Kopitar vs Bergeron

[FrankSidebottom]

The two HHOFers. Who had a better career and who was a better player over the last 15 years?

Click to read more...

 

[Coffee]

Definitely Bergeron on both accounts.


Think of a new poll, because this ones ending fast

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I love Bergeron but Kopitar has been carrying that king's offense for over a decade while playing incredible 2 way hockey. Just a more dominant overall player.

 

[Montreal Shadow]

Kopitar was better on offense but not by an enormous amount. Pastrnak and Marchand are also better than any forward Kopitar has played with.

Kopitar has scored 100 more points in roughly the same number of games but Bergeron has a mind-boggling 6 Selke trophies to Kopitar’s two, although I would argue Kopitar should have one more. It’s also hard to tell how much the Selke is really worth since it’s such a reputation-based award.

And Kopitar has two cups to Bergeron’s one.

Man, that’s a tough one.

 

[BringTheReign]

Put Kopitar in Boston and Bergeron in LA over their entire careers. I have zero doubt Kopitar has more Selkes and has an even larger lead in total points playing the with the wingers and 1st power play unit the Bruins have been able to roll out in the past 7+ years when Bergeron went from 2-2.5 pts/60 to 3 pts/60. Bergeron is a first-ballot HHOFer, but Kopitar’s size and natural tools are just a slight step above. Totally here for an argument that Bergeron had a better career even if I disagree, but I strongly feel Kopitar’s output and playoff performances point to him being the better player by a small margin.

I think another way to look at this is in his absolute best years, I think you could’ve said Kopitar was a top 3 center. There was Sid, and then you could’ve argued him head-to-head versus anyone else in the league. He had a strong case for the Hart the year Hall won, and similarly for the Conn Smythe in 2014.

 

[Coffee]

Put Kopitar in Boston and Bergeron in LA over their entire careers. I have zero doubt Kopitar has more Selkes and has an even larger lead in total points playing the with the wingers and 1st power play unit the Bruins have been able to roll out in the past 7+ years when Bergeron went from 2-2.5 pts/60 to 3 pts/60. Bergeron is a first-ballot HHOFer, but Kopitar’s size and natural tools are just a slight step above. Totally here for an argument that Bergeron had a better career even if I disagree, but I strongly feel Kopitar’s output and playoff performances point to him being the better player by a small margin.

I think another way to look at this is in his absolute best years, I think you could’ve said Kopitar was a top 3 center. There was Sid, and then you could’ve argued him head-to-head versus anyone else in the league. He had a strong case for the Hart the year Hall won, and similarly for the Conn Smythe in 2014.

What a bogus and classless claim to make!

The year Bergeron retires, and you are playing the fun game of “what if”

It’s a fun game of parameters, unfortunately we can only look at what is, as destiny chose it.

I do apologize for the aggressive reply, but that’s all to put the emphasis on look at Bergeron with out the homer glasses.


Kind regards,

Love Coffee

 

[Buck Naked]

Too close to call, to be honest. Add that as an option.

 

[Primary Assist]

Kopitar has the higher peak as the superior offensive player, I'd argue Bergeron the better career with the 6 Selkes. Kopi was huge in both Cup wins and that can't be discounted, but largely due to media markets and nations of origin I think Bergeron is remembered slightly more fondly by the hockey world in 10-15 years.

But they probably have nearly identical careers if they somehow played for the other team instead.

 

[Fatass]

Both were great. Kopitar is a bit greater.

 

[FrankSidebottom]

Definitely Bergeron on both accounts.


Think of a new poll, because this ones ending fast

The result shows you’re wrong

 

[Haatley]

Not sure how this isn't the 6 time selke award winner on both accounts.

 

[JackSlater]

I think Kopitar was a bit better. Don't care about the Selkes, Bergeron was the better defensive player and that's obvious and it just happens that there is a trophy for the thing he was best at. Kopitar was better offensively and still quite good defensively.

 

[norrisnick]

Kopitar.

Jere Lehtinen didn't have a better career than Henrik Zetterberg.

 

[BringTheReign]

What a bogus and classless claim to make!

The year Bergeron retires, and you are playing the fun game of “what if”

It’s a fun game of parameters, unfortunately we can only look at what is, as destiny chose it.

