Who is the most influential person in NHL history?
Thеrе аrе innovators аnd imitators іn life. Thе innovators аrе thе people whο forever altered hοw something іѕ performed οr viewed bу future generations. Thе imitators аrе thе benifactors οf thе hard work bу innovators. Thе innovators аrе οftеn copied, bυt never outdone (еіthеr bу thе effort οf thе imitators οr thеіr рlасе іn history). Whο аrе thеѕе people whο hаνе influenced future players, coaches, builders, broadcasters, etc. іn NHL history?
Gotta be #99
Gordie Howe or Bobby Orr
Depends from which point of view but for the forwards side it would be Wayne Gretzky or Gordy Howe but from the goalie side Patrick Roy or Martin Brodeur..
Alot of people influence other people every day just some of those are the most well loved
It has to be Foster Hewitt for me. The guy started the play-by-play in hockey, probably play-by-play in all of sports. Another few who deserves honourable mention are Roger Neilson (first guy to bring in video replays to study in the NHL…don’t know why that took so long, but, hey…); and the Patrick brothers who got rid of most of the rugby rules that Creighton made and made new ones like the blue line and offsides. I got another one, but I’m a small distracted by Saturday nighttime hockey. lol
I reckon it has to be Lord Stanley of Preston . Without him we do not have the cup and that’s what this game is all about.
<<<<<< Oh yeah! Leafs win 3 – 0! Read the avatar Sens fans.
Art Ross
– he urged the forward pass in hockey to promote scoring
– he developed the nets we currently use
– he coined the Bruins moniker for Boston
– promoted the use of today’s hockey puck (synthetic runbber as opposed to natural)
– he donated the Art Ross trophy
– he recommended both Red Dutton and Clarence Campbell as NHL Presidents
When the current Hall of Fame opened at BCE place in Toronto, there was an exhibit for Art Ross and the Patrick brothers as the most innovative and influential people in NHL history. It was there for 2-3 years.
Art Ross died in 1964, and is one of the few people in hockey I had wished I had met.
Despise to join the masses but i gotta go with The Fantastic One
That’s an absolutely fascinating question, and one that never struck me previous to.
How did the game get to where it is today? I don’t see an Alexander Cartright-type around; he essentially pushed baseball in a certain direction with a bunch of suggestions. Well, Art Ross and Lester Patrick certainly served a variety of roles and influenced the way the game is played.
Maurice Richard attracted attention, but he played in a six-team league. I can’t say the stars of the last 30 years had that much of a role in that large sense, which lets Gretzky, among others out. None of the commissioners were particularly brilliant and foresighted.
That may leave us with Foster Hewitt, who brought the game to millions and helped it grow. He may have been the first to bring the possibilities of broadcasting to pro sports; that really was the first national announce in North America.
Sounds like a fantastic thought for a book.
I would say Wayne Gretzky … and he still is not finished yet.
Mark Messier.