The 25 Best Forward Seasons Since 2005 (Poll Series Results And Discussion)

[NHL1995]

Surprised H.Sedin's 2010 season is so high.

But I get it.

He was unstoppable that season. When Daniel Sedin his lifelong linemate got injured for an extended period of time, everyone was wondering if he would be able to put up points. He then continued to put up points and shocked every team by shooting the puck and scoring in ways he never did before.

I remember in their last game of the season, both crosby and ovi were at 110 points and he was at 108 points. He really wanted to get the art ross that year since Vancouver never had a Art Ross winner so he and Daniel put up a performance that we will never forget. He put up 4 points in one game, easily won the Art Ross that year and helped Daniel put up this beautiful goal.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

So is this basically a sorted list of most points by a forward since 2005?

 

[Midnight Judges]

To the bolded = it's possible for a player to carry a team/be instrumental to their success/turnaround (ie - Crosby 2019), and for that same team (ie Pens 2020) to find a way to come together and continue to perform without him. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive, and they aren't.

Kucherov was a very worthy Hart winner last year. But you know what? If he had been injured and missed 28 games in the season - I suspect Tampa Bay still finishes first overall. Doesn't diminish his value/importance.

MacKinnon this year. Super valuable to Col, can argue to be a legitimate hart contender. But - if instead of Rantanen and others getting injured, Mack had been the one missing 28 games - I can also see a situation where Colorado comes together (thanks to good coaching, and others stepping up) and Colorado maintaining themselves in a playoff spot.

You really need to drop that particular angle.

There is no such thing as a team with Malkin, Geuntzel, Letang, Kessel, excellent coaching and excellent depth being carried by another guy. It was obvious (to me) at the time (and I said so), and practically indisputable now.

There are certain times when the Canadian hockey media narrative goes way overboard:

Toews over Malkin
Carey Price is the new Hasek

And now Crosby carrying a loaded team with 4 other PPG caliber players.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Speaking of Iginla, he is becoming criminally underrated. It's understandable that folks have a hard time separating the player from the team, but I think a closer look reveals that this was a special player who had the bad luck of not being in good circumstances. His 2008 season absolutely belongs IMO. I'd be interested in the Datsyuk voters explaining what it is we know now that the players and Hart voters didn't know then - when they both placed Iginla way over Datsyuk that year.

2007-08 NHL Awards Voting | Hockey-Reference.com

Really interested in that explanation. The most likely is probably that folks are counting playoffs, didn't read the poll instructions, or mistook Datsyuk's 08 for his 09 season.

I can't speak for the people who voted in this poll, but I don't believe a player placing higher in Hart voting means much in a case like this. Kovalev also placed higher than Datsyuk in the 2008 Hart race. Let me remind you that Datsyuk outscored Kovalev by 13 pts that season and I don't think I even need to bring up the defensive side of the game in that argument.

Nobody in their right mind would say that was the 9th best player in the league that year knowing what we know now.

Datsyuk won the Selke that year while finishing only 1 pt behind Iginla. I think knowing what we know now in terms of advanced stats also adds to it. That was the first year advanced stats were tracked so at the time they meant nothing. Datsyuk is the king of advanced stats and that season was one of his best: Corsi, GF/GA, penalties taken/drawn all ridiculous.

I also don't understand the 2009 Datsyuk argument? 2009 Datsyuk was 2008 Datsyuk. It's like that Spider-Man pointing at himself meme. Why would one season differ from the either?

2008 Datsyuk: 97pts, 4th in scoring, Selke, crazy advanced stats

2009 Datsyuk: 97pts, 4th in scoring, Selke, crazy advanced stats

The only difference was in 2009 Datsyuk finished 3rd in Hart voting, which again brings me back to the point that using that voting against him in 2008 is silly.

 

[Regal]

There is no such thing as a team with Malkin, Geuntzel, Letang, Kessel, excellent coaching and excellent depth being carried by another guy. It was obvious (to me) at the time (and I said so), and practically indisputable now.

There are certain times when the Canadian hockey media narrative goes way overboard:

Toews over Malkin
Carey Price is the new Hasek

And now Crosby carrying a loaded team with 4 other PPG caliber players.

You're exaggerating the narrative that he carried the team. He didn't get talked about like a Hall. But he stood out among his teammates more than most of the rest of the top players. And Malkin and Kessel were detriments at 5v5. The team was playing much worse outside of him last year. Equating this year's team with last because of similar rosters is a poor argument. Teams don't work like that.

 

[3074326]

Sure it does. It is also makes sense that the actual best player of his generation has THREE seasons in the top ten of this list, and they all rank higher than the other guy.

p.s. 2013 Ovechkin was better than the guy who played 36 games, so the list is a bit factually inaccurate.

Your fanbase's best arguments are a public HFBoards poll and removing secondary assists.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I can't speak for the people who voted in this poll, but I don't believe a player placing higher in Hart voting means much in a case like this. Kovalev also placed higher than Datsyuk in the 2008 Hart race. Let me remind you that Datsyuk outscored Kovalev by 13 pts that season and I don't think I even need to bring up the defensive side of the game in that argument.

Nobody in their right mind would say that was the 9th best player in the league that year knowing what we know now.

Datsyuk won the Selke that year while finishing only 1 pt behind Iginla. I think knowing what we know now in terms of advanced stats also adds to it. That was the first year advanced stats were tracked so at the time they meant nothing. Datsyuk is the king of advanced stats and that season was one of his best: Corsi, GF/GA, penalties taken/drawn all ridiculous.

I also don't understand the 2009 Datsyuk argument? 2009 Datsyuk was 2008 Datsyuk. It's like that Spider-Man pointing at himself meme. Why would one season differ from the either?

2008 Datsyuk: 97pts, 4th in scoring, Selke, crazy advanced stats

2009 Datsyuk: 97pts, 4th in scoring, Selke, crazy advanced stats

The only difference was in 2009 Datsyuk finished 3rd in Hart voting, which again brings me back to the point that using that voting against him in 2008 is silly.

These are all good points.

I'll pick on comparing Datsyuk's points directly to Iginla's without context though. Iginla had 50 goals while playing with...who exactly? Datsyuk had 32 and was playing in the middle of a Zetterberg/Lidstrom sandwich. Iginla outscored his next teammate by 20 goals and 32 points. Datsyuk didn't lead his team in goals (12 less than Zetterberg) and outscored Zetterberg by 5 points.

Datsyuk's advanced stats are amazing, but relative to his team, Iginla's were excellent as well.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

So is this basically a sorted list of most points by a forward since 2005?

If you followed the voting and cared to look at the results, clearly not.

 

[Midnight Judges]

You're exaggerating the narrative that he carried the team. He didn't get talked about like a Hall.

I think you are 100% wrong here:

Sidney Crosby keeps carrying the Penguins: 'He's the best...

Crosby Deserves the Hart More Than Ever, But…

Without that kind of talk, there is no justifying him over McDavid or Kane.

And Malkin and Kessel were detriments at 5v5. The team was playing much worse outside of him last year. Equating this year's team with last because of similar rosters is a poor argument. Teams don't work like that.

Your theory is that these same ~ 15 ish players coincidentally sucked last year, and were a top 3 NHL team 5 Months later with Crosby in the press box?

I find that to be exponentially less likely than this: It was still a pretty good team without Crosby last year.

 

[Midnight Judges]

I'd have to parse the results and really go over them but you simply cannot overstate the Penguins 2016 win over a likely superior opponent in the Washington Capitals. Crosby just wasn't very good, yet the team still won and there are a few others. I don't say this to diminish Crosby eventhough some may take it that way, every great team and great player has had a supporting cast to pick them up in moments when they aren't dominating, I'm merely pointing out Ovechkin had never had this kind of support until the Cup run.

Any player can have a 6 game stretch with lesser production.

 

[mikeyfan]

Eric Staal 2006 - 45 Goals, 55 Assist,

Consistently overlooked. What a shame

 

[Beville]

Where did this list come from?

No Heatley/Spezza/Alfie from prime time Pizza line?

(not suggesting all 3 of them be in)

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

Still furious that Jagr didn't get the Hart in 2006. Without that season all the playoff success the Rangers had that came after it likely does not happen either.

You could say the exact same thing about Thornton and the Sharks after that season. It was a coin flip, both guys were very deserving that year.

 

[Kranix]

Can someone advance an argument for why Crosby's 2007 should be considered better than D. Sedin 2011?

Sedin's 2011 has MORE EV points than Crosby 2007 AND a higher PP scoring rate.

Literally the only reason to prefer Crosby's 2007 is the higher point total, but its fairly obvious that that mostly happened because of the crazy PP rate.

There is someone, but he...turned from that path a long-ti...no wait he's still on that path

 

[Sam Spade]

Eric Staal 2006 - 45 Goals, 55 Assist,

Consistently overlooked. What a shame

Great season but people were better.

 

[bobholly39]

Where did this list come from?

No Heatley/Spezza/Alfie from prime time Pizza line?

(not suggesting all 3 of them be in)

OP did a set of polls on the poll section, asking people to vote, in order from #1 to 25. These are the results of all 25 polls.

 

[Beville]

OP did a set of polls on the poll section, asking people to vote, in order from #1 to 25. These are the results of all 25 polls.

Ahh roger that, makes sense thank you.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Homer post incoming:

Datsyuk 08 and Datsyuk 09 not making the top 10 is a joke.

3 points short of 100 each season, and still won the Selke both times.

 

[KlefDown]

still think Draisaitl was robbed of a spot
50 + 50 is something not many achieve

 

[CloutierForVezina]

Surprised H.Sedin's 2010 season is so high.

A big reason was because of his 83 EVP. It's still the second highest total since 05-06. (McDavid has the highest at 84, set in 17-18)

At the time it was the highest EVP since Jagr's 95-96 season. It was a big deal at the time to be putting up such insane numbers without having tons of PPP.

 

[filinski77]

still think Draisaitl was robbed of a spot
50 + 50 is something not many achieve

To be fair, Ovechkin's rookie year came in at #24 here, which saw him post 52-54-106points, where he was 3rd in goals, and 3rd in points and had almost DOUBLE the points of #2 on his team. Compared to Drai (who definitely had an awesome season) was 2nd in goals, 4th in points, and was handily outscored by McDavid.

So I can't see much of an argument for last season Drai > Ovi's rookie year, and that year just barely made it to the top 25.

 

[mikeyfan]

Great season but people were better.

View attachment 312185

Still better than Crosby in 2017 or some of the other players listed.

 

[nowhereman]

Wow, didn't take long for Caps fans to derail this thread into a piss on Crosby/Sid vs. OV thread.

The salt is strong.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Wow, didn't take long for Caps fans to derail this thread into a piss on Crosby/Sid vs. OV thread.

The salt is strong.

I'd say it's more the Pens fans crying the salty tears from the opposing fans simply being happy at the result, but hey.

 

[Randyne]

I'd say it's more the Pens fans crying the salty tears from the opposing fans simply being happy at the result, but hey.

Yes, it was like: "Hey your guy is too good let's forget about the topic and start talking about playoffs"