When McDavid retires his career will be the equal of ...

[amnesiac]

Between Mario and Crosby

 

[La Bamba]

In regard to only towards, he’ll be the best outside of Gretz and Mario and better than Sid

 

[dalewood12]

Whatever is third.

 

[Video Nasty]

Career does not equal skill level, so some are doing needless hand wringing over the mere thought of McDavid potentially having a better career than someone like Lemieux. Don’t worry. Lemieux will always be the better, more talented player.

But if we end up seeing McDavid play a pretty full career, cross 2000 points, win 5-10 Art Rosses, 4-6 Harts, 5-7 Lindsays, a huge collection of top 3-5 Hart finishes, and win a pair of Cups/Conn Smythes, that’s a better career than Lemieux.

In fact, it’s really only Gretzky who can be argued effectively if that were the case.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Gretzky and Lemieux will always be “greater” than McDavid to me, but his resume could be second to only Gretzky in the end.

 

[serp]

View attachment 731058

"Gotta do something in the playoffs"

At some point, we might need to accept that there is a limit how far 2 players can drag a team.

While It's not exactly fair team success or lack there of still hugely factors into evaluating players careers.

 

[Xspyrit]

I find there's always too much missing when you don't era adjust stats

 

[tarheelhockey]

With all due respect to Beliveau, if McDavid does not surpass him eventually, it would be a dissapointment.

I wouldn’t say so. Beliveau was maybe the first prospect to come into the NHL with the superstar label already attached, like a Lindros or Crosby or McDavid. He was so hyped that the Canadiens actually bought out his amateur league to force him to become professional on their timetable. At 6’3” and solidly built, he would be considered a large center even by today’s standards let alone the 1950s. He was not only the best center in the league by a considerable margin, but also had a Bergeron/Yzerman level of respect as a captain and spokesman for the franchise, and ended up being the 1C on two different dynasties, and was still making postseason AS teams into his late 30s. If we stop the tape in 1969, there would be a decent argument for him as the GOAT of the first 50 years of the NHL.

That’s a hell of a high bar to reach, no matter how good a player is. IMO Crosby has finally gotten there but it took till his 30s. McDavid could very well fall short by simply being a disappointment, but he could also have a very strong respectable career and just never quite hit that level of prestige long-term.

 

[VaporTrail]

Pat LaFontaine...sometime in the next few years he will come across a blue line with his head down and get destroyed...He will essentially suffer a concussion that ends his career...Oh what could have been.

 

[sethro109]

If he never wins a cup, Dan Marino.

 

[Coffey]

If he never wins a cup, Dan Marino.

1 MVP Marino?

Not even comparable.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

At this rate with no Cups?

Marcel Dionne

 

[sethro109]

1 MVP Marino?

Not even comparable.

I still feel like Dan is considered the best QB to never win an SB. Which is where I see people placing McDavid if he never wins one. The best player to never win a cup.

 

[Coffey]

I still feel like Dan is considered the best QB to never win an SB. Which is where I see people placing McDavid if he never wins one. The best player to never win a cup.

I was gonna suggest Sanders, but he only has 1 MVP too lol

 

[jetsforever]

Howie Morenz over Crosby?

 

[Coffey]

Howie Morenz over Crosby?

I think the options list is in no particular order.

I WOULD HOPE

 

[hamzarocks]

Hes already the 5th best player of all time with his all time goat peak and insane prime

He will need to be a top 5 player (win 1 more ross+hart+lindsay) for another 10 years to pass Howe and if he does that he passes 66 as well (injured career otherwise 66 and 9o are likely to far to catch)

To get the GOAT forward (player for me but some have Orr higher) he needs to be a top 3 player for 10 years more with 2-3 ross+hart+lindsays each and at least 2 smythes and cups

In regard to only towards, he’ll be the best outside of Gretz and Mario and better than Sid

Until bedard passes him

He could be the goat though if he maintains that crazy peak last year anorher 2 seasons and then anothet prime of 5-7 years of top 3-5 player play.

