Where do you rank Mike Bossy all-time?

[SDS]

Growing up - Mike Bossy was my childhood hockey hero. 50 goals in 50 games... One of the purest goal scorers ever to play the game. He only played 10 seasons. Where would you rank him in your all-time list of great players? Is there another RWer you would rather have in their prime?

[Taro T]

Growing up - Mike Bossy was my childhood hockey hero.  50 goals in 50 games... One of the purest goal scorers ever to play the game.  He only played 10 seasons.  Where would you rank him in your all-time list of great players?  Is there another RWer you would rather have in their prime?

Bossy would crack my top 100 but wouldn't be top 10.

 

I would definitely rather have Lafleur than Bossy. Bossy was definitely one of the best shooters in the league, but he didn't bring much else to his game (in Sabres terms, he was basically a better Rick Martin than Rick Martin).

[deluca67]

He was such a big part of one of the all time great teams. I doubt the Islanders would have had the sucess they did without him.

 

Some numbers to keep in mind. He averaged 57 goals a year throughout his 10 year career. 573 goals in 752 games which is a sick number. The lowest number total for a season was 38 his final year after starting his career with 9 straight 50+ seasons five of which were 60+.

 

Had he been able to stay healthy your would be looking at about 800 goals at least.

 

He was the best pure goal scorer of his era. I would have no problem putting him on an all time team. Bossy and Kurri on the wings with Gretzky in the middle. That line would destroy any other line combo I could think of.

[mphs mike]

My age may have something to do with it but when I saw the question - where does he rank and what other RW would you rather have - my immediate thought was this is a tossup between Bossy and Lafluer.

[deluca67]

My age may have something to do with it but when I saw the question - where does he rank and what other RW would you rather have - my immediate thought was this is a tossup between Bossy and Lafluer.

I think Guy may have had a more rounded all around game. As for a pure scorer Bossy was the man.

 

As far as playoffs go Bossy had the edge. 160 pts in 129 games while 'The Flower' had 134 pts in 128 games.

 

They both have alot of hardware in their trophy case and niether needs to take a back seat to anyone.

 

Another thing they shared was they were both class individuals. On and off the ice. It's one thing to succeed. It's another to do so with class and dignity which is a lesson many of today's atheletes need to learn. ;)

[Taro T]

As far as playoffs go Bossy had the edge. 160 pts in 129 games while 'The Flower' had 134 pts in 128 games.

If you include Lafleur's last several seasons after he had injury issues and was on the downside of the career, then Bossy seemed to have better playoff stats. From '81 until the end of his career, Lafleur played in 27 playoff games with 3 goals and 10 points.

 

If you look at the 6 years centered around each's 4 year SC run (which corresponds to each's best years when they were their team's #1 RW), they are very comparable with Lafleur having a slight edge.

 

Lafleur - 72GP 51G 59A 110P (1.5ppg) (Led league in playoff G's twice, A's twice, and P's twice)

Bossy - 103GP 75G 62A 137P (1.33ppg) (Led league in playoff G's 3x, P's once)

[fushetti]

I rank him higher than Ric Seiling

[deluca67]

If you include Lafleur's last several seasons after he had injury issues and was on the downside of the career, then Bossy seemed to have better playoff stats. From '81 until the end of his career, Lafleur played in 27 playoff games with 3 goals and 10 points.

 

If you look at the 6 years centered around each's 4 year SC run (which corresponds to each's best years when they were their team's #1 RW), they are very comparable with Lafleur having a slight edge.

 

Lafleur - 72GP 51G 59A 110P (1.5ppg) (Led league in playoff G's twice, A's twice, and P's twice)

Bossy - 103GP 75G 62A 137P (1.33ppg) (Led league in playoff G's 3x, P's once)

OK. Toss out the last 27 playoff games for Lafleur.

 

Bossy 160 pts - 129 games = 1.24 ppg.

 

Lafleur - 121 pts - 101 games = 1.19 ppg.

 

IMO. If Bossy would have been able to play a few more years this wouldn't even be close. His swan song year consisted of 38 goals a career low.

 

Still. Both have amazing numbers.

[mphs mike]

I rank him higher than Ric Seiling

OK, but what about adding Morris Titanic and Jiri Dudacek to the ranking?????????

[LabattBlue]

I didn't see Howe and Richard during their prime, but they both have to be given consideration along with Lafleur & Bossy for who would be considered the best RW of all time.

 

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/7848978

[BRH]

I only go back to the prime days of Bossy and Lafleur myself, but it's hard to see how anyone could rank ahead of Gordie Howe. He was in the top 5 in scoring for 20 straight years, bloodied his fair share of opponents' noses, AND had enough in the tank to score fifteen goals at age 51 (yeah, I know, I saw it too... nobody would go near the old man, but still). For scoring, toughness and durability, it has to be Howe.

[SDS]

I only go back to the prime days of Bossy and Lafleur myself, but it's hard to see how anyone could rank ahead of Gordie Howe. He was in the top 5 in scoring for 20 straight years, bloodied his fair share of opponents' noses, AND had enough in the tank to score fifteen goals at age 51 (yeah, I know, I saw it too... nobody would go near the old man, but still). For scoring, toughness and durability, it has to be Howe.

I dunno... I never watched him play, but I do have a hard time comparing athletes from that generation to more modern day athletes. It may be an unfair bias and I know he a legend, but it I kind of put those old, old, old-timers in their own category.