Which top 4 players are better? Penguins vs. Red Wings

[Rometiklan]

I was reading a discussion in another forum which got me thinking, about which top 4 players are better: Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, and Malkin versus Howe, Yzerman, Fedorov, and Datsyuk. Taking into consideration the collective accomplishments of each player in playoffs and regular seasons for their respective teams, and what they meant to that organization, which 4 players would you rate more highly? It seems to me the answer is a no-brainer, but I think a case could be made for either side.

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[MNRube]

Pens by a mile

 

[wetcoast]

I was reading a discussion in another forum which got me thinking, about which top 4 players are better: Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, and Malkin versus Howe, Yzerman, Fedorov, and Datsyuk. Taking into consideration the collective accomplishments of each player in playoffs and regular seasons for their respective teams, and what they meant to that organization, which 4 players would you rate more highly?

Pretty good comparison and 3 centers and a RW for each team.

It seems to me the answer is a no-brainer, but I think a case could be made for either side.

As much as this is a "no-brainer" there is still an argument that in their primes the Detroit 4 might actually play out better as chemistry does matter but it's a hypothetical and even if Detroit is a 998 out of a 1000 the Pens group is at 1000.

 

[gritdash60]

Detroit fan but i can't vote against Lemieux, Jagr and Crosby to me those 3 are just so good they win, Malkin is not on the same level but nice obv. I think younger people dont understand who good Lemieux was, without health problems he would have even more insane numbers. Lemieux 199point season is something people forget, like who the f scores 199points in 76 games lol.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Those aren't the top 4 players from Detroit

Howe - obviously
Red Kelly - spent years as the best defenseman in the world (4 Norris equivalents from 1951-1954)
Terry Sawchuk - his Red Wings peak run is one of (if not the) highest four year goalie peak ever

For four, I would go for Yzerman.

I still lean Pittsburgh, but it's way closer if you actually take the best Detroit players.

Edit: replace Yzerman with Lidstrom. Might actually be Wings over Penguins then.

 

[qc14]

Pains me to say it but the Pens by a mile. They have the best player of this group in Mario and 2 of the next 3. Could make a strong case that that all of the 3 worst guys on this list are Red Wings ...

 

[norrisnick]

Those aren't the top 4 players from Detroit

Howe - obviously
Red Kelly - spent years as the best defenseman in the world (4 Norris equivalents from 1951-1954)
Terry Sawchuk - his Red Wings peak run is one of (if not the) highest four year goalie peak ever

For four, I would go for Yzerman.

I still lean Pittsburgh, but it's way closer if you actually take the best Detroit players.

Did you galaxy-brain Lidstrom out of existence? He's easily the #2 Wing.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Did you galaxy-brain Lidstrom out of existence? He's easily the #2 Wing.

Yes it was a galaxy brain.

Take him ahead of Yzerman

 

[NyQuil]

Oilers would be more interesting:
-Gretzky
-McDavid
-Messier
-Kurri

 

[gritdash60]

Oilers would be more interesting:
-Gretzky
-McDavid
-Messier
-Kurri

I love that you got Kurri in there, a lot of people who dont know how good he was.

 

[NyQuil]

I love that you got Kurri in there, a lot of people who dont know how good he was.

Coffey was very good but Kurri had the longer and more significant impact IMO.

 

[gritdash60]

Coffey was very good but Kurri had the longer and more significant impact IMO.

Don't know if you saw my post on the oilers section, Kurri just was a guest on a finnish podcast and the things he said about Coffey and Ruotsalainen are something beyond nice.

 

[tabness]

Wings group ainec

only Lemieux really scares me with Howe, Yzerman, Fedorov, Datsyuk available

 

[Bouboumaster]

Pittsburgh, easily, without question
Only Edmonton can hope to match that stacked top 4

Pittsburgh have 3 of the best 6 players of all time (IMO) right there
Malkin is the worst player in those 8, but it doesn't really matter

 

[Hollowmoon]

This was easy.

 

[Darren McCord]

Wings group ainec

only Lemieux really scares me with Howe, Yzerman, Fedorov, Datsyuk available

lol what

 

[Darren McCord]

Pittsburgh, easily, without question
Only Edmonton can hope to match that stacked top 4

Pittsburgh have 3 of the best 6 players of all time (IMO) right there
Malkin is the worst player in those 8, but it doesn't really matter

I don’t think Malkin is the worst. He is criminally underrated. He had one of the best years in the past 25 years in 2008-2009.

 

[Bouboumaster]

I don’t think Malkin is the worst. He is criminally underrated. He had one of the best years in the past 25 years in 2008-2009.

Malkin was an incredible player, but he ain't better than Datsyuk, Federov, Yzerman and certainly not Howe

 

[Darren McCord]

Malkin was an incredible player, but he ain't better than Datsyuk, Federov, Yzerman and certainly not Howe

Meh I think if he wasn’t always behind Crosby he would be seen in par with datsyuk and Federov.

I personally think datsyuk gets overrated. That’s just my opinion.

 

[Hisch13r]

Pens top 4 is the best top 4

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Pens top 4 is the best top 4

Yea i think it's the best Mt Rushmore in the league. All 4 are multi art ross and multi cup winners.

Meh I think if he wasn’t always behind Crosby he would be seen in par with datsyuk and Federov.

I personally think datsyuk gets overrated. That’s just my opinion.

Malkin is ahead of both Fedorov and Datsyuk. Peak, prime and career.

 

[AD1066]

Pittsburgh has the clear advantage at forward. Full lines favor the Wings, however:

Crosby - Lemieux - Jagr
Letang - Coffey(?)
Fleury(?)

vs.

Howe - Yzerman - Fedorov
Lidstrom - Kelly
Sawchuk

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Pittsburgh has the clear advantage at forward. Full lines favor the Wings, however:

Crosby - Lemieux - Jagr
Letang - Coffey(?)
Fleury(?)

vs.

Howe - Yzerman - Fedorov
Lidstrom - Kelly
Sawchuk

That i agree with. Pens starting lineup looks weak on d and in goal

 

[centipede2233]

Pittsburgh has the clear advantage at forward. Full lines favor the Wings, however:

Crosby - Lemieux - Jagr
Letang - Coffey(?)
Fleury(?)

vs.

Howe - Yzerman - Fedorov
Lidstrom - Kelly
Sawchuk

I like gonchar over letang. Hell, letang wasn’t even on the roster for one of those cups. Gonchar was a 65 pt d man in pitt consistsntly

 

[Fatass]

Gordie would beat the crap out of all the Pen guys. Do the Wings win because all the Pen guys would be pummeled by Howe.