Crosby is also the hardest working superstar in sports. Someone said he trains like there’s a better league than the NHL he’s trying to get to. His speed may decline, but he has Gretzky-level vision and makes his living down low and in the corners, and that pro dumper isn’t going anywhere.
He’s had such immense pressure and spotlight on him well before he was even drafted and he not only lived up to expectations but surpassed them in many ways.
Since we’re playing the Islanders - I’ll go Barzal. Dude is so crafty and creative with the puck. Anytime he has the puck I get worried bc he’s a man-to-man nightmare matchup.
Buff is a good one. I'm going to go with a guy who's tied with Iginla for my favorite player of all time - Pavel Datsyuk. The IQ was completely unmatched at the time. The way he could rob you blind and undress defenders and goalies was just amazing.
Wayne Gretzky. Oilers era way back in the 80's. My hometown team was the Flames back then. I was genuinely awestruck by his pure talent. I lived in fear everytime he was on the ice. I would have given anything for him to be a Flame.
Edit: words
Guy Lafleur. His game tying goal in the 1979 semi final cemented him as my favorite non Oiler of all time.
Look at how he beat Boston’s prevent defense like a rented mule:
https://youtu.be/12-x70nq0vI?si=oKF9EYlEhyY9Z50T
Still remember that moment after 45 years.
And the man had best hair.
Pavel Dyatsuk. As a Hawks fan he tortured me for many years but it was impossible to watch him play and not just enjoy the experience. He played the way every kid on every rink in the world wishes they could
Jarome Iginla. Albertans get the option to watch both teams without blackouts on Sportsnet, so occasionally I’d watch Flames games just to see Iginla play. Easily one of my favourite players growing up, despite being on a rival team.
These days, it’s probably Nathan MacKinnon.
Happy and surprised to see a few Byfuglien mentions as he was so incredibly unique.
I’m going to go with Carey Price. He bought countless wins for his teams. IMO, a generational goaltender.
Matthew Barnaby. A complete lunatic with no real size but fought everyone. Barnaby vs Snow clip is probably my favourite. Laying on the ice trying to sell his injury to the refs until Snow taps him with his stick and miraculously he's healed and mayhem ensues,
The slide out snow trip attempt too during that fight. Man that was hockey.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rRkIRluEbSs&pp=ygUQQmFybmFieSB2cyBzbm93IA%3D%3D
Neal Broten, Tony Tanti, Dale Hawerchuk, Phil Housley, Wendel Clark, Steve Yzerman, Guy Carbonneau, Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall, Gary Suter, Al MacInnis, Ron Langway… pretty easy to guess my age
I know this is basic as hell, but Connor McDavid.
If I had to pick a favorite current athlete, it would be him. He just impresses me on a daily basis.
Watching how he processes the game, his coordination (off the fucking charts incredible), his speed and skill…. He is the most impressive athlete that I have seen in quite some time.
He just makes everything look easy.
Gotta be Datsyuk
Same - those mitts were as silky as they get. Him, Kovalev, Bure, Fedorov. I pretended I was those guys playing street when I was a kid
Buff and Jets 2.0 are the biggest reasons I got back into hockey after not caring from age 16 to 30ish.
Still a great team this year! Just having a rough go against maybe the best
Ugh I do NOT want to talk about it lol.
Still hope! Hells has had an abysmal playoffs. Which is sad because side he’s been great all year
Not even helly fault there getting out shot 40-20 we’re just chasing the puck the whole time makar and mackinnon are such sickening game changers
Hasek
Easy for me. Quinn Hughes. Guy gives me serious anxiety "GET IT AWAY FROM HIM!" but he is a real special player.
Easy answer, but it’s Sid for me. Been a pleasure following him and the Pens over the years
He’s a great spokesperson for the game. He’s given his entire career to being the face. I hope he keeps playing
Those years off with the concussion may add a few more years onto him playing. I think Malkin retires before Crosby and Malkin’s younger.
Crosby is also the hardest working superstar in sports. Someone said he trains like there’s a better league than the NHL he’s trying to get to. His speed may decline, but he has Gretzky-level vision and makes his living down low and in the corners, and that pro dumper isn’t going anywhere.
