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Post by GNick99 on Nov 6, 2020 17:00:25 GMT -5
In a recent Hockey News issue they rank the top 100 defensemen of all time. They have Doug Harvey as the 2nd best defenseman of all time. Bobby Orr was #1, Lidstrom was #3.
Some interesting tidbits about Harvey. He was a tough guy. He was Canadian Navy boxing champion during WWII. Finished 3rd in league one year in penalty minutes. Won the Norris 7 of 8 years in a row. Likely would have won more Norris but trophy did not come into being until 1954. Harvey had already played 5 years in the league, going to 3 Cup finals and winning a cup in 1953. He is still the only winner to win back to back Norris on different teams. Harvey was 10 times first team all-star.
Harvey had a serious drinking problem. Was shunned his first year of eligibility to the hall of fame because of his drinking. Very upset by this, when elected the next season he sent his wife with a note. He did not attend nor want their award. He died in 1989 of liver disease due to his drinking
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Nov 6, 2020 17:18:07 GMT -5
In a recent Hockey News issue they rank the top 100 defensemen of all time. They have Doug Harvey as the 2nd best defenseman of all time. Bobby Orr was #1, Lidstrom was #3. Some interesting tidbits about Harvey. He was a tough guy. He was Canadian Navy boxing champion during WWII. Finished 3rd in league one year in penalty minutes. Won the Norris 7 of 8 years in a row. Likely would have won more Norris but trophy did not come into being until 1954. Harvey had already played 5 years in the league, going to 3 Cup finals and winning a cup in 1953. He is still the only winner to win back to back Norris on different teams. Harvey was 10 times first team all-star. Harvey had a serious drinking problem. Was shunned his first year of eligibility to the hall of fame because of his drinking. Very upset by this, when elected the next season he sent his wife with a note. He did not attend nor want their award. He did in 1989 of liver disease due to his drinking Doug had the ability to slow the game down. He slowly skated up the ice with the puck, looked right and the other team went for his fake, then left, same result and he went untouched. |
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Post by franko on Nov 6, 2020 21:35:41 GMT -5
In a recent Hockey News issue they rank the top 100 defensemen of all time. They have Doug Harvey as the 2nd best defenseman of all time. Bobby Orr was #1, Lidstrom was #3. I think it was Ron MacLean who said "Without Doug Harvey there would have been no Bobby Orr". |
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Post by seventeen on Nov 6, 2020 22:52:17 GMT -5
I honestly never saw enough of Niklas Lidstrom, but I have trouble seeing him over Denis Potvin. Potvin's career ppg average was .99, Lidstrom's .73. IN the playoffs, the comparison was .89 to .70. Lidstrom had more Norris Tropnies, but Potvin's competition during his years included Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Brian Leetch. Lidstrom was a great defencement, for sure, but sheesh....Potvin was not only skilled as hell, he was tough as nails.
Anyway, I'd have put Potvin in 3rd myself.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Nov 7, 2020 3:40:13 GMT -5
That string of best defensemen awards 7 of 8 years was stunning. He also was a key part of evolving the puck movement defensemen role.
While he ended up wearing a number of different uniforms, his blue-blanc-rouge and navy ones will stand apart.
The darn booze and whatever demons he battled.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Nov 8, 2020 0:10:30 GMT -5
That string of best defensemen awards 7 of 8 years was stunning. He also was a key part of evolving the puck movement defensemen role. While he ended up wearing a number of different uniforms, his blue-blanc-rouge and navy ones will stand apart. The darn booze and whatever demons he battled. How good would he have been if he didn’t drink. Maybe we start pee wees drinking after practice? |
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Post by GNick99 on Nov 8, 2020 16:00:58 GMT -5
That string of best defensemen awards 7 of 8 years was stunning. He also was a key part of evolving the puck movement defensemen role. While he ended up wearing a number of different uniforms, his blue-blanc-rouge and navy ones will stand apart. The darn booze and whatever demons he battled. Harvey likely would have won 10 or 11 Norris Trophies. As it was not awarded until 1954-55 |
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Post by jkr on Nov 8, 2020 19:10:59 GMT -5
Harvey was an individual who liked to do things his own way & that wasn't received well in the era that he played. I would recommend his biography which I have I just recently re-read. It gives an honest view of his life. It might be hard to find now but it's with the time. www.amazon.ca/Doug-Harvey-Story-William-Brown/dp/1550651668 |
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Post by GNick99 on Nov 9, 2020 7:51:15 GMT -5
Doing an online search on Harvey. He was certainly a great athlete. Navy boxing champ, offered a pro baseball contract.
Can't help but think his drinking led to his early demise in Montreal. His trade to Rangers for Fortinato came as a surprise. Habs had JC Tremblay waiting in the wings thou. Fortinato was a tough guy and Habs were a bit soft at time. This was pre-John Ferguson. Maybe a combination of several reasons for trade?
Harvey trade opened the door for Tremblay. Who no doubt would be in hall of fame if not for spending many years in WHA. Tremblay was paired with Fortinato. Fortinato led NHL in plus/minus his first year in Montreal.
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Post by GNick99 on Nov 15, 2020 0:43:56 GMT -5
I honestly never saw enough of Niklas Lidstrom, but I have trouble seeing him over Denis Potvin. Potvin's career ppg average was .99, Lidstrom's .73. IN the playoffs, the comparison was .89 to .70. Lidstrom had more Norris Tropnies, but Potvin's competition during his years included Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Brian Leetch. Lidstrom was a great defencement, for sure, but sheesh....Potvin was not only skilled as hell, he was tough as nails. Anyway, I'd have put Potvin in 3rd myself. Potvin was voted 6th best. Bourque was 5th. A case could be made for Larry Robinson as 3rd? He was team policeman and toughest guy in league. Which was important in the 70s. Today not so much. |
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