Ryan Kesler seems out of place here
Peak Kesler was top 5 in the NHL in goals and won the Selke trophy.
Peak Kesler is right there with peak Kopitar, Toews and Bergeron
Kesler also played with Mason Raymond and Mikel Samuelsson in his peak, which are significantly worse linemates than peak Toews (Hossa and Saad) and peak Bergeron (Hart caliber Marchand)
I’m super bored so let’s actuallg break down Kesler in 2011 vs Bergeron this year
They have pretty much identical CFRel%’s while Kesler actually played in tougher deployment (~60% Ozone start % vs ~50%)
I know the narrative was Kesled scores a lot on the power play that year but he did score 23 even strength goals which is as many as Daniel Sedin who won the art ross trophy that year.
Bergeron has 34 even strength points in 55 games playing with a Hart candidate and another PPG winger. Kesler had 39 points in 82 games.
So throughout the season Bergeron would average ~10 more even strength points than Kesler. Which is quite a bit but when you factor in the vast discrepancy in QOT it certainly explains the gap.
Kesler was top 5 in the NHL in goals which is a tremendous feet for a guy who’s primary job was to shut down other teams players, the Sedins were given 70% offensive zone starts and tasked to be the teams offensive line.
I think looking at all context you’re looking at two pretty similar seasons.
Kesler also had a great year in 2009/2010 where he actually didn’t even play with the Sedins on the PP.
He has 47 even strength points that year again playing with Raymond and Samuelsson started only 44% of his shifts in the offensive zone and again his CF% was pretty much identical to what Bergeron’s is right now.
Peak Kesler was a f***ing beast, his body broke down and he was never the same after 2011 when he tore his hip labrum.
