Toggle sidebar

Best Player In the World

  • We sincerely apologize for the extended downtime. Our hosting provider, XenForo Cloud, encountered a major issue with their backup system, which unfortunately resulted in the loss of some critical data from the past year.

    What This Means for You:

    • If you created an account after March 2024, it no longer exists. You will need to sign up again to access the forum.
    • If you registered before March 2024 but changed your email, username, or password in the past year, those changes were lost. You’ll need to update your account details manually once you're logged in.
    • Threads and posts created within the last year have been restored.

    Our team is working with Xenforo Cloud to recover data using backups, sitemaps, and other available resources. We know this is frustrating, and we deeply regret the impact on our community. We are taking steps with Xenforo Cloud to ensure this never happens again. This is work in progress. Thank you for your patience and support as we work through this.

    In the meantime, feel free to join our Discord Server
blundluntman said:
I’d love to put Mackinnon up there but I’d say Kucherov did more with less last season and Drai has been better all around this year. Could definitely argue he belongs tho
Click to expand...

MacKinnon tilted the ice more for his team than Kucherov did. Not sure there are secondary factors that really push one player over the other last season beyond what their production would indicate.

MacKinnon's Four Nations performance gives him an edge over Kucherov this year. That being said, not much to choose from over the past 7 or 8 years as they, along with Drai, are in contention for the #2 player in the world.

Draisaitl has a bit of an edge over MacKinnon this year but he is not as good as Mac last year so I wouldn't position him as being the player who join McDavid at this point. If he dragged his team to a Cup with McDavid being more of a support player could change things.
 
daver said:
MacKinnon tilted the ice more for his team than Kucherov did. Not sure there are secondary factors that really push one player over the other last season beyond what their production would indicate.

MacKinnon's Four Nations performance gives him an edge over Kucherov this year. That being said, not much to choose from over the past 7 or 8 years as they, along with Drai, are in contention for the #2 player in the world.

Draisaitl has a bit of an edge over MacKinnon this year but he is not as good as Mac last year so I wouldn't position him as being the player who join McDavid at this point. If he dragged his team to a Cup with McDavid being more of a support player could change things.
Click to expand...
Mackinnon had Rantanen and Makar as linemates to help quite a bit as far as tilting the ice. I watched my fair share of Colorado games (not as many as I'd like to) and while Mackinnon obviously was dangerous at any given time. Makar tilted the ice just as much if not more at times. Compared to Kucherov who didn't have that type of support, I have to give him his due. McDavid had a nearly identical ppg that season and also put up insane playoff numbers. If we're going by the 2-3 year frame I guess I'd have to rethink things but all the lists I saw weren't limited to that criteria.
 
  • Like
Reactions: authentic and Voight
daver said:
MacKinnon tilted the ice more for his team than Kucherov did. Not sure there are secondary factors that really push one player over the other last season beyond what their production would indicate.

MacKinnon's Four Nations performance gives him an edge over Kucherov this year. That being said, not much to choose from over the past 7 or 8 years as they, along with Drai, are in contention for the #2 player in the world.

Draisaitl has a bit of an edge over MacKinnon this year but he is not as good as Mac last year so I wouldn't position him as being the player who join McDavid at this point. If he dragged his team to a Cup with McDavid being more of a support player could change things.
Click to expand...

Not fair to use that IMO given Russia was not one of the Four Nations.
 
