Top-100 Hockey Players of All-Time - Preliminary Discussion Thread (Revenge of Michael Myers)

[Captain Bowie]

It does appear that we had 208 unique names and 66 players who made all 32 ballots - pending further alterations prompted during screening.

I definitely guessed low on both those numbers...

 

[BenchBrawl]

I hope there's going to be a lot of old material re-posted, to make this project some sort of "consolidation" of all the debating points and information we've seen and made along the years.

Also something we should discuss: The last migration destroyed a lot of work, I think we should find the most convenient way to save all the discussions somewhere outside hfboards in case we need to re-post them, even if it's in multiple notepad documents or something.

 

[Captain Bowie]

I hope there's going to be a lot of old material re-posted, to make this project some sort of "consolidation" of all the debating points and information we've seen and made along the years.

Also something we should discuss: The last migration destroyed a lot of work, I think we should find the most convenient way to save all the discussions somewhere outside hfboards in case we need to re-post them, even if it's in multiple notepad documents or something.

Something on Google Docs would be great.

 

[VanIslander]

It does appear that we had 208 unique names and 66 players who made all 32 ballots - pending further alterations prompted during screening.

Could we get an alphabetized list of the 208?

It'd be fun to chat about the unlisteds.

While we wait.

 

[Captain Bowie]

Could we get an alphabetized list of the 208?

It'd be fun to chat about the unlisteds.

While we wait.

Did we settle on who we thought was the best player who would not be named on a single list?

 

[VanIslander]

From the same draft, Ovechkin was described by Pierre McGuire and Brian Burke as being a 200 foot player and having a complete game.

Totally understandable.

A young Ovechkin loved to hit anything that moved.

On scouting glances it could be mistaken for responsible checking.

 

[VanIslander]

Did we settle on who we thought was the best player who would not be named on a single list?

Probably a Soviet (eg., Yakushev, Petrov) or an early era great (eg., Frederickson, MacKay).

 

[Captain Bowie]

Probably a Soviet (eg., Yakushev, Petrov) or an early era great (eg., Frederickson, MacKay).

What about a modern player? Anyone going to list Lanny MacDonald? Bernie Federko? Rob Blake? Henrik Sedin?

 

[MXD]

Did we settle on who we thought was the best player who would not be named on a single list?

I'm sticking to my guns with G Chuck Rayner; at first, I really thought it would be Babe Seibert, but since you listed him, Chuck Rayner became my backup plan. There's no way I wouldn't have ranked Rayner on a Top-150, and I wasn't far from ranking him in a Top-120 in the first place.

 

[DannyGallivan]

What about a modern player? Anyone going to list Lanny MacDonald? Bernie Federko? Rob Blake? Henrik Sedin?

I've heard Adam Oates given virtually all the credit in this thread for both Brett Hull and Cam Neely's success, so he would be a good choice (assuming he didn't makes someone's list already).

Tom Johnson of the Montreal Canadiens' late 50's dynasty could be another one.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Could we get an alphabetized list of the 208?

It'd be fun to chat about the unlisteds.

While we wait.

Yeah, I can probably do that, unless anyone sees a reason not to. I’ll let everyone put in their guesses about the best player not named though.

 

[quoipourquoi]

I hope there's going to be a lot of old material re-posted, to make this project some sort of "consolidation" of all the debating points and information we've seen and made along the years.

Especially on the F vs. F, D vs. D, and G vs. G debates, it’d be great to see some recaps from the best posts of the positional projects.

I do want to emphasize new discussion geared towards cross-positional arguments, that way we don’t have three separate-lane conversations going with arbitrary placement of F/D/G.

Also something we should discuss: The last migration destroyed a lot of work, I think we should find the most convenient way to save all the discussions somewhere outside hfboards in case we need to re-post them, even if it's in multiple notepad documents or something.

Oh, literally everything will be backed up. Once bitten, twice shy.

 

[seventieslord]

If you have to get as far as "the coin," just leave them tied

Wouldn't The Logical way to break a tie just be to count the number of times one finished ahead of the other on the ballots?

 

[VanIslander]

... at first, I really thought it would be Babe Seibert, but since you listed him,...

1. I listed Babe too.
2. It's "Siebert"... 'ie' for Babe, 'ei' for Earl.

 

[seventieslord]

Strongly disagree.

The time for making the case for obscure players was this thread before people finished their lists.

If Round 2 isn't more focused, then what's the point of doing 2 rounds?

That said, I have always advocated slowly expanding the number of available players from 10 as we move along

You're 100% right.

And I'd like to see us go to 11, 12 players per round fairly early, up to even 18 or 20 for the final couple of rounds.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Yeah, I can probably do that, unless anyone sees a reason not to. I’ll let everyone put in their guesses about the best player not named though.

Not named by at least one participant (meaning not on every list), or not named by any participant (meaning not on any list)?

The former might be clear, the latter highly subjective.

For the former I'd go: Cleghorn.Else Lalonde, else Malone.

For the latter: Who knows who's the best player among the many not named by anyone.I'd throw in Marty Barry for the sake of playing.

 

[VanIslander]

Who knows who's the best player among the many not named by anyone.I'd throw in Marty Barry for the sake of playing.

Somebody said a few days ago that they listed Barry.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Somebody said a few days ago that they listed Barry.

I lose then.Bryan Hextall Sr.?

In my mind it could also be Frank Fredrickson or Mickey Mackay, but I'm higher on them than most.

 

[Captain Bowie]

It would certainly be easier to leave off a close to deserving player from the pre-NHL era than say from the 90's. So chances are, it will be an early pioneer.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Big 4 in isolation. Should be part of the #,s 1-10 vote so that we can determine if their status is solidyfing or if there is slippage that will allow others to gain entry.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I lose then.Bryan Hextall Sr.?

My #120

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Best player not on anyone's list: Hobey Baker

 

[Canadiens1958]

Best player not on anyone's list: Hobey Baker

Nailed multiple issues with one name.

 

[VanIslander]

Could be Bobrov as much as Baker.

 

[solidmotion]

Big 4 in isolation. Should be part of the #,s 1-10 vote so that we can determine if their status is solidyfing or if there is slippage that will allow others to gain entry.

i would be interested if there are any devil's advocates out there for revising the big 4 and other consensus top-10 players. (beliveau vs. howe? kelly vs. harvey? i think there are arguments to be made...) (not that i'm going to be the one making them...)