Most Talented Roster in Hockey History

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I was thinking today of what is the best roster ever assembled in terms of talent. I was considering either NHL or international rosters, but I think that an international roster is stronger, since it basically comprises of all-stars.

Anyway, I personally think the 1976 Canada team was the best I've ever seen on paper. Here is their roster:

Forwards:

Phil Esposito, Bobby Hull, Guy Lafleur, Marcel Dionne, Gilbert Perreault, Bobby Clarke, Darryl Sittler, Steve Shutt, Reggie Leach, Bill Barber, Danny Gare, Lanny McDonald, Pete Mahovlich, Rick Martin

Defense:

Bobby Orr, Dennis Potvin, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, Carol Vadnais, Jim Watson

Goaltender:

Gerry Cheevers, Rogie Vachon

Coach:

Scotty Bowman, Don Cherry

That's the best blueline I've ever seen on paper and the forwards are loaded with Hall of Fame names. I would take this roster over pretty much any other Canada roster, including the '72, '87, or '02 Canadian teams. The Soviet teams were also great, so I'll give them honorable mention too.

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

No doubt a very very good team... a case could be made for some of the Soviet teams out there (their 76 Canada Cup team was without many of their top players.. so it'd be interesting to see how that tournament would have played out with a deeper roster)...

You could also make a case for some of the old Montreal Canadien teams because back when the league was only 6 teams (only 3 of which were consistently strong) you had about as much talent confined to a very small number of teams..

[Trapt1307 81]

They're not really in consideration, but I was just watching the Wings/Vancouver series from 02 on youtube, and my god was that Wings team loaded. Many were past their prime, but there were so many hall-of-famers on that roster, it's just incredible.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

No doubt a very very good team... a case could be made for some of the Soviet teams out there (their 76 Canada Cup team was without many of their top players.. so it'd be interesting to see how that tournament would have played out with a deeper roster)...

You could also make a case for some of the old Montreal Canadien teams because back when the league was only 6 teams (only 3 of which were consistently strong) you had about as much talent confined to a very small number of teams..

Yeah, there's certainly many contenders, but I've never seen a team with as many Hall of Famers on the roster as the team I listed in my original post.

Even the '87 Canada team, which had all kinds of Hall of Famers on it, had a lot of guys that in retrospect weren't that all that special. So I was trying to look at a roster as a whole, and this was the best that I could think of.

[AtomicPunk 296]

Opinions, yes but all good / great players. One would think that the Canada Cup Team from 1987 could give them a run for their money.

Forwards and defense: Dale Hawerchuk, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, Kevin Dineen, Michel Goulet, Brent Sutter, Rick Tocchet, Brian Propp, Doug Gilmour, Claude Lemieux, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Doug Crossman, Craig Hartsburg, Normand Rochefort, James Patrick, Raymond Bourque, Larry Murphy, Paul Coffey

Goaltenders: Ron Hextall, Kelly Hrudey, Grant Fuhr

Edited for posts added before I posted. There were a few on this roster who in retrospect, were not exceptional players.

Edited August 26, 2009 by AtomicPunk

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Opinions, yes but all good / great players. One would think that the Canada Cup Team from 1987 could give them a run for their money.

Forwards and defense: Dale Hawerchuk, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, Kevin Dineen, Michel Goulet, Brent Sutter, Rick Tocchet, Brian Propp, Doug Gilmour, Claude Lemieux, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Doug Crossman, Craig Hartsburg, Normand Rochefort, James Patrick, Raymond Bourque, Larry Murphy, Paul Coffey

Goaltenders: Ron Hextall, Kelly Hrudey, Grant Fuhr

Gretzky and Lemieux are the two most talented players ever, but there's guys on that team, especially on defense, that aren't exactly knocking down Hall of Fame doors.

Basically, like I posted above, I was trying to look at the most well rounded roster, and that's why I picked the '76 team. Their defensive core is unlike that of any other team.

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

Yeah, there's certainly many contenders, but I've never seen a team with as many Hall of Famers on the roster as the team I listed in my original post.

Even the '87 Canada team, which had all kinds of Hall of Famers on it, had a lot of guys that in retrospect weren't that all that special. So I was trying to look at a roster as a whole, and this was the best that I could think of.

It's a damn good squad, no doubt about it... Only spot that could be improved upon is goaltending... both decent goalies, but not among Canada's all-time finest... that's where the 02 Olympic squad has an edge.

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

Opinions, yes but all good / great players. One would think that the Canada Cup Team from 1987 could give them a run for their money.

Forwards and defense: Dale Hawerchuk, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, Kevin Dineen, Michel Goulet, Brent Sutter, Rick Tocchet, Brian Propp, Doug Gilmour, Claude Lemieux, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Doug Crossman, Craig Hartsburg, Normand Rochefort, James Patrick, Raymond Bourque, Larry Murphy, Paul Coffey

Goaltenders: Ron Hextall, Kelly Hrudey, Grant Fuhr

Edited for posts added before I posted. There were a few on this roster who in retrospect, were not exceptional players.

good squad too, they still barely beat the soviet team at the Canada cup. Soviet Union won the first finals match 6-5, then the Canadian team won the next two games 6-5.... very close series among two of the greatest hockey teams ever assembled.... in comparison, the 76 squad was much more dominant.

