Best First Overall Picks (1970 to 2012) - #12

[GlitchMarner]

Who's the 12th best first overall pick between 1970 and 2012?





#1. Mario Lemieux
#2. Sidney Crosby
#3. Alex Ovechkin
#4. Guy Lafleur
#5. Denis Potvin
#6. Patrick Kane
#7. Eric Lindros
#8. Joe Thornton
#9. Gilbert Perreault
#10. Dale Hawerchuk
#11. Mats Sundin

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[Thenameless]

I went with Stamkos. Before his injuries, he was giving Ovechkin a real run for his money in goal scoring races. He was never the same afterwards. He's been showing flashes of his old self lately. Yeah, peak Stamkos is better than anyone else on that list.

 

[Voight]

I went with Stamkos. Before his injuries, he was giving Ovechkin a real run for his money in goal scoring races. He was never the same afterwards. He's been showing flashes of his old self lately. Yeah, peak Stamkos is better than anyone else on that list.

Agreed, also has more top 10 finishes, more awards and better voting record when it comes to AST/Hart vs the rest of them.

 

[Krewe]

I went with Stamkos. Before his injuries, he was giving Ovechkin a real run for his money in goal scoring races. He was never the same afterwards. He's been showing flashes of his old self lately. Yeah, peak Stamkos is better than anyone else on that list.

Yeah Stamkos injuries are a shame because he was flashing a peak up there with the best of them. Luckily he has managed to bounce back and still be a franchise level player since them. The fact he has managed to produce despite being demoted at first down to 2C and then now to left wing is commendable. His leadership skills are always going to be questioned, but the only thing missing from his resume is a cup. Well.... and a 100pt season.

Guess who has the most seasons pacing between 90 and 100 pts in a career? Steven Stamkos, with 8 (9 if you count a season he paced for 89pts). Even if you throw away pace, and just count the players with the most 90+ seasons AND no 100+ seasons, he is in a tie for most with 4.

Kinda shocking, because that means of his 11 seasons, 9 of them have been on pace for between 89 and 98 points (though only 5 of them ended up between 86 and 98). Kinda shocking consistency, especially since he has had 3 seasons of 95 or more yet has NEVER broken 100pts.

The injuries he had really robbed us of an incredible peak

EDIT: Heres a fun Hockey Reference Ranking. Most seasons pacing between 89 and 99 points since the lockout. First: Stammer with 9 (4 "actual" 90+), second place is 5 (only 1)

LINK

 

[Voight]

7 times top 10 goals, 5 times top 10 points in 12 seasons.

Thats with him missing half of 2013-2014 and basically all of 2016-2017. At least one of those years he adds a top 10 goal finish at minimum.