jkrx
Registered User
- Feb 4, 2010
- 4,337
- 21
You also should consider the amount of russian and czech players in the NHL. The more star players from those countries, the harder competition. Today, we for example have guys like Datsyuk, Ovechkin, Malkin and other star russians. When Loob had his NHL years, I can't think of many russians in NHL. (Larionov, Makarov wasn't there yet.)
So I would say the competition (regarding top players) was actually weaker more likely than stronger.
Even if Gretzky and Mario played then, they are just two players, so excluding them would only have meant Loob would place 2 places higher in the scoring. Guys like Savard, Hawerchuck, Goulet weren't exactly superstars, and not even Messier and Kurri was necessarily better than today's stars like Crosby, Datsyuk, Ovechkin, etc.
I think you overrate Loob a little bit. Don't forget Sedins have WON the Art Ross, and one (or soon both?) of them have WON Hart. Zetterberg has WON Conn Smythe. Forsberg has WON Art Ross and Hart, and had another season where he led the league in points per game. Markus Naslund has WON Pearson. Lidstrom has WON several Norris.
Loob wasn't even close to such achievements.
No other Swede but Loob has scored 50 goals, but several have been close and they have done it in a lower scoring era.
Loob has the scoring record for the Swedish Elite League, but that was his peak season. Zucharello Aasen also dominated in the SEL, and even in the Olympics (I know Yzerman was very impressed by him), but hasn't exactly been an NHL top player. Tomi Kallio have dominated in SEL, but had one of the worst statistics in the NHL.
Of the lists, I think I find Seventieslords the "best" and most interesting. However, if I was to change it, placing Loob 2 or 3 places higher would probably be my first move. So I'm not saying Loob wasn't good.
None of the current superstars are in their prime though, which was my point. The Sedins are great but they are also prime players in a league where current superstars are under the age of 24 (Perry, Getzlaf and Ovechkin being the exception).
Loob has the scoring record for the Swedish Elite League, but that was his peak season.
His peak season? He was 22.
You bring up Kallio and Zucharello but they didnt score 50 goals in the NHL they didnt dominate internationally either (Zuch was very good). Kallio isnt dominating the SEL, he has put up respectable numbers but he isnt even close to Loob.
Zucharello just played his first NHL season and put up 23 points in 40 something games. Not bad either.