Edited August 26, 2009 by RedWings Gone Wild

[egroen 384]

I'll agree -- the '87 Canada Team barely beat the Soviets, despite the star power.

Here's a 'league team' that could rival the 78 Canadiens:

'88-89 ZSKA Moscow

Vladimir Krutov - Igor Larionov - Sergei Makarov

Vyacheslav Fetisov - Alexei Kasatonov

Aleksander Mogilny - Sergei Fedorov - Pavel Bure

Sergei Zubov - Vladimir Konstantinov

Valeri Kamensky - Vyacheslav Bykov - Andrei Khomutov

Alexei Gusarov - Vladimir Malakhov

Evgeny Davydov - Igor Chibirev - Igor Vyazmikin

Igor Kravchuk - Igor Malykhin

Evgeny Belosheiken

Alexei Ivashkin

Edited August 26, 2009 by egroen

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

It's a damn good squad, no doubt about it... Only spot that could be improved upon is goaltending... both decent goalies, but not among Canada's all-time finest... that's where the 02 Olympic squad has an edge.

Some people think Cheevers is the best goalie of the 70's, although Parent and Dryden are probably better in most people's books.

I also think the '02 team had better goaltending, but funny thing is that Patrick Roy wasn't on that team, and he was the best Canadian goalie at the time. Also, the '02 team had many guys way past their primes on the roster. I just don't think they were the most well-rounded.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I'll agree -- the '87 Canada Team barely beat the Soviets, despite the star power.

Here's a 'league team' that could rival the 78 Canadiens:

'88-89 ZSKA Moscow

Vladimir Krutov - Igor Larionov - Sergei Makarov

Vyacheslav Fetisov - Alexei Kasatonov

Aleksander Mogilny - Sergei Fedorov - Pavel Bure

Sergei Zubov - Vladimir Konstantinov

Valeri Kamensky - Vyacheslav Bykov - Andrei Khomutov

Alexei Gusarov - Vladimir Malakhov

Evgeny Davydov - Igor Chibirev - Igor Vyazmikin

Igor Kravchuk - Igor Malykhin

Evgeny Belosheiken

Alexei Ivashkin

That may be the most skilled team ever, in terms of raw speed and finesse.

However, the guys on that 2nd line had yet to become as good as they became later on. Also, without Tretiak, it's hard to make a case for that team over previous teams. I think the '72 team was the best Russian team, even though they lost the Summit Series. That line of Kharlamov - Petrov - Mikhailov may be the best line in hockey history as far as pure talent goes.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

This is very theorhetical, but I think that in their time period, the line mentioned were the most dominant. However, the 2002 Wings roster would hand the 1972 Canadian team their ass if they played now. The game has gotten so much faster and goaltending so much better. I think it would be a blowout. THe

[eva unit zero 271]

This is very theorhetical, but I think that in their time period, the line mentioned were the most dominant. However, the 2002 Wings roster would hand the 1972 Canadian team their ass if they played now. The game has gotten so much faster and goaltending so much better. I think it would be a blowout. THe

Well I hope it would be a blowout; most of the 2002 Wings are still playing or just retired. The 1972 Canadians are all in their sixties or approaching them. It would probably be a blowout if the 2009 Wings played 1972 Canada right now also. Even Maltby might score a goal.

[egroen 384]

That may be the most skilled team ever, in terms of raw speed and finesse.

However, the guys on that 2nd line had yet to become as good as they became later on. Also, without Tretiak, it's hard to make a case for that team over previous teams. I think the '72 team was the best Russian team, even though they lost the Summit Series. That line of Kharlamov - Petrov - Mikhailov may be the best line in hockey history as far as pure talent goes.

That's a regular team in a league -- like the Detroit Red Wings, not a national team.

There have been a number of unbelievable russian national teams, though I think the 79-83 national team was probably the best, despite losing to a bunch of amateurs in one game.

[Wings_Dynasty 267]

Well I hope it would be a blowout; most of the 2002 Wings are still playing or just retired. The 1972 Canadians are all in their sixties or approaching them. It would probably be a blowout if the 2009 Wings played 1972 Canada right now also. Even Maltby might score a goal.

Haha.

I guess I forgot to mention that if they were both in their primes. Like we had a time machine and brought them to today and had them play.

[eva unit zero 271]

Haha.

I guess I forgot to mention that if they were both in their primes. Like we had a time machine and brought them to today and had them play.

Well that's a whole different story.

[egroen 384]

Haha.

I guess I forgot to mention that if they were both in their primes. Like we had a time machine and brought them to today and had them play.

Can we make the modern-day players use 70s skates, pads, wooden sticks and smoke in between periods?

[truebladearmy 33]

Wings_Dynasty, you still active duty? I'm with 2SCR Fires in germany right now, just for the first time noticed your Toujors Pret icon