The Top 10 Right Wingers of All-Time

[ScottM]

 

I already had plans for this thread, but with the recent thread about Jagr and the discussion about his rightful historical place and ranking, I thought this would be a good time to make the post. As usual, there are plenty of candidates and too few slots on the list for them all to fit. This list is not intended to look at the players purely as scorers or playmakers as in some of my previous lists, but at their entire set of skills. So, on to the list.

 

#10 Teemu Selanne

 

684 goals, 773 assists, 1,457 points in 1,451 career NHL games; 3 goal-scoring titles

 

The Finnish Flash may have set a personal standard he could never again reach in his rookie season when he scored 76 goals, but that was far from his only productive season. After setting the NHL record for goals by a rookie, he would twice more score 50+ goals and twice more lead the league in goals.

 

#9 Charlie Conacher

 

225 goals, 173 assists, 398 points in 459 career NHL games; 5 goal-scoring titles, 2 scoring titles

 

It's hard to compare players across eras, especially when dealing with players as far back as the 1930's, but it is hard to ignore anyone who leads the league in goals five times. Four times he scored over 30 goals in an era when seasons were only 48 games long and such scoring totals were nearly unheard of. He may be rarely mentioned in today's discussions, but it cannot be argued he does not belong.

 

#8 Jari Kurri

 

601 goals, 797 assists, 1,398 points in 1,251 NHL games; 1 goal-scoring title

 

Frequently overshadowed by a high profile teammate (some guy named Gretzky), Kurri was a "great one in his own right. He is one of only eight players to score at least 70 goals in a season, though he remarkably did not lead the league that year. His 68 goals the next time around did lead the league, however, even eclipsing Gretzky. One cannot help but wonder how he would be viewed if not in the shadow of his famous teammate for most of his career.

 

#7 Bernie Geoffrion

 

393 goals, 429 goals, 822 points in 883 NHL games; 2 goal-scoring titles, 2 Art Ross Trophies, 1 Hart Trophy

 

They called him "Boom Boom" for a reason. Howie Morenz's son-in-law is known for his role in the development of the slap shot, and his blast was known long before Al MacInnis, Al, Iafrate, Shea Weber, or Zdeno Chara arrived on the scene. His 50 goal season in his 1960-61 MVP season was the second such season in NHL history. That kind of offensive prowess and shot is good enough to land him a spot in this list.

 

#6 Jaromir Jagr

 

722 goals, 1,080 assists, 1,802 points in 1,550 NHL games; 5 Art Ross Trophies, 1 Hart Trophy

 

Jagr is the highest ranked European and only active player on the list. A good scorer, but a great playmaker, his five scoring titles are quite impressive. There is plenty to be said for his longevity as well, as he is still producing at age 43, with no plans of retiring yet. The combination of skill and resiliency that he has shown has landed him at fourth in career points, fifth in goals, and sixth in assists... so far...

 

#5 Brett Hull

 

741 goals, 650 assists, 1,391 points in 1,269 NHL games; 3 goal-scoring titles, 1 Hart Trophy

 

He is the only player not name Gretzky or Lemieux to score 80+ goals in a season, and the only one not named Gretzky to score 70+ three times. In his Hart Trophy winning year, 1990-91, he outpaced his nearest competitor in goals by a ridiculous 35 tallies. Few have ever been better at scoring goals than the Golden Brett, and that places him in the top half of these rankings.

 

#4 Guy Lafleur

 

560 goals, 793 assists, 1,353 points in 1,126 NHL games; 1 goal-scoring title, 3 Art Ross Trophies, 2 Hart Trophies

 

A nickname such as "The Flower" may not strike fear into anyone, but the title of the best right winger in the history of hockey's most storied franchise should. During his prime in the late 70's, Lafleur posted six consecutive triple-digit point seasons and five straight 50-goal seasons, once hitting 60. Lafleur let the league in scoring three times during the regular season, as well as three times during the playoffs, and won a Conn Smythe trophy in addition to those listed above. Impressive, eh?

 

#3 Mike Bossy

 

573 goals, 553 assists, 1,126 points in 752 NHL games; 2 goal-scoring titles

 

What if? That is a question frequently asked when Mike Bossy's career is discussed. If he had had a "full" career, he would almost certainly be very near the top of the career goal-scoring list. His five 60-goal and nine 50-goal seasons are both records he shares with Wayne Gretzky, and his goals per game average is a modern-era (read: post Joe Malone) record. Had injuries not sidelined him, would he have competed with the two guys ahead of him for their spots? Who knows?