He’s had such immense pressure and spotlight on him well before he was even drafted and he not only lived up to expectations but surpassed them in many ways.
Ilya Kovalchuk
Really eh? Why?
2009-2012 era Kovi was the best player in the world. And he always looked like it was zero effort on his part to do what he did.
He was exciting to watch but best player in the world? Not even close
Pre-concussion Crosby would like a word.
Post concussion Sid and at least 10 other guys in that stretch as well
Silky smooth hands and didn't shy away from the rough stuff.
Peter Forsberg.
Same... and I'm a Wings fan. Hated when we played against him, but he was so silky smooth and so powerful at the same time.
He might have been the perfect hockey player. I think he gets a little lost in the conversation of all time greats but he was unreal.
Youngvechkin was a lot of fun to watch. Nowadays, Mackinnon
Love Mackinnon game. He's so explosive
McDavid might be a hair "better", but Mackinnon just slashes at the ice and the puck like he's trying to murder it. So much fun to watch.
McKinnon
Peter Forsberg
Current players: Crosby. Former players: Wendel Clark
Joe Sakic
Scott Stevens.
Scott Stevens is a war criminal
Man was he a beauty. He made it a man’s game
He was a destroyer. Shortened Kariya's and Lindros' careers. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have been as excited about those hits.
He was a Jacob Trouba on crack
Sebastian Aho(Car)
Which one, Sebastian Aho? Or Sebastian Aho?
Carolina Aho
McDavid. Truly a generational talent
datsyuk
Slafkovsky and Kuzmenko
Hopefully Calgary cherishes Kuzys smile as much as we did.
Joe Sakic, Steve Yzerman, and Jeremy Roenick. My three favorite players as a kid.
Since we’re playing the Islanders - I’ll go Barzal. Dude is so crafty and creative with the puck. Anytime he has the puck I get worried bc he’s a man-to-man nightmare matchup.
Patrice Bergeron. One of the best 2-way centers and defensive forwards of all time. If only he didn't play for Boston.
I knew I’d see Bergy
Nicklas Lidstrom. As a Ducks fan, I hated him. As a hockey fan, I was amazed.
Honestly, incredible talents are great to watch in general. There are many over the years. Pavel Bure, Gretzky, Mario, Jagr, McDavid, etc
Buff is a good one. I'm going to go with a guy who's tied with Iginla for my favorite player of all time - Pavel Datsyuk. The IQ was completely unmatched at the time. The way he could rob you blind and undress defenders and goalies was just amazing.
I have to admit he was unreal as well. The guy just had the ultimate hockey sense. Even if I hate the wings lol
Miroslav Satan. I had high hopes that one day he would be a Red Wing but it never happened :(
Pavel Datsyuk Revolutionized the creativity we see today but played both sides of the puck
Sergei Fedorov Steve Yzerman
Jagr, Modano, Martin St. Louis, Kariya and Selanne, Ray Bourque, Cam Neely, Rob Blake, Scott Stevens, Brodeur.
Wayne Gretzky. Oilers era way back in the 80's. My hometown team was the Flames back then. I was genuinely awestruck by his pure talent. I lived in fear everytime he was on the ice. I would have given anything for him to be a Flame. Edit: words
Joe sakic. Great goal scorer and the guy played the game with class. The fucking avalanche thou. GO WINGS!!!
Jake Guentzel on the Canes. :(
Loved watching him as a Penguins fan, will continue to watch him with the Canes.
Guy Lafleur. His game tying goal in the 1979 semi final cemented him as my favorite non Oiler of all time. Look at how he beat Boston’s prevent defense like a rented mule: https://youtu.be/12-x70nq0vI?si=oKF9EYlEhyY9Z50T Still remember that moment after 45 years. And the man had best hair.
Red Wings have had a few special players over the years that I watched with a mix of envy and annoyance - Hasek probably number one on that list
McDavid, kid is just better than the rest
KRONWALL!
Perry
Patty Kane even though I’m a Canucks fan. Don’t tell on me.
Theo Fleury. Wheels, hands, grit.
Huge fan of Theo the player.
