Post-Lockout Tournament: Level A, round 3: Bergeron Versus Kopitar

Who's been better?


  • Total voters
    42
  • Poll closed .

GlitchMarner

Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Jul 21, 2017
9,712
6,432
Brampton, ON
Level A, round 3:



Bergeron
Kopitar



Round 2:




Bergeron
Stamkos

Kopitar
Giroux



Round 1:




Toews
Bergeron

Kopitar
Backstrom

Getzlaf
Stamkos

Giroux
Kovalchuk






Vote for the player who has been better (consider entire careers).
 

GlitchMarner

Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Jul 21, 2017
9,712
6,432
Brampton, ON
Two day voting period. Let's go.

patrice_bergeron.jpg


220px-An%C5%BEe_Kopitar_kissing_the_Cup_%287476664402%29.jpg
 

Raccoon Jesus

Todd McLellan is an inside agent
Oct 30, 2008
61,490
60,932
I.E.
Kopitar's been the best offensive AND defensive forward on the Kings for over a decade. If it weren't for Bergeron being in the conversation for best defensive forward ever, there'd be a lot more attention on Kopitar there.

Led the playoffs in scoring twice, has a 92 point season to his credit, his average production is 73 points...and you can use his PPG because while Bergeron has never played all 82 games in a season, Kopitar has done it 6 times, and played 97% of his possible games in the NHL while often leading the NHL in forward minutes played in all situations. The guy is an absolute horse, old reliable.

He's obviously got great chemistry in Brown and previous has with Justin Williams, Ryan Smyth, and one playoff run of Gaborik, but other than that, his wingers have been guys like Kyle Calder, Patrick O'Sullivan, Dwight King, etc., which pales in comparison to what Bergeron has played with.

I do think Bergeron's offensive abilities get undersold sometimes for a few reasons (i.e. look what he did even with Crosby, guy's brain is massive, he can play at anyone's level), but Kopitar has been almost completely overlooked in comparison.
 
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Trap Jesus

Registered User
Feb 13, 2012
28,686
13,456
Kopitar's been the best offensive AND defensive forward on the Kings for over a decade. If it weren't for Bergeron being in the conversation for best defensive forward ever, there'd be a lot more attention on Kopitar there.

Led the playoffs in scoring twice, has a 92 point season to his credit, his average production is 73 points...and you can use his PPG because while Bergeron has never played all 82 games in a season, Kopitar has done it 6 times, and played 97% of his possible games in the NHL while often leading the NHL in forward minutes played in all situations. The guy is an absolute horse, old reliable.

He's obviously got great chemistry in Brown and previous has with Justin Williams, Ryan Smyth, and one playoff run of Gaborik, but other than that, his wingers have been guys like Kyle Calder, Patrick O'Sullivan, Dwight King, etc., which pales in comparison to what Bergeron has played with.

I do think Bergeron's offensive abilities get undersold sometimes for a few reasons (i.e. look what he did even with Crosby, guy's brain is massive, he can play at anyone's level), but Kopitar has been almost completely overlooked in comparison.
Thing with Bergeron is that the usage has always limited his production and he's just proving that under Cassidy. He's was at the mercy of Julien for years with being heavily saddled with defensive responsibility and odd PP utilization, having to get the majority of his offense in counter-attack situations and seeing the Krejci line get the more offensively-beneficial role and minutes. Kopitar was given that workhorse top line center role since day 1, and while there's obviously value in that itself, I think it severely skews what the production difference has been between the two. He's played a full 2 more even strength minutes per game than Bergeron has as an overall average.
 

Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
24,545
13,840
Vancouver
Thing with Bergeron is that the usage has always limited his production and he's just proving that under Cassidy. He's was at the mercy of Julien for years with being heavily saddled with defensive responsibility and odd PP utilization, having to get the majority of his offense in counter-attack situations and seeing the Krejci line get the more offensively-beneficial role and minutes. Kopitar was given that workhorse top line center role since day 1, and while there's obviously value in that itself, I think it severely skews what the production difference has been between the two. He's played a full 2 more even strength minutes per game than Bergeron has as an overall average.

At the same time though, you can't discount the linemates Bergeron has had since Cassidy took over as well. Kopitar has never had a full season with a winger as good as either of Bergeron's. And Kopitar dealt with some extremely defensive systems under Sutter as well.
 

PB37

Mr Selke
Oct 1, 2002
25,297
19,299
Maine
80% Bergeron, good grief.

Kopitar most underrated current career in the NHL it seems.

Kopitar is great, but most people feel Bergeron is better. It doesn't make Kopitar underrated; i think he's been rated just right, especially in the past 4 to 5 seasons.
 

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