I'm laughing at the misuse of that term that is so typical online. The point about goaltenders is so tedious and over-discussed that it isn't even worth going into. Everyone has heard is endlessly on this site. Yeah, the level of goaltending in the NHL today is higher than it was in the 1970s and 1980s.
Then you're simply dismissing it as "I don't care because it's far too inconvenient for those of us who like to pump the tires the players of the 80s and before as it pokes a fatal flaw in the narrative."
It is really unclear what you think people disagree with you, fatal flaw to which narrative ?
I'm "dismissing" it as a tired point that has been discussed endlessly even though you framed it as the opposite. You're showing up years late to the party to tell everyone something they've heard a hundred times, something which plenty of people already agree with more or less. The only reason I bothered commenting at all is due to the butchering of the term "gaslighting" which usually isn't used here.
That's the kind of thing that is a point against McDavid being considered up there with Lemieux/Gretzky. McDavid is touchable by the other stars in a way that they were not. If I recall correctly McDavid had poor puck luck last season (by all means someone can correct me if I'm wrong) and from watching some games before Kane arrived he wasn't getting a lot of help, but again while he was the best player he was not untouchable. Credit to him for being a guy who can lead the NHL in scoring even when things are not going so well.
That's right. I made several posts about this on the main board last year. McDavid had terrible "puck luck" last year, and should have finished with around 145 points. (From watching McDavid, I don't think he's actually created that many more opportunities this year compared to last year - just that he's shooting more, perhaps due to the frustration of his teammates not being to capitalize on his chances).
Yeah that's basically what I was trying to get at. While he isn't a Gretzky or Lemieux as a scorer, I give him full credit for being able to lead the NHL in scoring in a convincing manner while things aren't breaking his way. Also a reminder to not be slavishly fixated on a few points here and there when looking at a season or comparing players.
Lowest on ice shooting percentage of his career at even strenght and in general was quite different than the average since scoring went up again in the nhl.
With missed games, it works out to a bit more.
I agree that Jagr gets a bit of flack for his playoff resume and wrongly so but even without Jagr (ie replacement level player) the Pens probably win the SC in 92.
Do you not see a difference between Lemieux in those seasons, missing a sizable amount of time in three of them and not particularly healthy in any of them, and McDavid playing full seasons at near full health? Once he entered his prime Lemieux was not getting outscored or nearly outscored by a non-Gretzky if he was healthy and played basically a full season. McDavid is an all time great but he is not the scorer that Lemieux was.