  • Like
Reactions: authentic
Since the 2005 lockout :

2006 - Jagr
2007 - Crosby
2008 - Ovechkin
2009 - Malkin
2010 - Ovechkin
2011- Crosby
2012 - Malkin
2013 - Crosby
2014 - Crosby
2015 - Price
2016 - Kane
2017 - Crosby
2018 - McDavid
2019 - Kucherov
2020 - Draisaitl
2021 - McDavid
2022 - McDavid
2023 - McDavid
2024 - McDavid
2025 - MacKinnon
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Winger74 and authentic
Nadal On Clay said:
Since the 2005 lockout :

2006 - Jagr
2007 - Crosby
2008 - Ovechkin
2009 - Malkin
2010 - Ovechkin
2011- Crosby
2012 - Malkin
2013 - Crosby
2014 - Crosby
2015 - Price
2016 - Kane
2017 - Crosby
2018 - McDavid
2019 - Kucherov
2020 - Draisaitl
2021 - McDavid
2022 - McDavid
2023 - McDavid
2024 - McDavid
2025 - MacKinnon
Click to expand...

Again , this isn't meant to be a listing of the annual Hart/Lindsay winners.
 
daver said:
Again , this isn't meant to be a listing of the annual Hart/Lindsay winners.
Click to expand...
Newsflash; the Hart and Lindsey trophies are usually given out to the best player during a given year.

Which ones do you disagree with?
 
Last edited:
daver said:
Read the OP.
Click to expand...
It’s a flawed system.

Crosby was not the best player in the world in 2016. McDavid was not the best player in the world in 2019 etc. The best way to determine who was the best player in a given year is to look at that year specifically. I know you don’t like that way of thinking because it disadvantages Crosby, but my list is as objective as it gets. I’m still waiting for your arguments against one of my selections.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheLegend27
Nadal On Clay said:
It’s a flawed system.

Crosby was not the best player in the world in 2016. McDavid was not the best player in the world in 2019 etc. The best way to determine who was the best player in a given year is to look at that year specifically. I know you don’t like that way of thinking because it disadvantages Crosby, but my list is as objective as it gets. I’m still waiting for your arguments against one of my selections.
Click to expand...

It's not meant to be a system. It's meant to be an interesting and nuanced discussion.
 
If you take the question mentally a bit as a :
Every year spring, playoff start, everyone healthy who do you draft first to go into the playoff this year, it can get a bit noisy (while still not going always to the player that just got the best season, because you do not think it will sustain for the playoff). Like Mario is the best player in the world in 1995, do you pick him for the playoff that year considering he did not play for a while....

Nadal for example pick Crosby for ~2011, Crosby finished 20 in Hart vote that year and 5th center all star team finish, it is a bit more than just picking the best season exercise that he is doing.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: authentic, Nadal On Clay and jigglysquishy
Nate MacKinnon has been the best player on the planet for 2-3 seasons now. Won a Cup, a Hart, an Art Ross (possibly), and has been a top-5 scorer and Hart candidate steadily over this time. He also won MVP at the 4 Nations and was a force among some of the best in the world.
 
Boxscore said:
Nate MacKinnon has been the best player on the planet for 2-3 seasons now. Won a Cup, a Hart, an Art Ross (possibly), and has been a top-5 scorer and Hart candidate steadily over this time. He also won MVP at the 4 Nations and was a force among some of the best in the world.
Click to expand...

He certainly has been making a great case for himself but I would question saying he has been the best player since 2022, even if you started the clock just in the 2022 playoffs.


Playoff Points and PPG since 2022:

McDavid - 95 points, 1.79 PPG (Conn Smythe)
MacKinnon - 45 points, 1.18 PPG (2nd in Smythe voting)


RS Points and PPG since 2022/23:
McDavid - 375 points, 1.70PPG (Art Ross, Richard, Hart, Lindsay, Hart nomination)
MacKinnon - 356 points, 1.59 PPG (Hart, Lindsay, probable Hart/Lindsay nominations and Art Ross)


I don't think anyone would have been surprised if McDavid won the MVP at the FN.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Batis and authentic
Nadal On Clay said:
Newsflash; the Hart and Lindsey trophies are usually given out to the best player during a given year.
Click to expand...

That's what I think - especially if the Hart winner also won the Lindsay/Pearson, it's kind of hard to say someone else was better. 82 games is plenty large in terms of sample size.
 
