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Guest blueadams

If you could pick any six players, from any era...

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Guest blueadams

Space Jam Style. A team of alien hockey players has come to earth to destroy it. If we can beat them in a game of hockey, we get to live. Who are you picking for that team for that game? (p.s. - they've also let us borrow their time machine - to bring back old players)

Me?

LW: Mario Lemieux

C: Pavel Datsyuk

RW: Wayne Gretzky

LD: Chris Pronger

RD: Bobby Orr

G: Dominik Hasek

...Now, before I get into talking about the actual picks, I should make one thing clear - In most sports, I generally believe that the current era is the best era. For example, if you took Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera (as they are now) and put them on a team in Babe Ruth's era, IMO, both would become absolute legends. In hockey, if you took a Rick Nash or something and placed him into the 1950's, I think it'd be sort of the same deal. There are obviously going to be exceptions, but that's just what I generally believe.

...Now onto the picks. I'll get the obvious ones out of the way first. Wayne Gretzky, pretty unanimously agreed upon as the greatest player to ever live. I put him at wing instead of center because I think Pav's better defensively. Bobby Orr, I never saw him play, but it's pretty unanimously agreed upon amongst hockey experts/historians that he's the only player you can even argue was as talented as Gretzky. Mario Lemieux, this team needs some size and there's not much debate out there about this 6-4, 240lb man being the greatest big man to ever play hockey.

...Now onto the more debatable ones. Dominik Hasek. Most of the serious hockey debate about the greatest goalie of all time seems to be between Roy and Brodeuer (or older guys like Sawchuck that none of us really know anything about). Well, I saw Roy, I saw Brodeuer, and I don't have much of a problem at all saying I would've rather had Dom. Guys like Roy and Brodeuer, they were really (really) good at not losing games, at being consistent, and accomplishing all that was expected of them. Dom was a guy that, while he lacked some of that consistency and made mistakes from time to time, he was a guy that actually went out there and WON you games, consistently.

...Chris Pronger. This is going to be everyone's least favorite pick. He's dirty. He's a scumbag. He's a d-bag. He's whatever. Say whatever you want. I agree with most of it. But in all of my years of watching hockey, I never saw a guy that was so good be able control the atmosphere of a game like Pronger did. He is a big mean dangerous dude. He is the guy that everyone else is always looking out for. And he's a pretty damned good player as well. You want that guy on your team, making everyone else feel nervous. Not the other way around. Lidstrom, Bourque, etc...a lot of guys were better players than Pronger. But I'd rather have Pronger on this team than them.

...Pavel Datsyuk. He's the most talented player in the game's most talented era. He might not be as "good" a player as a Crosby, an Ovechkin, a Jagr, etc. But there's a reason that all-star teams usually don't work out. Too much ego, not enough guy's like Pav. A completely selfless super star. And one that does all the small things so well...playing such great defense, taking away so many pucks, back and forchecking like he does, going into the corners and winning battles, winning face-offs, etc. And an all-star team is the perfect place for a guy that sees the game and moves the puck like Pav. If there's one guy in the history of hockey that could make things work between Gretzky, Orr and Lemieux, it'd be Pav. The glue guy.

Edited by blueadams

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Guest Hatethedrake!

Space Jam Style. A team of alien hockey players has come to earth to destroy it. If we can beat them in a game of hockey, we get to live. Who are you picking for that team for that game? (p.s. - they've also let us borrow their time machine - to bring back old players)

Me?

LW: Mario Lemieux

C: Pavel Datsyuk

RW: Wayne Gretzky

LD: Chris Pronger

RD: Bobby Orr

G: Dominik Hasek

...Now, before I get into talking about the actual picks, I should make one thing clear - In most sports, I generally believe that the current era is the best era. For example, if you took Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera (as they are now) and put them on a team in Babe Ruth's era, IMO, both would become absolute legends. In hockey, if you took a Rick Nash or something and placed him into the 1950's, I think it'd be sort of the same deal. There are obviously going to be exceptions, but that's just what I generally believe.

...Now onto the picks. I'll get the obvious ones out of the way first. Wayne Gretzky, pretty unanimously agreed upon as the greatest player to ever live. I put him at wing instead of center because I think Pav's better defensively. Bobby Orr, I never saw him play, but it's pretty unanimously agreed upon amongst hockey experts/historians that he's the only player you can even argue was as talented as Gretzky. Mario Lemieux, this team needs some size and there's not much debate out there about this 6-4, 240lb man being the greatest big man to ever play hockey.

...Now onto the more debatable ones. Dominik Hasek. Most of the serious hockey debate about the greatest goalie of all time seems to be between Roy and Brodeuer (or older guys like Sawchuck that none of us really know anything about). Well, I saw Roy, I saw Brodeuer, and I don't have much of a problem at all saying I would've rather had Dom. Guys like Roy and Brodeuer, they were really (really) good at not losing games, at being consistent, and accomplishing all that was expected of them. Dom was a guy that, while he lacked some of that consistency and made mistakes from time to time, he was a guy that actually went out there and WON you games, consistently.

