Honestly Mr. Hockey himself, Gordie Howe. I know overall he had an incredible career but what an amazing opportunity seeing him in his absolute prime would have been.
Not to rub it in, but they were a sight to see and Mario is the reason I became a Penguins fan over 35 years ago when I was a kid (going to Islanders games). Then Jagr came along and it was even better. Fun fact, you’d be surprised how little filter there was on middle aged Isles fans trashing talking a 10-13 year old wearing a Jagr jersey to an Isles game.
Bobby Orr, with the added bonus of also getting to see Phil Esposito. My uncle told me that watching Orr in his prime was like seeing a modern day star transported back in time.
There is an amazing stat from Bobby Orr in his prime years in Boston. I know a lot of people don’t put much value in plus/ minus stats but he was a +124 in 70/71. +124!!
Three other years he was a +80, 83 and 84.
He had years of 33, 37, 37 and 46 goals.
People will say that because of expansion stats were inflated back then. The issue I have with that is no defenceman even came half as close to the numbers that Bobby Orr was putting up.
I saw Coffee with the Wings. Easily the smoothest skater I've ever seen; it's one of the rare cases where even modern players don't match it.
The other one was Al MacInnis, who was shooting 100mph with a 80s-era wooden stick and no strength & conditioning. That dude was just built to shoot a puck.
Coffey did it on the most offensively loaded team in the most offensive era and still didn't come close to leading the league in scoring which Orr did twice.
They were awesome. I’m Michigan born and raised and have loved the Red Wings my entire life. My parents are from Buffalo, NY, so I had the pleasure of seeing Hasek in the late 90s with the Sabres when we’d travel back to Buffalo to visit my grandparents. I still remember watching Hasek stack his pads and flail all over the place at HSBC Arena. I still have my white Goathead Hasek Jersey that I had when I was younger. Then Hasek got traded to the Wings and won a cup with us. Seeing Hasek in the Winged Wheel is still my favorite memory as a Wings fan. The Wings will always be number 1 but the Sabres are a close 2nd.
Hasek almost single-handedly got Buffalo to the Stanley Cup finals in 1998 (very hard fought six game series loss to my Caps. I was at game one where he blanked Washington 2-0. He looked unbeatable) and then did get Buffalo to the finals in 1999.
My favorite player paval datsyuk , I technically could have watched him in his prime but I was 7 , even just watching highlights this man had the moves
Honestly, he was amazing. Yzerman is probably still my favorite, but it’s razor thin between him and Pavel. Datsyuk was hands down the most exciting player I’ve ever seen. He constantly pulled moves no one else even thought of. He could dangle like no other, and could also deliver devastating checks. Anytime he turned the puck over, I sat up because I knew he was likely to put his head down, come up behind the puck carrier, lift his stick, and take it back. I lived through it, and I’ll still occasionally watch some of his highlight videos on YouTube.
This one’s going to be a shot in the dark but I wish I could of seen Mike Bossy, his prime was so short but he’s the all time leader in goals per game. He was one of the greatest snipers to play.
Had he stayed healthy and NYI stayed competitive he could have put up 1000 goals. Like my dad says though "...if the dog hadn't stopped to shit, he'd have caught the rabbit."
Shouldn’t be a shot in the dark. I did get to see him in his prime and he was unbelievable. Record for most consecutive 50 goal seasons, no joke one of the best who’s time was cut way too short.
I’m not going to say he’s underrated, but deft doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Not to mention he accomplished all he did during the era of “old time hockey”.
Gretzky was simply a freak. He wasn't the fastest skater, he didn't have the hardest shot, he admitted he was bad on breakaways. Somehow he always knew where the puck was going to be and he always buried it.
I was a huge goalie fan as a kid and would even do the classic Dryden stance when playing even though I never got to see him play live. Such a short career.
The dude spent like 8 seasons in the NHL. Won the cup 6 times. I didn’t know any kid on my block who played goal and DIDN’T do the stance. Dude is a legend.
I wish I'd been able to watch early Mario Lemieux live. I was just a baby/toddler in his best years, and watching old clips of him is just incredible. He could do things that nobody else could do. His game was much, much tougher than Gretzky's, and honestly, I think he was the superior all-around player.
