2020-2021 NHLPA Player Poll

[filinski77]

In Matthews rookie season when he had 40 goals to Ovies 33 goals (both 82 GP) you think Ovechkin was the better goal scorer that year?

16/17: Clearly Matthews
17/18: Ovie (Matthews hurt)
18/19: Clearly Ovie
19/20: Ovie by 1 goal
20/21: Matthews in a landslide

So thats 2 seasons Matthews was much better, we can say 2 seasons Ovie was much better (Matthews was hurt for 20 GP in one of them, 14 GP in the other), and one season where it came down to 1 goal.

Factor in the 17 goal difference in the most recent season and the G/GP over the past 5 years and this is clearly Matthews.

At the end of the day I think a fair assessment is that Ovechkin was a better goalscorer in 3 of the last 4 years, but it's also clear that Matthews was the best goalscorer this year.

Considering Matthews is still at his peak, and Ovechkin is old as f*** (and considering Matthews didn't all of a sudden become a top goalscorer), I would say Matthews is still more than likely going to be the best goalscorer next year. Anything could happen, but that's the reasonable thing to expect.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

How do NHL players think Kucherov gets so many points?

They don't seem all that impressed with his shooting, passing or stickhandling.

I'm guessing the players were polled during the regular season when Kucherov was not playing.

 

[Oilslick941611]

I forgot we weren't allowed to share opinions about hockey on a message board about hockey. I will note that for future reference.

What's even the f***ing point of this site if any opinions shared are met with "well I'm sure the experts care about your opinions"

Hive mind

 

[Treb]

In what world is Matthews the most fashionable
His bid should have ended when he grew that terrible mustache.

 

[Tutu to]

How is Auston Matthews the most fashionable? I’ve never seen him not look like shit.

tbh they all look stupid aside from Lundqvist and Letang.

 

[TOGuy14]

How is Auston Matthews the most fashionable? I’ve never seen him not look like shit.

tbh they all look stupid aside from Lundqvist and Letang.

I don't understand the current fashionable phase.

I know early 2000s well tailored suits were the thing, now guys come out looking like they spent a night in a crack den with fur jackets and torn jeans and that is high fasion

 

[Tutu to]

I don't understand the current fashionable phase.

I know early 2000s well tailored suits were the thing, now guys come out looking like they spent a night in a crack den with fur jackets and torn jeans and that is high fasion

I’m around the same age as these guys and I don’t get it. Growing up I remember players dressing well. Well fitted clothing that was simple and classy.

As a Habs fan I always thought those hats PK wore were stupid but nobody dresses worse than Pasternak.

 

[JoVel]

In what world is Matthews the most fashionable
His bid should have ended when he grew that terrible mustache.

How is Auston Matthews the most fashionable? I’ve never seen him not look like shit.

tbh they all look stupid aside from Lundqvist and Letang.

Have you guys watched today's fashion shows? Fashion as it's known today is just combining the most random pieces of clothing you can find and wearing them together.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Matthews "winning" the rocket in the crap north division doesn't mean anything. Last time I checked, he hasn't won shit in a real season. It was literally 1 season ago that OV scored more goals than him despite playing less games. Can Matthews beat OV in a real season? Sure. Will it be next season? Probably. But until it happens, OV is still #1.

 

[Buck Naked]

I’m around the same age as these guys and I don’t get it. Growing up I remember players dressing well. Well fitted clothing that was simple and classy.

As a Habs fan I always thought those hats PK wore were stupid but nobody dresses worse than Pasternak.

Dressing well does not equal fashion though. Two completely different things. Most people who are not interested in fashion will never understand it and will always be a few years too late. When well-fitted suits and clothes first became a thing in the U.S., most people who dressed that way were called homophobic slurs by people in baggy jeans from Old Navy or large suits with wide ties from Macy's. I lived through it during my University years. Now that's what people think is fashionable, like 15 years later.

 

[DieSendungmitderMaus]

I was joking around, but what is the best argument? HF posters know better than NHL players?

How much do NHL players actually follow the league as a whole? One would think that after a day of work at the rink, they'd have something better to do than binge watch hockey in their spare time.

I'm not saying I'd take HFboards consensus over NHLPA consensus, but there's no need to treat these guys like an absolute authority. No one has a problem with bashing some of the outrageous things player-turned-pundits say five years after they're out of the league, I don't think that time inbetween makes all the difference.

 

[OKR]

Just LMAO at Matthews and Pastrnak being two of the most fashionable player

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Tbh there's some stuff in there that seems almost slanderous to McDavid.

Also I have to lol at Matthews beating Ovechkin for the "best goal scorer" title. Ovi's literally going to go down as the GOAT goal scorer, and he has won 7 of the last 9 Rocket Richard trophies. I'm going to need to see a larger sample size from Matthews before I'd put him over Ovechkin personally, even with Matthews being much better this season.

