Is MacKinnon now the best player in the NHL?

[Sojourn]

Marchand has won a cup and made 2013 finals

Also numerous playoff appearences

Mackinnon done these things yet??

Those are team accomplishments.

You’re basically saying Marchand is better because he has been on a better team. That’s the Toews defense.

Marchand is a terrific player, mind you, but nothing you just said suggests he is better than MacKinnon. It just says that he has been on a better team. Personally, I think since MacKinnon’s breakout that he has shown he is better as an individual. No idea if that stays the same moving forward, and I won’t pretend to, but being on a better team doesn’t make Marchand better.

 

[Perratrooper]

Marchand has won a cup and made 2013 finals

Also numerous playoff appearences

Mackinnon done these things yet??

I'm not talking about careers, I'm talking about the most dominate player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs currently.

 

[deckercky]

Because Kucherov is outclassed by McDavid when they share the ice and because Kucherov has had negative playoff performances that it's fair to dock him for.

McDavid potentially having negative playoff performances in the future isn't the same.

Kucherov has better playoff numbers than McDavid....

 

[Muffin]

Marchand has won a cup and made 2013 finals

Also numerous playoff appearences

Mackinnon done these things yet??

Great the stupid team arguments again, this isn't the NBA, a single player can't carry a team to a championship or success. Look at McDavid.

 

[rocketdan9]

I'm not talking about careers, I'm talking about the most dominate player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs currently.

And the answer still is Marchand imo

He scored one more point in the regular season

For a good chunk of the year Begeron was out and so was Pasta... and he still posted his best number totals

Scored more goals on pk

Is a complete 2 way player

 

[rocketdan9]

I'm not talking about careers, I'm talking about the most dominate player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs currently.

Then Mark Stone

But after 4 games you are asking this question??

There no way to quantify this after 4 measly games

**btw also thread title suggest otherwise

 

[Perratrooper]

And the answer still is Marchand imo

He scored one more point in the regular season

For a good chunk of the year Begeron was out and so was Pasta... and he still posted his best number totals

Scored more goals on pk

Is a complete 2 way player

Landeskog and Rantanen also missed time and Colorado has significantly less depth than Boston. He scored more PK goals because we cannot afford to have our only offensive players on the PK. I'll give you the two-way player, but Marchy is not nearly as dominate with the puck as MacK.

Mark Stone has been really good, but he's also playing against two goalies who cant make a save right now. If MacKinnon had the chance to play them with how he's currently playing he'd be racking up the points too. Mike Smith is the only player I've seen be as dominant as MacKinnon this playoffs.

 

[boredmale]

 

[JLo217]

Yeah he's looked like the best against us, but we've only played about a period and a half of good hockey over 10 periods, our defensive play has been atrocious, thankfully the Tampa choke is distracting away from ours. We better turn it around tonight or MacKinnon will light the lamp a bunch more.

I hate this excuse. It’s never that the other team is good. Flames fans constantly pointing out the Avs look good because the Flames aren’t showing up.

In reality it’s actually been the Avs have played great all over the ice and are just flattening the Flames game. What I’m saying is the Avs play simply hasn’t let the Flames play their own game.

The Avs took the lessons from last year and are playing from behind, with the lead and executing.

 

[IndustryLeech]

I pity any team in the playoffs with a 2-0 lead against the Avs in the 3rd period. They have been coming back from that like it's routine. MacKinnon is a big reason for that.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

And the answer still is Marchand imo

He scored one more point in the regular season

For a good chunk of the year Begeron was out and so was Pasta... and he still posted his best number totals

Scored more goals on pk

Is a complete 2 way player

Lol

MacKinnon is better than Marchand. Now and moving forward. The gap will only get bigger from here on out.

 

[SeanConn]

maybe he's the best player still playing...

 

[bert]

Still McDavid. Puts up better numbers with lesser teammates. Mackinnon having a 3 point game in game three does not magically make him the best player in the NHL.

Using your logic, I'd say Mark Stone is the best player in the NHL then. Great regular season with great 2-way play, and putting up godly playoff numbers right now. Unfortunately, that's not how it works.

In all fairness Stone is one of the most if not the most underated player in hockey (not saying he is the best but he is alot better than people give him credit for).

