Giroux
1189gp 353-720-1073 (.902)
Peaked as a top-3 assist and point scorer
One Finals run, no Cup
1x 2nd all star team, 1x Hart finalist
Giroux had the worst team situation by a significant margin, but hit the highest offensive peak in this group while also playing a solid 200 foot game, and having the versatility to move effectively from C to W. Swap his team context with one of the other players and this is probably not a thread.
Toews
1067gp, 372-511-883 (.828)
One-season peak at 5th in goals, otherwise not top 10
Three Finals runs, three Cups
1x 2nd all star team, Selke Trophy, Smythe Trophy
Lowest offensive caliber of the group, but he’s the clear-cut best 200 foot player and you can’t just brush off his performances at the highest stage. Gets a boost for his outstanding international career.
Marchand
1038gp 402-533-935 (.901)
Peaked as a top 4-6 goal, 5-10 assist, 3-5 point scorer
Three Finals runs, one Cup
2x 1st all star team, 2x 2nd all star team
Crazy to be rating him third, because he has been an elite player for a long time. He would have ranked higher if he weren’t such a late bloomer, which hurts his overall career value. He brought an edge that gives him value beyond his numbers.
Backstrom
1105gp 271-762-1033 (.935)
Peaked as a top-3 assist scorer, 4-10 range in points
One Finals run, one Cup
No significant personal hardware
Ranked him over Kessel because at the end of the day, points are points and he plays the more valuable position. But his numbers are obviously inflated by playing with the GOAT goal scorer.
Kessel
1286gp 413-579-992 (.771)
Peaked in the 5th-10th range in goals and points
Two Finals runs, two Cups (plus the Vegas Cup)
No significant personal hardware
Kessel as the 5th best player in a draft means it was a really good draft. A borderline HOF’er, decent two-way player while also a high-end offensive threat. On the down side, a soft winger with “character concerns” related to the NHL’s culture of shunning introverts. Bit of a compiler to get the regular season numbers he did, but also had a couple of very strong playoffs leading to Cups. Strong international career.