Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
Not necessarily. But if you isolate his contributions to just what he achieved with the Flames, there’s an argument to be made that the bar isn’t as high as we might think (or at least that being “elite” is less relevant than contributions to the team beyond the ice, or the “total package”)
Of players who played more than 400 games:
17th in P/GP (same as Reichel, below Tkachuk, Chouinard, Gaudreau, etc)
5th in G/GP (similar to Roberts, Loob, Fleury, below Nilsson, etc)
Of players who played more than 28 playoff games:
18th in P/GP (similar to Bennett, below Monahan, Gaudreau, Reinhart, etc)
9th in G/GP (same as Monahan, below Bennett, Gilmour, Mullen, etc)
Even just looking at the 89 cup winning playoff run:
16th in points (with 4)
13th in goals (with 1)
His one statistical entry into the top 5 is largely thanks to one season which he never came close to again.
It’s no disrespect to Lanny, just making the point that what the bar performance-wise isn’t actually that high, and factors beyond the ice (leadership, community involvement, class, etc) all play a significant role. The Flames didn’t win the cup because of Lanny McDonald, nor did Lanny get in the HHOF because of his time with the Flames, so I don’t see those as significantly relevant to his deserving of a jersey retirement.
If it’s just performance, there’s about a dozen guys more deserving, from both his era and beyond. But we know it’s not just about that.
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Definitely. I agree with you on the total package piece -- and that Lanny's contributions off the ice were equally as important as his production and leadership on the ice in Calgary.
But you're undervaluing McDonald's contributions on the ice in comparison to Backlund's as the elder player very much was a star for at least four of his eight seasons with the team (Top 2-3 in scoring), and his contribution and leadership in the years leading to the cup win helped shape that '89 team.
That separates him from Backlund. While Backlund has always been an important part of the team, and his contributions have been incredibly valuable, he's never been a star like McDonald.
I get and agree with your point. I just don't see anywhere near comparable players for their on-ice accomplishments.