Do you think if Kucherov were Canadian and McDavid were Russian there'd be a different narrative?

[geoo9]

McdAvid has an absolute horrible team built around him.

other than Draisatl and Nurse they have Mike the 40 year old virgin Smith and Yamamoto ( yakupov clone )

they are not a well built team and one player does not make a team..

Kuch made a discount for his wage to not have team around him horrible so they have what they asked

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

Well it is a team sport so you need to consider the supporting cast. Is EDM in the Conference Finals with Kucherov? Probably Not.

Is TBL in the Conference Finals with McDavid instead of Kucherov? Definitely.

 

[Kshahdoo]

And dealt with a whole lot more obstruction in the playoffs than the regular season. He has to prove himself in the playoffs but it's undeniable that no calls on him in eight straight playoff games is ridiculous and hurts his production because he's a cheat code on the PP.

So do you mean, that NHL helps Kucherov to be the better playoff performer, than McDavid?

 

[geoo9]

Well it is a team sport so you need to consider the supporting cast. Is EDM in the Conference Finals with Kucherov? Probably Not.

Is TBL in the Conference Finals with McDavid instead of Kucherov? Definitely.

based on what? did you see differences at their playoff stats? Kucherov IS reason why TBL there - with MCD perfomances - no chance- he is just not that kind of player who made team around him better because his IQ

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

based on what? did you see differences at their playoff stats? Kucherov IS reason why TBL there - with MCD perfomances - no chance- he is just not that kind of player who made team around him better because his IQ

Based on Hockey being a team sport. If you take Kucherov and McDavid off their teams and have the Lightning play Edmonton, they beat them 9 out of 10 times.

Lightning are much deeper at every position. It's not a knock on Kucherov, it's the reality.

 

[Seanaconda]

They are just different players. Both really good, kucherov can't drive play by himself but i do think he is the smarter player he is playing basically crippled and makes the best play pretty much every time . I haven't seen McDavid play on one leg yet

Like obv he didn't get surgery that one time but he came back skating as fast as ever . Kucherov is slow atm

 

[Karl Prime]

While McDavid has Draisaitl, who's amazing, Kucherov has Point, Hedman, Stamkos, and Vasilevskiy. I know which supporting cast I'm taking when it comes to winning. TB had a .670 points percentage without Kucherov. He may be their best player but take him out and they are still dominant.

 

[abo9]

based on what? did you see differences at their playoff stats? Kucherov IS reason why TBL there - with MCD perfomances - no chance- he is just not that kind of player who made team around him better because his IQ

Nobody knows for certain, but you have to be pretty obtuse to understand that there's a massive difference between Tampa's and Edmonton rosters.

I believe the "lack of hype" around Kucherov is because he was a 2nd pick and took "some time" to get where he is. Whereas McDavid was hyped years before his draft and entered the league a PPG player.

Imo Kuch, had he been selected 1OA, would probably get a similar treatment as MacKinnon: both took until 22-23 to find their grooves as bona-fide superstars: Mack had the crazy expectations of a 1OA and Kuch had no real expectations

 

[Karl Prime]

So do you mean, that NHL helps Kucherov to be the better playoff performer, than McDavid?

Different players. McDavid utilizes the rush more often, and it's harder for him to use his speed in the playoffs because guys can slow him own easier doing things that would be penalties n the regular season. Look how great Tampa's PP is, with NK, Stamkos, Point, and Hedman. Give McDavid more PP opportunities and he would put up some more points.

 

[Rschmitz]

If Kucherov were Canadian people would be gushing over his hockey IQ way more than they are. Instead people just know he's a good player, most don't know why.

 

[Bolt32]

They are just different players. Both really good, kucherov can't drive play by himself but i do think he is the smarter player he is playing basically crippled and makes the best play pretty much every time . I haven't seen McDavid play on one leg yet

Like obv he didn't get surgery that one time but he came back skating as fast as ever . Kucherov is slow atm

He's not really slow in that he slows the play down. He is playing a thinking mans game. He never dominated physically like Mcdavid does.

 

[Czechboy]

While McDavid has Draisaitl, who's amazing, Kucherov has Point, Hedman, Stamkos, and Vasilevskiy. I know which supportng cast I'm taking when it comes to winning. TB had a .670 points percentage without Kucherov. He may be their best player but take him out and they are still dominant.

Exactly this.. they won a cup without Stamkos. That's how good they are.

Oil can't get past Hawks or Jets in round 1 and that isn't on McDavid (or Drai).

 

[MrSnrub]

Kutcher is better because of his intangibles and leadership. Davidov is soft and not a playoff performer.

 

[North Cole]

McDavid would get much more criticism if he wasn't Canadian. Remember when Ovi failed to pass 2'd round of Playoffs for a long time?

