Nikita Kucherov vs. Evgeni Malkin

[Voight]

Malkin at his best led the league in takeaways. Kucherov is one of the worst forwards defensively in the last two decades, the guy is constantly cherrypicking. He's a combined +3 over the last 3 seasons, he was great at riding an excellent team though.

I think it's pretty obvious by now that Kuch is the straw that stirs the drink.

 

[killa3312]

Yet Kucherov still not good enough to win a Conn Smythe..

Also wouldn't be too sure about Kucherov moving up to top 5 there with the Lightning looking like to be a fringe playoff team for the next half decade or so.

A legit case could be made that Kucherov should have won the Conn Smythe both years he didn’t, so not the best argument.

 

[Gurglesons]

Kucherov likely jumps Malkin this season.

If he doesn’t win the Ross, I probably still take Malkin though.

 

[daver]

A legit case could be made that Kucherov should have won the Conn Smythe both years he didn’t, so not the best argument.

It is when he wasn't particularly close to Malkin's 2009 performance regardless of whether he won the Ross or not.

Kucherov is a rich man's Kane. Not quite on the level of Malkin, at his best.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

A legit case could be made that Kucherov should have won the Conn Smythe both years he didn’t, so not the best argument.

Then why did he not get close to winning either year. Pretty clear the voters watched him play and accurately concluded that he wasn't the player driving the bus for his team.

 

[killa3312]

Then why did he not get close to winning either year. Pretty clear the voters watched him play and accurately concluded that he wasn't the player driving the bus for his team.

Voters make mistakes all the time, lol.

 

[Despote]

Kucherov. Smartest player in the league.

 

[ViD]

Malkin easily

I mean Kucherov already has 130+ points. How can you say Geno is better “easily”?

 

[ijuka]

Then why did he not get close to winning either year. Pretty clear the voters watched him play and accurately concluded that he wasn't the player driving the bus for his team.

People just don't know how to evaluate a player like Kucherov who's entirely based around hockey IQ.

People still think that McDavid has better hockey IQ than Kucherov, which cannot be the case because McDavid's literally every single tool is better than Kucherov's, so if his hockey IQ was better as well he'd have like 200 points a season. But he doesn't.

Kucherov looks like nothing special and he "luckily" gets 2 or 3 points per game.

 

[Mez]

Kucherov. Smartest player in the league.

His hockey IQ is insane...he isnt really physically gifted/talented in any special way...he just thinks the game on a crazy level.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Malkin was clearly the better player in his prime. His game had no real weaknesses, whereas Kucherov lags behind in the physicality and defensive play departments.

 

[Sky04]

Then why did he not get close to winning either year. Pretty clear the voters watched him play and accurately concluded that he wasn't the player driving the bus for his team.

Malkin was outplayed by Kessel in a playoff run, that says enough.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Malkin was outplayed by Kessel in a playoff run, that says enough.

Kucherov's linemate got more CS votes than he did, who is a lesser player than Kessel. So not sure what you're trying to say?

 

[Sky04]

Kucherov's linemate got more CS votes than he did, who is a lesser player than Kessel. So not sure what you're trying to say?

Points a far better player than Kessel and Malkin didn't even get close to him. Says he got carried to those cups after 1, did he ever lead his team in playoff scoring after 09?

Didn't realize Kucherov is only 20 points behind Malkin while being 6 years younger too, he's going to pass him fairly easily.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Points a far better player than Kessel and Malkin didn't even get close to him. Says he got carried to those cups after 1, did he ever lead his team in playoff scoring after 09?

Didn't realize Kucherov is only 20 points behind Malkin while being 6 years younger too, he's going to pass him fairly easily.

Point's numbers without Kucherov are pretty mediocre for a "1C." Kessel had more ppg seasons than him despite playing in a lower scoring era with worse linemates.

Off the top of my head Malkin did in 2013, 2014, and 2017. And his competition was a top 5 player of all time

 

[Sky04]

Point's numbers without Kucherov are pretty mediocre for a "1C." Kessel had more ppg seasons than him despite playing in a lower scoring era with worse linemates.

Off the top of my head Malkin did in 2013, 2014, and 2017. And his competition was a top 5 player of all time

Crosby? The guy who has to play the top matchups while Malkin played 2nd pairings and lesser competition? Thanks for the reminder.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Accept the poll results and move on.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Centers> Wingers.

 

[Bartleby]

Because people have eyes. Kucherov plays with great support around him at all times when he's in the ice (usually multiple future HOFers), which allows him to play his preferred style of defense: cherrypicking. Malkin was a dominant force offensively that didn't need a certain playing style or linemates to be effective: he was the offense. We have only seen 4 players at that level in the last 20 years: 87, 8, 71, and 97.

If you have eyes you know that Kucherov is one of the most uniquely dominant players of this or any era. As for your comments about his defense, his defense is at least as good Malkin's and probably better not to mention the fact that you've got the wrong kind of "picking" sighted. It isn't cherrypicking, it's pick-pocketing and no one is better at stealing pucks and then turning those steals into points than Kucherov. I'm not saying that Kucherov is the superior player (it's close but the edge goes to Geno at this point), nonetheless, the dismissive attitude you are displaying towards Kucherov suggests that it's more of a personal thing or preconceived bias that you've got going on than any eye test.

 

[bobbyking]

People just don't know how to evaluate a player like Kucherov who's entirely based around hockey IQ.

People still think that McDavid has better hockey IQ than Kucherov, which cannot be the case because McDavid's literally every single tool is better than Kucherov's, so if his hockey IQ was better as well he'd have like 200 points a season. But he doesn't.

Kucherov looks like nothing special and he "luckily" gets 2 or 3 points per game.

mcdavid absolutely has better hockey iq, no debate

 

[GoldenKnight]

Points a far better player than Kessel and Malkin didn't even get close to him. Says he got carried to those cups after 1, did he ever lead his team in playoff scoring after 09?

He led the playoffs in scoring in 2017, and many thought he deserved the Smythe that year, including some of the official voters.

 

[Bartleby]

mcdavid absolutely has better hockey iq, no debate

Most idiotic comment in the whole thread. What separates McDavid is his other worldly skill and vision, combined with a very high HIQ, but to make the comment that a there is no debate is ridiculous. Kuch doesn't have anything like McDavid's skill (2nd round pick, 58th overall) and yet he manages to produce at the level that he does. He has an amazing HIQ but trying to quantify one relative to the other is a fools errand.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Right now I would have to go with Malkin, he was a pretty awesome player in his prime. Sometimes we forget how good some players were when we watch them at the end of their careers while the next gen players are tearing up the league.

 

[hamzarocks]

Centers> Wingers.

Better players > inferior players

Center vs Wingers isnt 100% always right

Kucherov is having a peak only matched by Mcdavid & Mackinnon in the cap era while having a worse team than both

Just remarkable how good he has been when he looked to be falling off/slowing down in 2022/2023s second half

Kucherov has the better peak and prime than Malkin for reg and playoffs.

As long as he isnt hurt he should compile another 2-3 top 10 player seasons at worst and pass Malkin for career from their on out

 

[KevinRedkey]

I don't think Malkin would have ever beat prime McDavid in points, and Kucherov looks like he's going to do it for the second time. For that reason, I lean him.