

[pluppe]

1/2: Gretzky/Roy
3/4: M Richard/Jean Beliveau

Then a bunch of other names. One name conspicuously absent from lists I've seen above is Bernard Geoffrion, who led the 50s in playoff points.

Scott Stevens, Joe Sakic, and Sergei Fedorov are the 3 best playoff performers of the dead puck era in my opinion.

Give him a few more years and Crosby should end up in the Top 50.

I think Lidström and Forsberg deserves to be in that group. Lidström has as many cups as Stevens. 25 points more than the second defenceman and 63 more than Stevens. both have a Conn Smythe.

Forsberg beats Fedorov with 17 goals and 24 points in just 3 more games. Fedorov does have 1 more cup and was more important in his wins but Forsberg was always beastly in playoffs so I think you should atleast count them in on the same level.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I think Lidström and Forsberg deserves to be in that group. Lidström has as many cups as Stevens. 25 points more than the second defenceman and 63 more than Stevens. both have a Conn Smythe.

Forsberg beats Fedorov with 17 goals and 24 points in just 3 more games. Fedorov does have 1 more cup and was more important in his wins but Forsberg was always beastly in playoffs so I think you should atleast count them in on the same level.

I should have said "the era between the lockouts," since the dead puck era really didn't start until 96-97.

I watched the whole era between the lockouts and Stevens, Sakic, and Fedorov really stuck out as the true playoff performers of the era to me. Stevens was the absolute leader and best playoff performer on a team that won 3 Cups, despite lacking the offensive firepower of most other Cup winners. (He should have won the 1995 Smythe in addition to the 2000 Smythe). Sakic had the highest highs of any skater in the era in 96 (best playoff performance since 1993 IMO) and 2001. Fedorov was always good in the playoffs, even when the Red Wings lost. Lidstrom and Yzerman had some bad playoffs when the Wings lost in the first round, and Fedorov really didn't.

Fedorov played for a more defensive-minded team than Forsberg and played a better two-way game. Forsberg also tended to rack up tons of points in the early rounds. Not that Forsberg was anything but excellent in the playoffs, but he definitely played a style that let him rack up points against lesser teams. He's probably an all-time top 50 playoff player, but I'd rank him below Fedorov for sure.

Lidstrom rightly or wrongly flew under the radar in this time period. In an "all-time" sense, Lidstrom is right up there with them because he continued his playoff greatness after the lockout.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I personally think Roy is number 1 ahead of Gretzky but I guess that's debatable.

 

[IggyFan12]

Gretzky couldnt win the cup with an average team while Roy did twice.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Gretzky couldnt win the cup with an average team while Roy did twice.

The Canadiens teams weren't great teams without Roy, but they were still above average.

Gretzky didn't win a Cup when he didn't play for the Oilers, but that Kings team was pretty awful without him. They were 18th out of 21 teams the year before Gretzky, then 4th out of 21 teams the year after making the Gretzky trade. In 92-93, they were truly average, finishing 11 out of 24 teams, but Gretzky dragged them almost singlehandedly to the finals, scoring 40 points along the way. (His nearest teammate had 25 points).

 

[pluppe]

I should have said "the era between the lockouts," since the dead puck era really didn't start until 96-97.

I watched the whole era between the lockouts and Stevens, Sakic, and Fedorov really stuck out as the true playoff performers of the era to me. Stevens was the absolute leader and best playoff performer on a team that won 3 Cups, despite lacking the offensive firepower of most other Cup winners. (He should have won the 1995 Smythe in addition to the 2000 Smythe). Sakic had the highest highs of any skater in the era in 96 (best playoff performance since 1993 IMO) and 2001. Fedorov was always good in the playoffs, even when the Red Wings lost. Lidstrom and Yzerman had some bad playoffs when the Wings lost in the first round, and Fedorov really didn't.

Fedorov played for a more defensive-minded team than Forsberg and played a better two-way game. Forsberg also tended to rack up tons of points in the early rounds. Not that Forsberg was anything but excellent in the playoffs, but he definitely played a style that let him rack up points against lesser teams. He's probably an all-time top 50 playoff player, but I'd rank him below Fedorov for sure.