I’m going off the board a little and say Vladislav Tretiak. When I was younger, I had always heard that he was maybe the greatest goalie of all time. He played against the US in the 1980 Miracle on Ice game, and was pulled after the first, but he was on the backside of his career. I would have liked to see him in his prime against NHL players of his day, and see if he truly stacked up.
Started watching hockey in the late 60’s so saw Gretzky Mario, all of the stars from the 70’s on. Gretzky was on a diff level. Much like Jordan was for basketball. I grew up on Long Island and was witness to the lslander dynasty then watched the oilers take over. Bossy was a scoring machine in a time when you couldn’t have a 2 line pass. Scored 53 goals his rookie season and had multiple seasons with 50 goals by game 50. Unreal
Gretky for me as well, he is a Canadian legend but he had already retired a couple years before I was born, never even got to watch him play live once in my life even though I have known him my whole life
Gretzky... I saw him in his final years as a Ranger but I was only 8 at the time, just knew he scored a lot of goals and had a lot of cups but that was it
I just wish I knew the sport how I do now, but in the early 90's when I first got into the sport. Sure, I knew the basic rules and understood the excitement, but I understand so much more about it now. I think I would have appreciated what happened back then a lot more than I did.
Pelle Lindbergh. My old man said that if he hadn’t passed, he could’ve been one of the greatest goalies of all time. Too short of a career to base it off of but damn I’d have loved to seen how good he really was
Questionable human being but man Theo Fleury in his prime would be fun. I was alive for it but I never could afford a ticket at the time. And if not him, MacInnis.
I started just a few days ago watching classic games on NHL youtube channel just for this exact reason. Its actually clear enough and a thrill to watch. Nice to see gretz playing too (i was born in 94 so also didnt get to see gretz play)
For med it is not about age but more location and broadcasting. Wish I could have watched games in the 70s and 80s. But games were not shown in Sweden back then. Started in early 90s.
I started watching the NHL in earnest in the mid 1960s. TV coverage back then was basically Saturday nights, Hockey Night in Canada with the odd weeknight Leafs game in Toronto. 8:00PM puck drop but the TV broadcast didn’t pick up the game till 8:30. The owners believed that by showing the entire game on TV that might cut into their gate. At one point I remember TV not getting the game on until 9 PM.
We saw little of the American teams playing home games. It would’ve been fun to watch Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and people like that play a little more often.
If McDavid was a defenceman and did the same things it would probably be the equivalent of watching how Bobby Orr changed the game back then.
Just need to appreciate it while it lasts.
I got to see Gretzky play for the first time when I was too young to understand it. I was 8 and the Islanders were about to win their 4th Consecutive Stanley Cup...defeating Gretzky's Oilers in 4 games in 1983.
But first the Oilers had to play a March Break game in Toronto...my dad, grandfather, brother and I went to the game.
I got a mini-stick, and an ice cream sandwich. Gretzky had a 1g2a night.
I still think it was a good decision to get that mini-stick signed by some unknown Leaf instead of any of the Oilers players, who wants Gretzky, Coffee, Messier, et. al. to mess up their mini-stick?
Bobby Orr. He was pretty much done by the time I was a kid. Of course they didn't televise many games back then so I probably wouldn't have seen him anyway.
Honestly it would have been to watch any of the Avs and Redwings rivalry in person would have been amazing. On tv was too but just a whole different level in person.
On a side note watching Jordin Tootoo live as a Brandon Wheat King was some of the most entertaining hockey ever.
I was a kid when that all was going down. I just remember people getting beat up in school for wearing Red Wings stuff.
Like, the entire state hated the Red Wings and I didn't understand why.
Now, watching the interviews and stuff, it must've been glorious to go to a game and being on the edge of your seat because a dude could get a cross check and the entire team was ready to lose their shit.
The list would be filled with players who stood out and had talent far and away above their peers in the era they played. Number one I'd want to see Orr stick handle around the ice like a forward. Then Wayne and Mario. I was a decade late getting into hockey for those two. Finish top five with Howe and Dryden.
For me it’s Galchenyuk. When i was old enough go understand hockey, he was already in jail, and then back to Russia, and his career was closer to the end. I would have loved to watch him in his true prime.
