Yzerman - Sakic - Crosby vs Fedorov - Forsberg - Malkin

[MrOT]

Having one of the best wristers ever, and being able to utilize it consistently even though defenses know you have it, isn't a skill? You make it sound like because Sakic wasn't flashy or Bure-esque in how he scored, that he's less skilled than the others.

I think you're confusing flashy with skilled. Maxim Afinigenov probably had more "highlight reel" plays than Sakic, but he wasn't more skilled.

Sakic wasn't as skilled as Forsberg though I think he said it himself. He definitely knows it himself. Can't imagine Sakic score 31 points in 7 games in the World Juniors either. Forsberg was a more talented hockey player.

 

[daver]

Weird results. NA biased.

Why?

All three Canadians would be rated higher all-time than the European players so there has to be some element of that represents a higher peaks.

 

[bobholly39]

Sakic wasn't as skilled as Forsberg though I think he said it himself. He definitely knows it himself. Can't imagine Sakic score 31 points in 7 games in the World Juniors either. Forsberg was a more talented hockey player.

I think that's a very fair statement to make personally.

But more skilled/talented doesnt necessarily mean higher NHL peak. Sakic has the best individual playoff run between the 2, very clearly so. In fact - you can probably claim he has the 2 best runs (since 2001 is 4 rounds, and Forsberg's best ones are 3 rounds). Sakic also has the better peak season between them. Sakic 2001 is simply better than Forsberg 2003.

And even though i'd agree with Forsberg being more skilled/talented - Sakic himself is obviously also very very skilled/talented, so it's not a huge gap.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I’d say Kane peaked higher than Forsberg

No he did not.

Forsberg was a PHYSICAL 2-way beast at his peak. Patrick Kane has always been an offense-first "soft".

Productivity-wise, he might have been as good, but if you ask me to choose, for one game, between peak Forsberg and peak Kane, it is peak Forsberg without even thinking.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Sakic wasn't as skilled as Forsberg though I think he said it himself. He definitely knows it himself. Can't imagine Sakic score 31 points in 7 games in the World Juniors either. Forsberg was a more talented hockey player.

In a 20-goal rout against Japan, pretty sure Sakic could have scored 15 points too

 

[The Abusement Park]

Oh god the Sakic isn't skilled narrative again. Well if that isn't one of the dumbest things I've read on this sight.

 

[Stuzchuk]

simple

3. Yzerman > 3. Fedorov
2. Sakic > 2. Forsberg
1. Crosby > 1. Malkin

 

[Thenameless]

I rarely go for the tie, but this might be one of the few cases where it's really too close to call. All 6 had wonderful peaks.

Yzerman with his 155 year.
Sakic in the playoffs when Colorado won its first Cup.
Fedorov Hart/Pearson/Selke year.
Malkin in the playoffs when the Pens won their first Cup with him.
Forsberg just outstanding at his best.
Crosby with fantastic output at his best.

It really might be a bit of a disservice to go with one group over the other. They were all awesome at their peaks.

 

[Yuri35]

Weird results. NA biased.

Welcome to HF boards

 

[MrOT]

In a 20-goal rout against Japan, pretty sure Sakic could have scored 15 points too

He had 10 points vs Japan. 21 points in 6 games is still pretty decent for an all time record.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

He had 10 points vs Japan. 21 points in 6 games is still pretty decent for an all time record.

It is pretty freaking great, indeed.

 

[MrOT]

It is pretty freaking great, indeed.

Off course there is Raimo Helminen at 2nd place with 24 points in 7 games from '84 but then in all fairness we'd have to remove Finland's 12 - 4 victory over Switzerland as well - Switzerland didn't have a much better goal differential in '84 than Japan in '93, we can't disqualify Forsberg's record cause of that Japan game - Sweden had by far the largest winning margin over Japan that year (Canada "only" beat Japan by 8-1 and Finland beat them with 7-0 so Sweden's 20-1 victory was pretty impressive in it's own way) and there's always been major underdogs through the WJC years. In '84 both Switzerland and Germany were really super underdogs with large goal differentials against them.