"Steve, I have Paul Holmgren on line 1!"

- Eminger's agent
- johndewar

He and Zherdev should form their own team

"Steve, I have Paul Holmgren on line 1!"

- Eminger's agent
- johndewar

hang up

To me, the advantage Lindros had physically kind of offsets the slight edge in skill that Sid probably has...they are pretty comparable overall imo...if I was assured both players would play for say, 18 years in the NHL, with no major injury, and no meddling from parents/managers, I'd take Lindros on my team...but I can understand how some may choose Sid.
- exlund

But I question if Sid does have an edge skills-wise.

I just read on twitter that today is the 1 year anniversary of Claude Giroux being named captain of the Flyers.

He's gone through a ton of stuff in one year, no?

Just in case you guys forget....

but he was self-serving and self-congratulatory to a fault?.... my ass.

I don't think thats true. Who turns down that kind of deal? I get the feeling that the Dodgers will be in financial trouble in 5 years. They will then need to sell the team and become a 30 for 30 episode.
- PhillySportsGuy

crazy to think but he might actually make more money over the long haul by taking the 7 instead of the ten. roughly same per year. and hell only be what? 31 32 by the time it expires?

Just for the heck of it, and cause I haven't done a top 10 list in a LONG time, here is the top 10 players I ever saw in my 40+ years of watching hockey

1. Bobby Orr
On 2 bad knees, the guy could skate rings around the rest of the league. Also I cannot ever remember the guy making a bad pass. 8 straight Norris trophies, 2 Hart trophies, 2 Smythe trophies, and I believe 1 or 2 Art Ross trophies as well. Orr was the total package. Oh, and he also routinely played anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes per game as well.

2. Mario Lemieux
Didn't do it for as long as Gretzky, but for about 6 or 7 years was hands down the best player in the world. Mario could do it all, score, pass, and he did it all with grace and style. When asked how he would make Lemieux fit into his D first scheme, Ken Hitchcock basically said that Lemieux was the best defensive player on the ice because the puck was on his stick every moment he was out there.

- BiggE

Liked your list, Old Man! I'm not quite ancient enough to have seen the good Bobby Orr, but you know what? I'm going to give your...seniority...the benefit of the doubt.

Just in case you guys forget....

but he was self-serving and self-congratulatory to a fault?.... my ass.
- youarewrong

he was a (frank)ing beast. breaks my heart.

But the goaltending from the late 80's and early 90's is crap, right.
- youarewrong

When did I say that?

If we're just talking about goalies, then all are fair points.

But the original point was that points/goals were worth more in the 90's due to clutch n grab. I was suggesting that the advances in goal and in def. systems offset any difference.
- Tomahawk

The abuse Lindros took game after game was more, by far, than anything Crosby could hope to handle.

Might have discussed, but does Downie miss a third game? Berube doesn't like to change up after a win, it'll be interesting to see what goes on there.

Liked your list, Old Man! I'm not quite ancient enough to have seen the good Bobby Orr, but you know what? I'm going to give your...seniority...the benefit of the doubt.

- AllInForFlyers

Well at least I'm not old enough to remember Gordie Howe in his prime!

from brad marsh's current blog:

Did you win the Stanley Cup?

Sadly, no. With the Flyers, I lost in the Finals on two occasions; 1985 and 1987, both times to the Edmonton Oilers. In 1987, we lost in Game 7 after scoring first. Yeah, that still hurts to this day. Answering this question, to steal a line from Billy Crystal in the Princess Bride, is like giving me a nice paper cut and pouring lemon juice in it. There was nothing I ever wanted more, but couldn't get, than the Stanley Cup.

just one more reason why he's my favorite all-time flyers dman. he still carries the 87 loss with him.

id take crosby, but i can see why a lot would go with lindros. not really a wrong choice to be made between them, if we take out all of the junk like you said. lindros was definitely a huge physical monster, and while id agree crosby has the edge in skill, lindros was no slouch. hed be up there some of the all time better guys if things had shaken out differently for him.
- stayinthefnnet

Crosby has no advantage on Lindros in skill, the stats bear that out. Lindros had a massive advantage over Crosby in size and aggression.

They are/were both very good players.

Might have discussed, but does Downie miss a third game? Berube doesn't like to change up after a win, it'll be interesting to see what goes on there.
- Jsaquella

Huh. That is an interesting question -- if Downie's on his game, some of the softness that took place last night, some of the lethargy along the boards...you'd like to think that he could help with that.