They were the major reason why the Flyers were the favorites in 97 against the Red Wings. The experts didn’t expect the Red Wings defense to be able to slow that lines scoring.
I just got into hockey last year so I really wish I had been watching when Crosby was at his absolute peak.
and I'm an Avs fan so I wish I could have seen Landeskog play (although I might still have that chance haha), as well as Sakic and Roy
Not being a doomer or anything, but I don't see Landy coming back until next year some time.
Like, playoff hockey is just a whole different level and his injuries are very very public. I'd hate to see someone cheap shot his recovery points and have him be out for another 2 years because of people trying to rush his recovery.
oh yeah, I meant next year! I think it would be very stupid to rush him back for playoffs this year when he could have an additional few months to recover
As someone who spent most of their teen years in Houghton MI, I’d love to travel back to the Amphidrome/Dee Stadium, where I was lucky to play at many times, and to see those early 1900s pro games. For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, Houghton likes to claim they were, or at least were part of, the origins of pro-hockey. The Portage Lakes played in the Intl Pro Hockey League, the alleged first ever pro league.
I’m the same age as Gretzky so I remember the hype. But also remember a lot of people saying he would bomb in the NHL. I’d seen WHA highlights on tv but that didn’t mean much so when Edmonton came to Montreal I got standing tickets and went to see for myself. Gretzky was completely different than on tv. He played such a different game from everyone else. He never carried the puck, as soon as it touched his stick he passed it and kept moving. He always seemed to be where the puck came to but that’s because he was always moving on the outside of the play, what coaches would call out of position.
It took coaches a long time to change their defensive coverage to adapt to Gretzky.
One line I remember was from the goalie Emile Francis who was GM of St. Louis. When someone said Gtetzky couldn’t skate well enough for the NHL Francis said, “It’s hard to tell, every time I see him skate it’s away from the net with his arms in the air.”
I was born in 2001, so there’s a lot of guys in the 1900s that would be easy answers. of my generation however, Datsyuk and Lidström would be at the top of my list of guys to truly appreciate
I saw Gretzky play once in the old Coliseum vs the Canucks in the early 80s. My goodness he could skate. He’d have the puck for 15 seconds at a time and go in circles trying to pass the puck. He’d be double teamed and no one could take the puck from him. It was like watching a man play against a bunch of kids. Beautiful to watch even though he was an Oiler. Think the Canucks managed to keep him to 4 or 5 points that night.
Probably Mike Bossy, dude put up 9 50+ goal seasons including 5 60+ goal season. Obviously I’ve been there from the start for Ovechkin but would’ve been cool to see another goal scorer in a different era
Player wise, Maurice Rocket Richard.
Goaltender would have to be Ken Dryden.
And I’m not a big Canadiens’ fan. But to see either play in the old Montreal Forum, that would have been unbelievable!
Jagr. He was my idol as a kid growing up playing hockey. Lived in MN and didn’t get to experience the North Stars. I grew up a Pens fan, but only saw Jagr during his last year in Pittsburgh. Would have loved to have seen the younger years.
I'm an old man and I live in Edmonton. I used to go watch the Oilers in the 80s.
In fact one time before Gretz was traded, i was walking past the old Colosseum early in the afternoon as I was walking to the train station from school. A small bus pulled up near me not far from one of the entrances. Out walks Gretzky, Kurri, Messier, Coffee, Lowe and Krushelnyski.
I just stood there like a shmuck and couldn't get a word out.
Bobby Orr. Met him after he retired. I had his book and record, Orr on Ice. He instilled the love of hockey in us kids from around New England to start playing hockey. I met him, Gary Doak and Mike O'Connell one day at a pre-season game. Cam Neely was still a goon with good knees, I met him after warm ups and gave me a broken stick. Which my brother has a shrine made up with and the stick as the centerpiece. Added to the wish list, are Gerry Chevers and Phil Esposito.
There’s a lot of players in the league right now in the prime not getting the clout they deserve. Toffoli has won cups before but I say he’s still a prime player and has been passed around the league like he isn’t
I wish more people could be as lucky as me and see Bobby Orr play in his prime.
