Yeah, and just because one player is a better skater, doesn’t mean he’s the better player. Everyone knows this. I’m not saying McKenna will be better than McDavid; I’m saying he’s better than McDavid was at the same age. That isn’t some crazy statement, especially considering the fact that the gulf in production is massive. Mckenna is outproducing McDavid at the same age by over 50%. That isn’t a trivial difference, and isn’t something you can just write off with the “points aren’t everything” argument. We are talking about two offensive forwards; if points aren’t everything, they are close to it.
F Gavin McKenna - Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL (2026 Draft)
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Mathieukferland
Registered User
Virtuoso performance tonight, 2 soft turnover in the first 120 secs of the game ironically but apart from that super high skill demonstrated throughout
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
He got a little bored later on, but was still dominant for the most part. Could have easily had 5 or 6 points
Bubbles
Die Hard for Bedard 2023
He did. But his shot has improved dramatically over the last year. Still not Bedard like but very good.
Looks like he put on 10 pounds of muscle since the end of the season. He's going to destroy the Dub this year.
BondraTime
Registered User
It’s a very crazy statement
And I’m pretty sure you’re comparing McDavids 15 year old season and McKenna’s 16 year old season.
In both of their 16 year old seasons:
McDavid
Reg Season- 56 gp 28g 71a 99p. 99 points was 4th in the league, his 1.77 ppg was 2nd.
Playoffs - 14 gp 4g 15a 19p.
WJ - 7gp 1g 3a
McKenna
Reg Season - 61gp 34g 63a 97p. 97 points was 12th in the league, his 1.59 ppg was 11th
Playoffs - 5gp 2g 4a 6p
Tavares put both of their 16 year old seasons to shame with 72 goals and 134 points, but there wouldn't have been anyone who said he was the better player or prospect than McDavid, and McKenna is probably getting called a better player and prospect than him by 50% or more of scouts and fans
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Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Sure, but then that means it was a great few years and like the next 10-15 you won’t have one, no?
Andy Dufresne
Registered User
- Jun 17, 2009
- 2,678
- 787
What it means is that generational has no functional meaning and never has.
Mckenna was 15-16 this past season. The season when McDavid was 15-16, he put up 66 points. In that 99 point season you are talking about, McDavid was 16-17. McKenna’s equivalent to that is this upcoming season.
BondraTime
Registered User
That’s not how seasons work…
McDavid played a 15 year old season as an exemplary status. MacKenna likely should have, but never received it. That was both of their 15 year old seasons. The one you’re using for McDavid. It’s literally so easily proven.
Then, they both played their 16 year old seasons, which means they are both eligible for the U17 tournament. That was the past season for McKenna.
McKenna isn’t eligible for the U17’s this year, because he aged out, because he’s in his 17 year old season.
Regardless, here they both are, best 16 year old seasons in the O and W, McDavids 99 and McKenna’s 97.
16-Year Old OHL Players - Regular Season Stats
16-year old OHL player stats. OHL player statistics segmented by age group.
www.quanthockey.com
16-Year Old WHL Players - Regular Season Stats
16-year old WHL player stats. WHL player statistics segmented by age group.
www.quanthockey.com
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Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Assuming you mean McKenna and not MacKinnon but otherwise your point is correct.That’s not how seasons work…
McDavid played a 15 year old season as an exemplary status. MacKinnon likely should have, but never received it. That was both of their 15 year old seasons. The one you’re using for McDavid. It’s literally so easily proven.
Then, they both played their 16 year old seasons, which means they are both eligible for the U17 tournament. That was the past season for MacKinnon.
MacKinnon isn’t eligible for the U17’s this year, because he aged out, because he’s in his 17 year old season.
Regardless, here they both are, best 16 year old seasons in the O and W, McDavids 99 and MacKinnon’s 97.
16-Year Old OHL Players - Regular Season Stats
16-year old OHL player stats. OHL player statistics segmented by age group.
16-Year Old WHL Players - Regular Season Stats
16-year old WHL player stats. WHL player statistics segmented by age group.
You’re needlessly complicating things and getting overly technical because their birthdays are a month apart. We are talking in practical terms, not some u17 tournament eligibility criteria. The fact is that Mckenna put up 97 points in 61 games in his D-2 season, while McDavid put up 66 in 63 in his. They both turned 16 midway through (Mckenna in December, McDavid in January) the seasons in question, so it’s a completely fair comparison, and makes much more sense than comparing McKenna from this past season to McDavid’s 99 point age 16-17 season.That’s not how seasons work…
McDavid played a 15 year old season as an exemplary status. MacKenna likely should have, but never received it. That was both of their 15 year old seasons. The one you’re using for McDavid. It’s literally so easily proven.
Then, they both played their 16 year old seasons, which means they are both eligible for the U17 tournament. That was the past season for McKenna.
McKenna isn’t eligible for the U17’s this year, because he aged out, because he’s in his 17 year old season.
Regardless, here they both are, best 16 year old seasons in the O and W, McDavids 99 and McKenna’s 97.
16-Year Old OHL Players - Regular Season Stats
16-year old OHL player stats. OHL player statistics segmented by age group.
