Yzerman's All Time Ranking

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I think that it's important to note that it's hard to look at a player's all around game to determine their all time ranking. I've never thought of Gretzky or Lemieux as great defensively, but that doesn't mean that they should be bumped down the list for that. Hell, there's offensive stars now in the league that have a better two way game than Gretzky or Lemieux, so that is why I can't put Yzerman in my top five despite everything that he did all-around.

[Turretin 0]

Why is Lemeiux so high on some of your lists? The guy had great skills for quite a while, but I think he got by on so much hype. No way I put him before Richard or Yzerman.

[timothy1997 0]

That's why I said arguably. Because honestly I think a case could be made that Yzerman was better than Mess.

Yzerman compared to Bourque would be a good arguement. Bourque was captain for a long time of the Bruins, but what did his team really accomplish. nothing.

Messier won 6 stanley cups. That is incredible regardless of who you are and what team you have.

[Guest DetroitIan]

Yzerman is my favorite player of all time however I don't rank him #1 of all time. Because as said by some one else you cannot calculate leadership and defensive abilities into stats.

True, but I thought we were just talking about the best players ever. I didnt think we were strictly talking about stats. Because if so, then obviously my rankings would change. But if we're talking about all aspects of the game. Hands down, Stevie Y is my choice. And as was said before, he's also my choice if I had to pick a player to build a team around. It's just so rare to find a player that is a mix of Gretzky and Bobby Orr. Yzerman was a jack of all trades. So for that reason, he's my number 1 pick.

[BeeRYCE 2]

Messier and Yzerman is like apples and oranges. Messier led vocally, Yzerman led by example. Both did it amazingly well.

[Guest DetroitIan]

Why is Lemeiux so high on some of your lists? The guy had great skills for quite a while, but I think he got by on so much hype. No way I put him before Richard or Yzerman.

But the thing is, if you check out how many games Lemieux played. In comparison to Wayne or Stevie, Super Mario actually had better stats. I believe he only played around 800 games. Which makes his point average per game insanely high. Plus he was extremely physical and was just a pure winner. Super Mario HAS to be in the top 10. Cause if he had played even near the mount of games Gretzky and Yzerman played, his stats would be crazy good.

[sticknmove 0]

1. Gordie Howe

2. Bobby Orr

3. Steve Yzerman

4. Wayne Gretzky

5. Rocket Richard

[BeeRYCE 2]

I still don't understand how one would put Yzerman over Gretzky on any list. Sure Yzerman was a leader, defensively sound, etc, etc. But untouchable numbers are hard to contend with. Gretzky is number 1 in every major category with all those numbers being untouchable.

[timothy1997 0]

Why is Lemeiux so high on some of your lists? The guy had great skills for quite a while, but I think he got by on so much hype. No way I put him before Richard or Yzerman.

1.88 points per game. Only other player that I can think of that has had more points per game is Gretzky. Mario would be 2nd best in my list if his career hadn't been interrupted.

Another player that I am surprised is not higher is Mike Bossy. 573 goals, 553 assists, 1126 points and retired at the age of 30. I have often wondered what his career numbers would have been, had back problems didnt cut his career short.

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

How can you have Paul Coffey ranked in the top 10 all time. I have him ranked around 9th or 10th on the greatest defenseman list.

I put him on this list becuase he is only 48 points behind Bourque and has 3 Norris trophies and won the cup 4 times Paul Coffey brought a differant element to the game with his speed and ability to jump into the play and get back and do his job on defense anyways this is about Stevie not any one else . Stevie deserves to be higher the 5th but with all the great players through out the years in the NHL it is hard to pick the best ever becuase as we all know it is not always about numnbers and stats.

Edited July 19, 2007 by DEVILSWATERBOY

[timothy1997 0]

But the thing is, if you check out how many games Lemieux played. In comparison to Wayne or Stevie, Super Mario actually had better stats. I believe he only played around 800 games. Which makes his point average per game insanely high. Plus he was extremely physical and was just a pure winner. Super Mario HAS to be in the top 10. Cause if he had played even near the mount of games Gretzky and Yzerman played, his stats would be crazy good.

thats the same logic i used when i came up with my list. I weight points per game high when i consider the greatest player of nhl history.

[Guest DetroitIan]

I still don't understand how one would put Yzerman over Gretzky on any list. Sure Yzerman was a leader, defensively sound, etc, etc. But untouchable numbers are hard to contend with. Gretzky is number 1 in every major category with all those numbers being untouchable.

Basically it depends on whether you think all the extras Steve brought to the table was enough to make up for Gretzky's insane point total. It really could go either way. For me, I would rather have a guy that can litterally do it all, as opposed to a guy who was strictly only offensive. I would be happy with either guy. But for me Yzerman just brought too much to the table for me to want any other player.

[timothy1997 0]

I put him on this list becuase he is only 48 points behind Bourque and has 3 Norris trophies and won the cup 4 times Paul Coffey brought a differant element to the game with his speed and ability to jump into the play and get back and do his job on defense anyways this is about Stevie not any one else . Stevie deserves to be higher the 5th but with all the great players through out the years in the NHL it is hard to pick the best ever becuase as we all know it is not always about numnbers and stats.

paul coffey is in the top 5 defenseman IMO regardless of his defensive numbers.

[Wings_Fan_In_Exile 3]

I think it's impossible for me to be objective about Yzerman. So I'll just say he's in the top 10 and leave it at that. Plus I don't know enough about previous eras and their players to make a fair all-time list.