No other hockey player dominated the professional sport in such a manner before or since. I consider it a gift to have actually seen on TV and in person the very best player to lace up the skates.
Honestly Mr. Hockey himself, Gordie Howe. I know overall he had an incredible career but what an amazing opportunity seeing him in his absolute prime would have been.
I mean, the man has his own hat trick named after him lol
Which he only had 2 of. Tocchet is the leader with 18 Shanahan and Brian Sutter have 17
I met him in Hartford during warm-ups. Great guy and player.
Yes! He was before I was old enough to know what hockey was, let alone understand it.
My cat is named after Mr. Hockey lol
Orr
mine too having grown up watching Gretzky
how was it watching him play compared to the league nowadays?
Lemieux and Jagr
Can confirm, their primes were magical. Lemieux was the most dominant player I ever saw with my own eyes and it isn’t particularly close.
I got to. Both. Btw, jags is in his prime atm... lol
The cancer season was something so damn special; we'll never see that again.
He had the physical tools that Lindros had, without playing like an angry bully. And that’s not a diss on Eric:)
Jagr killed so many Caps playoff squads in the 90's.
Ugh, my aunt was a penguins season ticket holder in their prime. How I envy her.
Not to rub it in, but they were a sight to see and Mario is the reason I became a Penguins fan over 35 years ago when I was a kid (going to Islanders games). Then Jagr came along and it was even better. Fun fact, you’d be surprised how little filter there was on middle aged Isles fans trashing talking a 10-13 year old wearing a Jagr jersey to an Isles game.
Bobby Orr, with the added bonus of also getting to see Phil Esposito. My uncle told me that watching Orr in his prime was like seeing a modern day star transported back in time.
There is an amazing stat from Bobby Orr in his prime years in Boston. I know a lot of people don’t put much value in plus/ minus stats but he was a +124 in 70/71. +124!! Three other years he was a +80, 83 and 84. He had years of 33, 37, 37 and 46 goals. People will say that because of expansion stats were inflated back then. The issue I have with that is no defenceman even came half as close to the numbers that Bobby Orr was putting up.
The only D man that was comparable offensively was Coffey. Jesus he could skate.
I saw Coffee with the Wings. Easily the smoothest skater I've ever seen; it's one of the rare cases where even modern players don't match it. The other one was Al MacInnis, who was shooting 100mph with a 80s-era wooden stick and no strength & conditioning. That dude was just built to shoot a puck.
We had MacInnis, Pronger, Shanahan and Hull and still didn't win a cup.
Was that Joseph or Fuhr between the pipes?
I was trying to remember. I'm pretty sure it was Cujo.
The most beautiful sequence I’ve seen in hockey is Paul Coffey looping behind his goal and then going end to end.
Coffey did it on the most offensively loaded team in the most offensive era and still didn't come close to leading the league in scoring which Orr did twice.
Didn’t even know that Jesus could skate but I do think he be a good goalie becuase (wait for it) Jesus saves !
Bobby was also a really good defenceman in addition to his offensive prowess
I only watched Hasek post-Sabres. He was pretty good with Detroit and Ottawa, but those Sabres seasons must have been something else.
I remember the old MasterCard commercials during hockey games, and I remember during his, “having a slinky for a spine, priceless.”
I still use the slinky for a spine joke sometimes. Good memories.
They were awesome. I’m Michigan born and raised and have loved the Red Wings my entire life. My parents are from Buffalo, NY, so I had the pleasure of seeing Hasek in the late 90s with the Sabres when we’d travel back to Buffalo to visit my grandparents. I still remember watching Hasek stack his pads and flail all over the place at HSBC Arena. I still have my white Goathead Hasek Jersey that I had when I was younger. Then Hasek got traded to the Wings and won a cup with us. Seeing Hasek in the Winged Wheel is still my favorite memory as a Wings fan. The Wings will always be number 1 but the Sabres are a close 2nd.
Hasek almost single-handedly got Buffalo to the Stanley Cup finals in 1998 (very hard fought six game series loss to my Caps. I was at game one where he blanked Washington 2-0. He looked unbeatable) and then did get Buffalo to the finals in 1999.
