Bounce Back Seasons of Former Stars

[BarnabyJones PI]

What's your favorite bounce back season, for a player that was past his prime?​

Although I specified "star" player, it doesn't have to be a star player, and it doesn't have to be a full season. Just someone who at one point had a decent enough of a prime, and had some kind of bounce back, or helped spark a team - for a stretch of time - in his twighlight years. Maybe it's a goalie, or a stay-at-home defenseman?

For example, Denis Savard. He's (sort of) rotting away in Tampa Bay, and Chicago picks him up in early April of 1995. He goes on a run in the playoffs that year, and to a certain degree, he turns back the clock. At the time, I thought it was awesome.

Or maybe Fredrick Olausson with Anaheim in 1998-98, and Detroit in 2002, after he floundered throughout the mid-90s. A couple of knocks on him from his time with the Jets, was that he wasn't always bringing it, or that his game wasn't under control. Not a star player, but a very talented defenseman, who could put up numbers earlier on in his career, and became responsible enough to extend his career, and even win a ring.

Maybe someone like Mark Tinordi (I'm speculating here), with the Washington Capitals in their run in 1998? It doesn't necessearily have to be about big point producers. It could about leadership, stabilizers on the ice and in the dressing room, etc. I can't help but think he might have been a big part of that Caps' team, (somewhat) similar to what he was able to do for the North Stars in their run in the 1991 playoffs.

I look forward to seeing your responses.

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[jimmysheva]

Joe Sakic scoring 100 points in 2006-2007

 

[The Panther]

Maybe Ray Ferraro (not a "star" of course):

1996-97 (age 32)
46 points in 81 games (109th NHL)
1997-98 (age 33)
15 points in 40 games (355th NHL)
1998-99 (age 34)
31 points in 65 games (192nd NHL)
1999-00 (age 35)
44 points in 81 games (118th NHL)
2000-01 (age 36)
76 points in 81 games (1st on team, 29th NHL)

 

[Plural]

I'm fighting my urge to bring up Selanne again...

 

[Gorskyontario]

Cam Neely, 93/94

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Cam Neely, 93/94

Beat me to it. Neely's 50 in 44 on one leg

 

[JianYang]

What's your favorite bounce back season, for a player that was past his prime?​

Although I specified "star" player, it doesn't have to be a star player. Just someone who at one point had a decent enough of a prime, and had some kind of bounce back, or helped spark a team in his twighlight years. Maybe it's a goalie, or a stay-at-home defenseman?

For example, Denis Savard. He's (sort of) rotting away in Tampa Bay, and Chicago picks him up in early April of 1995. He goes on a run in the playoffs that year, and to a certain degree, he turns back the clock. At the time, I thought it was awesome.

View attachment 955881​

Or maybe Fredrick Olausson with Anaheim in 1998-98, and Detroit in 2002, after he floundered throughout the mid-90s. A couple of knocks on him from his time with the Jets, was that he wasn't always bringing it, or that his game wasn't under control. Not a star player, but a very talented defenseman, who could put up numbers earlier on in his career, and became responsible enough to extend his career, and even win a ring.

View attachment 955882​

Maybe someone like Mark Tinordi (I'm speculating here), with the Washington Capitals in their run in 1998? It doesn't necessearily have to be about big point producers. It could about leadership, stabilizers on the ice and in the dressing room, etc. I can't help but think he might have been a big part of that Caps' team, (somewhat) similar to what he was able to do for the North Stars in their run in the 1991 playoffs.

View attachment 955884​

I look forward to seeing your responses.

Yeah savard is a great pick for this although I guess it was for a stretch rather than a full season?

I think roenick was hurt as well so he probably got more opportunity because of that too?

 

[BarnabyJones PI]

Yeah savard is a great pick for this although I guess it was for a stretch rather than a full season?

I think roenick was hurt as well so he probably got more opportunity because of that too?

I agree with what you're saying here. I updated my original post.

I should have de-emphasized that it had to be a full year. I liked the feeling of his return to Chicago from the moment it happened - even just those 12 regular season games - the playoffs (mostly), and even a bit of his 1995-96 season too.

A stretch of time works for me.

 

[DitchMarner]

Doug Gilmour had a surprisingly strong 2000 season. He had 25 goals and 73 points in 74 games. He finished in the top 20 in scoring that season.

 

[mrhockey193195]

First name that came to mind was Felix Potvin in 00-01 with the Kings. It had been 2-3 years of mediocre results, at this point we was no longer on anyone's short list of top goalies in the league. He struggled with Vancouver to start the season, and then midseason goes to LA and posts a 13-5-5 record with a 1.97 GAA and .919%, and has a very good (from what I remember) games 3-6 to help the Kings upset Detroit in the first round.

 

[carjackmalone]

Jonathan Quick last year

Plante in Toronto

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I feel Sakic 07 and Neely 94 mentions are stretching the definition of “former star” a bit... Sakic had 87 points, led the Avs in scoring and finished 17th in the league the year prior. It’s rather a surprising statistical jump his age considered, but it’s not as if we’d forgotten about him.

And Neely, sure, he missed a ton of games the previous two seasons, but was yet to lose his scoring touch, netting 24 goals in just 26 games (RS+playoffs) those seasons.

Edit: But I guess they’re pretty good examples of bounce back seasons, felt I’d been overly nitpicky immediately after posting

 

[JianYang]

Doug Gilmour had a surprisingly strong 2000 season. He had 25 goals and 73 points in 74 games. He finished in the top 20 in scoring that season.

