So who *are* the NHL's generational players?

[hoglund]

That's nonsense. If that's the case, 98% of the league could be generational.

We're just waiting for them to prove it, right?

I don't think that it would be 98% of the league and you shouldn't have to wait to see if a player is a generational player they show that early in their career, many in their rookie year. I think the problem with judging this is the term "generational player" isn't consistent with everyone.

 

[Score8]

I don’t see Brock McGinn on this list.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Yeah way too many players on that list recently. When I think generational I think of the kind of players that you weren’t allowed (or had serious restrictions) to pick in hockey pools.

So you’re talking your Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby, Ovechkin, and McDavid. Guys like Malkin are locks for the HOF, but not generational.

 

[Boxscore]

ATM

Mackinnon
Ovechkin
Crosby
Matthews
Draisatl
McDavid

are generational

How so? I'm trying to figure this whole "generational" thing out. If these guys are all so special that there are no others like them, how could there be so many on this list? The crazy part is that Patrick Kane isn't even listed in the above group and he's accomplished more than at least half of them. He could also end up the greatest American player in hockey history. For the record, Kane is still not generational in my book.

 

[BlueAzN]

Worst post of the year. Easily.

Please go on. List how Matthews is better. Because he wears a Maple Leaf?

Shot
Stick Handling
Defense
Stache game
Leadership
Sniping
Size
Looks

like it's pretty obvious bud

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Shot
Stick Handling
Defense
Stache game
Leadership
Sniping
Size
Looks

like it's pretty obvious bud

So you’ve got f*** all. Oh well. My guy has hardware while your guy….

 

[BlueAzN]

How so? I'm trying to figure this whole "generational" thing out. If these guys are all so special that there are no others like them, how could there be so many on this list? The crazy part is that Patrick Kane isn't even listed in the above group and he's accomplished more than at least half of them. He could also end up the greatest American player in hockey history. For the record, Kane is still not generational in my book.

You know he listed 6 guys right?

But I agree with you, this whole generational shit is annoying. There's only one generational player atm and that's Connor McDonald. Before him it was Sid Crusty and Ovechkin. Before him it was Lemiuex. The other guys on the list are elite franchise players, but they ain't generational.

The tiers are

1. Generation
2. Franchise
3. Elite
4. All-Star
------------------
5. The rest - random mentions in a bar type guys but usually for their hockey antics or their f*** ups or random stories.

 

[BlueAzN]

So you’ve got f*** all. Oh well. My guy has hardware while your guy….

What do you mean f*** all?

I listed like 8 attributes and I could easily come up with a dozen more. Don't be salty cuz you ain't got the goods.

 

[Boxscore]

You know he listed 6 guys right?

Yes, 6 guys who are playing right now. If you add the historic players who are as great as them, or better, we now have a list of 30-40 players who are supposedly considered "once in an entire generation." But I guess we all just have a different perception of "generational" which is cool.

 

[koyvoo]

Crosby malkin ovechkin mcdavid

 

[Garbageyuk]

Generational means one player that is head and shoulders above the rest that only comes along ONCE in a generation.

There have only been 4 or 5 in the last 60-70 years.

Since the late 60s this is it.
Orr
Gretzky
Crosby
McDavid.

Lemieux
Hasek
Howe
Ovechkin

If we're including Crosby and McDavid, then we have to include Jagr as well.

 

[Cape]

You know he listed 6 guys right?

But I agree with you, this whole generational shit is annoying. There's only one generational player atm and that's Connor McDonald. Before him it was Sid Crusty and Ovechkin. Before him it was Lemiuex. The other guys on the list are elite franchise players, but they ain't generational.

The tiers are

1. Generation
2. Franchise
3. Elite
4. All-Star
------------------
5. The rest - random mentions in a bar type guys but usually for their hockey antics or their f*** ups or random stories.

How would you place Getzlaf, Nick Backstrom, Eric Staal and Perry in those tiers?

 

[BlueAzN]

How would you place Getzlaf, Nick Backstrom, Eric Staal and Perry in those tiers?

I'm going to assume you mean in their prime right?

