Also don't forget that in the 80s and 90s headshots weren't just allowed, they were encouraged. Scott Stevens was celebrated as one of the greatest defensemen of all time, because he ended careers. Crosby's career would have been just a crappier version of what Lindros had if he played during that time period.
And then there was the shadow. Newer hockey fans probably don't even know what that is. For those of you under 25, a shadow was a player who was deployed in a man to man situation against the other teams superstar. The rules of the day allowed the shadow to effectively drape himself over the star player and not let him move around the ice. He was legally allowed to hook, hold and interfere with the star anywhere on the ice.
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