Gotta give it to stevie Y. nothing against Burnaby Joe but the lightning have been and continue to be an elite team because of the talent he brought in. It’s going to be very interesting to see how Detroit will begin to turn things around too. Joe has done well but edge goes to the yzer-plan
DivisFolk
Both are doing great.
Joe had way more pure luck so far.
Steve had Stamkos and Hedman to start with inTampa.
Gonna take some time but I think the head to head finals will help answer this.
jfstompers
1 cup to none so far
parkhurstcards
Stevie right now.
nystrom19
Let’s have this discussion in 10 years.
Avs are a top 5 team and will likely be for another 3+ years. Maybe they make deep runs and win another cup or maybe they underperform.
Detroit could make strides and become a top 5 team one day and make deep runs, ultimately wining a cup. Or maybe they don’t.
SilverZetawing
Too early to call, but if I have to choose now, Steve Yzerman (with a caveat).
Stevie built a perennial powerhouse team in Tampa Bay, but didn’t stick around to reap all the rewards. He gets a LOT of credit for building the team, but hasn’t shown an ability to sustain success. Then he comes to Detroit and we’re seeing why Tampa is so successful. Steve Yzerman knows how to build a team.
Joe Sakic had some arguably rougher early years as GM, but look what he’s done the last few seasons. The true test is how long and how effectively he’s able to terrorize the rest of the league with this Avalanche team. That’s something we haven’t seen Yzerman do.
As a Wings fan, I want to say The Captain. He’s done an amazing job twice in different states, is renowned for fleecing trades and making questionable draft picks that turn out amazing (both of which I think have a bit of confirmation bias and are overstated, but…). In my eyes Yzerman is the best GM in the league. But right now Sakic can do something Steve hasn’t by creating and SUSTAINING a dynasty as the best team in the league. Then hopefully in a few years, Yzerman might get his chance to do so with the Wings!
These are the two best GM’s by far. I give Stevie the edge for now, but Sakic is in the perfect position to make me eat those words. Either way, I’m glad to be alive to see them both work, and I trust the Yzerplan!
Front-Strong69
Who are you kidding? It’s Chuck Fletcher
FlashyChapter
Too early to decide but just like they were as players, these guys are legends as GM’s.
sweetbreathsuzy
Ron Francis
bdouglas223
Yzerplan
Rhyging-007
Kyle Dubas
/s
ziggyjoe212
Yzerman built Tampa. And is doing a good job rebuilding Detroit. Sakic needs to win at least another cup to be on yzerman’s current level.
Joseffdabeast
John chayka💀💀
TinnieTa21
I feel like former-player GMs have an advantage in things like negotiating contracts with players. I’m not complaining or anything. If anything, it’s neat from a psychological and business standpoint. Just look at Danny Ainge in the NBA.
SirMartyMart
100% on par. You could say the same thing if you’d compare them as players. As a Avs fan I always liked Yzerman to be on the other side. You can only respect these kind of man.
FuckOffWillYaGeezs
Jim Rutherford
GROWLER_FULL
Easy, #19.
Deanmarrrrrr
Rob Blake
Beevas69
#19
Firm_Candidate_4655
The answer is Pierre in the summertime
JiffTheJester
Both legends. I’m biased though, I think Stevie Y is slightly bigger brained
minimumhatred
It’s Steve and not even close right now, maybe if the avs win another cup or two. But Steve built a perennial cup contender in Tampa Bay which has not only won two championships but made three straight finals, not to mention even if the avs do that there’s the possibility of the red Wings becoming serious contenders given they have a bright future.
Bear_Jew1987
As a die hard wings fan. I hope one day we meet in the cup finals
Micah_JD
Seeing has how Joe Sakic is no longer GM of Colorado, this will be easy to answer in about 10 years.
If Stevie wins a cup/has Detroit in serious contention for a Cup, he is. That means he did it twice.
Joe has the one team he built, won a cup, but isn’t adding anything to his resume as a GM anymore.
If Stevie doesn’t turn Detroit into a contender, then you can have the debate about who was better. Right now, Sakic has the edge because of the one Cup. Yes, Stevie built a team that won two, but he wasn’t there when it happened, so edge to Sakic.
Epic-McPhail
This is easy I mean he was a better player too
MedicSBK
Love them both but I’m going to say Yzerman will. I think that they are both where they are going to finish their respective careers. Sakic has built one hell of a product in Colorado but Yzerman, when it’s all said and done, will have built two great franchises.
OzzieNewYork
Shanahan should learn from these guys.
royaloaktwo
This is like wondering which one was a better hockey player. They were both greats.
lightning060704
Lightning fan here, but Yzerman didn’t win with the Bolts. He built the core, but it took the key moves by JBB. You give Yzerman 80% of the first Cup and 50% of the second. So he’s ahead of Sakic in that regard. And he’s doing a solid job in Detroit. I think Yzerman is still in the lead, but Sakic is doing a heck of a job too
Ticketdean
Not even a contest….
