Which of these 4 Bruins was the best at their peak?

[Trap Jesus]

Patrice Bergeron vs. Zdeno Chara vs. Brad Marchand vs. Tim Thomas

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[Filthy Dangles]

Milan Lucic don’t @ me

 

[Mickey Marner]

Bergeron. Could also see the argument for Chara.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Tim Thomas was insane, basically a big reason Boston won, but after the whole political thing happened he just went downhill. Sad because he actually was a good guy.

Wonder if Boston will retire his number. But for the entire tenure, it's easily Bergeron.

 

[MessierII]

Thomas was the clear cut best player at his position in the league at a time so him.

 

[Addison Rae]

Milan Lucic don’t @ me

Not even remotely close.

 

[NHL WAR]

Tim Thomas 2010-11 (regular season+ playoffs and combined): GP: 82
51-20-9 GAA: 1.99 SV%: .939 SO: 13 GSAA: 66.5
Consistent too: 2.00 GAA and .938 SV% in regular season, 1.98 and .940 in playoffs.

One of the greatest goaltending seasons of all time. Give me Thomas.

(Peak Chara was an absolute monster though)

 

[Jon Bonham]

You would've been better off posting a poll about Thomas vs. the rest of Boston. How this is close is beyond me.

 

[BruinsFan37]

Chara at his peak (2008-12) was a Norris finalist four out of five years (winning it in 2009) He was an ungodly monster.

Thomas really only peaked for one year (2011)-- though for that year he was insane.

Bergeron and Marchand... They're peaking in production now -- but that's in part due to Clode's system that they were playing while he was head coach, but also in Bergeron's case the concussion he suffered early in his career.

If Bergeron has been healthy his entire career, and played under a more offensive system at the start it might be Bergeron, but that's not the case, so it's easily Big Z for me. I'll take 5 years of him being an monster vs 1 year of Thomas.

 

[bobholly39]

Peak is definitely Thomas

 

[Nocashstyle]

If we’re talking about absolute peak, I don’t see how you can’t pick Thomas here.

Peak level maintaining elite status for several seasons has to be Chara. Just a monster.

 

[Gains]

Thomas, but at the same time, I'd rather have peak Chara with a decent goalie than peak Thomas with a decent #1D.

 

[Sasso09]

Bergeron. Could also see the argument for Chara.

No argument for Bergeron. He was never the best forward in the league or even close. Chara and Thomas both could have argued that at one point. Chara is my pick

 

[CraigsList]

Peak? Thomas. He was a monster

 

[Leafsrock95]

Not even remotely close.

Don’t @ him cant u read

I choose Thomas because that’s their only championship.

 

[Trap Jesus]

No argument for Bergeron. He was never the best forward in the league or even close. Chara and Thomas both could have argued that at one point. Chara is my pick

I have a similar poll up on the Bruins board and he's in a 3-way race with Thomas and Chara. Issue with Bergeron is it's tough to know when his peak actually was/is. His offensive #s are better than ever right now, but he isn't getting as much defensive responsibility as he was in the early/mid 2000s, when his possession impact was astronomical. Regardless, I think he had a more consistent impact than either Chara or Thomas when at his best.

 

[Realgud]

Peak? Easily Thomas.

 

[Voight]

Thomas in 2011 was literally unstoppable. Crushed the regular season, then put on a masterpiece in the playoffs.

 

[Voight]

Chara at his peak (2008-12) was a Norris finalist four out of five years (winning it in 2009) He was an ungodly monster.

Thomas really only peaked for one year (2011)-- though for that year he was insane.

Bergeron and Marchand... They're peaking in production now -- but that's in part due to Clode's system that they were playing while he was head coach, but also in Bergeron's case the concussion he suffered early in his career.

If Bergeron has been healthy his entire career, and played under a more offensive system at the start it might be Bergeron, but that's not the case, so it's easily Big Z for me. I'll take 5 years of him being an monster vs 1 year of Thomas.

Nevermind his Norris record from 2004-2014 where he finished top 5 in every season expect 2007 (20th) and 2010 (8th).

 

[jetsforever]

Chara > Thomas >> Bergeron >>> Marchand

 

[Thenameless]

The guy whose job wasn't to pump up someone else's tires.

 

[Addison Rae]

Don’t @ him cant u read

I choose Thomas because that’s their only championship.

don’t @ his f***ing terrible take?

Yeah, I’ll rightfully call it out.

 

[Painful Quandary]

Tim Thomas. According to Wikipedia, "During the Bruins' playoff run, he set the record for most saves in a single post-season with 798 and the most saves in a Stanley Cup series with 238, and broke Frank McCool's 66-year-old record of fewest goals allowed in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final, allowing only eight goals total (for an all-time record .967 save percentage in the Stanley Cup Finals)."

 

[tony d]

Chara
Thomas
Bergeron
Marchand

 

[YEM]

Thomas' peak was so narrow you could barely stand atop it
Chara's was so broad you could plunk a big city down on top of it
Chara