Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Where does Mark Giordano rank among all-time Flames?

powderjunkie · 03-01-2019, 10:46 PM

I was just thinking about this today...I like to think about it in terms of an all-time starting line-up:

?????-??????-Iginla
Giordano-MacInnis
Kipper/Vernon

I'm very comfortable slotting Gio onto that top pair now. I think Kipper vs. Vernon is the ultimate toss-up; I go with Kipper, but wouldn't argue with anyone who says Vernon.

Where it gets interesting is the forward slots: Johnny vs. Gary Roberts

Johnny: 376 gp; 127G, 370P
Roberts: 585 gp; 257G, 505P

Gary has higher G/GP, but Johnny has higher P/GP (though I imagine Johnny would be quite a bit higher if corrected by year). Gary had 5 goals and 12 pts in the cup run; important player, but not even a top 6 forward? He broke out the next season with 39g, and then 53 two seasons later.

If I'm building a real team with other great players I might want Gary, but since he never really got close to being a top 10 player/hart trophy contender as Johnny is now, I'd probably lean to Johnny. If he plays well and the Flames win 2 playoff rounds, I think it cements it (Gary never won another playoff rd as a Flame).

Monahan is getting closer, but I don't think he's quite ready to supplant Nieuwendyk. A Conn Smythe this June might do it, though.

Doing this exercise for a lot of other teams, you would slot a center into a wing position (Crosby-Lemieux-Jagr); perhaps for Calgary it would be the other way:

Gaudreau-Iginla-Fleury

A total defensive disaster, but Iggy was good enough at draws, and it would be fun to watch a couple featherweights flying around.

03-01-2019, 10:46 PM	#53
powderjunkie Franchise Player Join Date: Dec 2011 Exp:	I was just thinking about this today...I like to think about it in terms of an all-time starting line-up: ?????-??????-Iginla Giordano-MacInnis Kipper/Vernon I'm very comfortable slotting Gio onto that top pair now. I think Kipper vs. Vernon is the ultimate toss-up; I go with Kipper, but wouldn't argue with anyone who says Vernon. Where it gets interesting is the forward slots: Johnny vs. Gary Roberts Johnny: 376 gp; 127G, 370P Roberts: 585 gp; 257G, 505P Gary has higher G/GP, but Johnny has higher P/GP (though I imagine Johnny would be quite a bit higher if corrected by year). Gary had 5 goals and 12 pts in the cup run; important player, but not even a top 6 forward? He broke out the next season with 39g, and then 53 two seasons later. If I'm building a real team with other great players I might want Gary, but since he never really got close to being a top 10 player/hart trophy contender as Johnny is now, I'd probably lean to Johnny. If he plays well and the Flames win 2 playoff rounds, I think it cements it (Gary never won another playoff rd as a Flame). Monahan is getting closer, but I don't think he's quite ready to supplant Nieuwendyk. A Conn Smythe this June might do it, though. Doing this exercise for a lot of other teams, you would slot a center into a wing position (Crosby-Lemieux-Jagr); perhaps for Calgary it would be the other way: Gaudreau-Iginla-Fleury A total defensive disaster, but Iggy was good enough at draws, and it would be fun to watch a couple featherweights flying around.