HFAvs Ranks: The 50 Greatest Avalanche Players - #4

[Ceremony]

Results so far:

#1 - Joe Sakic (88.9%)
#2 - Peter Forsberg (55.7%)
#3 - Patrick Roy (89.6%)

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I've had an idea. Let's decide who the greatest players in Avalanche history are.

• You decide what "greatest" means.
• Only judge players based on their Avalanche careers. This means no extra points for Sakic's time with the Nordiques, or Ray Bourque's time with the Bruins.
• Poll will be open for a few days.
• Each time you vote, suggest a player who should be added for the next round.
• If there's no consensus on who should be added I'll just pick the next player who's played the most games.
• Here's a list of everyone: Colorado Avalanche all-time player list at hockeydb.com

Milan Hejduk (1998-2013)	Adam Foote (1995-04, 2008-11)	Gabriel Landeskog (2011-present)	Nathan MacKinnon (2013-present)	Mikko Rantanen (2016-present)	Rob Blake (2000-2006)	Cale Makar (2018-present)
Games Played: 1020	Games played: 760	Games played: 738	Games played: 709	Games played: 490	Games played: 322	Games played: 238
Goals: 375	Goals: 48	Goals: 248	Goals: 284	Goals: 220	Goals: 62	Goals: 65
Assists: 430	Assists: 173	Assists: 323	Assists: 475	Assists: 293	Assists: 146	Assists: 181
Points: 805	Points: 221	Points: 571	Points: 759	Points: 513	Points: 208	Points: 246
Awards: Stanley Cup (2001), Rocket Richard Trophy (2003)	Awards: Stanley Cup (1996, 2001)	Awards: Stanley Cup (2022), Calder Trophy (2012)	Awards: Stanley Cup (2022), Calder Trophy (2014), Lady Byng Trophy (2020)	Awards: Stanley Cup (2022)	Awards: Stanley Cup (2001)	Awards: Stanley Cup (2022), Conn Smythe Trophy (2022), Norris Trophy (2022)

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Blake has been the most common request, so he's on next. My apologies go to his headshot, hockeydb only has two pictures of him, both from the extremely 90s Kings era.

Click to read more...

 

[Ceremony]

Since this one could actually go a number of different ways, I'm going to say the answer here is clearly MacKinnon. He's been the best and most productive forward on the team for the past six seasons. He's been productive, entertaining and successful enough and for long enough to surpass Hejduk.

 

[Vaslof]

Makar could surpass MacKinnon one day, but isn't there yet.

 

[Bonzai12]

Add Claude

 

[The Abusement Park]

Makar for me. Was the most integral part of the cup run and was the catalyst in turning this team from a playoff team to a contender. Also has the highest peak of any player outside of the 3 guys voted in before him.

 

[95snipes]

Makar for me. Was the most integral part of the cup run and was the catalyst in turning this team from a playoff team to a contender. Also has the highest peak of any player outside of the 3 guys voted in before him.

The bolded is true, but at the same time if Makar was drafted in '13 and then MacKinnon came after then that same argument could be used in MacKinnon's favor. Both were needed to win it all.

I think peak season is somewhat debatable too. MacKinnon's '18 and '20 seasons were very good.

 

[sethro109]

Makar for me. Was the most integral part of the cup run and was the catalyst in turning this team from a playoff team to a contender. Also has the highest peak of any player outside of the 3 guys voted in before him.

Both MacK and Makar were equally important to win the cup. No way we win with Makar and no MacK. Makar definitely put us over the top, but that's only because he came later.

MacK has dug this team out of the shitter one we were freed of Duchene and he was able to completely take the reigns as the team's leading forward.

 

[MacKaRant]

All respect to MacKinnon for his longer years of service and his elite talent, but Makar is just such a difference makar on the backend.

 

[missionAvs]

MacK and then Frail Cale.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Both MacK and Makar were equally important to win the cup. No way we win with Makar and no MacK. Makar definitely put us over the top, but that's only because he came later.

MacK has dug this team out of the shitter one we were freed of Duchene and he was able to completely take the reigns as the team's leading forward.

