Best prime/peak: Chara vs Stevens vs Doughty

[The Nuge]

Doughty has his two 59 and 60 point seasons, but both him and Chara put up similar points over the course of their respective primes in the 45-50 point range on average (per 82).... Chara being the better goalscorer, and Doughty the better passer.

Stevens' style obviously changed dramatically when Lemaire came in after putting up a 78P season in 93-94 and 59P in 68GP in 91-92 (with NJ). Dont think he played the PP much under him.

Doughty’s offense was also drastically stifled by Sutter. It’s not like he peaked offensively at 19. His offensive ability was right there with anyone in the league but they didn’t play the run and gun style that put up points

 

[Run the Gauntlet]

I voted Stevens but I'm going purely by era. Stevens wouldn't be as impactful now like Doughty in Doughty's era but Doughty would be just as impactful in Stevens era.


I was thinking the same question, glad you already answered.

That cannot be proven, but Stevens did prove that he was better in offense than Doughty.
Doughty is simply a below average offensive player.

 

[Rorschach]

That cannot be proven, but Stevens did prove that he was better in offense than Doughty.
Doughty is simply a below average offensive player.

Stevens main game was intimidation. He couldn't do a Paul Kariya hit and still be in the league. So actually yes, it can be 100% proven.

 

[Xirik]

Stevens main game was intimidation. He couldn't do a Paul Kariya hit and still be in the league. So actually yes, it can be 100% proven.

Cause he did Kariya hits every game.... Oh wait.

 

[dgibb10]

I love the endless loop of using Stevens Neidermeyer Elias and Brodeur to discredit eachother while giving none of them credit

 

[dgibb10]

Chara getting massively underrated here

Chara 2003-14 (prime years):
Norris voting: 1,2,2,3,3,3,4,5
AS Team: 1,1,1,2,2,2,2

Stevens 1990-01:
Norris: 2,3,4,4,5,6
AS team: 1,2,2,2
Conn Smythe

Doughty 2009-20:
Norris: 1,2,2,3,6
AS Team: 1,1,2,2

Seems weird to not mention 5 top 10 norris finishes before 1990 for Stevens

Might as well say Doughty's prime was 2014-2018

This is the start to both their careers.

 

[amnesiac]

Seems weird to not mention 5 top 10 norris finishes before 1990 for Stevens

Might as well say Doughty's prime was 2014-2018
View attachment 928378View attachment 928379
This is the start to both their careers.

someone said the same, my response....

I understand but its like a totally different "prime" and different era. I wanted to compare these 3 Dmen mainly for their defensive prowess.

Stevens arguably had the best career of the 3 overall, but I wanted to focus more on their 10-12 year prime and peak. Even in his early 90s years he was a completely different Dman.

 

[dgibb10]

someone said the same, my response....


Stevens arguably had the best career of the 3 overall, but I wanted to focus more on their 10-12 year prime and peak. Even in his early 90s years he was a completely different Dman.

Just feels weird to leave out his 87-88 season.

 

[CanadienShark]

Habs fan that voted Chara.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I don't like the discounting of Stevens years in Washington, He put great offensive numbers with them and then came to the Devils and changed his whole playstyle to be what team needed him to be.

I guess Chara sort of needed to reinvent himself later in his career but that's because he was getting older and needed to.

It's interesting that fairly similarly Doughty entered the league as primarily an offensive defenseman and it was really only after a couple of seasons and 59-point Norris finalist finish that he fully devoted himself to D and became a primarily shutdown guy with game breaking offensive abilities if not the raw numbers, D first and picked his spots, emblematic of that Kings era and why he was such a core figure/leader of it.

Doughty’s offense was also drastically stifled by Sutter. It’s not like he peaked offensively at 19. His offensive ability was right there with anyone in the league but they didn’t play the run and gun style that put up points

And he proved it by leading Team Canada in scoring at the same era

 

[dgibb10]

It's interesting that fairly similarly Doughty entered the league as primarily an offensive defenseman and it was really only after a couple of seasons and 59-point Norris finalist finish that he fully devoted himself to D and became a primarily shutdown guy with game breaking offensive abilities if not the raw numbers, D first and picked his spots, emblematic of that Kings era and why he was such a core figure/leader of it.



And he proved it by leading Team Canada in scoring at the same era

Tied with Weber* for a 6 game stretch lmao.

