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| Via:CBC.ca |
As a young hockey fan growing up in the 90's, I was privileged to watch many of the all-time greats play in the NHL. Names like Gretzky, Lemieux, Yzerman, Sakic, Bourque, Lidstrom, Hasek and Roy. It was a glorious time for hockey and they were a big reason why I fell in love with the sport. Over the years, one by one, I've watched these players finish there amazing careers while a new generation of talent took over the league. But there are three men that still exist from those glory days, three men that are all worthy of being named among the greatest ever, and we had best appreciate these three men while we still can.
Jaromir Jagr: The stats speak for themselves. With 681 goals and 1687 points, Jagr is the highest scoring European NHLer ever. He's in the top ten all time in both categories (right behind his old buddy Mario) and one wonders how much higher on the list he would be had he not played three seasons in Russia during his career. He holds or shares 14 NHL records, including a staggering 15 consecutive seasons of 30 or more goals and the most game winning goals in a career, a milestone he reached last night against Florida. He's won 5 Art Ross trophies and a Hart to go along with two Stanley Cups with the Penguins.
Jagr combined impressive size, mobility and puck handling abilities with his astute hockey vision to become one of the most dangerous players every time he's on the ice. Some would argue that his stats were inflated by playing with the legendary Lemieux, but the truth is that Jagr put up many of those great seasons without the oft-injured Lemieux in the line-up. Even now at 41 years old, Jagr continues to produce with 16 goals and 34 points in a season split between the Dallas Stars and the Boston Bruins. It's not known at this point if Jagr will play next season, but he certainly still possess the skills to do so. After 21 years of waiting, another Stanley Cup win with the Bruins would be the perfect send-off.
Teemu Selanne: The "Finnish Flash" entered the NHL with a bang in 1992-93, scoring 76 goals and 132 points as a rookie. That amazing season set 4 NHL records likely never to be surpassed, and earned Selanne the Calder trophy. Since then, with his blazing speed and deadly shot, he has proved to be one of the top snipers the NHL has ever known and sits right behind Jagr in 11th place all time with 674 career goals. He's led the league in goal scoring 3 times, appeared in 11 all-star games and won the Stanley Cup with Anaheim in 2007.
Prior to the NHL lockout of 2005, Selanne had suffered a sharp decline in his production, and many wondered if the right winger was done in the NHL. But Selanne came back with a huge 90 point season the following year, and has continued a late career renaissance with six seasons of 25 or more goals since then. This year, Selanne is the oldest player in the NHL at 42, and is the last active player who was drafted in the 1980's. Yet he continues to produce with 11 goals and 23 points in 44 games. Unlike Jagr, it seems like the end is nearer for Selanne, as he debates every summer whether to come back for another year or not. But like Jagr in Boston, Selanne has a good chance to cap his career with another Stanley Cup for Anaheim.
Martin Brodeur: When discussing Brodeur's career stats, it always comes with the caveat that he was in his prime during the lowest scoring era of modern NHL history. But that shouldn't take away from the impressive magnitude of what he's accomplished. He sits first in career wins with 668, a full 320 more than the nearest active goalie, Roberto Luongo. Terry Sawchuk's 103 career shutouts was a feat that was thought could never be equaled, yet Brodeur now was 121. These are just two of the over twenty NHL records that Brodeur holds. He's won the Vezina four times and the Jennings five, to go along with three Stanley Cups. He's also the only goalie to have scored 3 goals.
Brodeur is one of the last hybrid style goalies still in the NHL. His big stature, amazing anticipation, brilliant puck handling and nearly inhuman flexibility are what have allowed him to become one of the greatest ever. However, unlike Jagr and Selanne, the last few years have been unkind to Broduer, as often happens with goaltenders more than forwards during the end of their careers. He's battled injury and inconsistency while backstopping a Devils team that is not as great as it once was and have been eliminated from playoff contention. One wonders if, after 19 seasons wearing a Devils jersey, he might take it off for one last after Saturday's game against his greatest rival, the New York Rangers. If he does, it would be a fitting end to a Hall of Fame career.
So as the 2013 NHL season draws to a close, we may be witnessing the end of an era. Most of the greats from that time have gone, but these three soldiers march on. I urge you to take the time to appreciate these living legends, while you still can.
Snap Shots:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets did it again last night, and how, I have no idea. Facing a San Jose Sharks team that has suffered only one loss all year at home (against powerful Chicago), the Jackets scored with 1:47 left in the third to snatch a 4-3 victory. They now sit 3 points clear of the final playoff spot in the West, with only 2 games to go. Just an amazing story.
- The Dallas Stars however suffered a setback, only able to pick up a single point against the LA Kings. They now sit tied with Detroit for 9th with 48 points, but Detroit has a game in hand and the Stars will need some luck still to qualify for the playoffs.
- And the Edmonton Oilers were officially eliminated last night after losing to the Ducks 3-1. It's been an ugly season for the Oilers, and it was announced shortly afterwards that potential franchise forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would need to undergo shoulder surgery. When it rains, it pours for Edmonton.
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