Hockey's Most Loved Player

[gruven 530]

Robert Francis Orr

[gruven 530]

I think in the current NHL, Rob Blake and Ryan Smyth are in that conversation, although none with quite the star status of Yzerman..

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Robert Francis Orr

Yup, he's probably the only hockey player who I would be excited to meet and I did at a golf course close to Parry Sound a few years ago. He was a total gentleman as our group of about 15 idiots talked to him at the club house. Maybe it's because of the age I am and when I was a very young kid he was the first superstar I idolized.BTW his middle name is Gordon not Francis

[gruven 530]

Yup, he's probably the only hockey player who I would be excited to meet and I did at a golf course close to Parry Sound a few years ago. He was a total gentleman as our group of about 15 idiots talked to him at the club house. Maybe it's because of the age I am and when I was a very young kid he was the first superstar I idolized.BTW his middle name is Gordon not Francis

OMG how bad is that...... that's almost as bad as Bush calling Yzerman 'Eye-ZEER-men'

[serge 904]

Do you guys think that money has a lot to do with it?back in the day the players salaries werent in another stratosphere..Its hard to relate to a 20 year old kid making $5 million a year.

[digitalmonkey 929]

Sakic was my first choice when I saw this thread, but Francis deserves to be on here as well. I think it's about impossible to put a currently-playing NHL player on here, although Sakic isn't far removed...which makes it even more impressive that people should consider him. I'd disagree on a personal level about the Borque selection though, since it irks me that people celebrate him leaving the team he was synonomous with to be a mercenary for a Cup. I'd consider him more if he stayed a Bruin.

I agree totally! He lost something there in my book. I have more respect for a guy who chooses loyalty over winning.

[digitalmonkey 929]

Do you guys think that money has a lot to do with it?back in the day the players salaries werent in another stratosphere..Its hard to relate to a 20 year old kid making $5 million a year.

No I think it has more to do with the increased scrutiny these guys are under and the fact that it's easier to appreciate a player who didn't play for your team once he has retired.I'll add Jean Beliveau to the list.

[serge 904]

I agree totally! He lost something there in my book. I have more respect for a guy who chooses loyalty over winning.

This is an interesting concept as it applies to our Maple Leaf hero Mats Sundin...Was he loyal to the franchise when they asked him to be traded for the betterment of the future?He didnt want to leave and basically was forced out...

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

I agree totally! He lost something there in my book. I have more respect for a guy who chooses loyalty over winning.

agree!I didnt get the big hoopla over him winning a Cup with Colorado. It didnt feel right to me.

[gruven 530]

This is an interesting concept as it applies to our Maple Leaf hero Mats Sundin...Was he loyal to the franchise when they asked him to be traded for the betterment of the future?He didnt want to leave and basically was forced out...

He wasnt forced out. The next season he turned down the leafs to go to the highest bidder.

[ajs510 122]

I agree totally! He lost something there in my book. I have more respect for a guy who chooses loyalty over winning.

My personal belief is that a guy who spent almost his entire career being a good company man for a team that wasn't getting it done around him has every right to take his one last shot at glory elsewhere. I cheered my head off for Colorado that year, wanted to see him raise that Cup to the rafters so bad and I wasn't disappointed. Loyalty has to go both ways, and Boston wasn't in a position to reward his loyalty with a good team around him leading to on-ice success. The only thing they could do to reward it was to honor his wishes and trade him to a more competitive team.

[digitalmonkey 929]

My personal belief is that a guy who spent almost his entire career being a good company man for a team that wasn't getting it done around him has every right to take his one last shot at glory elsewhere. I cheered my head off for Colorado that year, wanted to see him raise that Cup to the rafters so bad and I wasn't disappointed. Loyalty has to go both ways, and Boston wasn't in a position to reward his loyalty with a good team around him leading to on-ice success. The only thing they could do to reward it was to honor his wishes and trade him to a more competitive team.

I completely agree that Bourque had every right to move on and try to win. However, that still doesn't take away from what i said.

[MapleLeafs 142]

My personal belief is that a guy who spent almost his entire career being a good company man for a team that wasn't getting it done around him has every right to take his one last shot at glory elsewhere. I cheered my head off for Colorado that year, wanted to see him raise that Cup to the rafters so bad and I wasn't disappointed. Loyalty has to go both ways, and Boston wasn't in a position to reward his loyalty with a good team around him leading to on-ice success. The only thing they could do to reward it was to honor his wishes and trade him to a more competitive team.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I hardly associate Raymond Bourque with disloyalty.

[Mercury69 3]

Tie Domi

[digitalmonkey 929]

Tie Domi

...is an *******.

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

Couldn't have said it better myself. I hardly associate Raymond Bourque with disloyalty.

I didnt mean to suggest he did anything wrong to Boston. It was his right.But what I mean is, him winning with Colorado, after a year/two, didnt feel like a huge accomplishment to me.If Chicago signs Sundin this week, and they win the Cup, does it mean anything? Thats the extreme, but thats what it felt like. He went to a prohibitive favourite, played well, deserved a Cup win. But it wasnt the same, or anywhere near it, as lifting the Cup as a Bruin.

[SBriand 4]

I'm a homer so I go with Yzerman, even after the recent events which shows me this city of mine is full of whiny bitches. One of my dad's friends on facebook asked "WHY WOULD HE DO THIS TO US!?!?!" wtf?Anyway, Sakic and Shanny would also be on my list and maybe even lucky Luc.

[Zach6668 513]

Oh, I'm down with Robitaille too.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Bobby Clarke ?

[gruven 530]

Bobby Clarke ?

Wrong thread. At least wrong adjective..

[FCP Bob 1,312]

Wrong thread. At least wrong adjective..

Well I loved him in 72 when he was breaking Russki's ankles.

[Mercury69 3]

I thought Shanny was known to perpetrate some stick abuse and is a dick, but I can't be sure...Johnny Bucyk, anyone?

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I thought Shanahan was known to be kind of a dick too.Bourque is the best answer I've heard. I think the fact that everyone was rooting for him to win the Cup even when he had to leave his team for one year to do it is just further proof of how beloved he was.That's my view as a casual fan anyway.

[SBriand 4]

I thought Shanahan was known to be kind of a dick too.Bourque is the best answer I've heard. I think the fact that everyone was rooting for him to win the Cup even when he had to leave his team for one year to do it is just further proof of how beloved he was.That's my view as a casual fan anyway.

I don't like your use of the word everyone in that sentence.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I don't like your use of the word everyone in that sentence.

It wasn't supposed to be literal.