Jaromir Jagr goes back to the Penguins Cups in the early 90's, and he is still putting up numbers today at age 43. It is not like the "bigger and faster" guys of the NHL today have made him obsolete. I think the Gretzkys and Messiers and Yzermans and Orrs would not have any problems playing and excelling in todays game.
Many solid posts in this thread including rolltide, Chazz, and JohnnyMac. No doubt we’re comparing apples and oranges. Just watch a vintage game on the NHL Network and you’d be astonished, or reminded, how slow it played and how small the players were compared to today. Certainly not as physical, (excluding weekly bench clearing brawls), as today’s game simply because of the armor these robocops are wearing. Doesn’t mean the old timers weren’t tough just played a very different game. Goalies for the most part stood and tried to kick save. There was no butterfly, they weren’t 6’6”, they didn’t wear a mattress for pads. Between genetics, training, and a world wide talent pool the game is better by far today.
I’m old, and blessed, enough to watch Bobby Orr, in his prime, from the gallery god seats in the old Boston Garden. He, like the Great One, Jagr, Hull, Howe, and a handful of others were cut from a different mold. They dominated in their day. I don’t think they would today. They’d be good, not great. The majority of the players pre 1990’s couldn’t compete in today’s game.
Today’s Washington Capitals are a strong team in a league of parity, (mostly created by the salary cap). But as many have said before wait till the playoffs and see how they do. They definitely are loaded and deep everywhere. They are a fun team to watch. But are they one of the greatest of all time? I bought them at 12/1 earlier in the year and I’m not sure that number is fair enough.
