Toggle sidebar

Brian Leetch vs Paul Coffey opinions on HFBOARDS vs other Forums

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates
Status
Not open for further replies.
Boris Zubov said:
Coffey in '85 did not "dominate" the playoffs like Leetch did in '94. Not saying he wasn't outstanding, but The Oilers as a team were dominant & blew out their opponents basically every other night in the playoffs averaging 5.44 goals in 18 playoff games. In the 6 game Campbell conference finals they scored 44 goals...a 7.33 goal per game clip! :laugh: Safe to say they likely win the Cup without Coffey in '85, but not a chance the Rangers win without #2 in '94.

I was too young for Orr, so I can't really comment fairly on him but since the early 80s, the list of best of single season playoff performers is Gretzky in whatever year you feel like choosing, Lemieux in '91, then Leetch in '94. For my money, Leetch was on the same level as those two legends were, because he did it while actually playing 30+ minutes a night in both ends of the rink. I've yet to see anyone play at that level for 2 straight months since that run. It was just an eye opening performance.
Click to expand...
Im happy to see people respecting Brian. I feel he is often overlooked and under respected. I don't believe Brian was as good as Coffey but its not a blowout. Brian was a really good skater. Coffey was one of the best skaters ever. Brian had a good wrist shot. Coffey had a laser beam slap shot that often hit the top shelf. Id love to be able to say Brian was better but if Im honest I have Coffey in the top 3-5 while I have Brian around 8-10.
By the way this is offtopic a bit but when some fans cry about a guy like Kakko being benched I laugh because I remember when Keenan benched Brian twice lol. Brian took it like a champ. No complaints. Even admitted he was overthinking on defense. Come to think of it crazy Mike also benched him in those 1994 playoffs.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Heritage Hockey, OriginalLimbo, Boris Zubov and 2 others
NickyFotiu said:
Im happy to see people respecting Brian. I feel he is often overlooked and under respected. I don't believe Brian was as good as Coffey but its not a blowout. Brian was a really good skater. Coffey was one of the best skaters ever. Brian had a good wrist shot. Coffey had a laser beam slap shot that often hit the top shelf. Id love to be able to say Brian was better but if Im honest I have Coffey in the top 3-5 while I have Brian around 8-10.
By the way this is offtopic a bit but when some fans cry about a guy like Kakko being benched I laugh because I remember when Keenan benched Brian twice lol. Brian took it like a champ. No complaints. Even admitted he was overthinking on defense. Come to think of it crazy Mike also benched him in those 1994 playoffs.
Click to expand...
Offensively I'd give the edge to Coffey, but like I said Leetch was just more well rounded. Defensively Coffey was below average, and really never showed that he could change his game and play better D which is why he got traded a lot later in his career.

But as long as you have them close, it's fine (in my opinion) whom you'd place ahead of whom. I think both are definitely Top 10. Despite Coffey's defensive weaknesses he was dominant offensively like no other aside from Orr. I really hate it when either of these guys are placed outside the Top 10 all-time for Defensemen just to make room for guys who played in the 1920's. No disrespect to those guys, but the game was far too primitive at that time and we really have no idea how good they really were. I prefer lists post-expansion for this reason.
 
Last edited:
Henry Gill said:
Offensively I'd give the edge to Coffey, but like I said Leetch was just more well rounded. Defensively Coffey was below average, and really never showed that he could change his game and play better D which is why he got traded a lot later in his career.

But as long as you have them close, it's fine to me whom you'd place ahead of whom. I think both are definitely Top 10. Despite Coffey's defensive weaknesses he was dominant offensively like no other aside from Orr. I really hate it when either of these guys are placed outside the Top 10 all-time for Defensemen just to make room for guys who played in the 1920's. No disrespect to those guys, but the game was far too primitive at that time and we really have no idea how good they really were. I prefer lists post-expansion for this reason.
Click to expand...
There was one season where Coffey was really good defensively. He made up his mind to do it and he did it. He would have spurts where he would really show how good he could be defensively but I really think defense bored him. I agree with you that Brian was better and more consistent defensively but even Brian has people put down his defense. Its a lazy argument based on two things. One is he was good offensively and two he had some crazy plus/minus years.
I agree about the top 10 lists. I only list the guys I actually saw play.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heritage Hockey and Henry Gill
Henry Gill said:
Not in 1980s/1990s equipment, 2-line passes or with enforcers on the ice roaming around. It was a different game then. Makar wouldn't have the free reign he does today.
Click to expand...
Good point. He would be in 1980s skates with a wooden stick.
 