Lidstrom rightly or wrongly flew under the radar in this time period. In an "all-time" sense, Lidstrom is right up there with them because he continued his playoff greatness after the lockout.

well Stevens lost 3 times in the first round of the playoffs in that period, upset by Ottawa, Pittsbourgh and Carolina (once missing the playoffs). Lidström twice (once scoring 8 points in 6 games, outscoring Fedorov). Lidström actually played 22 more games during this period. and I would not say a Conn Smythe is under the radar. I just don´t see how you can put Stevens on a level above when a guy who is generally considered as one of the best defensive defenceman ever outscored him 107 to 44

all numbers are 95-04. If you want to count from 97 thats fine, then Lidström beats him in cups aswell.


and I can see the argument about Fedorov but I don´t think it´s for sure


completely agree about Sakic.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Gretzky couldnt win the cup with an average team while Roy did twice.

Yeah, but how many points do you give him back, personally, for leading the playoffs in points (destroying everyone except Gilmour in 1993, for example) on teams that were apparently even too weak for him to carry to the very top? I mean, "blame" him for not being able to win on those teams, but at least give him back points for what he was still able to do individually... on the way to almost every conceivable NHL playoff record.

Bare in mind, even in the post-Oilers days ('89->), Wayne's 130 points in 88 games (1.48 PPG) ranks behind only Lemieux (172 in 107, 1.61 PPG) in terms of "impressiveness".

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

well Stevens lost 3 times in the first round of the playoffs in that period, upset by Ottawa, Pittsbourgh and Carolina (once missing the playoffs). Lidström twice (once scoring 8 points in 6 games, outscoring Fedorov). Lidström actually played 22 more games during this period. and I would not say a Conn Smythe is under the radar. I just don´t see how you can put Stevens on a level above when a guy who is generally considered as one of the best defensive defenceman ever outscored him 107 to 44


and I can see the argument about Fedorov but I don´t think it´s for sure


all numbers are 95-04. If you want to count from 97 thats fine, then Lidström beats him in cups aswell.

Lidstrom was not considered one of the best defensive defensemen during this whole time. he wasn't even the undisputed #1 on his own team until after Konstantinov's car crash. In fact, Konstantinov was considered the best defensive defenseman on the Wings until the car crash.

Lidstrom didn't win his first Norris until 2001.

I don't need to look at numbers, I actually (gasp) watched the playoffs during this time period, and Lidstrom was overshadowed by Fedorov and Yzerman on his own team in the late 90s.

Stevens had 2 Smythe-worthy performances (95 and 00) and one (03) when he was the 3rd most important player on his team. He was also the undisputed leader of his team, like Yzerman in Detroit or Sakic in Colorado.

Lidstrom won the Smythe in 2002, but really wasn't even in consideration in 97 and 98. In 97, Lidstrom was behind Vernon, Fedorov, Shanahan, and Yzerman in importance and not clearly ahead of a host of other players. In 98, you could make the case for Lidstrom, though Yzerman (the actual Smythe winner) and Fedorov weren't any less important.

 

[pluppe]

Lidstrom was not considered one of the best defensive defensemen during this whole time. he wasn't even the undisputed #1 on his own team until after Konstantinov's car crash. In fact, Konstantinov was considered the best defensive defenseman on the Wings until the car crash.

Lidstrom didn't win his first Norris until 2001.

I don't need to look at numbers, I actually (gasp) watched the playoffs during this time period, and Lidstrom was overshadowed by Fedorov and Yzerman on his own team in the late 90s.

Yes, and Stevens never won one. Lidström did finish runner up 98, 99, 00.

And he did shut down Lindros nicely before Konstantinovs crash so I would think he was quite descent defensively at that time. And since Konstantinov was runner up to the Norris 97 I don´t think it´s a shame to not be the undisputed #1.

so he was the number 1 defensive defender for half of the era and the number 1 offensive defender for the whole era on a 3 time Cup winner while Stevens was the number 1 defensive defender for the whole era on a 3 time winner (or 2 time winner depending on when you start your count).

Maybe we should discuss Stevens offensive contributions? It´s fine if you want to put Stevens at the top. I just don´t see how you can´t put Lidström at least beside him.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Yes, and Stevens never won one. Lidström did finish runner up 98, 99, 00.

And he did shut down Lindros nicely before Konstantinovs crash so I would think he was quite descent defensively at that time. And since Konstantinov was runner up to the Norris 97 I don´t think it´s a shame to not be the undisputed #1.

so he was the number 1 defensive defender for half of the era and the number 1 offensive defender for the whole era on a 3 time Cup winner while Stevens was the number 1 defensive defender for the whole era on a 3 time winner (or 2 time winner depending on when you start your count).

Maybe we should discuss Stevens offensive contributions? It´s fine if you want to put Stevens at the top. I just don´t see how you can´t put Lidström at least beside him.

