If you could choose...

If you could choose one player to build around would it be an AllStar forward of Gretzky like abilities or an AllStar D man of Bobby Orr abilities?

none of the above.

I'd choose a Goalie

D man without question. You just dont win without a stud D man. Aside from Carolina, I struggle to think of any team that didnt have a D men who were all stars and studs.

Defensmen still win championships. Goaltenders and forwards are secondary. Fuhr, Osgoode, Vernon, even Brodure to a certain point are all products of a system and team defense. Roy is the exception to that rule, he is the best of all time, even if his number are not, he is.

Forwards are secondary to defense without question. An average forward can look great with a strong defense who gets the puck, moves the puck, and attacks.

Hockey, is, was, and always will be a game where your defense makes or breaks your team.

All I have to say is Detroit.

Regardless of how good their Forwards are or their Goalies (who are average at best) they are always a top team because of Lidstrom.

D-man or goaltender.

#1 Goaltender

I can't help saying that Boumeester looked awesome in the ASG and I want him again.

I know you guys say d man but i would go with a power forward Washington started rebuilding with ovechkin then worked up from there yes they havent won a stanley cup but they are becoming a powerhouse starting from the forwards back

IMHO in today's NHL a superb goaltender is the foundation. Look what the Habs have done with Price and the Jackets with Steve Mason...

Though, historically, an exceptional player, no matter what the position, can transform a franchise.

So there are good arguments for both.

Hockeyhero22000 wrote:I know you guys say d man but i would go with a power forward Washington started rebuilding with ovechkin then worked up from there yes they havent won a stanley cup but they are becoming a powerhouse starting from the forwards back

Washngston was still garbage until Green started to be the player he is now. Thats when things turned for that franchise.

I'll go with the stud D-man. Considering the Sens struggles this year, it really goes to show what a difference a stud D-man makes. Granted you could make the same arguement for a goaltender as well.

504Heater wrote:I can't help saying that Boumeester looked awesome in the ASG and I want him again.

I'd take him for sure, but I think it's hard not to look good at the ASG (unless you are a goaltender). :lol!:

On the whole, 12 goals at an ASG isn't a bad showing...

I'd vote for D, then G, then F.
The D is the anchor - all the justification has already been made above.

Goaltending wins Stanley Cups.

The evidence in this decade:

Detroit, 2008, Osgood's phenomenal series stymies his critics.
Anaheim, 2007. Jiggy gets Jiggy with it.
Carolina, 2006. Cam Ward plays out of his mind.
Tampa, 2004. The Bulin Wall.
New Jersey, 2003. Marty! Marty! Marty!
Detroit, 2002. The Dominator.
Colorado, 2001. Patrick, King of Goalies.
New Jersey, 2000. Marty! Marty! Marty!

:pirat:

davetherave wrote:Goaltending wins Stanley Cups.

The evidence in this decade:

Detroit, 2008, Osgood's phenomenal series stymies his critics.
Anaheim, 2007. Jiggy gets Jiggy with it.
Carolina, 2006. Cam Ward plays out of his mind.
Tampa, 2004. The Bulin Wall.
New Jersey, 2003. Marty! Marty! Marty!
Detroit, 2002. The Dominator. Rat Bastard who shall not be named
Colorado, 2001. Patrick, King of Goalies.
New Jersey, 2000. Marty! Marty! Marty!

:pirat:

I fixed this for you. We don't mention him by name.

All those teams, except Carolina had stud D-men. In most cases, 2 of them.