...Chris Pronger. This is going to be everyone's least favorite pick. He's dirty. He's a scumbag. He's a d-bag. He's whatever. Say whatever you want. I agree with most of it. But in all of my years of watching hockey, I never saw a guy that was so good be able control the atmosphere of a game like Pronger did. He is a big mean dangerous dude. He is the guy that everyone else is always looking out for. And he's a pretty damned good player as well. You want that guy on your team, making everyone else feel nervous. Not the other way around. Lidstrom, Bourque, etc...a lot of guys were better players than Pronger. But I'd rather have Pronger on this team than them.

...Pavel Datsyuk. He's the most talented player in the game's most talented era. He might not be as "good" a player as a Crosby, an Ovechkin, a Jagr, etc. But there's a reason that all-star teams usually don't work out. Too much ego, not enough guy's like Pav. A completely selfless super star. And one that does all the small things so well...playing such great defense, taking away so many pucks, back and forchecking like he does, going into the corners and winning battles, winning face-offs, etc. And an all-star team is the perfect place for a guy that sees the game and moves the puck like Pav. If there's one guy in the history of hockey that could make things work between Gretzky, Orr and Lemieux, it'd be Pav. The glue guy.

I'd have to take into account players I have never seen play. It's hard to compare eras as well. But here's mine...

C-Wayne Gretzky

RW-Gordie Howe

LW-Bobby Hull

D-Bobby Orr

D-Doug Harvey

G-Terry Sawchuk

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Gretzky

Lemieux

Probert (to beat up the aliens)

Orr

Lidstrom

Roy

Alternative team (in case I want to see the world end) :hehe:

Lang

Hudler

Bertuzzi (circa 2011, not his Vancouver days)

Lebda

Krupp (circa 2002)

Cechmanek

Edited by GMRwings1983

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I'd have to take into account players I have never seen play. It's hard to compare eras as well. But here's mine...

C-Wayne Gretzky

RW-Gordie Howe

LW-Bobby Hull

D-Bobby Orr

D-Doug Harvey

G-Terry Sawchuk

Great team!

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Guest blueadams

I'd have to take into account players I have never seen play. It's hard to compare eras as well. But here's mine...

C-Wayne Gretzky

RW-Gordie Howe

LW-Bobby Hull

D-Bobby Orr

D-Doug Harvey

G-Terry Sawchuk

most historians would probably be cool with that lineup. i know that. that's all i know though. i only saw one of those guys play.

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W - Pavel Datsyuk

C - Wayne Gretzky

W - Valeri Kharlamov

D - Nicklas Lidstrom

D - Bobby Orr

G - Dominik Hasek

or

W - Cam Neely

C - Eric Lindros

W - Bob Probert

D - Scott Stevens

D - Vladimir Konstantinov

G - Ron Hextall

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A scoring line, two D and a goalie?

Goal- Dominik Hasek, 2001-02 season.

Defense- Bobby Orr, 1970-1971 season.

Defense- Nicklas Lidstrom, 2007-2008 season.

Left Wing- Luc Robitaille, 1987-88 season.

Center- Wayne Gretzky, 1984-1985 season.

Right Wing- Gordie Howe, 1951-52 season.

Bench: 1 forward, 1 defenseman, 1 goalie.

Forward- Brett Hull, 1990-91 season.

Defense- Doug Harvey, 1957-58 season.

Goalie- Terry Sawchuk, 1951-52 season.

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I agree that players from the current era are better than those from previous eras. Following that same logic, and since I have a time machine, I'd pick all players from the future. I assume it would be:

C - Gordevio "The Rocket" Bosetzkysitorr (Amalgam of genetic material from all the best players of all time. Plus, he's actually a rocket.)

LW - Hockey-Bot 9007XL (Self-explanatory)

RW - Walrus-Man (Not Ponda Baba. An actual cross between a walrus and a human. Self-explanatory.)

D - Twiki (Yeah, the robot from Buck Rogers. Turns out he's awesome. Go figure.)

D - Lidstrom (In 10 more years, he develops into a really good player)

G - A Black Hole (Scoring took a dramatic down-turn [to zero] in the 31st century when the UHL decided to allow celestial objects to play.)

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Guest blueadams

I agree that players from the current era are better than those from previous eras. Following that same logic, and since I have a time machine, I'd pick all players from the future. I assume it would be:

C - Gordevio "The Rocket" Bosetzkysitorr (Amalgam of genetic material from all the best players of all time. Plus, he's actually a rocket.)

LW - Hockey-Bot 9007XL (Self-explanatory)

RW - Walrus-Man (Not Ponda Baba. An actual cross between a walrus and a human. Self-explanatory.)

D - Twiki (Yeah, the robot from Buck Rogers. Turns out he's awesome. Go figure.)