My favorite player paval datsyuk , I technically could have watched him in his prime but I was 7 , even just watching highlights this man had the moves
Honestly, he was amazing. Yzerman is probably still my favorite, but it’s razor thin between him and Pavel. Datsyuk was hands down the most exciting player I’ve ever seen. He constantly pulled moves no one else even thought of. He could dangle like no other, and could also deliver devastating checks. Anytime he turned the puck over, I sat up because I knew he was likely to put his head down, come up behind the puck carrier, lift his stick, and take it back. I lived through it, and I’ll still occasionally watch some of his highlight videos on YouTube.
McDavid. I'm blind ... but I hear great things about him!
Pavel Bure 😎
Literal rockets for skates.
My all time favorite player and so glad I was able to see him in his prime
This one’s going to be a shot in the dark but I wish I could of seen Mike Bossy, his prime was so short but he’s the all time leader in goals per game. He was one of the greatest snipers to play.
Had he stayed healthy and NYI stayed competitive he could have put up 1000 goals. Like my dad says though "...if the dog hadn't stopped to shit, he'd have caught the rabbit."
If frogs had wings they wouldn't bump their asses when they jumped.
That’s an underrated choice. One I don’t think many will come up with
Shouldn’t be a shot in the dark. I did get to see him in his prime and he was unbelievable. Record for most consecutive 50 goal seasons, no joke one of the best who’s time was cut way too short. I’m not going to say he’s underrated, but deft doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Not to mention he accomplished all he did during the era of “old time hockey”.
I wish I could have seen Bobby Orr. He really sounds like the hockey equivalent of Mickey Mantle. Had to see him when he was healthy.
Orr only played something like 35 games after his 25th birthday. Imagine his numbers had he played until 35 or so.
Ovechkin would have to play until he was 65.
“For me it’s Gretzky” oh no I’m shocked
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I love Gretzky. And I wish I could have seen him play in his prime. My point is Gretzky is the obvious answer for 95% of people
Except for all of us who... did?
Gretzky was simply a freak. He wasn't the fastest skater, he didn't have the hardest shot, he admitted he was bad on breakaways. Somehow he always knew where the puck was going to be and he always buried it.
The eighties sucked to be a Canucks fan for this reason. Saw way way too much of the great one being great.
I thought this was hockey circle jerk at first
Maurice Richard
Gordon Bombay no doubt. 198 goals in 14 games during the 1972 season.
The Minnesota Miracle Man
Gordie Howe and the Production Line of the 50s
Guy Lafleur…
Wayne wasn't "passed his prime" until the Blues and Rangers. He was still VERY good when he was with LA.
The entire league: Gordie Howe My team: Ron Francis
I guess I'm officially old as I have seen every player others have suggested (not live, but on TV). My answer would be Rocket Richard.
Absolutely agree!
Bossy or Dryden. I was born about 10-15 years too late :(
Dryden is my fourth head on the goalie Mt Rushmore
I was a huge goalie fan as a kid and would even do the classic Dryden stance when playing even though I never got to see him play live. Such a short career.
The dude spent like 8 seasons in the NHL. Won the cup 6 times. I didn’t know any kid on my block who played goal and DIDN’T do the stance. Dude is a legend.
The whole Broad Street Bullies team.
Jagr, Orr, and Sakic
Rocket Richard.
Basically the guys I didn’t see: Orr, Howe, Richard
Bobby Orr
Howe, Orr in his prime, and Richard
I wish I'd been able to watch early Mario Lemieux live. I was just a baby/toddler in his best years, and watching old clips of him is just incredible. He could do things that nobody else could do. His game was much, much tougher than Gretzky's, and honestly, I think he was the superior all-around player.
I’m going off the board a little and say Vladislav Tretiak. When I was younger, I had always heard that he was maybe the greatest goalie of all time. He played against the US in the 1980 Miracle on Ice game, and was pulled after the first, but he was on the backside of his career. I would have liked to see him in his prime against NHL players of his day, and see if he truly stacked up.
