Top 30 NHL Players #6

[Brando]

1.	Connor McDavid
2.	Nathan MacKinnon
3.	Leon Draisaitl
4.	Sidney Crosby
5.	Nikita Kucherov

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

ADD
Mika Zibanejad
Mikko Rantanen
Blake Wheeler
Johnny Gaudreau
Jonathan Huberdeau 1
Anze Kopitar
Vladimir Tarasenko
Ryan O'Reilly 1
Filip Forsberg
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Tyler Seguin
Claude Giroux
Mat Barzal
Taylor Hall
John Carlson
Jaccob Slavin
Erik Karlsson
Brent Burns
Charlie McAvoy
Quinn Hughes
Cale Makar

Click to read more...

 

[amnesiac]

Kane, add Rantanen or Huberdeau

add Kuzy to add list

 

[bobholly39]

This one becomes super tough for me.

Any of Ovechkin, Malkin or Kane have a strong case here. For 1 season, 1 playoff, 1 game - they're still as good as anyone, until proven otherwise. Malkin especially has been great this season.

Then if you look at younger guys, Matthews or Eichel both have a case.
Panarin or Pastrnak could be argued too.

I think I'll vote Malkin. Consistency and injuries are always a concern with him - but based on his ability i think he's the best

 

[djboos22]

Ovi...he can still put pucks in the net.

 

[amnesiac]

Ovi...he can still put pucks in the net.

but only 19 assists this season... I feel Matthews and Pasta are better all around players than Ovi now (if were comparing Ovi to other top scorers).

 

[djboos22]

but only 19 assists this season... I feel Matthews and Pasta are better all around players than Ovi now (if were comparing Ovi to other top scorers).

I was back and forth between Ovi and Pasta. And you’re right, Pasta is better all around, but today, if I had to win one game...I would rather have Ovi on my team.

Is that the best way to decide? Probably not lol

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

17/18 regular season: OV > Crosby
17/18 playoffs: OV > Crosby
18/19 regular season: Crosby > OV
18/19 playoffs: OV > Crosby
19/20 regular season: OV > Crosby

Crosby got voted over the young guys because of rep, so there's no reason that OV shouldn't either, especially considering OV has been better than Crosby the last few years.

 

[wetcoast]

This one becomes super tough for me.

Any of Ovechkin, Malkin or Kane have a strong case here. For 1 season, 1 playoff, 1 game - they're still as good as anyone, until proven otherwise. Malkin especially has been great this season.

Then if you look at younger guys, Matthews or Eichel both have a case.
Panarin or Pastrnak could be argued too.

I think I'll vote Malkin. Consistency and injuries are always a concern with him - but based on his ability i think he's the best

Malkin is a good choice but he always seems to get injured every season.

I'm still using the criteria of throwing all players back into the pool then having a draft based on a hypothetical one season and then picking 30 teams.

Using that Eichel is the guy I would take here.

Panarin, Marchand and Josi were alo in the mix.

Really surprised to see Ovechkin leading the poll as he isn't even top 10 under my criteria but different people use different criteria.

 

[Brando]

Malkin is a good choice but he always seems to get injured every season.

I'm still using the criteria of throwing all players back into the pool then having a draft based on a hypothetical one season and then picking 30 teams.

Using that Eichel is the guy I would take here.

Panarin, Marchand and Josi were alo in the mix.

Really surprised to see Ovechkin leading the poll as he isn't even top 10 under my criteria but different people use different criteria.

I guess it doesn't really matter and it can be open to interpretation but my idea was that the list would just be 'Who is the best player today?'. Not who would you rather have moving forward or who would you start a franchise with.

 

[wetcoast]

I guess it doesn't really matter and it can be open to interpretation but my idea was that the list would just be 'Who is the best player today?'. Not who would you rather have moving forward or who would you start a franchise with.

Even it it's just for today how is a guy 18th in points with a horrible +/- on a very good team being voted 6th?

 

[bobholly39]

17/18 regular season: OV > Crosby
17/18 playoffs: OV > Crosby
18/19 regular season: Crosby > OV
18/19 playoffs: OV > Crosby
19/20 regular season: OV > Crosby

Crosby got voted over the young guys because of rep, so there's no reason that OV shouldn't either, especially considering OV has been better than Crosby the last few years.

Crosby has a much better reputation than Ovechkin, which is a factor here. The nice thing about Crosby is that he's never had a down year. Can't really say that with Ovechkin.

2017-2018 Crosby season wasn't great (top 10 in scoring - great for anyone else, but for Crosby it's 'meh'), but he bounced back with a strong playoffs. Hart runner up in 3 of the past 4 seasons outside of that. Obviously this current season he won't be a hart finalist - but that's because he had a big injury and missed so many games. On a per game basis, he's still doing really well.

Ovechkin hasn't been a top 10 scorer any of the past 5 seasons, including this current season. His highest hart trophy placement is a 6th place in that stretch.

Crosby benefits a much greater reputation as a player in terms of hockey ability today, than Ovechkin. Age helps a lot too - since he's 2 years younger.

Malkin is a good choice but he always seems to get injured every season.

I'm still using the criteria of throwing all players back into the pool then having a draft based on a hypothetical one season and then picking 30 teams.

Using that Eichel is the guy I would take here.

Panarin, Marchand and Josi were alo in the mix.

Really surprised to see Ovechkin leading the poll as he isn't even top 10 under my criteria but different people use different criteria.

I didn't take injuries into account - not sure we should. It'd be one thing if a player had a lingering injury that might affect future play - but that's not the case with Malkin. But sure - he's more likely than most to miss games again next year.

 

[nowhereman]

Ovi...he can still put pucks in the net.

