The 5th best player ever is ...

[blundluntman]

Bobby Hull deserves some recognition here. 10x 1st team all star, 3x art ross winner, 2x hart trophy winner, 7x richard winner, 8x top 3 in hart voting and one of the better goal scoring peaks of all time.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Assuming the first four are Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Lemieux, the fifth is obviously McDavid. Number six is where it gets a bit more interesting.

#6 is Phil Esposito

 

[Sasha Orlov]

If McDavid accomplishes a damn thing by the end of his career. And save me the “it’s a team game” bullshit. Save that rhetoric for someone who cares on here, the voters won’t.

You’re right he hasn’t accomplished anything LMAO delete your account

 

[dire wolf]

This is really tough. You're splitting hairs with a lot of these guys. They are roughly on a par, and it comes down to personal preference. The way I approach this question is, if I were GM of a team and all these guys were available to me at age 18 at the same draft, and I have the benefit of knowing their careers, who would I pick? For me, it comes down to Hasek, Crosby and Jagr. Three totally different players, all dominant for long stretches of their careers, and all extremely accomplished with the hardware. Honestly, I can't even decide among those three. Hasek and Jagr are two of my favorite players of all time. But I think I'd draft Crosby based on consistency over a long career, dedication to winning and the team, and attention to detail in all three zones. He's excellent at every aspect of the game.

Prime Hasek was maybe the biggest individual game-changer ever, but he was also a bit of a weirdo and not always the best teammate. There were controversies where he sat out when people thought he was healthy enough to play. Jagr was a traveling mercenary and the later years of his career were not as good as Crosby's. I'm not sure if that should matter here, but for the moment, I'd probably pick Crosby if forced to choose. Ask me tomorrow, I'll probably take Dom.

 

[um]

McDavid.

Great poll choices

 

[The Grim Reaper]

So by your criteria, Adin Hill is a better goalkeeper than Henrik Lundquist because he won a cup. Makes sense

Nobody is saying Adin Hill is the 5th best player of all time. Is there anyone even in the top 25 of all time that has never won a cup, let alone top 10 or top 5?

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Goalies really need to be judged separately. Hasek is peerless in that realm.

Tough choice, but I'd take Lidstrom over Sid. Plenty of fans would take Borque over Lidstrom.

Nobody is saying Adin Hill is the 5th best player of all time. Is there anyone even in the top 25 of all time that has never won a cup, let alone top 10 or top 5?

Marcel Dionne springs to mind.

 

[hamzarocks]

McDavid and its not close

He is going to challange Howe and Orr on greatest and Lemieux on talent/abilities

Gretzky is too far due to having all of the above and 4 Cups + healthy career

 

[Bouboumaster]

Crosby, until McDavid take over

 

[authentic]

Still a toss up between Crosby and McDavid, will go to McDavid in the end but Hasek or Jagr could be there as well.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Bobby Hull deserves some recognition here. 10x 1st team all star, 3x art ross winner, 2x hart trophy winner, 7x richard winner, 8x top 3 in hart voting and one of the better goal scoring peaks of all time.

OV has a similar resume (less 1st ASTs, less rosses, more harts, more rockets, etc) but did it in a 30 team international league instead of a 6 team Canadian only league. 1st AST in the current NHL is way more impressive than 1st AST in the O6. Same with award wins, pt finishes, goal finishes, etc. Really no argument for Bobby Hull over OV (or Crosby, Jagr, etc).

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

I voted Hasek but Crosby, Jagr, OV and Bourque have solid arguments as well. I don't think the usual O6 candidates have an argument anymore. Considering the eras (6 team Canadian only league vs 30 team international league) Crosby has matched/exceeded Beliveau's accomplishments and OV/Jagr have matched/exceeded Hull/Richard.

I believe McDavid will have turned the big 4 into the big 5 by the time he's done.

 

[Mohar Ikram]

Got to go with Maurice Richard.

Nobody else causing a intra-national nationalism riot because he got unjustified suspension.

Just lets stats go away - stuffs that he cause in that 54-55 season is a stuffs a legend (across all discipline more than just sports). What an icon.

 

[SomeDude]

Sid is currently sitting in a top 3 goal scoring spot. He’s not exactly done yet either.

 

[powerbomb]

Sid is currently sitting in a top 3 goal scoring spot. He’s not exactly done yet either.

He’s tied for 5th; two goals behind the leader, one behind three others. It’s a great start for his 36-year old season but let’s be accurate.

For those harping that McDavid should be on this poll, if he retired today, he would not be in the conversation for 5th best all time. Not even close. OP was wise to leave him off because no 26-year old belongs on the Mount Rushmore of sports, and you can’t assume what the next dozen years hold. Could he get there? Of course, but a career must be proven year-in and year-out. He’s shown he has some of the best wheels this league has ever seen, but how he adjusts to play when he doesn’t have the speed advantage will be very interesting to watch.

I voted Crosby on the merits of his remarkable consistency, but I have no problem with someone putting a dominant goalie like Hasek into that slot. It’s tough to compare those positions, but Sid worked on every facet of his game to become one of the most well-rounded players I’ve ever seen.

 

[Future GOAT]

McDavid.

 

[wetcoast]

#6 is Phil Esposito

Dude you got to share whatever you are on sounds like crazy wild stuff man.....

Big Phil isn't even the 6th best Bruin ever.....

 

[Dominance]

The last bastion of Ovi sycophants hanging on til the end

Extremely clearly Crosby. As a massive fan of 87, McDavid is clearly on pace to pass him, but nothing is set in stone yet and he and the Oilers really have to make some more noise in the playoffs one of these years.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Dude you got to share whatever you are on sounds like crazy wild stuff man.....

Big Phil isn't even the 6th best Bruin ever.....

5 Art Ross Trophy's
2 Harts
2 Lesters
2 Stanley Cup wins
76 goals in 78 games one season
5 years where he averaged 65 goals per season
1590 all time points.
His peak numbers are much better than Crosby ever had.
Sounds like a pretty good resume.

 

[wetcoast]

Nobody is saying Adin Hill is the 5th best player of all time. Is there anyone even in the top 25 of all time that has never won a cup, let alone top 10 or top 5?

I get what you are saying but in a 30+ team league with a salary cap this will change right?

5 Art Ross Trophy's
2 Harts
2 Lesters
2 Stanley Cup wins
76 goals in 78 games one season
5 years where he averaged 65 goals per season
1590 all time points.
His peak numbers are much better than Crosby ever had.
Sounds like a pretty good resume.

So I see that you can look up counting stats without context and what was he like without Bobby Orr?

 

[Mrb1p]

Crosby, firmly. With the way he's aging, he might even give Howe a run for his money.

 

[rogking65]

Dude you got to share whatever you are on sounds like crazy wild stuff man.....

Big Phil isn't even the 6th best Bruin ever.....

you are joking,right?

 

[Mobiandi]

Hasek pretty easily

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Voted Hasek. His peak is right there with the big four imo.

 

[jigglysquishy]

you are joking,right?

I would have him 4th.

He's very comfortably behind Orr, Shore, and Bourque.