Is Kopitar the most underrated player?

[TheTechNoir]

I'll try to refrain from typing more than a few sentences, and yes I know how stupid I am, etc.

Kopi's highest single season pt totals are 92 and 81. Favourably skewing stats to his benefit, summing stats from his rookie year until present, he has the 2nd highest GP - 4 behind Ryan Suter. 8th Highest goals. 4th highest assists. 5th highest points - Crosby, Ovie, Malkin, and Kane, in that order have him beat.

He has 2 cups, 2 selkes, 2 lady byngs, and a messier award. His first season was sub-50% face-off. His next 4 were in the 49.x range, including 49.9. And he has been 50+ since, including peaking around 2020 and having his best numbers besides that, ever since. His shooting % has consistently improved. Barkov got called underrated so much to the point it brings to question if there is anyone else more so, relatively speaking. Barkov got a lot of his due credit last year, thankfully. I don't really see much praise towards Kopi.

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[BLNY]

Of his generation? Probably. He's a complete player.

 

[Felidae]

I'd say Kopitar is well appreciated on here, especially the past few years.

Personally when it comes to Kopi's generation I'd say Getzlaf and Giroux are more underrated.

From what I've seen, Getzlaf seems to fade into memory a bit, and a decent amount of people seem to have a lower opinion of Giroux than is deserved.

 

[Il Stugotz]

I think David Krecji is the most underrated.

Kopitar is universally respected, consensus Hall of Famer. Maybe the most accurately rated player on here

 

[teugen]

For some reason we dont talk about him much but I dont think he is underrated.

 

[Toby91ca]

Great player, but not near the top, probably rated about right by most. Where do you think he’s rated, suggesting that he’s underrated?

 

[Kegs]

Under rating himself straight into the hall of fame. Pretty sure everyone considers him a perfect player.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Maybe generally but he’s certainly not underrated on here

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

can a likely 1st ballot HOF'er be called underrated?

 

[dirtydanglez]

no. consistently got praise on these boards his entire career

 

[Frosty415]

People always talk good about him on these boards

 

[Rodgerwilco]

He's definitely in the top 5 most underrated players of his generation in my opinion.

Not to be cliché but he's really one of those guys you can say he "plays the game the right way". He's skilled offensively, good passer and can score when he's got an opportunity, responsible defensively, 54-57% in the faceoff dot. No controversy, seemingly great leader. The quintessential hockey player you want in your franchise.

And this is reflected by his trophy case...
2x Stanley Cup Champ
2x Selke Award Winner
2x Lady Byng Award Winner

Add onto this that he's by far and away the leader in hockey in hockey history of his native Slovenia, he's an absolute legend. I can only imagine how many hockey players he inspired in his country.

 

[unicornpig]

Over the years I've heard posters say how much toews, tavares, giroux, getzlaf we're bettter. Hell even kings fans underappreciate him.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Over the years I've heard posters say how much toews, tavares, giroux, getzlaf we're bettter. Hell even kings fans underappreciate him.

Tavares, Giroux, and Getzlaf???

I can at least understand a Toews comparison. But I don't see how those other three stack up against a guy like Kopi.

 

[featherhawk]

1at ballot hall of famer, one team career, top 5 two way C in the recent decades with Toews, Datsyuk, Bergeron and a whole host of folks to round out the top 5 like yzerman/federov/sakic etc.

Early on and approaching the middle of his career Kopitar was underated however don't think that is the case anymore.

All time two way C's Kopitar is most certainly deserving to be in the conversation with the likes of Bob Gainey, Pavel Datsyuk, Patrice Bergeron and Bobby Clark.

Kopitar is a legend.

 

[Goose]

He's probably been labelled "underrated" as much as anyone on these boards, so he's not really underrated here, but with the general public he is.

Part of it is that there's no way to quantify how much of a difference his incredible two-way play makes.

It's very possible that there are situations where putting McDavid/Drai/Kuch on a team wouldn't lead to a cup, but putting him on it would.

Here are stats over the past 18 seasons since he's been in the league. Sure the guys above him have more points, but how do you value the fact that he has the lowest PIM and the highest SH TOI on top of the intangibles? Tough call.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm so glad to see Kopitar getting some belated love, but the last 1.5 years he's actually been properly appreciated on these boards, and this year at least he's getting props around the league from just about every telecast and person...it's like they see him close to his swan song and are giving him his due.

I think he was COMPLETELY underrated around these parts for most of his career but people are really starting to come around lately and I love it. I hope everyone watches some 2010s playoffs highlights to really appreciate him becasue this version of him is honestly a shadow of the type of player he was....he's still awesome don't get me wrong, but he's lost two steps and some strength...I think he button hooked in the zone more last night than the rest of his career combined. He used to hard charge the D like a running back hitting holes and just hold possession vs. 2-3 guys at a time. I always think of this shift...carries puck 200 ft from his own zone, nothing flashy, just carries and shields the puck and waits patiently for holes to open up. Basically hockey's version of Tim Duncan.

 

[Schennanigans]

He will forever haunt Doug MacLean.

 

[Connor McConnor]

I think we just had a poll a month ago in which Kopitar beat prime Kane. I would say he's definitely not overrated on here.

 

[rynryn]

one of the best, most consistent all-around players ever IMO. Not spectacular or butts-out-of-seats flashy but did everything at a high level for so long. as people have said it's only now when you consider the body of work that you realize how underrated he was.

 

[voxel]

For some reason we dont talk about him much but I dont think he is underrated.

I think he's vastly underrated. Who beat Kopitar for the Calder in his rookie season? Malkin. To me that was criminal.

Do folks consider Malkin and Kopitar at the same level or Kopitar better? If you think Malkin is a notch better... that makes Kopitar underrated.

 

[Mobiandi]

Yes. He’s better than Bergeron

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

He's getting the love lately but he was definitely underrated for much of his career.

 

[Mulletman]

No, Aho is the most underrated. The absolute disrespect that he got in the Staal jersey retirement thread and the thread discussing his hall of fame chances are absolutely disgusting...

 

[bland]

As someone who has seen nearly every game he has ever played, I can confidently say that the reason folks keep using the term "underrated" is not because he is under appreciated, but rather because he isn't really remarkable at the things that people use to traditionally "rate" players. He has never been a star producer, very rarely seen doing highlight reel types of plays, never an eye catcher.

The issue is rating what people want to see, not what Kopitar has done.