Toggle sidebar

You are officially in charge of NHL's top 50 player list going into next season - who do you have #2, assuming McDavid is #1?

If McDavid ranks #1 - who do rank #2 in a top 50 list going into next season?

  • Total voters
    312

bobholly39

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
22,601
15,570
NHL.COM or ESPN or some other major publication hires you and gives you full decision making power in regards to making a top 50 player list going into next season.

The focus should be more around "who deserves to be ranked the best based on recent accomplishments" - and less a prediction for next year per se, that might involve guess work or decline based on age, etc.

McDavid is #1. I think this one is obvious based on past few years - but if you can't agree with this and want to be controversial, I left a voting option open just for you.

Who's your #2? Here are options:

1. Kucherov. Fantastic season, won the Ross, might win Hart/Lindsay too.
2. MacKinnon. Also fantastic season, 140 points, might win Hart/Lindsay himself
3. Matthews. 69 goals, terrific season, probably best defensively among forwards listed
4. Makar. Phenomenal over past few years/playoffs. His record speaks for itself
5. Draisaitl. A bit of a slower regular season then the rest, but absolutely dominating the playoffs yet again, 3 straight years...
6. Someone else (who?)

I honestly am not sure how I'd vote. I've been saying for a few years now there is a very clear top 6 in the league - and all 6 have been absolutely tremendous this year. Draisaitl had the weakest season of the bunch maybe - but he's obviously stepped up huge in these playoffs...

So - who is your #2? Feel free to rank the top 6 if you want.
Click to read more...
 

soothsayer

Registered User
Oct 27, 2009
8,826
11,427
To me, Makar is second to McDavid in ability to take over a game. I chose him, though his injuries have set him back. Unrelated: I will never not be blown away that he played for the Brooks Bandits.
 
McVespa99

McVespa99

Registered User
May 13, 2007
5,991
2,758
Nadal On Clay said:
For right now, I’d say :

McDavid
Draisaitl
MacKinnon
Kucherov
Makar
Matthews

I’m high on playoffs. Matthews is clearly the weakest of the bunch here.
Click to expand...
This seems pretty solid but I would not argue with anyone switching anyone around that is 2-5 on this list. Drai is my second due to his consistent dominance in the playoffs. Matthews is bottom for sure. I would probably rate a few more ahead of him. Again largely because of playoffs
 
  • Like
Reactions: Perfect_Drug, wetcoast and Buck Naked

paulmm3

Registered User
Mar 29, 2014
1,175
639
Was thinking of this last night talking to a non hockey fan friend from Dallas and my top 5 is prob McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisaitl/Kucherov tie, Matthews
 
Jared Dunn

Jared Dunn

Registered User
Dec 23, 2013
8,393
2,791
Yellowknife
McDavid

Makar
Mackinnon

Kucherov
Draisaitl
Matthews
Barkov


I am genuinely surprised Makar is not the clear #2 so far. I think the playoffs Barkov has had this year puts him basically right there with Drai/Matthews
 
Jared Dunn

Jared Dunn

Registered User
Dec 23, 2013
8,393
2,791
Yellowknife
McVespa99 said:
This seems pretty solid but I would not argue with anyone switching anyone around that is 2-5 on this list. Drai is my second due to his consistent dominance in the playoffs. Matthews is bottom for sure. I would probably rate a few more ahead of him. Again largely because of playoffs
Click to expand...
Draisaitl is obviously at another tier but I don't understand the flack Matthews gets for playoffs. Over a point per game the last 3 years and was playing very well before he got scurvy or whatever the hell was ailing him this year
 
  • Like
Reactions: wetcoast

tmg

Registered User
Jul 10, 2003
2,772
1,302
Ottawa
I voted Makar and am posting about it now.

I am amused that at this moment, Makar has only 8 out of 107 votes, but is the first name on 6 of 13 replies. Seems Makar backers are disproportionately more vocal than Makar opposers.
 

bobholly39

Registered User
Mar 10, 2013
22,601
15,570
Jared Dunn said:
Draisaitl is obviously at another tier but I don't understand the flack Matthews gets for playoffs. Over a point per game the last 3 years and was playing very well before he got scurvy or whatever the hell was ailing him this year
Click to expand...

People sometimes exagerate how bad Matthews is in playoffs because it's fun to make fun of Leafs. He's actually been average to good in playoffs I would say overall.

But "average to good" in playoffs is still a huge step behind all of Kucherov/Mack/McDavid/Drai/Makar. All 5 have been absolutely spectacular in the playoffs and on multiple occasions. Matthews hasn't done that ever, so he loses ground there vs those 5 when you look at playoffs.

Just to put this in perspective, you're saying Matthews is "over a point per game" - but Drai is very close to 2 points per game over past 3 years, So it's a big gap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hockey Outsider, PuckG, jigglysquishy and 1 other person
Jared Dunn

Jared Dunn

Registered User
Dec 23, 2013
8,393
2,791
Yellowknife
bobholly39 said:
People sometimes exagerate how bad Matthews is in playoffs because it's fun to make fun of Leafs. He's actually been average to good in playoffs I would say overall.

But "average to good" in playoffs is still a huge step behind all of Kucherov/Mack/McDavid/Drai/Makar. All 5 have been absolutely spectacular in the playoffs and on multiple occasions. Matthews hasn't done that ever, so he loses ground there vs those 5 when you look at playoffs.

Just to put this in perspective, you're saying Matthews is "over a point per game" - but Drai is very close to 2 points per game over past 3 years, So it's a big gap.
Click to expand...
Again not trying to put it up to Draisaitl by any means but to be fair, Draisaitl also is a step above even McDavid when it comes to playoffs, he's genuinely one of the best playoff players ever. I would say in the last 3 years at least Matthews has been objectively good in playoffs even with the Leafs failing, I just don't think his playoff play can be looked as a knock, even if it's not a boost either. He doesn't consistently seem to find a new level but it's not like he disappears under the pressure
 

wetcoast

Registered User
Nov 20, 2018
22,922
10,574
Nadal On Clay said:
For right now, I’d say :

McDavid
Draisaitl
MacKinnon
Kucherov
Makar
Matthews

I’m high on playoffs. Matthews is clearly the weakest of the bunch here.
Click to expand...
Pretty good list although I'd switch Mack and Drai and drop Kuch down to the bottom.

I look at this as in a one year throw everyone into the pool NHL redraft for one season who do I take in building a team for the 24-25 season.

Heck I might even have someone else like barkov at 6th but Kuch might defy age more than I think who knows.

So I'd have it like this

McDavid
MacKinnon
Draisaitl
Makar
Matthews
Kucherov

After I typed this I think I might have Makar at 2 or 3 man it's really close.
Jared Dunn said:
Draisaitl is obviously at another tier but I don't understand the flack Matthews gets for playoffs. Over a point per game the last 3 years and was playing very well before he got scurvy or whatever the hell was ailing him this year
Click to expand...

I get what you are saying but the others have all had elite (or at least better) playoffs and that's the difference here.
 
Nicko999

Nicko999

Registered User
Jan 23, 2008
7,983
1,843
Montreal
How is Mackinnon winning the poll???

It's pretty clearly Makar and frankly I don't even know how it's even debatable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Voight
You must log in or register to reply here.

Ad

Latest posts

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom