More typical poor analysis, they are great playoff producers as well.
Thornton sits at #21, with an almost identical playoff PPG to Datsyuk, Toews, and Kopitar. Thornton is 6th on the playoff assists/game list.
How is #21 on a list considered "elite"? That is a low standard, considering how many players are in the league.
Thornton and Marleau have yet to really have a playoff run as strong as the best runs of Datsyuk, Toews, and Kopitar, though Marleau's 2004 scratches the surface. Over his career, Thornton's playoff PPG is decidedly lower than Toews or Kopitar. The three other players are also far superior to Thornton defensively, especially Thornton pre-2010. The other players also score more goals than Thornton does.
Thornton is also tied for the worst +/- on the list (out of 50 players). His career playoff +/- is the worst in the league among 300+ active NHLers. His +/-/game is in the bottom 10% of the league.
Marleau sits at #44 in playoff PPG and is ahead of the likes of Marty St Louis, Justin Williams and Steve Stamkos. Marleau is 14th in playoff goals/game and tied for 2nd in playoff GWG. He is also tied for 1st in playoff SHG.
They are elite playoff producers.
I like how when it favours you, you use PPG, but when it doesn't, you use raw stats. Because if you did SHG and GWG/game, Marleau wouldn't look as stellar.
You can say that Marleau has a higher PPG than St.Louis, Williams, and Stamkos, or say he has a lower PPG than Purcell, Heatley, and Martin Straka. That's called framing.
I just think it wasn't meant to be. im sure on an alternate universe on different teams they might have been able to get it in good but for some reason despite great numbers they just couldn't do it.
I think that both players could get it done as the secondary or tertiary stars on a team. Marleau just doesn't have the talent. For most of his career, he's been the #2 forward on the team....other SC winners have players like Kane, Zetterberg, Malkin, Perry, and Carter in that role. Marleau doesn't stack up very favourably compared to those high-end talents.
Thornton is obviously supremely talented, but his style of play and attitude aren't conducive to winning playoff hockey. As a team's premier center, he cannot be counted on, as he will inevitably be neutralized in the playoffs, shutting down his team's entire first line and first PP unit. If a GOOD team is able to match their top players against Thornton, they will very often win.