Best LW in the league?

[Regal]

Did OV win the smythe+rocket in 2013? And the point is that when one guy has been better literally every season for 5 straight, as recently as last season, you take him over the dude who gets ahead for 40 games.

Are you suggesting he has a....grace period™?

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

I would rank the top 3:
1. Gaudreau
2. Ovechkin
3. Draisaitl

Also, I believe that Tkachuk is rising up the list, fast! In my opinion he is a bigger, stronger more skilled version of Marchand.

I have Panarin over Gaudreau and Forsberg over Ovi for now.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

The answer is Panarin. Forsberg is also better than Ovechkin now when you factor 5on5 production, driving the play, and defense.

 

[Tkachuky]

I have Panarin over Gaudreau and Forsberg over Ovi for now.

Panarin over Johnny is insane.

 

[SillyRabbit]

This year in isolation it's Johnny Hockey.

Overall it's still Ovi until Gaudreau makes this level his norm.

Exactly.

This season it’s Gaudreau, overall it’s Ovi.

If Gaudreau can maintain this level, it will be him overall.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Are you suggesting he has a....grace period™?

Yes. But the difference here is OV has actually been better than Gaudreau every season so he can have the benefit of the doubt for one. It's not a daver grace period that goes on for years.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

How is he a defensive liability?

He's a defensive asset if anything. His commitment to both sides of the ice is as high as its been since his rookie year (contrary to popular opinion, he was extremely solid in his own end as a rookie).

His backchecking has been phenomenal this year, and his defensive positioning and discipline have been really impressive. There have been multiple times where I was in absolute shock of his defensive awareness and anticipation - somehow finding ways to cut off backdoor passes destined for a defenseman streaking down from the point, or tracking his man through all sorts of traffic while still keeping an eye on the play. And then being a half step ahead of everybody else when it comes to anticipating when the puck is about to be turned over. Gaudreau's anticipation without the puck is far and away the best in the league - he's got that 6th sense that Gretzky had. He's very likely to break 40-45 goals purely because of his ability to read the play - I don't think anyone with a shot as weak as his has ever scored anywhere close to 40 goals.

I know a lot of people like to criticize opportunists like Gaudreau and Marner who have that elite anticipation and will take chances to maybe get a break, but I think people overlook the impact that sort of style can have on the game. By making the jump a half second earlier, they push back the D, stretching out the neutral zone, and create a ton of open space for the rest of the 4 man unit to breakout without having to worry about a pinching dman cutting off the breakout. Look how far off the blue line opposing defenseman stand when guys like Marner and Gaudreau are on the ice - they are forced to respect the threat and that makes the breakout significantly easier.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Would have voted Ovi had I seen him. OP kinda hid him further down the list. How convenient

 

[mattydamon]

Ovi and then JG

 

[Tkachuky]

Would have voted Ovi had I seen him. OP kinda hid him further down the list. How convenient

Have you never taken a multiple choice test in school

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Have you never taken a multiple choice test in school

Just assumed if Ovi was in the poll, hed be at the top

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Would have voted Ovi had I seen him. OP kinda hid him further down the list. How convenient

OP obviously trying to be sneaky to get his boy to win. Too bad it's not working.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Have you never taken a multiple choice test in school

I get it's a joke but multiple choice test is usually a, b, c, d. At the most e and f. OV is listed as "h", clearly an agenda.

 

[Peggy]

Who won the rocket last year? And 3 years ago
And 4 years ago ?
And 5 years ago
6 years ago

 

[psycat]

Voted Ovi but Johnny is close and Forsberg is honestly not that far behind either.

 

[djpatm]

We saw last season how a player can have a year that goes completely above the norm, that I won't consider Johnny G above Ovi just yet. That said, I'd take him first if I was doing a fantasy draft, simply because of the age difference.

Assuming you're referring to Hall.

Gaudreau was playing at this level for most of last season too but fell off when Monahan was hurt and the wheels fell off. I'm leaning towards his showing last season was a good precursor to what we're seeing today, which is hopefully a player entering his prime.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Assuming you're referring to Hall.

Gaudreau was playing at this level for most of last season too but fell off when Monahan was hurt and the wheels fell off. I'm leaning towards his showing last season was a good precursor to what we're seeing today, which is hopefully a player entering his prime.

Age wise and talent wise, I think Gaudreau has been in his prime for a few years already. He's already finished top 10 in scoring. He's also not doing it all on his own, which isn't a detriment, but I think his influx in points this year is a combination of factors, including having a competent RW on his line, having Monahan healthy, Giordano playing Norris caliber, the 2nd line taking some defensive attention. I still don't think you can go by just this year and half of last to say he is the best LW in the league right now. I need more consistency before I can say that. He's damn amazing regardless though.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Yes. But the difference here is OV has actually been better than Gaudreau every season so he can have the benefit of the doubt for one. It's not a daver grace period that goes on for years.

