Vic Hadfield vs Tom Wilson

[Davenport]

Not sure if this thread should be included here at HofH or over at NHLT.

All the discussion of Tom Wilson brought to mind players before his time who similarly enraged the opposition and their fans with questionable actions. To me, Vic Hadfield was quite similar. His first few seasons, he established himself as a very aggressive player - even leading the NHL in penalty minutes in 1963-64. He's probably best remembered for tossing Bernie Parent's mask in to the crowd. That's the sort of thing you would not be surprised to see Wilson do. The play still fresh in my mind's eye is Vic quickly closing in on Ken Dryden with the puck. He didn't look to pass, and he didn't shoot. Vic barreled in to Dryden, bringing the puck with him, and it ended up in the net. That's another play Tom might try.

As a junior player, Vic Hadfield demonstrated his offensive prowess, and when Emile Francis paired him with Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle, Hadfield demonstrated it again in the NHL. His being on the GAG Line reminds me of Tom Wilson playing with Washington's best offensive players.

How would you compare Vic Hadfield and Tom Wilson?

 

[ted2019]

Not sure if this thread should be included here at HofH or over at NHLT.

All the discussion of Tom Wilson brought to mind players before his time who similarly enraged the opposition and their fans with questionable actions. To me, Vic Hadfield was quite similar. His first few seasons, he established himself as a very aggressive player - even leading the NHL in penalty minutes in 1963-64. He's probably best remembered for tossing Bernie Parent's mask in to the crowd. That's the sort of thing you would not be surprised to see Wilson do. The play still fresh in my mind's eye is Vic quickly closing in on Ken Dryden with the puck. He didn't look to pass, and he didn't shoot. Vic barreled in to Dryden, bringing the puck with him, and it ended up in the net. That's another play Tom might try.

As a junior player, Vic Hadfield demonstrated his offensive prowess, and when Emile Francis paired him with Rod Gilbert and Jean Ratelle, Hadfield demonstrated it again. His being on the GAG Line reminds me of Tom Wilson playing with Washington's best offensive players.

How would you compare Vic Hadfield and Tom Wilson?

Here because, the majority of the people on the talk section are from the ages 10-30 and won't know on who Vic Hatfield is. I think that Hatfield was the better overall player, but a lot of people underrate the skills of Wilson and see him as just a thug. Hatfield scored 50 and Wilson would not be able to touch that figure and Wilson has played with Ovechkin, Backstrom and others who are elite forwards for Washington.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I don't recall Hadfield being as malicious and reckless as Wilson.

I do recall him getting in a fight with Derek Sanderson. The Turk tore Hadfield's sweater off and threw it into the stands.

 

[Big Phil]

I don't know, if Tom Wilson is the definition of a "bad boy" in the NHL then people should really watch some old clips. The sports media is pretty petty with this stuff.

I'd take Hadfield, simply because he was on the GAG line and had 50 goals and 106 points in a season. Only one other time had 70 points, but he still had 712 points in his career. I am not sure Wilson could hit 100 points in a season. Probably also famously remembered for leaving Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series. We'll see. Wilson's PPG has increasingly gotten better over the years, and it took Hadfield until his early 30s before he hit that big season. But I don't see it, so I give the edge to Hadfield so far.

 

[Davenport]

I don't recall Hadfield being as malicious and reckless as Wilson.

I do recall him getting in a fight with Derek Sanderson. The Turk tore Hadfield's sweater off and threw it into the stands.

I thought seriously of using Eddie Shack as the comparable to Tom Wilson, and I think that would have been better. Shack certainly was reckless, often straying well over the line. He had no qualms about fighting - even duking it out with John Ferguson a few times. Then there is his infamous fencing bout with Larry Zeidel.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Wilson doesn't have... and never will have... Hadfield's scoring touch.

He's more akin to a "woken up" Clark Gillies.

 

[Mandar]

As mentioned already, I don’t see a comparison at all. Had field was a tough power forward, but wasn’t considered a player who would be dirty or over the edge. He was the Rangers captain for 3 seasons...something Wilson would never be.

I could see a comparison to Cashman though....

 

[YippieKaey]

As mentioned already, I don’t see a comparison at all. Had field was a tough power forward, but wasn’t considered a player who would be dirty or over the edge. He was the Rangers captain for 3 seasons...something Wilson would never be.

I could see a comparison to Cashman though....