They all fall under either Elite or All-Star to me during their primes.

So what's franchise during that era? That to me would be like Datsyuk or Zetterberg. Or someone like Jagr, St. Louis, Stamkos, and Yakupov.

 

[OppositeLocK]

Generational means once in a generation. There is no way Matthews is a generational player. He might be a franchise player, but no way is he generational.

McDavid is generational. Crosby is generational. Malkin is generational. Ovechkin is generational.

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

Crosby and Ovechkin are obvious standouts for their era, as is McDavid for his so far. Malkin is special, as anyone who watched him at his best knows. I put him with the first two without hesitation, and you can keep your silly definitions. No one else really moves the meter for me over the last 15 years.

 

[ISensFanI]

I don't know what the 92 goal season has to do with anything; we weren't discussing single-season peaks. Barring a career-altering injury, Matthews has a decent chance to match whatever career total Ovechkin ends up getting; both likely short of Gretzky's raw total.

No

 

[Adam da bomb]

Crosby and Ovechkin are obvious standouts for their era, as is McDavid for his so far. Malkin is special, as anyone who watched him at his best knows. I put him with the first two without hesitation, and you can keep your silly definitions. No one else really moves the meter for me over the last 15 years.

If Sid and malkin are both generational shouldn’t that team have more cups? Just not sure if Malkin fits as I don’t think he’s as good as Crosby.

 

[crosbyshow]

Think about that for example:

Crosby is a generational player and Lemieux was one also.

I have seen both in their prime and Lemieux was A LOT better than Sid.



Remember how good Yzerman and Sakic were at the end of the 80s and early 90S.

Yzerman and Sakic were in their prime in Lemieux's prime...and not a single person on earth would have even wonder: is Steve and joe are as good as Mario....not one.

This is how dominant 66 was..

 

[Byron Bitz]

Matthews and McDavid are generational regular season players

 

[Pittsburgh1776]

If Sid and malkin are both generational shouldn’t that team have more cups? Just not sure if Malkin fits as I don’t think he’s as good as Crosby.

They've been to four finals and have three Cups. You want more?

As far as Malkin and Crosby, they are different players. Injuries have robbed Malkin of an every greater career in numbers and awards, and Crosby's shadow did most of the rest. But for ten years one of them or Ovechkin was the best player in the world. They are all three the cream of the crop in their era and would be in most eras in NHL history.

 

[DueDiligence]

My point is that generational talent is inherent to the DNA and brain of the individual, talent is something you are in big part born with, what you do with your career is proof it, would you have never played in the nhl (thing the soviet) at all or die very young or retire has nothing to do with it.

If you never use it and prove it then who cares if you "had" it. Unrealized potential accomplishes nothing and means even less.

 

[DueDiligence]

I think the problem with judging this is the term "generational player" isn't consistent with everyone.

People need to understand what they are commenting about.
From the urban dictionary: something or someone that is so good that someone/thing equal in quality only comes around a few times in a generation ( a generation is at least 10 years or more )

So in the NHL 2-3 guys every 10 years at most!!!

 

[KingJoffrey]

Generational players

80's
Wayne

90's
Wayne
Lemieux
Hasek
Lindstrom

00's
Lindstrom
Crosby
Hasek

10's
McDavid
Crosby

20's
McDavid

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

Generational players

80's
Wayne

90's
Wayne
Lemieux
Hasek
Lindstrom

00's
Lindstrom
Crosby
Hasek

10's
McDavid
Crosby

20's
McDavid

Mostly agree here.

If you go back a few decades you could add Howe, but you could make the longevity argument.

That being said, Bobby Orr is in the Lindros category of generational talent derailed by injuries with a bright but short peak.
There's no doubt in my mind that both Orr and Lindros would have been all-timers with their talent had they stayed healthy. They're both generational talents without the generational results.

Also, Lidstrom and Hasek deserve consideration. It's not Hasek's fault he couldn't get out from behind the iron curtain until it fell.

I'm not seeing enough of them in this thread.

 

[cc]

Right now it's just McDavid but soon it might include Bedard and Wright as well. We'll see how that goes.