NHLPA 2023-24 Player Poll unveiled

[Little Psycho]

Seeing Kopitar ahead of some of these superstars shows how much they respect him.

 

[Bandit]

Any poll that doesn't include "biggest Chump" with Pierre Luc Dubois being the one and only choice is a farce IMO.

 

[Three On Zero]

Seeing Kopitar ahead of some of these superstars shows how much they respect him.

Kopi has to be up there for one of the most respected players in the league. Was never a dirty player but also plays a really solid game

 

[I am Bettman]

My favorite part of these polls is HF posters saying that they know more about hockey than actual NHLers.

 

[Three On Zero]

My favorite part of these polls is HF posters saying that they know more about hockey than actual NHLers.

Happens every year when the polls start coming out, “players X only plays against player Y twice a year, they don’t see him play all season”. or the “Player X is popular, that’s why he’s getting votes”

 

[Phil Kessels Hot Dog]

Weird that the 65 goal Selke candidate didn't finish top 5 for most complete player.

 

[Three On Zero]

Weird that the 65 goal Selke candidate didn't finish top 5 for most complete player.

66*

 

[JackSlater]

Yeah, it's why the Athletic player or executive polls tend to be more interesting. They are smaller and anonymous, but they have the quotes explaining things.

Also, I remember the year Matthews won the Lindsey, he didn't fair particularly well in these polls, but ended up winning the Hart and Lindsey that year, so how much thought is put into the voting is probably questionable.

I think that anyone taking the Lindsay/Pearson as literally the player that the other players think is best is missing the boat somewhat. Sometimes a guy has a year worthy of a trophy but generally people, fans/players/coaches etc. alike, already know who the best player is.

I do think that the NHLPA won't directly ask who the best player is, or even now who the best forward is, because it will contradict the Lindsay massively sometimes. For instance when Draisaitl won the Lindsay but finished lower than fourth in voting for best forward with less than 2.88% of the vote, and that's with more than half the players voting. Similar story with Kucherov the year earlier winning the Lindsay but finishing fourth for best forward with 3.68% of the vote. Now they phrase it weirdly so that you could squint and pretend that the players didn't clearly pick McDavid as the best forward even though he likely won't get the Lindsay and another forward will.

 

[kingsholygrail]

My favorite part of these polls is HF posters saying that they know more about hockey than actual NHLers.

30.52% of players responding didn't choose the top goalies listed.
25.24% of players responding didn't choose the top forwards listed.
22.13% of players responding didn't choose the top defenders listed.
"Other" is the the most prolific player in the league.

 

[Ol' Jase]

30.52% of players responding didn't choose the top goalies listed.
25.24% of players responding didn't choose the top forwards listed.
22.13% of players responding didn't choose the top defenders listed.
"Other" is the the most prolific player in the league.

And, that means what, exactly?

 

[Coffey]

And, that means what, exactly?

It means they didn't go to nhl.com/stats before making their choice

 

[Grifter3511]

Biggest 'huh' for me in looking at the poll is McDavid coming in as the second hardest player to play against in his own end.

 

[TatteredTornNFrayed]

These are entirely reputation awards, and the reputations lag behind reality.

Right.

Any player will play the 16 teams in the other conference 2 games the entire season, teams in the other division in their own conference 3 times per season, and even the teams in their own division only 3 or 4 games per season.

So a lot of their opinion on any particular player is based upon their memory of the player from past seasons, plus what they are hearing about other players, rather than solely on how their own experience of how a particular player played them in their 2 or 3 meetings this season.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Sorokin finishing 3rd in the very first category has me questioning how much NHLers are actually paying attention on a season to season basis

They don’t, it’s been well established.

Hockey players are too busy training , playing games, traveling , and slaying bunnies to pay attention to this shit like us losers

Last night Vesey admitted he’s paying close attention to the playoff race around the league and that the rest of the team makes fun of him for it

 

[Fire Sweeney]

Fake poll. No one watches the PWHL, especially NHL players.

 

[Grifter3511]

Right.

Any player will play the 16 teams in the other conference 2 games the entire season, teams in the other division in their own conference 3 times per season, and even the teams in their own division only 3 or 4 games per season.

So a lot of their opinion on any particular player is based upon their memory of the player from past seasons, plus what they are hearing about other players, rather than solely on how their own experience of how a particular player played them in their 2 or 3 meetings this season.

Which leaves me wondering, 'How is McDavid the second hardest player to play against in his own end?' There has never been a narrative of McD being good in his own end. Where did this idea come from? I'm not even a McDavid fan and I've had to defend him in discussions with friends who think he doesn't even know where his defensive zone is, but I'm not under any impression that he's even a Matthews level effective player in his own end. So what are they basing that on?

 

[Hennessy]

The important thing here is that Oilers fans feel validated.
They have been reassured.

 

[Three On Zero]

The important thing here is that Oilers fans feel validated.
They have been reassured.

Careful, they may read this!

 

[zar]

It’s just because he’s always at the blue line, tough to play against a guy who’s always ready to blow down to the other end

This is about McDavid, no need to come in and derail it by making it about me

Hypocrisy in its most oblivious form.

 

[PuckG]

Fakes outrage for post that doesn’t derail thread:

This is about McDavid, no need to come in and derail it by making it about me

Proceeds to facilitate derailing of thread:

Careful, they may read this!

 

[Ol' Jase]

Which leaves me wondering, 'How is McDavid the second hardest player to play against in his own end?' There has never been a narrative of McD being good in his own end. Where did this idea come from? I'm not even a McDavid fan and I've had to defend him in discussions with friends who think he doesn't even know where his defensive zone is, but I'm not under any impression that he's even a Matthews level effective player in his own end. So what are they basing that on?

HIs defense is dramatically improved over the past two years, especially in his own zone.

Friday's game against the Avs had multiple examples of why players would say he is tough to play against in his own zone.

 

[Ol' Jase]

Right.

Any player will play the 16 teams in the other conference 2 games the entire season, teams in the other division in their own conference 3 times per season, and even the teams in their own division only 3 or 4 games per season.

So a lot of their opinion on any particular player is based upon their memory of the player from past seasons, plus what they are hearing about other players, rather than solely on how their own experience of how a particular player played them in their 2 or 3 meetings this season.

This applies to 99% of the fans as well.

The idea that fans are somehow significantly more knowledgeable about player performance than the players themselves is a massive fallacy.

 

[Three On Zero]

They don’t, it’s been well established.

Hockey players are too busy training , playing games, traveling , and slaying bunnies to pay attention to this shit like us losers

Last night Vesey admitted he’s paying close attention to the playoff race around the league and that the rest of the team makes fun of him for it

You had me until the “slaying bunnies” part

 

[kingsholygrail]

And, that means what, exactly?

It means that one out of every 5 players polled roughly don't believe Vasilevsky, Shesterkin, Hellabuyck or Saros are the toughest goalies to play against. So 1/5 of players polled have similar opinions of HF posters.

 

[TatteredTornNFrayed]

This applies to 99% of the fans as well.

The idea that fans are somehow significantly more knowledgeable about player performance than the players themselves is a massive fallacy.

True, but I think the vast majority of us value the player's, the coach's, and even some of the executive's opinions over most fan's or media's opinions. But the view that all players or even coaches are 100% informed on how a particular player is playing over the full course of a season isn't accurate either.

I consider this poll informative, but usually these polls as well as the ones at the end of the season sometimes show a delayed effect based upon last years reputation lingering, and many players perceptions not having fully caught up to the latest performance.