If you consider Matthews to be a generational player, then Steven Segal should be considered a generational actor. :roll:
In all seriousness though, the term generational gets thrown around *way* too much and it’s one of my pet peeves.
In my opinion, a “generational” player is someone that would be included in the Top 20 or 30 players of all time. Period.
Orr, Howe, Gretzky, Lemieux, Messier, Roy, Hasek, Lidstrom, Crosby, Ovechkin, and likely McDavid one day.
A generational player is someone that was one of the alphas of a generation and can be recognized as one of the faces of that generation. They’ve often won multiple cups and/or completely dominated the podium of awards.
Everyone else is a superstar. Your Joe Thornton’s, Pat Kane’s, Sedin twins, etc.