2nd best player in the league!

[Ringo13]

Not going to vote because 2nd place is a tie for me. Initially I thought Draisaitl. So I asked myself if I would trade him for any player on the list. The answer to me is a Hedman Draisaitl trade 1 for 1 is about as fair as it gets! My list:
1. McDavid
2. Draisaitl/Hedman
3. Mackinnon
4. Kucherov
5. Matthews/Crosby/Kane

 

[Mighty Makar]

Nate the Great!

 

[The Big Swede13]

Mackinnon

 

[the_fan]

Mate NacKinnon

 

[Buck Naked]

Matthews is the 2nd best player in the NHL.


McDavid

Matthews
MacKinnon
Panarin
Kucherov

 

[Senor Catface]

I wouldn't vote Kane, but I feel like he never gets the respect in these sort of "top 5" debates.

He's still really, really good.

The only person with more EV points the last few seasons is McDavid.

 

[Paul4587]

MacKinnon by quite a bit.

 

[keglu]

Kucherov 128 poing ross hart win followed up by 34 points in 25 playoff games leading the playoffs and winning cup the next season....

But he was arguably 3rd best player on his own team on this playoffs run.

 

[Phil68]

Anyone who says Matthews
MacKinnon is smoking some real good hydro. Leon Draisaitl by a mile ahead of else.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

McDavid (after Panarin)

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Frankly, this is probably blasphemy on these boards but I don't see why MacKinnon is considered to be in a different tier than Nikita Kucherov.

They both joined the NHL in 2013-2014, with Kucherov starting on the 4th line and MacKinnon already in a prominent role. The way I see it, MacKinnon took his step forward in the 2017-2018, when he broke out for 97 points, so that's where I'll draw the line for comparison. Kucherov also took a step up that season, and both turned into the players they are today.

Pre 2017-2018:
MacKinnon - 0.687 P/GP
Kucherov - 0.821 P/GP

2017-2018 to today:
MacKinnon - 1.295 P/GP
Kucherov - 1.361 P/GP

Since their rookie seasons (unfair comparison with Kucherov scratched/on the 4th line), MacKinnon has outpaced Kucherov a total of 2 of 6 seasons, one of which was by 0.06 PPG.

Even MacKinnon's (career high) pace this season is slightly lower than the average of Kucherov's post-2017 pace.

Sure, there are other arguments to make for MacKinnon and he plays a more valuable position, but I'm just unsure why it's such a foregone conclusion that he's in a higher tier than Kucherov when Kucherov has the clear edge in production.



Anyways, I voted Hedman.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Anyone who says Matthews
MacKinnon is smoking some real good hydro. Leon Draisaitl by a mile ahead of else.

Just because it’s legal in Colorado I do not think we should make those assumptions about Nate.

McDavid (after Panarin)

Your avatar is sad Pepe in a rangers jersey, it’s gonna be tough to take that opinion seriously.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Frankly, this is probably blasphemy on these boards but I don't see why MacKinnon is considered to be in a different tier than Nikita Kucherov.

They both joined the NHL in 2013-2014, with Kucherov starting on the 4th line and MacKinnon already in a prominent role. The way I see it, MacKinnon took his step forward in the 2017-2018, when he broke out for 97 points, so that's where I'll draw the line for comparison. Kucherov also took a step up that season, and both turned into the players they are today.

Pre 2017-2018:
MacKinnon - 0.687 P/GP
Kucherov - 0.821 P/GP

2017-2018 to today:
MacKinnon - 1.295 P/GP
Kucherov - 1.361 P/GP

Since their rookie seasons (unfair comparison with Kucherov scratched/on the 4th line), MacKinnon has outpaced Kucherov a total of 2 of 6 seasons, one of which was by 0.06 PPG.

Even MacKinnon's (career high) pace this season is slightly lower than the average of Kucherov's post-2017 pace.

Sure, there are other arguments to make for MacKinnon and he plays a more valuable position, but I'm just unsure why it's such a foregone conclusion that he's in a higher tier than Kucherov when Kucherov has the clear edge in production.



Anyways, I voted Hedman.

because he's a center! and fast! and Canadian! obviously that makes him far superior

 

[Video Nasty]

If Kucherov didn’t miss this current entire regular season, I would think twice about this.

It’s Drai.

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Panarin is criminally underrated in this poll.

 

[Ace of Hades]

MacKinnon and then Hedman.

After that, any of Panarin, Draisaitl and Kucherov, though I lean on Kuch for the edge out of the three.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

Top producers over the last 2.5 years: NHL Stats

So how is Barkov not even an option if Matthews is? considering his defensive game. I wouldn't vote for Barkov but these lists are often popularity contests

 

[authentic]

I almost feel like #2 is a three way tie between Hedman, MacKinnon and Matthews, but chose Matthews here because of the insane season he is having despite being far from 100% in a number of games. Draisaitl is understandable given his point totals are behind only McDavid this season and last but I would say Panarin and Kucherov are as good or arguably better.

 

[authentic]

So how is Barkov not even an option if Matthews is? considering his defensive game. I wouldn't vote for Barkov but these lists are often popularity contests

This just goes to show, Matthews is clearly better than Barkov despite that ridiculous poll.

 

[Spilot23]

This just goes to show, Matthews is clearly better than Barkov despite that ridiculous poll.

I'm more surprised Matthews getting voted after one very good season compared to guys like Mack and Drai who have been topping 95+ in the last two or three seasons. I get that Matthews is getting there but to me it's too soon to call him the 2nd best player in league. I remember Mack's first Hart worthy season people said he needed to that again which he did. After that the excuses kept piling up like Rantanen making him better since he was bad before him or Mack playing on a good team. Now the last bug they found on him is that he doesn't show up in game 7s despite having 54pts in 40 playoff games.

 

[Three On Zero]

2. Mac
3. Panarin
4. Kane/Draisaitl can duke it out

 

[Maplebeasts]

I'm fine with any of Mackinnon, Draisaitl or Matthews here. Probably leaning Drai though right now.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Voted McKinnon.
I think you could make a case for all of Drai, Panarin and Hedman as well. I'd probably put Hedman third.

 

[North Cole]

Drai
Mack
Matthews/Hedman
Kucherov

Kucherov missing the season makes it tougher to rank him in the top 3. They're all pretty interchangeable at any point IMO.

Happy to have Matthews in the top5 where I didn't have him last year.

 

[McFlash97]

Easy answer Draisaitl.

His body of work trumps everyone the last 3 years on that list.

He also swept the awards last year.