I dont agree with this, for the most part. The biggest difference is that the obstruction rules are night and day. In todays game, it wouldnt matter if players are slightly bigger, they wouldn't be able to clutch, grab and use their sticks with impunity.....he would run rough-shod over this league
- KINGKENZO

It's not just that the players are bigger and stronger today they are also better skaters. In the 90s, there were 6' 7" players but they were pylons and so were defensive liabilities. Today, Chara is 6-9 and is dominant because he can skate.

It's not just that the players are bigger and stronger today they are also better skaters. In the 90s, there were 6' 7" players but they were pylons and so were defensive liabilities. Today, Chara is 6-9 and is dominant because he can skate.
- phillydentist

Thats one guy and I still dont think he would shut down Lindros in todays game and again I dont necessarily agree with the notion todays players are bigger, stronger therefore better

Ovechkin is 6-3 and 230lb. I was surprised to see that. He looks average sized compared to the rest of the league. The NHL has gotten bigger. "Big" guys don't stand out or look as big because of that.

As for the new rules taking away clutching and grabbing, I wouldn't notice them from watching the playoffs.

I'm not saying Lindros wouldn't be a very good player in this era. I just wouldn't expect him to dominate in an NHL full of bigger and stronger players regardless of the rule changes which the refs sometimes don't enforce.

Edit: Come to think of it, Ovechkin makes for a good comparable to Lindros. Lindros was a bigger hitter, better fighter, but Ovechkin is a better skater and has the slight edge imo in the skills department.
- phillydentist

Eric Lindros in his prime, would be a dominant player in any era. He was that good. And a rare combination of size, skill, skating ability, and above all. He was just plain mean.

I dont agree with this, for the most part. The biggest difference is that the obstruction rules are night and day. In todays game, it wouldnt matter if players are slightly bigger, they wouldn't be able to clutch, grab and use their sticks with impunity.....he would run rough-shod over this league
- KINGKENZO

Correct.

Eric Lindros in his prime, would be a dominant player in any era. He was that good. And a rare combination of size, skill, skating ability, and above all. He was just plain mean.
- MJL

With the way he could feed others (Brent freaking Fedyk, for crying out loud) and shoot, he was above Ovechkin. It's so damned frustrating that the league finally got tough about obstruction AFTER 88's prime. He could've gotten close to Lemieux/Gretzky numbers were he allowed to play in the same environment that they did.