Quote:
Originally Posted by Strange Brew
Bobby Hull, Espo and Lafleur would be on my HM list. All with multiple Harts and Art Ross. And Richard like I said before.
The Islanders dynasty doesn't get the credit it deserves - maybe Potvin for a defenseman.
McDavid doesn't belong anywhere on a list like this yet. Maybe Messier should be somewhere in it.
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Yeah, I thought about those guys and a few others and I came back to that completeness factor. As someone who got to watch Bobby Hull in Winnipeg and my Dad became the coolest dad ever when he set up a meeting between a young me and Bobby and I walked out with two of his sticks with the monstrous Banana curve and an inability to talk. However I never thought of him as generational because he was lacking in a few key areas. The Flower was great, but he lacked a compete level on a lot of nights and he didn't have a strong physical game. Espo made up for a lot of areas that he lacked with his peerless compete level and a ruthless streak a mile wide, but he wasn't a great skater and he really wasn't what I would have called an offensive driver.
I loved Potvin, and his book is a must read. He was one of the smartest players to ever lace em up, he had everything a genuine mean streak, a high compete level, offensive skills a big shot. He could run a power play and kill a penalty. But I don't think he had a game changing impact on the game and that's part of my criteria.
Messier, again all world skill, great leadership, a genuine mean streak and he was offensively and defensively sound, but as a total package, he was just behind what I would call generational.
I tend to think that we're too willing to label players as generational, but to me generational means that in some way they change not only the game, but they force a coach to come up with something entirely new to counter them.