Joe Thornton vs Leon Draisaitl. Better player?

[OverTheLine]

I think Joe Thornton is being a bit underrated here. He scored more points than anyone else in the 2000s. Having a decade point record is a pretty impressive feat. The counting stat comparisons will never be fair given the fairly different eras they played in, but I think Thornton was a better fit for his league and Draisaitl is a better fit for his.

 

[Sanderson]

Draisaitl came into the league as a playmaking center with his passing being his biggest asset, he literally developed his goal scoring playing with McDavid because of circumstance and role.

Given Thornton's own talents, it's not exactly hard to see him continue to develop and be a 50 goal scorer, he was trending that way in Boston, even with his linemate situation (isn't like Glen Murray could set him up that well).

Got his face caved in by Lindros, became more of a perimeter player, yada yada.

No, he didn't develop his goal scoring because of McDavid. You don't magically develop a great shot and become a sniper just because you play with someone who can pass the puck (that doesn't even take into account that he often wasn't even playing with McDavid). A very good goalscorer can improve his output by playing with a great playmaker, but he still needs to be a goalscorer in the first place. That comes from having the talent for it, working on it, and developing the mindset for it.

Glen Murray was a good goalscorer, Joe Thornton just managed to get a bit more out of him than before. Jonathan Cheechoo showed what he was capable of when he scored 28 goals playing on the third line with hardly any pp-time. Thornton just managed to be the right fit for him. Dany Heatley didn't get any such improvement, because he ws already an elite goalscorer who had played with a great playmaker in Spezza before.

Joe Thornton never had the mindset to become a 50 goal scorer. He simply wouldn't shoot enough for that. He also wasn't "trending that way" in Boston either. His peak goalscoring seasons still lacked the volume of shots necessary, and relied heavily on the powerplay working much better than in other years. E.g. he scored more pp-goals in his best goalscoring season than in the following two seasons combined. There wasn't really more room to grow from that, not with his shot-volume being what it was. The one year he actually shot a bit more - though still not enough for 50 - his shot-percentage dropped significantly, and his output was nowhere near his peak goalscoring.

 

[Lolaimbot]

Draisaitl is a better passer on his back hand than his forehand, it’s why he’s so hard to defend

Watching this might give someone a crazy idea that maybe, just maybe McDavid and Draisaitl both benefit from each other. Aftermath is like post nut clarity when you realise that McDavid is just carrying this scrub.

 

[Regal]

Saying he wouldnt score 50 is just speculation.

As far as Draisaitl or the topic of the thread goes, I have no opinion because I dont pay enough attention to Draisaitl.

I just like to stick up for my boy JT because its obvious that many on these boards have strong opinions of him without ever having paid attention to his game.

I mean if you’re going to call it speculation to say a player who scored 30 goals twice and topped out at 37 wouldn’t score 50 then just about everything is speculation.

 

[Regal]

Draisaitl came into the league as a playmaking center with his passing being his biggest asset, he literally developed his goal scoring playing with McDavid because of circumstance and role.

Given Thornton's own talents, it's not exactly hard to see him continue to develop and be a 50 goal scorer, he was trending that way in Boston, even with his linemate situation (isn't like Glen Murray could set him up that well).

Got his face caved in by Lindros, became more of a perimeter player, yada yada.

Maybe Draisaitl would have been more pass-heavy if he never played with a player like McDavid, but I think you’re underrating the work he’s done to hone his skills here. Very few players would develop into the shooter Draisaitl has become and it’s unlikely Thornton would have done so either. He definitely changed his game after Lindros beat his face but even if he didn’t, his two big goal scoring years were likely more the range we might have saw from him: 35-40. He didn’t shoot enough and already had high PP totals those years that were unlikely to go up. Draisaitl meanwhile has averaged 51 goals per 82 over 7 seasons now.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Saying he wouldnt score 50 is just speculation.

As far as Draisaitl or the topic of the thread goes, I have no opinion because I dont pay enough attention to Draisaitl.

I just like to stick up for my boy JT because its obvious that many on these boards have strong opinions of him without ever having paid attention to his game.

Sticking up for Thornton is one thing. Saying he'd also score 50 goals next to McDavid is another.

There is nothing in how Thornton played the game that suggests he'd be a 50 goal scorer. His entire mindset was pass, pass, pass. That was almost one of the criticisms of him is that he's too predictable. You know he's going to make that extra pass even when he has a clear shot on net.

 

[CupofOil]

Draisaitl is just as good a playmaker and a far better goal scorer, plus he's a far better playoff performer. I don't think there's any doubt who is better

 

[hockfan1991]

How much of Leon’s success comes from playing with McDavid?

Did Thornton ever get the luxury of playing with someone of the caliber?

Nope he just turned regular guys into Rocket Richard winners and made borderline pressbox players 20 goal scorers.

 

[hockfan1991]

Is that you Joe?

surely Joe would spell his name correctly

 

[Gerulaitis]

I think it is clearly Draisaitl

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Sticking up for Thornton is one thing. Saying he'd also score 50 goals next to McDavid is another.

There is nothing in how Thornton played the game that suggests he'd be a 50 goal scorer. His entire mindset was pass, pass, pass. That was almost one of the criticisms of him is that he's too predictable. You know he's going to make that extra pass even when he has a clear shot on net.

Exactly. He would pass if he was looking at an empty net. Thornton had a great shot but wouldn't use it.