Mikko Rantanen Or John LeClair?

[DitchMarner]

Two sidekicks to great players that are/were quite good in their own right...

Who's the better prime player?

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[amnesiac]

close.... edge to Rantanen. Has a few more high scoring years than LeClair, and will continue to add

 

[centipede2233]

Similar offensively, but I think Rantanen will have a much longer prime than Leclair.

 

[Albatros]

LeClair was nothing special outside the Legion of Doom.

 

[SillyRabbit]

LeClair was nothing special outside the Legion of Doom.

In 1997 when Lindros missed 30 games, LeClair finished 4th in league scoring.

In fact he has two top 5 finishes in scoring to Rantanen's zero.

I do agree with the above poster who said that Rantanen will have a longer prime, but LeClair did have a really nice 6 season stretch where he was 4-13th in league scoring in each of those years

 

[Mulletman]

LeClair! This isn't even close! Playing in the dead puck era against real men putting up 50 goal seasons vs a guy who's barely able to skate being carried by the 2nd best forward and best defenseman in a buttery soft league.

 

[Albatros]

In 1997 when Lindros missed 30 games, LeClair finished 4th in league scoring.

In fact he has two top 5 finishes in scoring to Rantanen's zero.

I do agree with the above poster who said that Rantanen will have a longer prime, but LeClair did have a really nice 6 season stretch where he was 4-13th in league scoring in each of those years

So? He was underwhelming in Montréal and soon trending down even in Philadelphia. Having three to five solid years doesn't make a great career. Even within your "really nice stretch" he was a key element in losing as the biggest cup favorites to Buffalo in the first playoff round in '98 and disappointing every year since. Had 89 points in 154 playoff games in his career overall, Rantanen already has 101 in 81.

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

LeClair was my favorite player growing up, this is Rantanen and it should be in a landslide. LeClair never showed up in the playoffs how he should have it seemed.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

So? He was underwhelming in Montréal and soon trending down even in Philadelphia. Having three to five solid years doesn't make a great career. Even within your "really nice stretch" he was a key element in losing as the biggest cup favorites to Buffalo in the first playoff round in '98 and disappointing every year since. Had 89 points in 154 playoff games in his career overall, Rantanen already has 101 in 81.

I agree rantanen is better but Leclair gets a free pass in mtl forever for what he did in the 93 finals in those overtimes

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

In 1997 when Lindros missed 30 games, LeClair finished 4th in league scoring.

In fact he has two top 5 finishes in scoring to Rantanen's zero.

I do agree with the above poster who said that Rantanen will have a longer prime, but LeClair did have a really nice 6 season stretch where he was 4-13th in league scoring in each of those years

LeClair had 22 points and was tied 21st with eight other players in league scoring during the 23 games Lindros missed to start the season.

In his next 59 games he scored 75 points, fewer than Lindros’ 79 points playing 52 games during that span.

LeClair wasn’t a chump, but I’m not sure he was ever a top 5 scorer without Lindros there for large stretches.

 

[Albatros]

I agree rantanen is better but Leclair gets a free pass in mtl forever for what he did in the 93 finals in those overtimes

Sure, but it elevated his reputation too much after what was really 118 points in 224 games (age 21-25). But he was the right type of player at the right time in the late 90s, and of course the Legion of Doom was rightfully feared.

 

[mja]

LeClair was nothing special outside the Legion of Doom.

LeClair had 22 points and was tied 21st with eight other players in league scoring during the 23 games Lindros missed to start the season.

In his next 59 games he scored 75 points, fewer than Lindros’ 79 points playing 52 games during that span.

LeClair wasn’t a chump, but I’m not sure he was ever a top 5 scorer without Lindros there for large stretches.

Here comes the part where I point out that Lindros & LeClair were broken up for much of the 97-98 season even when E was healthy, mostly as a way to try to get Chris Gratton going and justify his signing. LeClair led the team in scoring with 51 goals and 87 points, and not coincidentally Gratton broke 40 assists for the only time in his career.

