Better Prime: Patrick Kane Versus Nathan MacKinnon

[GlitchMarner]

Who is the better prime player?

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[CanadienShark]

Kane

 

[authentic]

MacKinnon is a better player, not surpassed the career of Kane though quite yet

 

[PettersonHughes]

Might be too early to tell for Nate for the entire career, but so far it's Patty Kane AINEC.
3 Cups, All-Star selections spanning more than 1 decade, and even now he's still almost point-per-game status. Nate's had the higher individual points per season total, but he likely won't have nearly as much longevity as Patty has had, since Nate's game is more explosiveness based compared with Patty's on skill.

 

[LightningStorm]

So far give me 2016 Kane as the peak of either player.

 

[Play]

The guy who makes Hedman look like a gummy bear playing hockey

 

[GlitchMarner]

MacKinnon is a better player, not surpassed the career of Kane though quite yet

I agree. He impresses me more than Kane did in his prime. That's not a slight toward Kane. I think MacK has as much or almost as much offensive talent and he's able to thrive playing a top line role and going against the opposition's best players whereas Kane was at his best with Toews taking on the tough match-ups, freeing him up to do damage offensively.

 

[Play]

The guy who makes Hedman look like a gummy bear playing hockey

@LightningStorm no disrespect I mean

 

[hamzarocks]

Mackinnon and its not even close

2018 --> 2nd best player in the league
2019 --> 5th or 6th best player in the league
2020 --> 3rd best player in the league
2021 --> 3rd best player in the league
2022 --> 6th or 7th best playee in the league
2023 --> 2nd or 3rd best player in the league
2024 --> best or 2nd best player in the league

Kane:

2013 --> 5th or 6th best player in the league
2014 --> 8th or 9th best player in the league
2015 --> 5th or 6th best player in the league
2016 --> best player in the league
2017 --> 4th or 5th best player in the league
2018 --> 25th best player in the league (horrible year which kills this comparison)
2019 --> 4th or 5th best player in the league
2020 --> 11th to 12th best player in the leagur
2021 --> 9th to 10th best player in the league

Mackinnon after 7 years in his prime has more top 3 seasons than Kane in 9 years. Next two years should build that gap more

 

[Regal]

I tend to think MacKinnon is a bit better, but it’s pretty close. I like his power/speed combo a bit better and this year is probably going to end up better than Kane’s Art Ross year despite Kucherov and McDavid being so close.

I think production-wise they’re close relative to the league though, and Kane often played with worse linemates. And while MacKinnon’s typical possession numbers are better, Kane was a unique possession player where he’d have the puck a ton in the offensive zone but was a little more methodical at creating chances. Kane also is one of those guys that came through in the clutch often enough that it didn’t feel like variance.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

The guy with a Hart, Ross and Smythe

 

[hamzarocks]

The guy with a Hart, Ross and Smythe

Mackinnon will have a hart and ross in month from now

Has a cup but no smythe yet

 

[Faceboner]

Eh Kane is weird player statistically but he has the most it factor of any player

 

[Machinehead]

MacKinnon and it isn't close.

 

[CanadienShark]

Mackinnon and its not even close

2018 --> 2nd best player in the league
2019 --> 5th or 6th best player in the league
2020 --> 3rd best player in the league
2021 --> 3rd best player in the league
2022 --> 6th or 7th best playee in the league
2023 --> 2nd or 3rd best player in the league
2024 --> best or 2nd best player in the league

Kane:

2013 --> 5th or 6th best player in the league
2014 --> 8th or 9th best player in the league
2015 --> 5th or 6th best player in the league
2016 --> best player in the league
2017 --> 4th or 5th best player in the league
2018 --> 25th best player in the league (horrible year which kills this comparison)
2019 --> 4th or 5th best player in the league
2020 --> 11th to 12th best player in the leagur
2021 --> 9th to 10th best player in the league

Mackinnon after 7 years in his prime has more top 3 seasons than Kane in 9 years. Next two years should build that gap more

You chose an interesting sample. This is about as apples to oranges as can be.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Kane

 

[hamzarocks]

You chose an interesting sample. This is about as apples to oranges as can be.

kane from 2008 to 2012 wasnt a top end player in the league besides 2010

Mack from 2014 to 2017 wasnt a top player in the league

Mackinnon entered that status in year 5

Kane entered in year 6. Can't get exact matchups but Kanes prime is 2013 to 2021 with a few down years (2014 and 2018 in there)

Mackinnons prime is 2018 to present. Will see if he can remain a top 3-5 player another year or two to get to that 9 year period for prime that Kane has

 

[amnesiac]

close, but 3 Cups in your prime as the team's top player tips the scale for me

 

[CanadienShark]

kane from 2008 to 2012 wasnt a top end player in the league besides 2010

Mack from 2014 to 2017 wasnt a top player in the league

Mackinnon entered that status in year 5

Kane entered in year 6. Can't get exact matchups but Kanes prime is 2013 to 2021 with a few down years (2014 and 2018 in there)

Mackinnons prime is 2018 to present. Will see if he can remain a top 3-5 player another year or two to get to that 9 year period for prime that Kane has

You selected a totally arbitrary sample.

 

[authentic]

close, but 3 Cups in your prime as the team's top player tips the scale for me

Kane wasn’t the top player for 3 of his Cups, Toews and Keith were both better in at least 2 of them.

 

[authentic]

delete

 

[CokenoPepsi]

This is kinda hard because you could say Kane is still in his prime now

Kane wasn’t the top player for 3 of his Cups, Toews and Keith were both better in at least 2 of them.

They were pretty even.

Kane was the best throughout those three regular seasons and all three won Conn Smythes with many people thinking Kane/Keith should have won it in 2010.

 

[Felidae]

Kane

Goals: 2, 5, 5, 10
GPG: 2, 7, 8
Points: 1, 2, 3, 5, 5, 8, 9
PPG: 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 9, 10

Mackinnon (asterisk is current season)

Goals: 4*, 6, 9, 9, 9
GPG: 4*, 5, 8
Points: 1*, 5, 5, 5, 7, 8
PPG: 1*, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9

I didn't realize Mackinnon has essentially caught up to Kane.

Kane has him beat in actual point finishes, but that's partly due to Mackinnon's health more than anything. On a per game basis they are incredibly close.

Goals more or less the same story, except id say kane has the single best goalscoring season between the two.

I don't think you can go wrong with either answer at the moment, but at this point it seems like Mackinnon is on track to surpass Kane.

 

[authentic]

This is kinda hard because you could say Kane is still in his prime now



They were pretty even.

Kane was the best throughout those three regular seasons and all three won Conn Smythes with many people thinking Kane/Keith should have won it in 2010.

Toews was mostly the better player until 2014-15 I think then Kane took over in a big way

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Toews was mostly the better player until 2014-15 I think then Kane took over in a big way

They traded off, but in general the years Chicago was a contender Kane was better.

Toews was absolutely better in their off years but they are more forgettable because we'll they weren't contenders