I do apologize for the aggressive reply, but that’s all to put the emphasis on look at Bergeron with out the homer glasses.


Kind regards,

Love Coffee

1. Calm down.
2. Classless? If anything you disrespected Kopitar more than anyone here disrespected Bergeron with your comment that the poll should be closed because it wouldn’t be a contest.

3. Na na na na na na Kopitar is better.

 

[Frolov 6'3]

Too close to call, to be honest. Add that as an option.

This.

Always hate stuff like this when fans/homers fall over each other with negativity about two similar/great players.

Useless.

 

[BraveCanadian]

For me it is Kopitar. He's better offensively more than Bergeron is better defensively and Kopitar has been -the man- in LA for so long through thick and thin. An absolute stud in LAs two Cup wins.

His stats would probably be even better if he didn't play for Sutter through a bunch of his prime, but that may also be why he was so strong defensively himself.

 

[centipede2233]

I’ll say kopitar for the mere fact bergeron has had better support than kopitar has. At the end of the day, I just think kopitar did more with less.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Kopitar is one of the most underrated, underappreciated and under the radar players in league history. He's better and has had the better career, and that doesn't take anything away from Bergeron.

 

[banks]

Really close. Kopitar clearly has the higher scoring seasons. But it's not by that much. I'd say Bergeron might have still been better.

Bergeron was my first instinct, admittedly with some graduation goggles on. Someone who makes a decent enough argument could change my mind.

 

[norrisnick]

Really close. Kopitar clearly has the higher scoring seasons. But it's not by that much. I'd say Bergeron might have still been better.

Bergeron was my first instinct, admittedly with some graduation goggles on. Someone who makes a decent enough argument could change my mind.

The stat that I always go to whenever Kopitar comes around is this one. He has led the Kings in scoring for 15 of his 17 seasons. One of those he missed was his rookie year. He has been everything for that franchise since he joined the league.

 

[PB37]

For me it is Kopitar. He's better offensively more than Bergeron is better defensively and Kopitar has been -the man- in LA for so long through thick and thin. An absolute stud in LAs two Cup wins.

His stats would probably be even better if he didn't play for Sutter through a bunch of his prime, but that may also be why he was so strong defensively himself.

Bergeron was a Selke nominee for 12 straight years and is considered to be one of the best all time defensively. Kopitar has had some dips in years where he wasn't very good defensively but is still considered one of the best of his generation. I don't think they're that close in this area.

Bergeron per 82 games averaged 66 points for his career. Kopitar to date has averaged 73 per 82. To me, that's a lot closer than their defensive game but full kudos to Kopitar here - he was better offensively.

Your argument about the coach could also be applied to Claude Julien for Bergeron. It wasn't until Cassidy came along that Bergeron started being used more of like a traditonal 1st line center and put him in more offensive situations.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Bergeron was a Selke nominee for 12 straight years and is considered to be one of the best all time defensively. Kopitar has had some dips in years where he wasn't very good defensively but is still considered one of the best of his generation. I don't think they're that close in this area.

Bergeron per 82 games averaged 66 points for his career. Kopitar to date has averaged 73 per 82. To me, that's a lot closer than their defensive game but full kudos to Kopitar here - he was better offensively.

Your argument about the coach could also be applied to Claude Julien for Bergeron. It wasn't until Cassidy came along that Bergeron started being used more of like a traditonal 1st line center and put him in more offensive situations.

I would expect you to disagree, Patrice, but it isn't purely the numbers, either. Kopitar hasn't had the supporting cast that you did for long stretches, either.

 

[Xirik]

wish I could have voted "too close to call". Feels awful voting one over the other.

 

[Despote]

I don't think you can go wrong here. Kopitar was better at his absolute peak, but as with nearly every other two-way guy, his defensive game didn't have nearly the longevity as Bergeron's.

Bergeron was legitimately selke level for more than a dozen seasons in a row, not just reputation.

 

[Regal]

I would take probably Kopitar at his best slightly over Bergeron because I do think his offense was better and Kopitar was also a great head to head center, but while linemates might have helped mask any decline I think Bergeron has been more consistent in his 30s both offensively and defensively, and I might give him the nod for overall career.