TSN's Top 50

[bobholly39]

I think a lot of people are tired of Mr. Intangibles somehow being regarded as the best or on the best players in the league.

Which is a bit unfortunate for him - because Toews is an absolutely amazing Hockey Player - and his intangibles *do* count.

But he's certainly not #2 in the NHL.


Ovechkin not being top 3 is the biggest travesty imo in terms of top players being too low. He could be #1, should be #2 (depending on how you want to count a goalie) - shouldn't be anywhere lower than 3.


Malkin at 11? That's fine. He's better than that, and can win the Lindsay, Hart and Ross trophies this year and no one would really be surprised. But he *has* been inconsistent for a while now, and his ranking suffering because of it is ok by me.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Let's do a resume of the top 2-way centers in the NHL since 2008-2009 (first time the Hawks made the playoffs with Toews):

Bergeron resume:

-501 regular season games with 134 goals and 361 points (pace of 22 goals and 59 points)
-88 playoff games with 22 goals and 62 points (pace of 21 goals and 58 points)
-3x Selke winner, 4x finalist

Datsyuk resume:

-442 regular season games with 159 goals and 444 points (pace of 30 goals and 82 points)
-70 playoff games with 21 goals and 59 points (pace of 25 goals and 69 points)
-2x Selke winner, 5x finalist

Kopitar resume:

-529 regular season games with 166 goals and 472 points (pace of 26 goals and 73 points)
-70 playoff games with 18 goals and 60 points (pace of 21 goals and 70 points)
-2x Selke finalist

Toews resume:

-501 regular season games with 199 goals and 452 points (pace of 33 goals and 74 points)
-117 playoff games with 39 goals and 102 points (pace of 27 goals and 72 points)
-1x Selke winner, 4x finalist

I fail to see what makes Toews #2, Kopitar #14 and Bergeron and Datsyuk in the 20s. Especially Datsyuk, who is the best of those 4.

Toews is by far the best goal scorer. Datsyuk hasn't been a two-way force for a while now. More of a Powerplay Specialist these days.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Toews is by far the best goal scorer. Datsyuk hasn't been a two-way force for a while now. More of a Powerplay Specialist these days.

Yet despite missing 19 games this year, he still finished 5th in Selke voting and was a finalist for 5 straight years from 08-09 to 12-13. His issues today are completely injury related, he'd have 2 more Selke finalist spots if he wouldn't be so injury prone. The only years he wasn't a finalist, he missed a significant amount of games. But don't let facts rain on your "Datsyuk is a PP specialist" parade.

 

[hatterson]

Toews is by far the best goal scorer. Datsyuk hasn't been a two-way force for a while now. More of a Powerplay Specialist these days.

Even strength scoring last year:

Toews: .99 Goals/60, .94 First Assists/60, .47 Second Assists/60 = 2.4 Points/60
Datsyuk: 1.07 Goals/60, 1.01 First Assists/60, .38 Second Assists/60 = 2.45 Points/60

Don't let facts get in the way though

 

[AINEC*]

Add Kopitar and Datsyuk together and you don't have half the player Jonathan Toews is. Please don't disrespect a living legend.

 

[bobholly39]

Add Kopitar and Datsyuk together and you don't have half the player Jonathan Toews is. Please don't disrespect a living legend.

Agreed.

Kopi-Tsyuk would have a helluva hard time skating with 4 legs, let alone stickhandling with 4 hands.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

The exploding heads of HF hockey geniuses.

Gold. Pure gold.

 

[Sheppy]

I'm still shocked Rask isn't in the top 50.

Regular Season: 136-81-35 (2.17 GAA, .926 SV%)
Playoffs: 28-19 (2.11 GAA, .930 SV%)

His "bad year" was last year when he had a .922 SV% and it was still better than 80% of the league.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Even strength scoring last year:

Toews: .99 Goals/60, .94 First Assists/60, .47 Second Assists/60 = 2.4 Points/60
Datsyuk: 1.07 Goals/60, 1.01 First Assists/60, .38 Second Assists/60 = 2.45 Points/60

Don't let facts get in the way though

What about other years?

And thanks for proving they produce nearly identically at even strength

 

[1865]

Predictable. Giroux at 18th is flat-out laughable.

 

[hatterson]

What about other years?