Boxscore said:
Nate MacKinnon has been the best player on the planet for 2-3 seasons now. Won a Cup, a Hart, an Art Ross (possibly), and has been a top-5 scorer and Hart candidate steadily over this time. He also won MVP at the 4 Nations and was a force among some of the best in the world.
Click to expand...

I don't think there's any argument for him over McDavid in 2023. That was McDavid's 153 point season.

Last season, MacKinnon had a better regular season (though they were almost equal in PPG), but McDavid had one of the best playoff runs of the century. You can certainty argue McDavid outdid him if you look at both playoffs and regular season.

But this season has been rough for McDavid (between the injuries and suspension and not playing his best at times) and MacKinnon has a big lead over him in scoring. Unless McDavid has another killer playoff run, I think you can probably give Nathan the crown after this year. But that doesn't mean McDavid can't take it back next year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hockey Outsider
GlitchMarner said:
I don't think there's any argument for him over McDavid in 2023. That was McDavid's 153 point season.

Last season, MacKinnon had a better regular season (though they were almost equal in PPG), but McDavid had one of the best playoff runs of the century. You can certainty argue McDavid outdid him if you look at both playoffs and regular season.

But this season has been rough for McDavid (between the injuries and suspension and not playing his best at times) and MacKinnon has a big lead over him in scoring. Unless McDavid has another killer playoff run, I think you can probably give Nathan the crown after this year. But that doesn't mean McDavid can't take it back next year.
Click to expand...

Of all-time

I actually predict McDavid will repeat another insane playoff run assuming he’s healthy enough and Edmonton doesn’t lose in the first round.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GlitchMarner
If we combine the regular season and playoff stats from the last two seasons (23/24 and 24/25) McDavid has still produced at a slightly higher rate than MacKinnon. When it comes to points per game Kucherov actually comes out on top.

Connor McDavid 164 gp, 66 g, 198 a, 264 pts (1.610 ppg)
Nathan MacKinnon 164 gp, 83 g, 176 a, 259 pts (1.579 ppg)
Nikita Kucherov 151 gp, 73 g, 175 a, 248 pts (1.642 ppg)

Personally I think that McDavid still should keep the title of best player in the world unless one of MacKinnon or Kucherov does something very impressive in the playoffs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: authentic and daver
Boxscore said:
Nate MacKinnon has been the best player on the planet for 2-3 seasons now. Won a Cup, a Hart, an Art Ross (possibly), and has been a top-5 scorer and Hart candidate steadily over this time. He also won MVP at the 4 Nations and was a force among some of the best in the world.
Click to expand...
Don't see it:

Points-per-game:
2021-22
Regular Season
1.54 -- McDavid (1st)
1.35 -- MacKinnon (6th or 7th)
Playoffs (min. 5 GP)
2.06 -- McDavid (1st)
1.20 -- MacKinnon (10th)
RS + Playoffs combined
1.63 -- McDavid
1.32 -- MacKinnon

2022-23
Regular Season
1.87 -- McDavid (1st)
1.56 -- MacKinnon (3rd)
Playoffs (min. 5GP)
1.67 -- McDavid (1st)
1.00 -- MacKinnon (24th --- only one series)
RS + Playoffs combined
1.84 -- McDavid
1.51 -- MacKinnon

2023-24
Regular Season
1.74 -- McDavid (2nd)
1.71 -- MacKinnon (3rd)
Playoffs (min. 5 GP)
1.68 -- McDavid (1st)
1.27 -- MacKinnon (6th)
RS + Playoffs combined
1.72 -- McDavid
1.66 -- MacKinnon

2024-25
RS so far
1.43 -- McDavid (3rd)
1.48 -- MacKinnon (2nd)

(I suspect if we removed empty-net points for the current season, McDavid is actually ahead of MacKinnon slightly despite Connor having a very 'off' season.)

