The Battle of 19 : Stevie vs Sakic and others

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/bythe.../number_19.html

Sakic is a terrific player, a class act, and a shoo in for the hall. But he didn't lead his team or country to victory on one leg. He didn't almost singlehandedly turn around a dying franchise. Sakic wears 91 for Canada because 19 belongs to Stevie. Would Sakic have come back from radical knee surgery that would have almost certainly ended the careers of other athletes? Stevie's won a Selke trophy as the best defensive forward. Not to take anything away from Joe, but Stevie's leadership and love for the game simply cannot be matched. Joe, I think, has better raw offensive skills. But lets not forget the years Stevie would have led the league in scoring had it not been for two guys named Wayne and Mario. But because of Scotty, Stevie drifted away from being an offensive superstar and became a two way forward.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Nobody outside of Denver has ever tried to make this comparison. What does that tell you? That the trolls in that city are jealous and have always tried to compare Sakic to Yzerman, even though Stevie had already been captain in Detroit 10 years before the divealanche ever came into existence. As I've said before, Sakic in his prime was never as dominant, and never put up the offensive numbers that Stevie put up. Yzerman is a top 10 guy, while Sakic is 20-30 in all time ranking. Also, how can you say that Sakic has better raw offensive skills? He has that great wristshot, but never had the one-on-one moves and speed that Yzerman had.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

"Steve has the grit and toughness, but Joe has the class and a legendary scoring touch that Stevie Y could only dream about."

-Michael, Colorado

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[wingslogo19 281]

Yzerman was and is the best #19 IMO

[rwfan007 18]

There is only 1 #19 and Steve had all the tools, he put up insane scoring numbers, numbers that were only eclipsed by Gretz and Mario, won the Conn Smythe and Selke, won 3 cups, and was a Captain of the same team for 20 years.

[LeftWinger 5,152]

...this one is funny...

Curt Shmurt

Joe Sakic all the way! I like Steve Yzerman and all but Joe is such a classy guy...who can forget Joe passing the Stanley Cup to Ray Bourque when they won the cup in 2001? Nobody can top that...did Stevie ever do that? Right now he has one more cup that Joe but...we'll see

...here was my reply to that...

Hey Curt Shmurt, in your 11-22 6:29 PM post, are you insinuating that Yzerman has no class? Sakic passed the Cup to Bourque did Yzerman ever do that? Well, no, Yzerman never played with Bourque, but in 1997 he DID pass the Cup to Mike Ilitch (team owner who bought the team as the Dead Things) first. In 1998, he passed the Cup to fallen superstar Vladimir Konstantinov as he sat in a wheel chair and in 2002 upon learning that Scotty Bowman was retiring, he passed it along to him first signaling the end of a career. No, there's no class there, Stevie never passed the Cup to anyone he kept it for himself.

...hands down between the two of them, Yzerman gets the nod...

[auxlepli 17]

It's like deja vu all over again.

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=46539

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Yzerman, won more cups, has more points, and was and always will be the greatest captain in hockey (Apart from Messier).

There is no comparison. If someone from Quebec tried to tell me Sakic was better, I may listen, but if someone from Denver does, I'd ignore them. People in Quebec shouldnt have lost that team, they know hockey, Denver, not so much. (Im sure there are many many fans of other teams in Denver, they are the smart ones!)

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

"Steve has the grit and toughness, but Joe has the class and a legendary scoring touch that Stevie Y could only dream about."

-Michael, Colorado

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

There's a lot of idiots in this world, and for some reason, most of them are divealanche fans.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

^ What a coincedence

[Grittzkey 1]

its like comparing what type of shoes are better Nike's or Fila's.

Nike is Yzerman

Fila is Sakic

both are great shoes, but Nike is forever the best.

both are great hockey captains. but Stevie > Sakic 4 lyfe

[auxlepli 17]

Yzerman, won more cups, has more points, and was and always will be the greatest captain in hockey (Including Messier).

FIFY

[csdan 0]

There's a lot of idiots in this world, and for some reason, most of them are divealanche fans.

Not so sure about that, wasn't Detroit ranked first in crime in the nation, I'm pretty sure alot of those criminals are Redwing fans.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

its like comparing what type of shoes are better Nike's or Fila's.

Nike is Yzerman

Fila is Sakic

both are great shoes, but Nike is forever the best.

both are great hockey captains. but Stevie > Sakic 4 lyfe

Oh god, we've been reduced to comparing them to brand names...

[theman19 47]

Not so sure about that, wasn't Detroit ranked first in crime in the nation, I'm pretty sure alot of those criminals are Redwing fans.

At least they know there was hockey before 1996.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

no competition

[Yzerfan1999 81]

At least they know there was hockey before 1996.

