Crosby's close, but i don't think he's there yet. he proving to be a great leader very quickly, and my opinion my change in a couple weeks, but offensively you have to give it to OV hands down. Overall, Getzlaf or Datsyuk. It's very close any way you look at it up front. And Malkin is having a fine season but he failed to show up last year.
Lidstrom's getting long in the took but he proving he's still the best.
Luongo dropped quite a few notches with this last playoff effort.
Brodour gets my nod in net. And now theirs a awful lot of young European Goaltenders coming of age. Renne, Hiller, Backstrom. And Fluery is getting better every day it seems.
I think crazy's guilty of something i'm guilty of on alot of occasions. Homerism.
The Canadians are all no longer the top players in the game. They now share that spotlight.
Com' on bushay, I'm not that much of a homer
Actually one of my favorite players to watch has always been Mike modano. He can skated real nice especially a few years back. He was a treat to watch, and he is not Canadian.
All I'm saying is that there will be good players from everywhere, but only Canadians seem to be able to endure long careers, few exeptions like lidstom will occure but they will always be to few. Many of the Russians have better talent yet the money goes to their head alla Jagar Yashin ect ect...
As to who I think is the best today is tough. I'd have to really think it through, many big talented babies out their. so the question would be who would I want to start my team with!!
I'll let you know in a bit. (older players like lidstrom will not be considered for the sake of this argument)
Actually one of my favorite players to watch has always been Mike modano. He can skated real nice especially a few years back. He was a treat to watch, and he is not Canadian.
All I'm saying is that there will be good players from everywhere, but only Canadians seem to be able to endure long careers, few exeptions like lidstom will occure but they will always be to few. Many of the Russians have better talent yet the money goes to their head alla Jagar Yashin ect ect...
As to who I think is the best today is tough. I'd have to really think it through, many big talented babies out their. so the question would be who would I want to start my team with!!
I'll let you know in a bit. (older players like lidstrom will not be considered for the sake of this argument)
i'll correct this-- Canadians WERE NEVER just the top players in the game. THEY ALWAYS SHARED the spotlight. You're are looking at what you have seen in the NHL, ONLY
people just don't seem to get it. When you have 90% of the league as Canadian players, yes OF COURSE they will have the 'percieved' best players in the game (Lafluer, Robinson, Bossy, etc, etc--they were few to no Euros playing in the league at the time!!!!!!)---all the while, terrific, equally as talented players are abroad in Europe but didnt have the opportunity to play in the NHL
this Russian, Swedish 'renaissance' is nothing of the such
can you imagine the potential career Fetisov would have had if he had started in the NHL at a more appropriate age?? what kind of career would Karlomov have had?
what if Lidstrom stayed in Sweden, never came over, played in the Swedish elite league instead? you never would have heard of him, unless yuo watch international hockey.
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here's perhaps another way to help explain it--- IF CANADIANS HAD THE BEST PLAYERS consistently in the 70's, 80's--then why were they not dominating internationally??
now, of course, in the grand scale of things, HOCKEY'S HIERACHY has changed very little over the last 50 yrs (rankings, international accomlishments both jr and pro)---- TWO COUNTRIES REIGN SUPREME still to this day--- Russia and Canada. Not much changes in this sport, it seems.
i agree with crazy, i'd take Canadian pride/grit ANYDAY over a smooth skating Russian team. No one has more pride on the ice, that is for sure
I agree we may not be the best talented, but Canadians are close to the top. What makes us better is our will.
For many years though Canada never but together their best team possible (alla nba usa dream team) many factors played against that from happening especially the long NHL season and the wear and tear canadians endured during it (and its battled plagued playoffs.)
For many years though Canada never but together their best team possible (alla nba usa dream team) many factors played against that from happening especially the long NHL season and the wear and tear canadians endured during it (and its battled plagued playoffs.)
