Not his career, or he'd have more all stars/Norris. Back half yes. I'd argue bourqhad tougher competition at d his entire career for accolades

Because the quality of competition was non existent? Orr was a tremendously talented player, but asking why nobody else was able to compete with Orr is like asking why the Generals have such a bad record against the Globetrotters. You can pluck any halfway decent 2nd pair D from today's NHL and he'd have been competitive with Orr back then.

I really can't take hockey before the 80s seriously.

Doug Harvey

So howe, richard, shore, plante are garbage? And you could pluck and second line winger from today and they'd score 80 in 80s, and in 40 years those players would dominate today. Comparing players from different eras directly is futile.

I agree with the comment and the trade

Well put, everything being equal you need to take the players dominance in there own era as the scale of where they rank. Not old videos of no masks and stand up styles of goaltending

Whose to say if Orr had the technology of today in surgeries, equipment and coaching and he is not the best ever

I think they clearly dominated for their era, I just don't think they belong in the "best players of all time" conversation when you take quality of competition into conversation.

Are howe or Orr in your top 4 then?

Orr was unquestionably the best of his time. Lidstrom was unquestionably the best of his time. In between, Denis Potvin was unquestionably the best of HIS time. We should all just be glad we got to see all of whoever we got to see. (I didn't start following hockey until Orr's career was over.)

I was born in 2001 and started watching hockey very closely in 2013... which means I missed Lidstrom... GODAMMIT

Too bad . . . you missed Scott Stevens, Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermeyer . . . and the guy everyone loved to hate and still does: Chris Chelios, who played until he was 74 or something . . .

02 cup yzerman playing on a bad knee and willed the wings through first couple rounds, lidstrom scores from center on canucks and quietly takes over, awesome at both ends of the rink, interviewer sticks a microphone in yzermans face after lidstrom named conn smyth and ask how he feels about the choice? About damn time he got his recognition. I can’t quite come up with the right comparison for ya. Basically quietly excellent at both ends of the rink. He could be plus 3 with a couple apples and just another day at the rink

How about Scott Niedermayer LOL

I still kinda wonder what the sharks would be like if they would have taken niedermayer as there first ever pick in 91 over Fallon, 20 years of niedermayer might have started a squad, or pronger stays in Hartford or finds a home somewhere for a while. Stevens changed the game with those open ice hits, one of the more exciting things in hockey but changed some lives. How does mtl trade savard for chelios

Paul Coffey was good in his prime, but he was with the greatest players so that isn't fair to judge. Overall game Lidstrom is one of the best if not THE best.

Oh definitely.

Omg you brought up some great players. In pee wee hockey I always wanted to be like Pronger. Turns out I was never meant to get that big. Niedermeyer was another fun one to watch.
Stevens ruled by intimidation. Your right I always hated Chelios. Someone in this thread said Lidstrom wasn't the best skater, which I don't think they were saying he was a bad skater, but I kinda remember him possibly being the best definitely among the best, am I wrong?

I just meant that there was better, speed wise, he did everything with such pace, everything seemed effortless, and perfect positioning.

Niedermeyer was the best skater, but Lidstrom was very close. The "problem" with Lidstrom was the same as with Willie Mays -- they always made whatever they were doing look easy. Stevens and Pronger were "momentum" skaters -- once they got going, they were hard to stop, even for themselves. Potvin and Lidstrom were very similar -- the entire well-rounded package. Stevens and Pronger rarely looked good passing the puck. As much as I loved DP, and he did earn 4 Stanley Cups, I'd have to give the nod to Lidstrom.

Oilers except