Is Leon Draisaitl on pace to be the best non-“big six” nation hockey player ever?

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There’s a big six in hockey of Canada, USA, Russia, Czechia, Sweden, and Finland that have produced most of the best players of all time, including most of the best current players.

Is Leon Draisaitl on pace to become the best hockey player ever from another country?

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[Coffees]

He already is I'd say, dudes my favorite player behind Quinn Hughes and I just admitted it right now

 

[JackSlater]

He probably already is, assuming Mikita doesn't count. It's Draisaitl vs the best Slovakians and I'd already put him ahead of Statsny or Hossa or Chara.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Depends on how you value the best Slovaks, namely Chara and Hossa

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Assuming you meant big 7 (Slovakia), he already is the best. Second to Draisaitl would be Kopitar.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Assuming you meant big 7 (Slovakia), he already is the best. Second to Draisaitl would be Kopitar.

To clarify, I meant big six. Slovakia was left out.

 

[MessierII]

To clarify, I meant big six. Slovakia was left out.

Why? Slovakia is as legit as the Czechs

 

[Coffees]

To clarify, I meant big six. Slovakia was left out.

Why though ?

 

[DitchMarner]

Yes. He'll definitely surpass Stastny, Kopitar, Chara and Hossa if he hasn't yet.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Why? Slovakia is as legit as the Czechs

Why though ?

The “Big Six” is an actual term in hockey.

Big Six (ice hockey) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Slovakia is not without its honors, but the majority of the talent from the former Czechoslovakia came from the Czech side. In the modern era, Czechia has consistently been ranked above Slovakia in the medal tables.

 

[Letsdothis]

I'd rather build a team around Kopitar than Draisaitl.

 

[MessierII]

The “Big Six” is an actual term in hockey.

Big Six (ice hockey) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Slovakia is not without its honors, but the majority of the talent from the former Czechoslovakia came from the Czech side. In the modern era, Czechia has consistently been ranked above Slovakia in the medal tables.

I don’t think that’s fair. Czechs had a good generation in the 90’s led by the Jagr and Hasek but the next generation the Slovaks were better with Chara, Hossa, Gaborik, Halak. Since then neither country has done great relatively speaking.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I'd rather build a team around Kopitar than Draisaitl.

Same.

 

[Rorschach]

Kopitar is two-time playoffs leading scorer while playing Selke-level defense and won the Cup twice with one time being the captain. Both Cup runs he garnered many Conn Smythe votes

Draisaitl has placed third in playoff leading scoring and only once. He has scoring numbers but while playing behind McDavid.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Definitely wins best German. The hockey Übermensch if you will.

I still like Chara and Kopitar more as complete hockey players. Leon certainly a prolific producer but to me he cheats the game a lot. Talent wise he'd rank high but actually plenty of talented players have played in this league, and not very many of them a sizeable chunk of their on ice career with a fwd like McDavid. I'm also contractually obligated to hate all things Oilers so grain of salt etc.

 

[BlueBaron]

He probably is. I'm trying to think of other national bests. Vanek for Austria? Antropov for Kazakhstan? I think Grobovski was Belarusian? I guess it's him or you favorite Slovak.

 

[JPT]

Definitely wins best German. The hockey Übermensch if you will.

I still like Chara and Kopitar more as complete hockey players. Leon certainly a prolific producer but to me he cheats the game a lot. Talent wise he'd rank high but actually plenty of talented players have played in this league, and not very many of them a sizeable chunk of their on ice career with a fwd like McDavid. I'm also contractually obligated to hate all things Oilers so grain of salt etc.

 

[CanadienShark]

So his competition is:

Chara, Hossa, Josi, Kopitar? I'd say he's trending to be, if not already.

 

[bobholly39]

Someone mentioned Mikita. I don't think he counts - if he did count, probably not (though I'll say not completely impossible Drai could surpass him - never discount a player in the midst of a peak peaking so high).

After him it's definitely yes - he already is #1.

I have someone like Peter Forsberg or Malkin pretty close all-time. Around ~50th or so, give or take. I'd say Draisaitl is in that range, or close.

None of the other names mentioned in this thread - Hossa, Chara, Kopitar are close.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

He probably already is, assuming Mikita doesn't count. It's Draisaitl vs the best Slovakians and I'd already put him ahead of Statsny or Hossa or Chara.

Why would Mikita not count?

 

[Dirty Dog]

HASEK!!!!!?

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Mikita is the answer here

 

[JackSlater]

Why would Mikita not count?

He was a Canadian who had never played hockey before arriving in Canada as a child. It is pretty uncommon that Mikita would be counted as a Slovakian player, despite his birthplace.

 

[BraveCanadian]

There are good arguments that he already is.. only a couple of players I can think of that are in competition depending on how you draw the lines about eligibility.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

He was a Canadian who had never played hockey before arriving in Canada as a child. It is pretty uncommon that Mikita would be counted as a Slovakian player, despite his birthplace.

Mikita was not a canadian. None of his family were born in canada. He moved to canada at 8 living with his aunt n uncle who had moved from slovakia to canada. Just because you learn a sport in a different country doesnt make you from said country.
What he can be called is a naturalized canadian but no he is slovakian first n foremost which he himself said.