He’s easily top 10. I don’t care about the Cups. We always hear that hockey is a team sport and then McDavid detractors cite it as a reason he’s not a top NHL player ever. McDavids individual skill level is transcendent, above and beyond other players we’ve seen since like a Bure. Watch the players, don’t just consider their team accolades. McDavid is not holding his team back in any way
Is McDavid Top 10 For You All Time Already? If Not How Much More Does He Have to do?
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McVespa99
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- May 13, 2007
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In 569 games? He is a top 10 player for me already but he needs to keep up his production for at least 7 or 8 more years to have a top 10 career.
He is trending for a top 10 of all time and rather easily given his age and even just decent health but he isn't there yet IMO.
I guess if his career ended today he would be around 50th place ALL TIME give or take some 1--15ish spots either way or top 20ish for centers maybe?
He doesn't need 7 or more 8 years of current production to break into the top 10 as the previous guy mentioned that would put him firmly in the Big 4 argument which he might reach.
I guess if his career ended today he would be around 50th place ALL TIME give or take some 1--15ish spots either way or top 20ish for centers maybe?
He doesn't need 7 or more 8 years of current production to break into the top 10 as the previous guy mentioned that would put him firmly in the Big 4 argument which he might reach.
Hockeyholic
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I agree.
He is 26 and likely has a decade left at minimum. Barring injuries. Trending is right word. Just not there...yet.
I am willing to go as far to say he is a first ballot HHOFer. Which is quite an accomplishment after only seven years.
Would anyone take Joe Thornton over McDavid due to JT's long career. Or is McDavid already above him?
Curious about Toews, Hawerchuk, Stastny, and Savard too.
Agree with all of this and Draisatl is also a HHOF first balloter if his career ended today.
Hockeyholic
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Agree on Draisaitl.
Edmonton either got very lucky or MacTavish did alot of scouting before drafting him. At the time, the Flames draft table cheered wildly because Edmonton passed on Calgary's guy Bennett.
I remember watching that draft and thinking it was pretty good that a German went top three. I was hesitant to think he would be even a very good player.
McFlash97
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- Oct 10, 2017
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Want what ? I'm confused here. 5 art ross trophies multiple Harts and Lindsay's and a ppg In the top 3.
But he would need another 7 or 8 more years to crack the top 10 ? What you smoking man ? Seriously
WarriorofTime
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- Jul 3, 2010
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He went 3rd overall in the NHL Draft after being top 5 in WHL scoring as a draft-eligible player. It wasn't like they had to go to some obscure German village to find a player nobody had heard of before. It wasn't some major scouting heist, just a player at the top of the draft board that did even better than expected. If they hadn't taken him one of the next 2-3 teams max would have.
If he wins the cup this year I think it puts him in the top 10. It's the Oilers to lose at this point. I don't see which of the remaining teams can stop them. If not then not yet in the top 10 for me.
Hockeyholic
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HFpapi
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You guys can't be serious with statements like these. Why does he need the simple passage of time and games played for his greatness to be evident? You're "willing" to say he's a 1st ballot HOFer? He has 5 Art Ross trophies and soon to be 3 MVPs. That stopped being a question a long time ago.
You're curious if he's passed guys like Toews and Hawerchuk? Genuinely can't tell if that's a troll. The question at this stage is how close is he to passing Howe.
ScaredStreit
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McDavid is probably top 10, definitely 15-20.
But close to passing Howe? How so?
Art Ross:
Howe-6
McDavid-5
Hart:
Howe-6
McDavid-2 (should be 3 after this year)
Richards:
Howe-5 (if the trophy existed then)
McDavid-1
All time Goals:
Howe-3rd
McDavid-214th
All time Assists:
Howe-10
McDavid-132nd
All time Points:
Howe-4
McDavid-148th
Stanley Cups:
Howe-4
McDavid-0
I had the same feelings about Drai and my background is German, watched him play with Kelowna in the memorial cup and frankly wasn't all that impressed.
A good friend of mine was really high on him and once Leon became a bigger skater he turned out to be as good as my friend had advertised and he is making a real playoff legend with his career so far IMO.
I'm not smoking anything as I was referring to this quote but couldn't add it after I forgot to quote it.
norrisnick
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He's gotta get by Lemieux first.
norrisnick
The best...
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While I agree completely with Howe being higher ranked than McDavid, using counting stat rankings is the wrong tactic here. Peak vs Peak, Howe is still ahead. That he tacked on 15 more seasons at top 5 scoring seasons is just a cherry on top.
More telling than being 4th all time in points is that in Howe's 5th season he broke the single season scoring record. Then matched it the following year. Then shattered it the following year in part of a 4 year run unmatched until Gretzky came along. Don't give them the easy argument of "Howe just played for forever". Howe was dominant to a degree that only Gretzky, Orr, and maybe Lemieux can touch.