To me Mackinnon is a top three player in the world, his ability to impact a game in every situation is almost second to none right now. He has shown a consistent ability to raise his game in the playoffs and with his power game makes him almost impossible to stop.

 

[bert]

And the answer still is Marchand imo

He scored one more point in the regular season

For a good chunk of the year Begeron was out and so was Pasta... and he still posted his best number totals

Scored more goals on pk

Is a complete 2 way player

Neutral fan, Marchand isnt better you clearly cant look at this objectively.

 

[rocketdan9]

Neutral fan, Marchand isnt better you clearly cant look at this objectively.

Go ahead and explain

You cant just say eye test

Statwise how is Mackinnon better?

Why doesnt Marchand get credit of clutch 3 pts last night game?

 

[bert]

Go ahead and explain

You cant just say eye test

Statwise how is Mackinnon better?

Why doesnt Marchand get credit of clutch 3 pts last night game?

If you cant tell by the eye test you have yellow and black glasses on. No one isnt giving Marchand credit, I am not sure where you got that but Mackinnons talent and impact is undeniable unless you have a bias.

 

[rocketdan9]

If you cant tell by the eye test you have yellow and black glasses on. No one isnt giving Marchand credit, I am not sure where you got that but Mackinnons talent and impact is undeniable unless you have a bias.

Of course its the eyetest
After 4 playoff games

Sure thing

 

[Deen]

He is by far the best player in the series.

 

[bert]

Of course its the eyetest

Sure thing

Again lets see Mackinnon do this next round etc. if he makes it that far

Sorry you cant evaluate players without personal bias. Whats the point in entering into a discussion you cant look at objectively?

Mackinnon also did this in the playoffs in his rookie season.

But if you want to do the statistical analysis sure thing, over the last two seasons these are their ppg and gpg totals.

Mackinnon - 156 games 196 points 80 goals. 1.26 PPG .51 GPG

Marchand - 147 games 185 points 70 goals. 1.26 PPG .48 GPG

So on top of Mackinnon being the better goal scorer scoring at the same points per game playing a more valuable position and managing to stay in the lineup more whether its because he can stay healthy or doesnt get suspended he is the superior player.

On top of that he is significantly younger and if you have the ability to evaluate players he has the more elite skill set to create offense on his own.

 

[tony d]

No but he's top 5. I'd still take Crosby, Mcdavid, Kucherov and Kane ahead of him.

 

[Darkwinter]

IMHO after seeing Mackinnon play recently I believe he has developed into the best player in the NHL. He is an absolute beast of a player who looks unstoppable if on top of his game. His speed and stick handling is comparable to McDavid's and he has a much better shot and is also stronger. He also seems to be more mature and a better leader at this point in time.

I guess to me the only question is consistency. If he can play like he did in game 3 consistently then for me I would take him first if I was starting a new team.

Thoughts?

keep dreaming . i like him but i have to say mcdaddy is a step ahead

 

[Babel Salamander]

maybe he's the best player still playing...

I think this is a legit conversation. I mean you still have Ovechkin out there who has 10 more years of proving it, but aside from that I'm not sure there's anyone left in the conversation.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Landeskog and Rantanen also missed time and Colorado has significantly less depth than Boston. He scored more PK goals because we cannot afford to have our only offensive players on the PK. I'll give you the two-way player, but Marchy is not nearly as dominate with the puck as MacK.

Mark Stone has been really good, but he's also playing against two goalies who cant make a save right now. If MacKinnon had the chance to play them with how he's currently playing he'd be racking up the points too. Mike Smith is the only player I've seen be as dominant as MacKinnon this playoffs.

MacKinnon would have at least 10 points if he was playing against San Jose. Probably more.

 

[cgf]

Kucherov has better playoff numbers than McDavid....

Touché lol, but McDavid’s #s are from a single run where he looked better than the #s IMO...nowhere near his typical level and not as good as Drae because Drae is just too sexy in the playoffs...but again it’s a much smaller sample that isn’t yet significant enough to read anything from.

 

[Chiarelli]

Anyone else notice Mack throwing his weight around against Calgary?

Dude looks like he's on a mission and has elevated his game which is insane to think about