What made Brett Hull a great hockey player?

[JuJu Mobb]

What would be you analysis of Brett Hull and why do you think he became a great hockey player despite being drafted in the 6th round?

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[Staniowski]

Brett Hull was a legendary goal-scorer, he loved scoring goals (that's the only aspect of hockey that he loved), and he focused on scoring goals. All of this could also be said of Mike Bossy.

Hull and Bossy were always thinking about scoring; getting in position, finding space, getting the puck off quickly.

Hull had a great shot, and could play with other talented players. He could fit in and do his thing.

Great hockey sense, great understanding.

Great athletic genes.

 

[DitchMarner]

I used to have a book in which he gave tips on scoring goals.

He said things like if a defenseman cross checks you, don't get up right away. Make him think you're out of the play. Then get up and get in position to score when you can get the puck.

He was sneaky like that. He knew how to score goals and was a great shooter.

 

[Staniowski]

The funny thing about Hull is that he quit hockey after his 16-year-old season, and didn't play at all during his draft year ('82); then went to the Okanagan and played Tier II for Penticton, and was finally drafted in his 3rd year of eligibility after scoring over 100 goals at age 19.

 

[MadLuke]

Hull would not be Hull without having arguably the best shot of all time (wrist or one timer he had a good tool kit).

But people with great tools often do not end up among the great for a bunch of reasons (Semin did not score 250 in the NHL, will Laine reach 400 ?).

His ability to find an empty spot, anticipate, time, keep calm in chaos and big moment are all needed to have that 1996 World cup, still lead the league in goals during 2 playoff run after turning 35 years old (and once in points)

 

[JackSlater]

Very smart player with one of the best shots ever. I also had the sense watching him (and I guess being aware of who his father was) that Hull was very strong, though he really only used it to score goals and power his shot.

 

[The Panther]

Skills-wise, Brett Hull was kind of a one-trick pony — he had one of the greatest (fastest-release, most accurate) shots in the history of the sport, but he wasn't really exceptional at anything else in a vaccuum (skating, passing, stickhandling, hitting).

However, he is the classic example of the player whose hockey IQ was so through the roof that his being a bit chubby and out-of-shape, and having (aside from shooting) an unremarkable skill set, didn't matter.

Hull always knew exactly where to go, where to be, how to be ready, and how to time it to maximize his chances of getting the shot away.

 

[The Panther]

Good video-overview of his career here:

 

[JMCx4]

... Great athletic genes.

This was a key component to building his success, having a father and an uncle who were pretty darn good hockey players. I also suspect that Brett had underlying motivations to succeed & show his father he could be a star as well.

 

[GMR]

I always thought his passing was underrated during his Detroit days. He had good assist numbers for a 40 year old playing during the DPE

 

[WalterLundy]

He has 3 seasons with 70 or more goals. Only Wayne Gretzky has more with 4. He also has the third highest (highest non Gretzky) single season goals total in NHL history with 86. Whether he is labeled a one trick pony or not there is no denying that this is special stuff. That’s enough right there to be a great hockey player.

 

[blogofmike]

One of the best things about Hull's one timers was that Hull could seemingly get his shots off from all over the ice, not just one spot.

 

[MadLuke]

He has 3 seasons with 70 or more goals. Only Wayne Gretzky has more with 4. He also has the third highest (highest non Gretzky) single season goals total in NHL history with 86. Whether he is labeled a one trick pony or not there is no denying that this is special stuff. That’s enough right there to be a great hockey player.

To note, if you are to pick being a one trick pony at something, stopping puck or shooting them in the net would not be bad pick, lot of coach would want a lot of the people using their wish on being the best skater around I am sure, but if you want to make a lot of money in your career....

Those 3 consecutive Hull season:

NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.

www.nhl.com

He outscored everyone by 44% (prime Steve Yzerman being the benchmark) and almost doubled (96%) young Joe Sakic, that really impressive stuff, those are no slouch goalscorer at all.

And not less impressively:

NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.

www.nhl.com

.99 goal per games, when Neely-Lemieux scored .75 and .72 (Lemieux did not miss game he also had health issue, but still, those 2 in per game goal scoring were all time great competition.



08-10 peak Ovechkin outscore everyone by 25% (Kovalchuck the mark) the 10 best Eric Staal by 60%
82-84 Gretzky outscore evreyone by 42% (Bossy) the 10 best (Messier) by 85%
71-73 Esposito outscore everyone by 59% (Cournoyer) and the 10th best (Orr) by 91%

I am not sure anyone as a strong case for a 3 consecutive years stretch with better goalscoring than Brett Hull.

 

[buffalowing88]

I always thought his passing was underrated during his Detroit days. He had good assist numbers for a 40 year old playing during the DPE

It's a testament to his playing savvy and hockey IQ in general that he managed to put up really strong years from age 36-40. Including a season where he scored the GWG for a Cup (as much as it kills me).

