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Just how good was Bryan Trottier?

I didn't watch him, but according to what I've read he was a quintessential all-around centre who could put up points, play defense and be physical.


He had some impressive scoring/PPG finishes for a player as well-rounded as he was...


1978: Second in scoring and PPG

1979: First in scoring and PPG

1980: Sixth in scoring and tied for seventh in PPG

1982: Fifth in scoring and PPG

1984: Eighth in scoring and tied for fifth in PPG (tied for fourth among players that played at least ten games)
 
I only saw Trotts after the mid-80s when he was starting to slow down. But I've always thought that his 1978-79 must rate as one of the greatest regular seasons in NHL history (okay, Gretzky/Orr aside):

Missing 4 games, he puts up 47 goals (5th), 87 assists (1st), 134 points (1st), goes +76 (1st), and has the 3rd-best shooting percentage. Meanwhile, his team gets 116 points and finishes 1st overall.
 
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Maybe Dave Keon, but with more offensive ability? Keon spent his best years in a low scoring era, and on a low scoring, defense first team, so that deflated his stats. Both were excellent two way players, were very smart, and had an edge to them.
 
THE center that could be counted on in every situation a winning team
Would face.
 
Eisen said:
It really doesn't without context.
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Fine. As one who watched the Isles since the early 70's and was a big Trots fan, the poster who called him the best 2-way center in NHL history is pretty much correct.

Did EVERYTHING. Great at faceoffs, took the body AND you FELT it. High point totals. Killed penalties. Won corner battles all the time.

Just check out the career stats.

Gretzky admired him.

About the only thing we didn't know was how good he was with the dukes . . . but he had Gillies, Nystrom, Langevin, Lane, Howatt and plenty of others to handle that on the team.

 
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GlitchMarner said:
What about Bobby Clarke at his best?
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Trottier was a better all-around player. Clarke was better defensively, but not by much, but Trottier was a full rung above Clarke in terms of being offensively gifted - Clarke was never much of a goal-scorer, but Trottier could put the puck in the net. I'd take Trottier over Clarke to build a team around.
 
Iron Mike Sharpe said:
Trottier was a better all-around player. Clarke was better defensively, but not by much, but Trottier was a full rung above Clarke in terms of being offensively gifted - Clarke was never much of a goal-scorer, but Trottier could put the puck in the net. I'd take Trottier over Clarke to build a team around.
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I'd take Clarke over Trottier, but that's no slight against Trottier. Clarke was actually much better than most forwards defensively, including other defensively responsible forwards like Trottier. Clarke's multiple Harts, beating out the likes of Orr and Lafleur, highlight that. And, Clarke was a master playmaker.

Goal scoring: Trottier
Physical play: Trottier
Defensive play: Clarke
Playmaking: Clarke
 
2LeftSkates said:
With 6 Stanley Cup rings to Clarke's 2.
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Trottier, Bossy, Potvin, Gillies, Goring, Sutter, Bourne, Smith...

Clarke, Parent...um, Barber, Macliesh, Leach... um.. Ashbee.., er.. um. that's about it.

Clarke, with the help of the brick wall Parent, took an over-achieving team on his back to four Cup appearances and two straight victories. Meanwhile, the Islanders were an all-round all-star team with no weaknesses and three of the greatest players of their era (Trottier, Bossy and Potvin) plus an exceptional supporting cast. The Flyers had to deal with the Bruins and the Canadien dynasty, which gained traction in time to prevent a third Flyer Stanley Cup. The Islanders were cruising through playoff pretenders until the Oiler dynasty was ready.

Using that argument, it's still Clarke.
 
Cursed Lemon said:
The Steve Yzerman of the 70s/80s.

Or, Steve Yzerman was the Trottier of the 80s/90s.

Only difference is that Trottier played on a powerhouse in the first half of his career, while Yzerman played on a powerhouse in the second half of his career.
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No. You can't underestimate the sandpaper and physicality of Trottier. He was a shorter Eric Lindros.
 
Dennis Bonvie said:
Until Gretzky's Oilers won their first Cup, many people in the game still felt Trottier was the better player.
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Yes, but just as many couldn't decide who was the best on his own team. Bossy and Potvin have also been named as the best Islander during that era. For me, it's Potvin.
 
57special said:
I'd take Trottier over Clarke anyday. Especially under today's rules.
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Clarke vs Trottier at a glance

Hart Trophies
Clarke: 3
Trottier: 1

Hart Top 10 Votes
Clarke: 10 times (1st (three times), 2nd, 4th, 6th (twice), 8th, 10th (twice))
Trottier: 5 fimes (1st, 2nd (twice), 3rd, 5th)

Art Ross
Trottier: 1
Clarke: 0

Top 10 scoring
Clarke: 7 (2nd twice, 5th, 6th, 8th twice, 10th)
Trottier: 6 (1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th)

Conn Smythe
Trottier: 1
Clarke: 0

Selke
Clarke: 1
Trottier: 0
 
DannyGallivan said:
Clarke vs Trottier at a glance

Hart Trophies
Clarke: 3
Trottier: 1

Hart Top 10 Votes
Clarke: 10 times (1st (three times), 2nd, 4th, 6th (twice), 8th, 10th (twice))
Trottier: 5 fimes (1st, 2nd (twice), 3rd, 5th)

Art Ross
Trottier: 1
Clarke: 0

Top 10 scoring
Clarke: 7 (2nd twice, 5th, 6th, 8th twice, 10th)
Trottier: 6 (1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th)

Conn Smythe
Trottier: 1
Clarke: 0

Selke
Clarke: 1
Trottier: 0
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To be fair Trottier's trophy case would be slightly heavier if it weren't for one Wayne Gretzky (e.g. 81-82 Hart Trophy, couple more end-of-season All-Star nods, not to mention a 5th Stanley Cup) . Clarke benefitted from being in between Orr's and Gretzky's primes and didn't overlap with the same sort of heavyweight generational talent that Trottier did.
 
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McGuillicuddy said:
To be fair Trottier's trophy case would be slightly heavier if it weren't for one Wayne Gretzky (e.g. 81-82 Hart Trophy, couple more end-of-season All-Star nods, not to mention a 5th Stanley Cup) . Clarke benefitted from being in between Orr's and Gretzky's primes and didn't overlap with the same sort of heavyweight generational talent that Trottier did.
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Hence, I added Hart Trophy Votes (top 10) as well. Clarke had 10, Trottier had 5.
 
I saw an interview where Gordie Howe actually said he would take Trottier OVER Gretzky because he "does more for the team", meaning if you figure in his hitting and greater attention to defense. This quote was probably from the EARLY '80's because I've seen other interviews where Gordie said Gretzky was the "greatest". This was probably a few years later when Wayne was accumulating all-time records that will most likely never be broken? No doubt he meant that Gretzky was the most TALENTED? But the original quote about Trottier is pretty impressive because it was already known what a phenom Wayne was?
 
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