Zetterberg and Datsyuk or Yzerman and Fedorov?

[DitchMarner]

Which combination was better: Dead puck era ('97-'04) Yzerman and Fedorov or post 2005 Lockout to 2012-2013 Lockout Datsyuk and Zetterberg?

Obviously Yzerman and Fedorov were better in their best seasons, but seasons like 1989 and 1994 fall outside the time range for this poll.

Click to read more...

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Yzerman/Fedorov

I was lucky to watch this duo when I was growing up. They were the best two-way center duo the last 35 years.

 

[JaegerDice]

I think Yzerman and Federov were better, but given the rule changes, Zetterberg and Datsyuk were more fun to watch

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Fedorov actually showed up in the playoffs. Datsyuk is the weak link imo.

 

[authentic]

In the timeframe you’re giving here I am inclined to take Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Zetterberg in his prime is better than post 1997 Yzerman and Datsyuk in his prime is better than post 1997 Fedorov for the most part, although Fedorov still had a few great playoff runs after this point I believe.

I’m shocked at the results here. Did people not read the question properly that it’s only post 1997 for Fedorov and Yzerman? This leads me to believe Datsyuk and Zetterberg are much more underrated than I had previously thought.

 

[Regal]

In the timeframe you’re giving here I am inclined to take Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Zetterberg in his prime is better than post 1997 Yzerman and Datsyuk in his prime is better than post 1997 Fedorov for the most part, although Fedorov still had a few great playoff runs after this point I believe.

I’m shocked at the results here. Did people not read the question properly that it’s only post 1997 for Fedorov and Yzerman? This leads me to believe Datsyuk and Zetterberg are much more underrated than I had previously thought.

I feel like peak is definitely Datsyuk and Z in these time periods. Overall it might be closer, but I’d have to look closer.

But even if we take 96-97 to 01-02 when Yzerman’s knee fell off, he was 21st in points and 19th in points per game (min 200 games), if we extend it to 02-03 for Fedorov, he was 33rd in points and 29th in points per game. Meanwhile from 05-06 to 12-13, Datsyuk was 6th in points and 6th in points per game, while Zetterberg was 11th in points and 15th in points per game.

Even in the playoffs, in those same time frames, Yzerman was 5th in points and 9th in points per game (min 25 games), Fedorov was 4th in points and 8th in points per game, Zetterberg was 1st in points and 8th in points per game, and Datsyuk was 5th in points and 19th in points per game.

I guess the big thing is whether Datsyuk’s inconsistent playoff production holds him back

 

[PenguinSuitedUp]

It’s inarguably Yzerman Federov.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I get the sense people aren't reading the OP or are making up their minds based on the thread title and then kinda already predisposed by the time they read the OP.

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

Man, I'd like to see both of those pairs in their primes head to head.

 

[Felidae]

Neither Yzerman or Fedorov were top 10 offensive players in the league between 97-04, and while Yzerman was contending for the selke, Fedorov barely got any votes in this timeframe.

Meanwhile, datsyuk was a top 5 offensive player that was winning Selke trophies post lockout, and Zetterberg not too far behind.

This should be the lockout wings decisively, and that's not a knock on the other duo considering one was near the end of their prime while the other some may say was underachieving, at least until postseason.

 

[geebster]

People just voting on names and not looking at the years. This is so easily Zetterberg and Datsyuk. If you gave me the best version of Yzerman and the best version of Fedorov then theyd win, but those arent the years for that.

 

[authentic]

I feel like peak is definitely Datsyuk and Z in these time periods. Overall it might be closer, but I’d have to look closer.

But even if we take 96-97 to 01-02 when Yzerman’s knee fell off, he was 21st in points and 19th in points per game (min 200 games), if we extend it to 02-03 for Fedorov, he was 33rd in points and 29th in points per game. Meanwhile from 05-06 to 12-13, Datsyuk was 6th in points and 6th in points per game, while Zetterberg was 11th in points and 15th in points per game.

Even in the playoffs, in those same time frames, Yzerman was 5th in points and 9th in points per game (min 25 games), Fedorov was 4th in points and 8th in points per game, Zetterberg was 1st in points and 8th in points per game, and Datsyuk was 5th in points and 19th in points per game.

I guess the big thing is whether Datsyuk’s inconsistent playoff production holds him back

Well these numbers you post make it not nearly as close as I thought. Amazing that Datsyuk and Zetterberg aren’t winning this really.