Brian Leetch Or Scott Niedermayer?

[My3Sons]

Niedermayer also played on the NJ trap teams which slowed the game to a crawl. On some level I'm sure that hurt his offensive production. It's not a surprise his offensive numbers increased in his early to mid 30s when he went to the Ducks and he should have been declining there instead of scoring more. Nonetheless, Leetch was the more offensively gifted player. He was a master at the point of keep ins and had great vision. Hard to say how things would be different if you asked Leetch to play in a similar system with more grinders and mind numbing structure and less skill in the lineup. Niedermayer was also the better skater to my eyes. I can easily justify picking Leetch. That said, Denis Potvin was better than Leetch.

 

[chamchibap]

Old-man Leetch on the leafs was a revelation. Still the best D I can remember at transitioning the puck even at his old age. Made it look effortless

 

[Promethean]

Niedermeyer has more 1st team all star selections. It's undeniable that Scott has more team success, longer career, and a much more consistent career that lasted 18 seasons. He's a better skater than Leetch which contributed to his longeivity. Neidermayer is a player that prioritizes defence despite his excellent mobility and small stature. His PPG isn't anything crazy, but he's a pioneer for the new-gen D like Hughes

Leetch may have more individual skill with the shooting. He definitely had a better shot from the point than Scott.

Leetch had way more freedom on the offensive playing style of the Rangers compared to Scott's New Jersey defensive playing style (coached by Jacques Lemaire & Larry Robinson). I think casuals will say Leetch, but if you watched hockey from '94 to '2007 you'll realize Neidermayer had more to offer than Leetch in their prime.

 

[NyQuil]

Niedermeyer has more 1st team all star selections.

Of course he does. It's the same reason why Lidstrom has so many Norris trophies.

Casuals tend to look at the number of trophies and neglect to actually look at the competition.

It's undeniable that Scott has more team success, longer career, and a much more consistent career that lasted 18 seasons.

His "longer career" amounts to an additional 58 regular season games. They actually both played 18 seasons.

He's a better skater than Leetch which contributed to his longeivity.

Niedermayer was a faster skater but Leetch was one of the shiftiest and most agile skaters in the league. It was a huge component of his success.

Leetch's most crippling and impactful injury was the result of slipping on ice getting out of a cab.

I think casuals will say Leetch, but if you watched hockey from '94 to '2007 you'll realize Neidermayer had more to offer than Leetch in their prime.

And if you watched hockey from 1987 to 1994, you would realize that Leetch actually played a lot of his best hockey during that time period.

I guess you had to be there.

 

[HolyHagelin]

Old-man Leetch on the leafs was a revelation. Still the best D I can remember at transitioning the puck even at his old age. Made it look effortless

Brian leetch is the player that hooked me on hockey, and i always love hearing about leafs fans who got to appreciate him for real for the first time.

 

[mr figgles]

Imagine Leetch, Stevens, and Brodeur on the same team. 5 cups at a minimum.

 

[trentmccleary]

Niedermeyer has more 1st team all star selections. It's undeniable that Scott has more team success, longer career, and a much more consistent career that lasted 18 seasons.

In the first 11 full seasons of his career, Niedermayer had one top 10 Norris finish (he was 5th in 1998). He made the HHOF based on 3 consecutive seasons. That doesn't sound like consistency.

 

[Bileur]

Give me Leetch more exceptional talent.

 

[goonybird]

Niedermayer but I've never really been big on Leetch and don't really care

 

[Stephen]

Fun fact. Scott Niedermayer has 98 career playoff points to Brian Leetch's 97.

But Brian Leetch achieved those totals in 95 games whereas Niedermayer did so in 202.

 

[FissionFire]

Watched the entire career for both players and never felt that Neidermayer was the better one, so easy vote for Leetch here. He never had defensive partners on par with Stevens or Pronger to take the tough assignments and split the defensive load. Was also a much better PK player. Just all-around better as a clear #1

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Leetch was more of a game changer. If you can pick only 1 to start your defence I'm taking Leetch. I don't put a lot of stock into Niedermeyers Conn Smythe. He essentially won it for being the team captain and no one else had a standout performance... but even still Pronger probably should have gotten it over him if you're giving it to a D-man. Could have even given Giguere a 2nd one.

Niedermeyer is obviously a great player and deserving of a HOF spot but one of the more overrated D-men in my opinion.

 

[Machinehead]

Leetch was more of a game changer. If you can pick only 1 to start your defence I'm taking Leetch. I don't put a lot of stock into that Conn Smythe. He essentially won it for being the team captain and no one else had a standout performance... but even still Pronger probably should have gotten it over him if you're giving it to a D-man. Could have even given Giguere a 2nd one.

Niedermeyer is obviously a great player and a deserving of a HOF spot but one of the more overrated D-men in my opinion.

Yeah, they both have a Conn Smythe, but Niedermayer kind of got a de facto Conn Smythe, while Leetch dragged the Rangers to the Cup kicking and screaming. Leetch's Conn Smythe is one of the greatest ever.

Kind of a microcosm of their careers. Niedermayer was a reliable cornerstone on great teams. Leetch carried a franchise until it collapsed around him from generationally bad drafting.

Could Niedermayer have been a game changer if he were thrown into Leetch's situation? Maybe, but I'm going with the proof. Leetch is the reason the Rangers aren't Cupless going on 85 years.