Bedard, Michkov, or Celebrini: Who would you build around?

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Look, I went through the Kane and Toews era and have always maintained that, when the Hawks were in their prime and winning cups, Toews was always the more important. So I can understand the draw of Celebrini over Bedard (though I don't agree with it, at least not yet).

But I honestly don't even see the argument for Michkov over Bedard unless literally the only thing you are going by is how many points they have scored this season (which is down to 3 points).

There are reasons beyond points that someone might prefer Michkov to Bedard. For instance, Michkov is waaaay stronger on pucks down low, he's so much harder to knock off the puck. And he has proven to be much more effective at getting to scoring areas around the net. He also plays with a much higher battle level and feistiness. He's like a mini Crosby in these ways.

 

[Chelios]

There are reasons beyond points that someone might prefer Michkov to Bedard. For instance, Michkov is waaaay stronger on pucks down low, he's so much harder to knock off the puck. And he has proven to be much more effective at getting to scoring areas around the net. He also plays with a much higher battle level and feistiness. He's like a mini Crosby in these ways.

Good to see your Bedard alarm is working. Everything you said is debatable at best, and is more than outweighed by Bedard's body of work to date.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Good to see your Bedard alarm is working.

It's actually a stupid post alarm. You must have triggered it.

Everything you said is debatable at best, and is more than outweighed by Bedard's body of work to date.

It's not at all debatable, have you watched Michkov play? Dude is a tank on the puck. He can hold off defenders for extended periods of time below the goal line. Bedard is much more of a perimeter player.

 

[Foppberg]

Celebrini. He has the potential to be another MacKinnon.

Both Bedard/Mich will be great no doubt, but I think Macklin will be the best.

 

[Mathieukferland]

I don’t know anything about analytics and am being a hypocrite by posting this because I don’t like them, but this seems not bad

 

[Chelios]

It's actually a stupid post alarm. You must have triggered it.

Sick burn.

It's not at all debatable, have you watched Michkov play? Dude is a tank on the puck. He can hold off defenders for extended periods of time below the goal line. Bedard is much more of a perimeter player.

Yes I have watched Michkov play, obviously not as much as Bedard, but there is nothing in my viewings of him that suggests he is so much more physical/feisty that it overcomes Bedard's body of work to date in picking between the two.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Yes I have watched Michkov play, obviously not as much as Bedard, but there is nothing in my viewings of him that suggests he is so much more physical/feisty that it overcomes Bedard's body of work to date in picking between the two.

It's not just about being physical or feisty, its about his strength on the puck, and ability to hold off defenders and win battles along the boards and around the net. He's already in the top 90th percentile among NHL forwards in that ability IMO, while Bedard is one of the easiest players to knock of the puck in the league.

His ability behind the net and in the corners is reminiscent of Crosby/Forsberg, though he's obviously smaller than those two. But his approach his similar. He's a beast on the puck.

That's a very legitimate reason to take him over Bedard.