McSorley: a bridge between many eras
 

When Marty Mac broke in with the Pens he was going to war with: Wilson, Gillies, Bridgeman, Plett, Nilan, Holmgren, and the if that wasn’t enough he took on the next crew to include: Brown, Probert, Kyte, Clark, Kocur, McCarthy, Tinordis, Berubes, etc..further on up the road the Brashears, Grimsons, Baumgartners, Domis, Crowders, Kimbles, Beyers, Pelusos, Ewens, McKenzies. ..still further the Oliwas, Laus, Langdons, McCallisters, Mhyres, Simpsons, McCartys ….then the Scott Thorntons, Erskines,

I guess you can say he fought em all and that he truly was a man for all seasons. He looked good against many of each era. If you wanted to develop a benchmark of how someone would do in any era I think Marty Mac answers that age old question

Imo Marty Mcsorley is one of the best. Like you said has pretty much fought everyone. Great stamina, heart and chin. He wore next to nothing in gear. And was as big as someone with the new pads they wear today. Dont think he ever turned down a fight. Its too bad marty isnt a measuring stick for new nhler's to live up to what he used to bring to the game.

A true warrior who blessed us with many a ten-beller over the years, and someone who I hold in the highest regard. He, as you say, seemed to drop into the league just at the perfect time to fight many a man from many an era.

Yeah, we3've had some good debates on marty here over the years. I couldn't stand him growing up with his style and association with gretzky but i couldn't respect him more currently. I'm in the minority but he's a lock or a fixture in my all time top 10.

Basically the defenition of a self made player, warrior and enforcer. To tell the truth, i think of him when the word enforcer pops up.

Same. I hated marty for many years. Nowadays is one of my top favorites. Also with marty is he could log big minutes, and would fight anyone in the league. Need more people like marty in todays game.

He wasn't a half bad defenseman either, scored 108 goals with 359 career points.

Not only that but he could play as a forward as well.

I see no problem with McSorely fitting in on any team from the Original Six era to todays game.

His skating and scoring ability were very underrated, as was his overall play as a defenseman. I can't remember when, but, I think he lead the league in plus/minus one year.


His fighting ability was among the best of all time, with the card to prove it. BW mentioned the debate here about him as a Top 10.

As mentioned, his stamina as a fighter among the best, as evidenced by his go rounds with Probert, for just one example.

If you take one game out of his career................he would be thought about differently.

Would have loved him on my team.

Not much more to add other then i loved how he didnt take **** from Messier.

And yes Mag's, he did lead the league in +/- one year.

One of my all time favorites for sure and I totally agree with FurnaceFace in that it’s too bad marty isnt a measuring stick for new nhler's to live up to. He would be a man amongst bitches in today’s NHL.


I think he could have played a couple of more years if Brashear didn't embellish the stick incident like he did. I’m sorry but to this day I still believe he didn’t hit him as hard as Brashear made it look.

McSorley had one of the best chins ever in hockey. He took some really hard punches during his career and kept coming back. He also had great stamina, he just kept going.

My only knock on him is that I don't think he hit hard enough. For the amount of punches he would throw in a fight it never seemed like he did a lot of damage. I am not saying he was a soft thrower just not an exceptionally hard thrower. More times than not against good fighters McSorley seemed to be on the receiving end of the hardest punches thrown, but he was near impossible to finish off.

One of the original, most skilled War Machines that ever played the game. Easily in my top 5 NHLers. His fight against Red Simpson is one of my all time favs. Marty's heart, chin, stamina is that of legend. He'd probably fight for 5 minutes if you'd let him.

His fight tape is, and will always be, one of my go to entertainment choices

Reid Simpson vs Marty McSorley Jan 29, 1998 -...

That is correct, it was with the Kings, maybe the year they went to the finals, but I'm not positive about that part. He made himself into a really good hockey player, you have to respect that. I have to admit I was never a fan, thought he really picked his spot for the Lindros fight and it ended very badly for him with Brashear and all. Still on the whole, you have to respect what he got out of what he had.

Forget the fighting, that is what I take from him. He was a baby with Pittsburgh and went down to the minors and Sather always was looking for muscle in those days to combat Calgary and McSorley playing against all those great players in practice made himself into a good hockey player!
I remember he had a toe to toe with Tommy Laidlaw who was really strong but pretty mellow and rarely fought and I thought who the hell is this kid McSorley? I think he wore number 4 then but could be wrong it's been around 30 years ago!
I think he also had a toe to toe with Holmgren as a Penguin and then he was back in the minors! He ends up with Edmonton and became a hell of a player with the Kings!
One of my big Rangers disappointments was McSorley. Here I thought of him like Knuckles Nilan and later Joey Kocur and all three didn't do in NY what I thought that they would! Nilan was a screwball but always injured, Kocur had mellowed because of his hands and Keenan never played him and then McSorley sucked as a Ranger and cost us some good young players!
Oh well!

Talk about endurance and stamina!

Darren Langdon vs. Marty McSorley - YouTube

Marty McSorley vs Louie Debrusk Dec 18, 1992 -...