If "Nasty Nate" MacKinnon wins the Conn Smythe, where would you rank him among active players heading into next season?

[WarriorofTime]

MacKinnon has the sixth best PPG in the postseason in NHL history. He's been criticized for being a first round slayer but failing to carry it over into later rounds in the past, but with Colorado up 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals, they are in a good position to make the Finals, and from there, potentially wining it all. Makar is in the lead for the Conn Smythe amongst Avalanche players, but McKinnon isn't too far behind and could potentially make it up in the Avalanche last six wins.

Click to read more...

 

[Weast]

As an Avs fan, I'd put him 4th.
1. McDavid
2. Makar
3. Matthews
4/5. Mackinnon
4/5. Drai

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Doesn't change anything for me, I'd still have him in the 2-5 group with Kucherov, Matthews and Drai.

 

[SEALBound]

He's top 5. Conn Smyth isn't taking him up or down that list. I think McDavid is #1 and will be even if they lose. Call MacKinnon #2 then if you would like but he's right in the mix with Draisaitl, Matthews, Kucherov, etc.

Takeaway - we all need to appreciate how many truly great players are in the game right now.

 

[TheNumber4]

As an Avs fan, I'd put him 4th.
1. McDavid
2. Makar
3. Matthews
4/5. Mackinnon
4/5. Drai

MacK is better than Matthews. Be a better Avs fan :p

 

[Three On Zero]

Probably the same place he should already be ranked, 2nd

 

[Regal]

Unless he goes nuts from here on out, I don’t think it changes much. He’s been good, but he’s been basically his usual self, and he’d already shown he could perform in the playoffs despite the elimination game stats some people have brought up from previous years. He’d still be in the mix for number 2 with Drai, Kuch, Matthews, Makar. I think a lot of variations are justifiable

 

[avsfan9]

His passion and will to win are second to none. Pick your poison with him or Makar for number 2. Teams are getting burned by one or the other. If they double team Makar, Mack has more space to work, if they focus on Mack Makar dominates even more from the blue line. Oh f Mack used his speed more to drive the net instead of the button hook I would choose him second but Makar has better hockey sense in my opinion. Mcdavid is the best player in the game.

 

[filinski77]

Voted 5th, as he's pretty much been the ~5th best player each of the last 3 years (individually). Being the best player on the team that wins the cup doesn't change that imo.

 

[Hisch13r]

I mean I don't really give a shit about what the voters say because I still think Makar's the better player on that team.

 

[nowhereman]

There's McDavid and then there's about 5-6 other players after him (MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Makar, Matthews, Kucherov, etc.) Those players are practically interchangeable and there isn't really one player who has separated himself from that group. I don't really think there's a right/wrong answer (except for 1st or <10th).

 

[Avsboy]

Of forwards, it's always been McDavid as the top, followed by some combination of Draisaitl, Kucherov, Matthews, Mackinnon, and Panarin. Conn Smythe would put him above Matthews and Panarin.

 

[Lays]

1. McDavid
2. MacKinnon
3. Crosby
4. Kucherov
5. Matthews

Hard to fit a defenseman in, just a forward ranking I guess. Sid is absolutely top 3 still if you watched his playoffs. Most dangerous player in the NYR/PIT series

Of forwards, it's always been McDavid as the top, followed by some combination of Draisaitl, Kucherov, Matthews, Mackinnon, and Panarin. Conn Smythe would put him above Matthews and Panarin.

As a Ranger fan, MacKinnon is above Panarin. Even before their playoffs

 

[authentic]

I mean I don't really give a shit about what the voters say because I still think Makar's the better player on that team.

I'm not sure if he's necessarily outright better than MacKinnon. Both are pretty close either way.

 

[Bouboumaster]

1- McJesus
2- Draisatl
3- Kucherov/Makar/Mackinnon
4- Kucherov/Makar/Mackinnon
5- Kucherov/Makar/Mackinnon

 

[pcruz]

What exactly has Kucherov done the past 3 years to merit being in the top 5 conversation?

Missed a full NHL season, and has been well below the pack since coming back.

Won 2 cups, yes, but is having a pretty underwhelming playoffs this year.
In fact, it took him until the first game of round 3 to pass Matthews in even strength points for the playoffs despite his team dismantling the Panthers.

Just curious is all.


Anyway, I'd still vote it as:

1. McDavid
2-5 Draisaitl, Matthews, Mackinnon, Makarov

Every other hour the order of 2-5 could change, so I don't know....

