Will Bedard be generational? Based on the following players:

[F86puck]

My definition of generational is best given by examples. In chronological order beginning with the 1970s:

Bobby Orr
Wayne Gretzky
Mario Lemieux
Sidney Crosby
Connor McDavid
Bubble: Nathan MacKinnon (a couple more years like this year and he makes it).

Whether you agree or not with these names, we can all agree these are some of the best of the best. So my main question is: will Bedard reach the level of these 5 or 6 players? I predict he will be outstanding, a first ballot Hall of Famer, maybe a Hart or two and Art Ross or two. But, like Kane, I don't think he will quite reach generational status. Nothing to complain about. Happy to hear other opinions as we play NHL scout/GM. Just keep it civil, it's just an opinion based on seeing him, at age 18, for 59 games.

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[CallMeShaft]

Better career, not necessarily accolades, than MacKinnon. Worse than the others, but even being compared to that group is a major accomplishment.

 

[TheFridge]

I would love to see Bedard with some real NHL talent, on a roster that isn't just Bedard on an island. He's still had a great year but imagine if he had a legitimate wing and we had at least one other dangerous line.

 

[deytookerjaabs]

It's fun watching Wing fans reaction to Kane. He gets the puck on his stick at the most important moment and you just feel it coming, boom, puck is in the net. Even did it his last game as a Hawk but apparently he was -.0001 seconds too late. Seen it play out with him so many times as a fan. And, he had that ice in his veins pretty early on.

Damn, if Bedard had that level of gamesmanship I'd take a Kane comparison all day long even if it doesn't rise to "generational" on paper.

But, the jury is still out. Bedard has had the golden boy treatment in terms of his responsibility on the ice. Thrown to the wolves from game 1 and I'm not even sure his voice has dropped. Tons of talent but has a ways to go.

 

[Kevin Musto]

I would love to see Bedard with some real NHL talent, on a roster that isn't just Bedard on an island. He's still had a great year but imagine if he had a legitimate wing and we had at least one other dangerous line.

Yup he's an 18 year old ppg player playing with bums.

The league is not prepared for Bedard with NHL linemates.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Today's the day that I heard the best player to ever lace them up from the US is not "generational."

PPG at age 35, after a major hip surgery.

Over the last 15 seasons, he has more points than any other NHLer except for Crosby, and Crosby only has him beat by 17 points over that stretch.

Imagine thinking Kane isn't a generational talent.

 

[Idionym]

Today's the day that I heard the best player to ever lace them up from the US is not "generational."

PPG at age 35, after a major hip surgery.

Over the last 15 seasons, he has more points than any other NHLer except for Crosby, and Crosby only has him beat by 17 points over that stretch.

Imagine thinking Kane isn't a generational talent.

Kane isn't on the Crosby/McDavid tier, he's not generational.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Kane isn't on the Crosby/McDavid tier, he's not generational.

Agree to disagree. Not to mention... with the game on the line, there isn't a single player in the NHL that I'd take with the puck on his stick over Kane through the past 15 years.

Depends on your opinion of generational. For me, the best player to ever play hockey from the United States can go in the generational category.

 

[Idionym]

Agree to disagree. Not to mention... with the game on the line, there isn't a single player in the NHL that I'd take with the puck on his stick over Kane through the past 15 years.

Depends on your opinion of generational. For me, the best player to ever play hockey from the United States can go in the generational category.

Kane was never the best player in the world at any point during his career. Crosby and McDavid were always better. Not sure how by any definition he can be considered to be generational.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Kane was never the best player in the world at any point during his career. Crosby and McDavid were always better. Not sure how by any definition he can be considered to be generational.

By using your definition, both Crosby and McDavid can't be generational, then. If you use it in that sense, there can only be ONE during any given generation. Since they've played during the same generation, you'd have to choose one, and only one. The same would then go for Lemieux and Gretzky. It's a dumb definition. No offense.

For the OP to put Nate Mack in there, but not include Kane... is something. Over the past 15 years, Mack doesn't even crack the top 10 in points over that span.

 

[ClydeLee]

By using your definition, both Crosby and McDavid can't be generational, then. If you use it in that sense, there can only be ONE during any given generation. Since they've played during the same generation, you'd have to choose one, and only one. The same would then go for Lemieux and Gretzky. It's a dumb definition. No offense.

They pretty clearly are in their primes as distinct eras.

The separation of Crosby/Ovi era is pretty clear from McDavid and began 10 years apart.

That distinction is much further apart than Gretzky-Lemeuix

 

[ChiHawks10]

They pretty clearly are in their primes as distinct eras.

The separation of Crosby/Ovi era is pretty clear from McDavid and began 10 years apart.

