Quote:
Originally Posted by tkflames
...man...you and I are on a bad run lately as far as agreement....
The two definitely showed heart in different ways...but when it came to Fleury as a flame...I dont know a bigger heart on his sleeve player. I think it's a difficult thing to compare, but Fleury playing with the autographed Jersey because his game Jersey had too much blood on it, the day he was traded to Colorado (I still have the newspaper clip) and the shootout goal he scored in the preseason are memories that stand out as very symbolic for this. Iggy has similar ones...but they tend not to be as dramatic.
Iggy was one of the big guys that lifted the team on his back and could carry them by himself...but he could also be the floater circling at center ice waiting for the easy play. The determination of Iggy in the 04 run is unparalleled.
Fleury at his size had to fight for every inch and was able to accomplish amazing things in a different league. Fleury today would be a 100 point a year winger...but back in his day he would score despite 250 lb 6-6 defenders water skiing him from center ice in.
Both amazing players...both amazing heart...but I think we either disagree on their heart or one of us watched Fleury play more ..
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Heart goes beyond playing like you're 6'3 when you're 5'6. It extends to the dressing room and community too. Players using a fan jersey because of blood will never happen anymore because teams make sure they have several jerseys for this very reason, not exactly evidence of heart when 1 could do it and not the other. Iginla fought guys in every series in the 04 playoffs, including Hatcher who was a monster.
You also don't need to exaggerate how big defenders were during Fleury's era, they were actually smaller than they are now.
And you probably did watch Fleury play more than I did, I have never lived in Calgary, and I never saw my first in person NHL game until the turn of the century, so I had to rely exclusively on HNIC and 2&7 to watch games but he was my idol when I was a kid.
I think too many people have kept the hero goggles on for Theo, when the reality is he was probably playing with so much energy because he was coked out of his mind.