Nikita Kucherov is the clear favorite for the Art Ross Trophy

[bucks_oil]

Should be noted that Kucherov missed a game this season and will play up to a possible 81.

Hopefully all three main factors of the race play every available game to make this as interesting as it has been.

Good point and agree

 

[bucks_oil]

I think hes actually spending less time in his own end this year. McDavid has an absolute dominant 61% CF at 5v5 this year. But when hes attacking he is far more pass happy than the previous two years.

Was thinking about this the other night during McD's six-assist performance. It was viewable on Kane's goal...

But I think McDavid has been playing it safer this year both in terms of:
1) Protecting the puck/better odds of a goal... by making more use of his teammates after he creates a gap... so many tap-in passes that are sure goals vs driving the rest of the way past the defender and cutting across the goalie to score himself, and...
2) Personal safety. So many times younger in his career he would make that cross crease move and lose an edge or get plastered into the goalpost. I'm happy for him to give up a few of those goals and pass instead

He can beat you so many ways... as long as he's playing the type of excellent two-way hockey that he is now, I don't care what his points split looks like.

(I do think he is shooting less on the PP this year... it's change the dynamic a bit for the negative. Our PP runs better when both McD and Nuge are shooting after cutting in from the half wall more.)... checks stats, his lack of PP goals is certainly part of the equation.

 

[aylib]

I will say that besides the torrid pace he is on, he seems to have drastically improved his mental game— in the past he was routinely slashing, tripping, etc out of frustration and it seemed fairly easy to get under his skin.
He seems like a different guy this season, having left all that behind him.

 

[crowfish]

Imagine how many more points McDavid would have this year if the Oilers were not getting the 2nd lowest PP time share% in the league behind only the AHL San Jose Sharks...

I guess everyone plays very clean hockey vs them Which is a kind of hard to believe since they have the most dynamic player in NHL history on their roster, along with the fact that they are 4th in Corsi and 1st in xGoals%

 

[Sky04]

Kucherov is having a great season. Definitely one of the top players in the league. He deserves credit as well but just scoring points doesn't make you the best player in the league. McDavid dominates games unlike anyone else outside of about 2 or 3 players in NHL history, which is why no one else in the league career wise is even close to him.

Which is why he's won so many cups.

Oh wait, he dominates so much he's never even been to a final. How about those other 2-3 guys you mentioned, have they won any?

 

[crowfish]

Which is why he's won so many cups.

Oh wait, he dominates so much he's never even been to a final. How about those other 2-3 guys you mentioned, have they won any?

You obviously do not understand how team sports work. Barry Bonds didn't dominate the MLB either I guess

 

[Sky04]

You obviously do not understand how team sports work. Barry Bonds didn't dominate the MLB either I guess

How many of the top players of all time in their sport don't have a championship?

Must be a large amount since you're so defensive about it.

 

[crowfish]

How many of the top players of all time in their sport don't have a championship?

Must be a large amount since you're so defensive about it.

Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Sanders to name a few

 

[snag]

How many of the top players of all time in their sport don't have a championship?

Must be a large amount since you're so defensive about it.

Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Sanders to name a few

The greatest athletes who never won a championship

Here is a look at some of the peak performers of all-time that never finished a season as the last man or woman standing.

www.yardbarker.com

 

[ViD]

Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Sanders to name a few

Are they all baseball players ? Because I really have no idea who they are.

Jordans, Lebrons, Messis, Bradys of the world won it all

 

[snag]

Are they all baseball players ? Because I really have no idea who they are.

Jordans, Lebrons, Messis, Bradys of the world won it all

And basketball as we all know is about the most single player domination sport out there...except maybe golf

Every other sport victory is absolutely dependent on team more than basketball is and you won't win if yer surrounded by shit. Even if you are King Turd.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

ya, i dunno.

There is no doubt McDavid controls flow with that speed. The ironic thing for me, because I see this take a lot (and i dont disagree), is that ONE of the 'players in history' is assuredly Gretzky, who is exactly who Kucherov reminds me of. Not big or imposing, not particularly fast, no boomin slapper or 3rd liner grit/ferociousness. But, how quickly (both) can turn a loose puck into a scoring opportunity. I dont think anyone has seen the ice better than Kucherov, since Wayne, and he has the hands to hit the pass or shot immediately. In a way, I begin to wonder if he isnt, in fact, orchestrating the flow out there, as much as anyone. You have McDavid with speed, hands and vision, never tiring. Forsberg/Crosby model with endless grind, vision and strength on stick/skates, Lemieux/Jagr with the size and strength and silky hands, but i think Kucherov really does remind me Wayne(or Lidstrom actually) - like a chessmaster overtop of the board, rather than in it.

