Makarov vs McDavid: Skating, Stickhandling
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Plural
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- Mar 10, 2011
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Nice question. I prefer McDavid as a skater and Makarov as stickhandler.
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Sure but looking at those clips doesn't really help as Makarov ate up 80's players, and goalies, and McDavid has to deal with much more detailed defensive systems and 2010's goalies.
So there really isn't a right or a wrong answer here.
Do you mean Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux sucked as well, because they owned much worse systems, than modern players? Reading that McDavid vs Lemieux thread, it looks like most people don't agree with you.
And don't forget about gear quality. You can only imagine, how all those guys would have looked with modern skates, sticks etc.
Staniowski
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McDavid and Makarov, a couple of beauties. Two of the most talented, elite hockey players of all-time.
McDavid is faster, I think, but Makarov was also very fast in the late '70s and early '80s when he had young legs. But Makarov was an extraordinary all-around skater, as well. It looked like his legs were made of rubber, he had incredible agility, quickness, and balance. Both guys could skate at top speed with the puck.
Also, both great stickhandlers. Makarov, though, might have been the best stickhandler of all-time. If not the best, he was certainly very close to it. He was great with the puck at high speeds, and at slower speeds, and also standing still. McDavid also a great stickhandler, especially when he has a lot of speed.
Makarov had more all-around talent than McDavid, but McDavid, at 22 years old, still has time to improve his game (as Makarov did when he was in his 20s).
Of all the players in the NHL today, Kucherov has the most similarities to Makarov.
McDavid is faster, I think, but Makarov was also very fast in the late '70s and early '80s when he had young legs. But Makarov was an extraordinary all-around skater, as well. It looked like his legs were made of rubber, he had incredible agility, quickness, and balance. Both guys could skate at top speed with the puck.
Also, both great stickhandlers. Makarov, though, might have been the best stickhandler of all-time. If not the best, he was certainly very close to it. He was great with the puck at high speeds, and at slower speeds, and also standing still. McDavid also a great stickhandler, especially when he has a lot of speed.
Makarov had more all-around talent than McDavid, but McDavid, at 22 years old, still has time to improve his game (as Makarov did when he was in his 20s).
Of all the players in the NHL today, Kucherov has the most similarities to Makarov.
Yeah, you didn't, I'm sorry. English isn't my first language, so I didn't actually mean, they sucked, rather wanted to say, that by your standarts, they were way closer to McDavid, than people used to think, and it looked like, most people on HF still didn't agree with this.
Khomutov
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billybudd
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Why are Ray Borque and Chris Chelios playing on a defensive pairing together?
Staniowski
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They were teammates in Rendez- Vous '87, a series between the NHL all-stars and the Soviet national team. During the '86-'87 season.
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Fair enough.
Like I said I don't think there is a wrong answer here as many players from that time period will tell you the differences especially in defensive systems and we can all see the vast differences in goaltending which changes the dynamics of the game.
Also I hold Makarov in very high reguard and would place him ahead of Bossy and probably Lafleur as well.
Stephen
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It's not the same thing, because the NHL of today has almost 30 years of integration and exposure with those Soviet era playing styles. Whatever the KLM line was innovating was already passed on to the Bure, Fedorov, Mogilny generation, which was then thoroughly digested into today's game.
Well, this video isn't about KLM, though, but rather Makarov's personal skill.
Stephen
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Big Phil
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Faster it is McDavid. Honestly, there just isn't simply a player in NHL history with the possible exception of Bure who had that acceleration and speed with the puck on his stick. He just explodes with his speed and as fast as Makarov was McDavid is just a bit faster. When you watch old clips of the Canada Cups, especially 1987, Makarov has moments where he is going against Coffey and he isn't faster than Coffey at that time. I think McDavid would be faster than Coffey.
As for stick handling, Makarov would be that one guy whose hands were just as good as McDavid's. The things that guy did with the puck on his stick. It was unreal. They are close there, I don't know, Makarov is at least as good in that department.
One thing that stands out I think was just how strong Makarov was. The guy was impossible to knock off the puck. I don't know how he got such strong legs in his career but it was a clear step above everyone else. McDavid isn't quite as strong that way, just faster.
As for stick handling, Makarov would be that one guy whose hands were just as good as McDavid's. The things that guy did with the puck on his stick. It was unreal. They are close there, I don't know, Makarov is at least as good in that department.
One thing that stands out I think was just how strong Makarov was. The guy was impossible to knock off the puck. I don't know how he got such strong legs in his career but it was a clear step above everyone else. McDavid isn't quite as strong that way, just faster.
Beukeboom
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Skating def McDavid. This is easier to "extrapolate". Makarov was fast, but he wasn't Bure/Gartner fast. McDavid is by far the best today.
Stickhandling I'm not sure. I think the composite sticks have made this a tough one to compare. I mean try do any of the Patrick Kane dekes with an old wooden stick. They were heavy, short and always had that excessive curve. So naturally things will look less fancy from those days. Is McDavid really that good of a stickhandler? Part of me thinks the speed clouds the judgement there. I guess that can go both ways.
Stickhandling I'm not sure. I think the composite sticks have made this a tough one to compare. I mean try do any of the Patrick Kane dekes with an old wooden stick. They were heavy, short and always had that excessive curve. So naturally things will look less fancy from those days. Is McDavid really that good of a stickhandler? Part of me thinks the speed clouds the judgement there. I guess that can go both ways.
Big Phil
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There is a ton of Youtube videos that will show you that yes he is a very good stickhandler too. But does he rely on that over his speed? No, I think it is his speed that allows him to blow by everyone in his path. But you do have to know how to handle the puck when you are going that fast. Rico Fata was as fast as McDavid, but couldn't do it with the puck on his stick. That takes talent.
Beukeboom
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Of course. I didn't mean Mcdavid's not a good stickhandler, or anywhere near average. But Makarov was at the very top in the 80's. Let's say top five? Kind of impossible to say, since he was mostly in the Soviet Union. But is McDavid top five today? I doubt that. Top ten maybe. Just hard to tell because like you say, he uses his speed.
Another thing should be to settle what stickhandling is. The Kane youtube videos are fantastic, but you can't do those dekes at that speed with an old wooden stick. Second of all, guys in the 80's did not practice that kind of "puck around puck skills" from what I know. So any highlights would have to be in game situations. My point is that we have the benefit of so many HD quality videos of today's guys during practice, or even commercials. Might skew the analysis in their favor.
The Panther
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McDavid is like Lionel Messi some years ago in that McD is the only guy who is faster with the puck (or the 'ball' in Messi's case) than without it.
I haven't seen enough of Makarov's best years (has any of us?) to really judge him fairly, but he could certainly stick-handle in a phone-booth, as the saying goes, and had tremendous balance. I don't think McDavid is that kind of close-in, tight-space stick-handler, so it's an awkward comparison.
I haven't seen enough of Makarov's best years (has any of us?) to really judge him fairly, but he could certainly stick-handle in a phone-booth, as the saying goes, and had tremendous balance. I don't think McDavid is that kind of close-in, tight-space stick-handler, so it's an awkward comparison.
Canadiens1958
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Fixxer
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