2 or 3 cups and he likely has more rosses than Gretzky, with dominance in the new era that won't be matched barring a Bedard living to max potential scenerio

 

[Matsun]

I feel like he is currently peaking higher than Howe and he has obviously been really consistent so far. Best case I can see him surpassing Orr and Lemieux because of better health and while he peaks lower than them his peak is still all time great. At the same time he can surpass Howe because of a better peak, and while his consistency will be worse than Howe it will still be all time great. That is a very best best case though. He need to start winning for that to happen.

I feel there is such a huge gap in hockey from 5th to 4th in all time rankings that McDavid can become the consensus 5th best player ever in the next 3-5 seasons and still never reach 4. I would've voted Howe if he was an option but honestly I think McDavid will retire on his own tier as the 5th best player all time. Top 4 will keep a small but clear edge, and McDavid will be way ahead of the players behind him. So he will make it into a big 4+1.

 

[Hockeyholic]

I still feel like Dan is considered the best QB to never win an SB. Which is where I see people placing McDavid if he never wins one. The best player to never win a cup.

He's the best QB to not win a SB.

But he is also one of the most overrated QB's in history. His 1984 season has really propped him up. The problem is he was never that dominate again.

 

[authentic]

Probably pretty close to Mario. He has many more healthy and dominant seasons left if I had to guess, and that puts him within striking distance of Lemieux even if he doesn't have quite the same level of peak domination.

 

[norrisnick]

I feel like he is currently peaking higher than Howe and he has obviously been really consistent so far. Best case I can see him surpassing Orr and Lemieux because of better health and while he peaks lower than them his peak is still all time great. At the same time he can surpass Howe because of a better peak, and while his consistency will be worse than Howe it will still be all time great. That is a very best best case though. He need to start winning for that to happen.

I feel there is such a huge gap in hockey from 5th to 4th in all time rankings that McDavid can become the consensus 5th best player ever in the next 3-5 seasons and still never reach 4. I would've voted Howe if he was an option but honestly I think McDavid will retire on his own tier as the 5th best player all time. Top 4 will keep a small but clear edge, and McDavid will be way ahead of the players behind him. So he will make it into a big 4+1.

He needs another season like this past one just to match Howe's best 4 year run, let alone peak higher.

From '50-'51 through '53-'54 Howe scored 46.2% more than his nearest non-teammate (Maurice Richard). 4 consecutive Art Ross Trophies

The past 4 seasons McDavid has scored 33.9% more than his nearest non-teammate (Nathan MacKinnon). 3 of 4 Art Ross Trophies

If you do the past 3 seasons he has scored 44.3% more than his nearest non-teammate (Nathan MacKinnon). 3 consecutive Art Ross Trophies. So if he can string another dominant Art Ross season together then he can maybe join the conversation with Howe's peak.

Howe wasn't just great for a long time, 20 consecutive seasons as a top 5 scorer. He was dominant with a Mario-level peak at the beginning of that crazy long prime.

 

[Skolman]

Hes already the 5th best player of all time with his all time goat peak and insane prime

He will need to be a top 5 player (win 1 more ross+hart+lindsay) for another 10 years to pass Howe and if he does that he passes 66 as well (injured career otherwise 66 and 9o are likely to far to catch)

To get the GOAT forward (player for me but some have Orr higher) he needs to be a top 3 player for 10 years more with 2-3 ross+hart+lindsays each and at least 2 smythes and cups


Until bedard passes him

He could be the goat though if he maintains that crazy peak last year anorher 2 seasons and then anothet prime of 5-7 years of top 3-5 player play.

2 or 3 cups and he likely has more rosses than Gretzky, with dominance in the new era that won't be matched barring a Bedard living to max potential scenerio

Bedard won't be as good as McDavid

 

[hamzarocks]

Bedard won't be as good as McDavid

Dont doubt the nard dog

 

[Connor McConnor]

If he stays healthy and wins 1 he’s top 4

 

[Hockeyholic]

Bedard won't be as good as McDavid

I'm sure many posters were saying McDavid would never pass Crosby in 2015. Now, there are many who believe McDavid has surpassed him.

 

[the_fan]

Yakupov