Greatest Hockey Player Ever

[joel]

this has been debate many times, so I am sure everyone has an opinion
You can base your vote on stats, talent, whatever defines "greatest" to you.
vote, then discuss reasoning
I'll add additional optional for any serious considerations at the request of the poster.

[joel]

i voted bobby orr.

i'm a huge mario fan and there's no denying the cerebral abilities of the great one. But no player played both sides of the ice like he did. IMO he is far and away the best at his position, and i can't say that the same for any forward or goalie.

So he gets my vote.

[Wetundies]

No one was better at going to work at his office than Wayne.

[nature boy]

why...isn't... my name up there...?
seeing as how i haven't heard of half the people on that list, i'll say wayne gretzky because he was great before his time. like muhammad ali and michael jordan, they were great before anyone else was great. they redefined what great is. sure, if you brought any three of those in their prime and put them against the top contenders today, they probably wouldn't look as good. but the fact that they were ground breaking makes them the best.

[Duncan]

[nature boy]

haha, i guess that's what i get when i try to feel included...

foreveralone.jpg

[Duncan]

lol...

that reminds me of last sunday when we went to eat at whitespot. The waitress was asking us if we're all on the same bill or separate and everyone was stating who's with who and Bryan says he's alone after pretty much everyone had a family bill. Then Bryan chuckled and said "foreveralone!" and laughed... the waitress was like "oh no no no.... don't say that!" lol.. then Bryan awkwardly said "uhh.. heh, it's an internet thing"

[nature boy]

he should just buy this shirt

[supersuk]

Wheres peter forsberg?

I'd say Sidney Crosby just purely based on the fact that today's NHLers are way more skilled, faster, stronger and better at everything than players of 15+ years ago.

Technology in sticks and skates probably have alot to do with it though. If you put all of them together, I'm willing to bet that even Mason Raymond would out dangle bobby orr.

Crosby could easily shatter Gretzky's records if he played 20-30 years ago using his skillset of today just like how I could afford a mortgage 20-30 years ago using my income and knowledge of today.

[tiger]

[joel]

[se7entse7en]

I'll vote for #99. I'd say he changed the face of hockey more than any other player.

IMO they changed hockey so that Crosby can be great. Hockey changed because of Gretzky to find a way to keep him from pwning everybody and I think his records speak for themselves.

I don't know who Jacques Plante is, and Orr was before my time.

I think Ovi is just a flash in a pan. No staying power.

[se7entse7en]

[tiger]

Some pretty interesting videos. Great stories.

Legends of Hockey

Howe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4vCA_eyYUg

Gretzky:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXnD8Py7 ... re=related

Orr:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMx2AgEh ... re=related

Lemieux:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOmgsu5X ... re=related

Bobby Hull:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyMwd1Xv ... re=related

Bobby Hull's interview shows how great of a guy he is. Total class.

Look for a young Pierre McGuire.

[tiger]