MacKinnon is the better player this season for sure (so far anyway), but I don't think 69-or-whatever regular season games of borderline superiority gives one the crown. (This isn't even getting into Kucherov.)
 
The Panther said:
Don't see it:

Points-per-game:
2021-22
Regular Season
1.54 -- McDavid (1st)
1.35 -- MacKinnon (6th or 7th)
Playoffs (min. 5 GP)
2.06 -- McDavid (1st)
1.20 -- MacKinnon (10th)
RS + Playoffs combined
1.63 -- McDavid
1.32 -- MacKinnon

2022-23
Regular Season
1.87 -- McDavid (1st)
1.56 -- MacKinnon (3rd)
Playoffs (min. 5GP)
1.67 -- McDavid (1st)
1.00 -- MacKinnon (24th --- only one series)
RS + Playoffs combined
1.84 -- McDavid
1.51 -- MacKinnon

2023-24
Regular Season
1.74 -- McDavid (2nd)
1.71 -- MacKinnon (3rd)
Playoffs (min. 5 GP)
1.68 -- McDavid (1st)
1.27 -- MacKinnon (6th)
RS + Playoffs combined
1.72 -- McDavid
1.66 -- MacKinnon

2024-25
RS so far
1.43 -- McDavid (3rd)
1.48 -- MacKinnon (2nd)

(I suspect if we removed empty-net points for the current season, McDavid is actually ahead of MacKinnon slightly despite Connor having a very 'off' season.)

MacKinnon is the better player this season for sure (so far anyway), but I don't think 69-or-whatever regular season games of borderline superiority gives one the crown. (This isn't even getting into Kucherov.)
Click to expand...
MacKinnon has a recent Cup (after challenging his entire team in the offseason) and is a win, place, or show producer with elite leadership skills. Kucherov is an offensive dazzler but I take a center like MacKinnon over him. The debate is between McDavid and MacKinnon and I take MacKinnon due to the Cup, intensity, leadership, and steadily elite production. But that's me. I can see a case for McDavid for sure... and even one for Kucherov... and one for Makar as well. But I give Nate the recent edge.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sanscosm, authentic and MadLuke
Boxscore said:
MacKinnon has a recent Cup (after challenging his entire team in the offseason) and is a win, place, or show producer with elite leadership skills. Kucherov is an offensive dazzler but I take a center like MacKinnon over him. The debate is between McDavid and MacKinnon and I take MacKinnon due to the Cup, intensity, leadership, and steadily elite production. But that's me. I can see a case for McDavid for sure... and even one for Kucherov... and one for Makar as well. But I give Nate the recent edge.
Click to expand...

The Oilers got within two goals of a Cup after McDavid challenged his team and it is pretty hard to argue that he didn't contribute as much, or more, to the Oilers reaching that far as Mac did for his team. McDavid also was 3rd in scoring vs. Mac being 17th in scoring in their respective regular seasons leading up to their Cup runs.

Mac did what he needed to do in 2022 with a solid statistical performance. You cannot argue with a 16-4 playoff run. Maybe if the Avs were challenged more that year his numbers would have looked different.

He did come into the league with a bit of a "ups his game in the biggest moments" moniker and can add to that with another SCF run. This playoffs could be very interesting.

The big difference between their first four years of their careers still gives an aura of McDavid being on another level but Mac is certainly trying his hardest, despite being a year older.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gerulaitis
Boxscore said:
MacKinnon has a recent Cup (after challenging his entire team in the offseason) and is a win, place, or show producer with elite leadership skills. Kucherov is an offensive dazzler but I take a center like MacKinnon over him. The debate is between McDavid and MacKinnon and I take MacKinnon due to the Cup, intensity, leadership, and steadily elite production. But that's me. I can see a case for McDavid for sure... and even one for Kucherov... and one for Makar as well. But I give Nate the recent edge.
Click to expand...


Makar is No 1in
my books.
I guess I have a bias
towards defensemen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom