Cale Makar vs Connor Bedard, with a twist

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Bedard has come in and proven he's going to be an elite player for a long time, so I felt like this poll could be interesting.

With the benefit of hindsight, suppose each guy is 18 and entering the NHL draft in the same year. Your team is lucky enough to hold the number 1 pick, guaranteeing you a franchise altering player. The team with the #2 pick has offered you the 7th pick in the 2024 draft to swap picks with them. You have no idea who they are planning to pick.

What do you do?

Click to read more...

 

[dirtydanglez]

take bedard.

 

[bobholly39]

I'm 50/50 on whether I'd want Makar or Bedard. Leaning a bit Bedard on the Habs, but Makar is tremendous too.

In my opinion - that's where you make the decision. Based on your team needs/wants - how badly do you want Bedard vs Makar? Mke the choice and take the pick. If you really don't care between the 2 - you can vote for #3, but I don't think the #7 pick is that big of a consideration for me, it's really more about whether your team wants Makar or Bedard.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Interesting poll idea, really made me pause on that decision.

I think no matter what you have to keep Bedard though

 

[Drubilly]

Bedard but somehow I "chose" Makar??

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Bedard pretty easily

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Makar + #7 pick

Get the other pick semi right and you have the best Dman in hockey + another solid piece.

 

[vancityluongo]

makar at 18 was in brooks, heading to college

bedard at 18 is a near PPG player in the NHL

a 7th oa doesn't bridge that gap

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

makar at 18 was in brooks, heading to college

bedard at 18 is a near PPG player in the NHL

a 7th oa doesn't bridge that gap

Did you miss the part where I said "with the benefit of hindsight"?

 

[Despote]

Makar has proven he's the best player in his position and translates that dominance to the post season.

I think there are still question marks if Bedard ever becomes that kind of center and I'd take the best defenceman in the league on my team rather than the best winger in the league which I think Bedard will be in his prime.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Is it 2022 Makar?

That's the burning question. That version of Makar is the most impactful young player we've seen on the back end in a generation +.

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

Tough options. Both excellent players. Makar is going to go down as one of the best dman ever. Bedard has the potential to be one of the best forwards ever.

Makar is a safer pick, in that he has already shown across many seasons to be a top player in the NHL. We only have one season of Bedard to go with right now.

Hindsight gives this to Makar.

 

[Caps8112]

this is easily Bedard. Makar is amazing but more of a luxury. The hype for Bedard would still be the same going into the draft. No team would trade that number 1 away. I get the idea of getting Makar and another super talent is neat but no team would be able to walk away from bedard with the hype he had.

 

[Crow]

At this point I think Connor will live up to expectations. 7 OA this year doesn’t look that great. 7 OA in some drafts might be worth it. Not sure where I land. Probably draft Bedard. Good question.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

this is easily Bedard. Makar is amazing but more of a luxury. The hype for Bedard would still be the same going into the draft. No team would trade that number 1 away. I get the idea of getting Makar and another super talent is neat but no team would be able to walk away from bedard with the hype he had.

You don't think the hype for a player who was essentially guaranteed to be a perennial norris candidate would be that high?

 

[Caps8112]

You don't think the hype for a player who was essentially guaranteed to be a perennial norris candidate would be that high?

Higher then Bedard was? When the question is asked to anyone actually in the NHL world for a living what do they almost always say is the building block they would start with? Make the poll Mackinnon or Makar and it will likely still be Mack

 

[cneely]

I think Makar gets a bit overrated around here. He's awesome, no doubt, but I wouldn't expect him to be a top 10 defenceman of all time, more of a Leetch / Neidermayer type. Certainly not horrible, but not generational.

I do think Bedard could turn out as good as Crosby, and I would consider Crosby generational.

 

[Crabapple]

For the Oilers, we take Makar pretty easily.

 

[Despote]

I think Makar gets a bit overrated around here. He's awesome, no doubt, but I wouldn't expect him to be a top 10 defenceman of all time, more of a Leetch / Neidermayer type. Certainly not horrible, but not generational.

Isn't Makar like the highest scoring defenceman of all time at his number of games played? I remember him just edging out Bobby Orr for the fastest 300 points by a defenceman or whatever.

 

[Albatros]

I'll take Bedard over Makar and someone like Eiserman isn't good enough to change that.

 

[PuckG]

I trade down. Both are game breakers to me and the opportunity to take another high end prospect is extremely enticing.

 

[Dust]

Isn't Makar like the highest scoring defenceman of all time at his number of games played? I remember him just edging out Bobby Orr for the fastest 300 points by a defenceman or whatever.

He is, however these records were set as a 21 year old D-man coming into the league far more ready to play than most highly touted 18 year old's.

It's also why the hindsight part of the poll doesn't work. In this scenario, even with hindsight we don't know how an 18 year old Makar (or 19 or 20) would fare in the NHL, and we don't know how a 19, 20, or 21 year old Bedard will fare.

 

[td_ice]

Without hindsight, I think it's Bedard, pretty easily. With hindsight, much closer. I don't think you can go wrong with either choose.

 

[vancityluongo]

Did you miss the part where I said "with the benefit of hindsight"?

not at all - you have it bolded.

just pointing out the comparison between the two at the same age. even knowing what makar becomes and/or still could be, i take the risk on bedard

 

[Mrfenn92]

Tough love both players