Never suggested Bedard would be as good as McDavid. No idea where you got that. However if you want my opinion I don't think he will be, i actually dont think theres any chance he gets to that level. I'd also be surprised if he ends up as good and as decorated as Kucherov. Kucherov is somehow underrated around here.
Didn't take a hard stance against Michkov either. I simply said I don't expect him to be as good as Kucherov who is debatably the second best Russian to ever play in the NHL.
There are obviously reasons that 5 other teams passed on the player if he is indeed a 1b to Bedard and if it would be 'disappointing' if he wasn't better than Kucherov.
I will reiterate as I have already said in the rest of the thread I think he's a fantastic prospect and still am shocked that San Jose, Arizona and Montreal passed on him. But that's also not happening for no reason.
I believe you are entitled to your own view. I just want to clarify that I was not implying that you were suggesting Bedard would be as good as McDavid. I was interpreting what you were saying as you can not expect or project a prospect to reach that caliber of player until they do. So despite that Bedard's resume as prospect is equivalent to that of Mcdavid's(statistically superior, though I am sure some people would debate it), people can not expect him to be as good as McDavid. Same case for Michkov with Kucherov(also ovechkin). I apologize if I misinterpreted, but that was how I absorbed it.
It would indeed be disappointing if he does not surpass Kucherov. That is not a knock on Kucherov. It is just that for a prospect to supposedly have potential to surpass the greatest Russian of all time, failing to surpass the arguably 2nd greatest is indeed a let down. Just as it would have been disappointing if McDavid didn't surpass Crosby's point totals in the NHL. More similarly would be Lindros's label of "the next one" and his ultimate ability to live up to is seen as disappointing. Lindros was obviously fantastic, but he was not Gretzky. It is difficult to say, but I hope you know what I mean. I just want to restate that it is perfectly reasonable to be believe he won't live up to the expectations just as it is perfectly reasonable to believe Bedard will not live up to the expectations as that is your opinion.
Oh there are definitely reasons he fell. I think a lot of them are valid as well. His contract in Russia definitely made him less compelling. Geopolitics is/was also a fair concern. "Character issues" is tough to speculate on without knowing him personally. Could he be a dick? Sure, tons of hockey players are though. It also feels equally plausible he Jagr'ed his way to a bro down with gritty and a couple Dalessandro's steaks wit wit.
www.eliteprospects.com
