Best Player for each team who spent his entire career with that team

[Pominville Knows]

I think it is Bergeron. Though if Shore didn't play those ten games for the New York Americans it's him (assuming we're not counting his WCHL/WHL experience either). Dit Clapper might get an argument from old timers. Schmidt missed 3 years due to the war but Bergeron still outpaces him in PPG while being a defensive force. But Bergy still has the accolades IMO.

Schmidt has a Hart, 3x1st Team and 1x2nd Team.

 

[Mandar]

Gotta be Rod Gilbert for the Rangers

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Gotta be Rod Gilbert for the Rangers

bill cook

continuing from my list of non-cut and dry teams from last night…

dave taylor for LA, but actually i think that’s not up for debate

tossup between rocket and beliveau for mtl

phillips for ottawa?

not doan but thomas steen for win/pho/ari (come at me)

henrik not daniel for vancouver ainec

washington is… bengt ake gustafsson… or michal pivonka? but i like BAG

leaving just a handful of 90s and later expansion teams: columbus, florida, minnesota wilds, san jose, and tampa.

 

[kaiser matias]

With Yzerman, Detroit has two great candidates.

Don't forget Alex Delvecchio, who has the rare distinction of having his entire playing, coaching, and managing career be with the same franchise.

None of Edmonton's 80s core qualify?

Jaroslav Pouzar is the only one I found who played with the Oilers for multiple championships, but no one else. Granted he only played 186 games in the NHL, but it shows how difficult it is for that team.

 

[VanIslander]

I go with Stevie Y & Rinne

But if you go Lidstrom & Josi I'd get it (almost).

 

[kaiser matias]

bill cook

continuing from my list of non-cut and dry teams from last night…

dave taylor for LA, but actually i think that’s not up for debate

tossup between rocket and beliveau for mtl

phillips for ottawa?

not doan but thomas steen for win/pho/ari (come at me)

henrik not daniel for vancouver ainec

washington is… bengt ake gustafsson… or michal pivonka? but i like BAG

leaving just a handful of 90s and later expansion teams: columbus, florida, minnesota wilds, san jose, and tampa.

I think Tampa you have to go with Stamkos for now, but any of Kucherov, Hedman, or Vasilevskiy can pass him in the next couple years (Kucherov arguably has, but I'm giving it to Stamkos based on longevity right now).

Minnesota, Matt Dumba? It should be Mikko Koivu if he didn't have that 7 game Blue Jacket cameo.

Columbus, Oliver Bjorkstrand perhaps.

Florida is probably Huberdeau at this point, or Barkov.

San Jose, Timo Meier?

Obviously those can change if/when the active players move around.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Milt Schmidt for the Bruins

Hart
Ross
3x AS-1
2 Cups

Plus a would've been Smythe in '41 with a league leading 11 points in 11 games.

That's with missing his prime spending 4 years, ages 23, 24, 25, 26, fighting in WW2

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Mike Bossy with the Islanders.


Zetterberg and Datsyuk had great careers as lifelong red wings.

Getzlaf with the Ducks.

 

[crobro]

Steve Yzerman probably takes this

 

[VanIslander]

Read the room.

Zetterberg & Datsyuk would be reasonable if Lidstrom and Stevie Y hadn't existed.

Bossy over Potvin? That is at least not crazy.

 

[crobro]

if we don’t make assumptions about current players,

winnipeg/atlanta is either toby enstrom or bryan little?

boston is milt schmidt?

calgary/atlanta is… hakan loob?

columbus, no idea

dallas/minny is craig hartsburg?

there may in fact be no such thing as a career oiler


oop second period’s starting

Calgary-peplinski

LA Kings Dave Taylor

 

[The Panther]

Yeah, there's no such thing as a "career Oiler".

Of the guys who won all 5 Cups, every one played for at least one other NHL team. The closest here would be Randy Gregg... but he played 28 NHL games for the Canucks in 1991-92 (and even when in Edmonton, he frequently left the team for spells to focus on his medical degree, so not really "career Oiler" when hockey was his second career).

Of the "magnificent seven" (who all started in 1979 and stayed in Edmonton through multiple Cups) --- Semenko, Hunter, Lumley, Gretzky, Lowe, Messier, Fogolin --- all played for three or more NHL clubs, except for Lowe and Fogolin, who played for "only" two.

Of the current crop of active Oilers, the best candidate for "career Oiler" is certainly Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He's from Alberta, drafted by and played only for Edmonton, and last summer signed a lucrative long-term contract with the club. He's 29, so still lots of time to leave, but so far, he seems the safest bet.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Maybe this thread should be renamed "NOTABLE player who spent his entire career with one team". There are a lot of names worth mentioning in this category. Not just the best overall. I think that limits discussion too much.