If this forum existed thirty years ago I would have bet anything that he would have been retired by 35. The guy hung on though and was better than a lot of his contemporaries who stayed that long during that span.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

I am not sure anyone as a strong case for a 3 consecutive years stretch with better goalscoring than Brett Hull.

the obvious contender is gretzky, 1982-84

the two highest goal scoring seasons of all time and outscores bossy 250 to 175. so averages 25 goals a year more than a guy with a greatest goalscorer all time case, implausible as it might be

 

[MadLuke]

the obvious contender is gretzky, 1982-84

the two highest goal scoring seasons of all time and outscores bossy 250 to 175. so averages 25 goals a year more than a guy with a greatest goalscorer all time case, implausible as it might be

Yes that why I did put him in this comp:

peak Hull outscore everyone by 44% (prime Steve Yzerman and almost doubled (96%) number 10 young Joe Sakic
08-10 peak Ovechkin outscore everyone by 25% (Kovalchuck the mark) the 10 best Eric Staal by 60%
82-84 Gretzky outscore evreyone by 42% (Bossy) the 10 best (Messier) by 85%
71-73 Esposito outscore everyone by 59% (Cournoyer) and the 10th best (Orr) by 91%

Gretzky has an argument, but not a particularly good one, he has a really good argument to say same tier, too close to call, but better stretch ? it is a valid but weak one.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Hull 66-68 is a contender

Outscored #2 Mikita by 43%. Outscored #10 Beliveau by 108%.

 

[MadLuke]

Hull 66-68 is a contender

Outscored #2 Mikita by 43%. Outscored #10 Beliveau by 108%.

Yes senior has an excellent argument to have been has good, too close to call, better ?

Bossy 79-81 was really solid, all-time great Dionne kept up with him but 188 goals was a lot of them. I am not saying Hull has clearly or the best, just saying I am
sure we cannot exclude him of that conversation (i.e. no one a clear and strong argument for a better stretch)

 

[PavelBure10]

Hull had the best and most accurate snapshot that I have ever seen. Absoluely lethal in the slot.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Yes that why I did put him in this comp:

peak Hull outscore everyone by 44% (prime Steve Yzerman and almost doubled (96%) number 10 young Joe Sakic
08-10 peak Ovechkin outscore everyone by 25% (Kovalchuck the mark) the 10 best Eric Staal by 60%
82-84 Gretzky outscore evreyone by 42% (Bossy) the 10 best (Messier) by 85%
71-73 Esposito outscore everyone by 59% (Cournoyer) and the 10th best (Orr) by 91%

Gretzky has an argument, but not a particularly good one, he has a really good argument to say same tier, too close to call, but better stretch ? it is a valid but weak one.

the argument is that bossy as a goalscorer > yzerman and >>> kovalchuk or cournoyer, and while 96% over young sakic sounds great it sounds less great when you consider that only four goals separated young sakic from old gretzky

the counterargument is was 82-84 bossy a step down from the peak bossy who led the league in goals by ten twice in three years?

 

[MadLuke]

and while 96% over young sakic sounds great it sounds less great when you consider that only four goals separated young sakic from old gretzky

And do you think that 90-91-92 Gretzky being 15th in the league in goals is a sign of a solid era top end talent wise ? that still 2 season of pre turning 31 pre-Suter Gretzky we are talking about, the argument that 90-92 was easier enough to dominate that it would exclude Hull from that conversation, Gretzky 3 years stretch being clearly better is a valid one, but a weak one.

i.e. could very well be true, but I would not score 65% change of being true.

 

[Legionnaire11]

A few posters here have mentioned his ability to be in the right spot and that is right on the nose. It would be hard to notice now in watching career highlights, you'd have to find full games and really follow his play away from the puck. He was so good at "getting lost", where he's floating out of the play and seemingly disengaged to the point where the defense forgets about him, or at least has to worry more about other threats at the moment, and then all of a sudden there's an open space and a split second later there's Hull in that spot with a clear shot on goal. It was really insane how well he did that and how consistently it worked.

 

[Mike C]

Brett Hull was a legendary goal-scorer, he loved scoring goals (that's the only aspect of hockey that he loved), and he focused on scoring goals. All of this could also be said of Mike Bossy.

Hull and Bossy were always thinking about scoring; getting in position, finding space, getting the puck off quickly.

Hull had a great shot, and could play with other talented players. He could fit in and do his thing.

Great hockey sense, great understanding.

Great athletic genes.

Great comparison.

They were both extremely confident and brutally honest about their games. I remember Bossy matter of factly saying he should have won the Smythe the year Goring got it. Hull was equally up front about his abilities

 

[JackSlater]

Great comparison.

They were both extremely confident and brutally honest about their games. I remember Bossy matter of factly saying he should have won the Smythe the year Goring got it. Hull was equally up front about his abilities

Both were definitely very blunt. Hull seemed about ten times more fun than Bossy did though. Still, respect to Bossy. He even took money off Michael Jordan in this video I never saw before two days ago.

 

[Mike C]

Both were definitely very blunt. Hull seemed about ten times more fun than Bossy did though. Still, respect to Bossy. He even took money off Michael Jordan in this video I never saw before two days ago.

Hull seemed like a lot of fun. I worked in NY media in my previous life. Whenever Hull was in town, he was engaging with the press, laughing, gregarious, engaging, always with a beer in hand.

I covered the Isles for several years. Bossy was very nice, very polite, always accessible but I always got the feeling that he was doing it out of obligation and would rather not. Hull seemed to always be enjoying himself