At what point does Kucherov gain the respect he deserves?

[Video Nasty]

Pending the results of the rest of the playoffs, Kucherov is at least in the conversation of the best player not named McDavid. His level of play and tangible accomplishments over the last handful of seasons up to this point in time speaks to this.

Over the last 5 seasons, he ranks 6th in total points and 2nd in PPG. He missed an entire season (2021) and still ranks that high in points. He has a sizable lead over #3 in PPG (the always underappreciated Marchand).

He won a Hart, Lindsay, and Art Ross. His 128 points in 2018-2019 is the most over the course of a full season since Mario and Jagr of 1995-1996.

Only 6 players in NHL history have more than the 34 points he had in the playoffs last season. Gretzky and Lemieux are the only players ever with more than the 27 assists he dished out.

With 22 points in 13 games so far, he is well on his way to hitting 30 points again. In NHL history, only Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, and Lemieux have reached that mark more than once in the playoffs.

If he leads this team to another Cup, nabs the Conn Smythe, and collects 30+ points again, that's a wrap in my opinion. When someone is doing things that have "only Gretzky, Lemieux, etc" attached to it, it's time to put respect on that name.

The time will have come for him to be universally ranked #2 in the game. What say you?

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[King Karl]

It seems like he's pretty universally recognized to be 'extremely good', and clearly in that tier just below McJesus. Ranking those kinds of players is just a way to get people riled up.

 

[josra33]

In before winger vs center argument

 

[Beyonder91]

First in playoff points with 117 since he entered the league in 2013-14.
Second place (Crosby) is a distant 31 points behind

 

[User9992]

Agree with OP. Kuch has a clearly better resume than Mackinnon, Drai & Matthews.

 

[User9992]

First in playoff points with 117 since he entered the league in 2013-14.
Second place (Crosby) is a distant 31 points behind

Can you give me a link to that site?

 

[Thenameless]

He's certainly gaining my respect.

 

[Bluto]

People disrespect Kucherov?
Seems like he's pretty highly regarded almost unanimously.

 

[deckercky]

Agree with OP. Kuch has a clearly better resume than Mackinnon, Drai & Matthews.

I think pretty much everyone puts him in a similar tier to those 3, filling out the top 5 forwards in the league. I generally put kucherov at #2 behind McDavid, but there are arguments for him to be lower within that second group.

Let's not pretend that kucherov doesn't have the cushiest role of those 4 - without the aforementioned players, Toronto and Edmonton certainly aren't playoff teams, and the avalanche are maybe a bubble team. Kucherov just missed a season and Tampa Bay comfortably made playoffs.

 

[Buck Naked]

He's a top 5 player for sure. Just so damn hard to rank those players up there. McDavid is clearly #1, but then it get's harder. Some combo of Draisaitl, MacKinnon, and perhaps Marchand/Kane/Crosby/Matthews/Hedman.. Impossible.

 

[Black Kevin]

Man, he's destroying the play offs, just imagine what he could do during the regular season

 

[82Ninety42011]

I didn't realize he wasn't getting respect?? He's the best winger in the game isn't that enough respect?? As per getting rated 2nd best player in the league kinda hard for a winger to get that title but if anyone does do it it's him right now.

 

[Viqsi]

I still remember what he pulled against Nutivaara during the President's Trophy Sweep. I think he gets more respect than he deserves.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

What disrespect exactly?

He's pretty universally put in the Top 3 in the league when lists are made. Sorry, he's not McDavid.

And yeah, people talk smack about him, but it's his own fault. He has plenty of occasions where he has given out cheap shots because he was frustrated and threw a tantrum

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Can you give me a link to that site?

NHL Stats

Not sure if the link will work but the top 6 since 2013-2014:
Kucherov: 103 gp, 41g, 76a, 117p
Crosby: 92 gp, 29g, 57A, 86p

Malkin: 87 gp, 28g, 49a, 77p
Hedman: 104 gp, 18g, 59a, 77p

Ovechkin: 83 gp, 40g, 34a, 74p
Marchand: 78 gp, 29g, 44a, 73p

 

[GeeoffBrown]

He's a winger and he plays on a good team, so those two things will drop him in a lot of people's eyes. Also, a lot of people don't like that Tampa had him on LTIR all season

 

[Beyonder91]

Can you give me a link to that site?

You can use nhl.com
Here is a link:
NHL Stats

 

[Boo Boo]

A couple years back when he started to get the respect he deserves probably

 

[deckercky]

First in playoff points with 117 since he entered the league in 2013-14.
Second place (Crosby) is a distant 31 points behind

4th in points per game played during that period though...

 

[ottawa]

You don't get respect, you earn it. He'll need a couple more 128+ point seasons for me.

 

[Monk]

I still remember what he pulled against Nutivaara during the President's Trophy Sweep. I think he gets more respect than he deserves.

Agree with this. Little bit of Marchand syndrome re: respect IMO.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

Pending the results of the rest of the playoffs, Kucherov is at least in the conversation of the best player not named McDavid. His level of play and tangible accomplishments over the last handful of seasons up to this point in time speaks to this.

Over the last 5 seasons, he ranks 6th in total points and 2nd in PPG. He missed an entire season (2021) and still ranks that high in points. He has a sizable lead over #3 in PPG (the always underappreciated Marchand).

He won a Hart, Lindsay, and Art Ross. His 128 points in 2018-2019 is the most over the course of a full season since Mario and Jagr of 1995-1996.

Only 6 players in NHL history have more than the 34 points he had in the playoffs last season. Gretzky and Lemieux are the only players ever with more than the 27 assists he dished out.

With 22 points in 13 games so far, he is well on his way to hitting 30 points again. In NHL history, only Gretzky, Messier, Kurri, and Lemieux have reached that mark more than once in the playoffs.

If he leads this team to another Cup, nabs the Conn Smythe, and collects 30+ points again, that's a wrap in my opinion. When someone is doing things that have "only Gretzky, Lemieux, etc" attached to it, it's time to put respect on that name.

The time will have come for him to be universally ranked #2 in the game. What say you?

He's not Canadian/American, he will not get the respect he deserves until "NHL society" deems players from other Nations are as worthy...

 

[Beyonder91]

4th in points per game played during that period though...

His sample size is much bigger and more impressive.
Not to mention going farther in the playoffs generally means harder and harder competition and not as easy to put up points. Mackinnon for example hasn't made it out of the second round.

 

[AvroArrow]

Even more impressive he's dominating this much after a surgery and missing all of training camp and the entire season. To be in that great of shape and dominate 1 day after coming back from injury, with no practice or time to get into game shape, makes it that much more impressive.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Probably not until the end of his career. Kind of like Datsyuk.