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Posted (edited)

happy holidays been a while since i posted.

 

i was thinking about fox coming back and wanted to compare him against leetch.

 

after four years

 

gp  285/237

g     36/52

a     199 vs 177

+/-   87/ -3

 

just a rough comp here but i was wondering if you started a team and had to take either, which one would you choose.

 

i'd probably go fox just because i feel he is more consistent night in and out.  not to impugn leetch at all as his career spoke for himself.  obviously you can not go wrong either way.

 

thought it would be a fun discussion. fun thing about it is i think leetch would be just as effective in today's nhl.

 

thanks.

 

as an edit feel free to add analytics if you can find them.  not my bag thanks.

Edited by Slobberknocker
Posted

Leetch was an end to end player.  He wasn't Bobby Orr but he was very capable of picking up a puck in his own end, skating through the other team and putting it in the net.

 

Fox is more of a technician and playmaker.

 

Having seen both of them play I'd take Leetch but I'd be satisfied if Fox is what I had to take instead.

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Posted

I'd go with Leetch as he was a much better skater. I also trust him to play 30:00 a night in a way that I don't trust Fox. Fox should actually not be playing more that 22/23, if that.

 

They also didn't track zone starts for Leetch but Fox gets about 55% OZ starts. Leetch to me seemed much more reliable defensively. 

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Posted

Maybe I have a rosey glasses with Leetch but I say he is better than Fox in just about every offensive category.  Dude could skate cutting on a dime and make some crazy offensive moves, his quarterback play had elite vision, and his fast / precise wrister changed the outcome of many games.  This is not a knock on Fox at all, just how good Leetch was offensively skilled. I'd have to think more on the defensive side though, Fox would be my pick there and maybe by a lot.

Posted (edited)

Leetch also had a pretty decent shot from the point.  I haven't seen Foxy blast one in quite some time now.

Edited by Ozzy
  • Keeps it 100 1
Posted

I feel like both would struggle in the booth. I remember when Leetch was trying to transition to television.....rough. 

 

But strictly playing hockey; I'll take Leetch. Fox's faces and non effort on certain defensive plays really make me  scratch my head. Thankfully he contributes offensively.

Posted

Uncanny how when I look at them, and remember Leetch, they both have that same 'look.' Kind of a meditative, lost in the ether spacey look that is ENTIRELY deceiving. Both guys can make an offensive player look foolish at times but the key asset to me? Leetch could get you on the edge of your seat with his rush ability. Going with Leetch on this one.

Posted

Leetch was a bit more dynamic.  Guy scored a lot of goals.

 

Leetch played in a tougher league. So much more clutching and grabbing.

 

Fox plays in a faster more  competitive league though. 

 

 

Posted

Leetch is still 8th all-time in scoring by a defenseman.  At their scoring rates Fox has to play 907ish more games to equal his overall production.  That's basically 11 seasons at the same rate he is scoring now.    However he'll still be 90 goals shy of Leetch at that point.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Leetch was a first ballot hall of famer and that is a very high bar to aim at.

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Posted
On 12/4/2023 at 1:23 PM, Slobberknocker said:

happy holidays been a while since i posted.

 

i was thinking about fox coming back and wanted to compare him against leetch.

 

after four years

 

gp  285/237

g     36/52

a     199 vs 177

+/-   87/ -3

 

just a rough comp here but i was wondering if you started a team and had to take either, which one would you choose.

 

i'd probably go fox just because i feel he is more consistent night in and out.  not to impugn leetch at all as his career spoke for himself.  obviously you can not go wrong either way.

 

thought it would be a fun discussion. fun thing about it is i think leetch would be just as effective in today's nhl.

 

thanks.

 

as an edit feel free to add analytics if you can find them.  not my bag thanks.

who's leetch and who's fox?

Posted

Leetch was definitely one of those guys where after I watched him for a few games I knew he was going to be great.  He wasn't quite there yet but he had whatever the quality is that makes you know right away a guy is a star.  It wasn't flash.  He wasn't flashy just very good on his skates and controlling the puck.

Posted
1 hour ago, Br4d said:

Leetch was definitely one of those guys where after I watched him for a few games I knew he was going to be great.  He wasn't quite there yet but he had whatever the quality is that makes you know right away a guy is a star.  It wasn't flash.  He wasn't flashy just very good on his skates and controlling the puck.

There was nothing on a sheet of ice he couldn’t do at an extremely high level.

His skill set was elite in every way.

He was almost perfect fundamentally.

And his instincts, vision, ability to read the play, and his mental acuity for the game were almost without equal in his era.

 

Top-10 ever.

 

No question.

 

Posted

For perspective….

 

Karlsson had his 101 point season last year. 
The first 100+ point season by a defenseman since Leetch last did it in 91-92.

 

Karlsson did it in a Sharks team that finished in 7th place, and struggled to reach 60 points in the standings.

 

Leetch had 102 in 91-92. On a Ranger team that won the Presidents Trophy. And should’ve won the Cup.

 

Also.

Karlsson was -26.

Leetch was +25. 

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Posted

It's amazing to me how long it had been between 100 pt seasons.

 

Then I looked back and it was basically Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Paul Coffey and Brian Leetch.  That's a pretty amazing group to be part of, although with Leetch it was just 1 season.  He broke the ankle midway the next season.

 

He did lead the NHL in post-season scoring the year the Rangers won the cup with 34 points in 23 games.

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