Greatest faceoff men all-time?

[amnesiac]

Im really only aware of Yannick Perreault and Brindamour. Who were the greatest?

and when did they actually start recording the stat?


this shows from 1997-2010, http://www.arcticicehockey.com/2010/3/22/1382835/best-and-worst-faceoff-takers

 

[Rob Scuderi]

The NHL has stats going back to the 1997-98 season on their website, I don't know if they were recorded anywhere before that.

Ted Kennedy is an earlier player regarded for his skill on faceoffs.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Bobby Clarke, Stan Mikita, and Doug Jarvis deserve mention

 

[The Grouch]

Some of the ones that have stood out to me over the years:

Non-Stars:

Yanic Perreault
Peter Zezel
Joel Otto
Kris Draper
Guy Carbonneau
Brent Sutter

Stars:

Rod Brind'Amour
Steve Yzerman
Ron Francis
Joe Nieuwendyk
Adam Oates
Jonathan Toews

 

[ot92s]

Not sure about the best....lindros was consistently awesome, Phil Esposito was great, Oates was too. Bergeron can go off as well

 

[Boreal01]

Oates is the first guy that comes to my mind.

 

[kmad]

Manny Malhotra

 

[Ivan13]

I always remember the story Bobby Clarke said about Beliveau, it went something like this:

I was lining up against Beliveau in the faceoff circle and I was winning one after another, until we had one in our own zone, then he wins it and the puck is in the back of the net. It's like he was thinking to himself: ''OK kid I let you win them until a very important one comes along''.

IIRC he said that during an interview for Legends of Hockey segment about Beliveau.

Not saying Beliveau was a great faceoff taker, I just find this interesting.

 

[double5son10]

Laurie Boschman

 

[King Forsberg]

Lindros was awesome at draws. He usually bullied his way to get the puck but it worked

 

[Rhiessan71]

Trottier was a superior faceoff guy from start to finish.

 

[Killion]

Ted Kennedy was considered one of the very best during his career & era. Almost never lost a draw.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

Ted Kennedy was considered one of the very best during his career & era. Almost never lost a draw.

We know that today's best faceoff guys win 60-65% of draws. What percentage would you consider to be "almost never", and how do you know Kennedy met that threshold?

 

[Iain Fyffe]

The earliest reference I've ever come across for a player being noted for his skill on faceoffs is Jack Brannen of the Montreal Shamrocks, two-time Stanley Cup champions. Earlier games reports would sometimes mention players winning draws, but he's the first once I've seen being described as having particular skill at it.

 

[Killion]

We know that today's best faceoff guys win 60-65% of draws. What percentage would you consider to be "almost never", and how do you know Kennedy met that threshold?

From what far sharper minds than my own or yours said who played against him, watched him, wrote about him.... According to some, face-off's were considerably more frequent in the past, pre-short-shift, so basically 06 going backwards. Do you or does anyone here have any data that supports this contention? Because if its true and Ted Kennedy was one of the best, statistics for that particular skill not even kept back then, and apparently you & many others do indeed require empirical mathematical data in order to ever accept that Kennedy or anyone else was a serious quick draw artist, then why is this thread even open? Whats to discuss? No numbers, no discussion. Right?....

 

[Canadiens1958]

Objectives

We know that today's best faceoff guys win 60-65% of draws. What percentage would you consider to be "almost never", and how do you know Kennedy met that threshold?

Today you have league standards for winning or losing a draw.

O6 era, such stats were kept by the team based on situation objectives that were part of the game plan.

Different measure, different results.

 

[fish7]

Garry Unger and Derek Sanderson

Unger had a move where shoot right off the draw. When he was with Edmonton at the end of his career, he scored one night like that and Gretzky had him teach him hte move at practice. Gretzky mentioned it in an article in the Hockey Digest

 

[Canadiens1958]

Jean Beliveau

Garry Unger and Derek Sanderson

Unger had a move where shoot right off the draw. When he was with Edmonton at the end of his career, he scored one night like that and Gretzky had him teach him hte move at practice. Gretzky mentioned it in an article in the Hockey Digest

One of Jean Beliveau's favourite moves, used selectively from the LW dot in the defensive zone. Offensive set-up favouring the wide side. If the goalie cheated away from the near post leaving an opening, Beliveau - LHS, might take advantage. Rarely seen effort today.

 

[Jacques Trap*]

Peter Zezel was so good at tying up opponent and using his feet to kick the puck back.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Differences

From what far sharper minds than my own or yours said who played against him, watched him, wrote about him.... According to some, face-off's were considerably more frequent in the past, pre-short-shift, so basically 06 going backwards. Do you or does anyone here have any data that supports this contention? Because if its true and Ted Kennedy was one of the best, statistics for that particular skill not even kept back then, and apparently you & many others do indeed require empirical mathematical data in order to ever accept that Kennedy or anyone else was a serious quick draw artist, then why is this thread even open? Whats to discuss? No numbers, no discussion. Right?....

More offsides were called - no tag-up rules, freezing puck along the boards,lower glass, etc produced extra faceoffs. Also faceoffs were not limited to the rink faceoff dots as they are today. Pucks deflected out of the rink producing faceoffs in the offensive zone between the dots to the blue line at the point of deflection requiring a greater variety in faceoff plays and strategies.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Skill

The earliest reference I've ever come across for a player being noted for his skill on faceoffs is Jack Brannen of the Montreal Shamrocks, two-time Stanley Cup champions. Earlier games reports would sometimes mention players winning draws, but he's the first once I've seen being described as having particular skill at it.

Faceoff alignments were different in those days from today.

What are the reasons for Jack Brannen being viewed as skillful on faceoffs? Equal offensive and defensive faceoff skills? Size, quickness, center of gravity, handedness, etc or a matter of playing on one of the first teams to use faceoff plays and strategies.

 

[BobbyAwe]

Derek Sanderson. Beat Esposito 20 out of 21 faceoffs in a practice.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Derek Sanderson. Beat Esposito 20 out of 21 faceoffs in a practice.

Well I have no doubt that Turk was great on faceoffs but Phil was hardly a practice guy either.

 

[ot92s]

Derek Sanderson. Beat Esposito 20 out of 21 faceoffs in a practice.

Watch some old games. Esposito was great.

 

[Iain Fyffe]

Faceoff alignments were different in those days from today.

...and?

What are the reasons for Jack Brannen being viewed as skillful on faceoffs? Equal offensive and defensive faceoff skills? Size, quickness, center of gravity, handedness, etc or a matter of playing on one of the first teams to use faceoff plays and strategies.

No detail was provided. The reason he was viewed as skillful was presumably because he won a lot of faceoffs. Unfortunately no descriptives were written.