Pavel Bure

[TheBig08]

What would Pavel Bure's career look like if never got injured and what would his totals be, what awards would he have and where would rank all time on the goals list

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[Professor What]

Might have won another goal scoring title. Probably not much else as far as awards go unless you count all-star nods. As far as goal totals, 600, maybe 700, assuming he also has a longer career.

 

[TheBig08]

Might have won another goal scoring title. Probably not much else as far as awards go unless you count all-star nods. As far as goal totals, 600, maybe 700, assuming he also has a longer career.

how long do u think his consistency/longevity would have lasted?

 

[Professor What]

how long do u think his consistency/longevity would have lasted?

It wouldn't have had to be otherworldly. If we cut out injuries in the career he had, I think you can easily get him to 500. If he remains a 35-40 goal scorer into his mid-30s, that's probably another ~150 goals. So, if he has a decent wind down, he's a 600-650. Good longevity, playing to his late 30s, or maybe to 40 could get him to 700 I think.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

I see no way Bure plays until his late 30s or 40s just doesn't seem like the type... maybe give him one or two more years, say he plays 05/06 then retires.

Anyways, Bure without injuries? Probably 600 goals... Do we assume he still goes to the Panthers and then Rangers?

 

[Sentinel]

I don't see him doing worse than Selanne.

 

[Felidae]

I don't see him doing worse than Selanne.

Hmm idk.

I feel like Bure was more of a physical freak than Selanne. Faster, stronger, better shot...

I'm not sure a mid to late 30s Bure would have aged as gracefully as Selanne, who imo, was more reliant on his smarts.

 

[MadLuke]

There some all-time world class athlete aura a bit around Bure, so who knows, could have aged specially well, was still scoring well the little he played past 30 with all those injuries.

Maybe something like a Kovalchuck, able to keep up and lead team in the KHL until 32-33-34 but the drop post 35 is a bit more sudden than a Selanne like said above.

This feel extremely speculative, for who he play, what Vancouver look like without his injuries, how does he age (physically and mentally), where one even start.

 

[JackSlater]

Might have won another goal scoring title. Probably not much else as far as awards go unless you count all-star nods.

I'd say that's very pessimistic. Bure who doesn't have knee injuries and usually plays a full season has very good odds of leading the NHL in goals in any of 1997, 1998 (played the full season but was not as explosive as he had been prior to knee issues), and 1999. If Bure played the full 82 games in 2000, especially if it's a healthier Bure than the actual one who did play in 2000, he very likely hits 100 points and gets the Art Ross and Hart.

I consider Bure one of the best goal scorers ever. I also think he was likely to have injury issues for stylistic reasons, however we assume that he has very good injury luck I can see something like leading the NHL in goals 5 times or so, a Hart and art Ross in 2000, over 700 goals if he plays to 35ish. That's Bure if essentially everything goes right with his health.

 

[Staniowski]

Without any significant injuries, he obviously likely wins several more goal-scoring titles, 1st and 2nd team all-star selections, maybe additional trophies.

And he would easily score 700 goals, possibly 800.

There were many great goal-scorers among his generation, but he was the best of the bunch.

 

[carjackmalone]

All he accomplished without an elite center is amazing

 

[ozzie]

The best cherry picker I've ever seen, he could float like no one else.

You could easily add another 100 goals to his totals, but not sure how long he would have played.

 

[Dale53130]

Hmm idk.

I feel like Bure was more of a physical freak than Selanne. Faster, stronger, better shot...

I'm not sure a mid to late 30s Bure would have aged as gracefully as Selanne, who imo, was more reliant on his smarts.

I can go with faster (throughout their prime), maybe the better shot (I have no idea), but stronger?

I'd also add that Selanne himself, lost a lot of his plus speed after his rookie season. I'm actually not sold that he was any slower than Bure in 1992-93.

Selanne was a physical freak in his own right, and I don't think he takes a back seat to Bure in that regard. Almost anyone would have called it quits when he started hitting his decline with SJ, and especially with his time in Denver. Pretty impressive overall, considering that he didn't start playing in the NHL until he was 22.

To Bure's credit, he could hit 55-60 with more regulartiy because he doesn't have to rely on anyone else frankly, so I can see why people are very high on him as a goalscorer. I'm not a fan of that style of play, though I do think Bure is one of the most exciting players I've ever seen.

All he accomplished without an elite center is amazing

His playing with an elite center would be superfluous. He'd drag down the elite center's numbers if anything. He's more in line with being a greater Bondra, and a much greater Klima.

Bure maximized his output at his peak. That's the difference between Bure and Selanne, one worked well with the help of his teammates, which is why Selanne could hit a lofty total of 76. I doubt that Bure could ever touch 70 goals in a seaon. It's not like he didn't play in 1992-93 himself, which would be in line with the early '80s in terms of high scoring.

Without any significant injuries, he obviously likely wins several more goal-scoring titles, 1st and 2nd team all-star selections, maybe additional trophies.

And he would easily score 700 goals, possibly 800.

There were many great goal-scorers among his generation, but he was the best of the bunch.

Bure scored 437 goals and 342 assists in his career, in 702 GP.

Interesting enough, Selanne registered 382 goals and 431 assists in his first 702 GP.

Based on Bure's style of play, it's doubtful that he could ever reach 1,000 GP. And let's say that he did, I doubt that the backhalf of his career would mirror his first 10 years of his career. I think with a little more luck in the injury department, he reaches 600.