Overall career rankings are always judged based on longevity and accomplishments but McDavid is trending easily into the top 10 right now. Based on pure skill, talent, and performance he's one of the greatest and truly elite ever right now.
Weztex
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- Feb 6, 2006
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One could argue that none of Toews, Hawerchuk, Stastny and Savard are cracking the top-100 players ever (they're not in mine). At this point, I'd have Draisaitl ahead of any of those 4. Guys like Esposito, Mikita and Lafleur are the ones McDavid should be compared to at this point.
We should stop referring to the NHL top-100 as some kind of authority list. It's been put up by a bunch of guys whose knowledge in hockey history don't exceed their own existence. Mats Sundin? Really?
This is the most absurd standard- judge a players greatness by his ability to win a team championship. It's hockey, both tennis or golf.
Are Yvon Lambert, Doug Jarvis, Mario Tremblay, John Tonelli, Dave Hunter greater players than Marcel Dionne, Gilbert Perreault, Jeremy Roenick, Mats Sundin?
Is Andy Moog one of the best goaltenders of all time because he sat on the bench for three Cup victories?
Is it McDavid's fault the Oilers can't find a decent goalie?
Dumbest argument for or against how great a player is.
Brookbank
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- Nov 15, 2022
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He's one of the best one on one players ever. Probably the best ever. Is he the best complete hockey player ever ? No. Not really. Crosby makes his teammates better, Crosby is just a better complete player.
You sure about that?
Also yes he’s top 10 now just based on individual trophies. The amount of players that have more are less than 5.
Hockeyholic
Registered User
I had a feeling the goalie comment would be bumped lol.You sure about that?
Also yes he’s top 10 now just based on individual trophies. The amount of players that have more are less than 5.
I can't put him ahead of forwards like Esposito, Beliveau, Trottier, Bobby Hull, Jagr, Richard brothers, Crosby, Ovechkin, and Messier. At least not yet. But he is trending to surpass many in that list.
A lot of them got lucky with good teams. I look at individual awards and McDavid is easily top 5. But everyone has different requirements for placement.
Breakfast of Champs
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- Apr 15, 2007
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If McDavid retired today I might have a hard time placing his *career* ove the likes of Sakic, Yzerman, Kane, and Malkin given that they all played extremely important roles in multiple Stanley cups to go along with the longevity and counting stats + individual awards etc.
I would say it is all but assured he passes that group, even without a single cup assuming he can play long enough to accumulate 1500+ pts (that's actually quite a low-end projection but anything can happen). I would say he is certainly not above the Messier/Crosby/Lidstrom/Ovechkin/Jagr tier and likely would need at least 1 cup to pass those guys given their individual and team dominance + longevity. Without a single cup he is probably going to be somewhere in that category no matter what he does individually, at least in "public opinion".
As it stands he's not top 10. Going off just guys who have played since the 90s he is below Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby, Ovechkin, Messier, Yzerman, Sakic, Jagr Malkin, and Kane. Obviously they are before my time but I don't think anyone is ranking him over Howe, Orr, Lafleur, Beliveau, Hull, Richard etc. That's 16 guys I can say for sure right now in terms of career and all time ranking he is below.
Personally I think he will likely pass Kane , Sakic, Yzerman, and Malkin so long as he can just hang around, even if his play drops off a level. Catching Crosby/Ovi/Messier/Lidstrom/Jagr is not guaranteed but also very possible. All in all I would say there's about an 80% chance he ends up top 10 all time with the possibility to even get into the top 5 because the talent is there.
I would say it is all but assured he passes that group, even without a single cup assuming he can play long enough to accumulate 1500+ pts (that's actually quite a low-end projection but anything can happen). I would say he is certainly not above the Messier/Crosby/Lidstrom/Ovechkin/Jagr tier and likely would need at least 1 cup to pass those guys given their individual and team dominance + longevity. Without a single cup he is probably going to be somewhere in that category no matter what he does individually, at least in "public opinion".
As it stands he's not top 10. Going off just guys who have played since the 90s he is below Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby, Ovechkin, Messier, Yzerman, Sakic, Jagr Malkin, and Kane. Obviously they are before my time but I don't think anyone is ranking him over Howe, Orr, Lafleur, Beliveau, Hull, Richard etc. That's 16 guys I can say for sure right now in terms of career and all time ranking he is below.
Personally I think he will likely pass Kane , Sakic, Yzerman, and Malkin so long as he can just hang around, even if his play drops off a level. Catching Crosby/Ovi/Messier/Lidstrom/Jagr is not guaranteed but also very possible. All in all I would say there's about an 80% chance he ends up top 10 all time with the possibility to even get into the top 5 because the talent is there.
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