I don't remember McDavid's teams winning multiple presidents trophy's, which is where the criticism mostly came from for OV. That's what made the "can't get past round 2" gripes slightly more valid, despite the fact that OV was routinely balling out individually, so the narrative surrounding him was not that fair. McDavid certainly earned his criticism for this season, but there's not much comparison to be made for the Caps teams OV was losing with in 2007-2017 VS the teams McDavid has been losing with. In that 11 year span, Caps with OV finished 1st in their division 8 times, 2nd twice, and missed the playoffs once. Three times picking up the Presidents trophy - two of the PT winning seasons they lost in the 2nd round, the other they lost in the first round.

I don't think it was that legitimate to point to OV as the reason they were getting bounced, he had well above average PPG and GPG. But the situation is certainly different.

 

[Seanaconda]

He's not really slow in that he slows the play down. He is playing a thinking mans game. He never dominated physically like Mcdavid does.

I think he is slower than normal, kucherov was never McDavid fast but he pretty much had every tool in the toolbox

But he is just one of the smartest or highest hockey iq players I've ever seen. His biggest fault is he forgets he has a rocket for a shot sometimes

That and he has some anger issues

 

[Rschmitz]

Exactly this.. they won a cup without Stamkos. That's how good they are.

Oil can't get past Hawks or Jets in round 1 and that isn't on McDavid (or Drai).

The other side of this which people gloss over is that McDavid gets more O zone starts and more overall TOI. Kucherov has a great supporting cast but he still has to produce with fewer opportunities

 

[Bolt32]

I think he is slower than normal, kucherov was never McDavid fast but he pretty much had every tool in the toolbox

But he is just one of the smartest or highest hockey iq players I've ever seen. His biggest fault is he forgets he has a rocket for a shot sometimes

That is because he is playing hurt. He's not fully recovered. He rushed himself back.

 

[geoo9]

Based on Hockey being a team sport. If you take Kucherov and McDavid off their teams and have the Lightning play Edmonton, they beat them 9 out of 10 times.
Lightning are much deeper at every position. It's not a knock on Kucherov, it's the reality.

I meant Tampa havent other Kucherov - noone from that deep rooster have close numbers - and guy is best PO perfomer since entering in the league - means guy had and have significant impact of all teams results last 6 years. Tampa were not that stacked back then but somehow they played wery well at postseason. Now agenda is - theyre too good, Kucherov is team product- no he is not - there is 1 and only kucherov - Best playoff performer in NHL since he enters a league.

 

[Seanaconda]

That is because he is playing hurt. He's not fully recovered. He rushed himself back.

Yeah thats what I was saying , everyone saying tampa was just playing it for the cap isn't seeing he is obviously still hurt

I think we just misunderstood eachother he is my favorite player and I think he is playing injured which is why he looks slow but lots of people were like oh no tampa is cheating he isn't actually injured .

 

[Rschmitz]

That is because he is playing hurt. He's not fully recovered. He rushed himself back.

This. When healthy he's about as quick as Point.

 

[geoo9]

I have to tell bit weird thing, - Loss of his speed makes him a better player because he finds out use of his IQ more. He begins to realize that at playoffs IQ works much better and is more important than speed. Maybe it is better that he now had to deal with this now - in 3-4 years he will start to lose speed and will have to constantly play at same speed. He thinks just faster, plays smoother - more unexpected, not tryin rush or etc, eleganct and deceive style which is beautyful

 

[Seanaconda]

I have to tell bit weird thing, - Loss of his speed makes him a better player because he finds out use of his IQ more. He begins to realize that at playoffs IQ works much better and is more important than speed. Maybe it is better that he now had to deal with this now - in 3-4 years he will start to lose speed and will have to constantly play at same speed. He thinks just faster, plays smoother - more unexpected, not tryin rush or etc, eleganct and deceive style which is beautyful

The thing is the threat of speed keeps defenders a bit back

 

[geoo9]

Nobody knows for certain, but you have to be pretty obtuse to understand that there's a massive difference between Tampa's and Edmonton rosters.

there is difference when guy carried a team 6 years at playoffs better than any player in a league at postseason and when it all done people overturn things into - "Team Carried that Guy" he is not that good, That is not what supposed to be, TBL is good because of Kucherov - that is the point -rest are exuses. Good team or bad - point is can you elevate your game or not - and we see who can who not

 

[geoo9]

The thing is the threat of speed keeps defenders a bit back

he lost speed but this postseason he thinks faster - passes, unexpecting passes, deceiving shots, etc - i thing it is because he have 1 tool off

 

[Seanaconda]

he lost speed but this postseason he thinks faster - passes, unexpecting passes, deceiving shots, etc - i thing it is because he have 1 tool off

He always played like that tho he is a genius hockey player , I don't think slowing him down made him better its just he is relying on other skills more .

He did beat McDavid for the ross when he wasn't injured