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

What exactly has Kucherov done the past 3 years to merit being in the top 5 conversation?

Missed a full NHL season, and has been well below the pack since coming back.

Won 2 cups, yes, but is having a pretty underwhelming playoffs this year.
In fact, it took him until the first game of round 3 to pass Matthews in even strength points for the playoffs despite his team dismantling the Panthers.

Just curious is all.


Anyway, I'd still vote it as:

1. McDavid
2-5 Draisaitl, Matthews, Mackinnon, Makarov

Every other hour the order of 2-5 could change, so I don't know....

You purposely use 3 years so Kucherov's 18/19 is excluded. But even from 19/20-21/22, not sure how he's "well below the pack". Missed 1 season but the other 2 he was 2nd and 8th in PPG and 2nd AST in 19/20. And just saying he won 2 cups is kind of leaving out some important information eh? Like the fact he joined Gretzky and Lemieux as the only players with consecutive 30+pt playoffs? Or in the last 3 years he has more playoff assists than anyone else has playoff pts? Overall he's 23pts ahead of 2nd (Point), 27pts ahead of the next non Tampa player (MacK). If he's "well below the pack" in the regular season then the pack is even further below him for playoffs.

 

[pcruz]

You purposely use 3 years so Kucherov's 18/19 is excluded. But even from 19/20-21/22, not sure how he's "well below the pack". Missed 1 season but the other 2 he was 2nd and 8th in PPG and 2nd AST in 19/20. And just saying he won 2 cups is kind of leaving out some important information eh? Like the fact he joined Gretzky and Lemieux as the only players with consecutive 30+pt playoffs? Or in the last 3 years he has more playoff assists than anyone else has playoff pts? Overall he's 23pts ahead of 2nd (Point), 27pts ahead of the next non Tampa player (MacK). If he's "well below the pack" in the regular season then the pack is even further below him for playoffs.

The question is if Mack wins this year, is he a top-x player going forward into next year.

Comparing players from 5,10, 20 years ago and using that as a basis for what a player is this coming October is stupid.

3 years is generous already, because when I think of what a player is today, I don't go that far back.

Also, of those myriad of assists, how many are on the power play?
Does he play a prominent position like centre, defense or goalie?
Is he more important than Hedman, Vasi or Point for those cup runs?
No

He better crush those other players offensively to make up for the positional disparity.

Edit:

Let me illustrate this power play mercenary thing a little more.

Over the last 3 playoffs (the 2 cup wins + this year), Kucherov has played 61 games, Point with 53, and Mackinnon with 56.

Point and Mackinnon have 38 and 34 even strength points in those games played. Kucherov has 44.

That means that while playing a much more demanding role, Point has 6 less even strength points, 6 more even strength goals, while playing 8 less games.

Mackinnon has 10 less even strength points, 5 more even strength goals while playing 24 less games.

Kucherov has become much less of a dominant player for the majority of the games (as power play time is significantly less than power play time) over the years and plays the easiest position in the game - Winger - in terms of on-ice responsibility.


McDavid has played 22 playoff games these 3 years. He has 2 less even strength goals and 16 less even strength points in 39 less games played.

 

[LOFIN]

I've had him ranked as 2nd anyways so nothing would change.

 

[thadd]

The same as I rank him now and have ranked him for the last few years. #2.

 

[Gurglesons]

3rd behind McDavid and Makar.

 

[EverTheCynic]

He’s been my number 1 for a couple years now. So number 1.

 

[Foppberg]

I mean I don't really give a shit about what the voters say because I still think Makar's the better player on that team.

Yep. A lot, if not the majority of Avs fans say the same thing. MacKinnon is the bigger media favorite but Makar is our best player.

 

[North Cole]

Makar has been much better in the three games of this series imo.

Honestly the guy im most worried about is Val. Dunno what it is but he just murders the Oilers...obviously he's not winning a smyth, but he deserves a shout out. Underrated player.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

1. McDavid
2. MacKinnon
3. Crosby
4. Kucherov
5. Matthews

Hard to fit a defenseman in, just a forward ranking I guess. Sid is absolutely top 3 still if you watched his playoffs. Most dangerous player in the NYR/PIT series


As a Ranger fan, MacKinnon is above Panarin. Even before their playoffs

I’m sorry but you don’t think Draisaitl is a top 5 player???????? Really????????????