French Connection #2 Line of All-Time- NHL Network

[gilbert11]

Just watched a Countdown on the NHL Network of the top lines of all time and the French Connection was #2 behind Geordie Howe, Ted Lindsey, Abel.

Now, even though I was happy to see the French Connection line rated so high, how do they have Gretzky-Kurri -Tekanen as #7?  Gretzky is the greatest of all time.  Gretzky-Kurri and a three-toed sloth should be ranked #1.

[inkman]

10 minutes ago, gilbert11 said:

Just watched a Countdown on the NHL Network of the top lines of all time and the French Connection was #2 behind Geordie Howe, Ted Lindsey, Abel.

Now, even though I was happy to see the French Connection line rated so high, how do they have Gretzky-Kurri -Tekanen as #7?  Gretzky is the greatest of all time.  Gretzky-Kurri and a three-toed sloth should be ranked #1.

I loved the great one, Jari and this guy:

[SDS]

18 minutes ago, gilbert11 said:

Just watched a Countdown on the NHL Network of the top lines of all time and the French Connection was #2 behind Geordie Howe, Ted Lindsey, Abel.

Now, even though I was happy to see the French Connection line rated so high, how do they have Gretzky-Kurri -Tekanen as #7?  Gretzky is the greatest of all time.  Gretzky-Kurri and a three-toed sloth should be ranked #1.

What was Bossy, Trottier, and Gilles?

[thewookie1]

I’m guessing their reasoning was that Gretzky was so vitally important to his line that you can’t exactly value the line in the same way. It’s really just a matter of how you define the best line. Is it the best individuals put into trio to ever play together or the most potent combination of players that through there line were made even better than they would of been individually. 

 

[gilbert11]

30 minutes ago, SDS said:

What was Bossy, Trottier, and Gilles?

#3.

[LabattBlue]

45 minutes ago, SDS said:

What was Bossy, Trottier, and Gilles?

This was my #1 guess.  Great line + team success…anything but #1 is wrong IMO. 

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, gilbert11 said:

Just watched a Countdown on the NHL Network of the top lines of all time and the French Connection was #2 behind Geordie Howe, Ted Lindsey, Abel.

Now, even though I was happy to see the French Connection line rated so high, how do they have Gretzky-Kurri -Tekanen as #7?  Gretzky is the greatest of all time.  Gretzky-Kurri and a three-toed sloth should be ranked #1.

Maybe because that line wasn't together all that long?  Anderson was the 3rd guy on that line earlier in their heyday.

[PerreaultForever]

I guess they argue that Gretzky carried the other two, or elevated them above where they'd have been. Kind of silly imo. 

Trottier line should be higher. 

[Marvin]

Much as I loved The French Connection, I have a hard time putting them so high.  Just post-expansion, I have the GAG line, LaFleur-LeMaire-Shutt, Gillies-Trottier-Bossy, Hodge-Esposito-Bucyk, anything in Edmonton with Gretzky and Kurri, The Triple Crown Line, Barber-Clarke-Leach, Pappin-Mikita-R. Hull, Stevens-LeMieux-Jagr, and so on, whom I can make an argument were as good or better.  And that omitted obvious candidates like The Production Line, The <German> Line (Boston), The Kid Line, etc.  And I still haven't hit on lines with the Rocket, the Pocket Rocket, Phantom Joe Malone, Teeder Kennedy, Syd Howe, the Cook brothers, or any of the great pre-depression Ottawa Senators teams.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Marvin, Sabres Fan
That line of Germans gets censored.

[calti]

The French Connection was #2 because of spectacularity.  Perreault was one of the great talents ever in the NHL. He didnt have the drive that other guys had.Cuz maybe he had a life?  But the guy had Gale Sayers,OJ Simpson moves and talent.

[Eleven]

13 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

This was my #1 guess.  Great line + team success…anything but #1 is wrong IMO. 

The league is never not going to cash in on the nostalgia of the Production Line.

[Marvin]

11 hours ago, calti said:

The French Connection was #2 because of spectacularity.  Perreault was one of the great talents ever in the NHL. He didnt have the drive that other guys had.Cuz maybe he had a life?  But the guy had Gale Sayers,OJ Simpson moves and talent.

This accusation was first laid on Perreault and Dionne by Ken Dryden because they did not stay in Moscow for the Summit Series after being benched for game 6.  Looking back, I wish they had stayed.  But at the time, I wanted him in the Sabres' training camp.

Personally, I think it's bunk.  The Sabres suffered a lot because of how officiating deteriorated in the 1970's.  They also were not as deep as the other top teams.  (Like it or not, Dave Schultz was better at NHL-level basics than Morris Titanic.)  Lastly, the Sabres had decidedly inferior goaltending compared to the rest of the "Big 5" (Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, New York Islanders).  But people look back and blame Perreault et al.

Perreault had a lot of faults (e.g., I wish he hadn't been so defencively clueless when he came into the league, whence he might have become a more complete player), but he did everything he could to help the Sabres win.

[mphs mike]

I'm sure this was limited to NHL lines, but the KML line from the Red Army deserves mention of all time greats 

[PerreaultForever]

11 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

This accusation was first laid on Perreault and Dionne by Ken Dryden because they did not stay in Moscow for the Summit Series after being benched for game 6.  Looking back, I wish they had stayed.  But at the time, I wanted him in the Sabres' training camp.

