Tag Archives: 1980s Islanders dynasty

H2H 172: Bernie Parent vs. Billy Smith – Who was Better?

Outside of the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders were arguably the two most successful franchises of the 1970s and 1980s with two and four Stanley Cup titles, respectively.  While each team had its share of great forwards and defensemen, both also had Hall of Fame goalies in Bernie Parent (Flyers) and Billy Smith (Islanders); in their primes, each goalie was a Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe winner who elevated his game in the postseason – as two of the best netminders of this era, it is a natural comparison to ask the question:

Who was better – Bernie Parent or Billy Smith?

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H2H 154: Bobby Clarke vs. Bryan Trottier – Who was Better?

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders had their most successful stretches in franchise history, each winning multiple consecutive Stanley Cup titles (2x for the Flyers, 4x for the Islanders).  At the forefront of these championship teams were dominant two-way centers in Bobby Clarke (Philadelphia) and Bryan Trottier (New York) – both perennial MVP candidates in their prime who scored 1,000+ career points and hold a number of franchise records, each can also stake a claim to being the best players in team history, thus bringing up an interesting debate:

Who was better – Bobby Clarke or Bryan Trottier?

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H2H 84: Mike Bossy vs. Pavel Bure – Who was Better?

Like a supernova, the brightest stars do not always shine the longest – such was the case with Mike Bossy and Pavel Bure, two of the most lethal goal scorers the NHL has ever seen.  At their respective peaks, each winger could consistently net 50-60 goals a season, but injuries eventually took their toll and forced both of them to retire in their early 30s.  Despite the premature retirements, each player left an indelible mark on the game of hockey and is top-five all-time in terms of per-game scoring – with both legends taking their rightful place in the Hockey Hall of Fame, let us look back on their scintillating goal-scoring careers and ask the question:

Who was better – Mike Bossy or Pavel Bure?

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