Yeah... remember the good old days when the Wings/Avs series were actually good rivalries?

I kind of wish Colorado could still keep up.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Not so sure about that, wasn't Detroit ranked first in crime in the nation, I'm pretty sure alot of those criminals are Redwing fans.

I'd marry a criminal over a divealanche fan any day.

[csdan 0]

Joking aside, why do you make such generalizations about hockey knowledge for Colorado fans when you're dealing with fans that are aged 15-21 on these forums. Professional Hockey has been in Colorado since 1950. So many fans that are now Colorado fans were likely fans of other NHL teams(I for one followed the North Stars). So just because we didn't have the NHL for very long doesn't mean the majority of Avs fans know nothing about hockey. Hockey is Hockey no matter what level you are watching. Talent levels are the only difference (and rink size if you're in Europe). So the fans that think Joe is better than Steve probably weren't alive yet when Stevie broke into the league. They've grown up watching Joe so what do you expect them to say. So forgive some of these young ones that have better things to do than open a book on the history of NHL hockey.

Edited November 27, 2007 by csdan

[Echolalia 2,961]

I think most of the Sakic is best arguments stem more from Detroit and Colorado being bitter rivals. Sakic lead the Avs while Yzerman lead the Wings. Any fan of Colorado would be no fan at all to admit that the captain of their worst enemy is better than their own captain, regardless of what the truth is, and whether or not they know it. And, as stated earlier, I think many of these folks posting are just kids who've only heard legends of the rivalries, but its before their time, so they're of course going to go with Joe.

[toby91_ca 620]

Nobody outside of Denver has ever tried to make this comparison.

Stevie had already been captain in Detroit 10 years before the divealanche ever came into existence.

Yzerman is a top 10 guy, while Sakic is 20-30 in all time ranking.

If I had to guess, I'd say that quite a few people outside of Detroit would make the comparison.

I'm not sure what Stevie being captain for 10 years before the Avalanche came into existence means. Yzerman was captain at the age of 21 and Sakic has been captain since he was 23.

Yzerman is currently 6th in all-time scoring, Sakic is 8th and will likely finish ahead of Yzerman before he retires. (although, I know you are talking about all-time best players, not where they fit in the scoring list).

For the record, I think Yzerman ranks ahead of Sakic, but I think Sakic deserves way more credit than you are giving him.

[Grittzkey 1]

Oh god, we've been reduced to comparing them to brand names...

Im a shoe guy, so i compare em to what i know alot about. which is shoes.

[chelios4eva 0]

If I had to guess, I'd say that quite a few people outside of Detroit would make the comparison.

I'm not sure what Stevie being captain for 10 years before the Avalanche came into existence means. Yzerman was captain at the age of 21 and Sakic has been captain since he was 23.

Yzerman is currently 6th in all-time scoring, Sakic is 8th and will likely finish ahead of Yzerman before he retires. (although, I know you are talking about all-time best players, not where they fit in the scoring list).

For the record, I think Yzerman ranks ahead of Sakic, but I think Sakic deserves way more credit than you are giving him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge Avalanche fan by any means, but I have gotten past the rivalry, and don't call them "Divalanche", and toby's right, no matter what, you have to give credit where credits due, and Sakic deserves alot of credit.

Many of you are thinking that Avs will say Sakic is ten times better than Steve, well quite the conterary, head over at forums.coloradoavalanche.com and read there discussion on this topic, now many people wouldn't openly say "Steve is better than Sakic" (though some did), 99% of the people would say that they are equal, which I was surprised to see, consideriing they still have quarrels with us.

Many Avalanche fans are saying that these two players are alike in so many ways, and how it is nearly impossible to compare them and say who is better. And I agre with that.

Yes I do think that Yzerman is better, however, like Avs fans said, Sakic hasn't finished his career and he is still seems to be quite productive. People here are being arrogent, saying "How can you compare these two, Stevie is on another level" yet if you really think about it, he's not when compared to Sakic, no matter how much of a hero Stevie is in this city. I will give the edge to Steve, but lets not foget, Sakic is also an amazing player.

*on a side note, Yzerman passing the cup to Vlady in 98' can not be beat.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Personally I'm just taking the middle ground and realizing that both athletes are/were pretty damned good at their trade and were two of the best to play during their times.

Yzerman was the man for obvious reasons.

And while I'm not all that familiar with the complete history of the Nordiques/Avalanche franchise, Sakic has got to be without question, one of the faces of that organization.

Seriously, who gives a f**k that badly on comparing the two when they are just that damned good as athletes and leaders?

Aain, I'm taking the less stressful and less heartburn approach with this. Might not be as much fun, but it's more logical and healthy.

[T-Ruff 47]

FIFY