 

#2 Maurice Richard

 

544 goals, 421 assists, 965 points in 978 NHL games; 5 goal-scoring titles, 1 Hart Trophy

 

The original 50 goal man has the honor of having today's goal-scoring trophy named after him. Some believe that if not for a perceived anti-French bias in the era during which "The Rocket" played, he would have won more than a single MVP award. Be that as it may, he was obviously one of the greatest goal-scorers in history (the best in my opinion). As one of the top handful of players overall, he clearly belongs very high on this list.

 

#1 Gordie Howe

 

801 goals, 1,049 assists, 1,850 points in 1,767 games; 5 goal-scoring titles, 6 Art Ross Trophies, 6 Hart Trophies

 

Personally, I cannot imagine putting anyone else in the top slot. The long list of trophies listed above, and the fact that the WHA MVP trophy was named after him explains why. Only Wayne Gretzky won more MVP awards than Mr. Hockey. No one has played to an older age than Howe, who played until age 52, or in as many decades (five; six if you count the shift with the Detroit Vipers in the 1990's). Not only did he play until later in life than anyone else, but he was effective for the full duration of his career.

[jammer2]

@ScottM  Hah...Bossy's 762 games sticks out like a sore thumb!!  1,126 pts and 573 goals in only 752 friggin games.....WOW...that is something right there!   Who knows how father time would have treated him, we never got to see him outside of his prime...but given the fact he did not play physical at all....I'd be willing to bet he had a few more 50 goal seasons up his sleeve. Even though the Golden Brett had more pts and goals....I TOTALLY agree with Bossy and Lafleur being ranked ahead of him. Mike and Guy were more iconic IMHO.

[ScottM]

@ScottM  Hah...Bossy's 762 games sticks out like a sore thumb!!  1,126 pts and 573 goals in only 752 friggin games.....WOW...that is something right there!   Who knows how father time would have treated him, we never got to see him outside of his prime...but given the fact he did not play physical at all....I'd be willing to bet he had a few more 50 goal seasons up his sleeve. Even though the Golden Brett had more pts and goals....I TOTALLY agree with Bossy and Lafleur being ranked ahead of him. Mike and Guy were more iconic IMHO.

 

Lafleur could probably be called the face of the late-70's four-peat (along with Dryden). I'm not old enough to have seen him play, but based on what I know of his play, few players have ever been as clutch as he was.

 

As far as Bossy goes, am I the only one that thinks that 800 goals was in sight for him if he stayed healthy? I'll even go further than you did and say that he had the potential for more 60 goal seasons. Actually, it amazes me that he never hit 70.

[jammer2]

@ScottM    I'm not so sure about Bossy getting 60's....I think he might have eeked out one more 50...but even that would have been tough..

 

 Mike turned 57 in Jan.....wow, how the time flies!! 

 

 One thing to keep in mind....as great as Bossy was...he did have the luxury of playing in the most offensive era in NHL history. From his rookie year of 1977 to the final year...only 10 years later in 1987....those really were wicked times for NHL goals....them came fast and furious in that era. Especially when you enter the early to mid 80's, which is right when Mike played.

 

 His second last year.....he was going strong....61 goals in your 9th year....WOW....an actual 9 season 50 goal streak....I don't think that record will EVER be broken. Anyways, I had always thought that Mike scored 50 in every season he played in...but I was wrong. In his 10th and final year, he must have sustained the first major injury of his career (literally a miracle that he was not injured before this....with all the Ungodly abuse this man took during his career)....cause for the 1st time...he only played 62 games...but even when you average that scoring pace out over a full schedule....he comes up short at 48.24....I have a theory that this was the actual start of his decline, but he never played a 11th season to test my theory. He would have started to slow down at some point...everyone has to...and right around the 10th year.....it was actually incredible he lasted that long.....really, the baseball equivalent would have been Joe DiMaggio's 57 game hitting streak.....you can try, but you ain't ever breaking those 2 records...impossible.

 

 

 http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=487

[Bertmega]

I am shocked, no appalled that Pavel freaking Brendl did not make the list......

[ScottM]

@jammer2 Let me explain my logic behind my comment about him scoring 60 again, You may still disagree, and that's fine.

 

Sixty-one goals seems to have been his norm for a few seasons. As you said, he scored 61 during his next to last season, but would you believe that if you calculated his goals per game average for each of the three seasons before that, and spread it out over an 80 game season you'd get 61 for each one of them? The guy was really being remarkably consistent. Yes, he would have begun to fall off eventually, but based on my understanding of what was going on in the 1986-87 season, I'm not convinced that was the season it would have happened.

 

I was two when the season started, so I obviously wasn't watching, and will therefore concede the point if someone who was watching knows this to not be the case, but it has always been my understanding that the injuries didn't just limit his number of games, but that they fairly severely impacted his play when he was on the ice. If that be the case, I don't find it too unlikely that his goals per game average could have jumped from a pace of 48 up to 60 or 61. Therefore, if he plays all 80 games and is healthy, I think he likely reaches the mark again.

 

I will walk back from saying seasons plural, though. I think one more 60-goal campaign would have likely been his limit, but I think another 50-goal season or two may have been in him after that. As you said though, we'll never be able to test the theories, and unfortunately injuries are a major part of the game, of course. I don't know what we really gain out of these "what if's," but they sure can be fun. Lol

[yave1964]

Maybe I am prejudiced (I am) but I woulda dropped Conacher from the list and added Shanahan. I have said before that I don't rate players from the pre war era, just too difficult, so my lists always start post WW2. So Shanny in for Conacher.

 

 I would also drop Bossy down quite a few slots because of his short career. Still easily top ten but not third IMHO. Orr is still number one all time at his position in spite of his short career but I cannot say the same for Bossy, too many people with huge numbers. Orr still stands out like a sore thumb statistically while Bossy does not. Not denigrating him, one hell of a hockey player but IMHO somewhere around 7 or 8.

[ScottM]

@yave1964 Shanny played left wing.

 

I understand your point about Bossy, and I was pretty sure some would feel that way, but for me the huge number of 50 and 60 goal seasons was too much for him to be any lower. The exceptional guys with short careers are always some of the toughest.

[yave1964]

@yave1964 Shanny played left wing.

 

I understand your point about Bossy, and I was pretty sure some would feel that way, but for me the huge number of 50 and 60 goal seasons was too much for him to be any lower. The exceptional guys with short careers are always some of the toughest.

I have argued the Shanahan position thing with many people for a long time, he played right wing for most if his time in Detroit, and in St. Louis as well. He broke in on the left side with New Jersey but going through my old Shanny hockey cards after you posted that he was a LW I grabbed my binder of Wings Stanley cup champ cards, I have 22 Shanny cards from all the teams he played for, of the cards, he is listed as a LW on 11, a RW on 9 a LW/RW on one and inexplicably as a center on one.

 Her mostly played the right with the Wings, that is how I will always see him. Wings fans see Red Kelly as a d-man, Leaf fans remember him as a center. To me Shanny was a RW because that is what I saw him play the most. He played both sides well tho and even in Detroit, when McCarty would occasionally get bumped to the top line to offer protection for Yzerman Shanny would seamlessly shift over.

[ScottM]

I have argued the Shanahan position thing with many people for a long time, he played right wing for most if his time in Detroit, and in St. Louis as well. He broke in on the left side with New Jersey but going through my old Shanny hockey cards after you posted that he was a LW I grabbed my binder of Wings Stanley cup champ cards, I have 22 Shanny cards from all the teams he played for, of the cards, he is listed as a LW on 11, a RW on 9 a LW/RW on one and inexplicably as a center on one.

 Her mostly played the right with the Wings, that is how I will always see him. Wings fans see Red Kelly as a d-man, Leaf fans remember him as a center. To me Shanny was a RW because that is what I saw him play the most. He played both sides well tho and even in Detroit, when McCarty would occasionally get bumped to the top line to offer protection for Yzerman Shanny would seamlessly shift over.

 

Well, either way, rest assured that he will have a slot on my left wingers list when that comes. Whichever one he's classified as, he makes the list, no doubt.

[yave1964]

Well, either way, rest assured that he will have a slot on my left wingers list when that comes. Whichever one he's classified as, he makes the list, no doubt.

Oh I get the LW argument.

