We're not even sure Crosby and Ovi are generational yet. Right now, they are ALMOST in the class of a Jagr, which is just teatering below generational IMO. Of course, they could easily vault their way up to Jagr's level, but they have a ways to go still and have shown nothing to be in Gretzky or Lemieux's type of dominant class. For instance, Gretzky and Lemieux simply never gave up the MVP or Art Ross, unless health got in the way. Same for Jagr, although to a lesser degree.
Right now, Crosby and Ovi have only won a single Art Ross trophy each, with Crosby seemingly on track to get a 2nd.
Gretzky won 10, includiung 7 straight.
Lemieux won 6, with only Gretzky ever beating him when he was healthy.
Jagr won 5, including 4 in a row.
At the same age, Gretzky and Lemieux were well ahead of Crosby and Ovi. Jagr, was probably tracking in a similar way, although he remained in Lemieux's shadow until Lemieux was forced out with health issues.
Think about it - the league went 21 years without anyone else winning an Art Ross other than these three guys. For 8 straight years since, a different player has won it without repeating. There were no Iginla's or H Sedin's or Forsberg's or St. Louis' winning a one-off Art Ross in these guys day. All of these past 8 winners are greatly talented, but they would have lost the scoring race by 40-50 points against the generational guys Lemieux and Gretzky (like Yzerman and others did). I'm not even sure they'd challenge Jagr in his day, at least not yet. Crosby this year is really the first time I've looked at either as someone who might just be separating themselves from the other top elite talents.
When it comes to the Hart Trophy, there was a BIT more of a mix in there (although Gretzky still won 9 straight), but I think part of that was the voting fatigue of giving it to the same guys. One any player got onto a debatable level with Gretzky or Lemieux (or even Jagr) the voters tended to vote for change just because it was so amazing to see someone capture lighting in a bottle to challenge them.
As to someone coming down the pipe, you don't really have an idea until they are17 or so to see their development curve continue to track upwards. And even then, it so easy for them to plateau and get caught by their peers...really, there is no one separating themselves right now in any major way.
). Don't get me wrong, all the other 1st overall picks are AMAZING talents, but when i mean Geneational its a la Crosby stacking up crazy points as a 18 y/o.. Im hearing Aaron Ekblad is going to be a great dman.. Is it true?
