gb701 said:
Any thread, about any player other than the annointed "superstars-in-waiting" results in this same sort of inane, useless, baseless, phony debate because to suggest that anyone on the planet might actually rival the "phenoms" is somehow threatening to some posters.
To say that Bergeron is tearing up this tournament is an understatement. To say it is a surprise just shows you haven't been paying attention to the kid over the past several years. And to say he wasn't well know prior to this tournament, or that "one good tournament doesn't make a superstar" just shows how limited a person's knowledge of the game really is. Sad, actually.
How many 18 year olds actually made the league last year? See Ovechkin anywhere? Even Phaneuf (who I think is actually the dominant junior player in the tournament right now)? No...then pay attention to what Bergeron has already done while the kids are back in Junior or Russia or whatever.
Then watch him - how many of Crosby's goals so far have been on passes through traffic that not many players can make? Remember the first goal where he gets a great headman pass from Crosby to start the play (cue the phenom) but then turns a d-man inside out before a great move on the goalie?
Anybody who does not think this kid is great needs to spend a little time paying attention instead of spouting off.
IMHO
I agree with you that people tend to sheepishly play it safe when it comes to prospects. However, you're overreacting big time and using unfair comparisons as well, not to mention re-writing history.
Few people knew about Bergeron "the last couple of years" and that has nothing to do with having limited knowledge of the game as you pretend. Players grow, some get better. It happens.
Don't bother pointing out Ovechkin did not play in the NHL. He couldn't and you know it. Ovechkin is such a rare phenom, he could have made the NHL as a 17 years old garanteed and could have had a shot at 16.
The thing I'd say is that making the NHL as early as possible is not the ultimate indicator of top end talent. That's good for everyone, not just Bergeron. I really, really like him but I do not think he is markedly destroying the competition in an unequaled fashion. Frolov looked just as good in the WJC and people, just like they're doing here, started overreacting and calling him the next Jagr.
I'm just enjoying the WJC and very glad a kid from here is glowingly representing Canada, not to mention playing the kind of hockey I like to see. Bergeron strikes me as an old time player. He reminds me of players in the 70s and 80s. Guys who could play a creative skilled game without playing like ****ing pansies. He doesn't play like some of the manufactured products of today. He's imperfect and kicking ass.
I think he has quite a lot of potential but I'm not sure about the superstar thing. If that's all it takes around here to not know about hockey, so be it. I've been accused of that for much less anyway...
I don't think people truly appreciate the WJC for what they are and can accurately put them in their proper context when projecting NHL careers. Almost every year, people get caught up with whatever trend develops there and go crazy on irrelaistic projections.
It doesn't matter because Bergeron's performance in adult competitions so far are marvelous and I agree he is a very good player. This is much more telling than the WJC but the WJC gets a lot more coverage around here. It is the event that makes or break players in the mind of a couple of know-it-alls who press and shift the hype and panic buttons.
Good for Bergeron in making the NHL early and performs very well everywhere. This is telling and promising. But ultimately, the fact one made the NHL already and the other didn't is not the ultimate way I would compare Bergeron to, for instance, Phaneuf.
:lol 