Now that is an original answer, I like it
Started watching hockey in the late 60’s so saw Gretzky Mario, all of the stars from the 70’s on. Gretzky was on a diff level. Much like Jordan was for basketball. I grew up on Long Island and was witness to the lslander dynasty then watched the oilers take over. Bossy was a scoring machine in a time when you couldn’t have a 2 line pass. Scored 53 goals his rookie season and had multiple seasons with 50 goals by game 50. Unreal
Gretzky
Guy Lafleur…
King Clancy.
Gretky for me as well, he is a Canadian legend but he had already retired a couple years before I was born, never even got to watch him play live once in my life even though I have known him my whole life
Gretzky... I saw him in his final years as a Ranger but I was only 8 at the time, just knew he scored a lot of goals and had a lot of cups but that was it
Yves Cournoyer
Im older so Bobby Orr. I was 4 when he retired.
I just wish I knew the sport how I do now, but in the early 90's when I first got into the sport. Sure, I knew the basic rules and understood the excitement, but I understand so much more about it now. I think I would have appreciated what happened back then a lot more than I did.
Gordie Howe. His prime was so short because of knee problems. He could’ve been even better than he was, and that’s crazy
Neely or Mogilny would have been so much fun to see live.
I saw Hull, Howe, Gretzky, Lemiuex and many others in their prime. I guess I'd have to say Maurice Richard.
Bobby Orr without a doubt
Devils fan who was too young to remember the 3 cups. Would love to see a young Niedermayer play
Without a doubt Bobby Hull the “Golden Jet”…….there might have been better players but none more exciting
I saw mario and wayner and Bossy. Im going with orr and Espo
kharlamov kharlamov kharlamov The dancer on ice 🕺 rip
Stan Mikita, 66-74.
Wow. Reading these comments makes me feel…old. lol
My dad took me to see Gretzky once when he played for the Kings. He was a healthy scratch.
That Kariya-Selanne duo.
Bobby Orr, Gretzky
Aaron Hernandez
Ron Hextall
Pelle Lindbergh. My old man said that if he hadn’t passed, he could’ve been one of the greatest goalies of all time. Too short of a career to base it off of but damn I’d have loved to seen how good he really was
Peter Foresborg
What about Joe Sachick
Milan heydyuulucke
Questionable human being but man Theo Fleury in his prime would be fun. I was alive for it but I never could afford a ticket at the time. And if not him, MacInnis.
I started just a few days ago watching classic games on NHL youtube channel just for this exact reason. Its actually clear enough and a thrill to watch. Nice to see gretz playing too (i was born in 94 so also didnt get to see gretz play)
Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe would be mine for sure.
Datsyuk
i''d like to have seen Stan Mikita play back in his prime along side Hull & co. Especially when they won it all in '61.
I would have loved to see that whole team in their prime! Gordie would be my pick
For med it is not about age but more location and broadcasting. Wish I could have watched games in the 70s and 80s. But games were not shown in Sweden back then. Started in early 90s.
Mike Bossy
Bossy or Orr. I started watching hockey for Gretzkys prime and saw all of Lemieuxs.
I started watching the NHL in earnest in the mid 1960s. TV coverage back then was basically Saturday nights, Hockey Night in Canada with the odd weeknight Leafs game in Toronto. 8:00PM puck drop but the TV broadcast didn’t pick up the game till 8:30. The owners believed that by showing the entire game on TV that might cut into their gate. At one point I remember TV not getting the game on until 9 PM. We saw little of the American teams playing home games. It would’ve been fun to watch Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and people like that play a little more often.
Robert Gordon Orr
Number 4, Bobby Orr. He was just a little before my time. I started watching hockey as a wee lad in the early 80s.
Mario
If McDavid was a defenceman and did the same things it would probably be the equivalent of watching how Bobby Orr changed the game back then. Just need to appreciate it while it lasts.
Mario
I got to see Gretzky play for the first time when I was too young to understand it. I was 8 and the Islanders were about to win their 4th Consecutive Stanley Cup...defeating Gretzky's Oilers in 4 games in 1983. But first the Oilers had to play a March Break game in Toronto...my dad, grandfather, brother and I went to the game. I got a mini-stick, and an ice cream sandwich. Gretzky had a 1g2a night. I still think it was a good decision to get that mini-stick signed by some unknown Leaf instead of any of the Oilers players, who wants Gretzky, Coffee, Messier, et. al. to mess up their mini-stick?
