Staal or Bergeron?

Tough call. I think Staal is damn good. This is like asking if you want Joe Thornton, Alex Ovechkin or Sid. (I'd take them in that order.)

Staal _may_ be better than Bergeron by a smaill margin, otoh I think Staal has been luckier in having complimentary line mates. Look at how well Beregeron did with Boyes.

Bergy,more nifty,nimble,quiker,great hands.Stahl great reach,opertunist.Bergy the more complete package by far.

Yeah, not be a homer but I think nhl1 nailed it. Bergy is the better two way player.

i'd take them both and play them on the same line, its apples and oranges, completely different styles of play. for a gm to choose between the two, it would depend on your team, system , cap situation, etc. although i am willing to bet most gm's would rather have staal...

It's WAY,WAY too early to be talking about giving Bergeron a big raise. First of all he needs to prove he can play hockey without getting knocked senseless. Comparing him to Staal? Come on....Staal has won a Stanley Cup. Bergeron hasn't won a playoff game for godsake. Bergeron had an ok rookie year for an 18 year old. He certainly wasn't Oveckin or Malkin. His second year he was terrible for 3 months. Then Thornton got traded and he got to play the whole game and put up points on a terrible team. That got him a big contract. The third year he had a good year on another horrible team. Having a good year on a good team and having a good year on a bad team are two different things entirely. Last year he got knocked senseless. In my opinion Bergeron has alot to prove this year before some of the people here put him in the Hall of Fame.

I dont think anyone mentioned a raise or the HOF. If you look at the B's system Bergy just fits better IMO, and I think that was the question posed in the post...

I'd take Staal at this stage in their carriers. Quicker shot and quicker legs. "Thorton,Ovechkin,Sid in that order", do you watch the games with your eyes open?

Bergeron for Staal? Rutherford wouldn't even return your call!

JW,

Yes I do watch games with not just my eyes open but with my brain turned on. Going into last season JT had the most points since the lockout. At the start of last season neither Sid nor Ovie were playing the PK. JT plays pk, even, and pp. When it comes to pure goal scoring Ovie beats Sid in goals per game, hits more, and is _healthy_ way more. So yes. Eyes open. Brain on.

And Bergeron has as much (or as little) to prove this season as anyone returning from an injury. While its true Alberts has played and Bergeron hasn't since their injuries I'm way, way more concerned about AA getting back to preinjury play level. I was at the last game of the season and watched Bergeron on the ice when sticks and shirts were being handed out. He was so amped, so imerssed in being back where he loves I'll be shocked if he doesn't beat all his previous numbers by 15% or more this year.

Thorton is not a winner. I know Sid and Ovechkin havent won a cup yet but they both seem to have more that burning desire and ability to step it up when it matters than Thorton ever has or will.

As far as Bergeron and Staal, I believe someone was just asking who would you rather at this stage in their career. I would never knock Bergeron and hope he has a monster season. It was just an answer to a question.

Staal vs Bergeron? Not even close. This argument is silly. There isn't one GM that would take Bergeron over Staal. Not one.

TFS said it best by stating "Rutherford wouldn't even return the call"

B & G bleeeder....Thornton isn't even close to Crosby or Ovechkin. I dont care if he plays the whole game. He a soft, heartless, perimeter player. West coast is a perfect place for him. He has never been the same since Lindros broke his face

Thornton can't win a series on his own. Everyone with enough working braincells to know what a puck is knows that if you ignore him or don't cover him well he can mess up ypur whole night. The Sharks peaked way to early last year and were burnt out by the end of the season. And calling JT "soft" compared to Sid is so hilarious if I used the right words to describe it the Globe wouldnbt let me post anymore.

Ovechkoin I like a lot, and yes he shows more love of the game than damn near anyone. Otoh, for his team to win he has to play 25+ minutes. There is not enough depth in Washington right now for it to be more than the Ovie show.

Sid is about as naturally hard as those guys in a V*agra commercial. Come on, he's got like 5 inches of reach, and 35 lbs on Ference and couldn't win that 'fight'? Hell he barely hits more often than Kessel.

Would I take Staal over Bergeron? It would depend on what I had for them to work with.

The Sharks peaked way to early??? A player of Thortons unbelievable ability like you think should be able to rise above those sort of things, put his team on his back and carry them. Kind of what AO did last year. I dont care about Crosby throwing hits, he works both ends of the ice and is a born leader( Cup Finals) at what 20 years old or whatever.

Crosby works both ends of the ice in the same magnificent way that Gretzky did, without putting up Gretzky numbers. AO was also, _not_ able to carry the team to the a cup win by himself. Ditto for Sid. Hockey takes a _team_ effort.

Sid is a good player, he's noticeably above average. The Greatest Player in hockey, the next Gretzky he is not. I crunched the numbers going into last season comparing him with other big name players. http://fans.nhl.com/groups/I_dont_HATE_him_but_do_I_HAVE_to_like_him/blogs/5332

From a POV of quality of player, there are at least three centers i'd take over him: Thornton, Malkin, Lecavalier, and if i crunched the number and looked at the players around them, i could probably pull out a few more.

And i didn't say JT was unbelievable, i simply said he was better than Sid, which he is. The numbers don't lie.

I think Crosby is way overrated. It's 90% hype. I don't dislike him but he's no Lemieux or Gretzky. Thornton? You could say he is in the same class as Crosby but I'd take Crosby. Thornton has been a disappointment way too often for my likes......Bergeron would be a couple steps below all of these guys.

That is what I am saying, Thorton does not have IT. I am not a "Crosby is the second coming type of person" and I didnt say AO carried his team to the Cup, but he did pick them up and throw them on his back when they were all but written off. Thorton is incapable of doing that and has proved it time and time again.
Stats are one thing the desire to win is something completely different. I would rather have a Doug Gilmour 70-80 points and the absolute drive to win and nothing else no matter the cost than a 120 point "awe shucks dude" Thorton.