McDavid vs Lindros

[blundluntman]

Who would you rather have at their best?

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[BrindamoursNose]

Depends on the era, I guess

 

[The Grim Reaper]

During which era?

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

McDavid at his very best is more healthy and durable than Lindros.

Nothing to take away from Lindros because he was an absolute beast at his peak.

 

[blundluntman]

During which era?

We can go with mid 90s (before the start of the clutch and grab era)

 

[Canovin]

McDavid dominates in any era. Too many weapons

 

[Machinehead]

Any votes for Lindros are pure romance. Era doesn't matter.

 

[Aom9]

I take McJesus over any forward in their prime not named Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby or Radek Bonk

 

[Rengorlex]

I think McDavid in the 2021 regular season and 2022 playoffs was more dominant than anything from Lindros. Surprised it's this lopsided though, Lindros at his best however short that was is right up there with anyone.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

People are forgetting just how good Lindros was, geez. I know he had a short career and got injured but before the concussion issues he was as good as anyone.

McDavid will have the better career, but in a vacuum I'd take Lindros.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

McDavid in any era.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

If you’re going by Chad factor, it’s Lindros AINEC.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

I think if both players were available at the same time when Lindros was drafted it would have been very hard to not select Lindros. but if its Lindros of todays NHL then I think you take McDavid

Lindros looked like the total package and imo better than McDavid for that time in the NHL

 

[Arthur Morgan]

McDavid at his very best is more healthy and durable than Lindros.

Nothing to take away from Lindros because he was an absolute beast at his peak.

Completely different leagues though. the NHL isnt even remotely close to how it was back then.
with the 2 line pass back too McDavid would prob have a hard time blasting past people that and the equipment was much different.
for that time in the 90s I dont think many would have picked McDavid over Lindros.

 

[One Winged Angel]

McDavid is the most purely skilled player to ever play the game. Not to be confused with the player who has had the best career. If you're talking pure talent, there's no one that's ever had more than McDavid. His ability to play the game at the speed he plays it at and make the moves and plays that he does at that speed is something we've never seen before and will probably never see again.

With all of that said, Lindros changed the game entirely. He changed the way teams drafted players and built their teams. Everyone needed defensemen and forwards that could match up against Lindros and everyone was hoping that the next 6'4-6'5 center with talent that would come along in the draft could match Lindros in skill and physicality.

You really have to wonder how McDavid would produce with 90's style hockey. The amount of calls they got away with back then was sickening.

 

[MasterofGrond]

People are forgetting just how good Lindros was, geez. I know he had a short career and got injured but before the concussion issues he was as good as anyone.

McDavid will have the better career, but in a vacuum I'd take Lindros.

Some people are looking back at Lindros with rose tinted glasses. His best scoring finishes are 1, (in a shortened season), 6, 7.

McDavid is 1,1,1,1,2,2

Yeah it's not all about points, but McDavid isn't just better than Lindros, he's a tier (or more) ahead.

 

[nowhereman]

McDavid is the most purely skilled player to ever play the game. Not to be confused with the player who has had the best career. If you're talking pure talent, there's no one that's ever had more than McDavid. His ability to play the game at the speed he plays it at and make the moves and plays that he does at that speed is something we've never seen before and will probably never see again.

With all of that said, Lindros changed the game entirely. He changed the way teams drafted players and built their teams. Everyone needed defensemen and forwards that could match up against Lindros and everyone was hoping that the next 6'4-6'5 center with talent that would come along in the draft could match Lindros in skill and physicality.

You really have to wonder how McDavid would produce with 90's style hockey. The amount of calls they got away with back then was sickening.

I'm really not sure where this came from and I keep hearing it more and more. Outside of McDavid's outlier North Division season, where he piled up points against awful defenses in a Covid-ravaged league, his season-to-season output is pretty much comparable to Sid and OV. And, yet, no one said that either of those two were more skilled than Gretzky or Lemieux. Just because he's the fastest player, doesn't mean he's the best.

 

[PostBradMalone]

I'm really not sure where this came from. Outside of McDavid's outlier North Division season, where he piled up points against awful defenses in a Covid-ravaged league, his season-to-season output is pretty much comparable to Sid and OV. And, yet, no one said that either of those two were more skilled than Gretzky or Lemieux.

I forgot, did McDavid play in the North division again this year?

 

[nowhereman]

I forgot, did McDavid play in the North division again this year?

You mean this last season, where he barely edged out Jonathan Huberdeau and Johnny Gaudreau in the scoring race?

Lemieux would lap the field against talents like Jagr and Sakic and Gretzky would outscore his HHOF teammates with assists alone. McDavid is simply not on their level, no matter how hard some would like it to be the case.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Lindros.

Not sure how McDavid is winning in a landslide.

 

[Leafsfan74]

I hate to repeat it but it definitely depends on era. Let's assume they switched eras:

Lindros would essentially be in the Evander Kane class in todays NHL, with much more physicality and power forward net drive. The question would be "how much better would he do without having to deal with the clutch, grab and big blindside hits?"

McDavid in the 90s would have less room, he'd deal with more physicality, but his speed and quick lateral moves and gear shifts would put in an advanced Federov/Jagr class, especially against slower players. The question would be, "how would he handle the liberties other teams could take with him"?

I suspect McDavid would be the more dominant if they shifted eras as long as he kept his head up and understood the reality of the game. His speed and stick handling are off the charts, well beyond anything Lindros could do.

 

[Cubs2024WSChamps]

If Lindros was in todays NHL he would make opponents cry.

The answer is McDavid, but if prime Lindros didn’t have to deal with all the crap he did he would be unstoppable until the league adapted to his game. Granted, he would have burned out quicker once he started slowing down where as McDavid will most likely be a top line player until he retires on account of his wheels, there’s reason to think prime Lindros would be right up there if he played currently.

Back in the 90’s, I think you take Lindros over McDavid

 

[PostBradMalone]

You mean this last season, where he barely edged out Jonathan Huberdeau and Johnny Gaudreau?

McDavid led the league in scoring by almost 10%. Try again.

Lemieux would lap the field against talents like Jagr and Sakic and Gretzky would outscore his HHOF teammates with assists alone.

Lemieux's 199 point year was only about 9% better than second place. So was his 168 point year. In fact, all of his Art Ross trophies were in that range:

1987-88: 8.9%
1988-89: 8.4%
1991-92: 9.4%
1992-93: 9.2%
1995-96: 9.2%
1996-97: 8.9%

You are blinded by raw totals and not at all considering the era.

 

[Leafsfan74]

You mean this last season, where he barely edged out Jonathan Huberdeau and Johnny Gaudreau in the scoring race?

Lemieux would lap the field against talents like Jagr and Sakic and Gretzky would outscore his HHOF teammates with assists alone. McDavid is simply not on their level, no matter how hard some would like it to be the case.

Lemieux is one of the few who would dominate any era. He could stick handle, had insane vision and deceptive movement all at 6'4. Richard, Orr, Gretzky (especially in this era) are in the same boat for different reasons, none of them in my eyes so fluid to any era as Mario.

I think Lindros was a tier below these players. He was perfect for his era and he dictated it, but, he also ultimately was a victim of it unfortunately.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I'd take the 2022 playoff version of McDavid over peak Lindros, but it's extremely close.