Connor Bedard Vs. Macklin Celebrini

[Luigi Lemieux]

Still need to see more of Celebrini but he's been so impressive so far. Expect he'll be the better two way player, so the question is how much better will Bedard be offensively? If at all...

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

The timing for these comparisons are a little unfair in that Bedard is slumping and Celebrini is playing out of his mind––recency bias will always creep into these discussions in unavoidable ways.

But I do think these conversations and comparisons should be less of a knock on Bedard (who is a very special talent) and more of a knock on the lack of hype around Celebrini. It should have been obvious what kind of an exceptional prospect Celebrini was, yet a good number of people around here and in the media seemed to think he was more of a middle-of-the-road first overall.

I think there was some hype fatigue for Celebrini since he was right after Bedard, and Bedard while solid didn't exactly light the world on fire. So hype was more muted for Celebrini if even Bedard struggled (relative to hype).

 

[The Burdened]

Ovechkin without Backstrom isn't that great.

OV scored 52 goals and 106 points as a rookie with no Backstrom.
Ovechkin made Backstrom

 

[GrumpyKoala]

He just won rookie of the year with one of the best D+1 scoring seasons in recent memory. His struggles right now aren't 3 points in 15 games. He's a proven top 6 scorer in the NHL and is only 19 years old. Hard to believe he won't be scoring 100+ points and 40+ goals during his prime, if not sooner.

He trending for another 60 pts season just like last year, so purely from an analytic perspective, he pretty stable. I don't think he currently slumping hard, that just a reflexion of what he is as a player with some room to grow

The gap between 60pts and 100 is huge. 80 players did 60+ last year and only 9 made it to 100.
Now I am not debating if he can, maybe, but the current indicators are not also like its a given.

Same things for goals. Not everyone with talent get a 40 goal season, Only 15 players did that last year.

I don't see a trend where people generally underrate him, if anything I see a lot of people hyping the unrealized potential he as, extrapolating on how good at a point in the future he would be.

 

[Xirik]

OV scored 52 goals and 106 points as a rookie with no Backstrom.
Ovechkin made Backstrom

Are you saying that Backstrom didn't help Ovechkin at all.


people these days...

 

[gary559]

I think the draft hype and playing in a bigger market has put a lot of pressure on Bedard, Celebrini is in the opposite situation where didn't get nearly the hype and playing in an empty building. I think San Jose is a favorable situation and if the players were swapped teams you would see Bedard playing a lot better.

 

[Video Nasty]

I’ll cling to how Bedard had 9 goals and 13 points in his own first 13 games.

 

[ijuka]

Are you saying that Backstrom didn't help Ovechkin at all.


people these days...

Moving the goalposts? You said that Ovechkin without Backstrom "isn't that great."

Ovechkin rookie season team top scorers:

1. Ovechkin 52g 54a 106p
2. Zubrus 23g 34a 57p
3. Halpern 11g 33a 44p

Those were the top 3 on Caps for scoring. Did he need Backstrom?

 

[Xirik]

Moving the goalposts? You said that Ovechkin without Backstrom "isn't that great."

Ovechkin rookie season team top scorers:

1. Ovechkin 52g 54a 106p
2. Zubrus 23g 34a 57p
3. Halpern 11g 33a 44p

Those were the top 3 on Caps for scoring. Did he need Backstrom?

Barkov without Reinhart isn't as that great
Kane without Toews isn't as great
Ovechkin without Backstrom Isn't that great.

which is the higher %

That I felt like dunking Ovechkin or that I accidently put the wrong word there?

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

OV scored 52 goals and 106 points as a rookie with no Backstrom.
Ovechkin made Backstrom

Backstrom was a 4th overall pick, elite talent.
Ovechkin didn't "make" him.

 

[Leafidelity]

Celebrini just seems more well rounded to me

 

[x Tame Impala]

Bedard had a NASTY snipe tonight. Hopefully this means he’s snapped out of his slump and will start being the player the whole world knows he can be.

 

[TheLegend27]

Are you saying that Backstrom didn't help Ovechkin at all.


people these days...

No one is disputing that Backstrom’s playmaking obviously helped Ovechkin increase his production. He’s referring Ovechkin’s 2005-2006 season where he notched 52G & 106 points WITHOUT Backstrom. Pretty good for someone who “isn’t that great without Backstrom”.

There’s a huge difference between “isn’t as great” and “isn’t that great”. I’d agree if you made a typo and actually meant “isn’t as great”.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

Celebrini for me but I could see it going either way. I haven’t seen Bedard take over games the way I’ve already seen Celebrini do it.

 

[rockymtnoyster]

Bedard for sure, macklin still has a lot to learn bedard reminds me of a young Jack Eichel, and will be very entertaining to watch when they assemble a team around him!

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Honestly depends what your team is looking for. I also do think if you want a more well rounded player that Mack could be the guy, while if you're wanted the more top end player and points especially in fantasy land than it's Bedard all day long

 

[Canovin]

OV scored 52 goals and 106 points as a rookie with no Backstrom.
Ovechkin made Backstrom

People are forgetting how good Backstrom was

 

[GoldenKnight]

Moving the goalposts? You said that Ovechkin without Backstrom "isn't that great."

Ovechkin rookie season team top scorers:

1. Ovechkin 52g 54a 106p
2. Zubrus 23g 34a 57p
3. Halpern 11g 33a 44p

Those were the top 3 on Caps for scoring. Did he need Backstrom?

While I agree that Ovechkin without Backstrom is still "great", the 2005-06 season in particular was an exceptionally high-scoring season around the league; specifically, it was the highest scoring season of the first 20 years of the current millenium.

 

[Drumman44]

I just hope both teams have fun

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

bedard reminds me of a young Jack Eichel

Sorry but that might be the worst comparison I've ever seen. The two couldn't be more different.

 

[rockymtnoyster]

Sorry but that might be the worst comparison I've ever seen. The two couldn't be more different.

I meant that by he will continue to put up points regardless who he plays with..

 

[91Fedorov91]

Bedard for sure, macklin still has a lot to learn bedard reminds me of a young Jack Eichel, and will be very entertaining to watch when they assemble a team around him!

For sure Celebrini has a lot to learn cuz he's a rookie but he's winning puck battles on the boards creating a ton of zone entries. Macklin is him. Here's a good video on that.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I gotta say, I really like Celebrini. Just his personality, feels like he's going to be a fairly complete player and team friendly.

Bedard is ultra talented, but I'm not sure if he's going to be a superstar. For me he's closer to Jack Hughes than Crosby, McDavid and co.

But I don't know. Could just be one of those apples vs oranges type of comparison for years to come.

 

[NikolaTesla]

Barkov without Reinhart isn't as that great
Kane without Toews isn't as great
Ovechkin without Backstrom isn't as great.

Define "isn't as great" because you sound silly.