Most exciting player of all time

[Crazynuck]

Just for fun I thought I\'d take ppl\'s opinions on the most exciting player of all time.

Growing up in Van I would have to say the Russian Rocket. Bure was by far the most exciting player in NHL history in my books. The breakaway goal in game 7 against calgray in game 4 will forever be imprinted in my mind. Not only did he have the speed but he had the skill to control the puck and score goals.

[recordstyle]

i really wish i got to see bobby orr in his early days, but 110% without blinking or even hesitating still pick pavel bure.
in the arena when it happened or on tv at home/pub, and to this day the youtube and other replays of him make you shake your head in a \"wow\" like fashion. hmy:

(gotta love the first 2 responses going for him)

[Dobber]

This thread...you mean besides Gretzky, right?

[Briarpatch00]

While I absolutely agree with Bure and Gretz, I want an honourable metion for JR. Yes, the Roenick that played for Chicago had some of the best moves 1v1. I saw the guy play a 4v4 tournament and he was electrifying with the extra space. I think we forget that he used to be a 100 point player in his prime. He just never ended up with the accolades of cups, etc.

[doulos]

Nothing is more exciting then Bob Probert!

[The Comish]

Glenn Anderson - He could really skate and was fearless going to the net.

Theo Fleury - Pure entertainment in a small package. Always involved, whether it was scoring or biting Mark Messier\'s knee in a line brawl. Oh man, it just brings a tear to my eye remembering the old days!

Paul Coffey - The ultimate puck tease. He\'d wind up behind his own net, skate through the entire opposing team and then go around their net all the way back to almost centre ice. Infuriating as an Oilers fan.

I don\'t think they qualify for most exciting player of all time, but Bure was taken.

I never had the opportunity to watch Orr and only saw Lafleur when he was an old man with the Rangers.

Gretzky was too busy celebrating goals to be exciting! He was unique in that he didn\'t have blazing speed, a rocket of a shot or any size to speak of. Gretzky was exciting in his own right because he would make you go wow, how did he make that pass or score that goal or avoid that check, etc.

[Crazynuck]

I was a bit too young during the Edm Gretzky era.
During my era Bure was the greatest.
That is my opinion and the reason for this post is to get others opinions.

[Dobber]

The Comish wrote:

Gretzky was too busy celebrating goals to be exciting! He was unique in that he didn\'t have blazing speed, a rocket of a shot or any size to speak of. Gretzky was exciting in his own right because he would make you go wow, how did he make that pass or score that goal or avoid that check, etc.

He didn\'t celebrate any harder than anyone else - he just did it more often!

The big \"wow, how did he...\" thing with me is...how did he know that guy was going to be there? Or how did he know to pass it there when he\'s facing the other way?

Smartest player in history and his days in Edmonton got me into hockey in the first place. When I was five and he was a second year player, I had a Gretzky lunchbox!! haha

But honestly - the best playoff series in history to me were the three in a row in the mid 80s between Edmonton and Calgary. Wow. Calgary always scared the hell out of me because they were the second best team...but they always met in the second round!

I saw so many Gretzky to Kurri goals I don\'t think I\'ll ever see magic like that again.
B)

[vist]

Valeri Kharlamov.
Arguably, had the greatest arsenal of skill of any player ever. But undoubtedly for me, was the most interesting to watch. One of those, when he gets the puck you move forward to the edge of your seat, so you don\'t miss any single move.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ne-ccbIEBE

Did you know that Ilya Kovalchuk wears the #17 in his honour. Although, he was not born until two years after Kharlamov\'s tragic death on Moscow highway?
Did you know that Evgeni Malkin wears the #71 (reversed 17), also in honour of Kharlamov?

[tiantonio]

I was an Oiler fan through their entire dynasty and love that style of hockey. The one player that amazed me every time he was on the ice though, was Mario Lemieux. Many younger fans did not get a chance to see how dominant he was. PERFECT blend of size, speed, vision, and touch. His numnbers were just sick. I love the Great One, but he had Hall of Famers around him to help in Mess, Fuhr, Kurri, Coffey, and others. Lemieux made 40 goal scorers out of Rob Brown, Dan Quinn, Kevin Stevens, Randy Cunneyworth, Warren Young?!?!?, Mike Bullard, and Petr Nedved. I doubt even Gretz could work magic with that Motley Bunch.

[The Comish]

vist wrote:

Valeri Kharlamov.
Arguably, had the greatest arsenal of skill of any player ever. But undoubtedly for me, was the most interesting to watch. One of those, when he gets the puck you move forward to the edge of your seat, so you don\'t miss any single move.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ne-ccbIEBE

Did you know that Ilya Kovalchuk wears the #17 in his honour. Although, he was not born until two years after Kharlamov\'s tragic death on Moscow highway?
Did you know that Evgeni Malkin wears the #71 (reversed 17), also in honour of Kharlamov?

I enjoyed the video. I\'ve heard about Kharlamov, but have never seen him play. Thanks. He looked like a player. I really wish we could have seen these Russian (Soviet?) greats in their prime. Fetisov was almost at retirement age when he debuted in the NHL. There were many of the old guard that probably would have been Hall of Famers had they played in the NHL.

I did not know why Kovalchuk wore #17. Thanks for the post.

[Dobber]

Hey, Gretz made Craig Simpson a 50-goal man, and Esa Tikkanen would have barely been a 50-point guy without him!
And 45 goals for Tomas Sandstrom? 39 for Granato? Bernie Nicholls 70 goals? Wow!
I can\'t help but think that some of the Hall of Famers made the Hall because of Gretz...not with him.

And Lemieux had Coffey too! (and Murphy, Francis, Recchi and Jagr...). I also think Stevens would have taken a run at the HOF if he didn\'t get knocked out that one game. He was a mere shadow of himself after that.

[The Comish]

tiantonio wrote:

I was an Oiler fan through their entire dynasty and love that style of hockey. The one player that amazed me every time he was on the ice though, was Mario Lemieux. Many younger fans did not get a chance to see how dominant he was. PERFECT blend of size, speed, vision, and touch. His numnbers were just sick. I love the Great One, but he had Hall of Famers around him to help in Mess, Fuhr, Kurri, Coffey, and others. Lemieux made 40 goal scorers out of Rob Brown, Dan Quinn, Kevin Stevens, Randy Cunneyworth, Warren Young?!?!?, Mike Bullard, and Petr Nedved. I doubt even Gretz could work magic with that Motley Bunch.

I have always subscribed to that fact that Lemieux was the most talented player I\'ve ever seen. It seemed he could score at will.

I disagree with your statement about Gretzky. He made players like Brett Callighen (2 time 20 NHL goal scorer) and Dave Lumley a 30 goal scorer.

Great players make players around them better. Gretzky was the greatest ever and that includes Mario. Mario\'s individual skill may have exceeded Gretzky\'s, but Gretzky made up for it in many other ways.

From Wikipedia: \"Lemieux cited his Canada Cup experience as the reason for his elevated play later on, stating, \"Remember, I was only 21 years old at the time. To be around guys like Wayne [Gretzky] and Mark Messier and Paul Coffey [...] was a tremendous learning experience\"

[Sin Bin]

Gretzky was the best ever but for pure excitement I loved watching Lemieux. Growing up not far from Pittsburgh I got to see him a lot and the things he could do.

I was at the game he had 5 goals against St. Louis when Gretzky was there. That was a show.

I think his record of scoring a goal everyway you can in one game (ES,PP,SH,PS & EN) is the safest record in the NHL.

Bure was pure excitement as well.

Gretzky\'s excitement was exactly as you said...WOW! How did he do that? I didn\'t even see him on TV.