Who do you consider to be the most talented hockey player of all time?

[Charles Martel]

Who do you consider to be the most talented hockey player of all time?

For me, it's Bobby Orr.

I've never seen a player who could control a game like Orr. He was truly amazing.

 

[whiteathlete33]

I would say Mario Lemieux. If not for his injuries and cancer, his records would have been untouchable.

 

[Fortitud3]

Gretzky. Didn't have any great or even good physical attributes, dominated anyways.

 

[white is right]

Gretzky. Didn't have any great or even good physical attributes, dominated anyways.

He did have great eye hand coordination and he did have an uncanny feel for the game. He was also 160 pounds when he was a young player and only 170 when he was a mature man. Ps the greatest post WWII athlete to play the game could be Bobby Hull as he was a swift sprinter, a high school football star and a fringe pro baseball prospect. His sons all got some of these genes as he has a son that played in the CFL and had a son that was a high school sprinter and Brett Hull broke his family records for goals.

 

[whiteathlete33]

One could even say Jaromir Jagr. That guy was a beast. I am a bit biased to the 90's Penguins teams as you can see, but still, Jagr deserves mention at the very minimum.

 

[Average American]

Gretzky. Didn't have any great or even good physical attributes, dominated anyways.

Yeah, for me.. it's Gretzky (going away). Possession of so many offensive records. Gretzky's domination of his sport was Babe Ruth'ian. & Like Ruth, he was a national (really continental) celebrity away from his sport. I think if he had got to L.A. sooner in his career, he may have helped make the Kings similar to what Ruth did when he got to the Yankees (?) There are some honorable mentions for defensive players, but Gretzky is still 'The Great One'.

 

[Don Wassall]

It's Gretzky and no one else is close. Gretzky was hockey's Babe Ruth, completely rewriting the record books with staggering offensive performances. He was also on a number of Stanley Cup winning teams with Edmonton. Lemieux was close in pure talent but missed way too many games. Gretzky put up video game numbers and was very durable.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Mark Messier or Brian Leetch. No one had the total all around talent than Messier. He ws not just an incredible passer but hitter and natural leader as well. Leetch in the 1991-1992 season was just like watching poetry on ice. There will never be a better passing or rushing defenseman like him. IMO.

 

[Fortitud3]

Mark Messier or Brian Leetch. No one had the total all around talent than Messier. He ws not just an incredible passer but hitter and natural leader as well. Leetch in the 1991-1992 season was just like watching poetry on ice. There will never be a better passing or rushing defenseman like him. IMO.

I think Coffey was better than Leetch. Specifically on the rush. The way Coffey hit the blue line and then just went parallel with the blue line without losing very much speed was nuts.

 

[Ambrose]

How do you define talented?

 

[backrow]

Gretzky was hockey's Michael Jordan, and with much less of physical attributes to speak of, in comparison.

Lemieux could have been close. Still a great career, but not quite like the number 99

 

[Charles Martel]

[video=youtube;D1fMcTq8Esk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=D1fMcTq8Esk[/video]

 

[Charles Martel]

How do you define talented?

[video=youtube;MSDw3tMa7ec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MSDw3tMa7ec[/video]

 

[jerseypinebarrens]

Martin Brodeur......

 

[jaxvid]

Wayne Gretzky was NOT hockey's "Babe Ruth", he was more like the Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds (minus the steroids of course). Gordie Howe was the sports Babe Ruth. Yes Gretzky has all the scoring records playing in the over expanded and talent lite NHL of his time. But Gordie Howe did it all in the golden age of hockey. Plus he was a complete player, a scorer, a play maker, and in an era when it mattered, one of the toughest players ever.

I note this as the great Gordie Howe is on his deathbed after suffering a stroke at 86. He was truly an amazing person.