This is a great post.

You could take someone who doesn't know hockey to an Oilers or Avs game and within 5 minutes they could identify McDavid or Mack as superstars. They certainly stand out. Kuch's game is so much more subtle. It takes watching him for a while to realize that him looking "slow" or "disinterested" is really just him drawing the opposition into a position that opens a passing lane. Or realizing the blind passes through traffic aren't luck when he does it over and over again, game after game.

I think it's cool that in an era dominated by athleticism and speed there's still a guy competing with the best mostly by using his brain.

 

[Sky04]

The greatest athletes who never won a championship

Here is a look at some of the peak performers of all-time that never finished a season as the last man or woman standing.

www.yardbarker.com

So put McDavid with the Oates and the Thorntons is what you're saying. Cause I definitely don't see the Gretzkys and Lemieuxs on there.

 

[McFlyingV]

So put McDavid with the Oates and the Thorntons is what you're saying. Cause I definitely don't see the Gretzkys and Lemieuxs on there.

There's a reason why Gretzky didn't win again over 11 years when he didn't have 6 other hockey hall of famers on his team.

 

[Buck Naked]

There's a reason why Gretzky didn't win again over 11 years when he didn't have 6 other hockey hall of famers on his team.

This.

Instead his former teammates went on and won without him.

 

[Dingo]

There's a reason why Gretzky didn't win again over 11 years when he didn't have 6 other hockey hall of famers on his team.

There are three examples of the 'takes a winner to win' mentality being exposed for the nonsense that it is.

One is Wayne never winning without them WHILE THEY won without him.

Two is Hasek winning as a shell of himself and not as the most consistently dominant goaltender over an 8 year period that I have ever seen.

Three is Bourque literally being traded in hopes of winning a Cup, as an old (and effective) man vs 20 years as an alltime great dman.

People let their biases show - if you dont like McDavid, that winner card gets played and it is always in relation to another great player who DID win.

Instead of comparing two different players, someone please tell me that the version of Hasek or Bourque that won was the best form of that player. If you cant, in honesty with a straight face, say, "yes, 2002 Bourque was the best he ever was. He finally learned how to win" then you cant play that card for anyone if you are being consistent.

Unless one then says, "by learning to win I mean that he learned that going to a stacked team is the best way to raise probability of winning"

 

[BallardEra]

Hey guys. Stop the fighting and just enjoy the hockey and scoring race!

 

[authentic]

I am hoping for 100 assists this season but not sure if he can keep up his current pace.

He’ll get atleast 97

 

[Rschmitz]

All I've read for the past few pages are Oiler fans making the case that their team is doodoo without McDavid.

 

[Sentinel]

This.

Instead his former teammates went on and won without him.

Not before Gretzky knocked his former teammates out of playoffs in 1989.

Two is Hasek winning as a shell of himself and not as the most consistently dominant goaltender over an 8 year period that I have ever seen.

I sure hope you aren't talking about 2002 Hasek because he was one year removed from Vezina, was awesome that season, and was in the conversation for the Conn Smythe in those playoffs.

 

[Grifter3511]

If you could have one goalie for their entire career (ignoring salary), would you choose Corey Crawford or Henrik Lundqvist?

If anyone arguing Cups determine greatness chooses Lundqvist, then you're just plain biased and arguing in bad faith.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

I was caught stats watching and Kuch last games Stats are listed as 1g 2a 3p for +4

Help me out here.

 

[Grifter3511]

I was caught stats watching and Kuch last games Stats are listed as 1g 2a 3p for +4

Help me out here.

You get a + for being on the ice when your team scores a goal. You don't have to get a point. So he got 3 points, and was also on the ice when his team scored another.

Is that what you meant?

Edit: at even strength, I should add. You don't get a + when you score on the pp.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

You get a + for being on the ice when your team scores a goal. You don't have to get a point. So he got 3 points, and was also on the ice when his team scored another.

Is that what you meant?

I meant I should go to sleep
Ty

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Should be noted that Kucherov missed a game this season and will play up to a possible 81.

Hopefully all three main factors of the race play every available game to make this as interesting as it has been.

Hasn't really been interesting with McDavid as he's been 10 or more points behind the entire season. But kuch n mack yes it has been intriguing indeed