Most Entertaining

I love hockey. No news, everyone does in this site. But what I truly love about the game of hockey are the great artists, the players who really make us stand up when they do awesome things on the ice. I decided to write this article to pay a hommage to the most ENTERTAINING players of the League, those guys I think of when I decide to watch a hockey game. My list favors the forwards, mostly because I prefer offensive play. Hits, fights, saves, they are all part of the game, but offensive flare, for me, is the real reason the game is great and all other aspects exist (great goalies to stop great forwards, great defenseman to stop great forwards, big hits to stop great forwards). So here goes my list of the most ENTERTAINING players of the game:

1 – Mario Lemieux. I watched Gretzky, he scored a bunch of points and was great. But Lemieux is better. Simply the most dominant player I have ever seen, whenever he wants and is healthy of course. Plus, he dominates with an amazing ease. Almost no effort to be the best.

2 – Sergei Fedorov. What truly amazes me in Fedorov is that he could be an amazing D-man as well. Perfect player.

3 – Jaromir Jagr. Spit on his face, but just face it: this is the most lethal offensive weapon of the NHL. Dominates the offense by himself, scores beautiful goals.

4 – Joe Sakic. Gotta love him. The skill is all over this guy, plus plays with great heart.

5 – Patrik Elias. Sure him! I am a Devils fan! Plus, one of the most creative players in the game.

6 – Pavel Bure. Another asshole. Another great show on the ice. Goals, goals, goals, tell me something, do you really hate…or love this guy’s play?

7 – Alexei Kovalev. Kovalev has the most magical hands in the game. Could be a darn good piano player even…terrific player.

8 – Ilya Kovalchuk. Just one season, just a kid, but already a star. I rank him lower because of the little time he´s played in the League, but this guy will be much attractive to watch than Pavel Bure.

9 – Paul Karyia. What a waste. His explosion is beyond belief, his hockey sense as well.

10 – Teemu Sellanne. The Finnish Flash is a class act. And boy, this guy is fast….

Honorable mention: Peter Forsberg, Saku Koivu. I watched Iginla throughout this year, and admit he is a very good player, but, in my opinion, he lacks flare

Guess some of you guys will tell me to go watch the All-Star game – don’t take me wrong, I like all the other aspects of the game, but I just think a change of rules (adopting Olympic Hockey rules) would really benefit these great offensive weapons – they would be less time injured and more on the ice, doing the amazing things we just like to watch. But don´t tell anyone in the NHL about this, or the “Goons’ Union” will come after me like maniacs…

Any thoughts?


25 Responses to Most Entertaining

  1. JClark87 says:

    PAVEL DATSYUK!!!! I’ve never seen anyone leave so many people’s jock hanging from the scoreboard. I laugh when I watch him handle the puck.

    I also love watching Todd Bertuzzi. This guy is an animal. He does it all offensively, he is the premier power forward in the league. Forget Iginla, Bertuzzi is the man.

    Finally, you can’t leave Yzerman off of the list. He is great to watch because he has more heart than anyone in the game EVER!!! Stevie Y is the best thing on the ice.

  2. edmontonrules says:

    Elias does not deserve to be on that list yet. I don’t believe Elias has the skill and finess to be their yet. Where is Mike Comrie he is definitely way more entertaining than Kovalev, Kovalchuck and Elias. I would rate him at 7.

    My quick list for two defencemen (in no particular order) are Jovanovski and Pronger.

    Goaltenders are Roy and Theodore.

  3. mikster says:

    I like all of those players, but come on….you can’t have Kovalchuk over Forsberg. Forsberg is such a complete hockey player. He has to be top three.

    I am hoping so much to watch Lindros, Bure, Holik, Richter, Leetch, Kaspar, Oliwa/McCarthy fight. These are all great entertainers. Every team has entertainment.

    Titans wrote a very interesting article on wowhockey.com. You get 100 bucks, would you rather go use that money for an exciting NHL game or four minor league games?

    Hell, i’d spend 100 bucks to see an NHL team in a flash. I’d spend 100 bucks to see Lindros, Bure, Kaspar. I haven’t seen these guys live. I obviously would like the Rangers to win (and they have an above .500 record when i am there), but in the end…it is entertainment. It is still hockey, my favorite sport and a fun game to watch.

  4. thebestteamiscanucks says:

    ur such a moron. bertuzzi is on every highlite reel each night and he doesnt get nothin u fuckin suck

  5. thebestteamiscanucks says:

    bure- money,money,money

  6. thebestteamiscanucks says:

    comrie… u ***** serious now wwere getin sad

  7. UltimateB says:

    I’d toss in a vote for Datsyuk, too. The plays that come to mind: Datsyuk, end-to-end goal against vancouver, in which he schooled the entire Vancouver team by skating through them and then burying his shot. The other play was in the Finals Marathon. Datsyuk repeatedly made the Carolina defense look silly, especially the play where he took the puck from the left faceoff circle to the front of the net, through two D-men, to get a shot on goal.

    Oh yes, and we can’t forget the “let’s pass to myself off the back of the net” play. How many people did I see trying to do that after Pavel did it and then assisted on a Hull goal?

    The kid’s fun. He might not finish all the time, and might not be polished yet, but boy oh boy, there’s no better player to watch on the wings except some guy named Federov.

  8. amok says:

    He did say that the list is his personal favourites. Bertuzzi would probably be #1 on my list, but maybe not everyone would put him top 10.

  9. NYRfan78 says:

    Must you use the F word to get your point across?

  10. J3D9B says:

    Comrie is great, but he isn’t flashier than the Euro snipers Kovalchuk and Kovalev. Did you even watch this years Young Stars game? Kovalchuk tore it up!

  11. J3D9B says:

    A player that isn’t entertaining all the time, just mainly in the playoffs. Chris Drury. Some of his goals are nuts. He made the Devils defense look like assholes in the playoffs in 2001. Not to mention that nice lil move on Hasek this year. The end to end rush that beat Potvin. The goal where he was dragged down by 2 Vancouver defensemen and still put it in the net.

  12. Ari says:

    First you do not understand his post/article and second you use words which are forbidden.

  13. Ari says:

    I am a red wings fan and I have to say that I like best to watch Pavel Datsyuk. I have never seen some like him.

    Dandenault said about him “he is the most difficult player to play against one on one”.

    Yzerman said “we sit on the bench and he makes a move or 2 and then we just ‘wow’ and look at each other”.

    Lidstrom dais “I ask him before the practice not to embarrass me too much”.

    The kid is great fun to watch.

    Of the all goalies I like best Hasek.

    My favourite defenceman is Scott Stevens.

  14. munkeyman70 says:

    Mike Modano should be on this list.

  15. rrudd says:

    were you born stupid, or is this something you work at?

    i have yet to read a post that makes sense from you, thebestteamiscanucks.

  16. rrudd says:

    Granted, Modano has been held back by having to be a Selke candidate for Hitchweiner, nonetheless, he has still had opportunities to skate end to end, leaving all five skaters scratching themselves while he roofs on the goalie.

    He’s on of the fastest skaters in the league. He’s one of the most creative players in the league. He has one of the nastiest backhanders in the league. And unlike your Pavel Bure’s of the world, he’s actually seen his own goalie’s face close up before.

  17. matteo says:

    I have to go with Roenick to be on that list somewhere…Drury too.

    OLYMPIC HOCKEY RULES……yeah right after they mandate that the players wear tennis skirts. I HATE olympic hockey….well, maybe not hate – it is OK every 4 years as a diversion, but would you really want to watch that foo foo crap all season long.

    Every now and then I have to watch old tapes from the Patrick Division in the mid 80’s to remind myself what hockey is all about…..

  18. FlyHigh says:

    I think that Simon Gagne has the most flair of anyone on that list. He is a great unselfish player who can also score. But he’s very underrated as a passer. Half of Roenick’s goals were on great Gagne set-ups. By the way, I wrote where’s Fleury going ands it’s good to see that that article and Wow Hockey are getting some publicity.

  19. sumthingbruin says:

    How about Samsonov? He is one of only two players in the league(Jagr being the other one) that does something no one else in the league can do every time he plays. Stickhandling-wise he has no equal in the league. Granted he’s not the complete package, but watching him roar up the ice undressing d men left and right is about as entertaining as it gets.

  20. Glen says:

    Yeah, yeah, theses guys a entertaining for a few shots a game. But what about the guys who can make you go crazy for an entire shift. Antagonizers, Goons, and the heavy hitters. Nothing is better than watching Steve Peat and P.J. Stock at eachothers throats for three straight shifts before finally erupting in a three minute slugfest. Or watching Dan McGillis coming out of the penalty box after taking a dumb penalty. He annhilates anyone who comes within 10 feet of him. Or seing Matthew Barnaby talk about every players mom in a matter of 30 seconds, then get pummeled by Luke Richardson. These guys are who keeps hockey interesting. Keep you coming back.

  21. NewYorkRangers says:

    I would have to say Drury. He scores amazing goals, and makes defenseman look like asses out there. If I had to choose a goalie, I would choose Richter (being that I’m a Ranger fan). He makes some outrageous saves, that not many goalies could make. Then again he has more of a chance to make those types of saves then other goalies because he faces 40 shots a night. The most exciting D-man, I would have to say is Blake. He can hit hard, and he’s got a cannon.

  22. amok says:

    That Datsyuk goal was amazing. It literally got me off the couch to stand closer to the tv.

    Speaking of great goals, it wasn’t in the NHL, but one of the best goals I’ve seen for creativity and intelligence was when the US college player put the puck on his blade and then just stuck his stick in the top of the net. I can’t remember who it was, although one of my friends insists it was Brendan Morrison.

  23. mightylik says:

    Mike Modano has to be on there and even Joe Sakic. Both of them can keep the puck on a string and have wicked wristers like no other. Maybe you could drop in Hull or McInnis because of those awesome slappers they’ve got.

  24. le_joe2002 says:

    I like good skaters… players you watch and their skates looks like an extention of their legs. Natural but powerfull skaters. Bure, Gagné, Federov, Pronger, Kariya, Kovalchuck and……… VLADIMIR MALAKHOV !!! This guy is a Horse ! I remember when he was playing for the Go Habs Go, It was just too easy for him. When he wanted to play of course. But he showed some of greatest flash of hockey I’ve ever seen. This one time, on a DOUBLE penalty kill, the guy kept the puck for hole two minutes ! He scored 3 goals in that game… It was the day his friend Valerie Bure was traded to Calgary for Zalapski and Hoglund. (It it was not Réjean Houle’s worst trade !!!)

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