It took exactly one post for someone to complain about a Leaf being praised by his peers.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Regarding the Matthews vs Ovi thing, I don’t know if the poll is asking who is the better goal scorer this season, or now and moving forward, or in their careers.

If it’s right now, it’s Matthews. If it’s moving forward, it’s also Matthews. Career wise or for the past 5 years since Matthews joined the league, it’s obviously Ovi.

I’m not as offended about it as some here, and I’m one of the biggest Ovi homers around here.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

How much do NHL players actually follow the league as a whole? One would think that after a day of work at the rink, they'd have something better to do than binge watch hockey in their spare time.

I'm not saying I'd take HFboards consensus over NHLPA consensus, but there's no need to treat these guys like an absolute authority. No one has a problem with bashing some of the outrageous things player-turned-pundits say five years after they're out of the league, I don't think that time inbetween makes all the difference.

NHL players know their craft and know the league. That includes who the best players are and what they bring to the table. Not infallible, but a much better authority than anyone on this website.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Ovechkin has been a better goal scorer than Matthews in 4 of Matthews' 5 seasons, so I'm really not sure how that helps your case.

Like I said, Matthews was substantially better than Ovechkin this year. I want to see him replicate that before I put him above Ovi, because Ovi basically had a monopoly on the Rocket Richard before this year.

But the poll is about who is best right now, not historically. That's their opinion and there's obvious evidence they're right and they obviously would know more than you or me who's the better scorer right now unless you happen to be an NHL player.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Regarding the Matthews vs Ovi thing, I don’t know if the poll is asking who is the better goal scorer this season, or now and moving forward, or in their careers.

If it’s right now, it’s Matthews. If it’s moving forward, it’s also Matthews. Career wise or for the past 5 years since Matthews joined the league, it’s obviously Ovi.

I’m not as offended about it as some here, and I’m one of the biggest Ovi homers around here.

It's a snapshot. Who as of *today* is the best goal scorer. That would be Matthews.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Again, I'll just reposting this.

I've made my stance very clear. I want to see a more sustained run than 1 season of Matthews being better before I put Matthews over Ovechkin. Just like I'm not going to say whatever flavor of the week (MacKinnon last week, Kucherov this week) is better than McDavid because "McDavid got swept in round 1!".

But you have seen a sustained run. As someone posted above, Matthews has more goals per game than Ovenchicken (and more overall) over his 5 year career. Is 5 years not long enough?

 

[YearsintheWilderness]

Fashion shows, hanging with the Biebs, storming women alone in cars at night, having a laugh as he's rag-dolled in the playoffs.

What a man!

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

How is Auston Matthews the most fashionable? I’ve never seen him not look like shit.

tbh they all look stupid aside from Lundqvist and Letang.

I don't think fashion means to us what it means to the Z generation. Yeah, Matthews dresses awful imo.

 

[DieSendungmitderMaus]

NHL players know their craft and know the league. That includes who the best players are and what they bring to the table. Not infallible, but a much better authority than anyone on this website.

See, I'm not sure how much your run of the mill eastern conference third liner really knows or cares to know about Western Conference players that he spends 10 minutes each a year playing against and otherwise doesn't follow. And vice versa.

In short, there's several people on these boards and elsewhere not in the NHL whose opinions I'd take over Jeremy Roenick's.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Ovechkin has been a better goal scorer than Matthews in 4 of Matthews' 5 seasons, so I'm really not sure how that helps your case.

Like I said, Matthews was substantially better than Ovechkin this year. I want to see him replicate that before I put him above Ovi, because Ovi basically had a monopoly on the Rocket Richard before this year.

Ovechkin deserves the respect of at least one more season to show if he is or isn’t still the current top goalscorer in the league. Especially given the circumstances Covid brought this year.

 

[txpd]

Regarding the Matthews vs Ovi thing, I don’t know if the poll is asking who is the better goal scorer this season, or now and moving forward, or in their careers.

If it’s right now, it’s Matthews. If it’s moving forward, it’s also Matthews. Career wise or for the past 5 years since Matthews joined the league, it’s obviously Ovi.

I’m not as offended about it as some here, and I’m one of the biggest Ovi homers around here.

I still have Ov penciled in for the Rocket next season.

 

[txpd]

Ovechkin deserves the respect of at least one more season to show if he is or isn’t still the current top goalscorer in the league. Especially given the circumstances Covid brought this year.

Ovechkin basically started the season on the COVID list. He was on a team with a new coach and new system where there was a short camp and no pre season games. When he returned from the COVID list he was way behind.

Even with that he still had his annual 20 goals in 20 games run and he basically parked himself for the end last bunch of games for injury reasons. Injuries that very likely dont surface with a normal schedule.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I still have Ov penciled in for the Rocket next season.

From your keyboard to God’s screen, amen