That distinction is much further apart than Gretzky-Lemeuix

Most "generations" span 15 years. Which is why I used that as my criteria in my points comparisons. McDavid and Crosby overlap for almost a decade.

 

[shakes the clown]

My definition of generational is best given by examples. In chronological order beginning with the 1970s:

Bobby Orr
Wayne Gretzky
Mario Lemieux
Sidney Crosby
Connor McDavid
Bubble: Nathan MacKinnon (a couple more years like this year and he makes it).

Whether you agree or not with these names, we can all agree these are some of the best of the best. So my main question is: will Bedard reach the level of these 5 or 6 players? I predict he will be outstanding, a first ballot Hall of Famer, maybe a Hart or two and Art Ross or two. But, like Kane, I don't think he will quite reach generational status. Nothing to complain about. Happy to hear other opinions as we play NHL scout/GM. Just keep it civil, it's just an opinion based on seeing him, at age 18, for 59 games.

you had a really strict definition of generational until you put MacKinnon on the bubble. Now you've opened up your list to a lot more players.

 

[ClydeLee]

Most "generations" span 15 years. Which is why I used that as my criteria in my points comparisons. McDavid and Crosby overlap for almost a decade.

I still used to only see generational applied to prospects or guys coming out in a draft.

To me Lindros was generational. Because he was as a prospect. He just was too injured and a jerk to probably reach his potential

 

[x Tame Impala]

It's a semantics argument no matter how you slice it. There isn't a consensus on what "generational" even means, like a lot of things in hockey (definition of a 1D or 1C, top 6 forward, etc...)

Kane has been consistently a top 4 or 5 player in the league basically his entire career. In goals and points. From the 2012/13 season to the 2015/16 season he won 2 Cups, 1 Smythe, and had one of the most dominant Ross winning seasons compared to his peers we've seen in a while. Along with a Hart and Lindsday.

I really, really hope he stays healthy for another 3+ years because he has a chance to finish with over 1500 points. Best American player ever, probably best Blackhawk ever.

 

[TLEH]

Most "generations" span 15 years. Which is why I used that as my criteria in my points comparisons. McDavid and Crosby overlap for almost a decade.

Mario and Wayne overlapped too. I personally don't view Kane as generational for hockey as a whole. I'm unsure if Bedard will be. The same way I would have said I'm unsure if McDavid would be after his first year.

MacKinnon is not generational.

 

[shakes the clown]

Mario and Wayne overlapped too. I don't view Kane as generational. I'm unsure if Bedard will be. The same way I would have said I'm unsure if McDavid would be after his first year.

MacKinnon is not generational.

I also do not view Kane as generational.

But where is Ovie on this list? I like a tough standard for generational status, but I don't agree that there can only be one generational player at a time. Crosby and Ovechkin are the best example of that.

 

[TLEH]

I also do not view Kane as generational.

But where is Ovie on this list? I like a tough standard for generational status, but I don't agree that there can only be one generational player at a time. Crosby and Ovechkin are the best example of that.

Yeah Ovi is interesting for me. He is the best goal scorer.. ever. That itself is generational. But the rest of his game was really lacking for a while. I'd still call him generational.

 

[ChiHawks10]

And this is why I brought Kane up. Because definitions of generational vary widely, and there really isn't any overall consensus on it. It's a good conversation, anyways.

Playoff performances need to be taken into account, also.

 

[Wally1112pac]

I wouldn't call Kane generational. A handful of players over the course of a hundred years have been tagged as such.

I would however call him a Franchise player. Toews as well.

 

[Pez68]

Generational is such a stupid f***ing descriptor.

 

[dj Mahoney]

I wouldn't call Kane generational. A handful of players over the course of a hundred years have been tagged as such.

I would however call him a Franchise player. Toews as well.

Tough to compare really , fans gush over Austin Mathews and he is a no show every spring . Give me Toews and Kane every day of the week . Stats or Stanley Cups ?

 

[ChiHawks10]

Generational is such a stupid f***ing descriptor.

Agreed.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Generational is such a stupid f***ing descriptor.

Exactly. McDavid, MacKinnon, and Bedard are all part of the same generation so no educated person would describe two of them as generational.

 

[hawksfan50]

Well..Bedardccertainly WAS a Generatuonal guy in Juniors...thequestion is will he be so in the SHOW?

Co ing clise/looking good is not goibgvtobcutbit...to be generational the points goita be there in the NHL to an elite level...

Even a pink a gamevis NOT Generational...and being sich a negative in +/- is Not goibgvto make you Henerational either.

You have to vexatvleastvpositivevin +/- and Also produce 100 poibtscorvmorecorc40 goals or more Consistently over several years before beibg called NHL Generational.