Personally, I think it's bunk.  The Sabres suffered a lot because of how officiating deteriorated in the 1970's.  They also were not as deep as the other top teams.  (Like it or not, Dave Schultz was better at NHL-level basics than Morris Titanic.)  Lastly, the Sabres had decidedly inferior goaltending compared to the rest of the "Big 5" (Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, New York Islanders).  But people look back and blame Perreault et al.

Perreault had a lot of faults (e.g., I wish he hadn't been so defencively clueless when he came into the league, whence he might have become a more complete player), but he did everything he could to help the Sabres win.

As much as I love the guy and that team he could take shifts or nights off and did quit on plays from time to time if things got tough. If he'd had the drive and tenacity of say Rick Dudley, or even the work ethic of Craig Ramsey, well, I think we'd have won a couple cups. I certainly don't "blame" him, we'd have never got there without him, but it could have been so much more.

5 hours ago, mphs mike said:

I'm sure this was limited to NHL lines, but the KML line from the Red Army deserves mention of all time greats 

That's a very good point. That whole top 5 man unit, plus the goalie were an amazing top combination of skill and discipline. Imagine what those guys would do in the silly 3 on 3 OT we have now.

Thinking about it, my vote still goes to Trottier Gilles Bossy. The perfect combination, able to play both ends of the ice, and the perfect blend in that era. Flawless. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

It's the name.

[Thorner]

On 2/7/2022 at 5:23 PM, thewookie1 said:

I’m guessing their reasoning was that Gretzky was so vitally important to his line that you can’t exactly value the line in the same way. It’s really just a matter of how you define the best line. Is it the best individuals put into trio to ever play together or the most potent combination of players that through there line were made even better than they would of been individually. 

 

Pretty much. 

Gretzky is “one half” of the highest scoring brother duo in NHL history 

Same principle 

[calti]

On 2/8/2022 at 7:45 AM, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

This accusation was first laid on Perreault and Dionne by Ken Dryden because they did not stay in Moscow for the Summit Series after being benched for game 6.  Looking back, I wish they had stayed.  But at the time, I wanted him in the Sabres' training camp.

Personally, I think it's bunk.  The Sabres suffered a lot because of how officiating deteriorated in the 1970's.  They also were not as deep as the other top teams.  (Like it or not, Dave Schultz was better at NHL-level basics than Morris Titanic.)  Lastly, the Sabres had decidedly inferior goaltending compared to the rest of the "Big 5" (Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, New York Islanders).  But people look back and blame Perreault et al.

Perreault had a lot of faults (e.g., I wish he hadn't been so defencively clueless when he came into the league, whence he might have become a more complete player), but he did everything he could to help the Sabres win.

Im not saying anything about Perrault that you are inferring.Not sure how you got that from my post. perrault just didnt have the hyper drive that Gretzky and Howe and  Lemieux had. Thats not bunk that is just fact. Doesnt mean he wasnt spectacular  and that he didnt work very hard.   A small group of athletes had a blinding all consuming freakish work ethic that trumped everything in their life...Michael Jordan..Koby Bryant..There are just a handful of players like that ever.  Perrault wasnt one of them.

[calti]

On 2/8/2022 at 7:36 PM, PerreaultForever said:

As much as I love the guy and that team he could take shifts or nights off and did quit on plays from time to time if things got tough. If he'd had the drive and tenacity of say Rick Dudley, or even the work ethic of Craig Ramsey, well, I think we'd have won a couple cups. I certainly don't "blame" him, we'd have never got there without him, but it could have been so much more.

That's a very good point. That whole top 5 man unit, plus the goalie were an amazing top combination of skill and discipline. Imagine what those guys would do in the silly 3 on 3 OT we have now.

Thinking about it, my vote still goes to Trottier Gilles Bossy. The perfect combination, able to play both ends of the ice, and the perfect blend in that era. Flawless. 

Bossy bad back cut that short. But yeah they had to be mentioned. Just about a perfect line.

[Marvin]

28 minutes ago, calti said:

Im not saying anything about Perrault that you are inferring.Not sure how you got that from my post. perrault just didnt have the hyper drive that Gretzky and Howe and  Lemieux had. Thats not bunk that is just fact. Doesnt mean he wasnt spectacular  and that he didnt work very hard.   A small group of athletes had a blinding all consuming freakish work ethic that trumped everything in their life...Michael Jordan..Koby Bryant..There are just a handful of players like that ever.  Perrault wasnt one of them.

OK.  I thought you were pointing people towards the accusation that he did not work hard or care to win because he left the Summit Series.

[calti]

16 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

OK.  I thought you were pointing people towards the accusation that he did not work hard or care to win because he left the Summit Series.

Such a shame about the sabres...such a fun, competitive hockey team for most of 40 straight yrs...Turned into a nightmare.A boring nightmare.

[Marvin]

7 minutes ago, calti said:

Such a shame about the sabres...such a fun, competitive hockey team for most of 40 straight yrs...Turned into a nightmare.A boring nightmare.

You and me both.