Your favourite player and why

[Bruinaura]

He exemplifies all of the qualities that you'd like to see in a captain even if he isn't.

He's the best two-way player in the game. He makes his line-mates better. He passes the credit to his teammates every chance he gets.

Just an all around class act that I think every member of this board can respect.

I'm of course talking about Auston Matthews.

You sure spell "Bergeron" funny

 

[Evocable Manager]

Fabbri was a monster his rookie year. So much talent and potential. I was pissed he didn't get picked for team NA, but that was extremely biased.

I'm hyped for him to eventually return this season but I'm terrified he won't be what he once was, because the poor guy has missed over a year of hockey due to injury.

 

[DictatorTots427]

Pekka Rinne. I don't remember why.

 

[Ned Bouhalassa]

Because he has so much FUN on the ice!

Oh, and growing up: Bobby Orr - lucky me!

 

[Islanders4Cups]

Past:Bryan Trottier
Present: Matt Barzal the kid is electrifying

 

[glenngineer]

Growing up a Habs fan - Guy Lafleur for the shot and the hair. Then came Mats Naslund. Loved his game.

As I grew older and became a Preds fan - Scott Walker. He was a marginal player until expansion and then turned himself in to one of the hardest working top 6 forwards I've ever seen.

While going to more and more games in Nashville, getting to watch Peter Forsberg and one of the greatest goals I've ever seen, he became one of my all time favorites. Quick summary, Nashville scores to make it 2-1 Colorado. I see Forsberg hop on the ice and I say to my friend, watch Foppa score here. He goes around the back of the net, keeping the puck on his stick with one arm while fending off the defender with the other. He gets checked to the ice, manages to keep control of the puck, then from his knees, facing the wrong direction, fires a shot backwards on his back hand in to the net. One of the greatest goals I've ever seen. Still blows me away thinking about it. I had to stand and give the guy an ovation even though he was playing for the opposing team. My friend did too.

In today's game, I have to go with another Forsberg. Filip does things on the ice every night that are unimaginable and he makes them look effortless. Also love that he plays the game with the edge that Foppa used to as well. Foppa gave the glare whereas Fil gives the little grin knowing he got under your skin.

 

[valeriammm]

Not sure who I would list as my all time favorite player, but a current favorite is definitely Debrincat. I dont even root for the Hawks, but living in Chicago I keep up with their games and im honestly mesmerized with this kid on the ice, my prediction is he will single handily hold the franchise once Kane and Toews start to age out

 

[AD1066]

Ovechkin. Drafted by a long-suffering franchise, a goofy Russian kid who dislodged a pane of glass with a check during his very first shift, proceeds to win the Calder and steal some thunder from Canada's anointed one. Goes on to become arguably the most exciting player in the world at his peak, and put up one of the greatest goal-scoring seasons of all-time. Follow that with years of crushing losses and heartbreak both in the playoffs and Olympics, often to Crosby, while shouldering the burden of a still Cup-less team and being labeled a choker. Finally, aged 32 and best years behind him, I had accepted that I would likely never see him win the Cup. Against the odds he and the other Caps then lived up to years of potential and vanquished both Pittsburgh and Tampa en route to a Cup. Ovechkin wins the Conn Smythe and announces the same evening that he and his wife are expecting their firstborn. Felt like a storybook ending, and I've rarely ever been so happy for a complete stranger. Now assuming good health we get to watch him climb through the goal-scoring ranks over the next half-decade or so, surpassing greats like Sakic, Selanne, Lemieux, Yzerman, Messier, and leave his mark on hockey history.

But actually, Auston Matthews.

 

[Master P]

Current player is Victor Hedman - Just love everything about his game, balanced offensively and defensively.

Growing up was Sergei Federov - Moved to Eastpointe when I was young and thats where I got into hockey and watched tons of red wing games.

 

[Skolman]

He exemplifies all of the qualities that you'd like to see in a captain even if he isn't.

He's the best two-way player in the game. He makes his line-mates better. He passes the credit to his teammates every chance he gets.

Just an all around class act that I think every member of this board can respect.

I'm of course talking about Auston Matthews.

Uh....

 

[PhysicalGraffiti]

All time league: Marty Broduer
All time Islanders: DiPietro

Current favorite player Islanders/league: Matt Martin

Played goalie when I was younger so goalies were almost always my favorite players on each team plus my favorite team. DP being Italian-American like me made it easy and watching Brodeur play was a thing of beauty.

Last few years it had been Jaro Halak. I still like him, but can't say he's my favorite player anymore since he's no longer on the Islanders. Brodeur was a rare exception where my favorite player wasn't on my favorite team. I have guys I still like a lot that moved on and root for, Martin when he went to Toronto, Boyle with the Devils, Smith with the Flames, Bishop with the Stars, but it was easy with Martin coming back to the Islanders to have him as my favorite again.

I love his play, his dedication to the team, and in his first stint with the Isles he had a law enforcement charity which was awesome.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Favourite player these days is Patrick Laine.

Obviously first and foremost is for that unbelievable shot - the highlight reel goals he can score.

But beyond that... his sense of humour is wicked. Very dry and deadpan. I also admire that he's pretty unapologetic. Everyone on the planet road him on his beard last year - but he had zero f***s to give. People make fun of him for loving to play video games - again, no f***s given.

How can you not read his Player's Tribune article and not like the man?

Winnipeg Is Good | By Patrik Laine

 

[Frank Drebin]

Probably Alex Radulov, best player I've seen for the Habs (sad!) since prime Kovalev.

 

[1specter]

Mats Sundin. Will always be my favourite player probably. Just an all around class act of a person and player, supremely skilled and constantly performed with middling talent. Outside of 1-2 years of Mogilny he never had a real linemate who was even close to his calibre.

