[Fishhead]

???

Who was better in their prime?

Who would you want on your team?

[will2survive]

Bourque- easy answer

[Deuce]

Paul

[KingKolzig]

Paul Coffey

[Flight]

Bourque

[Fishhead]

Bourque

[gryfyn1]

the answer is clearly ray borque -- Coffey was a a great player and all, and an amazing offensive minded blue liner, but people forget that he played along side the two most talented offenive players in the history of the NHL and a good deal of time as the D-man behind two of the best foward lines of all-time.

[Johnnythunder]

Bourque more well rounded but Coffey was the better Offensive player

[Nicky Santoro]

it's like asking a parent who they like more your daughter or your son. Both were phenomenal superstars. Ray was great, but played for the defensive bruins, whereas Paul played in the wide open western conference and played with Wayne Gretzky.

Both were great in their own diff way..

Offensively-- Paul Coffey
Defensively- Ray Bourque

overall if i had to choose 1 for my team. i'd go with ray bourque, only because he's more of a complete defenceman.. he did everything.. score, play on the PP, play good D.. and he never played along side wayne gretzky.. he was always the best player on his team.

[BRAVES1985]

coffey

[The Madcap]

Wow. This is like asking me to pick my favorite son.

Bourque ranks 11th in the NHL all time in points scored.
Coffey is 12th.

Bourque ranks first among NHL defencemen in goals, assists, and points.
Coffey ranks second in those categories.

Coffey once scored 48 goals in a season. The record for a defenceman.
Bourque's high total is 31.

Coffey once put up 90 assists in one season. Second only to Orr for a defenceman.
Bourque's high total is 72.

Bourque finished with a career plus/minus of 528. 3rd all time behind Orr/Larry Robinson
Coffey finished with a plus/minus of 294. 30th all-time.

Coffey won more cups, 4-1.
Bourque won more Norris Trophies, 5-3.

Coffey went to the finals 7 times with four different franchises: Edm, Pit, Det, Phi.
Bourque went to the finals 3 times, twice with Boston, once with Colorado.

I think it's safe to say Coffey played with better talent. One could argue he played alongside the six best centermen to ever lace them up in the NHL: Gretzky, Messier, Lemieux, Trottier, Francis, Yzerman. (Those were certainly the best six best I ever saw, Espo/Dionne were before my time.)

You could even make the case that for the first 17 years of his career, Paul Coffey played on the team with the league's most dominant centerman: Gretzky (EDM), Lemieux (PIT), Gretzky again (LA), Yzerman (DET), Fedorov (DET).

At one point in his career, Coffey played on the team with the Hart Memorial Trophy winner 8 years in a row. (Gretzky 81-87, Lemieux '88). Throw in the year Fedorov won it, and that's 9 seasons all-told playing with the league MVP.

That's pretty damned sick.

So the question you have to ask yourself is this: did Coffey make the men he played with, or was he made by them?

Because arguments aside, here's how it breaks down: on the NHL's all-time scoring list, Paul Coffey played with the men ranked 1st (Gretzky), 2nd (Messier), 4th (Francis), 6th (Yzerman), and 7th (Lemieux).

Did they bring him for the ride? Or was Coffey the engine that helped take them there?

You can even extend it further, he also played with these guys:

13th (Recchi)
15th (Trottier)
19th (Kurri)
20th (Robitaille)

Add that up, and 9 of the top 20 scorers in NHL history played substantial parts of their careers with Coffey.

Of course they also played with Gretzky and Lemieux and Francis and Messier.

I can't decide. I couldn't pick between the two. All I know is that it was a joy to watch both of them play. And when my hometown Carolina Hurricanes traded for Paul Coffey I about busted a nut even though he was way past his prime. And when the Bruins let Bourque go without him first finding a way to win a Cup in Boston it was one of the more disappointing moments I've ever felt for an opposing player. I was glad to see him win it in Colorado. Even if he was a rental.

I just wish we had two defenscemen in the league half as good as they were. Apologies to Lidstrom, but he's past his prime.

[BigSpoon]

Ray Bourque easily. Always played against the other team's top line.

Taking Coffey over Bourque is like taking Mike Green over a Drew Doughty or Duncan Keith in the present NHL.

[Cicima6709]

Coffey for sure.

Taking Coffey over Bourque isnt taking Mike Green over Keith. Keith is far better defensively, and his offense isnt much behind Green. All Green has is skating and a nice shot. IMO Coffey is far better offensively, and yes, hes worse defensively, but not enough to make me take Bourque.

Both are incredible players, but IMO a player like Coffey just makes more impact in a game. Dude can take over and win games, and i dont think Bourque can make as much of an impact. This is if the players are in their primes. I just think Coffey's best is better than Bourque's best.

[the_situation]

Bourque...just cuz he came to Colorado and helped my Avs win another cup

[forsberg21]

Hard to argue against Coffey's Stanley Cups.

[gofer5]

I would have to say Ray Bourque. JMO

[cobra_king]

Ray Bourque was the most overrated 'good' player of the last 30 years.

[The Madcap]

Damn Cobra. You got a grudge against Bourque?

I figure Jagr, Sundin, Bure, or Kariya are all way more overrated than Bourque.

[nyplayer33]

paul coffey was offensively gifted

[VegasInsider]

Bourque (tipping point is being a Bruins fan)

No question that Coffey was one of the best all around players in NHL history, but he just played so such superior talent. I don't think Coffey could have won all those cups without them.

Can you imagine Bourque manning the blue line with Mario/Gretzky/Messier/Kuri/Francis?? That would be epic.

Not trying to toss Neeley under the bus, but he's just not ML/WG/MM/JK/RF.

[Fishhead]

Hard to argue against Coffey's Stanley Cups.

No it isn't

[k13]

Bourque is overrated. Especially his D. Watch him get undressed by Mario then again by Brad May in OT, pathetic.

No wonder he never won the cup. Avs one don't count.

[k13]

Funny thing about Bourque, he could have played another 20 years with the Bruins and still would not have won the Cup.

[forsberg21]

Originally Posted by forsberg21
Hard to argue against Coffey's Stanley Cups.

No it isn't

4 > 1

And in all fairness to Bourque, he won his only Stanley Cup as a "rental player" with the Avalanche, a team he only played 2 seasons with.

[Regul8er]

Oh WOW, now this is a tough one. If I had to choose one, I'd take Coffey.

[AMBlai01]

Bourque and not even close....Coffey was great at what he does but not sure having such an offensive minded defenceman doesn't put your team at much more of a disadvantage especially with quick position changes than he brings on the offensive end.

[cankid]

Bourque, better all round player

[xraygord]

Bourque is my favorite player of all time.

[Joszan7]

Definitely Bourque

[Snowball]

Bobby Orr over both

Bourque over Coffey

I also think Larry Robinson was great

[OTL]

Bourque. Coffee was great too, but Bourque was a more complete package.