thegreat66 19 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 97 Wings 98 Wings 91 Penguins 92 Penguins Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
#19=Legend 29 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 97 wings Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegreat66 19 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 97 Wings vs 92 Pens would have been an incredible matchup. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snazzy 0 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) The '97 Wings were an absolute powerhouse. The way they all gelled together was incredible. Red Wings have the largest fan base around the league in the entire NHL, and I thank the 1997 team that sparked that amazing fan base. I get goose bumps just thinking about those playoffs. Edited June 23, 2009 by Snazzy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Echolalia 2,961 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 You should just add Russian 5 and get the thread over with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest micah Report post Posted June 23, 2009 1997 Wings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegreat66 19 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 1997 Wings. Not so sure about that- Penguins had incredible firepower- Lemieux in his prime, Jagr breakout season, Stevens, Tochhet, Ron Francis(one of most underrated players in NHL history) Paul Coffee, a much younger Larry Murphy. Have to go with 92 Pens upon reflection. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theophany 110 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Not so sure about that- Penguins had incredible firepower- Lemieux in his prime, Jagr breakout season, Stevens, Tochhet, Ron Francis(one of most underrated players in NHL history) Paul Coffee, a much younger Larry Murphy. Have to go with 92 Pens upon reflection. Compared to Yzerman, Fedorov, Larionov, Kozlov, Fetisov, Konstantinov, Lidstrom, Shanahan, etc...? '97 Wings, easily. We also had one of the best fighters ever--Kocur--on the team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b.shanafan14 733 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Compared to Yzerman, Fedorov, Larionov, Kozlov, Fetisov, Konstantinov, Lidstrom, Shanahan, etc...? '97 Wings, easily. We also had one of the best fighters ever--Kocur--on the team. Add that we had the Grind Line when they were in their prime, which was a huge game changer many nights. They were tough, gritty, fast, shutdown experts who could score, nothing like they have been in recent years. Throw in Larry Murphy (tho not as prime as he was with the Pens) and a ripening Marty Lapointe. Lidstrom and Konstantinov, Vladi especially, were two of the best defenseman of the time. The Wings mowed through the competition. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegreat66 19 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Compared to Yzerman, Fedorov, Larionov, Kozlov, Fetisov, Konstantinov, Lidstrom, Shanahan, etc...? '97 Wings, easily. We also had one of the best fighters ever--Kocur--on the team. OK Lemieux who some still argue greatest player ever and definitely the best of any player on either team. Jagr a phenom. Paull Coffee and Murphy Hall of Famers(Murphy was shadow of himself in 97) Ron Francis- Tochet could score and kick anyone's ass. Kevin Stevens. Guys I'm sorry but to say this wouldn't even be close seems ludicrous to me. Russian 5- I don't care if it was the Russian 20- that 92 team was phenomenal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Penky26 2 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Pens fan taking the pens team and Wings fans taking the Wings team, the outcomes here are shocking Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
egroen 384 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 '92 Pens have top-end offensive talent, but the '97 Wings more than match them in depth, offensively. Defensively, it is a slaughter. Pittsburgh gave up more goals that year (308 GA) than all but the Nordiques and Sharks. Only one team in the league gave up less goals than the '97 Wings (197 GA) -- the New Jersey Devils. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NewBelgium1554 0 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Pens fan taking the pens team and Wings fans taking the Wings team, the outcomes here are shocking ... I was just thinking the same thing here! So I too will side with the '97 for the sake of the argument. Larionov and Lids back then.... Was Epic to watch. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theophany 110 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Add that we had the Grind Line when they were in their prime, which was a huge game changer many nights. They were tough, gritty, fast, shutdown experts who could score, nothing like they have been in recent years. Throw in Larry Murphy (tho not as prime as he was with the Pens) and a ripening Marty Lapointe. Lidstrom and Konstantinov, Vladi especially, were two of the best defenseman of the time. The Wings mowed through the competition. That and Lids wasn't even a first-line defender with Fetisov--one of the best defensemen ever--on the blue line with Vladi. There's really no comparison; Lemieux may have been one of the best forwards ever, but Yzerman scored more points. At best it's a wash offensively (Yzerman/Fedorov compared to Lemieux/Jagr), but the Wings had pretty much the best defensive unit ever seen in the NHL in '97. