Best Puck Handler of All Time?

[Primary Assist]

the Leafs have a prospect named Freddie the Goat Gauthier. He's not there yet, probably right above Wayne and Mario, but he's got a little way to go before he passes Phil on the list.

 

[livewell68]

As for the OP, it's got to be this guy.

 

[dimi19]

Alexi Kovalev

yep!!!!!

 

[livewell68]

yep!!!!!

He was good but Jagr and Lemieux did for their entire careers, not just for shorts spurts, enough to fill out a highlight reel video worth 3 minutes.

Jagr was just as skilled as Kovalev at stickhandling but also had the strength and reach to shield it from players that Kovalev never had.

The difference between Kovalev and Jagr is that if Kovalev wasn't stickandling, he was almost useless while Jagr had many more ways to beat you.

 

[authentic]

First 4 that come to mind:

Lemieux
Jagr
Datsyuk
Forsberg

Add Kovalev that group and there's your top 5 IMO. Then there's Crosby, Kane, Malkin and Bure not far behind.

 

[Killion]

Best Puckhandler?

Bobby Orr and in no particular order..


Phil Esposito
Jacques Lemaire
Guy Lafluer
Mike Walton
Pavel Datsyuk etc etc etc

Heck, almost everyone who's made it to the NHL along with many, so many of the Russian, Czech, Finish & Swedish players Ive ever studied... you could even include the likes of Russ Courtnall in that category. Closing the deal, biscuit in the basket, whole other story though huh? Confidence & just general patience the key, and sadly, we just dont see that anymore. Players playing the puck like its a hot grenade.

 

[Andrei79]

Kovalevs the best stickhandler of all time, but isn't the answer to this thread.

Bure, Gretzky, Lemieux, Jagr, Bourque, Datsyuk... really can't go wrong with any of them, I'd go with Jagr.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

Players playing the puck like its a hot grenade.

More and more, players aren't supposed to handle the puck. They're supposed to get it deep, or get it out of the zone, as the case may be. If you handle the puck you risk having it stripped, and NHL players are not supposed to take "risks" like that anymore.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

They call him Mario Jr for a reason

Yes, and that reason is that Mario Jr is an anagram of Jaromir. Then add the obvious connections between the two, and Jagr being the younger of the two, and it's very serendipitous.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

Definitely a modern bias to the thread so far. Deserving to be mentioned: Max Bentley, Mickey MacKay, Odie Cleghorn, Frank McGee, Busher Jackson, Frank Boucher, Fred Taylor, Jack Walker, Cooney Weiland, Aurele Joliat, George Hay.

I think of among these, Cleghorn and Hay were probably the most renowned in their own times specifically for puckhandling.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

When I hear the word "puckhandler," I differentiate it from "stickhandler" in the sense that the former is the ability to move the puck up the ice and into position for a shot or a pass, whereas the latter is more about s1ck d3k3z br0.

Gretzky is the first, Mario is the second.

 

[Capitaine Subban*]

Turner Stevenson Ainec

 

[ITM]

Took 63 posts to mention Kent Nilsson? For shame.

 

[BigDucky]

I had always heard that Gilbert Perreault was a pretty good stickhandler. Maybe the old guys in here could confirm this.

 

[RustyCat]

Patrick Kane deserves to be in a top 5 mention. I'm not even his biggest fan but his stickhandling skill set is off the charts.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

I had always heard that Gilbert Perreault was a pretty good stickhandler. Maybe the old guys in here could confirm this.

He was better than pretty good. You don't need people who actually saw him play to confirm this, you can use secondary sources. This is the history forum, after all; if we restrict ourselves to what we've actually seen with our own eyes, well that's not really what we mean by history is it?

 

[Sens Rule]

Yes, and that reason is that Mario Jr is an anagram of Jaromir. Then add the obvious connections between the two, and Jagr being the younger of the two, and it's very serendipitous.

I did not know that. Regardless Mario is on even another level to Jagr. He just is... As amazing as Jagr is... He had durability on Mario and not much else. Which is no insult because.... Mario.

 

[Sentinel]

At full speed -- Bure.
Standing still -- Datsyuk.
In practice -- Kovalev.

 

[BobbyAwe]

When I hear the word "puckhandler," I differentiate it from "stickhandler" in the sense that the former is the ability to move the puck up the ice and into position for a shot or a pass, whereas the latter is more about s1ck d3k3z br0.

Gretzky is the first, Mario is the second.

You are right about needing to define "puckhandler" more for this thread. It looks like many are thinking puck-carrier more so than stick-handling in general? In any case, I don't see how anyone can be considered better than Gretzky? You can make a case for Lemieux or a select few others being perhaps as good , but not better. Since anticipation/stick-handling were Wayne's strongest assets how could anyone be better than him considering his insane point totals?

 

[authentic]

You are right about needing to define "puckhandler" more for this thread. It looks like many are thinking puck-carrier more so than stick-handling in general? In any case, I don't see how anyone can be considered better than Gretzky? You can make a case for Lemieux or a select few others being perhaps as good , but not better. Since anticipation/stick-handling were Wayne's strongest assets how could anyone be better than him considering his insane point totals?

I'm pretty sure anticipation and passing were Wayne's strongest assets. There has been better stickhandlers than him for sure, can't say there has ever been a player with better anticipation or passing skills.

 

[Big Phil]

It would be hard to find a better package of highlight reel plays of a player other than Mario. With his hands, reach, size, vision, etc. he was incredible. Even in his old age there were things he did with the puck that seemed impossible. It was more subtle as he got older but it was there.

 

[ted2019]

Fredrik Gauthier

Who?

 

[Boxscore]

Lemieux and Kovalev immediately come to mind.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Based on pure ability, no player in history even comes close to how Kovalev can handle a puck. Though does not mean he was the most effective, but his type of hands won't be seen again.

 

[Sabreland]

Gilbert Perreault was one of the best stick handlers that ever played , other Bobby Orr Perreault was famous for his end to end rushes stick handling through numerous players. He doesn't get enough credit for talent because he played in Buffalo although for most of his career the Sabres were a contending team.