Jari Kurri vs Leon Draisaitl

[Albatros]

Tikkanen was on the left wing, Kurri on the right. Messier was their centreman. Tikkanen was never a full time center, and didn't take over for Gretzky. Tikkanen was often on the LW with Kurri and Gretzky too. Him or Craig Simpson.

Of course I know that Kurri was a complete player. I already acknowledged that. Gretzky shot a lot more in their earlier years together. As time rolled on, Gretzky became the playmaker, Kurri settled in as the sniper. His one timer on the powerplay was a killer, just like Draisaitl's, but they took it from different spots.

I don't see any scenario in any era where Jari Kurri would have ever won an Art Ross or Hart Trophy, regardless of where he was playing. Can't say the same for Draisaitl. He's a contender to win those awards every season even with McDavid around.

Tikkanen and Kurri played with various centermen after Gretzky's departure, including but not limited to Messier. If there was a particular center-winger duo it was rather Messier and Glenn Anderson.

Gretzky's last year in Edmonton he shot more in 64 games than Kurri did in 80. Kurri had a good shot, but it was never like Gretzky was just feeding him. They had good synergy together and it didn't matter much who ended up doing what. Kurri led the league twice in even-strength goals, but never on PP. In Los Angeles he then became more of a PP shooter as often happens with older players, but that was years later and well past his prime.

Draisaitl wouldn't get many Hart votes with McDavid around either if there were 50 or 60 voters with 3 votes each like there were back in the day. Nowadays it's around 200 with 5 votes each.

 

[The Panther]

There's a lot of misinformation being trotted out here. Let me clarify a few points:

-- My "yes to top-5" comment was regarding the period 1983-84 to 1986-87. Four seasons.
-- Kurri was easily ahead of Yzerman in this period. He also outscored Messier (and Lemieux, per game), and was probably more clutch than either.
-- Messier was the overall greater player than Kurri, but that didn't become totally clear until about 1987-88.
-- Kurri was most definitely NOT just a "trigger-man". He was an outstanding passer / playmaker. (Three times top-10 in assists.) When Gretzky left, Kurri continued at right-wing but essentially played more like a center. (As evidence, in 1992-93 Kurri actually played center in L.A., and, with Gretzky injured, he was 2nd in the NHL in scoring to Mario after two months.)
-- Kurri and Tikkanen did NOT play on a line with Messier. In 1988-89, their center was Jimmy Carson. In most of 1989-90, it was Mark Lamb.

It's fine to choose Draisaitl here, but let's not spread a bunch of falsehoods to justify it.

 

[lawrence]

Drai.

I feel kurri was a great player who was lucky to play with Gretzky.

I feel drai is a top 5 player in todays league playing with another top 1 player. I don’t feel kurri was a top 5 player or even a top 20 player in his prime.

 

[lionsDen]

Drai one of my favorite non avs

 

[Soundwave]

Kurri is a great, great player but lets be freaking honest, if you take Leon Draisaitl and put him into 1985 with Wayne Gretzky on his line, the guy is going to score 80+ goals a year.

Kurri was a great player though, the Oilers quite possibly make the Cup Finals in 1991 again if they didn't lose Kurri to a contract dispute and that would've been a fun finals (Pens-Oilers).

 

[The Panther]

Drai.

I feel kurri was a great player who was lucky to play with Gretzky.

I feel drai is a top 5 player in todays league playing with another top 1 player. I don’t feel kurri was a top 5 player or even a top 20 player in his prime.

That opinion makes you look foolish.

 

[FinLurker]

Drai.

I feel kurri was a great player who was lucky to play with Gretzky.

I feel drai is a top 5 player in todays league playing with another top 1 player. I don’t feel kurri was a top 5 player or even a top 20 player in his prime.

This is quite ironic statement considering that Draisaitl also plays with top 1 player of this decade. With the same logic Draisaitl's achievements are not that great either. Kurri atleast left some offense on the table to be responsible defensively. Something Draisaitl and McDavid have not been able to do yet. Check for example Gretzky's and Coffey's plus minus with and without Kurri on his team.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

I don’t feel kurri was a top 5 player or even a top 20 player in his prime.

I wouldn't have room for Kurri in my top five (if we're looking at his prime - I can find a couple of individual seasons where he'd make it). But saying he's not in the top twenty is impossible.

Kurri's prime was 1983 to 1990. He was the 3rd highest scoring player in the league during that time (behind Gretzky and Lemieux). He played two of those seasons without Gretzky. He was better defensively than any other player in the top ten (with only Messier being anywhere close). He was a significant contributor to five Stanley Cup winning teams (in the playoffs, only Gretzky and Messier outscored him during this span).

The only players who were definitely better than Kurri during his prime (1983 to 1990) were Gretzky, Lemieux, Bourque, Messier, and Yzerman. (Even Yzerman would be debatable).

Then you can start comparing him to Roy (clearly better, but only 241 games), Coffey, Hawerchuk, and Stasnty. I don't know if there's anybody else who would have a reasonable case over Kurri, so that means he's somewhere in the 6-10 range over the course of a decade. Can you find 20 (or even 15) players who were better than him over his eight year prime?