Speaking of Gilmour, he co-led the Habs in playoff points with 10 in 2002 (in 12 games). He would have been 38 or 39 years old at that time and it was much higher than his regular season clip where he finished with 41 points in 70 games.

The 2002 playoffs was basically him turning back the clock one last time.

To put things into context, the Habs only signed Gilmour on an emergency basis once it was determined that koivu had cancer. That news came out just before camp, so it is plausible to suggest that Gilmour may have ended up retiring back in 2001 if not for koivu's diagnosis.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

kurri 1993
coffey 1995
fuhr 1996
sather 2006

 

[MadLuke]

fuhr 1996

Feel like a really solid one here....

Reechi had a good gap for a top 10 pts finish:
Points

1990-91 NHL 113 (4th)

1992-93 NHL 123 (10th)

1993-94 NHL 107 (5th)

1999-00 NHL 91 (3rd)

He was still starish all that time too.

Lindros-Fleury-Lafontaine felt they could have and got close with the Rangers to do something like that, but season got cut short.

 

[carjackmalone]

Larry Robinson in 85

 

[frisco]

1996-97 Penguins had only 84 points and were blown out by the Flyers in the first round. They were second last in the NHL in goals against with Wregget/Lalime in net. Barrasso was injured and played only five games. Mario retires after the season.

In 97-98, 32 year-old Barrasso bounces back with a huge season (63 GP, .922, 2.07, 3rd in Vezina) as Penguins improve to 98 points and jump to 4th in goals against from 2nd last the previous year.

My Best-Carey

 

[tabness]

I agree with what you're saying here. I updated my original post.

I should have de-emphasized that it had to be a full year. I liked the feeling of his return to Chicago from the moment it happened - even just those 12 regular season games - the playoffs (mostly), and even a bit of his 1995-96 season too.

A stretch of time works for me.

Bernie Nicholls also fits this topic, and is also part of that mid nineties Chicago team who had his resurgence in his thirties after doldrum early nineties due to his son's illness and passing among other things. Still a solid scorer, had finally put his natural anticipation and positioning to use to become a real good defensive player due to his time with the Rangers and then especially the Devils, and of course could still create offense quite well. Gumpy skating becoming less of a factor as well as the league slowed down from the early nineties.

 

[BarnabyJones PI]

Bernie Nicholls also fits this topic, and is also part of that mid nineties Chicago team who had his resurgence in his thirties after doldrum early nineties due to his son's illness and passing among other things. Still a solid scorer, had finally put his natural anticipation and positioning to use to become a real good defensive player due to his time with the Rangers and then especially the Devils, and of course could still create offense quite well. Gumpy skating becoming less of a factor as well as the league slowed down from the early nineties.

I think of him, and Neal Broten in a similar vein (improved defensive play, team IQ, utility). Specifically with New Jersey, mid-season, after being traded from Dallas for Corey Millen, plus his run in the playoffs.

He even had a nice little run right at the tail end of his career, returning to Dallas.

 

[BarnabyJones PI]

Dale Hawerchuk's 1993-94 season, at first glance, shows his lowest point total over a full season of play, with Buffalo. But I think it was easily his best season with the team, and maybe his best season since 1987-88 with the Jets. So, it's not always about the highest point total that a player had in years; he had 10 fewer points that year then he had in 1992-93.

He had his highest goal output since 1988-89, it was the best Buffalo team (record-wise) since he arrived in 1990, finishing with a 43-32-9 record sans Pat LaFontaine (save for 16 in the regular season), and Mogilny missing 18 games himself. Of course, this turnaround was mostly to do with Hasek's rise to #1 goaltender, winning the Vezina, and finishing 2nd in Hart voting.

The team scored 282 goals (11th of 26), surrendered 218 (1st of 26), and Hawerchuk was the team's #1 center for most of the year. They went down in the 1st round, 7 close games vs New Jersey, one of my favorite series to watch.

At the time, I was hopeful that he was returning to his older form (wishful thinking), I thought he looked the best that he had in years, and they he was going to be very good well into his 30's (nope).

He had his last gasp of solid production, when he was traded to Philadelphia in 1995-96, registering 29 points in 28 games (which includes playoff games).

 

[BarnabyJones PI]

Brian Bellows in 1997-98. At the start of that season, he was playing in Germany for the Berlin Capitals. I thought you could have stuck a fork in him after 1993-94.

He wasn't phenominal with Washington in his return to the NHL, but it was certainly notable at the time. The Capitals made it to the Finals, lost in 4 straight, but the first three games were decided by '1' goal.

 

[The Panther]

Maybe Brian Leetch in 2000-01?

1997-98
50 points
1998-99
55 points
1999-00
26 points (in 50 games)
2000-01
79 points (Norris 5th)

 

[mrhockey193195]

Maybe Brian Leetch in 2000-01?

1997-98
50 points
1998-99
55 points
1999-00
26 points (in 50 games)
2000-01
79 points (Norris 5th)

I'm sure this is a bit too simplistic, but it's no surprise that Leetch's 3 down seasons were the three years that Mess was in Vancouver and Leetch had the C on his chest. He was never comfortable being the face of the franchise, and Mark was a huge mentor and factor in his career.

 

[Crosby2010]

Fuhr is the poster boy for this thread. All but left for dead after Buffalo he strings together a few really good years in St. Louis, most notably 1996.

Jagr really bounced back in 2006 as the Jagr of old.