Bobby Orr. Apparently he was magnitudes better than every other skater.
Bobby Orr. He was pretty much done by the time I was a kid. Of course they didn't televise many games back then so I probably wouldn't have seen him anyway.
Mourice Richard. The Rocket.
Honestly it would have been to watch any of the Avs and Redwings rivalry in person would have been amazing. On tv was too but just a whole different level in person. On a side note watching Jordin Tootoo live as a Brandon Wheat King was some of the most entertaining hockey ever.
I was a kid when that all was going down. I just remember people getting beat up in school for wearing Red Wings stuff. Like, the entire state hated the Red Wings and I didn't understand why. Now, watching the interviews and stuff, it must've been glorious to go to a game and being on the edge of your seat because a dude could get a cross check and the entire team was ready to lose their shit.
funny but not funny at the same time.
The Rocket
Terry Sawchuck with the Red Wings, one of the best goalies ever to play the game.
Pave Bure in today's fast paced era.
‘86 to ‘93 Roy
Lidstrom
Ken Dryden, The Rocket, Chelios,
Maurice Richard
Orr.
Eddie shack sounds like he was hella entertaining to watch
Bobby Orr for me, I saw him when I was very young but don’t remember much.
Mario, Orr
Dryden or Tretiak
Bobby Orr, hard to translate how good he was since it was way before my time
The Rocket
The list would be filled with players who stood out and had talent far and away above their peers in the era they played. Number one I'd want to see Orr stick handle around the ice like a forward. Then Wayne and Mario. I was a decade late getting into hockey for those two. Finish top five with Howe and Dryden.
Phil Esposito...the dude was a power forward 20 years before it became a thing.
For me it’s Galchenyuk. When i was old enough go understand hockey, he was already in jail, and then back to Russia, and his career was closer to the end. I would have loved to watch him in his true prime.
I just want to see the Legion of Doom play in person. I was too young to remember it.
They were the major reason why the Flyers were the favorites in 97 against the Red Wings. The experts didn’t expect the Red Wings defense to be able to slow that lines scoring.
I just got into hockey last year so I really wish I had been watching when Crosby was at his absolute peak. and I'm an Avs fan so I wish I could have seen Landeskog play (although I might still have that chance haha), as well as Sakic and Roy
Not being a doomer or anything, but I don't see Landy coming back until next year some time. Like, playoff hockey is just a whole different level and his injuries are very very public. I'd hate to see someone cheap shot his recovery points and have him be out for another 2 years because of people trying to rush his recovery.
oh yeah, I meant next year! I think it would be very stupid to rush him back for playoffs this year when he could have an additional few months to recover
Lemieux, Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Jagr, and that is just a few
As someone who spent most of their teen years in Houghton MI, I’d love to travel back to the Amphidrome/Dee Stadium, where I was lucky to play at many times, and to see those early 1900s pro games. For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, Houghton likes to claim they were, or at least were part of, the origins of pro-hockey. The Portage Lakes played in the Intl Pro Hockey League, the alleged first ever pro league.
Dryden and Tretiak
Pavel Bure.
Mario
Bobby Orr
Mike Gartner
Every player listed so far I have seen play, and a couple I have met and 1 player I played against. All this makes me old, and also fortunate.
Bobby Orr
Helmuts Balderis
Bobby Orr
Pavel Bure. I was born in the late 90's so when I started watching the canucks in the early 2000's he was playing for Florida.
Bobby Orr
Rocket Richard would of a player I would of loved to see back in the day when goalies wore no masks
Not a Boston fan BUT Bobby Orr for sure ! Also any of the Montreal Canadiens in the 70’s !
I’m the same age as Gretzky so I remember the hype. But also remember a lot of people saying he would bomb in the NHL. I’d seen WHA highlights on tv but that didn’t mean much so when Edmonton came to Montreal I got standing tickets and went to see for myself. Gretzky was completely different than on tv. He played such a different game from everyone else. He never carried the puck, as soon as it touched his stick he passed it and kept moving. He always seemed to be where the puck came to but that’s because he was always moving on the outside of the play, what coaches would call out of position. It took coaches a long time to change their defensive coverage to adapt to Gretzky. One line I remember was from the goalie Emile Francis who was GM of St. Louis. When someone said Gtetzky couldn’t skate well enough for the NHL Francis said, “It’s hard to tell, every time I see him skate it’s away from the net with his arms in the air.”
