TSN's Top 50

[KingBran]

If Toews gets 2nd just because of "intangibles" (I call it being on a stacked team) without the stats to back it up then surely a multitude of other players should be on this list bumping off the legit top 50 statistically.

What a terrible list.

 

[MAHJ71]

Impossible task but, yes this list is a joke.

 

[txpd]

Ovechkin at 5 is just....Silly. Playing to the Canadian audience I suppose its understandable, but be real. He scored 50 when the best the rest of the league could score was 40. All the while remaining the most dominant physical top 6 forward in a generation or more.

And still playing almost all the games year after year.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I have no problem with the list. It is about as relevant as HF polls. that is to say, not very relevant at all.

 

[daver]

Ovechkin at 5 is just....Silly. Playing to the Canadian audience I suppose its understandable, but be real. He scored 50 when the best the rest of the league could score was 40. All the while remaining the most dominant physical top 6 forward in a generation or more.

And still playing almost all the games year after year.

He needs to intangible up his tangibles.

 

[joestevens29]

I have no problem with the list. It is about as relevant as HF polls. that is to say, not very relevant at all.

At least this list has actual hockey GM's voting

 

[1Gold Standard]

At least this list has actual hockey GM's voting

true enough. Then I'd have to say yes, a lot more relevant than HF. HF would be at the bottom of the relevance barrel.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Well the way LA looks, Kopitar's Cups will soon be ancient history

And if winning Cups is what matters the most, better put Justin Williams in the top 10!

2014 is not ancient history. Not even close.

 

[joestevens29]

true enough. Then I'd have to say yes, a lot more relevant than HF. HF would be at the bottom of the relevance barrel.

The problem with these lists is the people that really take them seriously are the vocal minority so regardless of what happens they are deemed complete and utter garbage.

Personally I take a look at the guys close to the bottom of the list. See if there is a guy I missed for my personal fantasy pools.

 

[StDevs]

I just don't understand how Toews is #2 but Malkin is #11.

Because of his intangibles. They actually make him better than Gretzky. And Lemieux. And Howe. Combined. How can't you see how great he is? He has won 3 Stanley Cups all by himself and only claimed one Conn Smythe Trophy, that's how humble he is.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Because of his intangibles. They actually make him better than Gretzky. And Lemieux. And Howe. Combined. How can't you see how great he is? He has won 3 Stanley Cups all by himself and only claimed one Conn Smythe Trophy, that's how humble he is.

Nobody has argued Toews ahead of Gretzky, Lemieux, or Howe. Full stop. Or are you equating Malkin with those three legends? Because arguing Toews ahead of Malkin is not even close to arguing Toews ahead of Lemieux. Give your head a shake.

 

[sharks9]

2014 is not ancient history. Not even close.

So how long does a Cup win count for?

And again, I assume you'd have Justin Williams very high on your own list because he wins you championships so where do you think he should be?

 

[WarriorofTime]

So how long does a Cup win count for?

And again, I assume you'd have Justin Williams very high on your own list because he wins you championships so where do you think he should be?

For legacy purposes? It never stops mattering. For relevancy to today's NHL? A lot quicker. Does anybody still think of Eric Staal and Cam Ward as cornerstones to build a Cup winner around?

 

[Chelios]

So how long does a Cup win count for?

And again, I assume you'd have Justin Williams very high on your own list because he wins you championships so where do you think he should be?

I would have Justin Williams higher than most players of his caliber because of his post season success. Are you arguing that Justin Williams is of the same caliber as those on this list?

 

[WarriorofTime]

So how long does a Cup win count for?

And again, I assume you'd have Justin Williams very high on your own list because he wins you championships so where do you think he should be?

Justin Williams is one of the most clutch players in NHL history. What point are you trying to make?

 

[Artanis]

I feel like Karlsson is too low. I mean he just won the Norris..

 

[RedWingsForPresident]

http://www.tsn.ca/crosby-no-1-for-sixth-straight-year-on-tsn-s-top-50-list-1.368712

1. Sidney Crosby, Pit
2. Jonathan Toews, Chi
3. Carey Price, Mtl
4. John Tavares, NYI
5. Alex Ovechkin, Was
6. Steven Stamkos, TB
7. Drew Doughty, LA
8. Ryan Getzlaf, Ana
9. Jamie Benn, Dal
10. Erik Karlsson, Ott

11. Evgeni Malkin, Pit
12. Duncan Keith, Chi
13. Patrick Kane, Chi
14. Vladimir Tarasenko, Stl
15. Tyler Seguin, Dal
16. Shea Weber, Nsh
17. Anze Kopitar, LA
18. Claude Giroux, Phi
19. Corey Perry, Ana
20. P.K. Subban, Mtl

21. Victor Hedman, TB
22. Nicklas Backstrom, Was
23. Pavel Datsyuk, Det
24. Jakub Voracek, Phi
25. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR
26. Patrice Bergeron, Bos
27. Mark Giordano, Cgy
28. Tyler Johnson, TB
29. Pekka Rinne, Nsh
30. Ryan Johansen, Clb

31. Zach Parise, Min
32. Max Pacioretty, Mtl
33. Joe Pavelski, SJ
34. Ryan Suter, Min
35. Jonathan Quick, LA
36. Phil Kessel, Pit
37. Connor McDavid, Edm
38. Matt Duchene, Col
39. Alex Pietrangelo, Stl
40. Roman Josi, Nsh

41. Rick Nash, NYR
42. Ryan McDonagh, NYR
43. Taylor Hall, Edm
44. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Phx
45. Brent Burns, SJ
46. Marian Hossa, Chi
47. Henrik Zetterberg, Det
48. Logan Couture, SJ
49. Braden Holtby, Was
50. Henrik Sedin, Van

Toews being ranked above all these forwards is a joke

 

[TrillMike]

Don't understand why people get so upset over a list like this.

 

[BHD]

Is Toews ahead of Crosby and Ovehckin?

Edit: 2nd. Still too high.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

So how long does a Cup win count for?

And again, I assume you'd have Justin Williams very high on your own list because he wins you championships so where do you think he should be?

Five years is the standard I think. You get to brag for five years and then it becomes irrelevant due to changes in the league, your team and so on.

The list seems ok at first glance, though some choices are a little odd. One Sedin jumps to mind immediately.

 

[NyQuil]

I feel like Karlsson is too low. I mean he just won the Norris..

He's fine.

Unless we're talking 10-20 spots or something, we should park the outrage for a rainy day.

 

[sharks9]

I would have Justin Williams higher than most players of his caliber because of his post season success. Are you arguing that Justin Williams is of the same caliber as those on this list?

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. Just like Toews is now a 60-70 point center who plays on a stacked team.

Even if he does get a bit of a boost from his playoff resume he should still be closer Bergeron at 26 than all the way at #2. Having 1 PPG season and being at #2 is a huge joke, and before you talk about his defensive skills he didn't even win the Selke this year so no he shouldn't be 24 spots higher than the guy that did.

Justin Williams is one of the most clutch players in NHL history. What point are you trying to make?

That despite his clutch play he's still just a 40-point guy who played on some stacked teams. Just like Toews is a good two-way center who wouldn't have won anything if he didn't play on stacked Chicago teams.

One Selke, one Conn Smythe, and one Second Team All-Star selection is not the resume of the 2nd best player in the world.

 

[flyersfan018]

Don't understand why people get so upset over a list like this.

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.

 

[Empoleon8771]

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.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Well the way LA looks, Kopitar's Cups will soon be ancient history

And if winning Cups is what matters the most, better put Justin Williams in the top 10!

Still would get buried in a 7 game series by them so I wouldn't talk too much smack about the Kings.