Best power forward of the 1990's

[jammer2]

@Polaris922 Good Lord, I could not disagree more, the NHL was WAAAAAAY tougher in the orginal six days. Not even close. That was when men were men. The rinks were all small, close confined quarters and you knew every player and what they could do. Players may be bigger and stronger today, but most of them would get EATEN ALIVE by most of these players. Tougher than nails those guys. Ever hear of familiarity breeds contempt? That's what you were dealing with back then. They HATED the opposition....you never EVER seen guys from other teams fratanizing (sp) with opponents, never happened. If I had to pick one word to describe the orginal six, it would be vicious. Most Europeans would never have made it back then, if you float, you are eaten up and spit back out.

Gentlemens game....HAHAHAHA....you got that wrong. Those guys hated each other!! There *may* have been a tad more respect, but some dirty, dirty incidents happend on a nightly basis in the orginal six. So often in fact, you never heard about it, it was just accepted as part of the game.

You go ask Ted Lindsay, who's face is carved up like a Thanksgiving Day turkey if the old NHL was tough or not. If you asked 100 hockey experts, 99 of them would resoundly say the old NHL was MUCH tougher and WAY more physical than todays pansie NHL.

[Polaris922]

@Polaris922 Good Lord, I could not disagree more, the NHL was WAAAAAAY tougher in the orginal six days. Not even close. That was when men were men. The rinks were all small, close confined quarters and you knew every player and what they could do. Players may be bigger and stronger today, but most of them would get EATEN ALIVE by most of these players. Tougher than nails those guys. Ever hear of familiarity breeds contempt? That's what you were dealing with back then. They HATED the opposition....you never EVER seen guys from other teams fratanizing (sp) with opponents, never happened. If I had to pick one word to describe the orginal six, it would be vicious. Most Europeans would never have made it back then, if you float, you are eaten up and spit back out.

Gentlemens game....HAHAHAHA....you got that wrong. Those guys hated each other!! There *may* have been a tad more respect, but some dirty, dirty incidents happend on a nightly basis in the orginal six. So often in fact, you never heard about it, it was just accepted as part of the game.

You go ask Ted Lindsay, who's face is carved up like a Thanksgiving Day turkey if the old NHL was tough or not. If you asked 100 hockey experts, 99 of them would resoundly say the old NHL was MUCH tougher and WAY more physical than todays pansie NHL.

Reading what you and @mojo1917 have to say on the matter, maybe I've fallen for the story the narrators give when watching the old videos of the game. That's my only experience with it beyond the mid 70's, is what's on NHL Classic films and the occasional book read when I used to have time. I've gotten an entirely different perspective of it from those. I suppose they're mostly "best foot forward" commentaries then. Thank you both for an eye opening so to speak. I've never really had anyone that knew that side of the "old game" that talked about it that way. I always took the tough as nails comments to be refereeing to the lack of pads, helmets, and face protection, especially for goalies.

[Vanflyer]

Interesting to think of how things may have been different for both Clubs.

The Rangers or Nord / Avs??

The Pens had the studs, but you put all the players that the Flyers traded PLUS draft picks, the Flyers have at least on cup.

[Polaris922]

The Rangers or Nord / Avs??

The Pens had the studs, but you put all the players that the Flyers traded PLUS draft picks, the Flyers have at least on cup.

Was thinking more the Avs/Nordiques and Flyers. You well MAY have had a Cup there. Hard to say. The impact on both franchises would have been dramatic.

[Vanflyer]

Was thinking more the Avs/Nordiques and Flyers. You well MAY have had a Cup there. Hard to say. The impact on both franchises would have been dramatic.

Dushene, Recci, Rechi, Brind'Amour, Foresberg (in his young prime), Hextall (better than what Pitts had to win0). Rechi goes for Leclaire and Desjardin. We would contend.

[Polaris922]

Dushene, Recci, Rechi, Brind'Amour, Foresberg (in his young prime), Hextall (better than what Pitts had to win0). Rechi goes for Leclaire and Desjardin. We would contend.

I agree with all but saying Hextall was superior to Barrasso. Hextall had a better GAA most seasons, but Barrasso had a better save % most seasons. They were very comparable in my eyes. And both faced a ton of shots.

[Vanflyer]

I agree with all but saying Hextall was superior to Barrasso. Hextall had a better GAA most seasons, but Barrasso had a better save % most seasons. They were very comparable in my eyes. And both faced a ton of shots.

Hextall did not need to be Barasso or ..... He only needed to be himself. It was all about money.

[Polaris922]

Hextall did not need to be Barasso or ..... He only needed to be himself. It was all about money.

I think I'm missing your point then. My bad. LOL

[blocker]

Players respected one another and pulled up before contact

I agree with that point. In general, the players used to be more chivalrous. But, you don't see the really vicious fights nowadays. There's nothing more dangerous than a stick swung at an unprotected head, and that happened in the past. And, there were back to back games. The animosity of Saturday nights game was still fresh when you played the same team Sunday night. Pads were pretty much non-existent, so when you got slammed into the boards, you felt it. And, I believe players accepted pain and violence more readily.

As an aside, the actor, Chuck Connors told a funny story about his days playing for Montreal Royals. Early one spring, he sat out a game because he'd hurt his finger. Buzzie Bavasi took him to a Canadiens' game. A big fight broke out. Blood and teeth were all over the ice. The game resumed with blood-stained hockey players. Bavasi leans over and says "How's your finger?".

Edited August 25, 2012 by blocker

[jammer2]

@blocker Little off topic, but part of your post got me thinking, a little carry over from another thread. Do you agree with my assertion that the old orginal six NHL was a lot tougher and much more violent than todays version? Figured you would be a good person to ask, being old enough and having that ol elephant memory, LOL!