Is Thornton the most underrated generational talent?

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Great player. Not generational though.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Maurice Richard also says hi

What is Maurice "no art ross" Richard waiving at?

 

[Voight]

Maurice Richard also says hi

Not a generational player.

 

[Kalamazoo Wings]

I agree with the last part, I just don’t agree with grouping Benn in with Thornton (or the twins). He rightfully won the Ross in a low scoring season, but he’s never reached the level of play offensively the other 3 have, and seems to have less durability than they did.

For reference, Thornton scoring 101 in 02-03 as a 23 yo is throughly more impressive than Benin’s Ross season, imo.

The list isn't very long of Art Ross winners who followed up the next season with an Art Ross runner-up. Yes Benn finished 1st in scoring and followed it up by finishing 2nd the following year, so quit acting like it's some fluke or anomoly. Now quit downplaying Benn here, his peak was VERY impressive for a PF type.

 

[slapKing]

the only active generational players are crosby, ovechkin, and mcdavid. no more, no less.

 

[Jaska]

Joining Leafs made him generational. Wouldn't happen in California.

 

[RogerR]

Joining Leafs made him generational. Wouldn't happen in California.

Joining Leafs made him a washed up has-been actually.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

The list isn't very long of Art Ross winners who followed up the next season with an Art Ross runner-up. Yes Benn finished 1st in scoring and followed it up by finishing 2nd the following year, so quit acting like it's some fluke or anomoly. Now quit downplaying Benn here, his peak was VERY impressive for a PF type.

No, it’s not. Benn isn’t and will never be on the level of Thornton and the Sedin’s.

It’s a lot more impressive to lead the league in points in a higher scoring era than a lower scoring one.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Joining Leafs made him a washed up has-been actually.

You obviously didn’t read any Thornton threads around here in the past 10 years. They were calling him washed up before he scored a ppg and was an as2 at age 36.

 

[VanIsle]

Generational means you destroy the league.

I honestly don't see anyone in the league at this point as that player.

Certainly not Thornton at this point.

Pump those easy division Leafs tires with Luongos pump.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

He’s a generation older than many posters here, but not generational.

 

[Space umpire]

Joe Thornton is a good goal scorer also regardless of totals. He is underrated if he's not considered generational because he's the only player with 3+ 100+ pt seasons currently playing in the league where people on here are laughing at the generational label. That's the definition of underrated because all other current players with 3+ 100+ pt seasons are considered generational here

Generational players have 4 or more 100+ point seasons.

 

[Mulletman]

Generational players have 4 or more 100+ point seasons.

Well that's the thing. The NHL canceled Thorton's 4th 100+ point season with their lockout in 2004-05...

 

[Space umpire]

Anything more than Wayne, Mario and Bobby is debatable.

You're funny!

 

[Kreator]

GENERATIONAL????? LOL

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

No, it’s not. Benn isn’t and will never be on the level of Thornton and the Sedin’s.

It’s a lot more impressive to lead the league in points in a higher scoring era than a lower scoring one.

 

[Mattb124]

Generational passer, not a generational player.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

???

The year Thornton won he had 125. Jagr was 2nd with 123. The next closest player was Ovechkin with 106.

The year Benn won it with 87 there were 4 other guys in the 80’s.

Thornton (and Jagr) were so much better than everyone else the year Thornton won his Art (and Hart). Benn was just one of many who could have won it.

 

[McFlash97]

92 assists is post lockout record. Serious generational playmaking there. Combined with a 56 goal Cheechoo Rocket win over a 123 pt- 54 goal Jagr, and a 52 goal Ovi. Those guys didn't do anything like that. I know they are amazing players Sakic and Yzerman but I mean not like that stat.

Yzerman had a 155 point season buddy.

Jagr had a 149 point one.

Get of Thorntons jock.

 

[illpucks]

Yzerman had a 155 point season buddy.

Jagr had a 149 point one.

Get of Thorntons jock.

Jagr is generational talent. Yzerman did that in early 90s where scoring was really high

Thornton has 96 assists and 92 assists back to back. And how can you say that last sentence if you are on McDavid's?

 

[Mattb124]

Yzerman had a 155 point season buddy.

Jagr had a 149 point one.

Get of Thorntons jock.

Yzerman had 155 points and was a distant 3rd in scoring that year (Lemieux had 199 points). Are we really pretending the periods are comparable such that Yzerman's 3rd place result was so much more impressive than Thornton's 1st place finish because the number is bigger?

 

[McFlash97]

Jagr is generational talent. Yzerman did that in early 90s where scoring was really high

Thornton has 96 assists and 92 assists back to back. And how can you say that last sentence if you are on McDavid's?

When you call out posters with facts like I just did ...they start to move goalposts to reflect thier original uninformed post.
I think Thornton was a great player for about 3 seasons. The rest are average in relation to other superstars.

That does not make him generational guy

 

[Cenzhin]

Yzerman had 155 points and was a distant 3rd in scoring that year (Lemieux had 199 points). Are we really pretending the periods are comparable such that Yzerman's 3rd place result was so much more impressive than Thornton's 1st place finish because the number is bigger?

A distant 3rd place finish to some scrubs named Wayne and Mario something something. The next highest was riding shotgun to Gretzky, and after that it drops to 115 points.

 

[DFF]

when did he become generational?

 

[authentic]

A distant 3rd place finish to some scrubs named Wayne and Mario something something. The next highest was riding shotgun to Gretzky, and after that it drops to 115 points.

It's still dumb to say it was easily a better season. They are pretty close.