Career = Getzlaf, Toews being on an elite team for so long flatters his career achievements. Replace Toews with Getzlaf and that Hawks team is even better than it was. I see Getzlaf as a clear upgrade in in most facets of the game: bigger, stronger and much better playmaker.
I don't see the Hawks getting better with Getzlaf. They already had an elite point producer in Kane, and more than enough depth scoring. Toews was a better ES scorer than Getzlaf, and with Kane, Getzlaf's PP advantage wasn't needed. Meanwhile, while Getzlaf isn't a slouch defensively, Toews was simply a better matchup center, more capable of going head to head against the other team's best and coming out ahead. With Kane's line there to take on more offensive assignments, Toews was the better option for how the lines were rolled. Getzlaf is/was a better option as the best player/forward on a team, but Toews was the better option for the Hawks
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