Actually Wilson is a pretty likely candidate for the C once Ovi and Bäckström leave. Apparently he has great character off ice and is well-liked.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Actually Wilson is a pretty likely candidate for the C once Ovi and Bäckström leave. Apparently he has great character off ice and is well-liked.

Never going to happen. He is a sh$$ show on the ice.

 

[YippieKaey]

Never going to happen. He is a sh$$ show on the ice.

Well. He's already donned the A so.

Also:

Bobby Clarke
Mark Messier
Gordie Howe
Eric Lindros
Etc etc

He's not that talented ofc but not more of a shitshow than either of them.

 

[blogofmike]

Well. He's already donned the A so.

Also:

Bobby Clarke
Mark Messier
Gordie Howe
Eric Lindros
Etc etc

He's not that talented ofc but not more of a shitshow than either of them.

Or Dale Hunter, or Kelly Buchberger, since I doubt HHOF Top 10 scorers are a suitable comparison

 

[Hobnobs]

I don't recall Hadfield being as malicious and reckless as Wilson.

I do recall him getting in a fight with Derek Sanderson. The Turk tore Hadfield's sweater off and threw it into the stands.

The barreling into a goalie part certainly paints Hadfield in the reckless manor. Though that's just one incident. Tbf I think Wilsons rep around the leagues fans is overblown. He certainly had some questionable to downright dirty hits (Marchessault, Sundqvist and so on) but rarely see him do the real dirty stuff like slew footing, spearing or excluding the Sundqvist hit targeting the head.

 

[YippieKaey]

Or Dale Hunter, or Kelly Buchberger, since I doubt HHOF Top 10 scorers are a suitable comparison

True. Hunter is a very good comp actually. My point was more that being dirty doesn't matter for captaincy. At least not historically.

 

[Dingo]

can anyone explain Hadfield’s insane outlier year to me? Because other than that, he did nothing to indicate offensive prowess.
Were the Rangers put into a division with the Seals, Canucks, Isles, etc. wherein they played the bulk of their games against AHLrs? Ive noticed Ratelle’s big jump that year in the past, but id never looked at Hadfield’s other years before. If Tom Wilson suddenly had a top 5 year and then went back to normal, it actually would look the same!

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

The barreling into a goalie part certainly paints Hadfield in the reckless manor. Though that's just one incident. Tbf I think Wilsons rep around the leagues fans is overblown. He certainly had some questionable to downright dirty hits (Marchessault, Sundqvist and so on) but rarely see him do the real dirty stuff like slew footing, spearing or excluding the Sundqvist hit targeting the head.

Wilson was suspended 7 games this season for concussing Brandon Carlo, who missed much more than 7 games because of the hit.

 

[Hobnobs]

Wilson was suspended 7 games this season for concussing Brandon Carlo, who missed much more than 7 games because of the hit.

I dont think he aimed for the head tbh with you. He went for the shoulder to shoulder, carlo lift his arm up and catches Wilson in the face. Wilsons fist hits carlo in the face as carlo is bent over. You cant say that Wilson actually meant to hit him in the head there. However its still a reckless hit but I dont think of it as particularly dirty in nature.

 

[Hobnobs]

can anyone explain Hadfield’s insane outlier year to me? Because other than that, he did nothing to indicate offensive prowess.
Were the Rangers put into a division with the Seals, Canucks, Isles, etc. wherein they played the bulk of their games against AHLrs? Ive noticed Ratelle’s big jump that year in the past, but id never looked at Hadfield’s other years before. If Tom Wilson suddenly had a top 5 year and then went back to normal, it actually would look the same!

Yea I dont know what people here are talking about. Wilson is exactly the player that like Hadfield could have an outlier year like that. Outside of that year they are virtually the same player. Im guessing "Wilson is a POS"-bias is a reasonable assumption.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

I dont think he aimed for the head tbh with you. He went for the shoulder to shoulder, carlo lift his arm up and catches Wilson in the face. Wilsons fist hits carlo in the face as carlo is bent over. You cant say that Wilson actually meant to hit him in the head there. However its still a reckless hit but I dont think of it as particularly dirty in nature.

Right, only a 7 game suspension.

 

[Hobnobs]

Right, only a 7 game suspension.

Yeah, argument of authority doesn't mean anything to me. Especially not when that authority is the NHL which we all know gets everything right, right?