There is such a broad idea of what a power forward is. When I think power forward I think Espisito, Neely, Bertuzzi etc. But I hear people call Heatley a power forward, and even Lecavalier.
I think a power forward is not someone who is physically dominating as much as someone who is a skilled player for whom hitting and bodychecking is a big part of their game, like Bertuzzi and Neely. Also, they are usually guys who will drop the gloves every so often. I think sometimes people confuse "powerful forwards" like Lecavalier, Heatley, Hossa, Jagr, Kovalev for "power forwards". These players use their strength and size to play the puck, but not as much to bodycheck.
A power forward can carry the puck to the net through the heaviest traffic, stand near the crease and take the worst punishment to get a goal and have enough size and strength to outmuscle guys in the corners. It's usually a winger, though not always.
Guerin and Nolan were considered power forwards.
Esposito has to be the king of all power forwards.
Quote:
"I grew up copying all of those moves by Cam Neely," Tkachuk, the Boston native, says of watching his boyhood idol. "The job looks tough, but it might be the easiest in the game. You bang along the boards, hit in the corners and then set up in front of the net, waiting ... waiting for a scoring opportunity."
I would say a player who consistantly uses size and strength to their advantage, make hitting a large and esssential part of their game, and who are effective at crashing the net.
Iginla, Bertuzzi, Nolan (well, less so in recent years) come to mind immediately as players who would fit the bill in my mind.
Edit: Tkachuk, Guerin, Hartnell, Morrow all come to mind as well.
One definition is a skilled player who can win physical battles. I generally won't label someone a power forward who doesn't also initiate contact, but that's just me.
Though his best days may be behind him, Brendan Shanahan was THE prototypical power forwards for a lot of years. Big, strong, great shot, not easliy intimidated, willing to drop the gloves...pretty much everything that's been said on this thread.
Powerforward is someone who can intimidate opponents with physical presence, for example Eric Lindros in his prime, no d-man was looking forward to get a puck from the corner when Eric was barreling in to the same direction at full speed.
So in order to be a powerforward you need to win games with both skill & physical game, you need to be able to intimidate opponents physically, you need to be able to fight, you need to have a mean streak.
Just using size & strength isn't enough and that's why guys like Hossa and Forsberg are not powerforwards.
Vincent Lecavalier is NOT a powerforward. He will not physically dominate a game the way a Bertuzzi will.
A few guys that come to mind are (i am missing a lot of players but a few are..)
Todd Bertuzzi
Keith Tkachuk
Shane Doan (if he can score more goals, but he is still a phsyical player, kind of confuses me sometimes though)
Jarome Iginla
Alexander Ovechkin (he shows signs of a powerforward some games, i'd say he is a hybrid powerforward)
Powerforward is someone who can intimidate opponents with physical presence, for example Eric Lindros in his prime, no d-man was looking forward to get a puck from the corner when Eric was barreling in to the same direction at full speed.
So in order to be a powerforward you need to win games with both skill & physical game, you need to be able to intimidate opponents physically, you need to be able to fight, you need to have a mean streak.
Just using size & strength isn't enough and that's why guys like Hossa and Forsberg are not powerforwards.
by reading this your saying espo was not a power forward?
[intimidate opponents physically,][Just using size & strength isn't enough ]
[Powerforward is someone who can intimidate opponents with physical presence]
I would add Nash and Forsberg in addition to all the names mentioned already. They aren't prototypical in the sense that you wont see them dropping the gloves, but because they both deliver bone crushing checks and can bull their way through defenders, they get my vote.
i think Conan the Barbarian said it best . . . i must paraphrase slightly
"(a power forward is someone who will]) 'crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women'"
What is even better about that quote is that it was actually Genghis Khan who said it first:
Quote:
"Nay," responded the Kahn, "to crush your enemies, to see them fall at your feet -- to take their horses and goods and hear the lamentation of their women. That is best."
There is such a broad idea of what a power forward is. When I think power forward I think Espisito, Neely, Bertuzzi etc. But I hear people call Heatley a power forward, and even Lecavalier.
What do you think makes a "power forward"?
The ability to play physichal offense, the ability to take physichal punishment and more pure hockey skill that your regular grinder.
Apart from pure power forwards, like Bertuzzi and Neely there are some semi-power forwards IMO. Forsberg and Holmström fit there. They simply don't go the extra step to be mean enough to be power forwards.
