Dany Heatley or Marian Gaborik?

[SeanMoneyHands]

Who was better at their peak?

Heatley had two 50 goal campaigns but I think Gaborik was better in creating his own offense. Heatley played with better linemates in his career.

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[super6646]

Healtey

 

[amnesiac]

close but Heatley's 06-07 season including playoffs is the best season of the two

 

[Connor McConnor]

Gaborik created way more with less around him. Not that close for me even tho I love Heater

 

[SpezDispenser]

Heatley. Not really close

 

[Play]

Heatley. Not really close

 

[innitfam]

Heatley's peak was pretty clearly above Gaborik's.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Yeah. Now show Heatley's 100 goals in 2 seasons. Or his 22 points in 20 games in the playoffs in 06.

I hate the guy, but....there's plenty of highlights to choose from.

 

[miscs75]

There’s no argument between the 2:

 

[Video Nasty]

Don’t really understand the people saying it’s not even close. Heatley’s two best campaigns came in the first two seasons post lockout where a real effort was made by the league to juice scoring from its previous levels and he did it on some awesome Ottawa teams, surrounding by insane talent.

They scored 602 goals in two seasons and ranked 1 and 2. He scored 100 of them and factored in on 208 of them (34.6%).

As others have stated, Gaborik has less to work with. None of the teams he was on were offensive wizards during his best years, not even close.

I’m a fan of giving credit where it is due for what someone actually did and not projecting out for the other if it’s required, so I still think I lean toward Heatley, but it’s at least close.

 

[Three On Zero]

Gaborik for career, Heatley for peak

 

[Regal]

I think some people are forgetting what Gaborik was capable of. In the same years Heatley scored 50, Gaborik had 68 goals and 123 points in 113 games (49 G, 89 P pace), on a team that was 24th and 18th in GF, and with only one teammate cracking 65 points in either year. He also had a 48 goal, 91 point pace over almost 300 games from 05-06 to 09-10. I do think he was capable of producing similarly to Heatley and was better at creating his own chances at least when he was younger in Minnesota than Ottawa Heatley, though I think Heatley was better at using/working with his teammates. And while Heatley had a good playoffs in 2007, Gaborik’s ‘03 and ‘14 playoffs were at least as strong.

Heatley’s big advantage is health though, as he was fairly healthy for his peak years before struggling with injuries later, while Gaborik was pretty consistently a bandaid. I think that’s the big thing that puts Heatley ahead.

That said, I might take 22 year old Heatley pre-car accident over either Ottawa Heatley or any version of Gaborik.

 

[Play]

Yeah. Now show Heatley's 100 goals in 2 seasons. Or his 22 points in 20 games in the playoffs in 06.

I hate the guy, but....there's plenty of highlights to choose from.

No absolutely, I voted Heatley as well. But I just want to show people Gaboriks no bum either

 

[ijuka]

I think some people are forgetting what Gaborik was capable of. In the same years Heatley scored 50, Gaborik had 68 goals and 123 points in 113 games (49 G, 89 P pace), on a team that was 24th and 18th in GF, and with only one teammate cracking 65 points in either year. He also had a 48 goal, 91 point pace over almost 300 games from 05-06 to 09-10. I do think he was capable of producing similarly to Heatley and was better at creating his own chances at least when he was younger in Minnesota than Ottawa Heatley, though I think Heatley was better at using/working with his teammates. And while Heatley had a good playoffs in 2007, Gaborik’s ‘03 and ‘14 playoffs were at least as strong.

Heatley’s big advantage is health though, as he was fairly healthy for his peak years before struggling with injuries later, while Gaborik was pretty consistently a bandaid. I think that’s the big thing that puts Heatley ahead.

That said, I might take 22 year old Heatley pre-car accident over either Ottawa Heatley or any version of Gaborik.

Heatley's team really wasn't that great when he scored 89 points with Thrashers, though. So while Gaborik's might have been worse, it's not quite true that Heatley relied on amazing teammates to be able to produce. And since we like pace so much, that was a 95p pace.

 

[Video Nasty]

Heatley's team really wasn't that great when he scored 89 points with Thrashers, though. So while Gaborik's might have been worse, it's not quite true that Heatley relied on amazing teammates to be able to produce. And since we like pace so much, that was a 95p pace.

To Regal’s point, his performance that year was pre-accident. I think that version of Heatley morphs into something truly special otherwise.

 

[Regal]

Heatley's team really wasn't that great when he scored 89 points with Thrashers, though. So while Gaborik's might have been worse, it's not quite true that Heatley relied on amazing teammates to be able to produce. And since we like pace so much, that was a 95p pace.

I didn’t say Heatley relied on his teammates to produce though, I said Gaborik had less support and was better at creating on his own. I wasn’t suggesting that Heatley couldn’t produce on his own, but that the production difference wasn’t that large where linemates support couldn’t bridge the gap. I also specified I was comparing Ottawa Heatley to Minnesota Gaborik, and that I would likely take Atlanta Heatley over both

 

[Connor McConnor]

Gaborik played on a true trap team and was the only offensive player. Heater had prime Spezza and Alfie. Do people really think Gaborik would have done that much worse? He clearly had more skill. Atlanta Heater had Kovy on his line.. they placed 1st and 2nd in Calder that year

 

[SpezDispenser]

No absolutely, I voted Heatley as well. But I just want to show people Gaboriks no bum either

Oh, I didn't realize.

 

[BagHead]

Wow, I had this exact discussion with one of my friends over the phone about 15 years ago (how do I even remember this?). We landed on Danny Heatley, even as Wild fans.

We both believed Gaborik may be the more skilled player, but he was always getting injured.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Gaborik easily and I mean very

 

[the]

Heatley AINEC

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

Who was better at their peak?

Heatley had two 50 goal campaigns but I think Gaborik was better in creating his own offense. Heatley played with better linemates in his career.

Heatley was one of the best players in the game from 2003-2010. He didn’t make Team Canada by accident.

He burned hot, bright and short.

Gaborik… if he was your best player, you were in trouble.

 

[Stive Morgan]

Heatley had the better peak, but Gaborik had the better career (although Heatley had the more productive career)

I'd take a Stanley Cup over a Calder Trophy or 50G season any day.

 

[EdJovanovski]

The one who scored 50 in 07

 

[Satoru Gojo]

50 in 07, guy was an effing all star