(Of These) Who's the best player younger than Mario Lemieux?

[Hockey Outsider]

To add to the discussion on Bill Durnan - yes, he was named the league's best goalie six times in his eight year career (first-team all-star). But two of those were during the talent-depleted WWII years. He was quite literally playing against minor-league goalies. The goalies with the most games played during that period, aside from Durnan, were Ken McAuley (immediately out of the NHL after WWII), Mike Karakas (one season after WWII), Paul Bibeault (less than 70 games spread over three years after WWII), Frank McCool (one season after WWII) and Bert Gardiner (immediately out of the NHL after WWII). Someone had to be named best goalie each year, and Durnan was the only NHL-calibre goalie who wasn't pulled into the Armed Forces.

Brimsek was named best or 2nd best goalie eight times in his career. He wasn't in the NHL in 1944 and 1945, so his record wasn't boosted by weak competition.

In the end, if we discard the WWII-depleted seasons, Durnan was named the best goalie four times against NHL-level competition. Brimsek was "only" named the best goalie twice, but he was named runner-up six times (and he played in significantly more games overall - and both of his Stanley Cup wins were against NHL-calibre opponents). I'm not saying that Brimsek was definitely better, but there's certainly an argument.

 

[JaegerDice]

Crosby or Forsberg. Went Forsberg for nostalgia. Crosby is probably the correct answer.

 

[Ben White]

Selanne and Forsberg don’t seem like they belong here.

Lol another one of those ignorant Sakic > Forsberg believers. You disagree with the entire Avs’ community.

It’s McDavid but out of these options I prefer Forsberg as an all around player, playoff warrior and peak ability, by more conventional (popular) measures it’s probably Crosby.

 

[wasunder]

Crosby or ovie, can make an argument for either one

 

[Regal]

I won't give Crosby credit for leading the league in PPG in 11-12. For one, it was only 22 games.

For two, Malkin had more points in that same 22 game stretch.

Howe finished top 5 in points 20 consecutive seasons.

Finishing third in points in 1950. Then did it again 19 years later in 1969. That's the equivalent to Crosby doing it in 2026. Or 2028 by age.

I agree with 11-12. Malkin was awesome that year. But I still doubt Crosby doesn’t finish at least 2nd in PPG with enough games. It was clear no one else after Malkin was that close at the time, though Stamkos and Giroux aren’t exactly the best competition.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Lol another one of those ignorant Sakic > Forsberg believers. You disagree with the entire Avs’ community.

Not any of the Avs fans that I personally know.

But Sakic is hardly a top contender for the top of this list anyway.

 

[Ben White]

Not any of the Avs fans that I personally know.

But Sakic is hardly a top contender for the top of this list anyway.

Ok I’ll just dump this here. From the Avs’ board:

Forsberg vs Sakic

Ok hardcore Avs’ fans, let’s get down to it. Thought I had to get in here to get a real answer. Who was the better player, primed and healthy, Forsberg or Sakic?

forums.hfboards.com

 

[Video Nasty]

Ok I’ll just dump this here. From the Avs’ board:

Forsberg vs Sakic

Ok hardcore Avs’ fans, let’s get down to it. Thought I had to get in here to get a real answer. Who was the better player, primed and healthy, Forsberg or Sakic?

forums.hfboards.com

Honestly, what is so mystifying about why someone would choose Sakic over Forsberg? The only fair way to assess these players is to take what we got in real life and compare.

Sakic was the first line center in reality. Forsberg was the more talented player, but couldn’t be counted on as much.

He missed a ton of time. How do you construct a team around a player who missed 33, 9, 82, 7, and 43 games during final 5 seasons they played for you? As well as the entire second half of a Cup winning playoff run.

Sakic played twice as many games as Forsberg. Sakic was not some merely good player whose career revolved around accumulation from being healthy. There is value to him having double the career of Forsberg.

It comes down to preference. I can only go so far with the fantasy what if scenarios. Depending on the job, I’d prefer the slightly less talented person who punches the clock for the majority of the time they’re scheduled and is pretty reliable compared to the more talented, fairly constant headache who requires me to move other guys around to compensate for not being there.

Forsberg was not Mario Lemieux, who is the only elite player who frequently missed time that leaps to mind who is worth that kind of headache.

More talented than Sakic, but I have to go with the reality that we know.

 

[George Clooney]

Missing the nobody option