Conn Smythe Tournament (1977-00) Round 1: 1989 MacInnis vs 1978 Robinson

[blundluntman]

MATCHUP #10 (Round 1): Al MacInnis (1989) vs Larry Robinson (1978)

Al MacInnis (1988-89):
22 GP 7 G 24 A 31 Points

Larry Robinson (1977-78):
16 GP 4 G 17 A 21 Points

Round 1 Matchups:
Stevens 00 vs Leetch 94 Thread
Nieuwendyk 99 vs Roy 86 Thread
Yzerman 98 vs Gainey 79 Thread
Vernon 97 vs Gretzky 88 Thread
Sakic 96 vs Bossy 82 Thread
C Lemeiux 95 vs Lemieux 92 Thread
Roy 93 vs Smith 83 Thread
Lemieux 91 vs Goring 81 Thread
Ranford 90 vs Hextall 87 (Still Active) Thread
MacInnis 89 vs Robinson 78
Gretzky 85 vs Messier 84
Trottier 80 vs Lafleur 77

Click to read more...

 

[bobholly39]

MacInnis had points in every single game of rounds 2, 3 & 4. He had a 17 game point streak to end the playoffs. 17 is the second longest point streak in playoff history (behind Trottier at 18).

He also had 9 points in the finals.

Offensively - this is one of the absolute best playoff runs of all-time by a defenseman.

 

[ESH]

You have Robinson’s stats wrong. He led the playoffs that year with 21 points.

 

[tabness]

This is a real nice matchup. Went with Robinson as I feel he impacted the game in more ways, but it's close for sure.

I have a ton of respect for Al MacInnis, who continued to add to his game as his career progressed beyond the big shot and enjoyed a very nice late career as the slower dead puck era suited him. I do think that his big numbers in Calgary were sort of a perfect storm situation with a very deep team and an all time powerplay, which MacInnis obviously played a huge role as an X factor (as a very recent analogy think of how the Oilers powerplay surged with Bouchard replacing Barrie because you must respect the shot and that opens up so much for the others).

As for Larry Robinson, I'm more familiar with his later career than the dynasty Habs days, but well, Robinson stands out for me for two reasons.

He is one of the very few seventies era players who aged gracefully into the late eighties/early nineties. You see so many of the others fall by the wayside with the massive changes in the league that took place throughout the eighties (compare to eighties players who en masse had extended careers through the dead puck era). Robinson may not have the wheels in his last years, but he had the smarts.

The other is just how dominant defensively he was. It was said about him in the late eighties "Robinson sees the ice defensively as well as any superstar forward sees it offensively" maybe a smidge too high praise given the Gretzky/Lemieux/Yzerman group back then amongst others, but drives the point home.

Robinson even during the dynasty days themselves was the one guy who could give the great Guy Lafleur a run for his money as the team's most valuable player. Obviously there is refinement in the later years as compared to the earlier, and Robinson's partner Serge Savard was generally considered the defensive mainstay on that pairing (though to be honest the little I've seen of Savard doesn't impress me to the degree his reputation). Scotty Bowman didn't like Robinson much himself, but then again, he didn't like a lot of great players, and Robinson seems to have reciprocated that feeling lol

 

[blundluntman]

You have Robinson’s stats wrong. He led the playoffs that year with 21 points.

Just changed it. Thanks for letting me know

 

[Hockey Outsider]

MacInnis had points in every single game of rounds 2, 3 & 4. He had a 17 game point streak to end the playoffs. 17 is the second longest point streak in playoff history (behind Trottier at 18).

He also had 9 points in the finals.

Offensively - this is one of the absolute best playoff runs of all-time by a defenseman.

Agreed, but keep in mind MacInnis's playoff run was during the four round era, while Robinson's was during the three round era.

On a per game basis, their production was virtually identical. MacInnis recorded 1.41 PPG (31 points in 22 games) while Robinson recorded 1.40 PPG (21 points in 15 games - the OP incorrectly says 16 games). Yes, we need to be careful with per-game stats, but it's not like we're giving Robinson credit for games that he missed due to injury. It's not his fault that there were only three rounds back then.

There should be little doubt that Robinson, at his peak, was better defensively than early-career MacInnis.

MacInnis was probably more valuable (because the 1989 Flames - despite being a really strong team - clearly weren't as deep as the dynasty Habs). I haven't voted yet, but based on this analysis (similar per-game production & presumably better defense), I'm leaning towards Robinson here.

 

[JackSlater]

Both strong runs, I voted MacInnis because I like him better.

 

[Staniowski]

This is my favourite comparison, as the late '70s Habs are my all-time fav NHL teams, and Al MacInnis was my favourite player during the late '80s and early '90s.

When I was young I was in awe of Larry Robinson; I thought he was the Habs' best player (and I still do). He probably deserved the Conn Smythe in both '78 and '79.

MacInnis was probably never better than he was in the '89 playoffs.

 

[Bouboumaster]

I voted for Macinnis

I think that Robinson is a much better defenseman that Macinnis ever was (Robinson is easily a top 10 defenseman ever) but the fact of the matter is that Robinson in 1978 played on arguably the most stacked team ever and so I find it a bit hard to give him the nod

 

[Guttersniped]

I voted for Macinnis

I think that Robinson is a much better defenseman that Macinnis ever was (Robinson is easily a top 10 defenseman ever) but the fact of the matter is that Robinson in 1978 played on arguably the most stacked team ever and so I find it a bit hard to give him the nod

It’s amazing/hilarious to me how Sam Pollack got that team, he picked the pockets of dumb expansion team GMs.

Three top scorers in those playoffs:

Lefleur

Robinson

Shutt

 

[Bouboumaster]

It’s amazing/hilarious to me how Sam Pollack got that team, he picked the pockets of dumb expansion team GMs.

Three top scorers in those playoffs:

Lefleur
View attachment 895851
Robinson
View attachment 895852
Shutt
View attachment 895854

Yeah lol

He absolutly owned Boston with the Dryden Trade too

 

[Voight]

It’s amazing/hilarious to me how Sam Pollack got that team, he picked the pockets of dumb expansion team GMs.

Three top scorers in those playoffs:

Lefleur
View attachment 895851
Robinson
View attachment 895852
Shutt
View attachment 895854

Pollock helped write the expansion rules which made it easy to take advantage of expansion teams..

 

[amnesiac]

I dont think CGY win the Cup without MacInnis, so him.