Do both McDavid and Kucherov getting 100 assists in a season marginalize the accomplishment?

[nashnaidoo]

For something that is so rare and them joining a very exclusive club of players who have done it, do both of them getting it in the same season marginalize the accomplishment? Similar to when we had high flying scoring in the 90s and 30 goals was fairly routine. Is two players getting 100 assists in the same season a function of the players or a new play style?

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[norrisnick]

No, but not specifically with that reasoning. It's a combination of both. But that was also the case the last time there were two 100 assist guys....

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

Are you really comparing 100 assists to 30 goals?

 

[TMLife17]

Would you rather be in a group of 4 or 5? It’s obviously not as great but still a fantastic accomplishment.

 

[Despote]

League scoring was higher the last time anyone hit 100 assists and even when league scoring was higher only Gretzky and Lemieux hit it.

 

[Tralfamadore]

The more players that hit 100 assists the less special it becomes so in a way yes. We don't make threads for people hitting 80 assists for a reason.

With that said it's obviously still an amazing accomplishment because so few have done it in history.

 

[Cup or Bust]

Something being rare will always make it more amazing. As of right now 100 assists is still extremely rare even with 2 players doing it. If it continues to happen in upcoming seasons obviously it will not get as much attention as it did this season, kind of like how 60 goals does not have the same mystique it had 3 seasons ago since it has been done multiple times recently. It really depends how things trend forward and if we will continue to see these high scoring results by players we have been seeing.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Bad poll options. I think it's neither option. Scoring is up and maybe they couldn't have gotten the 100 assists 5 years ago but that doesn't marginalize the accomplishment. This isn't the NFL where scoring is at its highest level ever. There have been higher scoring environments in the league and still three people did it. Just because it wasn't done in a low scoring environment doesn't mean it's not impressive as there have been high scoring environments with this not done.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Yes when something hasn't been done in 30 years and then two people do it in the same year it is pretty obvious there are some larger environmental things at play and not just their individual ability.

Still a great accomplishment though.

 

[Frank Drebin]

not selecting either of the dumb poll replies

 

[Madap]

Of course it does, not sure how anyone can say otherwise. And that’s not even including the fact that neither are the best offensive season this year.

 

[Video Nasty]

Yes when something hasn't been done in 30 years and then two people do it in the same year it is pretty obvious there are some larger environmental things at play and not just their individual ability.

Still a great accomplishment though.

Scoring is still 20% lower than it was the last time it was accomplished by two players and 11% lower than the eleventh and final time Gretzky did it.

How do we reconcile that?

 

[Golden_Jet]

Answer is no, but poor options so didn’t vote. Options are skewed.

 

[Golden_Jet]

From another thread

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

It does feel a lil less special. Whoever says otherwise is kidding themselves. Still it will be a very long time before another player joins that club.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Only second time in NHL history two players have hit.

The other time was 1989 with Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Only second time in NHL history two players have hit.

The other time was 1989 with Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.

And if mcdavid sits tonight. Which he should. Both season there would have been a tie. 114 v 100. Also both have similar personas. Gretzky/Mc the golden boys. Mario/Kuch the villainous anti heros

 

[ACC1224]

Great accomplishment but the poll options are odd so didn't vote.

 

[tmg]

Similar to when we had high flying scoring in the 90s and 30 goals was fairly routine.

If you want to make a comparison to a 90s situation, I think the year Selanne and Mogilny each got 76 goals might be a comparable. 75+ goals was something only Gretzky, Lemieux, and two others had ever done before, and then in the same season two more players join the club and suddenly the incredibly rare is seen as … less so.

 

[Sanderson]

Did Wayne Gretzky's scoring get marginalized just because Mario Lemieux turned up a few years later? No, it didn't.

What matters are the general circumstances.
Was Selanne scoring 76 goals in 92/93 somehow less special because Mogilny did it as well? No, it wasn't. Though it certainly makes a difference whether you score 70+ when no one has touched that mark in a while, or when the league is on a five year streak of players topping 70 goals that includes even two 80 goal seasons.

If two of the best players ever happen to be around at roughly the same time, it doesn't make them less special than if they had been around at seperate times. Just like two players accomplishing a rare feat at the same time doesn't somehow turn it into a lesser feat if everyone else is clearly behind.
If there are two instances of something happening over a ten year span, then it doesn't matter whether they are years apart or happening at the same time. Two players accomplishing something that hasn't happened in ages is a great feat. Now, if you see multiple 100 assist seasons over the next few years, then yes, it would become less special.

Last season two players topped 80 assists, two topped 70, and four stood at 69, all of which missed enough games to think they probably would have reached 70 if they had played them all. So basically 8 players pacing for 70+ assists (not counting anyone who missed a lot of games).
This season two players reached 100, one topped 80, another two topped 70, and unless something big happens, Makar is the only one who could still reach 70 as well. Which means only five players were pacing at 70+ assists, meaning it's not like assist totals have completely exploded among the assist-leaders.

McDavid topping 150 points when only his teammate cleared 115 is obviously more special than Bernie Nicholls reaching 150 while "just" being 4th in scoring and 49 points behind the leader. That's were you can make a clear distinction, but not with two players reaching 100 assists at the same time. Not as long as that starts to become a regular occurance.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Scoring is still 20% lower than it was the last time it was accomplished by two players and 11% lower than the eleventh and final time Gretzky did it.

How do we reconcile that?

There is nothing to reconcile. What I said still stands.

 

[wetcoast]

The more players that hit 100 assists the less special it becomes so in a way yes. We don't make threads for people hitting 80 assists for a reason.

With that said it's obviously still an amazing accomplishment because so few have done it in history.

100 though is a magical number in hockey as is 50 goals.

Great accomplishments by both players but Mack is still getting the Hart so there is that.

Bad poll options. I think it's neither option. Scoring is up and maybe they couldn't have gotten the 100 assists 5 years ago but that doesn't marginalize the accomplishment. This isn't the NFL where scoring is at its highest level ever. There have been higher scoring environments in the league and still three people did it. Just because it wasn't done in a low scoring environment doesn't mean it's not impressive as there have been high scoring environments with this not done.

Agreed and that's why I didn't vote, I mean both guys were around 5 years ago so one is forced to pick the first option by default right?

Points are easier to get but some people just get too hung up around certain numbers.

 

[wetcoast]

And if mcdavid sits tonight. Which he should. Both season there would have been a tie. 114 v 100. Also both have similar personas. Gretzky/Mc the golden boys. Mario/Kuch the villainous anti heros

I hope McDavid plays and gets at least one assist so some people melt down...this is HF Boards 101 right?

 

[SuperScript29]

In a way yes, but still very impressive.

 

[Golden_Jet]

The more players that hit 100 assists the less special it becomes so in a way yes. We don't make threads for people hitting 80 assists for a reason.

With that said it's obviously still an amazing accomplishment because so few have done it in history.

Ya only 3 players in history have gotten 40 goals and 100 assists.
Gretzky and Lemieux the other 2, pretty good company.

Lots of posters saying the same thing, not voting because of poor skewed options.