NickyFotiu said:
Really depends on which season. I believe Paul Coffey was so skilled that he sometimes got bored with the game and only gave a partial effort. Paul Coffeys ceiling was higher than Brian's. His skating and shot were amazing. His toughness is a bit underrated. I remember him bullying Tony Granato one game. I think Brian gave 100% more often and more consistently but Coffey was the better player. He often gets underrated in my opinion. I think they are both top 10 dmen. We had a chance to trade for Coffey. At that time Ron Greschner who is one of my favorite players ever seemed to tell Phil Esposito not to go for it. His reasoning was we had James Patrick nearing his peak. I was like what??? James Patrick can not compare!!! Coffey is probably top 5 while Brian is top 10.
Click to expand...
James Patrick. I remember him always being on the cusp of hitting that next level. He was my favorite NYR when I was in Junior High.

NickyFotiu said:
Really depends on which season. I believe Paul Coffey was so skilled that he sometimes got bored with the game and only gave a partial effort. Paul Coffeys ceiling was higher than Brian's. His skating and shot were amazing. His toughness is a bit underrated. I remember him bullying Tony Granato one game. I think Brian gave 100% more often and more consistently but Coffey was the better player. He often gets underrated in my opinion. I think they are both top 10 dmen. We had a chance to trade for Coffey. At that time Ron Greschner who is one of my favorite players ever seemed to tell Phil Esposito not to go for it. His reasoning was we had James Patrick nearing his peak. I was like what??? James Patrick can not compare!!! Coffey is probably top 5 while Brian is top 10.
Click to expand...
James Patrick. I remember him always being on the cusp of hitting that next level. He was my favorite NYR when I was in Junior High.
 
Baby Punisher said:
James Patrick. I remember him always being on the cusp of hitting that next level. He was my favorite NYR when I was in Junior High.
Click to expand...
A girl I dated loved James Patrick. I was always wondering why. I just did not get the hype at all. I was a Tomas Sandstrom fan back then. We went to see them practice at Rye.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Baby Punisher
NickyFotiu said:
Im happy to see people respecting Brian. I feel he is often overlooked and under respected. I don't believe Brian was as good as Coffey but its not a blowout. Brian was a really good skater. Coffey was one of the best skaters ever. Brian had a good wrist shot. Coffey had a laser beam slap shot that often hit the top shelf. Id love to be able to say Brian was better but if Im honest I have Coffey in the top 3-5 while I have Brian around 8-10.
By the way this is offtopic a bit but when some fans cry about a guy like Kakko being benched I laugh because I remember when Keenan benched Brian twice lol. Brian took it like a champ. No complaints. Even admitted he was overthinking on defense. Come to think of it crazy Mike also benched him in those 1994 playoffs.
Click to expand...
This is a perfect assessment of the 2.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NickyFotiu
Baby Punisher said:
Coffey seemed to get it done year after year. He was a huge part of 3 different teams that all went to the SCF and won multiple cups with 2 of them. Both played with Messier and Gretzky, and as great as Leetch was at both ends of the ice, it was Coffey's effortless speed and skating ability that really set him apart and what made him such an offensive juggernaut. Game 7, gun to my head I would take Coffey over Leetch.
Click to expand...
No way. With leetch’s recovery you could double shift him the whole game.
Been following hockey since the original 6 and never saw anyone recover as quick as Leetch. If Leet h wasnt a choice than I’d have no problem picking Coffey over everyone else. (Except Orr of course)
 
NickyFotiu said:
Im happy to see people respecting Brian. I feel he is often overlooked and under respected. I don't believe Brian was as good as Coffey but its not a blowout. Brian was a really good skater. Coffey was one of the best skaters ever. Brian had a good wrist shot. Coffey had a laser beam slap shot that often hit the top shelf. Id love to be able to say Brian was better but if Im honest I have Coffey in the top 3-5 while I have Brian around 8-10.
By the way this is offtopic a bit but when some fans cry about a guy like Kakko being benched I laugh because I remember when Keenan benched Brian twice lol. Brian took it like a champ. No complaints. Even admitted he was overthinking on defense. Come to think of it crazy Mike also benched him in those 1994 playoffs.
Click to expand...
Curious to see who you have on your list and in what kind or order
 
ncmike said:
Curious to see who you have on your list and in what kind or order
Click to expand...
I dont have a real list just a rough draft in mind based on other lists I have seen and then changed to suite me. I do not have guys on my list that I never saw play. I go back to around Orr although I'm tempted to include Doug Harvey just based on clips and how my dad said he played. My top 2 are Orr then Bourque. Obviously guys like Potvin and Robinson are in there. I have Coffey, Leetch and Stevens higher on my list than many younger fans. I have Lidstrom lower on my list than many younger fans. Chelios is not in my top 10. I would have to think of an actual order.
 