RazorRuke
Yzerman left Tampa Bay stacked for years, he’s yet to prove himself in Detroit but history is on his side. I predict the glory days of Hockeytown will return under Stevie’s guidance. Now that’s he’s finally cleaned up the mess he inherited from Holland, the tide will soon begin to turn.
32 Comments
Don’t care they both BC legends
Gotta give it to stevie Y. nothing against Burnaby Joe but the lightning have been and continue to be an elite team because of the talent he brought in. It’s going to be very interesting to see how Detroit will begin to turn things around too. Joe has done well but edge goes to the yzer-plan
Both are doing great.
Joe had way more pure luck so far.
Steve had Stamkos and Hedman to start with inTampa.
Gonna take some time but I think the head to head finals will help answer this.
1 cup to none so far
Stevie right now.
Let’s have this discussion in 10 years.
Avs are a top 5 team and will likely be for another 3+ years. Maybe they make deep runs and win another cup or maybe they underperform.
Detroit could make strides and become a top 5 team one day and make deep runs, ultimately wining a cup. Or maybe they don’t.
Too early to call, but if I have to choose now, Steve Yzerman (with a caveat).
Stevie built a perennial powerhouse team in Tampa Bay, but didn’t stick around to reap all the rewards. He gets a LOT of credit for building the team, but hasn’t shown an ability to sustain success. Then he comes to Detroit and we’re seeing why Tampa is so successful. Steve Yzerman knows how to build a team.
Joe Sakic had some arguably rougher early years as GM, but look what he’s done the last few seasons. The true test is how long and how effectively he’s able to terrorize the rest of the league with this Avalanche team. That’s something we haven’t seen Yzerman do.
As a Wings fan, I want to say The Captain. He’s done an amazing job twice in different states, is renowned for fleecing trades and making questionable draft picks that turn out amazing (both of which I think have a bit of confirmation bias and are overstated, but…). In my eyes Yzerman is the best GM in the league. But right now Sakic can do something Steve hasn’t by creating and SUSTAINING a dynasty as the best team in the league. Then hopefully in a few years, Yzerman might get his chance to do so with the Wings!
These are the two best GM’s by far. I give Stevie the edge for now, but Sakic is in the perfect position to make me eat those words. Either way, I’m glad to be alive to see them both work, and I trust the Yzerplan!
Who are you kidding? It’s Chuck Fletcher
Too early to decide but just like they were as players, these guys are legends as GM’s.
Ron Francis
Yzerplan
Kyle Dubas
/s
Yzerman built Tampa. And is doing a good job rebuilding Detroit. Sakic needs to win at least another cup to be on yzerman’s current level.
John chayka💀💀
I feel like former-player GMs have an advantage in things like negotiating contracts with players. I’m not complaining or anything. If anything, it’s neat from a psychological and business standpoint. Just look at Danny Ainge in the NBA.
100% on par. You could say the same thing if you’d compare them as players. As a Avs fan I always liked Yzerman to be on the other side. You can only respect these kind of man.
Jim Rutherford
Easy, #19.
Rob Blake
#19
The answer is Pierre in the summertime
Both legends. I’m biased though, I think Stevie Y is slightly bigger brained
It’s Steve and not even close right now, maybe if the avs win another cup or two. But Steve built a perennial cup contender in Tampa Bay which has not only won two championships but made three straight finals, not to mention even if the avs do that there’s the possibility of the red Wings becoming serious contenders given they have a bright future.
As a die hard wings fan. I hope one day we meet in the cup finals
Seeing has how Joe Sakic is no longer GM of Colorado, this will be easy to answer in about 10 years.
If Stevie wins a cup/has Detroit in serious contention for a Cup, he is. That means he did it twice.
Joe has the one team he built, won a cup, but isn’t adding anything to his resume as a GM anymore.
If Stevie doesn’t turn Detroit into a contender, then you can have the debate about who was better. Right now, Sakic has the edge because of the one Cup. Yes, Stevie built a team that won two, but he wasn’t there when it happened, so edge to Sakic.
This is easy I mean he was a better player too
Love them both but I’m going to say Yzerman will. I think that they are both where they are going to finish their respective careers. Sakic has built one hell of a product in Colorado but Yzerman, when it’s all said and done, will have built two great franchises.
Shanahan should learn from these guys.
This is like wondering which one was a better hockey player. They were both greats.
Lightning fan here, but Yzerman didn’t win with the Bolts. He built the core, but it took the key moves by JBB. You give Yzerman 80% of the first Cup and 50% of the second. So he’s ahead of Sakic in that regard. And he’s doing a solid job in Detroit. I think Yzerman is still in the lead, but Sakic is doing a heck of a job too
Not even a contest….
Yzerman left Tampa Bay stacked for years, he’s yet to prove himself in Detroit but history is on his side. I predict the glory days of Hockeytown will return under Stevie’s guidance. Now that’s he’s finally cleaned up the mess he inherited from Holland, the tide will soon begin to turn.