Lots of talent but he also only played when he felt like it.
- PrinceLH

Which must been quite often based on his stats.

You better check the stats. The 3 years without Mario his best year he scored
44 goals but the year Mario came back he's back in the 50's.

He was a great player but not the most dominant in the late 90's.
- gramps

There is a perception Jagr points were inflated by playing with Mario.
There is some truth to that, but they only played a few seasons on the same line. The same can be said with Selanne points being inflated. Remember he played along side with Alexia Zhamnov in winnipeg and also Paul Karyia.

Jagr was definitely the most dominating player in the 90's once Mario & Francis retired. Jagr played with the likes of Kip miller, straka, nylander as his centre and still dominated and won scoring titles over Selanne, who played with Karyia from 95-2001. Jagr had to play against the top defensive pairing every night and still scored. Selanne was a great player, but he was not in the same category as Jagr back in the mid 90's.

Jagr probably had more raw talent and was better at his absolute best, but I give the edge to Selanne for his superhuman consistency and better attitude.

Jagr was the better player in his prime, but he didn't accomplish a shred of what Teemu did in his twilight years. Selanne still plays like a freakin' 25 year old while Jagr looked like a ghost in the playoffs (in a shortened season, no less).

Building around Selanne gives your hypothetical fantasy team two decades of having a franchise player. Nuff said.

Plus, the guy scored 76 goals in his rookie year, which I find to be one of the most impressive (and relatively overlooked) stats in the history of the NHL. On the Jets. Not riding shotgun with Mario.
- Leeman4Gilmour

Jagr had 35 points in 45 games this past season. Selanne had 24 in 46.

Jagr had 35 points in 45 games this past season. Selanne had 24 in 46.
- Blackstrom2

Who cares.

jagr jagr jagr jagr jagr jagr jagr

jagr 8th in all time scoring. selanne 15th. Jagr's only played 4 more games

Jagr has the better numbers and was the more dominant player. But I would rather have Selanne as my franchise player because he is loyal to the organization and he has the character to be the perfect 'face of the franchise' .

Jagr was a flake. he pulled the pin too many times.
- seanjohn667

Selanne

Winnipeg
Anaheim
San Jose
Colorado
Anaheim

Not that loyal to the franchise. Love the guy but he's far from a sakic or Lemieux in terms of loyalty.

Who cares.
- Ferrari

The guy who said selanne is better now should care. Jagr was on a worse team for 3/4 of the season and still put up far better numbers. The guy may have been a completely self centered d bag for the first 15 years of his career. But of the question is who is/was the better player its Jagr all day every day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4duJ3Fb85eM

Mmm...yes, keeping it real.
- Craola

HE YELLED AT A ZEBRA!!! ERMAHGERD!!!!

It seems, that so far the vote mirrors my own thoughts on the subject.

I hemmed and hawed until I finally voted for Jagr.

I finally went with Jagr only because I thing that at his best, he was more dominating than Selanne.

I remember the years that Jagr mailed it in, when playing with the Capitals and Rangers. Selanne came to play his whole career. He never had the star power that Jagr had around him, most of his career. Jagr hoofed it over the KHL, while Selanne played on, in the NHL. The only reason Jagr came back, is because he was broke and squandered all of the money that he made the first time.
- PrinceLH

Yeah he really mailed in those Ranger yrs, especially that 54 goals 123 point season or his 96 points the following yr. That 123 points was scored while playing with hockey legends Michael Nylander, Martin Straka and Marty Rucinsky.

Yeah he really mailed in those Ranger yrs, especially that 54 goals 123 point season or his 96 points the following yr. That 123 points was scored while playing with hockey legends Michael Nylander, Martin Straka and Marty Rucinsky.
- Stalemate

It seems, that so far the vote mirrors my own thoughts on the subject.

I hemmed and hawed until I finally voted for Jagr.

I finally went with Jagr only because I thing that at his best, he was more dominating than Selanne.
- MBFlyerfan

I m quite surprised the VOTE is even so close.
Selanne was the more classy player but just wasn't as dominating as Jagr.
I would put Forsberg ahead of Selanne as best European forward behind only Jagr.

Jagr was without question the most dominating player in the mid 90's to early 2000.

beside his 5 art ross, he collected
NHL First Team All-Star – 7 years with the last one from 2006
NHL Second Team All-Star – 1 year

Selanne only been selected
NHL First Team All-Star – 2 years with the last one from 1997
NHL Second Team All-Star – 2 year

Yeah he really mailed in those Ranger yrs, especially that 54 goals 123 point season or his 96 points the following yr. That 123 points was scored while playing with hockey legends Michael Nylander, Martin Straka and Marty Rucinsky.
- Stalemate

Don't you dare besmirch the good name of Martin Straka.

