Is McDavid overachieving due to division reallignment?

[illpucks]

He is torching the league but are his point totals impacted by being in the north division? If he played in another division would he be leading in points?

**i meant leading in points as he hasn't won ross yet but i can't edit poll q

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[DitchMarner]

The North isn't the best division, but it's not as bad as some make it out to be. OTT is really the only terrible team in the division and isn't the worst team in the League (BUF is). If he was in a different division, he might torch BUF or DET instead of OTT.

The guy has finished first or second in NHL scoring in each of the last four years. Last year he wasn't at 100%; I'm not sure Draisaitl would have outscored him if he had been. With Kucherov out for the season, he was going to win the Art Ross no matter what this year.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I actually think he’d be doing this anyway.

Is the average night in the North easier than the average night in a normal regular season? I don’t think so.

You’re not playing the top teams from other divisions but there’s also only one bottom team in there. I think it evens out.

 

[Kcb12345]

He'd still win the Art Ross, but feasting on teams like Ottawa helps too

 

[snipes]

He'd still win the Art Ross, but feasting on teams like Ottawa helps too

As opposed to obliterating the California teams?

 

[lawrence]

1st one l. If it’s the regular 82 games he will still win it.

 

[InfinityIggy]

He’d have way more points in the west division.

 

[avsfan9]

He would lead the league in scoring but his totals wouldn’t be nearly as high if they were playing the upper echelon teams in the league

 

[iCanada]

He'd still win the Art Ross, but feasting on teams like Ottawa helps too

If you take out his games vs Ottawa he's still ahead of anyone except Draisaitl. If you give him 7 random divisional games he's still the only guy in the league above 50 points.

 

[snipes]

He would lead the league in scoring but his totals wouldn’t be nearly as high if they were playing the upper echelon teams in the league

I bet his points would be even higher in the Pacific or the West this year.

He would absolutely shred some of those teams. His game is on an even higher level than it’s ever been.

 

[Former Referee 68]

So how much better would be be doing if he got to Feast on Detroit? Buffalo? Anaheim? San Jose? New Jersey?

 

[amnesiac]

I mean... maybe has 5-6 more points because of the divison? Hes still playing against teams that made the playoffs last summer. Other than Ottawa none are "bad" really.

 

[CatchyTune]

he would still obviously win the Art Ross but in a regular year vs everyone i dont think he is scoring at this rate.

 

[Satire]

I bet his points would be even higher in the Pacific or the West this year.

He would absolutely shred some of those teams. His game is on an even higher level than it’s ever been.

This is probably true, but we can't know for sure.

That being said, his point totals from this year are pretty similar to his point totals from last... I have no reason to believe he'd be doing worse than he is now in a regular season. If I were a betting man I think he'd being doing the same or better, but we certainly have reliable data that shows it's unlikely he'd be doing worse.

By the eye test he is playing a lot better than last year as well to be honest.

 

[Albatros]

So how much better would be be doing if he got to Feast on Detroit? Buffalo? Anaheim? San Jose? New Jersey?

He's below ppg against the Sabres in his career, last point in March 2019.

 

[snipes]

This is probably true, but we can't know for sure.

That being said, his point totals from this year are pretty similar to his point totals from last... I have no reason to believe he'd be doing worse than he is now in a regular season. If I were a betting man I think he'd being doing the same or better, but we certainly have reliable data that shows it's unlikely he'd be doing worse.

By the eye test he is playing a lot better than last year as well to be honest.

He also last year was coming off a pretty horrific knee injury that was underreported in the media. He had torn ligaments from that Giordano trip into the net.

But yeah, he’s playing far and away the best hockey of his career. Especially defensively, he’s become a two way force and he’s actually generating a lot of offence from his defensive zone play.

He’s so obviously the best player by a wide margin. The gap between him and Draisaitl/MacKinnon is only widening. He’s really taken his game to another level.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Overachieving. Of course it’s an illpucks poll.

Guy is a generational player. And you’re saying he’s overachieving?

 

[Zamknij kurwa ryj]

Nope. McDavid is doing what he always does and proving that he is by far and away the best player in the World.

 

[Video Nasty]

He has 1 goal and 3 more points in the same number of games compared to last season.

By the end of the season, he will have finished top 2 in scoring 5 years in a row and pick up his 3rd Art Ross.

No way.

 

[DitchMarner]

He's below ppg against the Sabres in his career, last point in March 2019.

Last year they weren't the absolute train wreck they are this year.

I'm sure he would destroy that team this season. There's really no reason to think so other than your personal dislike for the player.

 

[MrThomas]

Art ross is for David

 

[McRpro]

He's scoring at pretty much the same pace as last season. There's your answer.

 

[tucker3434]

he's .4ppg above his career average this year. Not buying this is a coincidence unless he does it again next year. Obviously he could beat everybody else regardless of what division he was in, but not like this.

 

[Video Nasty]

he's .4ppg above his career average this year. Not buying this is a coincidence unless he does it again next year. Obviously he could beat everybody else regardless of what division he was in, but not like this.

Bizarre way to look at this.

First 168 games of his career (2015-2016 through first 41 games of 2017-2018), he had 194 points for a 1.155 career PPG. Started out “slow” before ramping up like even Gretzky and Mario did (slow for their even higher standards to come).

Clearly turned a corner at that point.

Last 41 games of 2017-2018 through present day.

335 points in 217 games for a 1.544 PPG.

This season is much closer to representing who he has been for the last 3+ years than his rookie season and another season and half.

And as mentioned before, he has a whopping 3 points more in the same number of games compared to the same point last season.

 

[tucker3434]

Bizarre way to look at this.

First 168 games of his career (2015-2016 through first 41 games of 2017-2018), he had 194 points for a 1.155 career PPG.

Clearly turned a corner at that point.

Last 41 games of 2017-2018 through present day.

335 points in 217 games for a 1.544 PPG.

This season is much closer to representing who he has been for the last 3+ years than his rookie season and another season and half.

And as mentioned before, he has a whopping 3 points more in the same number of games compared to the same point last season.

He's .24 ppg above last year which was his highest to that point. That's a big jump.