Lidstrom cemented his place as an all-time playoff great by captaining the Wings to the Cup in 2008. Before then, Yzerman was their undisputed leader and Fedorov was just as important to the team as "Mr. everything."

If you didn't watch hockey in the late 90s, you really can't quantify what Stevens did in 1995 and 2000. In 1995, he became the first defenseman to limit the damage that a prime Lindros could do. There are a ton of articles from 1995 about how disappointed the Legion of Doom were in their play. Then in the 1995 finals, Stevens scared the Red Wings ****less. It's the only time in 20 years of watching hockey that the most important play of a series has not been a goal or an assist, but a hit. After Stevens hit on Kozlov, the Wings played scared for the rest of the series.

Here's an article I found recently about how dominant Stevens was in 2000:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1019381/index.htm

Some quotes:

Through three rounds Stevens simply was the NHL's leading player, dominating not with flair but with forcefulness. Stevens had taken only two minor penalties despite being matched against the Florida Panthers' Pavel Bure in the first round, the Toronto Maple Leafs' Mats Sundin in the second and the Philadelphia Flyers' top line in the third.

Stevens is the most effective hitter in the NHL because of his balance, his timing and his ability to read the play—"Scott's just like one of those fighter pilots who gets someone in his sights, locks in and boom" says Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko—and Lindros had his head down while stickhandling through traffic at the blue line, an embossed invitation for disaster. An older and smarter Stevens had simply stepped in to deliver the blow. Now he was looking for neither praise nor thanks, but an exit.

The Hit had obliterated Lindros, but it also overshadowed everything else about Stevens's dominating Game 7 performance. In the first period Stevens hip-checked hulking center Keith Primeau behind the Devils net, blocked four shots and actually caught a fifth, fielding an Adam Burt drive from the point as if it had been some broken-bat flare to shortstop. Brodeur, in the New Jersey net, said, "Wow, what a save." Stevens was putting on the greatest one-game display by a defenseman that Devils assistant coach Jacques Caron had ever seen. "Given the circumstances, absolutely," Caron says. "Remember, I go back to the days of Bobby Orr." Smoking one of the biggest, most powerful forwards in the NHL was only part of it.

"I've never seen a player so physically dominating," Holik says. "Teams were like, 'Oh, hey, let's not go this way, there's Scott Stevens.' I played with Scott against Sundin's line, and you could see them coming at you because they didn't want to come at Scotty. He makes a difference."

The article also talks about how great Brett Hull was playing in the playoffs that year.

 

[IggyFan12]

I agree Gretzky is the greatest forward all time in terms of playoffs but Roy was dominate as well. 151 playoff wins will never be broken. For Martin Brodeur to break it he will have to win the Stanley Cup 3 more times, then make it to the 2nd round in his fourth year. They are both very dominate but Goalie is far more important a position that Forward.

Also a vote for Stevens. In 2001 he held Mario and Jagr goaless in the Eastern Conference Finals.

And another vote for Sakic 8 O.T goals a record and an insane 1996 and 2001 Playoffs.

 

[Starchild74]

Here is my list for the top 50 playoff players of all time.

1. Wayne Gretzky
2. Maurice Richard
3. Mario Lemieux
4. Bobby Orr
5. Mark Messier
6. Ken Dryden
7. Mike Bossy
8. Gordie Howe
9. Jean Beliveau
10. Guy Lafleur
11. Bryan Trottier
12. Jacques Plante
13. Doug Harvey
14. Steve Yzerman
15. Jari Kurri
16. Bernie Geoffrion
17. Joe Sakic
18. Billy Smith
19. Ray Bourque
20. Patrick Roy
21. Grant Fuhr
22. Paul Coffey
23. Denis Potvin
24. Terry Sawchuk
25. Larry Robinson
26. Glen Hall
27. Ron Francis
28. Brett Hull
29. Bernie Parent
30. Scott Niedermayer
31. Niklas Lidstrom
32. Bobby Clark
33. Stan Mikita
34. Phil Esposito
35. Glenn Anderson
36. Lanny McDonald
37. Jaromir Jagr
38. Al Macinnis
39. Scott Stevens
40. Tony Esposito
41. Bryan Leetch
42. Doug Gilmour
43. Chris Chelios
44. Darryl Sittler
45. Mike Vernon
46. Chris Pronger
47. Joe Niewendyk
48. Brendan Shanahan
49. Peter Foresberg
50. Larry Murphy