Wait a second . . . since Gaudreau's rookie season:

Gaudreau
359gp 358p 1.00ppg 254 EVP 3.13 P/60

Ovechkin
370gp 360p 0.97ppg 230 EVP 2.93 P/60

So its Gaudreau who has outperformed Ovechkin despite playing on an inferior team, with inferior linemates. This time period also includes Gaudreau's rookie season.

Over the last 4 years:

Gaudreau:
279gp 294p 1.05ppg 211 ESP 3.25 p/60

Ovechkin
289gp 279p 0.97ppg 183 ESP 2.92 p/60

That doesn't see all that close...

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Age wise and talent wise, I think Gaudreau has been in his prime for a few years already. He's already finished top 10 in scoring. He's also not doing it all on his own, which isn't a detriment, but I think his influx in points this year is a combination of factors, including having a competent RW on his line, having Monahan healthy, Giordano playing Norris caliber, the 2nd line taking some defensive attention. I still don't think you can go by just this year and half of last to say he is the best LW in the league right now. I need more consistency before I can say that. He's damn amazing regardless though.

Since he's entered the league he leads all LW's in points/game and points/60, and is 2 points shy of having the most total points despite playing 11 less games that the guy in first.

During that time he's first among LW'ers with 254 EVP. 2nd place is Benn with 235 EVP . . in 10 more games, while playing alongside Tyler Seguin. That's a pretty large gap he's created between himself and everyone else, even though the sample includes his rookie season and he's had less than stellar scoring support during that time.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Wait a second . . . since Gaudreau's rookie season:

Gaudreau
359gp 358p 1.00ppg 254 EVP 3.13 P/60

Ovechkin
370gp 360p 0.97ppg 230 EVP 2.93 P/60

So its Gaudreau who has outperformed Ovechkin despite playing on an inferior team, with inferior linemates. This time period also includes Gaudreau's rookie season.

Over the last 4 years:

Gaudreau:
279gp 294p 1.05ppg 211 ESP 3.25 p/60

Ovechkin
289gp 279p 0.97ppg 183 ESP 2.92 p/60

That doesn't see all that close...

This time period also includes a season OV played with an injured wrist so bad he passed up open shots. Also neither player is great defensively, but at least OV brings 200+ hits a season while Gaudreau brings nothing apart from his pts. So when players are close enough in pts/PPG, look at other things like goals, playoffs, hart voting. Then you see OV is clearly ahead and it looks like majority agrees.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

This time period also includes a season OV played with an injured wrist so bad he passed up open shots. Also neither player is great defensively, but at least OV brings 200+ hits a season while Gaudreau brings nothing apart from his pts. So when players are close enough in pts/PPG, look at other things like goals, playoffs, hart voting. Then you see OV is clearly ahead and it looks like majority agrees.

Gaudreau is infinitely better defensively than Ovechkin, and actually missed games due to a broken finger.

Hits don't win you hockey games. Offense does. Gaudreau creates significantly more offense than Ovechkin.

 

[Zuluss]

Wait a second . . . since Gaudreau's rookie season:

Gaudreau
359gp 358p 1.00ppg 254 EVP 3.13 P/60

Ovechkin
370gp 360p 0.97ppg 230 EVP 2.93 P/60

So its Gaudreau who has outperformed Ovechkin despite playing on an inferior team, with inferior linemates. This time period also includes Gaudreau's rookie season.

Yet, Gaudreau got no Hart votes whatsoever in either of his seasons and got on the 3rd All-star team only once.
On the other hand, Ovechkin got some Hart votes just last season, not to mention 15/16 and especially 14/15, and his All-star team record in the past 4 years is 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd. That is, voters for the best LW have consistently put him ahead of Gaudreau each and every season.

So it looks like there is more to hockey than ppg. Probably those 3 Richards mean something. Probably being twice bigger and laying big hits also helps.

 

[Koivu11]

I think Gaudreau is having a better season but I would take Ovechkin for a playoff run.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

How is he a defensive liability?

One way is always being a league leader in giveaways while having a giveaway/takeaway ratio of about 2:1 year after year.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Gaudreau is infinitely better defensively than Ovechkin, and actually missed games due to a broken finger.

Hits don't win you hockey games. Offense does. Gaudreau creates significantly more offense than Ovechkin.

What happens to Gaudreaus offense in the playoffs? How many hart votes does his "significantly" more offense get him?