1970s All Decade Team: Forwards

We've look at goaltenders and defensemen. Now it is our unenviable task to name 12 forwards to our 1970s All Decade Team.

How is that possible? There are far too many players to consider. But to narrow it down, we must remember who defined the decade. (I will name 12 forwards, but not worry about their position.)

Valeri Kharlamov - Phil Esposito - Guy Lafleur
Bobby Hull - Ulf Nilsson - Anders Hedberg
Gilbert Perreault - Bobby Clarke - Marcel Dionne
Bob Gainey - Jacques Lemaire - Alexander Maltsev

Other players considered:


Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy - It was decided their time would really come in the 1980s.

Alexander Yakushev and Boris Mikhailov - There will be calls for more Soviet players to be included. These two I will completely agree with, but ultimately there's only 12 spots open.

Andre Lacroix and Marc Tardif - WHA scoring stars.
Gordie Howe and Mark Howe - Gordie was still great, while Mark was always under appreciated. 

Rod Gilbert, Darryl Sittler, Rick Martin - NHL scoring stars

Jean Ratelle - In the rough and tumble hockey world of the 1970s, Ratelle was the epitome of class.

Wayne Cashman, Derek Sanderson, Dave "The Hammer" Schultz - Hockey's bad boys defined the decade.