Thanks, NoMich, those are awesome posts. Luc seems like a genuinely nice person. It's refreshing to see professional athletes who realize what they have and truly appreciate it.
Congrats to Lucky. Loved him in Sudden Death. I was born after Dionne's hayday so when I hear Kings I think of Luc right away. One thing I've always thought about and maybe some of you all could get me a good answer for this: 5 out of the top twent goal scorers are left wingers (Luc, Andreychuck, Hull, Shanahan and Bucyk) 7 are centermen (Gretzky, Dionne, Esposito, Messier, Lemieux, Yzerman, and Sakic) and 8 are rightwingers (Howe, Hull the younger, Gartner, Ciccarelli, Kurri, Bossy, Jagr, Lafleur) Why is the left wing the lower scoring foward?
I think that Luc is among the top ten best offensive players ever in the NHL. I think that Luc is also the best left winger ever to wear a Kings uniform, and there have been many great players. I also think that no palyer has impacted the Kings like Luc (helped them). Now Luc has quite a bit of playing left in him, if he could bring Lord Stanley's Cup to L.A....
Now that he has passed that milestone he can learn how to play defense
HATER, that is a good question. The obvious asymmetry that springs to mind is that most goalies probably hold the stick in their right hand (same way most ballplayers catch with their left hand). So maybe it's harder for a left-hand shot to score. But I am not sure that the stat you quote really proves the case. These are the freaks among the freaks that you are talking about, and there isn't that big a difference.
I was kinda thinking along the same lines as amateur. Maybe goalies can see the puck better coming from a right handed shot from the left wing (that is, of course, assuming most left wings are righties)
After Bucyk at #20 on the list there is a big drop off. It's just centers and right wings until you get down to Bondra at #38. But you are right Amateur, I guess a goals per game average for each position would be a better way to gauge this. I can accept the stick side vs glove side as an answer.
Hater, don't let the word get out about left wings. It's hard enough getting kids to play defense because they all want to be goal scorers.
Left wings are notoriously misjudged. Luc needed to escape LA to get a Stanley Cup under his belt, and then returned the next year although nobody played. Some of us wondered in Detroit why he went back, but now we see why. He's scoring a lot there because of their unbalanced attack, but they are also doing quite well, (albeit not vs. Detroit) and he is a local King again. Congrats, Luc. You deserve it.
This is the last kick at the can for Lucky Luc and hey - I've always been a fan of his - more power to him. However, he is hardly to be counted among the truly great players. Most similar players - Dino Ciccarelli and Dave Andreychuk. That said, it was amazing to me how little he produced in Pittsburgh and Detroit - but as soon as he got back to LA, boom - goal scoring machine again. By many accounts, a really nice guy to boot. One of those guys who adopted a New Orleans family as well.
Hater - I think you'll find that a great deal of really good left wing shots, also end up as centremen (that list of centres is almost entirely left-shooting). The guys who stick to left wing and do well are almost always pure shooters and in close scorers, but are not playmakers. Right-shooters are more rare, and thus seem to stick to the position regardless of whether or not they're pass first guys or shooters.
The guys who stick to left wing and do well are almost always pure shooters and in close scorers The top four Left wingers in goal scoring fit this profile perfectly. On a personal note, I love the hockey talk round these parts. I just want to kidnap all of you, lock you up in my closet, and pull you out every night for hockey games, buffalo wings and diet fanta.
Luc Robitaille:NHL::Eddie Murray:MLB (without the media-implied attitude problem) - both won only one individual trophy (rookie of the year) - both won only one championship - both had long productive careers, but the last couple of years were more for completing the legacy than building on it - both were never considered the best player in the league at any time, but were always considered an all-star - often got overshadowed by flashier/more famous players on their own team - will walk/has walked into the HOF on the first ballot
Nice analogy, grum.
Joe88, when the Cup comes to L.A., I'll see you at the parade. But if it comes to Anaheim first, I'll eat a bullet, I swear! I hope I never see the day the Mighty Fucks hoist the cup.
I liked Robitaille when he played for Detroit, but I'm thrilled for him to be back where he's playing so well.
I'm new to the board, as this is my first post. Just want to say that Desert Dog hit the nail on the head. Go Kings!!!!
Good for luc he is one of the most underrated players in the game he did well in Detroit getting them a cup
Sorry Desert Dog, but the cup isn't coming anywhere near L.A. this year (its going to be back in Detroit where it belongs).
back in Detroit where it belongs Wait a minute there, tiger. The Wings took 40 years to get over Ted Lindsay's loss. That doesn't give them much automatic entitlement. The Cup belongs in Montreal. It seems to have lost its way back home, though.
No way, the Cup belongs to Exene Cervenka. And. You. Know. It!
No way, the Cup belongs to Exene Cervenka. And. You. Know. It! Damn straight!
JOE 88. U R SOOOO WRONG MAN. how can u say he is one of the best nhl defensemen in the nhl ever to play??? i mean, did u pull that out of ur ass? really think about it, bobby orr, chris chelios, sean hill, rob blake..... there are soooo many better players out there.
If you go back and read joe88's post, he stated Luc is one of the best OFFENSIVE players (he even stated left winger). Why in the world would you be comparing Luc to a handful of blueliners?
I think that Luc is among the top ten best offensive players ever in the NHL. posted by Joe88 at 1:39 PM CST on January 20
FINE, EVEN OFFENSIVE PLAYERS. HE STILL ISNT ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS TO PLAY ANYWAY. LUC STILL NEEDS TO PROVE TO ME THAT HE IS OR CAN BE ONE OF THE TOP TEN. GO BACK IN HOCKEY HISTORY AND YOU CAN FIND WAY BETTER PLAYERS. STAN MAKITA, BOBBY HULL, ROCKET RICHARD, WAYNE GRETZKY, MARIO LEMEIUX, AND MANY MORE.
O.K. Thanks for playing. We have a lovely parting gift for you...