NickyFotiu said:
I dont have a real list just a rough draft in mind based on other lists I have seen and then changed to suite me. I do not have guys on my list that I never saw play. I go back to around Orr although I'm tempted to include Doug Harvey just based on clips and how my dad said he played. My top 2 are Orr then Bourque. Obviously guys like Potvin and Robinson are in there. I have Coffey, Leetch and Stevens higher on my list than many younger fans. I have Lidstrom lower on my list than many younger fans. Chelios is not in my top 10. I would have to think of an actual order.
Click to expand...
Lidstrom is easily a top 5 defenseman of all time.
 
mrmovies779 said:
Lidstrom is easily a top 5 defenseman of all time.
Click to expand...
I don't get the Lidstrom hype. The guy wasn't dynamic at all and never really stood out to me. Whenever I ask someone they just say something like "He's the perfect human" lol. WTF does that even mean? He just lucked out and played on great teams his entire career. I don't have him anywhere near Top 5.
 
  • Like
Reactions: NickyFotiu
NickyFotiu said:
Easily? I disagree. Other than multiple sportswriter voted awards I dont see him as easily top 5.
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: FultonReed
mrmovies779 said:
Click to expand...
You just posted a bunch of voted awards for the most part. Do you think guys like Potvin, Orr, Harvey, Robinson, Coffey, Bourque, etc have their own share of voted awards? That is not how I judge players.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Heritage Hockey
NickyFotiu said:
I dont have a real list just a rough draft in mind based on other lists I have seen and then changed to suite me. I do not have guys on my list that I never saw play. I go back to around Orr although I'm tempted to include Doug Harvey just based on clips and how my dad said he played. My top 2 are Orr then Bourque. Obviously guys like Potvin and Robinson are in there. I have Coffey, Leetch and Stevens higher on my list than many younger fans. I have Lidstrom lower on my list than many younger fans. Chelios is not in my top 10. I would have to think of an actual order.
Click to expand...
No Brad Park? He’s number two on my list. He would have won many Norris trophies if not for Orr.
 
  • Like
Reactions: klingsor
Baby Punisher said:
Lindstrom quietly put up points. I remember when he hit 700 assists and being surprised.
Click to expand...
He did and I'm not taking that away from him. I just think all his Norris Trophies came from age 30-40 when most of the better dmen had retired or were past their primes. Also if you play long enough you can bring in some numbers. A guy like Scott Stevens thought of mostly as a defensive dman even had 900 plus points. I think Lidstrom is top 10 but not "easily top 5"

ncmike said:
No Brad Park? He’s number two on my list. He would have won many Norris trophies if not for Orr.
Click to expand...
I like Brad Park a lot. He did lose out to Orr and Potvin in his day. I do not have him in my top 10 but possibly 10-15.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Heritage Hockey
Lidstrom was the best dman ive ever watched. Im not old enough for Orr so lets say from Potvin on.
 
NickyFotiu said:
Good point. He would be in 1980s skates with a wooden stick.
Click to expand...
People often say Gretzky wouldn't have done as well today but i counter it with the fact that the guy sat by the pool all summer drinking beer and training camp was for getting back in shape. If he had the gear, the nutritionists, trainers, summer skills camps etc that the current players had i couldnt imagine how good he could have been. He'd likely have been 20 lbs of muscle heavier, faster and with the new sticks and skates...i cant imagine. Plus take away the clutch and grab and the red line...he probably would have been better.
 
KreiderBomb said:
People often say Gretzky wouldn't have done as well today but i counter it with the fact that the guy sat by the pool all summer drinking beer and training camp was for getting back in shape. If he had the gear, the nutritionists, trainers, summer skills camps etc that the current players had i couldnt imagine how good he could have been. He'd likely have been 20 lbs of muscle heavier, faster and with the new sticks and skates...i cant imagine. Plus take away the clutch and grab and the red line...he probably would have been better.
Click to expand...
You make some really good points but Gretz was in a lot better shape and a lot more athletic than some people gave him credit for. I saw him in some competitions back in the day vs other pro athletes. I was surprised at how fast he was and how good an athlete.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom