LITY question?

Question

Im not sure if you said you've played in the NHL, and it seems you have met all the greats and know them personally. If you have played in the NHL I'm a little curious and want to know how you did, if you dont mind can you fill me in?

For those who don't think its a legit question here ya go(so i dont get reported):

Who was the toughest player to ever play the game?

WOW, who do I give the best answer to Bob, or LITY i got awesome answers from both.

Phemongoalie34: Go back to the balleria section where your nonsense belongs.

Answer 1

Gordie Howe, 1946-47 through ’70-71; 1979-80. The resiliency of hockey players has long been marveled at by followers of other sports. Howe provided a prime example of why when he recovered from a fractured skull suffered in 1950-the injury occurred when he was knocked heavily into the boards by Toronto’s Teeder Kennedy-and became the NHL’s scoring leader the next season.
Once, in an important game in the late 1960s, Howe skated up to Montreal tough guy John Ferguson and tossed ice in his face as a challenge. Knowing his opponent, Ferguson backed down. “Gordie would simply stand there with that grin on his face and psyche out opponents,” said John Ferguson.

Maurice Richard, 1942-43 through ’59-60. Those menacing, fiery eyes and the rugged, never-give-in style of play. He would not allow anyone to stop him. His 50 goals in the 50-game 1944-45 season became the standard for goal scorers. Richard could use his dazzling speed, but he also took delight in going through opponents on the way to the goal. No one scored more meaningful playoff goals than the Rocket, a member of eight Stanley Cup championship teams. It seemed he was made to be marveled at, swooping in on right wing and ramming the puck past the goalie with an exclamation point.
Eddie Shore, 1926-27 through ’39-40. He helped hockey survive the depression years. Shore was virtually indestructible and fearless-the first defenseman to carry the puck at a time when opposing players used sticks to chop down star players. He finished one game in the 1920s with a broken nose, three broken teeth, two black eyes, a broken cheekbone and a two-inch cut over his left eye. And he was in the lineup for Boston the next night. Shore helped the Bruins franchise survive and, during the tough times, was the target of some of creative attempts to buy him away from Boston.
Mark Messier, 1979-80 to 2006. Opponents talk about the steely glare they see in Messier’s eyes when he is on a mission to trample them. He’s a leader’s leader who never takes no for an answer-witness five Stanley Cups with Edmonton and one with the Rangers. No one will forget how he guaranteed victory over New Jersey in Game 6 of the 1994 Eastern Conference final and single-handedly took the Devils out before helping the Rangers win their first Cup since 1940. Like Howe and Richard, he seems to enjoy going through an opponent when he also could score with some of his other skills.
Scott Stevens, 1982-83 to 2003. When he broke in with the Capitals, he was one of the most feared fighters in the game. When he arrived in St. Louis in 1990, then-coach Brian Sutter took Stevens aside and told him he was too good to be a goon. Message received, loud and clear. Two Stanley Cups later, Stevens is the most feared captain in the game. No one rivals his defensive presence. His hits on Slava Kozlov in the 1995 Cup finals and on Eric Lindros in the Eastern finals last year are legendary.
Milt Schmidt, 1936-37 through ’41-42; ’45-46 through ’54-55. The game’s first power forward and the most skilled center in the game until Wayne Gretzky arrived. Schmidt was a big, strong and elegant playmaker.
Clark Gillies, 1974-75 through ’87-88. He could beat anyone in a fight but didn’t have to because opponents didn’t want to face linemates Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier on the power play. How do you think Bossy and Trottier got so much room to work their magic with the puck?

Ted Lindsay, 1944-45 through ’59-60; ’64-65. “Terrible Ted” was one of the most apt nicknames ever. His competitive spirit made him one of the toughest and most feared skaters in history. Just 5-8, 163 pounds, he played with his stick high and a tenacity that made him a perfect fit with Howe and Sid Abel on the Production Line.


Chris Chelios, 1983-84 to present. A three-time Norris Trophy winner, Chelios played for an entire season on a knee that needed surgery and didn’t tell Chicago team doctors about his pain. He has manhandled opposing forwards for nearly twenty years.

Tim Horton, 1949-50; 1951-52 through ’73-74. Although he was just 5-10, 180, there was no one stronger than this Hall of Fame defenseman. He could hand out the loudest bodychecks in the game, but he preferred to defuse scoring threats by leaning on an opponent until he submitted.

Red Horner, 1928-29 through ’39-40. The bad man of hockey in the the 1930s, Horner was the NHL’s most punishing bodychecker. His leadership helped Toronto win one of the most famous series in history. Trailing Detroit 3-0 in the 1940 final, Toronto won four straight and won the Stanley Cup.

Bobby Clarke, 1969-70 through ’83-84. He spearheaded the Broad Street Bullies with his hit-and-run style.The heart and soul of the Flyers as their general manager, Clarke ran the team with the same ruthlessness he showed as a player. 13 Larry Robinson, 1972-73 through ’91-92. One of the best one-on-one defenders in history, Robinson would dislodge the puck with his long reach, then rub you out of the play in one easy motion. He made toughness look graceful.

Add this guy for LITY-
Al Secord, 1978-79 through ’89-90. Through much of his career he was considered the heavyweight champion of the league. But when he hooked up with the skilled Denis Savard in Chicago, Secord also became one of the league’s most feared players because of what he could do with the puck.

Answer 2

Phemongoalie34: The depth wasn't far superior to what it is today, the number of teams were 1/5th of what it is today. There were only 6 teams! Almost ALL of the players on those AHL teams would be at worst second or third line NHL players today. Go look at the names of the players on some of the the rosters from the AHL and the other minor league teams in the early to mid 60's. They are littered with Hall of Famers, Stanley Cup winners and solid NHL careers.

Post your mailing address, I want to send you a clue.

To answer the actual question, I vote for Bobby Clarke.

LITY: One of these nights when I cannot sleep I am going to dig in and figure out who you are. You have supplied me enough information probably just with this question. I promise to keep it to myself if I do ever figure it out though.

Answer 3

I'd be there, Yep I can afford it, not sure who'd be most likely. Yeah, he just swoops in and gives comprehensive answers like a hockey info superhero lol. USA NHL is likely most legit, just based on the fact that more than 75% of the NHL teams are located in the states. I'd think the Canadian players would like playing in Canada better and the Europeans and Americans would go with the USA. Hmmm... Not sure lol. Some of the fans of similar teams would get along alright i'm sure.

Answer 4

Some great answers, but I'd to take exception with Bob's depiction of Mark Messier. I've looked behind the curtain and "The Captain" is not what he seems. For the purposes of this discussion, I'll focus solely on the famous game 6 guarantee.

I realize that legends grow over time, but Messier in no way "singlehandedly" forced a game 7 vs NJ. He scored a hat (1 an empty netter to seal the win) off of the lights-out performances produced by Leetch and Kovalev in the 2nd and 3rd periods of that game at theMeadowlands.

Was Messier's call ballsy? Yes. Was his performance impressive? sure. De he put the team on his shoulders and carry them to game 7? Sorry, no.

Answer 5

No, LITY never played in the NHL. He was in the Hawks' farm system, but never actually played an NHL regular season game. Then he was a scout for a long time. Right now I think he's semi-retired. Not too sure though...

~

And as for the question at hand, I think it was Gordie Howe. While everything Lemieux did was very tough, he wasn't really regarded as a tough player.

~~

LITY: Yeah, but I don't mean tough as in a goon type of tough. I just can't imagine Lemieux playing as rough as people described Howe played. And Howe even had his skull cracked open once and he played after that. AND Howe played with NO helmet! I think Howe was tougher.

Answer 6

I was signed by the Chicago Black Hawks in 1959
- I attended training camps in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1965 (never made the team)
- I played 6 exhibition games (2 against Montreal, 2 against Detroit, 1 against Toronto, and 1 against Boston - I never played the rangers), no shots on goal, no assists, no PIM
- I played 300+ minor league games scored 37 goals, and had 165 PIM

I never played a regular season or playoff game in the NHL

Toughest Player to ever play the game?
- Gordie Howe
- Frank Mahovlich
- John Ferguson Sr
- Bobby Clarke
- Clark Gillies
- Allan Secord
- Tim Kerr
- Cam Neely
- Mario Lemieux

- I don't consider goons to be tough, so I have excluded them from the list. The names above are just a sample of players whom I've watched over the past 40 years who had skill, and could both dish and take a hit. Again, just a sample. Not the only ones.

It is hard for me to take people like Dave Schultz, Nick Fotiu, Bob Probert, and Stu Grimsom and call them tough.



Vinny - Go with Bob! Go with Bob! The Allan Secord mention by Bob seals it for me. Secord was a truly under-rated masterpiece.


CME - let it go.............I played in the minors with a guy named Phil. Phil was a like a lot of us minor leaguers. A guy who just needed a break. But Phil had trouble making both the Hawks and the minor league team............yet 10 yrs later he found his way to score 76 goals at the NHL level.....in one season. I played with and against people who weren't good enough to crack 1960s NHL lineups.........but today are in the Hockey Hall of Fame (albeit because of the 1967 expansion). Every minor league team I played for and against would be an NHL playoff team today. The best 350 players in the world......barely enough players for half of today's league.


Mikey...........Mario was regarded as a tough player. In a 1993 Hockey Digest article, he was picked by his fellow players as the 3rd toughest player (behind Messier and Pronger) in the league. Ask Rick Vaive if Lemieux was afraid to mess it up.

Answer 7

Zapcity good point-that was like Namath in the Super Bowl.He didn't throw 1 pass in the second half.

Answer 8

LITY's played for the Hawks. He'll say that much.

I think Mario Lemieux or Saku Koivu are the toughest players. Lemieux, had someone lift his legs over the boards for him because he couldn't physically do it. Talk about heart and dedication. Koivu, had cancer, battled through it, still one of the games greats.

If you ask me, anyone to battle cancer and make it are the toughest.

And who can forget Clint Malarchuk, that horrible incident. He got over 300 stitches, nearly lost his life, and came back and played 2 weeks later. Tell me that doesn't take guts...

Answer 9

LITY would be my hockey hero.

but he doesnt want anyone to know who the hell he is :P but thats alright..

Answer 10

What type of context, in sheer determination, toughest in the corners, highest tolerance for pain? That's a very open question.