And thanks for proving they produce nearly identically at even strength

Keep on moving those goalposts.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Let's do a resume of the top 2-way centers in the NHL since 2008-2009 (first time the Hawks made the playoffs with Toews):

Bergeron resume:

-501 regular season games with 134 goals and 361 points (pace of 22 goals and 59 points)
-88 playoff games with 22 goals and 62 points (pace of 21 goals and 58 points)
-3x Selke winner, 4x finalist

Datsyuk resume:

-442 regular season games with 159 goals and 444 points (pace of 30 goals and 82 points)
-70 playoff games with 21 goals and 59 points (pace of 25 goals and 69 points)
-2x Selke winner, 5x finalist

Kopitar resume:

-529 regular season games with 166 goals and 472 points (pace of 26 goals and 73 points)
-70 playoff games with 18 goals and 60 points (pace of 21 goals and 70 points)
-2x Selke finalist

Toews resume:

-501 regular season games with 199 goals and 452 points (pace of 33 goals and 74 points)
-117 playoff games with 39 goals and 102 points (pace of 27 goals and 72 points)
-1x Selke winner, 4x finalist

I fail to see what makes Toews #2, Kopitar #14 and Bergeron and Datsyuk in the 20s. Especially Datsyuk, who is the best of those 4.

Just nitpicking, but Datsyuk has 3 consecutive Selkes, not 2.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

What about other years?

And thanks for proving they produce nearly identically at even strength

Even if they are somewhat close at ES, one is clearly better overall when you include the PP as you should.

 

[Chelios]

I wouldn't put Williams much higher than players of his caliber because at the end of the day all he is now is a 40-point guy who played on stacked teams.

That is your opinion, and, frankly, I don't really care. I guess you will have to just excuse me for taking Williams over similar 40 point guys who have not shown what he has in the playoffs. This shouldn't really be a controversial position.

 

[Glove Malfunction]

Rask not being there and Quick being #35 is a huge joke

Even more of a joke is Holtby being on the list in any position if Rask isn't there.

 

[Tripod]

Predictable. Giroux at 18th is flat-out laughable.

Giroux had his worst year in 5 years...and was still tied for 10th in scoring.

What really bothers me is that in years where he has finished 3rd in scoring and top 4 in Hart voting, he STILL doesn't get the recognition others get. And he is better than most of then defensively as well.

That puzzles me.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Keep on moving those goalposts.

What are you talking about? Datsyuk hasn't been a top two way force for a while. Not that hard to figure.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Even if they are somewhat close at ES, one is clearly better overall when you include the PP as you should.

Yeah Datsyuk is better on the Powerplay. Ive literally never disputed that.

 

[hatterson]

What are you talking about? Datsyuk hasn't been a top two way force for a while. Not that hard to figure.

He was a constant finalist until he had an injury filled year in 13-14.

Last year he missed 1/4 of the season and still finished 5th in Selke voting and scored better than Toews.

If Datsyuk isn't a two-way force then your criteria for being a two-way force is a joke.

 

[Prairie Habs]

Giroux had his worst year in 5 years...and was still tied for 10th in scoring.

What really bothers me is that in years where he has finished 3rd in scoring and top 4 in Hart voting, he STILL doesn't get the recognition others get. And he is better than most of then defensively as well.

That puzzles me.

Team success (or lack of) could have played into it.

 

[Prairie Habs]

He was a constant finalist until he had an injury filled year in 13-14.

Last year he missed 1/4 of the season and still finished 5th in Selke voting and scored better than Toews.

If Datsyuk isn't a two-way force then your criteria for being a two-way force is a joke.

I think this speaks more to it being a reputation award than that Datsyuk is currently the best defensive forward.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

What are you talking about? Datsyuk hasn't been a top two way force for a while. Not that hard to figure.

Saying that Datsyuk isn't a two-way force is selling him short. IMO, he's just as good as the Selke finalists. Possession numbers are through the roof, as is the volume of takeaways and he has a good face-off percentage.

He does all of that while scoring over a point per game, at the age of 37.

 

[DutchLeafsfan]

Not that I think it's too high or anything, but how is Kessel 36th? He was lower in last season's list and had the worst season of his career last year...

This list is such ********...

This was actually my main point of curiosity, since for the most part these rankings are arbitrary and usually biased one way or the other.

Personally speaking I still like Phil Kessel as a player, and I don't think his ranking is necessarily wrong, still feel he got underrated in previous seasons.

It's just quite amusing to see that after his worst season in ages, he goes up two ranks, where a bunch of other players who had bad seasons did see a significant drop. Then again he did get traded from the Leafs to the Penguins.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

2. Jonathan Toews, Chi

17. Anze Kopitar, LA

 

[smirob]

Pacioretty continues to be one of the most underrated players in the league.