Choose 1 to build your team around : Draisaitl, Kane, Kucherov, MacKinnon, Malkin

[JianYang]

It has to be a centre. Narrows it down to Malkin, Draisatl and MacKinnon.

Each have a superstar/generational talent on their team. Draisatl & Malkin have shown that they can carry the team when Crosby/McDavid go down.

Between Malkin and Draisatl, you have a proven winner and a playoff beast. I think it’s one of those two.

MacKinnon also gets points for not being able to have a competent 2C behind him.

Bingo, it absolutely starts with a center, and how can you go wrong with either of these options? Mackinnon is the only guy here that's done it without another legendary center (except kadru was really good that playoff where they won)

So maybe I'll give it to mack but I feel like this is splitting hairs.

 

[DrDangles]

It was between Geno and Drai for me, but I’ve seen Geno do more with less. Both are more well rounded, smarter players than Mack. His game lives and dies with his physical tools and once those are gone he won’t be nearly as effective.

 

[Felidae]

Malkin if he wasn't injury prone.

Otherwise, Malkin, Mackinnon, Kucherov and Draisaitl are all on a similar level, but I think Kucherov will age the best out of the 3.

He already has a hell of an age 30+ career with 2 art Ross trophies, Only Lemieux, Esposito, Jagr, Gretzky and St Louis have won art Ross trophies past 30.

Gretzky is the only other player to do it twice. Lemieux and Gretzky would have more if they weren't competing against each other or dealing with injuries/health issues. But still incredible company.

 

[Jared Grayden]

Malkin as he was an elite franchise center by age 21. Durability would be the concern.

 

[Isaac Nootin]

MacKinnon
Malkin
Drai
Kuch
Kane

 

[Akrapovince]

Bingo, it absolutely starts with a center, and how can you go wrong with either of these options? Mackinnon is the only guy here that's done it without another legendary center (except kadru was really good that playoff where they won)

So maybe I'll give it to mack but I feel like this is splitting hairs.

MacKinnon not having a generational talent to fall behind gives him some points, but for me it doesn’t take away from Malkin and Draisatl because we have seen them play without Crosby and McDavid and the results are spectacular. I think Mack not having a generational centreman with him is a wash with Drai/Malkin’s performance when theirs is out.

Now, Letang and Bouchard aren’t slouches but they are definitively not Makar. And add in Rantanen and I don’t think we have a personelle debate between them.

You are right though, we are splitting hairs. Basically looking more at their team mates than them at this point.

 

[Booker T]

Prime Malkin was too long ago for most of HFB’s to remember.

The only knock on him was injuries, which I agree with anyone citing based on that, but don’t give me that anyone else was more talented and driven. Malkin was a goddamn truck in his prime.

 

[tabness]

I'll take them as:

Malkin: got the best blend of size and finesse skills on top of hockey smarts, making him very era proof. Only knock is inconsistency (but part of that is him playing through injuries). He's the only player on this list who I think will end up underrated by the hockey world.

MacKinnon: got the wheels and the hands to mam plays at speed like "mach speed" as Pat Lafontaine called it. Perfect skillset for his era. Insane work ethic though and willingness to improve which would help in other eras as well. Also got decent size. The perfect player right? Unfortunately, unlike the other mach speed player of his era, McDavid, his head generally doesn't keep with his hands and feet, he plays too individualistically and forces stuff a lot, not utilizing the all world talent around him when he should. If he was just smarter, I'd think he'd be even better than McDavid given his physical gifts and work ethic.

Draisaitl: His stock rose for me this year as he again showed he can be the Oilers best player and for a long stretch of time this time (was probably the best player in the league this year). Good strength and size, very smart player, he has drastically improved his skating. The only player in group who can reliably score at distance. Inconsistency and laziness was an issue in the past but not so much this year, he is a big whiner and diver but while that's hateful, it works in this era.

Kucherov: He's an absolute genius no doubt, probably smartest, definitely smarter than MacKinnon, but just lacks the physical talents of the guys above him, and I feel of all these guys his stats are the most inflated, and he is the most era dependent.

Kane: Kroger brand Kucherov

 

[Fatass]

Tbf, if Mac was on a team with prime McDavid or Crosby, he’d be playing second fiddle too.

True. But he wasn’t. He was “the guy”. Different level of player than the second fiddle.

 

[GoldenKnight]

Good poll.

I would go with Malkin.

Came into the league as a star who was scoring over a point per game, had a few years where he was arguably the best player in the league, and even at age 39 is still a serviceable 2C. I can see how his injury history detracts from the luster a little, whereas other guys on this list have been very healthy.

 

[ponder719]

Hard to go wrong with any of them, obviously, but for me, tie goes to the C who won a Cup as the best player on his team. I’m taking MacKinnon.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Hard to go wrong with any of them, obviously, but for me, tie goes to the C who won a Cup as the best player on his team. I’m taking MacKinnon.

Makar won the Smythe the year they won the Cup

 

[ponder719]

Makar won the Smythe the year they won the Cup

And Sam Bennett won it this year. He's not the best player on the Panthers.

 

[M88K]

2nd best forward in the NHL
Dria

 

[Duffy13]

I like that there's no real bad answers, any team selecting any of these players is already off to a good start. Ignoring injuries, as they are starting over, I go Geno, heavily biased however.... Love MacKinnon's leadership and intensity and speed of play, and Drai's propensity for scoring and always being in the right spot. I would pick a Center over a Winger initially, but if having a competent center to work with and had to pick a winger I'd pick Kane, the way he was able to entirely takeover a game and play keep away from everyone on the ice and score at big moments was pretty impressive. No wrong answer in this poll, should be a lot of answers based on personal preference and biases.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Hard to go wrong with any of them, obviously, but for me, tie goes to the C who won a Cup as the best player on his team.

So, Malkin then?

He won the Smythe and the Ross the year the Penguins won their ‘09 Cup.

 

[Muffin]

So, Malkin then?

He won the Smythe and the Ross the year the Penguins won their ‘09 Cup.

Is Bennett better than Barkov?

 

[CokenoPepsi]

What era are they playing in?

Malkin/Kane never had those 130 point type seasons but I don't see why they wouldn't playing in this environment.

I'd probably go Malkin

 

[Hippasus]

Can Malkin's injury history be attributed to something in particular? Over-exertion, the physicality of the era in which his prime occurred, lankiness and frailty, poor decision-making, etc. Just curious before I vote because I used to only watch the Penguins occasionally.

 

[Goatlender]

All great. But only one during his career was (is) the guy. McKinnon is the “guy”. The others were all playing second fiddle to “the guy”.

Kind of a funny post when Makar won the Conn Smythe. I appreciate you were likely just discussing forwards, though.

 

[zar]

I voted Draisaitl because I’m more familiar. I would also take MacKinnon as well.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Barkov. But Malkin out of these options.

 

[the_fan]

Brock Nelson

 

[nowhereman]

Does "knowing what we know" include injuries? If not, Malkin for sure.

 

[geebster]

Fairly easy vote for Malkin since he came into the league as a superstar. He was also huge and had hands, score and pass. If Draisaitl came into the league as who he became then he'd be tough not to pick but Malkin was years ahead of them at the start.