Looking at your lists that you have been putting out, it keeps drawing me back to the 2001-02 Wings team that had (admittedly late in their careers) Hull, Shanny, Robitaille all being set up by Yzerman, Larionov and Federov. And a kid named Datsyuk. Throw in three more all time greats (Hasek, Lidstrom and Chelios) and that was one of the four or five greatest teams of all time. Not trying to derail your topic, greatest rightwingers of all time just the topic made me think of that team, talking about Shanahan.

 

Oh, BTW greatest Right Wingers of all time you forgot Reagan.

[ScottM]

@yave1964 At the risk of saying too much (as in not wanting a political debate) I've always been very fond of the Gipper. Too bad he played a football player instead of a hockey player. Lol

Anyway, in my last post, I simply meant that whether you consider Shanny a right winger or left winger, he's top 10. Great, great player.

[JagerMeister]

Jaromir Jagr actually has a decent argument to be put over Lafleur and Bossy.....However, Jaromir Jagr should unquestionably, be over Brett Hull...

Brett Hull didnt have his prime during the dead puck era, unlike Jagr. Yet Jagr still has a better ppg despite the fact that he is still playing in his early 40s AND playing 281 more games...

[ScottM]

@JagerMeister Personally, there's no way I could put Jagr ahead of Lafleur or Bossy. The reasons are given in my original post. Jagr was never as dominant as either of them, imo. Bossy might not have ever won a Hart Trophy, but he was a very dominant scorer. Jagr and Hull are closer, but the scoring stats I gave for Hull make the difference for me.

[ScottM]

I think I should clarify my last post a little. Lafleur was almost certainly the best player of the late 70's, and Bossy was the most consistent scorer of the late 70's and early 80's. As you said in your Jagr thread, Jagr was never really seen that way even in his prime. I hope that makes more sense.

 

Edit: Actually, I'm still looking over this, and I'm still not sure I made my point well. I know what I want to say, but I don't think my brain and fingers are connecting right now. Lol

[JagerMeister]

I think I should clarify my last post a little. Lafleur was almost certainly the best player of the late 70's, and Bossy was the most consistent scorer of the late 70's and early 80's. As you said in your Jagr thread, Jagr was never really seen that way even in his prime. I hope that makes more sense.

 

Edit: Actually, I'm still looking over this, and I'm still not sure I made my point well. I know what I want to say, but I don't think my brain and fingers are connecting right now. Lol

Well in all honesty, there is only one reason why I put Lafleur and Bossy over Jagr. Playoffs.

 

I think I should clarify my last post a little. Lafleur was almost certainly the best player of the late 70's, and Bossy was the most consistent scorer of the late 70's and early 80's. As you said in your Jagr thread, Jagr was never really seen that way even in his prime. I hope that makes more sense.

 

Edit: Actually, I'm still looking over this, and I'm still not sure I made my point well. I know what I want to say, but I don't think my brain and fingers are connecting right now. Lol

[ScottM]

Well in all honesty, there is only one reason why I put Lafleur and Bossy over Jagr. Playoffs.

 

That's one aspect of my selection of the two of them over Jagr, and I think I said that about Lafleur originally. I think you're making my point better than I am at this moment. Lol

 

In all seriousness, though, the playoffs are a HUGE part of what Lafleur and Bossy did. Both were clutch. Very clutch. Both were massively important to their teams' dominance in the late 70's and early 80's.

 

Anyway, I made my Lafleur point far better than my Bossy point, but as far as the latter is concerned, no right wing has ever been quite as prolific of a scorer as Mike Bossy. Over a very short span, Hull could make an argument, but over a longer term, no one could. That's not the whole equation, but it is a part of it, and it's a part that Bossy excelled at greatly.

[JagerMeister]

That's one aspect of my selection of the two of them over Jagr, and I think I said that about Lafleur originally. I think you're making my point better than I am at this moment. Lol

 

In all seriousness, though, the playoffs are a HUGE part of what Lafleur and Bossy did. Both were clutch. Very clutch. Both were massively important to their teams' dominance in the late 70's and early 80's.

 

Anyway, I made my Lafleur point far better than my Bossy point, but as far as the latter is concerned, no right wing has ever been quite as prolific of a scorer as Mike Bossy. Over a very short span, Hull could make an argument, but over a longer term, no one could. That's not the whole equation, but it is a part of it, and it's a part that Bossy excelled at greatly.

Its also important to note that those 2 were on some of the greatest teams ever assembled for the majority of their prime. Jagr was in the start of his career, but during his prime his teams were nothing really special.