Who does everyone think is the best player in the NHL at the present time?
Although I would like to pick Ed Belfour, Eric Lindros, Bryan McCabe, Alexander Steen, Mats Sundin or Darcy Tucker, at the present time, my vote has to go to Jaromir Jagr. My vote for best Goaltender is Dominik Hasek. What does everybody else think?

For goaltender, I would have to say Martin Brodeur. three shutouts in five games, leading the shutout department for most shutouts by an active goaltender, not to mention 3 stanley cups under his belt, a 2002 gold medal, world cup championships, and various other awards.

For rookie, i would probobly say Ovchekin(sp?). Crosby is over-rated and hasn't been living up to his hype, Parise, while doing a great job filling in for Elias the other night against the Canucks, isn't exactly the top rookie.

Best all-time player IMO would most likely be either Bobby Orr, Cam Neely, or Wayne Gretzky.

Cam Neely over Gordie Howe? And " either " Gretzky, Orr or Neely?

IMO Gretzky is on a level, all by himself. The all time best.


Don Cardi

I'll take it even one step further:

I think that Gretzky was the most dominant and far and away the best player in any of the major sports.

Better and more dominant, compared to the other players, than Babe Ruth in baseball, Michael Jordan in basketball, and I'm not even sure who I think is the greatest and most dominant ever in football.

Cam Neely over Gordie Howe? And " either " Gretzky, Orr or Neely?

IMO Gretzky is on a level, all by himself. The all time best.


Don Cardi [/b][/quote]I say either because in all likelyhood, had Mario Lemeuix not of suffered the injuries or illnesses that he has, he was on pace to break alot of Gretzky's records. Neely has a great reputation here in Boston and would most likely of had a memorable career to put him on that level of all time greats had his career not of been cut short like it was.

While Gretzky was good, I personally think he may have been a tad bit over-rated. If you want to throw in past players, then I would of said Jacques Plante was the all-time best goaltender over Brodeur. Gordie Howe is one of the best, no doubt about it. Also worth mentioning is Phil Esposito and Ray Bourque.

Alhtough this thread was supposed to be about who you think is the best player in the nhl TODAY, we seem to be discussing all time greats now. Scarfacetm, I totally respect your opinion but to say that Wayne Gretzky was "overrated" is kinda like saying that God is "overrated." The Great One's stats:

894 Goals, 1963 Assists, 2857 Points
122 G, 260 A, 382 P (Playoffs)

Every one of the above stats is an all time record that may never be broken. Not to mention #99 won 4 Stanley Cups, 3 Canada Cups, 10 Art Ross Trophies, 9 MVPs, 2 Conn Smythe Trophies (Playoff MVP), 5 Lester B. Pearson Trophies, 5 Lady Byng Trophies, 3 All-Star Game MVPs and he was a 15 time All-Star.

He played 20 seasons, 1 487 games, and held 61 records at the time of his retirement. In addition to the records he holds that I stated above, he also holds the records for most Goals in a season (92), most Assists in one season (163) and most Points in one season (215) among many, many others.

Wayne Gretzky is called the "Great One" because he was the greatest player to ever play the game of Hockey and there most likely will never be another player of his skill again.

http://www.waynegretzky.com

Mark Messier won 6 stanley cups, numberous older playes have won more as well as numberous other awards. By saying hes a tad bit over rated, I mean that people expect alot from him because of how he was as a player, yet his Phoenix Coyotes are doing pittiful this year, not to mention i have a personal vendetta for him calling the New Jersey Devils "nothing but a mickey mouse organization" when he played for Edmonton, which as we have seen, the Devils are far from a mickey mouse organization. He did too much in too little a time and people hold him in high graces because of that expecting him to be a good coach as well, which, though he isn't a bad coach, I wouldn't call him a great one either.

Cam Neely?

Scarfacetm, Although I still disagree with you, I better understand your position now. Lord knows if a player of the stature of Gretzky called my Maple Leafs a "mickey mouse" organization I wouldn't really take a shine to him either.

You are correct in your assessment though, that because he was such a gifted, amazing and dynamic player people expect him to move mountains and give sight to the blind. The Phoenix Coyotes are in the position they are in now (i.e. fighting to make the playoffs) because they simply don't have the talent to take on teams like the Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres. I do think that Gretzky has the hockey smarts to take Phoenix to the first round of the playoffs provided that Curtis Joseph can keep up his play in Goal, but beyond that, people have to realize that he is human.

A tad bit overarated?

You are kidding me right?

And with all due respect, while I think that Lemeuix was a fantastic player and barring injury, could have been one of the greats, you cannot say "IF" and then use that "IF" to minimize Gretzky's greatness.

You also cannot go by his coaching when we are talking about his playing. One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. Some of the greatest coaches ever to coach the game were mediocore players when they played. And the opposite is also true that some of the greatest players ever to play the game were mediocore coaches. Remember when Espo coached the Rangers?


No one is even close to Gretzky as far as being The Greatest.


Don Cardi

Best players today are Martin St. Louis and Vinnie LeCavlier of the world champion Stanley Cup defending TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING.

As for the best ever...no question it was Gretzky.

DJ,

I apologize for getting off topic and hijacking your topic.


Don Cardi

Lol! No problem Don C.