Crosby was voted as the player with the best hands, who is the best physical player of all time?
What I mean by physical player, before someone just says Matt Cooke or Ryan Reaves:
Not just someone who can fight, stick up for a teammate etc, someone who can actually play, that also can hit and fight and be a great physical player, if that makes sense.
Just try to not make it be an enforcer lmao, just a good player who liked to throw around the body at times lmao
by JKray5_Reddit
49 Comments
Tocchet
George Laraque
Orpik
Hornquist
Kevin Stevens
Ulf Samuelsson
I’m gonna go with Hornquist. The Pens lost their effectiveness in front of the crease when we lost him.
Roberts, stevens, kasperitus(sp)
Darius Kasparaitis or Chris Kunitz
Hornquist. Could be recency bias but the pens don’t win back to back cups without his net front presence.
I’m just here to make sure Matthew Barnaby at least gets a mention.
Kasparaitis
There’s only one answer here
Gary Roberts
Jarkko Ruutu, Kasper, Ulf , Stevens , Colby ,orpik
Also come to mind
Kasparaitis
Dark Horse pick: Colby Armstrong.
A lot of his hits would be considered illegal these days but man he could lay some dudes out for his size.
Physical while mostly staying within the boundaries of the rules? Orpik. Physical while showing a complete and utter disregard for player safety? Samuelsson. Most likely to make someone keep their head up while making a play in the open ice for fear of being decapitated? Kasparaitis, with honorable mention to Matt Cooke.
And to take minor issue with OP’s comment involving Matt Cooke … Cooke actually WAS a good player. The maddening thing about him at times was that he chose to spend so much time agitating and doing stupid crap to get himself suspended instead of just playing the game as a north-south physical player who could defend and score some timely goals.
Kasparitis
Kasparaitis
Ulf Samuellson
Darius Kasparaitis Hardest hitting Pen I can remember.
Kasp. He checked me on the ice when I was young as a joke and I don’t think he realized just how hard he checks
Darius Kasparaitis. Hard hitter and tough as nails. I remember seeing him take a slapper to the skate in the 2nd. After the period ended, in the locker room, he kept the skate on as he knew his foot was broken and didn’t want it to swell. Played the entire 3rd with that broken foot and a ton of hustle.
Georges Laraque
I just wanna say none of you spelled hornqvist right
The King of Engelland
Gotta be Stevens. One of the best power forwards to ever play the game. Honorable mention to Ulf. People were afraid of that man. And he was a very good defenseman too.
Kasparitis was a wrecking ball
Gary Roberts
Kaspar
[Darius Kasparaitis](https://youtu.be/bWN-LHaLfGE)
Absolute warrior for his size and gotta love them hipchecks.
Jagr had the best hands. You people disappoint me and clearly weren’t old enough to watch him during his time.
Toss up between Kaspar and Ulf for me.
Btw, looks like OP only counts the top voted comment since Kovalev had more votes if you count all comments the previous round.
Something to keep in mind.
Kevin Stevens
Ulf Samuelsson aka Jack Lambert on skates
Free Candy
No one was tougher than Ulf.
Kaspar
Free. Candy.
On a side note, when did y’all all start watching the Penguins? A lot of these are very current players, you give this post to Bob Grove or Steigy the whole list would of players would be different.
Kasparaitis
Ulf
I cant get over the most overrated and best goalie, you guys are strange😂
On a side note, we’re so spoiled as a fan base geno, kessel, and guentzel won’t even make this 😂
Ulfy, he was a better defenseman than Kasper, but I loved both.
Kasp
People…Lemieux had the best hands. Fleury more overrated than Matt Murray?..yeesh
Darius Kasparaitis.
The guy was a monster hitter!
If Ulf doesn’t make this list there should a revolt