Who doesn’t love rankings? Rankings exist to spark debate. Rankings are subjective, decided by opinions, educated or in any other case. Opinions can’t be flawed, Besides, in fact, when they’re.
Which brings us to the enjoyable workouts during which the great of us at NHL.com have been intermittently engaged all through this coronavirus-induced stoppage of play. A panel of writers has been polled to create a “Tremendous 16” position-by-position rating of the highest gamers of the enlargement period.
What may go flawed?
Nicely, Billy Smith ranked forward of Henrik Lundqvist, for one. And Tony Esposito ranked forward of Lundqvist, for an additional. Oh, and Patrik Elias failing to garner a single vote as one of many high 16 left wings from the 13 individuals who forged ballots, and what on this planet is that each one about? Then there’s the matter of Scott Niedermayer out-polling Scott Stevens on protection.
Hear, Smitty’s one of many nice cash goaltenders of all time. There’s no dispute over that. Within the rating of post-Unique Six Stanley Cup goalies, you possibly can go: 1) Bernie Guardian; 2) Ken Dryden; 3) Smith, and also you is probably not flawed, although it’s nonetheless one of many extra startling tales in playoff historical past that Scotty Bowman had determined to bench Dryden in favor of Bunny Larocque for Sport 2 of the 1979 Cup finals towards the Rangers after the Corridor of Famer’s mediocre efficiency within the Blueshirts’ 4-1 Sport 1 victory.
![Billy Smith]()
After all, you realize that destiny intervened when Doug Risebrough hit Larocque within the head with a shot throughout warmups that thus necessitated barrister Dryden’s emergency return to nets. No. 29 allowed a purpose to Anders Hedberg on the Rangers’ first shot at 1:02 earlier than he was crushed at 6:21 by Ron Duguay on the staff’s third shot and it was 2-Zero and … and naturally the sport ended 6-2 and Montreal received in 5 and also you simply don’t have guys known as “Bunny” within the league anymore.
That jogs my memory. Dryden retired following that Cup, Bowman left the group after dropping an inside energy wrestle to Irving Grundman (beats me) to develop into GM/coach of the Sabres, and Bernie Geoffrion was named to succeed Bowman behind the Habs’ bench. I went as much as Montreal to interview the Boomer at coaching camp and, lo and behold, a goaltender carrying No. 29 was taking photographs throughout a drill.
It was Don Cutts, who’d been an Islanders farmhand the previous few years and was now carrying No. 29. No worries, Cutts didn’t make the staff and by no means did play a sport for Les Glorieux, so we could be certain the No. 29 that hangs within the rafters commemorates Dryden.
However anyway, let’s speak about Smith ranked ninth and Lundqvist 10th, with eight of the 14 casting ballots rating the Islanders’ Corridor of Famer forward of the Rangers’ pending Corridor of Famer.
Have you learnt that Smith began 50 or extra video games in a season solely as soon as in his profession, that in 1974-75, and in reality began 40 or extra video games simply 4 occasions whereas sharing nets with Chico Resch, Roland Melanson and Kelly Hrudey? Lundqvist, in the meantime, began 60 or extra eight occasions that included three seasons of a minimum of 70 whereas carrying the Rangers for nearly a decade-and-a-half.
The stats aren’t shut, however reasonably than cite profession goals-against averages (2.43 to three.18) save percentages (.918 to .895) and victories (459 to 305) — sure, Smith performed in a better scoring league however on a a lot, a lot, a lot, significantly better staff — listed here are the underside line questions:
Would the Islanders have received their 4 straight Cup and 19 straight playoff collection with Lundqvist reasonably than Smith?
The reply is, sure.
Would the Rangers have made the playoffs 11 occasions in 12 years with Smith reasonably than Lundqvist?
The reply is, no.
Now to Tony O, who was ranked fifth. He was an incredible one, little question, with numbers which might be similar to the King’s when accounting for the distinction in eras. He was a tireless workhorse for Chicago with 74 profession shutouts to the Swede’s 64. However not solely are they tied in Stanley Cup championships at zero, Esposito allowed the worst, most damaging purpose within the finals historical past — that 70-footer to Jacques Lemaire in Sport 7 of the 1971 collection with the Hawks up 2-Zero late within the second interval of the match they might lose, 3-2.
![Scott Niedermayer]()
The omission of Elias from each single one of many 13 ballots is actually inexplicable. I’d have him in my high 16 forward of a minimum of John LeClair and Ilya Kovalchuk (and don’t ask me how Keith Tkachuk was ranked eighth), and Bobby Hull’s look on this listing is suspect given the very fact he performed simply 5 seasons within the NHL post-expansion, however OK.
What is just not remotely OK, nonetheless, is that Elias didn’t get a vote whereas Brian Bellows, Ray Whitney, Brian Propp, Charlie Simmer and Kirk Muller did. Is there a normal supervisor within the league at any time who would have taken Whitney forward of Elias? I’m not counting one-time Rockies GM Ray Miron, by the best way.
After which the Nice Scotts. Hear, I’m not right here to denigrate Niedermayer in any manner. He was a sheer delight to look at. And perhaps Niedermayer’s work with the Geese after leaving the Devils to hitch his brother stood out to the voters who had No. 27 ranked larger on 9 of 13 ballots, and had him ranked ninth general to Stevens at 12. Or maybe it was Nieds’ excellent worldwide profession. I may see that.
However once they had been teammates for 12 seasons, it by no means would have dawned on me or anybody else to recommend Niedermayer was the higher/extra essential participant. By no means. As a result of once more, the query:
Might the Devils have received three Cups with out Niedermayer?
In all probability not.
However may they’ve received even one with out Stevens?
Not an opportunity.
By the best way, that’s a reality.
Keep protected, mates.