 

[Bileur]

I think it’s pretty close, give me 6’9 as a tiebreaker.

That cannot be proven, but Stevens did prove that he was better in offense than Doughty.
Doughty is simply a below average offensive player.

He’s still top 10 in points among defensemen since he joined the league. I don’t think you can say below average. Just never the best.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Tied with Weber* for a 6 game stretch lmao.

Ok, tied in points, led in goals, including 2 GWG and the OT primary assist on the winning goal in the semis

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

wrong thread, yay mobile

 

[dgibb10]

Ok, tied in points, led in goals, including 2 GWG and the OT primary assist on the winning goal in the semis

He didn't get a point in the semifinal vs the US or the final vs Sweden.

And there was no OT in the quarters vs Latvia. He assisted on a PP goal in the 3rd to webber tho

I'm genuinely wondering what Olympics you are talking about.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

He didn't get a point in the semifinal vs the US or the final vs Sweden.

And there was no OT in the quarters vs Latvia. He assisted on a PP goal in the 3rd to webber tho

I'm genuinely wondering what Olympics you are talking about.

Yeah I don’t know why I mixed the situation up, it’s been a while

Was thinking Finland game and it was a goal not an assist

 

[Sol]

Peak doughty was elite on both sides of the puck. Doughty

 

[wetcoast]

I think I like Doughty for peak. He was also a lock down defender but a better puck mover than Chara and Stevens once he entered his defensive prime. He didn’t win the Smythe like Stevens but I think his 2014 cup run might have been the best of the three. I think Chara had the better and more consistent prime though. And Stevens probably had the best career.

Fair points but I'm leaning towards Doughty here as he could take over games at both ends of the ice and probably had less support than the other 2 guys in their careers.

For me Stevens gets over rated around here sometimes as the NJ system was perfect for him.

Chara similarly when he got to Boston had a great team circumstance for his skillset.

 

[Cubs2024wildcard]

Doughty’s offense was also drastically stifled by Sutter. It’s not like he peaked offensively at 19. His offensive ability was right there with anyone in the league but they didn’t play the run and gun style that put up points

But Steven's offense wasn't stifled by the trap?

Doughty is a tank but Steven's wins this one, easily.

Steven's was whatever his team needed and was elite in every role he was tasked to do.

I seriously question if people actually watched all players when making a poll trying to pick and choose who was better.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

But Steven's offense wasn't stifled by the trap?

Doughty is a tank but Steven's wins this one, easily.

Steven's was whatever his team needed and was elite in every role he was tasked to do.

I seriously question if people actually watched all players when making a poll trying to pick and choose who was better.

And Doughty wasn't?

He's literally been at or top of TOI in all situations in the NHL for over a decade, PP1 QB, PK1 #1 guy, offense, defense, protecting a lead, going after a tying goal in the last minute.

I think you can argue Stevens is better if you like but I don't think the evidence points to him as more versatile, that's Drew's role in this poll, and frankly that might be WHY people underrate him.

 

[Cubs2024wildcard]

And Doughty wasn't?

Never said he wasn't.

He's literally been at or top of TOI in all situations in the NHL for over a decade, PP1 QB, PK1 #1 guy, offense, defense, protecting a lead, going after a tying goal in the last minute.

I think you can argue Stevens is better if you like but I don't think the evidence points to him as more versatile, that's Drew's role in this poll, and frankly that might be WHY people underrate him.

We're on the same page and I agree doughty is under rated.

But, if there's a lifeline about stifled offense for one you have to call it out for all.

That's my point. Nothing to prop up Steven's although I think he has had a better career to this point. Come back in a couple years and my opinion might change.

 

[OkimLom]

I chose Stevens but it wouldn’t take much to convince me Chara was the better option, while I’d need a quite a bit to convince me of Doughty. But with that said, it’s the differences between A- to A+ with the range we are working with.

Longevity of said peak and prime was the sealer for me. I think Stevens had a longer timeline in his peak (longer than what OP thinks) whereas Chara took longer to get to that level. Doughty, IMO, just didn’t have that long of that peak prime level of play, and I don’t think his level of play was so high of quality to counter the longevity aspect.

I’d say if we were to rate their peaks and primes, I’d put in terms of overall game out of 10

Stevens - 9.4
Chara - 9.2
Doighty - 8.9

 

[Bouboumaster]

Tough question

I'll go with Chara, but not sure

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Doughty.