04/16/24
February 15, 2011
Forsberg's Foot Ends Comeback Bid: Two games into his comeback bid with the Colorado Avalanche, Peter Forsberg has retired over continued issues with his right foot. Since injuring it in 2003, Forsberg's foot "feels as if it's constantly slipping and sliding inside the skate," TSN reports.
If that's what retirement looks like, let me go find that AARP membership app I haven't filled out yet.
I'm not even going to address the slipping and sliding around inside the skate part.
posted by beaverboard at 10:44 AM on February 15, 2011
rcade, that was a long way to go just to post that picture, but it was totally worth it.
More to the point, tough to see a great player like Forsberg have such a weak finish to his career. If the foot wasn't 100% (and it hasn't been since, what, 2001?) the comeback(s) were not going to pan out. I give him all the credit in the world for trying to rehab, and even working out with the team, but he must have known weeks ago that he was in no shape for the demands of NHL hockey. Watching him play two awful games with a sliding team before acknowledging the failure was a real downer for this admirer.
posted by tahoemoj at 10:47 AM on February 15, 2011
Though I've hated Forsberg for many years, I still hold a tiny soft spot in my heart for him, because he gives me another reason to point and laugh at Eric Lindros and the Flyers. He tried to come back, his body told him no, so he's moving on. I think that going out this way is a thousand times better than the Paul Coffey way (trade on your name to play 3 years past your 'sell by' date) or the Kirk Maltby way (the awkward forced retirement). Good luck in the future, you ugly, monkey-faced bastard...
posted by MeatSaber at 11:04 AM on February 15, 2011
Forsberg's HOF discussion should be an interesting one.
When he was healthy, he was a dominant player. However, he barely played 700 games (708 total). That's not even 9 full seasons.
He has a rookie of the year trophy, and an MVP and scoring title (same season). He was picked for the all-star game only 5 times, and an end-of-year all-star only 4 times.
He never scored more than 30 goals, only had +100 points twice, and led in assists only once.
Before I went looking for his stats, I probably would have said "Forsberg = HOF" off the top of my head. However, I think I'm wrong.
Of course, the HHOF is one of the easiest ones to get into as a player, so it might still happen.
I just think that Pavel Bure is a better candidate than Forsberg, and he's not in yet.
posted by grum@work at 12:34 PM on February 15, 2011
Remember, grum, it's "Hockey" Hall of Fame, not NHL Hall of Fame. Forsberg is one of only three players to win all 3 "Triple Gold" championships more than once, and Larionov and Fetisov are already in...
posted by MeatSaber at 01:11 PM on February 15, 2011
Hmmm .. Forsberg's career was quite similar to Bobby Orr's, although he earned fewer trophies. He's in.
posted by cixelsyd at 01:58 PM on February 15, 2011
Hmmm .. Forsberg's career was quite similar to Bobby Orr's, although he earned fewer trophies. He's in.
Well, they both played NHL hockey, so there's that.
Forsberg was a very good hockey player, but to say his career was similar to Orr's is laughable.
posted by tommybiden at 03:13 PM on February 15, 2011
but to say his career was similar to Orr's is laughable
Um ... nearly equal number of games played, 2 or 3 excellent seasons with the rest being shortened or hampered by injury. Forsberg was never +124 in a season, but the careers are otherwise similar.
Both are healthy and available in a draft? Yup, I'd take Orr.
posted by cixelsyd at 04:32 PM on February 15, 2011
Bobby Orr changed hockey. He was the first real offensive defenseman. He is considered by most to be one of the top 5 hockey players of all time. To compare him to Forsberg (a very good player) is laughable. Their stats are not comparable because they played different positions at different stages of the game (the NHL was not the same in the 70s as it was during Forsberg's time--it would be like comparing Sammy Baugh's passing stats to Matt Schaub's.). Plain and simply, Bobby Orr is a hockey icon, Forsberg, though very good, is not.
posted by jagsnumberone at 05:14 PM on February 15, 2011
2 or 3 excellent seasons with the rest being shortened or hampered by injury. Forsberg was never +124 in a season, but the careers are otherwise similar.
Um, what?
Bobby Orr won 8 Norris trophies (best defenseman), 2 Hart trophies (MVP), 2 Art Ross trophies (top scorer, something that has never been done before or since by a defenseman), 2 Conn Smythe trophies (playoff MVP) and was an NHL All-Star 7 times.
"2 or 3 excellent seasons" is selling him short by about 4 or 5 seasons, as well as disregarding the consistency of his excellence.
Forsberg career is as similar to Orr's as Joe Carter's is to Johnny Bench.
After all, Carter and Bench both hit about 390 HR and 1400 RBI in 2200 games...
Forsberg is one of only three players to win all 3 "Triple Gold" championships more than once, and Larionov and Fetisov are already in...
Now, I will admit that leaving out Forsberg's non-NHL career was a mistake on my part. If you include his Swedish league career and his national team play (how did he get 31 points in 7 games in the 1992/93 World Junior Championships?!), then I agree that carries him into the HHOF.
posted by grum@work at 08:39 PM on February 15, 2011
I think Forsberg has got a case for the Hall. He certainly was in the discussion as one of the best in the game at his peak. For probably three or four seasons. He's point per game average of 1.25 is tenth all-time.
Bobby Orr is fourth, of course. Which is just ridiculous. And didn't Kent Nilsson have a strange career? 11th all-time?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:07 PM on February 15, 2011
Ironically enough, Forsberg's closest match career-wise might be Eric Lindros.
Both played more games than Cam Neely, who is in the HOF based on really only three superlative seasons.
I'd put Forsberg in the Hall, but Lindros just misses.
posted by rumple at 10:53 PM on February 15, 2011
One of the best hockey shots I ever saw occurred in the playoffs the year the Avs won their first Stanley Cup. A puck deflected off the glass behind the goalie, flew in front of the net and Forsberg picked it out of the air.
posted by rcade at 11:31 PM on February 15, 2011
Forsberg in the HHOF? Based on his career, certainly.
Forsberg as a comparable player to Orr? Puhleez...
Forsberg's NHL career was played in a 30-team league in which the talent was spread very thin. Orr's career was played in a 12-team league. In those days there were players in the AHL who easily could have made the rosters of today's NHL clubs, and indeed could have been among the best. True enough, there are more European players in the league today, but their presence does not make up for the overall lack of depth on NHL rosters.
posted by Howard_T at 01:20 PM on February 16, 2011
This is a shocker.