NHL.com Super 16 No. 1 picks since 1980

[McShogun99]

When Kane was drafted in 2007 I don't think a single person would have predicted that he'd become the best American born player of all time.

 

[BlueBaron]

Not sure how you can say this so confidently. Nearly identical ppg except one guy did it consistently for somewhere around 1000 more games. Matthew's is the shiny new toy but throwing sundin under the bus to pump him up makes no sense in anyway.

Unless you know the players. Mats numbers as a Nordique distort his overall career production. He produced very well with Forsberg and the gang and then became a point a game player. Mats like Matthews played with guys who weren't necessarily first liner but Mats did so at a lower rate of production and was never a threat for a major piece of hardware. Matthews is a perennial Richard threat, even Oiler fans will admit that.

Mats was a very good player, Matthews is a great player. I have seen enough games to know the difference. Matthews has already started rewriting our record book and is on pace to smash most of our offensive records (the ones Mitch doesn't get) and that include all of Sundin's and Matthews probably has not yet peaked. That is how I say it with such confidence.

The only thing Mats really could do better is his backhand.

 

[Caps8112]

Unless you know the players. Mats numbers as a Nordique distort his overall career production. He produced very well with Forsberg and the gang and then became a point a game player. Mats like Matthews played with guys who weren't necessarily first liner but Mats did so at a lower rate of production and was never a threat for a major piece of hardware. Matthews is a perennial Richard threat, even Oiler fans will admit that.

Mats was a very good player, Matthews is a great player. I have seen enough games to know the difference. Matthews has already started rewriting our record book and is on pace to smash most of our offensive records (the ones Mitch doesn't get) and that include all of Sundin's and Matthews probably has not yet peaked. That is how I say it with such confidence.

The only thing Mats really could do better is his backhand.

We will have to agree to disagree. Sundin played in the dead puck era with clutching and grabbing. Matthew's may do all those things you say but the only thing hes done better then sundin so far is tie him for goals in a season. 1 80 pt season so far, while sundin did it 6 times with 2 more just short at 78. Its potential vs what has happened

 

[Bedards Dad]

MacKinnon is better than several players above him. Wouldn't be surprised to see him rise over time

For sure. Like Matthews their career has a lo ot of life left and I suspect if you do this exact same ranking in 10 years both will have risen.

 

[Muikea Bulju]

How isn’t Kovy on the list in front of say Mathews(for now)

Nash, Kovy, Tavares + Hall should all be ahead of him.

 

[McFlash97]

Mario
Crosby
McDavid
Ovechkin
Lindros



The rest.

 

[JoVel]

He hasn't done enough to be ranked above Fleury.

He absolutely has. 2 Rockets, 2 runner-ups, 2nd in goals since entering the league. Fleury has nothing but team accomplishments.

 

[JoVel]

Mario
Crosby
McDavid
Ovechkin
Lindros



The rest.

Yeah I'm pretty confident in saying McDavid is is above Ovechkin yet.

 

[Habs10025]

He absolutely has. 2 Rockets, 2 runner-ups, 2nd in goals since entering the league. Fleury has nothing but team accomplishments.

Fleury is ranked where he should be .

 

[JoVel]

Fleury is ranked where he should be .

Nah.

 

[IamNotADancer]

Fleury is ranked where he should be .

Fleury has zero individual awards to his name. He's never been ahead of his peers in anything.

Fleury on any other team but the Penguins would have been an afterthought.

He was born on 3rd base and you celebrate him for running home.

 

[Habs10025]

Nah.

He is like it or not .

 

[Habs10025]

Fleury has zero individual awards to his name. He's never been ahead of his peers in anything.

Fleury on any other team but the Penguins would have been an afterthought.

He was born on 3rd base and you celebrate him for running home.

Like he's been an after thought since he's been in Vegas . Fleury is ranked where he should be.

 

[Individual 1]

He hasn't done enough to be ranked above Fleury.

What is your argument for Fleury above Stamkos?

Stamkos has been top 5 in points 4x with 2 of them being 2nd place finishes. Stamkos has been top 2 in goals 5x, with 2 rockets.

Stamkos all star voting is 2, 2, 3, 3 as a center. He has a 2nd place Hart finish.

