In last week's Wednesday's Challenge, the "Battle of the Chiefs", it was Celtics legend Robert Parish taking out Bruins legend Johnny Bucyk and moving up the RBSF Ladder from #24 to #18. This week is our first trip into the Ladder's Top 10, as two great Bruins defensemen do battle. Eddie Shore, currently #7, is attempting to hold off the Challenge of Raymond Bourque, currently #11. A look at this week's candidates...
SHORE: Played for the Bruins for 14 seasons (1926-40). Led B's to Stanley Cup Finals 4 times, winning 2 Championships (1929 & 1939). Elected NHL MVP 4x, the only defenseman to do so (only Gretzky & Howe won more). Selected to All-NHL Teams 8x in first 9 years (1st Team 7x). One of the NHL's toughest player's ever, set record for most penalty minutes (165) in 1928. In 540 regular season games he scored 103 goals and 176 assists for 279 points to go along with 1,038 penalty minutes. In the playoffs (10x) he played in 52 games and had 6-11-17 totals to go along with 179 PIM. In 1999 was named #10 NHL player of all-time (#3 defenseman) by The Hockey News. Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947. His #2 is retired by the Bruins.
BOURQUE: Played for the Bruins for 21 seasons (1979-2000). Led B's to 2 Stanley Cup Finals (1988 & 1990). Won Norris Trophy 5x as league's top defenseman. Won 1980 Rookie of the Year. Won 1992 King Clancy Award (leadership on and off ice). Played in 18 All Star Games. Named to All-NHL Teams 18x (1st Team 12x). In 1,518 games he totalled 395 goals and 1,111 assists for 1,506 points. Franchise career leader in Assists, Points, Power Play Goals and Shots on Goal. In playoffs (19x) he played in 180 games and had 36-125-161 totals. In 1999 was named #14 NHL player of all-time (#4 defenseman) by The Hockey News. Elected to Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004. His #77 is retired by the Bruins.
VERDICT: I became a Bruins fan in the early 80's, so Bourque is (by far, with all due respect to Cam) the greatest Bruin I have ever seen play. Had he played under an ownership group not run by the likes of Jeremy Jacobs and Harry Sinden he may possibly have a fist full of rings. But instead he won none in Boston, an no MVP Awards either (though he did get robbed in 1990). So with 2 Cups and 4 MVPs, not to mention a reputation for being "Mr. Old-Time Hockey", I have to give the nod to Shore as the winner of this Challenge, and thus the honor of being the 2nd greatest Bruins defenseman of all-time. Bourque was certainly an amazing player, but even amazing players are going to have a tough time cracking the Top 10. My vote is for Eddie Shore.
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10 comments:
When the Hanson Brothers revere #77's name and immortalize it in film with one of the greatest lines ever I will vote for him. Until then my vote is for Eddie Shore.
Yeah, sure Old Time Hockey!
Like Eddie Shore
And if anybody replies with "Piss on Eddie Shore" they are going to get an Eddie Shore elbow in the ear.
While clearly I've never seen Eddie Shore play and am biased given that I too grew up watching/idolizing ray borque, i think you're off base here DK. Eddie Shore won his titles when there were about 3 teams in the NHL--set a record for penalty minutes w/ 165? ooooh. scary. one tripping minor a game...but seriously though---look at those offensive numbers...bourque's a point a game guy, shore a point everyother game, bourque played 3 times as many games. Maybe Shore had the edge as a defensive defenseman, but bourque's the better all around player. And I'm thinking you might still have a bitter taste in your mouth from Bourque leaving to go win a cup with the Avalanche...
If this was a challenge on toughness Shore would get my vote. But in my opinion overall the old time guys were alot tougher than the modern day players. The modern guys are bigger, faster and stronger but not tougher. Had the B's had better ownership they would've and should've won a few Cups in Bourques Bruins career. Other than keeping#7/77 for as long as they did the next best choice was to let him go win the Cup he deserved alot sooner in his career.
Bourque gets my vote!
I'm shocked at how easily Shore is winning this. He got my vote, but still surprising. The votes seem to be going to the players guys have seen. I'm glad getting in the Top 10 wasn't so easy.
Next week's challenge is for somebody to get into the top 100!
Old Time Hockey DK
Can we recommend guys who should be in the top 100 or do you already have them?
Wake...
As a request I think the next top 10 should be an inter-sport battle, makes it interesting....
(There are a few of "the faces of Boston" I think could fix to move up just a few spots)
I have a list of possibilities but nothing set in stone. You can either recommend them here or drop me an email. I wont be posting the Wednesday's Challenge until Wednesday night.
Wake is actually a very good one.
Here are 11 worth considering in no particular order than how I thought of them...some are better than others. Some may be on the list and I missed it.
-James Brendan Connolly
-Dana Barros
-Troy Brown
-Craig Janney (not a fan but was an amazing college player at BC and averaged a point per game for the B's)
-Bob Stanley
-Taylor Twellman
-Bill Cleary
-Paul Pender
-Adam Oates
-Don Marcotte
-Joan Benoit
Good ones! I really like Connolly but I think I'll save him for when the Olympics are on.
I think my 5 finalists at the moment are:
Dana Barros
Troy Brown
Babe Ruth
Taylor Twellman
Tim Wakefield
haven't heard the name Adam Oates for a while...
My vote went to Brown.
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