McDavid in the 80s

[psycat]

A lot of people here need to go look up videos of contemporary hockey players trying previous decades' gear, especially skates and sticks. The equipment has changed a lot more than the human body has in the past 30 years and is responsible for most of the gains in player speed. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of those guys were actually in really good shape, it wasn't their lack of athleticism holding them back.

This. Sure I can buy into that he would have way more points simply due to the scoring climate, say 50-goals 90-100 assists in peak years(And I think that's generous if not more) but that's also it, so far I might add. As I already said that's using and being adjusted to 80s equipment won't bother with dropping him there in modern equipment kind of scenario. Because by that logic I could transport myself back in the time and win battles on my own sitting in a tank, wouldn't make me a better warrior though.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

He wouldn't get as many breakaways with the red line and constant hooking.

This is a what a breakaway looked like in the 80s (or early 90s, close enough):

Just have to go further around him, it's whatever, McDavid would just be so unbelievably fast. It isn't like hooking stop the player or strip the puck away, just a nuisance.

 

[Future GOAT]

Just have to go further around him, it's whatever, McDavid would just be so unbelievably fast. It isn't like hooking stop the player or strip the puck away, just a nuisance.

But in the thread, we've learned that the fastest high IQ players with top notch vision just get gooned to death having their own speed used against them to kill them. Don't ask how Gretzky and others managed to survive.

 

[talitintti]

He wouldn't get as many breakaways with the red line and constant hooking.

There were massively more breakaways in the game in the 80s than there are now.

 

[Hockey Joe]

There were massively more breakaways in the game in the 80s than there are now.

You have numbers on that? Because I remember it quite differently.

 

[Crease Master]

he haz' too much speedz', nobody can hit McDavid he would dangle around them with his skill and speed. A dangerous hit would never land on him ever. Because speed.

Yes a dangerous hit would get him, because hooking.

 

[Panthera]

It would be an adjustment but the sheer speed he plays at would be a major game changer. He'd be able to at least compete with Gretzky...until the actual important part happens, which is people study the modern equipment he took back with him and replicate it so the entire league can start using it, completely changing the course of the NHL for the next few decades. I have to believe that in this bold new timeline, 2018 would be the year of cyborg camels finally being legally allowed to play center.

 

[alko]

And how about
Rantanen in the 80s?

 

[puckpilot]

Ever wonder how a modern player would do using 80's equipment? Wonder no longer because Oliver Ekman Larsson did it, and the results were interesting. His slapshot went from 92 mph to 69 mph, and he skated like... well... a skater from the 80's

Coyotes star Oliver Ekman Larsson tries on 80's equipment

 

[torniojaws]

He's out of the NHL in a few years because of all the huge hits and hard slashes he takes.

/thread

Just like Gretzky!

 

[Eat The Rich]

Pretty sure this creates a time paradox .

 

[BlueBaron]

Garbage. McD is about 5% better than the next guys. Gretzky was 80% better.

He'd be fighting guys like Yzerman for 3rd in scoring.

 

[blundluntman]

The answer to a question like this is pretty useless and obvious. Of course he’d do better than the rest with that kinda advantage. Now give guys like Gretzky and lemieux the same odds and things get interesting.

 

[Todd from Leduc]

He appears on a Prostars Cereal box. And has a Ken doll made of him.

 

[Amazinmets73]

Ever wonder how a modern player would do using 80's equipment? Wonder no longer because Oliver Ekman Larsson did it, and the results were interesting. His slapshot went from 92 mph to 69 mph, and he skated like... well... a skater from the 80's

Coyotes star Oliver Ekman Larsson tries on 80's equipment

Had he spent his entire life training with 70s and 80s equipment he'd obviously shoot harder than 69. Al Macinnis shot 100 with a wood stick, no?

 

[Amazinmets73]

The answer to a question like this is pretty useless and obvious. Of course he’d do better than the rest with that kinda advantage. Now give guys like Gretzky and lemieux the same odds and things get interesting.

Gretzy's game wasn't based off speed or elite edgework; he was the best playmaker in hockey history. Modern equipment would be far more beneficial to Lemieux

 

[SML2]

He gets put on the third line behind Gretzky and Messier. Or they make hom Gretzky's winger and he scores 100 goals and Gretzky becomes the only player to score 300 points in a season. Either way Wayne>>>>>>McD.

 

[Channelcat]

Mike Gartner would be the only guy who would get within 5 feet. He'd probably do 2000 points in 10 years.

 

[NiL8r87]

McDavid is the most talented hockey player of all time, so he'd dominate at an equal or higher level than Gretzky or Lemieux depending on his team. Whether he becomes the greatest is a question, but no doubt he's the most talented.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Current Mcdavid in the 80’s. we’re looking at easily 400 points

 

[habdynasty]

Imagine a speed demon like brad marsh trying to stop him lol. Go watch some early 80s game on YouTube. Man was the game slow back then.

 

[blundluntman]

Gretzy's game wasn't based off speed or elite edgework; he was the best playmaker in hockey history. Modern equipment would be far more beneficial to Lemieux

He had great edgework tho. A great part of his game was his elusiveness, agility and stamina. I do agree it’d help Lemieux much more but you’re always gonna benefit from being a better athlete

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Stop trying to make guys better than Gretzky.

It's never gonna happen no matter how much mental gymnastics we throw at it.

This is the 80s brah.

He's gonna be playing WITH Gretzky.

 

[puckpilot]

Had he spent his entire life training with 70s and 80s equipment he'd obviously shoot harder than 69. Al Macinnis shot 100 with a wood stick, no?

Yeah he did, but that's not the point. It's not that there weren't players that shot hard back then, but rather it was the exceptional individual that could do it to that degree. Composite sticks have widened the number of players that can generate that type of velocity.

Here's a TED talk discussing the question of are athletes really getting better? It uses sprinting as an example. Bottom line, no they're not. It's the equipment that's gettting better.

 

[SML2]

He gets so confused by the two line pass rule he goes offside almost every play. He turns into Rico Fata and has a short, insignificant career.