Personably I don't think that it's very close and Celebrini is going to end up with triple first place Calder votes than Michkov if both stay healthy or if the season ended today.
F Gavin McKenna - Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL (2026 Draft)
- Thread starter Artorius Horus T
- Start date
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Well, there you go.
Besides, Celebrini already hasn’t stayed healthy. Michkov has more points, and part of that is because Celebrini has missed games.
Can’t control who gets what number of votes. I can only give my opinion. I think there’s going to be a bias from the media towards an anointed superstar Canadian and against a Russian.
Staniowski
Registered User
The best scoring 17-year-olds in WJC history for Team Canada (since the start of the PofE):
Connor Bedard '23 - 23 points, 7 games
Eric Lindros '91 - 17 points, 7 games
Connor McDavid '15 - 11 points, 7 games
Mario Lemieux '83 - 10 points, 7 games
Sidney Crosby ' 05 - 9 points, 6 games
Macklin Celebrini '24 - 8 points, 5 games
It doesn't look like McKenna is going to keep pace.
Connor Bedard '23 - 23 points, 7 games
Eric Lindros '91 - 17 points, 7 games
Connor McDavid '15 - 11 points, 7 games
Mario Lemieux '83 - 10 points, 7 games
Sidney Crosby ' 05 - 9 points, 6 games
Macklin Celebrini '24 - 8 points, 5 games
It doesn't look like McKenna is going to keep pace.
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Just Linda
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Those are draft eligible years, that'll be the equivalent to McKenna's next year tournament.
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Staniowski
Registered User
No, the tournament is conducted (like minor hockey, CHL, etc.) based on calendar year (Jan 1 to Dec 31). The NHL draft has nothing to do with it. These are his age equivalents, including Lemieux who was also born late in the year.
His draft year is next year this is his d-1 besides look at the list McDavid and Crosby weren't as impressive as others but they turned out yo be generational talents
Just Linda
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Lindros has a February birthday. He would've been 16 years and 11 months at his first tournament, 17 and 11 months in the one listed.
Kinda weird to call him draft season tournament as the same age as McKenna's tournament from this year.
My bad, meant d and d-1
FDBluth
Registered User
My own thoughts from watching on TV:
- I don't know if it's his crouched style or his height stats are skewed (and I know he's skinny) but he looks like the smallest 6' player I've seen. he actually reminds me a lot of Gretzky who was also listed at 6', lol. He could still grow a bit too and he'll definitely fill out a bit.
- He makes a lot of soft, hopeful area passes. Maybe he's anticipating his teammates reading things that they don't with their supposed higher level of skill, maybe he's just wanting to get everyone involved, not hog the puck too much etc. Can definitely be attributed to youth though I think. Once he figures out how to take the reigns a bit more and make more direct plays he'll start dictating things more at this level
- His shot is definitely still the shot of a kid who was 16 a few days ago. Can improve that a lot.
- His WHL highlights make him look like the fastest junior player in the world, but his speed stands out a lot less when the competition level is higher. He will definitely get faster but after seeing his WHL stuff I was thinking he may almost get close to McDavid-level skating. Now I'm not so sure. But his quickness and change of direction is really exceptional regardless.
He his a high skilled playmaker who overpasses he has to get paired with a trigger man or learn to go in himself and improve that shot
Sure but that matters less over 82 games than it does with 40 (the 12 games missed).
Man that's really weak and if the points are close the 2 way game of celebrin in less games will be the difference not their nationality.
In the last 9 years the Calder has been won 2 times by russians, once by a German, 2 times by an American, once by a Swede and 3 times by Canadians.
I'm not seeing a ton of bias there.
BondraTime
Registered User
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
Just Linda
Registered User
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Excellent contribution, you explained yourself entirely.
But seriously, of course it is. McKenna doesn't get drafted for another year, it's better to compare his numbers to the players of the same age group rather than the one above him. Of course he doesn't put up as good numbers to the best kids who had an entire season extra of development.
BondraTime
Registered User
Yes, why use the same factors that the IIHF uses when classifying players for the tournament. Or how any other Junior league classifies players. How silly that would be.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
McKenna is three months younger than Matthew Schaefer. They were both born in 2007. Both players are in the midst of their second full CHL seasons. Thus, they should be directly compared as age-mates.
The mid-September birthday cut-off for the NHL is complete arbitrary and meaningless to player development. The only reason it exists is to ensure that 17 year olds can't play NHL games.
The January 1st age-year cut-off is much more meaningful, as guys have played at various levels of hockey for their whole lives based on this cut-off. For example, Porter Martone is in his third full CHL season, as he is an October 2006 birthdate. Thus, he would be expected to compete with the likes of Dickinson and Catton on this team. His extra year of CHL time prior to being drafted should put him ahead of 2007-born Matthew Schaefer in terms of development. James Hagens is playing his draft year in the NCAA as a natural consequence of being a December 2006 birthdate, having played two USNTDP seasons with his 2006 age group. Celebrini played his draft year in the NCAA as a result of accelerating his schooling and playing in the NCAA at 17, a year ahead of what the rest of his 2006-born age-mates were doing.
Make sense?
Just Linda
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You can play that game both ways.
McDavid has a January birthday, he would've been about a year older than McKenna at the same age.
Lindros has a February birthday, his stats listed there would be when he was 11 months older than McKenna is now.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
No, it can't. Because January 2006 birthday and December 2006 birthdays have played together their whole development.
You're being purposely obtuse at this point.
Mathieukferland
Registered User
Tough tournament, was still one of Canada’s most dangerous players and finally looked unshackled when he was separated from Pinelli. But you could tell the strength of older players posed an issue for him at times. Excited to see what the future has in store for him, would love to see him back at the u18 if MH doesn’t get far
jj cale
Registered User
Ice time / deployment / line mates matter. I don’t wanna hijack the thread either but yeah, there’s a lot of very, very huge factors at play here. But agree he’s a great young player.
Very simple way to look at it, Mckenna is eligible for two more WJC tournaments. His draft year, McDavid was eligible for two more tournaments.
Assuming McDavid played 4 years at the WJC, and Mckenna plays 3, how would you compare their years. Simple, their last years of eligibility would be compared, 1 more year of eligibility years compared, etc. McDavids first year would just be a bonus year.
Exchange all the teammates, vibes and etc from Bedard and McKenna's year and it won't be 23 points for Bedard and 1 for McKenna.
I agree Bedard would have put more points than McKenna this year, but never like he did (23 points). This year, the team was without flavour compared to the Bedard's group.
I agree Bedard would have put more points than McKenna this year, but never like he did (23 points). This year, the team was without flavour compared to the Bedard's group.
