| | The Matchup: Jaromir Jagr vs. Paul Kariya
The Question: Who is the better all-around player, and who would you want if you were an NHL general manager?
Jaromir Jagr
|
|
Paul Kariya
|
Two different versions of greatness
Comparing Jaromir Jagr and Paul Kariya is like comparing Terrell Davis and Barry Sanders in the NFL. Last year, Davis may have been the best running back, but Sanders was probably the best runner. The same comparison could apply to Jagr (as Davis) and Kariya (as Sanders).
Jagr is built like Davis and has a huge advantage over Kariya in terms of size. It's unbelievable Jagr has such skills, speed and agility at 230 pounds. He is the game's most dominant one-on-one player. No player has the same combination of skill, speed and size than Jagr.
Kariya is faster than Jagr, who still has great speed. Eric Lindros has similar size to Jagr, but doesn't have the same speed and agility.
Jagr is in a class by himself, the best overall player in the game today. And at age 27, as scary as it sounds, he is just coming into his prime.
Despite tremendous pressure, Jagr continues to constantly produce points on a Pittsburgh team that doesn't have a great cast of characters. He commands and attracts so much attention from the opposition that he will bring two or three players into his area. If his linemates have any sense about getting to the net, Jagr will pass them the puck. Playing with Mario Lemieux and Ron Francis had a huge impact on Jagr, especially Lemieux because of his similar abilities. Jagr was the beneficiary of the attention Lemieux commanded.
Jagr seems to go with an instinctive style of play, while Kariya's approach is more studious and analytical. By comparison to the more free-spirited Jagr, Kariya is a very serious-looking, focused player no matter what time of day you see him. Like Sanders was in the NFL, Kariya is the best runner in the hockey. He has unbelievable speed. In open ice, he reads the spaces and just scoots. In two steps, he is gone. Nobody stays with Kariya -- from zero to 30 mph. And that's all with the puck. He doesn't lose speed with the puck on his stick. His individual skills are so finely honed by repetition and by practice. He is so focused that he seems to have broken down all aspects of the game so well and has figured out what his best assets are and how to use them.
Former Anaheim coach Ron Wilson did Kariya a big favor after his first year. He told Kariya to shoot more. He loved to be a playmaker and patterned himself after Wayne Gretzky, but he wasn't shooting the puck. Now Kariya shoots, shoots and shoots. He has one of the best wrist shots in the game. His efficiency is almost mind-boggling in nearly every aspect of the game. He is highly resilient and incredibly strong for his 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame.
If two GMs were fighting over each player, both would end up with smiles on their faces. Neither would come out a loser. But most GMs would go with Jagr because of his size and what he has accomplished. In today's game, the big man is the ultimate winner. He does things Kariya will never be able to do because of his size. It's not fair, but Kariya doesn't have any choice. He can't make himself taller or 230 pounds. The 50-pound difference is tough to overcome.
Brian Engblom is a color commentator and analyst for ESPN's NHL coverage. He played 11 seasons in the NHL. | |
 |