16-Year Old WHL Players - Regular Season Stats
16-year old WHL player stats. WHL player statistics segmented by age group.
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
Nope. You play hockey with your birthyear. McKenna put up 97 points in his 16 year old season, McDavid put up 66 points in his 15 year old season. Yes, McKenna was extremely young in his 16 year old season (making it more impressive), but still his 16 year old season. McDavid was extremely old for his 15 year old season, but still 15 year old season nonetheless.
Mathieukferland
Registered User
The difference is, say, in McDavid’s 15/16 year old d-2 seaon, he was playing against 96s, 95s, 94s, 93s and 92s. 5 age groups older than him in the same league. McDavid put up 66 points in 63 games for 1.04 PPG.
In McKenna’s 15/16 d-2 season, he was playing against 06s, 05s, 04s and 03, only 4 age groups older than him. Granted, he is nearly on 08, but it’s still not counted as such.
His comparable season to McDavid’s first year in Erie was last year, and it is still very comparable. Smaller sample size, but he totalled 18 points in 16 games for 1.12 PPG at a much younger age (a year nearly) than McDavid in his comparable season
The more and more I watch McKenna though, the more and more I think he is the stylistic comparable of McDavid, with 10% less top end speed. But he isn’t a centre and doesn’t have McDavid’s bulk at the same age, so I still think he’s not “the next McDavid” more so than a “McDavid-style player”
Hockeyville USA
Registered User
McDavid style for sure. He's like a more advanced Kucherov (a bit faster than Kuch) at the same age.
well if you flip heads 8 times out of 10 does that mean you wont flip heads for the next 8-10 flips?
btw Crosby was drafted in 2005, Bedard in 2023, I'd say thats more than a generation between them. Just like with Ovechkin/Malkin/Crosby we could have Bedard/Mckenna/Dupont in a short span again given the near 20 year gap.
Makar and maybe even Hughes may be considered generational too. Thats 2-3 every decade. I wouldn't say thats over-using it when the players are breaking NHL records. You can have 2-3 generational talents for each generation.
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Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
But generational comes from generation. A Generation spans every 10 years. That's not generational you are talking about.
I dunno about where you live, but i am not seeing 10 yo's popping out kids around here. A generation is considered to be 20 years, even though people in the developed world, at least, are having kids much later. Certainly not 10 years.
If you are talking hockey, probably using the word "era" is more apt, i.e. Richard was the best player of the 40's, Howe, 50's, Hull 60's...etc.
4 points in two games at the Hlinka against two terrible teams while getting the most ice and PP time
To the points aren’t everything people, I agree but he was supposed to smash this tournament
To the points aren’t everything people, I agree but he was supposed to smash this tournament
BondraTime
Registered User
He is the best player, and making it look evident this tournament.
Anything above 10 points is smashing this tournament, there were just some unrealistic expectations put on him, "30 points easily" was brought up at one point in one of the threads which is obviously insane, but the expectations have been out of whack.
He should slide in nicely in the ~10+ point range with another 6-8 points over the next few games, he's a ridiculously good player, but he isn't "too" good to be playing with hhis peers, even though he's easily the best
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Mathieukferland
Registered User
Last night he was tame. He doesn’t really have anything to prove because of what he did at u18, but I think if they want to get the best of him they need to play him away from Schmidt. They are two players that look like they need the puck on their stick to succeed, and they don’t play well off each other. Schmidt seems to get tunnel vision sometimes.
As button mentioned I think they should reunited Desnoyers and Mckenna, who were excellent together at the u18
The tournament is 5 games total so anyone that thought he was getting 30 were insane. However, lots of people thought he would easily break the tournament scoring record as well. He has three games left against the best teams of the tournament. The easy games are behind him.
Also it’s easy to tell he is great but I don’t think he looks easily the best on the team and certainly not generational. Saying he looks the best is based on past performance, and “knowing” the player before the event, not performance in this tournament.
All this to say his last season was elite and I am sure he is going to be great but no need to hype him up more when his performance doesn’t warrant it.
If you are generational it doesn’t matter who you play with. You dominate regardless.
If he needs a different player to play with and look better, that’s an issue with the generational argument
Nothing left to prove? He is two seasons before his draft. He can’t live off the U18 performance only. He is going to have to continue to dominate every tournament and season to be generational. That’s what generational players do.
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Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
I think he’ll be top 3 or 4 easily at the end of the tournament and could end up leading it, but I think that you’d probably have taken him over the field to lead the tournament in points and it will be an upset and potentially not a great look for him if he doesn’t.
Three Swedes have 10, 8 and 8 points vs the same teams. So I think if a player has a chance to beat Michkov's scoring records, it'll be one of those Swedes. But they are 17, and Michkov was 16.
My bad, Stenberg is 16, he's still 2.5 months older than Michkov was, but it's a D-2 draft tournament for both.
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Hockeyville USA
Registered User
He's been quiet the past 2 games, especially away from the puck where he floats a bit. But once he gets the puck again, he shows some McDavid and/or Kucherov esque skill. Franchise type for sure, hope he puts it together to finish the tournament.
JackSlater
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2010
- 19,008
- 14,228
He looks pretty good. Expectations were excessive but let's see what he does in the games to come.