Now, I have been a Kadri fanboy since he was drafted. At first just thought it was really cool how he's Muslim and a minority and gets drafted by Toronto, but then I loved his game as well. He's definitely a guy that opposing teams' fans hate but a guy that you love to have on your own team. He's also been super resilient and has fought off a lot of adversity during his time here, and has been through some seriously dark times. He's the longest serving Leaf now and has accepted taking a bit of a backseat to Matthews and Tavares because he really truly just wants to win with Toronto. Also took a team friendly deal and upped his game after.

 

[stempniaksen]

1a. David Pastrnak
1b. Vlad Tarasenko
1c. Jakub Voracek

I'm drawn to highly skilled/"flashy" players. Probably because I was the exact opposite in my playing days and I envied the goal scorers

 

[Trap Jesus]

I was always a big Joe Thornton guy, but I remember already shifting over to Bergeron in his rookie year, and remember his OT winner vs. Montreal in the playoffs as kind of the clincher for that.

Bergeron changed the way I watch hockey, made me care way more about the finer details of the game. It's just so fun to watch him without the puck; the wheels are always turning and he's tirelessly trying to put himself in the best possible position on both offense and defense.

On top of that he's a class act on and off the ice, is notorious for playing through injuries, is a clutch performer, and continues to work on his game to the point where he keeps getting better even now in his mid-30s. I also don't know of any player that you can visibly see how hard they try out on the ice. Who knows where his game will go in the next handful of years, but based on the type of game he has, it should age well, even when age starts to take its toll.

 

[Esq]

All time Hawks

All time elsewhere

Reason = both players were the epitome of hard work, leading by example and playing the game the right way.

 

[NyQuil]

I was always a big Joe Thornton guy, but I remember already shifting over to Bergeron in his rookie year, and remember his OT winner vs. Montreal in the playoffs as kind of the clincher for that.

Bergeron changed the way I watch hockey, made me care way more about the finer details of the game. It's just so fun to watch him without the puck; the wheels are always turning and he's tirelessly trying to put himself in the best possible position on both offense and defense.

On top of that he's a class act on and off the ice, is notorious for playing through injuries, is a clutch performer, and continues to work on his game to the point where he keeps getting better even now in his mid-30s. I also don't know of any player that you can visibly see how hard they try out on the ice. Who knows where his game will go in the next handful of years, but based on the type of game he has, it should age well, even when age starts to take its toll.

Wait, YOU’RE a fan of Patrice Bergeron??

In other news, @WhiskeyYourTheDevils has a hankering for a certain Johnny Hockey.

 

[Silver Tuna]

Ed jovanovski
Then
Matthew Barnaby
Then
Sean avery
Then
Ilya kovalchuk
Then
Nikita kucherov

 

[HansonBro]

Ed jovanovski
Then
Matthew Barnaby
Then
Sean avery
Then
Ilya kovalchuk
Then
Nikita kucherov

Two pukes in a row

 

[Sheppy]

I'll also throw David Pastrnak into my current favorites. The kid is electric out there and I think will be a future 50 goal scorer. He's that good.

I also love how much he enjoys the game. He's always out there joking around, giving the little kids something to smile about in the pre game. He's good shit.

 

[ManWithNoName]

All time player, Gretzky. I grew up watching him and there will never ever be a player like Gretzky again. McDavid is not even close.
All time goalie, Roy. Hasek was better, but Roy was just amazing and fun to watch.
All time scorer, Selanne. Unstoppable during his rookie season, fun to watch and seems like a great guy.
All time d-men, Lidström. Might be a homer vote, but he was fantastic on and off the ice.
HM: P. Forsberg. Been watching him since he was 16 and throughout his carreer. Best Swedish player ever.

Current: McDavid and Sebastian Aho. They are both incredibly smart and so talented. Very entertaining to watch. In a year or two I hope Elias Pettersson will be on this list as well. He is the best Swedish player since Forsberg.

 

[bukwas]

I guess Marner would be my favorite player for the following reasons.

1. He's an exciting player that succeeds at pulling off the unexpected.
2. Comes off as a genuinely lovable kid whose happiness and enthusiasm is contagious.
3. Last but definitely not least, he rarely if ever whines, even on those rare occasions when it would be acceptable.

Edit: He's my current favorite. All time is Clark.

 

[Anders Cain]

Past:

Tie between Peter forsberg and pavel bure.

Forsberg was such a beast... Near impossible to get the puck from.. People hanging off him... Still makes a pretty play to set up a goal or score himself. I am one of those guys that says if he wasn't cut down with so many injury issues he'd be known as one of the best players of all time. Plus.. Reverse hits. .Man iIloved watching him play.

Bure is obvious. Those stick skills.. The speed. He was electrifying and so much fun to watch. Seeing him streak down the ice was something else and to watch his effortless looking dekes was just crazy. It looked like his brain was on a different level.

Current: mackinnon. I love his passion, speed and slick moves. Watching him evolve as a player and learn to use his speed in different ways has really brought him to another level.

Unsung heros: Dan hinote, Ian laperriere, bob probert, and Nikita zadorov. I love those gritty tough guys.

Ea sports "always ends up on my team" pick: Darren helm. Hes so damn fast in NHL 18 lol. I always end up having him in my bottom 6.

 

[traveler84]

Mogilny when he was a devil. so sick with the puck plus I loved his 90 degree cuts really fun to watch.

Toews in his prime was a perfect hockey player imo. He never made a mistake away from the puck or on the puck. Didn't have the constant offense but when Chicago needed it he was there.

Hischier just love his demeanor and similarly to toews, he is so good positionally away from the puck. Time will tell if he can rise to the ocassion in pressure situations like toews did.