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dominator2005 558 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Detroit 02 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thegreat66 19 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 That and Lids wasn't even a first-line defender with Fetisov--one of the best defensemen ever--on the blue line with Vladi. There's really no comparison; Lemieux may have been one of the best forwards ever, but Yzerman scored more points. At best it's a wash offensively (Yzerman/Fedorov compared to Lemieux/Jagr), but the Wings had pretty much the best defensive unit ever seen in the NHL in '97. Yzerman scored more points than Lemieux?? When did this happen? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theophany 110 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Yzerman scored more points than Lemieux?? When did this happen? 1755 vs 1723, learn your hockey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zata20 4 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Yzerman scored more points than Lemieux?? When did this happen? Yzerman career Pts: 1755 Lemieux career Pts: 1723 Lemieux played about 600 games less than Yzerman, so if Lemieux was healthy in his career he would have probably challenged Gretzky for the scoring records. With that said, Lemieux scored so much because he didn't play defense. Yzerman could have put up many more points in his career, but once Scotty Bowman came to Detroit he totally changed Yzerman's game. He became a great two-way player that eventually led his team to 3 cups in 6 years. Yzerman may have been right up there with Gretzky as well if he didn't completely change his style of play. (Still is 6th all-time in points). Yzerman also had many injury problems during his career. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RusDRW 155 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 OK Lemieux who some still argue greatest player ever and definitely the best of any player on either team. Jagr a phenom. Paull Coffee and Murphy Hall of Famers(Murphy was shadow of himself in 97) Ron Francis- Tochet could score and kick anyone's ass. Kevin Stevens. Guys I'm sorry but to say this wouldn't even be close seems ludicrous to me. Russian 5- I don't care if it was the Russian 20- that 92 team was phenomenal. so why are you asking then? you want us to state that 92 Pens are better? While this is probably true you'll never hear this after such kind of post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RusDRW 155 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Detroit 02 completely agree. That team did not even play their best hockey and still won easily. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Free_Candy 38 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 93 Penguins! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xtrememachine1 795 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 97 Wings are the best out of those four teams. Between 97 Wings and 92 Pens, I think its 97 Wings hands down. Strong defense, Russian 5, Yzerman, Shanny. I actually think the 91 Pens would be a tougher test. At least that team had Recchi and Coffey. But the 2002 Wings were the best. Three members of that team were selected for the Hall of Fame today and they won't be the last. There was no question in my mind, from the start of the season, that team would win it all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zetts 236 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 Detroit 02 I was thinking that too, and kind of laughing to myself. People are comparing the stars on these other teams, but the 2002 team for pure star power may be unrivaled in history. Sadly, some of the guys were nearing the ends of their careers. But Robitaille, a first ballot hall of famer on the fourth line? Crazy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
talex 1 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 02 Wings, age did not matter when they won it all so I am not going to speculate that the players of the rest of the teams in the NHL played sub-par that 1 season so the 02 Wings could take the cup. They had the star power, the drive and the skill to win the cup... Not to take anything from the 97 or 98 Wings teams but that team was a power house and played like one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Theophany 110 Report post Posted June 23, 2009 02 Wings, age did not matter when they won it all so I am not going to speculate that the players of the rest of the teams in the NHL played sub-par that 1 season so the 02 Wings could take the cup. They had the star power, the drive and the skill to win the cup... Not to take anything from the 97 or 98 Wings teams but that team was a power house and played like one. I can see the argument for 2002; Yzerman, Fedorov, Larionov, Shanahan, Robitaille, Hull, Lidstrom, Chelios, Datsyuk, Hasek, etc... Personally, though, I think '97 was the year that we had everything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