 

[VanIslander]

Some threads are meant to make diamonds not hay.

 

[quietbruinfan]

I'd take Schmidt and Clapper over Bergeron.

PPG isn't really a valid argument when comparing players from era's that different.

I think I would take Clapper too by just a bit. More versatile than Bergeron and got some push for greatest player before 1950. (He was Howe's idol)

 

[The Macho King]

bill cook

continuing from my list of non-cut and dry teams from last night…

dave taylor for LA, but actually i think that’s not up for debate

tossup between rocket and beliveau for mtl

phillips for ottawa?

not doan but thomas steen for win/pho/ari (come at me)

henrik not daniel for vancouver ainec

washington is… bengt ake gustafsson… or michal pivonka? but i like BAG

leaving just a handful of 90s and later expansion teams: columbus, florida, minnesota wilds, san jose, and tampa.

Bill Cook played 4 seasons in the WHL (WCHL), which was a competing league with the NHL. I'd argue he doesn't count as a life-long Ranger.

Eddie Gerard for Ottawa I think.

I honestly have no idea who would be the pick from the Lightning. Obviously it's going to be a current player but all of our greats ended up having at least cups of coffee elsewhere.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Bill Cook played 4 seasons in the WHL (WCHL), which was a competing league with the NHL. I'd argue he doesn't count as a life-long Ranger.

Eddie Gerard for Ottawa I think.

I honestly have no idea who would be the pick from the Lightning. Obviously it's going to be a current player but all of our greats ended up having at least cups of coffee elsewhere.

Unless he does the typical "year or 2 too long with another team" that most stars do, Stamkos has to be the clubhouse leader for Tampa.

 

[The Macho King]

Unless he does the typical "year or 2 too long with another team" that most stars do, Stamkos has to be the clubhouse leader for Tampa.

Yeah but that's why it's tough. I will almost guarantee that both him and Hedman finish their career with Tampa, but it's not a sure thing. Maybe they on a bit of a "one more Cup" FA periods at the end when Tampa finally ends up paying for all the futures they spend on Cup runs.

I'm honestly racking my brain and I can't think of a good candidate. Other than cup of coffee prospects, I'm having a hard time even thinking of a lifelong member of the Lightning.

 

[sr edler]

Eddie Gerard for Ottawa.

He's credited with a Cup with the St. Pats though.

 

[ES]

Vyborny for Blue Jackets and Vlasic for Sharks?

 

[GMR]

Steve Yzerman probably takes this

Lidstrom is the best career Red Wing. Yzerman was more important for the franchise though.

 

[Fourier]

Yeah, there's no such thing as a "career Oiler".

Of the guys who won all 5 Cups, every one played for at least one other NHL team. The closest here would be Randy Gregg... but he played 28 NHL games for the Canucks in 1991-92 (and even when in Edmonton, he frequently left the team for spells to focus on his medical degree, so not really "career Oiler" when hockey was his second career).

Of the "magnificent seven" (who all started in 1979 and stayed in Edmonton through multiple Cups) --- Semenko, Hunter, Lumley, Gretzky, Lowe, Messier, Fogolin --- all played for three or more NHL clubs, except for Lowe and Fogolin, who played for "only" two.

Of the current crop of active Oilers, the best candidate for "career Oiler" is certainly Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He's from Alberta, drafted by and played only for Edmonton, and last summer signed a lucrative long-term contract with the club. He's 29, so still lots of time to leave, but so far, he seems the safest bet.

Nuge is from Burnaby. He played junior in Alberta though and I doubt he plays anywhere else. I suspect McDavid plays his whole career in Edmonton.

 

[The Macho King]

Lidstrom is the best player in Red Wings history. Yzerman was more important for the franchise though.

I'm assuming you're talking about "career Red Wing", because otherwise I have a question in form of Mr. Elbow to your face to ask you.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

I honestly have no idea who would be the pick from the Lightning. Obviously it's going to be a current player but all of our greats ended up having at least cups of coffee elsewhere.

If we're excluding active players, I think there have only been five players who have played in 100+ games for Tampa Bay, without playing for any other team:

- Martin Cibak (154)
- Stan Drulia (126)
- Sheldon Keefe (125)
- Matt Smaby (122)
- Jimmie Olvestad (111)

That's a shockingly bad list.

 

[wetcoast]

Tronna... Let's see... I got it! Borj... uh, wait, I mean Mat... oh, how about Davey K.... wait a sec, of course it's got to be um, Frank Mah.... no, I mean. um, Dary...I eman, Doug Gi.... uh, Wend.... no, wait, it's... ah, fergit it!

Probably Ted Kennedy but AM might pass him, unless he leaves when he hits FA.

Of course Salming had to ruin it for one year in Detroit.