All-Time Hockey › Best 1970s Lineup

Best 1970s NHL Lineup

The greatest starting six of the 1970s, chosen from every team of the era by iKnoBall's era-adjusted engine — and the record they'd run over a full 82-game season.

79–3projected season
avg overall 97

Ken Dryden

Goaltender · 1970s

Bobby Orr

Defenseman · 1970s

Denis Potvin

Defenseman · 1970s

Phil Esposito

Center · 1970s

Guy Lafleur

Right Wing · 1970s

Bobby Hull

Left Wing · 1970s

Why This Is the Era's Best Team

Ken Dryden headlines the 1970s at a 95 overall. The engine assembles a complete six — goaltender, a defensive pairing, and a full scoring line — from across the era's teams, then plays out all 82 games. Their 79–3 projection captures an era-defining core, measured on the same era-adjusted scale as every other decade so the comparison is fair.

Full 1970s Player Rankings

Player	Position	Era	OVR
Ken Dryden	Goaltender	1970s	95
Bobby Orr	Defenseman	1970s	99
Denis Potvin	Defenseman	1970s	95
Phil Esposito	Center	1970s	97
Guy Lafleur	Right Wing	1970s	98
Bobby Hull	Left Wing	1970s	97
Bernie Parent	Goaltender	1970s	94
Bobby Clarke	Center	1970s	94
Marcel Dionne	Center	1970s	93
Bryan Trottier	Center	1970s	93
Tony Esposito	Goaltender	1970s	93
Larry Robinson	Defenseman	1970s	93
Brad Park	Defenseman	1970s	92
Gilbert Perreault	Center	1970s	92
Stan Mikita	Center	1970s	91
Darryl Sittler	Center	1970s	91
Borje Salming	Defenseman	1970s	91
Gerry Cheevers	Goaltender	1970s	90
Rick Martin	Left Wing	1970s	90
Steve Shutt	Left Wing	1970s	90
Lanny McDonald	Right Wing	1970s	90
Serge Savard	Defenseman	1970s	89
Guy Lapointe	Defenseman	1970s	89
Rod Gilbert	Right Wing	1970s	89
Bill Barber	Left Wing	1970s	89
Jean Ratelle	Center	1970s	88
Rogatien Vachon	Goaltender	1970s	88
Reggie Leach	Right Wing	1970s	88
Ken Hodge	Right Wing	1970s	87
Rene Robert	Right Wing	1970s	87

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Every Era, Ranked

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Frequently Asked

What is the best 1970s NHL lineup of all time?

iKnoBall's era-adjusted engine picks Ken Dryden (G, 1970s), Bobby Orr (D, 1970s), Denis Potvin (D, 1970s), Phil Esposito (C, 1970s), Guy Lafleur (W, 1970s), Bobby Hull (W, 1970s) as the greatest 1970s team, projecting them to a 79–3 season.

How good was the 1970s NHL?

The top 1970s lineup projects at 79–3 with an average starter rating of 97. Ratings are era-adjusted so a dominant 1970s season is measured on the same scale as any other era.

Who was the best player of the 1970s?

On iKnoBall's scale the top-rated 1970s player is Ken Dryden at a 95 overall. See the full 1970s rankings above.

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Ratings are era-adjusted and computed by iKnoBall's simulation engine. Records are model projections for entertainment, not predictions. Player names belong to their respective owners; iKnoBall is an independent fan-made game.