LeClair was a great player during his peak, even away from Lindros.

 

[wetcoast]

LeClair!

Wrong

This isn't even close!

You are right here as it's Rantanen and it's a clear edge.

Playing in the dead puck era against real men putting up 50 goal seasons vs a guy who's barely able to skate being carried by the 2nd best forward and best defenseman in a buttery soft league.

Rantanen can barely skate?

Can you please share whatever you are having sounds like it's mind-blowing.

 

[Albatros]

Here comes the part where I point out that Lindros & LeClair were broken up for much of the 97-98 season even when E was healthy, mostly as a way to try to get Chris Gratton going and justify his signing. LeClair led the team in scoring with 51 goals and 87 points, and not coincidentally Gratton broke 40 assists for the only time in his career.

Gratton scored exactly the same points in Tampa the year before, just more goals and fewer assists.

 

[wetcoast]

Here comes the part where I point out that Lindros & LeClair were broken up for much of the 97-98 season even when E was healthy, mostly as a way to try to get Chris Gratton going and justify his signing. LeClair led the team in scoring with 51 goals and 87 points, and not coincidentally Gratton broke 40 assists for the only time in his career.

Yet Lindros was involved in 30 of Leclaire's scoring plays while Gratton it was 18 and like it has been mentioned Lindros missed 19 games.

Gratton also finished with 62 points, which was the exact same as the year before in TB yes he did have 8 more assists but LeClair was also more of a goal scorer than the guys chris played with the year before.

LeClair was a great player during his peak, even away from Lindros.

But he suddenly exploded when he was traded at age 25 so that doesn't really pass the smell test?

 

[mja]

Gratton scored exactly the same points in Tampa the year before, just more goals and fewer assists.

Yet Lindros was involved in 30 of Leclaire's scoring plays while Gratton it was 18 and like it has been mentioned Lindros missed 19 games.

Gratton also finished with 62 points, which was the exact same as the year before in TB yes he did have 8 more assists but LeClair was also more of a goal scorer than the guys chris played with the year before.




But he suddenly exploded when he was traded at age 25 so that doesn't really pass the smell test?

Guys, I watched almost every game that season. How about you?

Gratton was rudderless early on until he got paired with LeClair (CG was under a lot of pressure signing that offer sheet), while Brind'Amour slid over to LW with Lindros and notched his first and only 30+ goal season in the DPE. LeClair still had plenty of PP time with Lindros, to be sure, and they weren't split up the entire year, but LeClair straight salvaged Gratton's season. It wasn't enough to salvage his stint with the Flyers, however, as away from LeClair he wasn't productive, and he would be traded back to Tampa early on the following year, the signing an abject failure.

Lindros was absolutely instrumental in helping LeClair grow into the player he became, but make no mistake about it, LeClair during his peak was a truly great player even when Lindros wasn't centering him.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Here comes the part where I point out that Lindros & LeClair were broken up for much of the 97-98 season even when E was healthy, mostly as a way to try to get Chris Gratton going and justify his signing. LeClair led the team in scoring with 51 goals and 87 points, and not coincidentally Gratton broke 40 assists for the only time in his career.

LeClair was a great player during his peak, even away from Lindros.

That’s interesting, but Lindros still had a point on 34 of Leclair’s 87 points in 1997-98. Gratton assisted on 12 of LeClair’s goals, Lindros on 22.

Lindros’ longest stretch of missed games this season were between March 8 and April 11, 1998. LeClair scored 11 goals (tied 1st with four others: great) and 4 assists for 16 points in 18 games. Fellow Flyers Rod Brind’Amour (19), Mike Sillinger and Alexandre Daigle (17 each) outscored LeClair during this stretch. LeClair was great, but I think whether Lindros centers his line or LeClair leads his own one, one might argue a healthy Lindros was his best friend.

I do agree LeClair was a very good player in his prime and him scoring pretty consistently without Lindros/despite Gratton his center is a testament to that. I still struggle buying the idea that LeClair would have been a top 5 scorer without Lindros.