Draisaitl easily.
And then Crosby at #5 just as easily
I think these rankings have to be a mix of how good you are, but also how good you've done recently. Draisaitl has done significantly better than Crosby multiple years in a row, including both last season and playoffs. In larger sample size too (playoffs). No reason whatsoever to rank Crosby above him at this point - even if you believe he somehow can still be better at his best.
Draisaitl legitimately beat a peak Wayne Gretzky scoring record last year (most playoff points in a 5 game series) - how insane is that?
Draisaitl has *produced* significantly better raw numbers.
Theres a clear disconnect with how hes looked on the ice and how hes produced. He has an amazing shot, IMO the best pure goalscorer in the league after Ovi, and hes consistently insane when he has the puck, consistently being one of the best passing forward in the league. His impact though, is miles behind Crosby as a player on all sides of the ice. Its funny because the same thing people used to say Crosby was not good enough at, hes become a master at it without losing much if any of his offensive impact. (Production is another thing, that did dip.)
Again, I hate taking anything away from Draisaitl, but not Crosby.
The age old question if who youd take in a game 7 if you had the choice is a perfect example.
His team didn’t even make it out of round 1 vs a Rangers team that requires their goalie to stand on his head most nights.
Disingenuous because he got injured by a gutless and dirty play. He was pouding the Rangers before that, he looked every bit as good as Mcdavid did in his respective first round.
Had Draisaitl faced a goaltender like Shesterkin, do you believe he wouldve produced as much as he did? The Markstrom freebies helped him quite a bit, dont you think? Insane regardless.
Also funny that Draisaitls team went to 7 games against a team that relied on their old man goaltender even more than the Rangers. Of all the arguments you couldve made, you really chose the figurative leaf rake up right on your nose.
Really? 4 good games and not showing up for G7 is better than Brayden Point leading the playoffs in goals in back to back years?
Yes. Why did he not show up for game 7? (He had a point in 19 minutes, btw.)
I would really like to hear you elaborate on this.
I just think Crosby is a better player when healthy and on the ice. Nothing more, nothing less.