Is Kucherov the undisputed # 1 RW now?

[Sky04]

Kane was underwhelming last season? Wasnt he second in scoring? Lol

Oh yes but he had Panarin while Kucherov outscored the next forward by 30 points. Cuz linemates right.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Kucherov is a better two way player than Kane and is producing more offensively despite only having a handful of power-play goals. Kuch is better than Kane IMO. It's between Kane and Blake Wheeler for 2nd.

 

[TheGoldenGod]

Tarasenko has been one the most consistent and dangerous RW the past 3 years. He also is either tied or in the top 5 for most crossbars and posts hit this year so he's not having the greatest puck luck either.

There's no question he's had an off year but so has the rest of the Blues team.

The Blues collapsed after Schwartz and Petro got hurt. Team's been playing on crutches all year he's been forced to play with some pretty bad line mates because of that. I don't think we're having this conversation if the blues were able to stay healthy. He was on pace for another big year prior to that.

Also, the Blues don't play at the same tempo that Tampa does so I don't think Kuch puts up that many if he's playing for the Blues IMO. Very different styles

 

[glovesave_35]

I don't think we're having this conversation if the blues were able to stay healthy.

I think we are. Tarasenko is "up at the top" of RW's but he isn't at the top. I don't think he ever has been. He's certainly never been as dominant as Kucherov is right now or Kane was when he won the scoring title.

 

[TheGoldenGod]

I think we are. Tarasenko is "up at the top" of RW's but he isn't at the top. I don't think he ever has been. He's certainly never been as dominant as Kucherov is right now or Kane was when he won the scoring title.

Tampa's in the east and plays a style that benefits a skill game. Blues have always played a heavy game and traditionally there isn't a ton of room on the ice when they play. Not saying Tarasenko is better but point totals might not always tell the whole story especially considering how they would each score if they were in each others shoes.

Hitchcocks system never really gave players much freedom offensively and Mike Yeo isn't much better. Blues rely heavily on the 200 ft. game and that leads to some slow tempo hockey without as many chances.

 

[glovesave_35]

Tampa's in the east and plays a style that benefits a skill game. Blues have always played a heavy game and traditionally there isn't a ton of room on the ice when they play. Not saying Tarasenko is better but point totals might not always tell the whole story especially considering how they would each score if they were in each others shoes.

Hitchcocks system never really gave players much freedom offensively and Mike Yeo isn't much better. Blues rely heavily on the 200 ft. game and that leads to some slow tempo hockey without as many chances.

Hitchcock's system has always been about competing hard and defense opening up offensive opportunities. Him being a lock it down defensive coach has always been a misnomer. Kucherov being a more complete player than Tarasenko leads me to believe he would outscore him under similar circumstances. Maybe not, I guess it's hard to say for sure.

 

[God King Fudge]

I think that they're both neck and neck, TBH. Any team in the league would kill to have either one. I think Kucherov will start to put some distance between himself and Kane over the next year, though.

 

[gumgum]

I mean i don't know. I don't "watch" either player much to be able to dispute how good kane looks vs how good kucherov looks but at some point results have to speak for themselves.

Kucherov has produced at a much, much higher clip than Kane for 2 years in a row now.

It should be enough.

i watch them a lot because i love the sport of ice hockey

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Well, Kucherov plays with Stamkos

Kane plays with garbage. Kuch is super elite but i think Kane is a better player.

Last year Stamkos missed like what, 75% of the season ?

Kuch was the leading goal scorer and had the best PPG, amongst wingers.

Kane played on a #1 seed team out West and Tampa didn’t even make the playoffs, yet by looking at those guys individual stats you wouldn’t have known.

Saying they’re even is as far as im willing to go, Kane isn’t the better player right now.

 

[x Tame Impala]

He's been better than Kane the last season and this one, but he needs to have a dominant playoff run to even talk about being better than Kane overall

 

[Hockey4Life91]

He's been better than Kane the last season and this one, but he needs to have a dominant playoff run to even talk about being better than Kane overall

Um, perhaps you are forgetting the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Kane put up 23 points and nearly won the Conn Smythe trophy, while Kucherov put up 1 point less and had more game winning goals than I can remember - both, equally, dominated that post-season.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Yeah, he did it once. Kane has made a career of it

 

[Hockey4Life91]

Yeah, he did it once. Kane has made a career of it

Your logic still fails miserably: He put up more than a point per game in TBL's playoff run in the following season to the ECF.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Maybe I'm wrong

 

[Yosemite Sam 2]

Well, Kucherov plays with Stamkos

Kane plays with garbage. Kuch is super elite but i think Kane is a better player.

I think you mean Stamkos gets to play with Kucherov.

