Is Nikita Kucherov a Generational Talent? (Based on his NHL Career)

[benfranklin]

*one of three players in NHL history who's scored 30 points in back to back playoff runs

*Only player in NHL history who's scored 30 points in back to back Covid playoff runs.

Fixed it for you. Also playoff points isnt the flex you think it is. You get more credit for winning in less games. Get 30+ points winning in 16 games and then its a flex.

 

[Dust]

Kucherov was drafted in 2011, but didn't crack the roster for 3 more years where he played sparingly as a 4th liner. He soon vaulted up to "very good", but didn't reach peak Kucherov until probably 2017ish.

This basically explains why the answer is no.

 

[Hanji]

No. The general forwards since the 80s are:

Gretzky
Lemieux
Jagr
Ovechkin
Crosby
McDavid

 

[Voight]

*Only player in NHL history who's scored 30 points in back to back Covid playoff runs.

Fixed it for you. Also playoff points isnt the flex you think it is. You get more credit for winning in less games. Get 30+ points winning in 16 games and then its a flex.

COVID or not you still needed 16 games to win the cup. What does a pandemic have to do with his all time play-off performance?

 

[The Macho King]

This basically explains why the answer is no.

Without getting too deep in the weeds on this - Gordie Howe didn't become truly great until his like 22-23 year old season. He also wasn't particularly hyped. Good prospect but not "best player in the league" expectations.

Not saying Kucherov is Howe. I just don't like the idea of pre-draft hype and early dominance as necessary factors toward a player being "generational" or whatever. Just feels like a way to codify confirmation bias.

 

[Dust]

Without getting too deep in the weeds on this - Gordie Howe didn't become truly great until his like 22-23 year old season. He also wasn't particularly hyped. Good prospect but not "best player in the league" expectations.

Not saying Kucherov is Howe. I just don't like the idea of pre-draft hype and early dominance as necessary factors toward a player being "generational" or whatever. Just feels like a way to codify confirmation bias.

I think that's a bit of a reach, but I understand the point you're trying to make. Howe was in the ASG at 19 though.

 

[benfranklin]

COVID or not you still needed 16 games to win the cup. What does a pandemic have to do with his all time play-off performance?

It was watered the F down and guys putting in half efforts locked away in a bubble with a free final against the Habs who won the lottery soon after. It was the opposite of a normal year. Same with the year after in a shortened year with restrictions all over. Do you think Florida teams trained the same as Canadian? Covid 100000% affected everyone differently and many teams worse than others. So a a big asterisk no matter who won those years.

And the 30 points in a playoffs comes down to games played. You can win the Cup in 28 games or 16 games. Which is more likely to have 30 point scorers? The teams who couldnt win easily. So its not much of a flex to brag about 30 points.

 

[The Macho King]

I think that's a bit of a reach, but I understand the point you're trying to make. Howe was in the ASG at 19 though.

Literally a third of the league made the ASG.

 

[authentic]

This basically explains why the answer is no.

Well ultimately he is just not as good as players like Crosby and Ovechkin at their peak anyway.

 

[Chips]

He’s not generational, but in the tier right below. He’s still easily one of the best players over the last several years, and would probably have at least a couple more years well over 100 points, if not for health.

 

[bobholly39]

No. The general forwards since the 80s are:

Gretzky
Lemieux
Jagr
Ovechkin
Crosby
McDavid

His playoffs resume is #4 at worst on this list.
His individual top 2 peak season also ranks pretty high, or at least fits in nicely with the bottom 4 names.

I don't think he measures up to anyone in that list overall for career (I agree with you btw, those are the generational forwards since the 80s) - but I'm also not completely closing the door on it yet. His 2024 was spectacular - does he repeat that? Does he repeat it 2x over?

You never judge a player when he's right in the middle of his peak, because you never know what else he might still add.

 

[sensfan4lifee]

But Bobby Orr was?

Assuming McDavid ended his career today, he would be Bobby Orr stats wise and never really seeing him digress.

Orr did win two Cups, albeit a 14 team league then.

Bobby Orr won two scoring titles as a f***ing defense can you not comprehend how amazing a feat that is? Its only be done TWICE by a D-man both times only him. also 9 straight Norris trophies

 

[sensfan4lifee]

Kucherov is as good or possibly better then prime Ovechkin imo

No please delete you're account

 

[SwedishFire]

Yes. He is clearly the second best player after McDavid since about 5 years ago. The second best player of a generation is always a generational talent.

He carried the Tampa teams to cups. Yes, Tampa did have elite goaltending and defense but they didn't have an amazing 2nd forward. Stamkos is alright, but he was injured during a cup run and generally ineffective during the playoffs. As a result, Kucherov had to put the team on his back.

This is tricky. Because I feel canadians always leans to make their own homeboys to be generational players. And generational is generational, it isnt a couple of them.
Its a high bar for a generational.

For me I doubt Howe is generational, he was not consistenly leading scoring titles or such, he was more of a consistency top 10 in scoring and had longevity.

Orr, yes. But one could argue that Tretiak was generational, and so Kharlamov.
Was Roy generational? Hasek carried a team more than Roy did. So I make a call of canadian bias there.

Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr, Crosby, McDavid - yes, all generational. And so is Ovie, and maybe Kucherov. Kucherov is a beast, maybe he needs just two acoring wingers that puts in enough to make him surpass 150 points. Then...

 

[Sol]

Eh he’s ok

 

[Regal]

For me I doubt Howe is generational, he was not consistenly leading scoring titles or such, he was more of a consistency top 10 in scoring and had longevity.

I think you’re underselling him. Howe won 4 consecutive scoring titles by huge margins that only Gretzky bested, then won 2 more regular Art Rosses. He was top 5 in scoring (though one he tied for 5th -just for Video Nasty!) for 20 straight years. Only Gretzky has more scoring titles. He led the league in goals 5 times (only Ovechkin, Bobby Hull and Esposito did it more), and assists 3 times (only Gretzky, McDavid and Orr did it more). 6 Hart trophies (only Gretzky has more).

 

[Regal]

Without getting too deep in the weeds on this - Gordie Howe didn't become truly great until his like 22-23 year old season. He also wasn't particularly hyped. Good prospect but not "best player in the league" expectations.

Not saying Kucherov is Howe. I just don't like the idea of pre-draft hype and early dominance as necessary factors toward a player being "generational" or whatever. Just feels like a way to codify confirmation bias.

Yea I tend to agree with this. To some degree I get it because there’s a sense of being so good you can adjust to the new level right away, but it also allows for the idea that a guy could take 3 years to break out and then roll off 10 straight Art Ross/Hart seasons and still not be generational which is a bit ridiculous

 

[ManofSteel55]

My take on it is, if you have to ask if a guy is a generational talent, he isn't. Nobody asks if Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby, McDavid, etc were generational talents, because everyone knows they are.