Hart Trophy Tournament (1969-00) Round 1: 1973 Bobby Clarke vs 1982 Wayne Gretzky

[blundluntman]

MATCHUP #4 (Round 1): Bobby Clarke (1973) vs Wayne Gretzky (1982)

Bobby Clarke (1972-73):
78 GP 37 G 67 A 104 Points | 2nd in Scoring, 3rd in Assists, 2nd AST

Wayne Gretzky (1981-82):
80 GP 92 G 120 A 212 Points |1st in Scoring, 1st in Assists, 1st in Goals, Art Ross, 1st AST,

Round 1 Matchups:
69 Esposito vs 99 Jagr Thread
70 Orr vs 72 Orr Thread
71 Orr vs 00 Pronger Thread
73 Clarke vs 82 Gretzky
74 Esposito vs 91 Hull
75 Clarke vs 98 Hasek
76 Clarke vs 90 Messier
77 Lafleur vs 80 Gretzky (Still Active) Thread
78 Lafleur vs 93 Lemieux
79 Trottier vs 94 Fedorov
81 Gretzky vs 87 Gretzky
83 Gretzky vs 86 Gretzky
84 Gretzky vs 85 Gretzky
88 Lemieux vs 89 Gretzky
92 Messier vs 95 Lindros
96 Lemieux vs 97 Hasek

Click to read more...

 

[blundluntman]

I feel bad for this matchup so I'll posit a non-poll-related question since Gretzky's the no brainer here: Who played better behind the net: Gretzky or Clarke?

 

[bobholly39]

I'm not sure which season will win #1 - but I have 82 Gretzky as my current favorite.

Clarke has some great seasons but this is no contest obviously

 

[DitchMarner]

I feel bad for this matchup so I'll posit a non-poll-related question since Gretzky's the no brainer here: Who played better behind the net: Gretzky or Clarke?

Clarke was one of the players Gretzky admired and learned from. He adopted playing successfully behind the net from him.



Personally, I don't like Clarke as a person, but he was one hell of a hockey player. His offensive stats don't tell the whole story when it comes to his impact. In his best years, the Flyers conceded very few ES and five on five goals when he was on the ice. His on ice goals for to goals against ratios were very strong at his peak.

Still, it's hard to imagine even that level of all-around and defensive play puts him over a Gretzky season where he scored 92 goals and 212 points (though 1982 is one of the highest scoring seasons in League history).

 

[blundluntman]

Clarke was one of the players Gretzky admired and learned from. He adopted playing successfully behind the net from him.



Personally, I don't like Clarke as a person, but he was one hell of a hockey player. His offensive stats don't tell the whole story when it comes to his impact. In his best years, the Flyers conceded very few ES and five on five goals when he was on the ice. His on ice goals for to goals against ratios were very strong at his peak.

Still, it's hard to imagine even that level of all-around and defensive play puts him over a Gretzky season where he scored 92 goals and 212 points (though 1982 is one of the highest scoring seasons in League history).

Yeah Clarke is a very polarizing player to say the least. His story as an underdog is extremely admirable considering he went from being a risky prospect with asthma to a crafty/brilliant two way player stealing Hart trophies from Espositio/Orr. But that's often muddied by his sleazy/rattish ways which makes it hard for me to champion him as a player. Regardless of his antics, he was one hell of a player. But someone was gonna have to lose to 82 Gretzky this round unfortunately.