Joe Sakic = Jean Beliveau

zsz70

Joe Sakic and Jean Beliveau are two of the greatest
players to ever play the game. Along with #99, these two
guys are also the classiest gentlemen. If Joe had played his
career in NY, Detroit, or Toronto, he would be heralded as one
of the greatest centers to ever play the game.

I was thinking of the greatest lefthanded centers of all time.
#99 is #1 of course (and putting #11 on the wing instead of center),
here is my list in order of what I feel are the greatest left handed
centers to play the game from 1960 to present.

#1- Joe Sakic ( I'm just a big fan of his)
#2- Jean Beliveau ( Hard to put him #2, so he could easily be #1)
#3- Darryl Sittler ( The guy was awesome. Never had great talent to play with)
#4- Bobby Clarke ( I know he's hated, but he gets a high rank because of his grit and desire)
#5- Bryan Trottier ( Trotts doesn't get any respect)
#6- Dale Hawerchuck (Had to rank him ahead of Esposito)
#7- Phil Esposito ( Would be a Bernie Nichols without Orr )

Let me know how you would rank them, or perhaps I missed a few.

marc

TurbosHockey

Well being from Winnipeg I don't think Hawerchuck gets enough respect. Look at the guys he had on his lines during his career. I mean really Brian Mullen and Andrew McBain are not your household names unless you are their mom. I have to agree with Espo, Orr did make his career and well Trots did have Bossy too.

aro13

I am not so certain you want to diss Phil Esposito so quickly. The one year he was hurt in the play-offs (72-73) the Bruins were dispatched very quickly in the first round by the Rangers. He had decent numbers with Chicago before coming to Boston and most importantly he showed his leadership and skill without Orr in leading Canada to victory over the Soviet Union in the Summit Series of 1972. Not certain where I would rank him, but to write him off as being created by Orr is not true.

If you just look at Hart Trophy winners from your list:
Sakic 1
Beliveau 2
Clarke 3 (in an era with Orr)
Trottier 1
Esposito 2

Yzerman19C

Tough to rank those guys they were all great. I would probably have Sittler 7th. Beliveau has to top the list. Although not a personal favorite i due believe Trottier is the best all around player on that list next to Beliveau . Sakic the best offensive player by far. Hawerchuk very under rated if this guy plays in a big market look out. Even though Henderson gets all the credit Phil won the 72 series , watch the DVD or listen to the Russian players' interviews they couldnt stop him . Bobby Clarke did whatever it took to win whether it be breaking an ankle or scoring a goal just a fierce competitor. Sittler what can i say about him i hated the Leafs but love how this guy played the game

Randy

tripoli

Esposito, iirc, averaged 25 goals a year for Chicago in his first 3 years there....very respectable numbers, especially considering Stan Mikita would have been the first line center. And he carried Team Canada on his back in 1972 so that and his 700+ goals would rank him ahead of Sittler and Hawerchuk imho. And he does have two Stanley Cup rings which must be considered as well.


dan

jaxxr

Beliveau goes to no. 1, and I might drop Sakic to about no. 4. Sittler and Clarke move up.
Any list is speculative, the original one was fairly acceptable.

Did not Darryl Sittler once score 6 or 7 goals in a single game ? Wasn't he also known as a much more tougher than average center for some of his battles ?

tripoli

Sittler still owns the one game record for most points in a game, with 10! I remember watching the game as a kid, in about the 1975-76 vs Boston or Philly I think.....I don't think anyone from Calgary, Minnesota or Anaheim is ever going to challenge that record. Some of the teams now couldn't score that many goals unless they were the only team in the rink.

tripoli

Working in Burnaby, where Joe Sakic is from, and living in Vancouver, I have seen first hand the scoring talents of Sakic. And like Beliveau he is a classy individual, it's just too bad he plays for Colorado.

Dan

aro13

Yes, Sittler scored 6 goals in one game and added 4 assists to boot. I will never forget that game. Gerry Cheevers had just come back from the WHA so Don Cherry left Dave Reece in the entire game. Sittler also had a huge play-off game that year against the Flyers I believe and had the winning goal in the Canada Cup of 1976.

He was a pretty tough player, and a good face-off man. The Leafs had some pretty legendary battles with the Flyers (as did everybody in the 70's) and although I remember the Flyers singling out Borje Salming for harsh treatment, they probably did Sittler as well.

jackstraw

trottier was/is the best two way player ever and to say he had bossy is probably a stretch. yes bossy was one of the best pure goal scorers in the history but trotts found the back of the net a few 500 times?

beliveau
sakic
sittler
federov(one of the best skaters i have ever seen and underated 2 way player)
clarke
esposito
larionov
hawerchuck

zsz70

Randy,

Now that I think of it, you're right.
Beliveau would still have to be #1.

Can someone open up this picture for me.
It's a sweet card of this great Canadian.

marc

goodriddance189

CW

I've always thought that Sakic and Yzerman were very similar.
Sure, one's a righty, the other a lefty, but the similarities
outweight the differences. They're both centers (although
Yzerman moves around these days), they're both captains, both
wear #19, both have loads of class & are known for their hard
work on the ice. Both of them are what you might call "quiet
leaders" - most often leading by example, but no doubt speaking
up when things need to be said. True counterparts - the same,
yet different because of the jerseys they wear. As much as I hate
anything 'Lanche related, I've always had much repect for Sakic.

coachvinny

great post, mark.
but you did disrespect esposito.

and he's the only one on your list
who PLAYED for the rangers.

nuff said.