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

[BigBadBruins7708]

Its Chara

1-2-2-3-3-3-4-5 Norris record
3x AS-1
4x AS-2

The fact that you can say Orr, Bourque, Shore, Chara in 1 breath says it all

 

[Ivo]

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.

Thomas also won the Vezina in 2009, so I wouldn't say he only peaked for 1 year. He had an underwhelming season in between the Vezina's and Rask actually stole the starter job from him, but he was also struggling with some injuries iirc.
Still I choose Chara regardless. He was a monster at his peak and I would argue that playing behind Chara and Julien's system made goalies look a little better then they were.

 

[ESH]

don’t @ his ****ing terrible take?

Yeah, I’ll rightfully call it out.

He was pretty obviously joking

 

[WJCJ]

Thomas had the highest peak and also the shortest peak. That one season he was the best player in the league and should have won the Harte Trophy as well as the Vezina and Conn Smythe.

Chara and Bergeron seemed to have 10+ year peaks and the cup doesn't get won without any one of these 4 missing from the team.

Back in 2010-2011 people on this board constantly were saying Thomas only had good numbers because of Chara and Bergeron. That was until the finals.

 

[AvroArrow]

Thomas pretty much stole the cup in 2011, easy choice. Nobody was gonna beat him that year.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Really tough question. Tim Thomas is basically known only for his peak, that 2011 performance was incredible. Bergeron won 4 Selke trophies in 6 years. Chara had a very long peak and was a Norris nominee 7 times in 10 years. Marchand is really the only one who doesn't belong and he may be still in his peak for all we know.

Going with Chara, one great year doesn't make a player for me, even if Thomas's peak might stand out the most.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Marchand is really the only one who doesn't belong and he may be still in his peak for all we know.

Marchand has scored at a 98 point pace over a full 82 game season the last 3 seasons and at a 103 point pace the last 2 seasons.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Marchand has scored at a 98 point pace over a full 82 game season the last 3 seasons and at a 103 point pace the last 2 seasons.

Marchand has 1 vote in this poll.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Marchand has 1 vote in this poll.

I don't think voting for him is crazy though. You said he didn't belong. He's been one of the best offensive players in the league the last few years. None of the others can say that.

 

[Bounces R Way]

I don't think voting for him is crazy though. You said he didn't belong. He's been one of the best offensive players in the league the last few years. None of the others can say that.

Doesn't belong was perhaps a poor choice of words.

I'm a Marchand fan and think he's a heck of a player. I just can't see an argument for him winning this specific poll while I can see one for the other three. The other three have all been deemed the best in the league at a specific aspect of their position.

 

[Trap Jesus]

Doesn't belong was perhaps a poor choice of words.

I'm a Marchand fan and think he's a heck of a player. I just can't see an argument for him winning this specific poll while I can see one for the other three. The other three have all been deemed the best in the league at a specific aspect of their position.

Don't think that should necessarily be the criteria though. Considering Crosby and McDavid play the same position, would you say that the best D-man or the best goalie would be better than the 2nd best center because they were the best at their position?

 

[thadd]

Thomas was doing a great Roy/Hask impression for a couple of years. Blew me away.

 

[majormajor]

Thomas, best peak easily.

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.
.

He was also 38 years old at that point, no surprise he went downhill.

 

[biturbo19]

I'd say Chara, but the Canucks fan in me knows the real answer is probably Tim Thomas. Not to pump his tires, but his absolute "peak" was infuriatingly good. It just wasn't a very long peak.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Without Thomas Boston is 0-3 in the finals since 2011.

Canucks fans wishing he wasnt there then. They win that cup with Rask in net

 

[ESH]

Without Thomas Boston is 0-3 in the finals since 2011.

Canucks fans wishing he wasnt there then. They win that cup with Rask in net

0-2

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Without Thomas Boston is 0-3 in the finals since 2011.

Canucks fans wishing he wasnt there then. They win that cup with Rask in net

8-1
4-0
5-2
4-0

you sure about that?

 

[Trap Jesus]

8-1
4-0
5-2
4-0

you sure about that?

Yeah, for amazing as Thomas was, it's a pretty tough argument to make considering the Bruins lost all 3 of their games by 1-goal and won all of them by 3, 4, 4 and 7 goals.

 

[Leafsrock95]

don’t @ his ****ing terrible take?

Yeah, I’ll rightfully call it out.

LMao

 

[Tarmore]

A thread best on the Bruins board....

 

[Havre]

Run into Chara and you lost the puck. Not sure if I have ever seen anything like it.

Then again you could say something comparable about Thomas.

I went Chara because it feels like what Thomas did was partly down to luck and circumstances. Close call either way. Two extraordinary good players in their peak.