D - Lidstrom (In 10 more years, he develops into a really good player)

G - A Black Hole (Scoring took a dramatic down-turn [to zero] in the 31st century when the UHL decided to allow celestial objects to play.)

i see a lot of stupid sarcastic posts on this board, but that

that was clever.

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I don't like the idea of just the Furious Five, All-Star team. Probably there really isn't much room for debate. As for guys id like to see play on a line(s) together, or some strange lineup for the fun of it....

A dream 1st line: Datsyuk. Forsberg. Hull

2nd: Shanahan. Yzerman. C.Lemieux

3rd: Kozlov. Drury. Langenbrunner

Defenseman: Pronger Lidstrom

Foote. Rafalski

Hannan. Duschene

In terms of a relatively possible (as in not just a crazy all star lines) collection of players , this group has almost all the playmaking, grit, scoring ability, clutch playoff ability, and pure hockey sense that you could ask for...hard to get better than this.

Edited by achildr1

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I'd have to take into account players I have never seen play. It's hard to compare eras as well. But here's mine...

C-Wayne Gretzky

RW-Gordie Howe

LW-Bobby Hull

D-Bobby Orr

D-Doug Harvey

G-Terry Sawchuk

You took my 3 for-sures; Howe, Orr and Sawchuck. Pavel would be my center, I haven't decided on wingers yet. But you should know that if you take Gretzky, you must also take McSorley. They're a package deal.

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Guest Hatethedrake!

You took my 3 for-sures; Howe, Orr and Sawchuck. Pavel would be my center, I haven't decided on wingers yet. But you should know that if you take Gretzky, you must also take McSorley. They're a package deal.

It was a tough call but after much deliberating, I decided to select Wayne Gretzky over Jiri Hudler. Will my conscience allow myself to go on living life as I know it? It shall remain to be seen. :ph34r:

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I don't like the idea of just the Furious Five, All-Star team. Probably there really isn't much room for debate. As for guys id like to see play on a line(s) together, or some strange lineup for the fun of it....

A dream 1st line: Datsyuk. Forsberg. Hull

2nd: Shanahan. Yzerman. C.Lemieux

3rd: Kozlov. Drury. Langenbrunner

Defenseman: Pronger Lidstrom

Foote. Rafalski

Hannan. Duschene

In terms of a relatively possible (as in not just a crazy all star lines) collection of players , this group has almost all the playmaking, grit, scoring ability, clutch playoff ability, and pure hockey sense that you could ask for...hard to get better than this.

I like the idea of this better. Dream team from any era.

Interesting lineup, although you're lacking a 4th line, brother :P

I'll toss this out there:

Stamkos-Yzerman-P.Bure

Shanahan-Datsyuk-Selanne

Roberts-Lehtinen-McCarty

Probert-Marchant-Kocur

-McGrattan

Lidstrom-MacInnis

Stevens-Hatcher

Konstantinov-Erskine

Roy

Howard

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Orr and Lidstrom would make an unstoppable defensive pair.

Lemieux-Howe-Gretzky seems to be an obvious choice for top line. Not sure there has ever been anyone better than those three. Orr and Lidstrom would only increase their offensive threat, while Lidstrom could also switch into steady shut-down defenseman mode.

Goal would be trickier, since that position has changed the most over time.

Sawchuck based on reputation.

Hasek based on my own personal career of watching. I feel he was better than Roy and Brodeur, and he was way more fun to watch.

Imagine having to face:

Lemieux-Howe-Gretzky

Lidstrom-Orr

Hasek

In their primes? Look out.

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Just to keep things interesting, I'm going to avoid players I've not seen play and eschew with the big three (Lidstrom, Mario and #99).

Lines are in no particular order, and all players in their prime...built to win a single game:

Selanne Datsyuk Jagr

Shanahan Oates Hull (The Blue Line)

Mogilny Fedorov Bure (The Red Line :P)

Ovechkin Crosby Yzerman

Stevens Pronger

Coffey Niedermayer

Borque Konstantinov

Hasek

Brodeur

Man, reading back through that I guess I'm a giant homer. Lots of former Wings on that list. Cest la vie. Also, I know some will question the inclusion of Oates here. To me, though, pairing him with Hull is a package deal. He was easily the best passer not named Wayne of his day, and Hull was a magician at being invisible until the puck was in the net. Unstoppable duo, IMO.

It was a tough call for me between Brodeur and Roy, but Marty ultimately got the nod for a couple of reasons: he was less prone to blowouts than Roy, and his puck handling was par none for goalies.

Edited by Uncle Danny

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Steve Yzerman - Pavel Datsyuk - Pavel Bure

Nick Lidstrom - Bobby Orr

Martin Brodeur

Perfect Mix. Not overly tough on D but you're not getting by them...or i'd add Scott Stevens. I wish at any point in time i could have seen Pavel Bure in a winged wheel and imagine him playing on a line with Dats...sickening!

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