Boston

Is Ray Bourque the Greatest D of All Time?

Ravenswing, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ray bourque is the career leader in goals, assists and points for a D, he has 5 Norris Trophies and he has more end-of-season All Star team appearances than anyone other than Gordie Howe.

So where does he rank all time among the greatest defencemen ever? Is he #2? Is he not even in the Top 5 as one of us used to believe?

Listen to us talk about Bourque here:

Is Paul Coffey the Greatest Offensive Defenceman of All Time?

Paul Coffey’s offensive stats are just staggering. He owns the single season goals record for a defender and almost topped Orr’s points record. He had both an extremely high offensive peak and also did things consistently through his career that few have ever done before. If he was healthier at the end, he probably would be the highest scoring D in NHL history.

But, especially in the ’80s, there were huge concerns about his defense. And some people still believe he should have played forward.

So where does he rank all time? Does such a player belong in the Hall of Fame?

Listen to us talk about Paul Coffey here:

Does Cam Neely Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Meowwcat, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cam Neely is one of only 8 players to unofficially score “50 Goals in 50 Games”. (He did it in the Bruins’ 66th game of the season, so it doesn’t count in the NHL’s eyes.) And, when healthy, he was one of the most dominant goal-scorers of his era. On the Bruins…

But his career numbers are not as good as you think they are and, beyond some 2nd All Star Teams, he didn’t really get much acknowledgement as an elite player during his career.

So, does Cam Neely belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame? Listen to us discuss his case here:

Does Rogie Vachon Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Rogie Vachon was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, almost 35 years after he retired, to some controversy.

To some, he was one of the best goalies on the planet at his peak. To others, his career stats just aren’t good enough.

So, does he belong? Listen to us talk about him here:

Does Carson Cooper Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Carson Cooper was a senior hockey star that went pro a few years later than his contemporaries. He was briefly a star in NHL but soon declined. Does he belong in the Hall of Fame?

Listen to us talk about Carson Cooper here:

Does Bernie Morris Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Bernie Morris had one of the greatest Stanley Cup Finals performances in hockey history, scoring 14 of his team’s 23 goals (in 4 games!) in 1917. But he is not in the Hall of Fame.

In this episode, we discuss his career and his case. Listen here:

Does Frank Fredrickson Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Fredrickson entered the NHL in his 30s but, before that, he was an absolute star of the PCHA, perhaps the 3rd best player in its history.

Is that good enough for him to be in the Hall of Fame?

Listen to us talk about him in our latest episode:

Does Brian Leetch Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Brian Leetch was one of the greatest offensive defensemen of his era, perhaps even of all time.

That’s what we discuss on his episode of our podcast – where Leetch ranks all time, with multiple long discussions of his role in the 1994 Rangers’ Cup run.

Listen here:

Does Gordon Duke Keats Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Duke Keats was, by many measures, the best player in the history of the WCHL. Does that mean he belongs in a Hockey Hall of Fame containing mostly NHL players?

In our latest episode, we discuss Keats’ case. Listen here:

Keats’ stats:

Does Duncan “Mickey” MacKay Belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Mickey MacKay was one of the PCHA’s great hockey players. When the PCHA merged with the WCHL, he was a star in the WCHL as well. With his mediocre NHL numbers, does he belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

We talk about MacKay’s case for the Hall of Fame on our latest episode. Listen here:

Mickey Mackay’s stats: