Player Discussion: Nikita Kucherov - Part 3

[These Are The Days]

McDavid is on a very different tier than Bure. McDavid is gonna flirt with top5 all time, IMO.

Kucherov is actually closer to the Bure tier, but also likely a better player than Bure all in all. I think in the here and now, Kuch is still somewhat underrated. One of the most dangerous offensive players I've ever seen.

I'd say you're absolutely right. McDavid's speed and skill likely won't be seen again for a long time. And his results. Near top 5 sounds right. Now, who to compare Kucherov to sytlistically doesn't necessarily pop out at me. Like Gretzky would slow a game down and pick it apart like Kucherov does but Gretzky was also still better at thinking 3 steps ahead faster than everyone else when it was it full speed too. The crazier it got the more dangerous he could be too. I don't know, I really dont want to risk insulting Gretkzy by comparing him to anyone else so I'll just say Kucherov ties to do what he does but no one will think the game the way Wayne did ever again. Maybe "Kucherov succeeds by out thinking opponents too."

Bure tier for Kucherov sounds appropriate. I think he could end up in a Sakic and Yzerman tier if he stays healthy and consistent. He likely would have had at least another 100 point season if he hadn't missed so much time.

 

[DFC]

I'd say you're absolutely right. McDavid's speed and skill likely won't be seen again for a long time. And his results. Near top 5 sounds right. Now, who to compare Kucherov to sytlistically doesn't necessarily pop out at me. Like Gretzky would slow a game down and pick it apart like Kucherov does but Gretzky was also still better at thinking 3 steps ahead faster than everyone else when it was it full speed too. The crazier it got the more dangerous he could be too. I don't know, I really dont want to risk insulting Gretkzy by comparing him to anyone else so I'll just say Kucherov ties to do what he does but no one will think the game the way Wayne did ever again. Maybe "Kucherov succeeds by out thinking opponents too."

Bure tier for Kucherov sounds appropriate. I think he could end up in a Sakic and Yzerman tier if he stays healthy and consistent. He likely would have had at least another 100 point season if he hadn't missed so much time.

I think Kuch is well above Bure, honestly. Stylistically, yeah, it's like a very poor man's Gretzky. Most of what makes him lethal is his ability to make everyone adjust to his speed because he can see three plays at any given time.

But this is a very special player. If not for McDavid, who is a different level of special, like actual low-end Gretzky tier, Kucherov would likely be considered the best player of his generation. The resume is there, and what mainly separates him is consistency.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Also, imagine the hype if he was playing in one of the big markets. But as long as we get to see him play every game and know how good he is idc.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

That 3/7/2009 game for the Hurricanes came against the Lightning in a 9-3 Carolina win...14.5 years later, and the same two organizations involved with a reversal of roles. Imagine that.

 

[Rschmitz]

I think Kuch is well above Bure, honestly. Stylistically, yeah, it's like a very poor man's Gretzky. Most of what makes him lethal is his ability to make everyone adjust to his speed because he can see three plays at any given time.

But this is a very special player. If not for McDavid, who is a different level of special, like actual low-end Gretzky tier, Kucherov would likely be considered the best player of his generation. The resume is there, and what mainly separates him is consistency.

No red line, no two line pass, no trap. Bure would score 100 goals with the time and space today's players get instead of having to contend with the hooking, wacking, and headshots of the 90's.

I'm just so thankful times have changed, talented players like Kucherov or McDavid can thrive instead of being constantly targeted and injured.

 

[Hoek]

Bure was just a breakaway beast. Kuch is so much more.

 

[Pierre Larouche]

Russia bad

Too much skill, too much creativity, Russia bad, Russia bad for NHL. We rather watch football on skates and "old-school hockey."

Bure was just a breakaway beast. Kuch is so much more.

Bure was much more than a breakaway beast- when he entered the league he was the most exciting player ever. His end to end rushes made Bobby Orr's look slow. His stick handling and skills were unparalled.

 

[aylib]

Too much skill, too much creativity, Russia bad, Russia bad for NHL. We rather watch football on skates and "old-school hockey."


Bure was much more than a breakaway beast- when he entered the league he was the most exciting player ever. His end to end rushes made Bobby Orr's look slow. His stick handling and skills were unparalled.

I’d say stickhandling of Kovalev was >>> that of Bure.

 

[Rschmitz]

I’d say stickhandling of Kovalev was >>> that of Bure.

Nobody in the history of the NHL could stickhandle and shoot as effectively as Bure could at his top speed. Saying he couldn't do much more than that is fair, I mean all Randy Moss could do well is run fast, jump high, and catch the ball.

Interestingly enough I think Kovalev is a great comparison to Kucherov in terms of talent, his talent level was off the charts. The difference is Kucherov is ultra competitive and has the confidence/willingness to use his talent where Kovalev was one of the main guys that gave Russians a bad wrap as ultra talented but "lazy"(Thanks Don Cherry).

 

[These Are The Days]

Nobody in the history of the NHL could stickhandle and shoot as effectively as Bure could at his top speed. Saying he couldn't do much more than that is fair, I mean all Randy Moss could do well is run fast, jump high, and catch the ball.

Interestingly enough I think Kovalev is a great comparison to Kucherov in terms of talent, his talent level was off the charts. The difference is Kucherov is ultra competitive and has the confidence/willingness to use his talent where Kovalev was one of the main guys that gave Russians a bad wrap as ultra talented but "lazy"(Thanks Don Cherry).

+1

Kovalev is definitely one of the biggest "what if" guys in recent memory. The other guy to me was Nik Zherdev. Dude dripped more talent from his pinky than most guys have in their bodies. If he had given half a damn and applied himself he had everything it took to be better than prime Patrick Kane was.

 

[DFC]

No red line, no two line pass, no trap. Bure would score 100 goals with the time and space today's players get instead of having to contend with the hooking, wacking, and headshots of the 90's.

I'm just so thankful times have changed, talented players like Kucherov or McDavid can thrive instead of being constantly targeted and injured.

I think Kuch would have been just fine in that era. I dont think he would be targeted much. He would give as good as he gets and he would be protected.

 

[Byrddog]

I think Kuch would have been just fine in that era. I dont think he would be targeted much. He would give as good as he gets and he would be protected.

I agree Russian players have always been able to be physical and talented. OV for example is as tough as you get he can lay hits as well as Heddy or Drago and still score at the high end. The league has gotten soft and the future the path is much the same. The 80’s and before the North American game was physical that made it entertaining. Now the game has developed more and more to a reduced physical sport. Many support this but be careful what you wish for, it could turn into a 82 game All Star league. How fun would that be? I quit watching the all star games 10 years ago for that reason. Scoring continues to increase in the league and frivolous penalties increase as well. Look at some of the guys on this roster and their value in this game. Especially in a cap league.

 

[authentic]

Too much skill, too much creativity, Russia bad, Russia bad for NHL. We rather watch football on skates and "old-school hockey."


Bure was much more than a breakaway beast- when he entered the league he was the most exciting player ever. His end to end rushes made Bobby Orr's look slow. His stick handling and skills were unparalled.

One thing that's not brought up in this discussion is how bad of teams Bure mostly played for in comparison to Kucherov. They are really different types of players but Bure was a surprisingly good playmaker and dominated in the offensive zone for those that didn't watch him, but he basically never played with an elite scorer or playmaker or even offensive defenseman for that matter, Kucherov plays with all 3 at once. He would probably score 70+ goals multiple times with full health and a roster that stacked to help him pad stats. Him and Kucherov are pretty comparable players though all things considered.

+1

Kovalev is definitely one of the biggest "what if" guys in recent memory. The other guy to me was Nik Zherdev. Dude dripped more talent from his pinky than most guys have in their bodies. If he had given half a damn and applied himself he had everything it took to be better than prime Patrick Kane was.

Nikolai Zherdev could've been an all-time great. Unbelievable to me that he was never once a point per game player, what a waste of talent.

 

[DistantThunderRep]

I agree Russian players have always been able to be physical and talented. OV for example is as tough as you get he can lay hits as well as Heddy or Drago and still score at the high end. The league has gotten soft and the future the path is much the same. The 80’s and before the North American game was physical that made it entertaining. Now the game has developed more and more to a reduced physical sport. Many support this but be careful what you wish for, it could turn into a 82 game All Star league. How fun would that be? I quit watching the all star games 10 years ago for that reason. Scoring continues to increase in the league and frivolous penalties increase as well. Look at some of the guys on this roster and their value in this game. Especially in a cap league.

Players becoming more skilled bad. Non skilled players who can punch faces good. Didn't need to write up that much to prove yet again that you don't like change and you just want to sit on your stoop and yell at the young-ins.

 

[authentic]

I wish those people wouldn't compare them so much. McDavid is probably the closest incarnation of Pavel Bure since the man himself. Kills you with speed and skill and wills an entire team to win on his shoulders. But Kucherov will bag 4 points making it look like a chess match. Serious question: if he bagged 100 assists or scored 150 points would any of us really be surprised? They would probably say McDavid is still better and I don't think a single one of us would care.

We just want him crushing beer after winning a 3rd Cup.

I would be surprised if Kucherov scored 150 points. 130? Not so much.

 

[CupsOverCash]

 

[LightningStrikes]

He’s the sole reason we’re anywhere near a wild card or playoff spot. Best player in the world.

 

[DFC]

Gotta be in the Hart discussion as of now.

 

[Stammertime91]

He'd be over 60 if that plug Point could bury his chances.

Interesting that #2 in points is.... JT Miller. Lol.

 

[Felonious Python]

 

[Rschmitz]

He'd be over 60 if that plug Point could bury his chances.

Interesting that #2 in points is.... JT Miller. Lol.

Imagine if we decided to keep Miller instead of Cirelli

 

[AndreRoy]

I mean all Randy Moss could do well is run fast, jump high, and catch the ball.

On a side note I will always view Moss as one of the greatest wastes of talent in sports history. He had the athletic gifts to be the greatest wide receiver of all time but had no work ethic or competitive drive. He’d make a difficult catch look easy and then drop two easy catches because he wasn’t mentally engaged at the time. The guy was so talented he basically sleepwalked his way to the Hall, but he could have been so much more.

 

[Pierre Larouche]

I’d say stickhandling of Kovalev was >>> that of Bure.

Technically Kovalev's stick handling was brilliant but I've also read and heard and watched that Kovalev could beat players one, two three times in a row... because he could... and it was pat of his enjoyment of the game. When I think of Bure and watched him play I saw incredible speed but incredible stick handling and deking an opponent with the end result being to score- there was one goal in mind and that was to score- his his ability to stickhandle at top speeds was amazing and his dekes were set up with such precision that he was going to fake you out and was in on the goalie to score- I'm not articulating it very well but Bure seemed like a racer who could slash through traffic w/his stick handling and dekes and he wouldn't stop until he scored. Kovy was brilliant but he wasn't going to use his abilities to simply take you down and score like Bure- Kovy reminded me sometimes of a cat w/a playtoy the way he stickhandled the puck and kept it away from opposing players... it seemed like he took great enjoyment in that. Both players were so brilliant to watch. They were artists. Sometimes I find it difficult to say this player was the best or that player was the best. It reminds me of comparing great actors. Each one has their own brilliance. Each one has their skillsets and tools that they bring.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

 

[LightningStrikes]

Boss.