I mean both were super good I'm not saying otherwise. But Makar was the best player on that run bar none, arguably the best Cup run by a dman sine Leetch. We need both to win for sure, but I just think while Mack is obviously an elite player in his own right Makar is just a special talent on D that it puts him over Mack for me.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

MacK.

Add Tanguay.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

MacK.

Add Tanguay.

Interesting choice. How heavily influenced is it by Game 7?

I'd like to see Damphouse next.

Just kidding, it's either Kamensky or Pepe for me.

 

[GeoRox89]

This is a hard one for me to since Makar is my 3rd all time favourite player and only narrowly behind Sakic at 2. Mack sits in my clear third tier that’s a real pick’em with Foppa and Roy

Even for me the answer to this today is still Mack. He showed again this year this is still his team. While Makar’s 21-22 season is better than any season Mack has had, Mack still has the better legacy to date. I suspect one day we may see Makar as the very clear #2 on this list with a legit chance to challenge Sakic for #1 but that day is not today

Edit: Also on the adding Tanguay train. Won a Cup, game 7 heroics, played 9 seasons including a few years with Landy/Mack/Condor, consistent 65+ point player in his first stint and a fantastic playmaking winger which is a rare skill set

 

[BrickNHL]

Nate
Cale
Mikko

My next picks

 

[Bonzai12]

Mikko is a really tough vote for me despite how talented he is - I want to believe he’s gonna be around long term but if somehow he wasn’t an Av after his contract is up, there’s a ton of other guys that were Avs for 8+ years that I would put in front of him.

 

[McMetal]

It's just so speculative now when you're getting into guys who haven't finished their careers yet, or are just getting started. I'm going to have to take the totality of past performances into account, instead of projecting what might or might not happen. In that case, MacKinnon gets the nod. I think if we redid this in 15 years, Makar probably finishes above him, but we're doing this in 2023, so for now it's Nate Dogg until somebody steps up to replicate his performance as a top 5 player in the league.

 

[Bonzai12]

It's just so speculative now when you're getting into guys who haven't finished their careers yet, or are just getting started. I'm going to have to take the totality of past performances into account, instead of projecting what might or might not happen. In that case, MacKinnon gets the nod. I think if we redid this in 15 years, Makar probably finishes above him, but we're doing this in 2023, so for now it's Nate Dogg until somebody steps up to replicate his performance as a top 5 player in the league.

My thoughts exactly

 

[MacKaRant]

It's just so speculative now when you're getting into guys who haven't finished their careers yet, or are just getting started. I'm going to have to take the totality of past performances into account, instead of projecting what might or might not happen.

I think I've been interpreting "greatest" different than others. I'm less concerned about longevity, but more amount peaks and level of impact in our three Cup successes. That's the beauty of @Ceremony's prompt, we can ask choose what we value the most and what it means to be "greatest."

 

[Ceremony]

Rantanen's been a comfortably PPG+ player for the past six seasons. He's been part of the best line in team history, and now he has the third most goals in a single season for the Avalanche. Based purely on numbers, it's hard to put many in front of him.

This is why I left it as open ended as I did. I wanted arguments.

 

[Bonzai12]

Rantanen's been a comfortably PPG+ player for the past six seasons. He's been part of the best line in team history, and now he has the third most goals in a single season for the Avalanche. Based purely on numbers, it's hard to put many in front of him.

This is why I left it as open ended as I did. I wanted arguments.

Mikko never played on Foppas line

 

[BleedWell]

Rantanen's been a comfortably PPG+ player for the past six seasons. He's been part of the best line in team history, and now he has the third most goals in a single season for the Avalanche. Based purely on numbers, it's hard to put many in front of him.

This is why I left it as open ended as I did. I wanted arguments.

Third most?
He has most.

 

[henchman21]

Makar… 2nd best player in the world and the awards to back it up.

 

[Hennessy]

Add McLeod.
What? He's one of the longest-tenured Avs.

(don't add McLeod)

 

[expatriatedtexan]

At what point does the legend Shjon Podein get added? Still can't believe he wore his whole get-up for 24+ hours after winning the Cup. That's gotta count for something towards greatest Avs status.

 

[Ceremony]

Third most?
He has most.

I got him mixed up with the Quebec records. Whoops. Another point in his favour then.