But at the same time, he hadn't been playing well, as we had debated....

I don't know. I'm always in favor of better hockey players playing, so I'm hopeful that if he's good to go, he'd get back in there.

But I question if Sid does have an edge skills-wise.
- youarewrong

Comparing their first years in the NHL against one another, the answer is No.

http://www.crashthenet.com/?p=2092

Might have discussed, but does Downie miss a third game? Berube doesn't like to change up after a win, it'll be interesting to see what goes on there.
- Jsaquella

Well he didn't change after they lost the 1st game he sat either.

I think the debate of Lindros v. Crosby is really interesting. I do.

But I say this without hesitation or reservation: The only human being I ever saw dominate a hockey game more than an enraged Eric Lindros was an in-his-prime Mario Lemieux.

The only other players who were close were an at-his-peak Chris Pronger and an at-his-peak Peter Forsberg.

One thing that surprises me is the debate over Lindros' skill level. That dude was one of the most accurate -- and hard -- shooters that league has ever seen; slap shot, backhand, wrist shot, one-timer.

Eric Lindros...wow.

Well he didn't change after they lost the 1st game he sat either.
- ob18

That was my whole problem with the Downie move in the first place thinking that he was a different person then the first time....definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result

I think the debate of Lindros v. Crosby is really interesting. I do.

But I say this without hesitation or reservation: The only human being I ever saw dominate a hockey game more than an enraged Eric Lindros was an in-his-prime Mario Lemieux.

The only other players who were close were an at-his-peak Chris Pronger and an at-his-peak Peter Forsberg.

One thing that surprises me is the debate over Lindros' skill level. That dude was one of the most accurate -- and hard -- shooters that league has ever seen; slap shot, backhand, wrist shot, one-timer.

Eric Lindros...wow.
- AllInForFlyers

I forget where I read this, but when Lindros would play Colorado, Forsberg refused to take F/O's against Lindros, and if he had too, he would lose on purpose...

One more thing about Lindros: The wrath he could unleash when he dropped the gloves....DAMN.

Anybody remember the beating he gave Igor Ulanov back in the day, when the Flyers were getting closed out against Tampa Bay in, what...1996, maybe?

Big E had had about enough of Ulanov low-bridging him and exacted Divine Retribution. Just opened a can of whoop-ass that was staggering to watch.

Lindros...that dude was just...not like other hockey players.

crazy to think but he might actually make more money over the long haul by taking the 7 instead of the ten. roughly same per year. and hell only be what? 31 32 by the time it expires?
- stayinthefnnet

He absolutely will make more money in the long haul with this extension (assuming he stays healthy). He has an opt-out clause after 5 years which again, assuming he's healthy, is a lock to be exercised and cash in even more at age 30. Crazy.

One more thing about Lindros: The wrath he could unleash when he dropped the gloves....DAMN.

Anybody remember the beating he gave Igor Ulanov back in the day, when the Flyers were getting closed out against Tampa Bay in, what...1996, maybe?

Big E had had about enough of Ulanov low-bridging him and exacted Divine Retribution. Just opened a can of whoop-ass that was staggering to watch.

Lindros...that dude was just...not like other hockey players.
- AllInForFlyers

I'm really hoping he gets put in the Flyers Hall of Fame soon. Unfortunate how it ended but while he was here he damn well played himself into belonging right along side that company.

One more thing about Lindros: The wrath he could unleash when he dropped the gloves....DAMN.

Anybody remember the beating he gave Igor Ulanov back in the day, when the Flyers were getting closed out against Tampa Bay in, what...1996, maybe?

Big E had had about enough of Ulanov low-bridging him and exacted Divine Retribution. Just opened a can of whoop-ass that was staggering to watch.

Lindros...that dude was just...not like other hockey players.
- AllInForFlyers

He was a phenom, a machine, no doubt about it. And a pleasure to watch play.

One more thing about Lindros: The wrath he could unleash when he dropped the gloves....DAMN.

Anybody remember the beating he gave Igor Ulanov back in the day, when the Flyers were getting closed out against Tampa Bay in, what...1996, maybe?

Big E had had about enough of Ulanov low-bridging him and exacted Divine Retribution. Just opened a can of whoop-ass that was staggering to watch.

Lindros...that dude was just...not like other hockey players.
- AllInForFlyers

LOL You could see the fear in Ulanov's eyes. Also even though the game was out of reach not one Tampa player made the slightest move to interfere with the beating as well.