Category Archives: Hockey

H2H 55: Brian Leetch vs. Al MacInnis – Who was Better?

In hockey, defensemen who not only prevent the other team from scoring goals, but can also quarterback their own team’s offense, both on the power play and at even strength, are invaluable to a team’s success.  Throughout the long history of the NHL, a select few players have brilliantly displayed both of these skills – two of these legends are Brian Leetch and Al MacInnis, who are recognized as two of the most offensively-gifted defensemen of all time and are part of a rare group that has reached the 1,000 career point milestone from the blueline.  In comparing the long and accomplished careers of these two players, the question is:

Who was better – Brian Leetch or Al MacInnis?

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H2H 53: Marcel Dionne vs. Guy Lafleur – Who was Better?

When two players are drafted first and second overall in a given year, their careers are inexorably linked and will be forever compared and contrasted to each other (think Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin in the 2004 NHL Draft, or in a different sport, Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf in the 1998 NFL Draft).  Such was the case in 1971, when two Quebec junior hockey superstars, Guy Lafleur and Marcel Dionne, were selected with the first two picks in that year’s NHL draft – both picks worked out, as each player went on to have a legendary Hall of Fame career, thus inevitably bringing up the question:

Who was better – Marcel Dionne or Guy Lafleur?

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Countdown 22: Top 10 Little Guys in NHL History

Who are the top little guys in NHL history?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 47: Peter Forsberg vs. Eric Lindros – Who was Better?

Throughout the history of sports, there have been many cases of “what could have been”, i.e. immensely talented players who, for one reason or another, did not fully reach their potential.  In recent NHL memory, two players who come to mind are Peter Forsberg and Eric Lindros, whose careers were closely linked from the very beginning – though both ended up having excellent careers and were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, had it not been for injuries, each was blessed with the talent to become one of the greatest hockey players in history.  Alas, we can only judge players by what they actually did and so there will always be questions of what each player could have accomplished – nevertheless, based on their existing bodies of work, the question is:

Who was better – Peter Forsberg or Eric Lindros?

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Countdown 15: Top 10 Defensemen in NHL History

Who are the top defensemen in NHL history?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 41: Ed Belfour vs. Roberto Luongo – Who was Better?

When you look at the NHL’s all-time wins leaderboard for goalies, the first two names come as no surprise – Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy, two of the greatest goalies in league history.  Go down to the third and fourth spots, however, and you may be a little surprised by the names – Roberto Luongo and Ed Belfour (as of the end of the 2018-2019 season). Though both were excellent goalies for nearly two decades, most fans would not consider them among the greatest (i.e. top 5-10) goalies in NHL history and in fact, Luongo never even won a Vezina Trophy!  Nevertheless, wins are wins and only two goalies in NHL history had more wins than these two, which begs the question:

Who was better – Ed Belfour or Roberto Luongo?

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Countdown 8: Top 10 Goal Scorers in NHL History

Who are the top goal scorers in NHL history?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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H2H 38: Jacques Plante vs. Terry Sawchuk – Who was Better?

Up until towards the end of the NHL’s Original Six era, goaltenders were absolutely fearless in net and did not wear any type of masks to protect themselves from pucks flying at them.  That all started to change when after yet another facial injury, this time a broken nose, Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante debuted the first goalie mask in NHL history, thus starting a revolution; today, masks are not only functional for their safety, but highly aesthetic in their design and one of a goalie’s most distinguishing features.  Yet Plante was not only a trailblazer in safety, he was also one of the greatest netminders ever to play the game – during an era that featured legendary skaters such as Gordie Howe and Maurice Richard, Plante and his peer Terry Sawchuk (who is well-known for NOT wearing a mask) stood tall in net as the dominant goalies of the time and retired with a slew of records.  With one being the all-time leader in Vezina Trophies and the other having the most career wins at retirement, it is fascinating to look back on this golden era of hockey and ask:

Who was better – Jacques Plante or Terry Sawchuk?

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H2H 35: Paul Kariya vs. Martin St. Louis – Who was Better?

In sports, while we are in awe of incredible physical talent, it is often the “little guys” that we find ourselves rooting for.  The NHL is no different and has had its share of undersized stars throughout its history, from Ted Lindsay in the 1950s and 1960s to Henri Richard in the 1960s and 1970s to Marcel Dionne in the 1970s and 1980s, and so on.  In more recent history, two of the more dominant diminutive players have been 5’10’’ Paul Kariya and 5’8’’ Martin St. Louis, who were known for both their electrifying skill and gentlemanly conduct on the ice (both won the Lady Byng Award on multiple occasions).  Between these two Hall of Fame mighty mites, the question is:

Who was better – Paul Kariya or Martin St. Louis?

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Countdown 3: Top 10 Goalies in NHL History

Who are the top goalies in NHL history?  Here is our top 10 countdown:

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