And I wasn't in either Yzerman's or Messier's locker room so I couldn't tell ya who the better captain was. Although Mess had a rep of being an in your face yelling ******* captian vs Yzerman just stepping up and taking care of bidness. Yeah, I can't be objective there either.... haha.

[timothy1997 0]

Basically it depends on whether you think all the extras Steve brought to the table was enough to make up for Gretzky's insane point total. It really could go either way. For me, I would rather have a guy that can litterally do it all, as opposed to a guy who was strictly only offensive. I would be happy with either guy. But for me Yzerman just brought too much to the table for me to want any other player.

For most of his career tho, Yzerman was not a defensive forward. It wasn't until Scotty came on board that things changed.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Yzerman compared to Bourque would be a good arguement. Bourque was captain for a long time of the Bruins, but what did his team really accomplish. nothing.

Messier won 6 stanley cups. That is incredible regardless of who you are and what team you have.

So the team did nothing under Yzerman? I don't see how comparing him to Borque makes sense.

And winning 6 Cups is amazing. But of those 6, Mess won 2 as captain.

Plus Stevie is unmatched for the length of time he was on the Wings and their captain. In my book that does count for something. Mess was on the oilers, then the Rangers, then Vancouver, then back to the Rangers.

Messier had the great performance with the Rangers in '94. Stevie had a great performance on one knee in '02. I think a reasonable case could be made either way for who's the greatest leader.

Edited July 19, 2007 by haroldsnepsts

[Guest DetroitIan]

For most of his career tho, Yzerman was not a defensive forward. It wasn't until Scotty came on board that things changed.

I wouldnt say most of his career. I would say for about the first 6 years. Bowman helped that Steves process. But Yzerman was already playing an all-around style the year we drafted Lids(90-91). And during those first 6 years Yzerman's offensive numbers were pretty close to Gretzky's. Yzerman's point totals started to drop the same time he became such an amazing all around player. So like I said, it basically comes down to whether you think Steve's "extras" make up for Wayne's crazy high point total. Cause we obviously know Yzerman's point total was extremely high as well. But Wayne's defensive ability was non-existent. So this choice could really go either way.

[timothy1997 0]

So the team did nothing under Yzerman? I don't see how comparing him to Borque makes sense.

And winning 6 Cups is amazing. But of those 6, Mess won 2 as captain.

Plus Stevie is unmatched for the length of time he was on the Wings and their captain. In my book that does count for something. Mess was on the oilers, then the Rangers, then Vancouver, then back to the Rangers.

Messier had the great performance with the Rangers in '94. Stevie had a great performance on one knee in '02. I think a reasonable case could be made either way for who's the greatest leader.

Ray Bourque did nothing in leading the bruins.

Yzerman returned the pride and sense of honor to wear the winged wheel. That cannot be measured.

3 best captains clearly are Messier, Yzerman, and Bourque. You decide what order they fit but hard to find anyone else deserving of being amongst the three.

[hawkupaloogie 0]

Ray Bourque did nothing in leading the bruins.

Yzerman returned the pride and sense of honor to wear the winged wheel. That cannot be measured.

3 best captains clearly are Messier, Yzerman, and Bourque. You decide what order they fit but hard to find anyone else deserving of being amongst the three.

sakic?

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Although I have Messier ranked ahead of Yzerman as far as the better player, I don't see how some of you have Messier as the better captain. For most of his career in Edmonton, Gretzky was the captain and not him. Messier walked into a beautiful situation in Edmonton with all of those hall of famers on their team, and even when Gretzky left they still had a great team, which is why they won that cup in 1990. As for the Rangers, he took the entire Edmonton team with him when he left for New York, I think they had something like 8 or 9 guys on that 94 Rangers team that played for the Oilers cup teams. Plus, Leetch and Richter were the best players that year in the playoffs for the Rangers. And we know he didn't do anything with his leadership in Vancouver.

Yzerman on the other hand walked into a dump in Detroit and stuck through all the tough times instead of going elsewhere. He sacrificed his own stats, and anything else he could give just to win Stanley Cups. I think that ultimately history will have Messier ranked as the better captain because of that cup win in 94, and also because a lot more people hate the Red Wings then the teams that Messier played on, but in my opinion Yzerman is what a leader should be since he spent his whole career with one team through all the good and bad times.

[Opie 308]

I think the main reason that Messier gets so much credit is what he did when he promised the rags would win and then got the hat trick. People see that as oh my god what a leader he is.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I think the main reason that Messier gets so much credit is what he did when he promised the rags would win and then got the hat trick. People see that as oh my god what a leader he is.

Good point. I've seen replays of that game before, and two of the goals were softies and the 3rd was an empty netter. He should be thanking Marty Brodeur for that night.

[SweWings 45]

sakic?

This being a Detroit messageboard...Not meaning to pile crap on Sakic but he is Captain of the Avs and I'm sorry but that brings him down quite a few pegs.

EDIT: How can you bring down pegs in a book? wtf...

Edited July 19, 2007 by SweWings

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

This being a Detroit messageboard...Not meaning to pile crap on Sakic but he is Captain of the Avs and I'm sorry but that brings him down quite a few pegs in my book.

Sakic should go down as one of the 5 best captains ever. He's probably the only Divealanche player that I've never hated, since he doesn't play dirty, dive around, look like a douchebag, or run his mouth a lot.

[Opie 308]

I was hesitant to reply to the Sakic comment because I do respect him a lot. To me he is very similar to Yzerman, in fact he is the only Av (from the rivalry era) player I would ever want on the wings. The man plays the game right and even when Floppa was diving everywhere he still played a respectable game.