No disrespect to Selanne, but how is this close?

Teemu might be more beloved by the fans. He might be a better human being. He might be a better teammate or more well liked in the locker room. No way was he a better hockey player.

Selanne - his rookie season is just insane. and to me he is a better player than Jagr.

i dont like to look at the stats, Jagr played with Super Mario that helps.
i'm not saying Mario made him, not at all , he played great without Mario but we cant deny the fact that it sure helped to have him on your team. if selanne had played with mario would be the one with 200points ahead

Selanne

Winnipeg
Anaheim
San Jose
Colorado
Anaheim

Not that loyal to the franchise. Love the guy but he's far from a sakic or Lemieux in terms of loyalty.
- schiefer466

fair enough. but i don't remember Selanne forcing a trade or mailing it in until he got traded or his way. Jagr demanded special treatment (though, apparently he is better now).

perhaps my memory is off, but I still say Selanne was the better bet to build one's franchise around. Jagr might ask for a trade because there are not enough direct flights to Vegas in a given market.

Jagr - better talent
Selanne - safer bet

I'm gonna have to say Jaromir Jagr. Jagr could carried defensemen on his back and scored. Even if you guys says Jagr didn't do much hard work, that's the hard work he did that didn't get recognize. Plus, he got the skills by working on them hard.

Selanne - his rookie season is just insane. and to me he is a better player than Jagr.

i dont like to look at the stats, Jagr played with Super Mario that helps.
i'm not saying Mario made him, not at all , he played great without Mario but we cant deny the fact that it sure helped to have him on your team. if selanne had played with mario would be the one with 200points ahead
- dopemor

Again. Do people forget a guy named Paul Kariya existed? Selanne wasn't doing it all alone, just like Jagr wasn't. And 2001 was the only year lemieux played that Jagr won the scoring title and that because mario didnt comeback until almost january otherwise he would have won it going away. Jagr by far the better player than selanne. He Beats selanne in goals assists, points, cups, major awards, he's just a better player. Selanne was definitely a better locker room presence throughout his career but never a better player.

This poll question has ran it's course . Can we go back to the Sedins for Backes Berglund Pietro and 2x1sts again?

Selanne - his rookie season is just insane. and to me he is a better player than Jagr.

i dont like to look at the stats, Jagr played with Super Mario that helps.
i'm not saying Mario made him, not at all , he played great without Mario but we cant deny the fact that it sure helped to have him on your team. if selanne had played with mario would be the one with 200points ahead
- dopemor

Without a Doubt > Selanne had an insane rookie season.

Selanne wouldn't be able to play with Mario, cuz Mario already was playing with
Steven and Tocchet as the top line.

Jagr never played on same line as Mario until the mid 90's. they only played together for 3 years.

Once Mario/Francis retired > Jagr would remain on top of the scoring race without the luxury of any other pens teammate making the top 10, while Selanne had Karyia and Sakic had Forsberg and all were making the top 10 in scoring. This is no respect to the 4 players mention, as I m sure, they can make the top 10 in scoring without each other, but it helps to have an superstar as a linemate.

Again. Do people forget a guy named Paul Kariya existed? Selanne wasn't doing it all alone, just like Jagr wasn't. And 2001 was the only year lemieux played that Jagr won the scoring title and that because mario didnt comeback until almost january otherwise he would have won it going away. Jagr by far the better player than selanne. He Beats selanne in goals assists, points, cups, major awards, he's just a better player. Selanne was definitely a better locker room presence throughout his career but never a better player.
- schiefer466

Just to add my 2 cents Karyia is no slouch of a player. He was a very dynamic player and was just as good of if not better than Selanne in his Prime.
He finish as first runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1997, beating out mario, but losing to Hasek.

Selanne.

Jagr turned into a douche with his latest antics... Teemu kept is real.

But seriously, they both make it on the first ballot anyday.
- BigDre

The question isnt who would you rather be friends with.

Jagr in his prime was better than Selanne in his prime.

If there was no lockout and he hadnt left to the KHL, he would be closing in on 2000 points.

Who cares.
- Ferrari

..what? I would assume the guy who just stated Selanne had the better year would care.

Eklund: Showdown: Selanne vs. Jagr
- Eklund

despite that my heart lies with Teemu, if i'm building a team there is no doubt Jagr is one of the greatest wingers of all time (allround), top 5 at least so it would be tough but it would have to be Jagr