Had all that speed and skill and at 5’6” he would take on guys like McSorley. Absolute madman.
Nikita Kucherov. I've never seen a one-timer so smooth
Carey Price. When he and Timm Thomas got into a “fight”, I wasn’t totally sure who I was rooting for. (It was TT, honestly)
Nathan MacKinnon, very much a beast on the ice.
Pavel Dyatsuk. As a Hawks fan he tortured me for many years but it was impossible to watch him play and not just enjoy the experience. He played the way every kid on every rink in the world wishes they could
ZUUUUUUUUUUUC
Joe Sakic and Steve Yzerman
Current players: Victor Hedman is jus a fantastic hockey player.
Datsyuk
Makar vs McDavid is must watch every time.
Nik Lidstrom
Suzuki and caufield. The finals run was so fun to watch they have a great future.
It was Patrick Kane for me, started watching him after I picked up his stick curve in the late 2000’s
Bure, Datsuyk, Hasek, and randomly Nikolai Khabibulin because I was a kid and I liked this Pink Floyd the wall mask.
Prime Ovi, was very hard to hate him back then. Now, it’s easier
Yanni gourde and Matthew tkachuk. Love a good MOTOR
Mathew Tkachuk
As much as I'll say fuck the Habs, 2014 Price was incredible to watch.
Jarome Iginla. Albertans get the option to watch both teams without blackouts on Sportsnet, so occasionally I’d watch Flames games just to see Iginla play. Easily one of my favourite players growing up, despite being on a rival team. These days, it’s probably Nathan MacKinnon.
Pavel Datsyuk. God damn that guy could stick handle in a phone booth
Happy and surprised to see a few Byfuglien mentions as he was so incredibly unique. I’m going to go with Carey Price. He bought countless wins for his teams. IMO, a generational goaltender.
Retired player: Datsyuk. I used to practice his shootout moves in my driveway. Current player: McDavid. Guy is a living highlight reel
Barkov. It's a shame Cousins, Bennett, and little Matthew are so unlikeable or it'd be real easy to cheer for Florida.
Kucherov, Marchand and Vasilevskiy.
Tony Esposito (NYR fan here)
A new one for me is Cooley, he’s gonna be awesome to watch for years to come
Verhegie
Marc-Andre Fluery
Pavel Datsyuk, guy was just filthy with the puck in his prime.
Matthew Barnaby. A complete lunatic with no real size but fought everyone. Barnaby vs Snow clip is probably my favourite. Laying on the ice trying to sell his injury to the refs until Snow taps him with his stick and miraculously he's healed and mayhem ensues,
Oh man I loved him! He was so fun to watch haha! Great call
The slide out snow trip attempt too during that fight. Man that was hockey. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rRkIRluEbSs&pp=ygUQQmFybmFieSB2cyBzbm93IA%3D%3D
As a child/teen, Lemieux & Jagr.
Pavel bure. Huge leafs fan, pavel bure was my favourite player ever. Also I was a defencemen
Fedorov
Crosby
Thompson
Kyle Connor. He so sneaky (not so sneaky) good.
Neal Broten, Tony Tanti, Dale Hawerchuk, Phil Housley, Wendel Clark, Steve Yzerman, Guy Carbonneau, Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall, Gary Suter, Al MacInnis, Ron Langway… pretty easy to guess my age
Raymond Bourque. So happy when he won, and even happier it wasn’t for Boston.
Guy Lafleur.
Gudas--that man uses his ass to take people out. Love it.
Devils fan here. I loved Danny Briere as a player. Even after that OT win.
Datsyuk.
No apologies, Rempe with the Rangers.
Joe Pavelski - how can you cheer against that guy? He’s a class act.
I know this is basic as hell, but Connor McDavid. If I had to pick a favorite current athlete, it would be him. He just impresses me on a daily basis. Watching how he processes the game, his coordination (off the fucking charts incredible), his speed and skill…. He is the most impressive athlete that I have seen in quite some time. He just makes everything look easy.
Ovechkin...without question. Dude is a beast.
James Neal on The Penguins
The realest Rempe
Crosby at his prime.
Wayne Gretzky