Fleury was once 9th in Hart voting, 4th and 5th in Vezina voting. His all star voting is 4, 5, 6 essentially an afterthought at best.


Seriously make an argument stop with this bs

He hasn't done enough to be ranked above Fleury.

Like he's been an after thought since he's been in Vegas . Fleury is ranked where he should be.

Fleury is ranked where he should be .

 

[IamNotADancer]

Like he's been an after thought since he's been in Vegas . Fleury is ranked where he should be.

Facts don't care about your personal feelings. As others have pointed out, Stamkos is an individually much more accomplished player in his position than Fleury has ever been.

 

[JoVel]

Fluery's ranking is correct .

Do you have any like, you know, arguments, or are you just going to repeat that a million times?

 

[bobholly39]

Mario
Crosby
McDavid
Ovechkin
Lindros



The rest.

No chance for McDavid over Ovi unless its about ceiling. But if its just on ceiling and potential you also have Lindros way too low

McDavid can certainly surpass Ovi all time (he can surpass Crosby too) - but its a very, very high bar and way too soon to slot him there. He's #4 on this list.

 

[BagHead]

When Kane was drafted in 2007 I don't think a single person would have predicted that he'd become the best American born player of all time.

Definitely true. I wasn't even sure he'd go 1st overall. He seemed like a player that would be good, but probably had a couple things missing from his toolkit to be truly great, namely strength-in-traffic. There was some concern over his lack of size at the next level, and scouts wondered if he'd still be able to fight through checks in the NHL. He was also not considered strong defensively. I figured he'd be a good but not great player. A flawed scoring forward. Honestly, I had visions of Mike Comrie, not necessarily stylistically, but in terms of overall impact with offense vs. defense.

I was wrong. The scouting services were wrong. The Blackhawks were right. Turns out, if you can't catch him, you can't hit him. Unless your name is Matt Dumba.

 

[Sparksrus3]

NHL.com has a hard on for anything Penguins related.

Just wait until they are handed the #1 overall pick this year .....
At that point the other 30 teams will start a new league . Bettman and Mario can just play with themselves .

 

[GlitchMarner]

Definitely true. I wasn't even sure he'd go 1st overall. He seemed like a player that would be good, but probably had a couple things missing from his toolkit to be truly great, namely strength-in-traffic. There was some concern over his lack of size at the next level, and scouts wondered if he'd still be able to fight through checks in the NHL. He was also not considered strong defensively. I figured he'd be a good but not great player. A flawed scoring forward. Honestly, I had visions of Mike Comrie, not necessarily stylistically, but in terms of overall impact with offense vs. defense.

I was wrong. The scouting services were wrong. The Blackhawks were right. Turns out, if you can't catch him, you can't hit him. Unless your name is Matt Dumba.

To be fair, Kane isn't good defensively at all at the NHL level. However, he is so good at putting points on the board and has been able to contribute significantly to Cup-winning teams enough times that his play away from the puck isn't a big criticism when evaluating his career.

 

[BlueBaron]

We will have to agree to disagree. Sundin played in the dead puck era with clutching and grabbing. Matthew's may do all those things you say but the only thing hes done better then sundin so far is tie him for goals in a season. 1 80 pt season so far, while sundin did it 6 times with 2 more just short at 78. Its potential vs what has happened

Oh one of those guys who can't see talent past injuries. I'm sorry for your loss. And of course you are wrong.

Look up Austons goals per game or g/60. There is exacly one player in the league with comparable rates and he is challenging Gretzky's all time record . It's really that simple.

You may also want to look at the scoring of the day. Your "dead puck era" claim does not hold up. In Sundin's rookie season scoring was at 3.46 goals a game vs 2.77 in Matthews rookie season. I won't get into Auston's Calder or lower ice time/lower power play time or inferior line mates.

I suspect you are being sentimenetal or nostalgic. Both the numbers and Eye test support Matthews. That is why you are the only one arguing about it.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Subjective list without criteria is bad.

 

[Habs10025]

Do you have any like, you know, arguments, or are you just going to repeat that a million times?

Take Care.

 

[JoVel]

Take Care.

Ok that's pretty convincing. You win.

 

[Habs10025]

Ok that's pretty convincing. You win.

Thanks .