Most Talented Hockey Players of All Time #4 (Post Expansion)

[blundluntman]

Who is the 4th most Talented (Post-Expansion) Hockey Player of all time?

Talent- Natural ability/skill.

Whether you prioritize the versatility, unique blend, or dynamic level of their natural abilities is up to you. I guess that's where the debate part of things comes in.

1. Mario Lemieux
2. Wayne Gretzky
3. Bobby Orr

 

[RustyCat]

Should add Bryan Fogarty to this list. A tragic case but a phenomenal talent

 

[blundluntman]

Should add Bryan Fogarty to this list. A tragic case but a phenomenal talent

No space left for this round but if nobody else receives more recommendations I'll add him to the next one.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Still McDavid

 

[amnesiac]

add Kucherov and Draisaitl

Should add Bryan Fogarty to this list. A tragic case but a phenomenal talent

what? the guy played 156 NHL games

 

[authentic]

If Lemieux is ahead of Gretzky shouldn’t Orr be too? It makes more sense to me to have Gretzky either 1st or 3rd. But I guess that’s just the way the voting turned out.

 

[bobholly39]

If Lemieux is ahead of Gretzky shouldn’t Orr be too? It makes more sense to me to have Gretzky either 1st or 3rd. But I guess that’s just the way the voting turned out.

Yes - Orr should be ahead, definitely. And yes - it's just the way voting turned out because this is HF and Orr isn't as valued as he should be.

Honestly it's probably close between Orr and Lemieux for #1, than Gretzky for #3.

 

[Machinehead]

If Lemieux is ahead of Gretzky shouldn’t Orr be too? It makes more sense to me to have Gretzky either 1st or 3rd. But I guess that’s just the way the voting turned out.

I don't know, I feel like "talent" is often confused for athleticism or dynamism.

I mean, Gretzky was not that fast and about a buck-60 and he put up 215 points. Is that not talent?

 

[wetcoast]

I don't know, I feel like "talent" is often confused for athleticism or dynamism.

I mean, Gretzky was not that fast and about a buck-60 and he put up 215 points. Is that not talent?

That's the problem with these polls, it's entirely subjective, more so than most other polls.

I mean the highlight reel of Kent Nilsson is simply amazing but he didn't bring the work effort to his game enough.

 

[elmaco]

Yes - Orr should be ahead, definitely. And yes - it's just the way voting turned out because this is HF and Orr isn't as valued as he should be.

Honestly it's probably close between Orr and Lemieux for #1, than Gretzky for #3.

Only North Americans seem to know who Bobby Orr is, he's not that known worldwide, as some of the other retro stars are.

 

[Regal]

That's the problem with these polls, it's entirely subjective, more so than most other polls.

I mean the highlight reel of Kent Nilsson is simply amazing but he didn't bring the work effort to his game enough.

Which speaks to another problem for me though and that’s whether we overrate flash when it comes to talent. I think the little things like protecting the puck, finding open space, being able to get shots off quickly and from bad angles (as opposed to a great shot with time and space) can all be considered talent but often aren’t talked about enough.

 

[wetcoast]

Which speaks to another problem for me though and that’s whether we overrate flash when it comes to talent. I think the little things like protecting the puck, finding open space, being able to get shots off quickly and from bad angles (as opposed to a great shot with time and space) can all be considered talent but often aren’t talked about enough.

Let's face most people are using the term best player, be it peak or prime for this exercise and not even thinking it through...like in most polls.

 

[Regal]

what? the guy played 156 NHL games

Dynamite guitarist though

 

[authentic]

I don't know, I feel like "talent" is often confused for athleticism or dynamism.

I mean, Gretzky was not that fast and about a buck-60 and he put up 215 points. Is that not talent?

Yeah but in the way Lemieux is more talented than Gretzky so is Orr. So have Gretzky ahead or behind both.

 

[psycat]

I kinda want to vote Hasek.

 

[psycat]

Only North Americans seem to know who Bobby Orr is, he's not that known worldwide, as some of the other retro stars are.

He is 3rd on the list, hardly any huge slight even if you believe he should be higher.

 

[elmaco]

He is 3rd on the list, hardly any huge slight even if you believe he should be higher.

Actually, i believe he should be lower. Great peak, career not so much.

 

[NVious]

The next tier is McDavid/Howe/Hasek however you want to rank them.

 

[blundluntman]

That's the problem with these polls, it's entirely subjective, more so than most other polls.

I mean the highlight reel of Kent Nilsson is simply amazing but he didn't bring the work effort to his game enough.

Which speaks to another problem for me though and that’s whether we overrate flash when it comes to talent. I think the little things like protecting the puck, finding open space, being able to get shots off quickly and from bad angles (as opposed to a great shot with time and space) can all be considered talent but often aren’t talked about enough.

I agree as far as it being subjective. I think that's where the discussion part of the poll comes in though. I'd originally included this excerpt in the first poll:

Talent- Natural ability/skill.
Whether you prioritize the versatility, unique blend, or dynamic level of their natural abilities is up to you. I guess that's where the debate part of things comes in.

(Forgot to paste it into poll 2 so it didn't carry over but that should probably help people at least feel the need to explain their reasoning.)

Either way, I don't expect the poll to be an end all be all objective list, just an excuse for people to discuss the subject.