Nikita Kucherov is the clear favorite for the Art Ross Trophy

[MacMacandBarbie]

Those two people have terrible takes lol hilarious that you use them as your argument.

Yeah it is so funny. I can't stop laughing.

No hockey analyst's opinion is going to be enough for someone that doesn't share the same views.

So you tuned into Hedmans 1000th game while announcers were busy hyping Hedmans importance to the team, and you took that as confirmation that he is the best player for the Lightning? Your research method is flawed, you are hearing what you want to hear. Hedman is important like Draisaitl is important, now imagine some idiot saying he's better than McDavid. Stop

I have tuned into Hedman's entire career, and casually brought up examples of analysts that agree with my opinion. But please, tear down my opinion without forming a coherent one of your own.

Hedman is a Norris trophy winner and MVP of the playoffs with the lightning on the way to one of their cups. I don't agree with your comparison. He is much closer to a Keith/Kane relationship than a Drai/McDavid one.

 

[Video Nasty]

Let’s kick back and enjoy that we’ll know what Kucherov did already today before the Oilers go head to head with the Avs tonight.

Any predictions for what the scoring race will look like by the end of tonight?

Here’s mine:

MacKinnon +1 point for point #116 (will tie Forsberg for 3rd most points by a player since the move from Quebec to Colorado)

Kucherov +2 points for point #114 (will be his new second personal best points in a season)

McDavid +4 points for point #110 (will leap frog Robinson and Muller and tie Zetterberg for 107th on the all-time points list).

Yes, I think Skinner and the rest of the Oilers will do their part to contain MacKinnon to a point to help McDavid in his quest to keep a hold on his Art Ross reign.

 

[Regal]

So you tuned into Hedmans 1000th game while announcers were busy hyping Hedmans importance to the team, and you took that as confirmation that he is the best player for the Lightning? Your research method is flawed, you are hearing what you want to hear. Hedman is important like Draisaitl is important, now imagine some idiot saying he's better than McDavid. Stop

There definitely was an argument for Hedman though. He just isn’t the same player he was in 2020.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Let’s kick back and enjoy that we’ll know what Kucherov did already today before the Oilers go head to head with the Avs tonight.

Any predictions for what the scoring race will look like by the end of tonight?

Here’s mine:

MacKinnon +1 point for point #116 (will tie Forsberg for 3rd most points by a player since the move from Quebec to Colorado)

Kucherov +2 points for point #114 (will be his new second personal best points in a season)

McDavid +4 points for point #110 (will leap frog Robinson and Muller and tie Zetterberg for 107th on the all-time points list).

Yes, I think Skinner and the rest of the Oilers will do their part to contain MacKinnon to a point to help McDavid in his quest to keep a hold on his Art Ross reign.

Kucherov has recorded at least one point in the last 4 meetings with the panthers. Panthers coming off a road trip, and bolts have the drumming the got from them in February fresh in their mind. I say we get a 3 point night in a big win.

Avalanche and Oilers have combined for 21 goals in their last 2 games each(4 total). Both teams are rested and I am expecting fireworks. No idea what to expect but this game will set the tone for the remaining games between McDavid and MacK which will be huge.

 

[Rschmitz]

Hedman is a Norris trophy winner and MVP of the playoffs with the lightning on the way to one of their cups. I don't agree with your comparison. He is much closer to a Keith/Kane relationship than a Drai/McDavid one.

Kucherov has a Ross and a Hart so....
As for the Conn Smythe Kucherov easily could have won it twice by now.

Why are we talking about past trophies, we are talking about this season. Anyone who doesn't think Kucherov is a top 3 player in the NHL today is someone not worth listening to

There definitely was an argument for Hedman though. He just isn’t the same player he was in 2020.

Right, we are talking about this season. There is a reason no one is talking about Vasy in any races even though we could have easily have argued he was our most important player in years past.

 

[Video Nasty]

Kucherov has a Ross and a Hart so....
As for the Conn Smythe Kucherov easily could have won it twice by now.

Why are we talking about past trophies, we are talking about this season. Anyone who doesn't think Kucherov is a top 3 player in the NHL today is someone not worth listening to



Right, we are talking about this season. There is a reason no one is talking about Vasy in any races even though we could have easily have argued he was our most important player in years past.

Kucherov has definitely had two Conn Smythe worthy runs and he was agonizingly close to the ultra rare feat of three consecutive 30+ point performances.

Though I believe the right players won, I hope history will be kind to him and recognize this when looking at everything he has done in his career.

Conn Smythes are a nice extra cherry on top and all the true greats have one (if available to them), but they still occasionally require context i.e. Crosby’s 2008 losing effort was more Conn Smythe worthy than his 2016 winning effort.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Kucherov has a Ross and a Hart so....
As for the Conn Smythe Kucherov easily could have won it twice by now.

Why are we talking about past trophies, we are talking about this season. Anyone who doesn't think Kucherov is a top 3 player in the NHL today is someone not worth listening to

I think he is a top 3 forward, not overall player, but I have stated numerous times that his defense is such a liability that he ranks firmly behind MacK and McDavid. While he is having a better season then Pasta this year, Pasta started out really slow and has heated up as of late, maintaining pace with Kucherov. Things aren't as black and white as total raw points on the stat sheet either.

As for the Conn Smythe I can acknowledge it gets overrated. Just felt it supported my opinion, and I always have valued Hedman's contribution to the bolts more than other players, even Kucherov by a slight amount. I feel the same about Makar on the avalanche if that has any merit. As a blues fan I felt the same about Pie when he played with us, and felt he was robbed of the Smythe.

 

[Rschmitz]

I think he is a top 3 forward, not overall player, but I have stated numerous times that his defense is such a liability that he ranks firmly behind MacK and McDavid. While he is having a better season then Pasta this year, Pasta started out really slow and has heated up as of late, maintaining pace with Kucherov. Things aren't as black and white as total raw points on the stat sheet either.

As for the Conn Smythe I can acknowledge it gets overrated. Just felt it supported my opinion, and I always have valued Hedman's contribution to the bolts more than other players, even Kucherov by a slight amount. I feel the same about Makar on the avalanche if that has any merit. As a blues fan I felt the same about Pie when he played with us, and felt he was robbed of the Smythe.

Kucherov's defense is no more a liability than McDavid or Mack's. He's not laying down in front of slap shots but he forechecks, and goes into the corner for puck retrieval at both ends of the ice.

 

[Regal]

Kucherov has a Ross and a Hart so....
As for the Conn Smythe Kucherov easily could have won it twice by now.

Why are we talking about past trophies, we are talking about this season. Anyone who doesn't think Kucherov is a top 3 player in the NHL today is someone not worth listening to



Right, we are talking about this season. There is a reason no one is talking about Vasy in any races even though we could have easily have argued he was our most important player in years past.

For sure. I think that poster is likely thinking in more general terms though. Though I think at this point there isn’t an argument for that anymore either

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Kucherov's defense is no more a liability than McDavid or Mack's. He's not laying down in front of slap shots but he forechecks, and goes into the corner for puck retrieval at both ends of the ice.

He turns the puck over at a much higher rate than McDavid. McDavid is occasionally called upon to penalty kill, because he has a history of being the first man back. Kucherov is never the first man back.

 

[Rschmitz]

He turns the puck over at a much higher rate than McDavid. McDavid is occasionally called upon to penalty kill, because he has a history of being the first man back. Kucherov is never the first man back.

Yeah, the difference between a center and a winger...

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

Yeah, the difference between a center and a winger...

Wingers are less responsible with the puck and make careless turnovers at a higher rate?

 

[Rschmitz]

Wingers are less responsible with the puck and make careless turnovers at a higher rate?

Centers are suppose to be first ones back.

How did you determine Kucherov makes careless turnovers at a higher rate?

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

He turns the puck over at a much higher rate than McDavid. McDavid is occasionally called upon to penalty kill, because he has a history of being the first man back. Kucherov is never the first man back.

Lol, McD gets 27 seconds of SH TOI/GP, that's good for 16th on the team. And when they do put him out its not because of his defensive prowess, it's because his speed is a massive scoring threat even while shorthanded.

 

[DownIsTheNewUp]

He turns the puck over at a much higher rate than McDavid. McDavid is occasionally called upon to penalty kill, because he has a history of being the first man back. Kucherov is never the first man back.