But he wasn't the most well-rounded offensive force this year (finishing the season 19th in scoring with only 19 assists), so he doesn't impact the game or drive offensive to the same extent as guys like Malkin, Kane, Hedman, Panarin or Eichel.

I went with Malkin. He was healthy and motivated this year, proving that he's still a force to be reckoned with. But it's a huge toss-up, at this point.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

But he wasn't the most well-rounded offensive force this year (finishing the season 19th in scoring with only 19 assists), so he doesn't impact the game or drive offensive to the same extent as guys like Malkin, Kane, Hedman, Panarin or Eichel.

I went with Malkin. He was healthy and motivated this year, proving that he's still a force to be reckoned with. But it's a huge toss-up, at this point.

OV has been around ~10-20 in each of the last few regular seasons but come playoff time who's been better than him recently? 17/18 his smythe run and last season yes the caps lost but OV was arguably the best player in the 1st round. He hasn't had a problem producing with the best of them when it matters.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Even it it's just for today how is a guy 18th in points with a horrible +/- on a very good team being voted 6th?

Because he finished in basically the same pts position the last few years but stepped up in the playoffs to a degree that no one else on this list has?

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Crosby has a much better reputation than Ovechkin, which is a factor here. The nice thing about Crosby is that he's never had a down year. Can't really say that with Ovechkin.

2017-2018 Crosby season wasn't great (top 10 in scoring - great for anyone else, but for Crosby it's 'meh'), but he bounced back with a strong playoffs. Hart runner up in 3 of the past 4 seasons outside of that. Obviously this current season he won't be a hart finalist - but that's because he had a big injury and missed so many games. On a per game basis, he's still doing really well.

Ovechkin hasn't been a top 10 scorer any of the past 5 seasons, including this current season. His highest hart trophy placement is a 6th place in that stretch.

Crosby benefits a much greater reputation as a player in terms of hockey ability today, than Ovechkin. Age helps a lot too - since he's 2 years younger.



I didn't take injuries into account - not sure we should. It'd be one thing if a player had a lingering injury that might affect future play - but that's not the case with Malkin. But sure - he's more likely than most to miss games again next year.

I'm not saying OV should be ahead of Crosby, I'm saying the reasons are similar (even if you want to say Crosby is better).

Going back 5 years really doesn't mean anything for today. 3 is more relevant and even that might be too far.

Who cares if he hasn't been top 10 in pts? Hart finishes of 6,7,9,12 and he would have been top 10 again this season so he's been recognized as a top 10 player despite his pt totals. Also for comparison, Crosby in a healthy season missed the top 15 literally 2 years ago and would have missed the top 30 this year. So who really has the "down year" in the last couple of years?

Age has nothing to do with who is a better player today. Crosby's big saving grace is always his playoffs but OV has been better than him in the last 2 as well (I know Crosby is better for career but that doesn't mean much for today).

Anyways, I'm not saying OV should have been above Crosby. Just saying the arguments for Crosby also apply to OV: champion, track record, still ~top 10 in the regular season, but can turn it up in the playoffs, etc.

 

[K Fleur]

Malkin was having an incredible season. Kinda floats under the radar because he missed some games like he always does.

 

[wetcoast]

Because he finished in basically the same pts position the last few years but stepped up in the playoffs to a degree that no one else on this list has?

Good thing this poll wasn't taken after the 16-17 season then eh?

Looking back after that season (3 years) here is how Ovechkin would have looked then.

Regular season 10th in points but in the playoffs he was 14th in points.

Player Season Finder | Hockey-Reference.com


Player Season Finder | Hockey-Reference.com

Somehow I think you might have had a much different argument after that season to the poll question when someone had other players higher for the exact same reason?


Playoffs over such a short period of time is obviously going to give a huge boost to players on teams on recent highs.

For instance Ryan O'Reilly would be much higher on this list had he been the exact same player for the Blues instead of Buffalo for 2 of those years.

I think the poll should really be looking at the regular season.

But that's my 2 cents everyone has an opinion here.

 

[Steven Toast]

Looks like Ovi may ride reputation to a higher spot than he deserves, similar to Crosby.

 

[Snippit]

There’s no way I would take Ovechkin ahead of either Eichel or Matthews at this point in time.

Went Panarin here

 

[Steazy Doo]

Hedman

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

There’s no way I would take Ovechkin ahead of either Eichel or Matthews at this point in time.

Went Panarin here

I don't think Ovechkin has a case over any of those 3, as well as Pasta and probably Malkin as well

 

[JasonRoseEh]

but only 19 assists this season... I feel Matthews and Pasta are better all around players than Ovi now (if were comparing Ovi to other top scorers).

More of a team problem than anything this year. Powerplay is anemic seeing record lows for his career since a brutal 2011 seasons and a top line in turmoil most of the year outside of Ovechkin. Kuznetsov has been mostly a disaster until only recently and Carlson isn't shooting the puck on the PP either. A few less secondaries really doesn't do much to take away from Ovechkin's season when he's single-handidly won them games that they should have lost with his goal scoring.

I'd have him over both players listed personally as they benefit from stronger line-mattes and until they've blown him away consistently Ovi should be getting the nod, but not above Eichel for example.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Eichel and then Ovie would have been my four then five.

I have the same top 3 though.

 

[Employee427]

I think both Ovi and Crosby seem too high, probably based on reputation and past accomplishments. (assuming Ovi gets in after Panarin based on current votes.)
If we go by top nhl players at the moment i would have Crosby somewhere at 5th-10th and Ovechkin 10th - 20th.

 

[Tutu to]

It was close between Eichel and Malkin but went with Eichel.

add Huberdeau