 

[daver]

I mean i don't know. I don't "watch" either player much to be able to dispute how good kane looks vs how good kucherov looks but at some point results have to speak for themselves.

Kucherov has produced at a much, much higher clip than Kane for 2 years in a row now.

It should be enough.

You normally don't throw out hyperbole but there is no way that Kucherov was anything but marginally better than Kane last year.

I actually really disagree with your assessment. As of 15/16, Kane was miles ahead of Kucherov. Kane just had won the Art Ross in one of the more dominating fashions since 2005 after knocking on the door of the Top 5 forwards in the league in the years prior to that and was easily in the Top 5 playoff performers of his era. He was better than Kucherov in the 2015 playoffs, and one more very good playoffs by Kucherov in 2016 should not have done really anything to swing the pendulum towards him; Kane, and the Hawks, had earned their playoff legacy by that time.

So we have one marginally better RS by Kucherov last year that put him on the radar for a perhaps a Top 5 forward position but Kane was arguably #3. IMO, we have only this season to make a decision on who is #1 and how strong their position is. As I said, give Kucherov the edge this year as it seems to be playing but it is not close to being undisputed.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

In any case it certainly is not undisputed...unless you are talking about this season only

 

[HoseEmDown]

Kucherov is 24 and Kane 29. Kucherov was about even with him last year and clearly passed him this, it's pretty easy to.say that going forward it will be Kucherov every season.

 

[wahsnairb]

Kane >

 

[MeowLeafs]

Kucherov has been better this season. But Kane won the Hart less than 2 seasons ago and he's been so consistently elite for so long. I would put them neck to neck with each other.
Tarasenko is a clear tier below those two.

 

[bobholly39]

You normally don't throw out hyperbole but there is no way that Kucherov was anything but marginally better than Kane last year.

I actually really disagree with your assessment. As of 15/16, Kane was miles ahead of Kucherov. Kane just had won the Art Ross in one of the more dominating fashions since 2005 after knocking on the door of the Top 5 forwards in the league in the years prior to that and was easily in the Top 5 playoff performers of his era. He was better than Kucherov in the 2015 playoffs, and one more very good playoffs by Kucherov in 2016 should not have done really anything to swing the pendulum towards him; Kane, and the Hawks, had earned their playoff legacy by that time.

So we have one marginally better RS by Kucherov last year that put him on the radar for a perhaps a Top 5 forward position but Kane was arguably #3. IMO, we have only this season to make a decision on who is #1 and how strong their position is. As I said, give Kucherov the edge this year as it seems to be playing but it is not close to being undisputed.

To the initial bolded statement - Kucherov has produced at a much, much higher clip than Kane over the past 2 years combined, is what I meant. I didn't mean each year. Last year Kucherov was "slightly better". This year he's a "lot" better. 2016 playoffs he was also better. It's a trend, growing wider, with Kucherov having an all around fantastic season this year (and Kane a pretty bad one).

So Kane end of 2016 miles ahead of Kucherov. I agree.
Kucherov 2016 playoffs - fantastic run, very impressive. Still, doesn't move the needle much vs Kane, it's only 1 playoff, and wasn't out of this world or anything, and Kane had just swept the awards.
last year - Kane had a good season. Kucherov had a better one. Kane had strong linemates, moreso than Kucherov (and I don't usually care about linemates that much, but you're the one who brought it up initially as some sort of advantage to Kucherov of all things).
So at the end of last year: Kane had had 2 disappointing playoffs in a row, and after his insanely strong 2016 season seemed to have come back down to earth the next season. Still strong season - but nothing out of this world, and slightly behind Kucherov overall. And Kucherov was trending up, adding to his strong 2016 playoff one of the better regular seasons for a forward last year (arguably #3 after Crosby/McDavid).

so at the end of last year/start of this year people could have asked Kucherov vs Kane, and Kane gets benefit of the doubt and is rated ahead. BUT - you start to ask questions. Is Kucherov going to surpass him?

Well this year - Kucherov trounced Kane. By a LOT. That's enough for me. It's a trend, the gap keeps growing, and this year Kucherov has been the best overall player in the NHL (or just about at the top tied with a cpl of guys).

So yeah. Kucherov is the #1 RW in the game right now. Don't think Kane deserves the title anymore.

 

[AWSAA]

Laine's coming for him. Once he starts getting top line minutes and is playing with Scheifele full-time it's on.

 

[Ainec]

Kucherov is #1

 

[SotasicA]

Reilly Smith is clearly the best right winger, and anybody who disagrees is wrong.

Take out PP points and he has scored as much as Kucherov, and he's also +32, by far the best by any right winger in the league. He's also handsome like James Dean and has a male first name. So he's got those going for him against Nikita.

 

[NORiculous]

In the same vinicity as Kane