BTW, players currently in the top 10 in the league in giveaways include Kucherov, Pastrnak, Barzal, Draisaitl, Mckinnon, and McDavid. Perhaps using that as a stat to identify poor play is a bad idea.

 

[DFC]

I still firmly believe that they would be fighting for a playoff spot but be closer to where the caps are without Kucherov.

Lightning fans should know that it’s Hedman that makes that team go. You take him off and leave Kucherov and that team is in the lottery.

This is not to take anything from the season Kucherov is having. But if you take McDavid off the oilers they would be a lottery contender.

Lol ok

 

[Ncit3]

BTW, players currently in the top 10 in the league in giveaways include Kucherov, Pastrnak, Barzal, Draisaitl, Mckinnon, and McDavid. Perhaps using that as a stat to identify poor play is a bad idea.

Yeah, it's like having the puck on your stick a majority of the time can lead to giveaways. Haha.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

What's the new daily argument in this thread? Cause I ain't reading all those posts.

Lack the read

Let’s kick back and enjoy that we’ll know what Kucherov did already today before the Oilers go head to head with the Avs tonight.

Any predictions for what the scoring race will look like by the end of tonight?

Here’s mine:

MacKinnon +1 point for point #116 (will tie Forsberg for 3rd most points by a player since the move from Quebec to Colorado)

Kucherov +2 points for point #114 (will be his new second personal best points in a season)

McDavid +4 points for point #110 (will leap frog Robinson and Muller and tie Zetterberg for 107th on the all-time points list).

Yes, I think Skinner and the rest of the Oilers will do their part to contain MacKinnon to a point to help McDavid in his quest to keep a hold on his Art Ross reign.

Mack 4 pt 2+2
Kuch 2 G
Mcdavid 2 A

 

[DFC]

His salary would be replaced by somebody, it wouldn’t just handicap the team. It would go to some young gun with upside or an aging vet, who would be putting up about the same amount as the top scoring leader on the caps.

The system would be a lot different too without kucherov. They would likely employ a tighter defensive system. Which could be more effective tbh. Who knows. The main point is that Hedman is the most important piece on that team by far.

Hedman is a +11 and somehow Kucherov is only a +2 on the season despite not playing a second of penalty kill and spending tons of time with Hedman at even strength.

McDavid spends less time on the PP than Kucherov, actually kills penalties when needed, plays with similar defensive talent, and is a +31.

You can say +\- doesn’t tell the whole story, but when you dig into the stats deeper, it doesn’t look good for Kucherov. The guy leads the league in giveaways, by a lot. His defense is a liability.

I think it's been a few years since you've watched a Tampa Bay Lightning game.

 

[Video Nasty]

I'm sure this means something to somebody... no, scratch that -- I'm not sure.

It means I feel bad for you son. I’ve got ninety nine problems but being blind ain’t one.

 

[authentic]

Kucherov's defense is no more a liability than McDavid or Mack's. He's not laying down in front of slap shots but he forechecks, and goes into the corner for puck retrieval at both ends of the ice.

Kucherov is firmly lacking in 200ft dominance compared to MacKinnon and McDavid at this point but I would never describe him as a liability.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

BTW, players currently in the top 10 in the league in giveaways include Kucherov, Pastrnak, Barzal, Draisaitl, Mckinnon, and McDavid. Perhaps using that as a stat to identify poor play is a bad idea.

McDavid is not in the top 10. Just lying now?

Yeah, it's like having the puck on your stick a majority of the time can lead to giveaways. Haha.

He’s a winger, he doesn’t touch the puck nearly as much as McDavid. McDavid leads the league in assists, touches the puck more, and is much more responsible with the puck. This is a fact.

 

[MacMacandBarbie]

I think it's been a few years since you've watched a Tampa Bay Lightning game.

Is it possible for people to just disagree on this board rather than be condescending and disrespectful?

Centers are suppose to be first ones back.

How did you determine Kucherov makes careless turnovers at a higher rate?

It depends heavily on positioning and system. You think way too black and white.

It’s not just a stat. I do watch bolts games as well.

 

[Sentinel]

It means I feel bad for you son. I’ve got ninety nine problems but being blind ain’t one.

I am not your son. You have mistaken me for one of your fantoms.

 

[Czechboy]

MacK vs McD tonight! We are down Ek and our D is weak. So I like MacK's chances of a win and more points tonight.