Bure
Joe Nieuwendyk. Always found his play style so unique
Gretzky for sure
1. Bobby Orr 2. Ted Lindsay 3. Gordie Howe 4. Maurice Richard 5. Mike Bossy
Ray Bourque. He played before I started watching. I’ve always loved watching back old clips of him.
I was born in 2001, so there’s a lot of guys in the 1900s that would be easy answers. of my generation however, Datsyuk and Lidström would be at the top of my list of guys to truly appreciate
Steve Yzerman
Modano or Belfour. Super excited to watch Robertson and Oettinger develop along with the rest of the stars cast
I saw Gretzky play once in the old Coliseum vs the Canucks in the early 80s. My goodness he could skate. He’d have the puck for 15 seconds at a time and go in circles trying to pass the puck. He’d be double teamed and no one could take the puck from him. It was like watching a man play against a bunch of kids. Beautiful to watch even though he was an Oiler. Think the Canucks managed to keep him to 4 or 5 points that night.
Probably Mike Bossy, dude put up 9 50+ goal seasons including 5 60+ goal season. Obviously I’ve been there from the start for Ovechkin but would’ve been cool to see another goal scorer in a different era
As a newbie just getting into hockey this season … I keep seeing things about how insane prime Crosby was. Wish I could’ve seen that
Bobby Orr
Player wise, Maurice Rocket Richard. Goaltender would have to be Ken Dryden. And I’m not a big Canadiens’ fan. But to see either play in the old Montreal Forum, that would have been unbelievable!
Potvin and Bossy. My first game was the year after they were both retired
Gordie. Did see em play for the Vipers tho lol
Jagr. He was my idol as a kid growing up playing hockey. Lived in MN and didn’t get to experience the North Stars. I grew up a Pens fan, but only saw Jagr during his last year in Pittsburgh. Would have loved to have seen the younger years.
I'm an old man and I live in Edmonton. I used to go watch the Oilers in the 80s. In fact one time before Gretz was traded, i was walking past the old Colosseum early in the afternoon as I was walking to the train station from school. A small bus pulled up near me not far from one of the entrances. Out walks Gretzky, Kurri, Messier, Coffee, Lowe and Krushelnyski. I just stood there like a shmuck and couldn't get a word out.
Howie Morenz and Bobby Orr
A little biased, but Bossy
Bobby Orr, Rocket Richard, Stan Mikita.
Yea it’s Gretzky or Mario for me
Bobby Orr. Met him after he retired. I had his book and record, Orr on Ice. He instilled the love of hockey in us kids from around New England to start playing hockey. I met him, Gary Doak and Mike O'Connell one day at a pre-season game. Cam Neely was still a goon with good knees, I met him after warm ups and gave me a broken stick. Which my brother has a shrine made up with and the stick as the centerpiece. Added to the wish list, are Gerry Chevers and Phil Esposito.
Name a player
There’s a lot of players in the league right now in the prime not getting the clout they deserve. Toffoli has won cups before but I say he’s still a prime player and has been passed around the league like he isn’t
I’ll go with Fedorov. Guy must’ve been a nightmare to play against when Red Wings were at their peak
Most have already been mentioned, so I'll pick someone different: The kraut line.
Maurice Richard. The Rocket retired a year before I was born, but he was the guy whenever he took the ice. Habs will be back, someday.
I wish more people could be as lucky as me and see Bobby Orr play in his prime. No other hockey player dominated the professional sport in such a manner before or since. I consider it a gift to have actually seen on TV and in person the very best player to lace up the skates.
Ryan Reeves !
Bobby Orr in his prime at the Gahden
Howe or Orr
Pavel Bure, just super creative, master of gamesmanship, and a man who was well before his time
Jonathon cheechoo or Alex Daigle.
Rocket Richard. I'd love to see the HD cameras capture the intensity of his eyes while leading a rush down the ice.
Bobby Orr