Which line would you rather have right now all at peak level?

[Sidney the Kidney]

That's because his best season was second Malkin in his best season. 60 goal Stamkos was a monster who isn't all that far off from many of the others here. Stamkos is the reason I didn't go with line 1 over line 5 but it's really damn close. I'd have no problem going with line 1, though, since Crosby and Malkin are so good.

Oh, I'm not downplaying what Stamkos was at his best. But in comparison to the other players on the list, he's the clear bottom guy because he's never been seen as the top guy in hockey in any particular season, like the others had a strong argument for being at some point.

 

[Future GOAT]

I can see it being line 2 in a few years, but right now I think I'd have to take line 5.

Line 5
Line 4
Line 2
Line 3
Line 1

I think, these are hard to rank. 5 is a clear winner though and 1, 2, 3 can be arranged in any order.

True. I have it similar, but in different order.

5
3
2
4
1

 

[Canovin]

Matthews is the weakest player here. Not fair

 

[McFlash97]

As much as I love McDavid. This answer begins and ends with Line 5. That line is nuts. Mackinnon and Matthew's can't hold a candle to any of them. Only 97.

 

[nowhereman]

Oh, I'm not downplaying what Stamkos was at his best. But in comparison to the other players on the list, he's the clear bottom guy because he's never been seen as the top guy in hockey in any particular season, like the others had a strong argument for being at some point.

True but I also think that has to do with the fact that Stamkos had to go up against Sid/OV/Malkin, while only McDavid is arguably on their level in today's game. I don't think Stamkos is all that far off from Bure, Kane, Matthews, and MacKinnon.

But if you swapped him out for a clearly better player (like OV), that swings the pendulum too far to option 1.

 

[Future GOAT]

Kane is ahead of Sakic?

He's just making an arbitrary ranking based on his own personal opinion, you don't have to agree with it.

 

[Mrb1p]

Stamkos seems to be the weak link for the Pens' duo line. Every other line has all 3 players who were, or are, playing at MVP caliber seasons. Stamkos hasn't ever really had a Hart/Lindsay type season.

Stamkos has at least one better season than Bure, Matthews, Datsyuk and Mackinnon.

His peak from 09 to 13 is probably better than all of those players four season peak too.
Richard 2x (2x runner up)
As-2 2x (Malkin, Sedin)
Point finishes 5, 5, 2, 2 (Stlouis 2x, Sedin, Sedin2x, Backstrom2x, Perry, Ovi, Crosby, malkin)
Stats over that period: 294-185-155-340
Lead league in points, goals, gpg (.62) and 3rd in PPG (1.16)

Considering Datsyuks peak is 05-09
As-2 (Malkin)
2x selke
Hart 3 and 9
2x #4 in point finishes (8th and 5th PPG) (Beaten out by Iggy, Malkin 2x, Ovi 2x, Crosby)
397-145-293-438
Datsyuk was 22nd in goals, 5th in points, 12th PPG (1.10)

Considering Mackinnons peak 2018-2021
AS-2 2x (McDavid, Draisaitl)
Hard 2, 2, 6
Goals 6, 9, 9
Point finishes 5, 5, 6, 7
Stats over that period: 263-132-209-341
3rd in points (Drai, McD)
6th in goals
3rd in PPG (1.3) McD, Kuch

Bure doesn't have a clear four year peak and doesn't hang with the others, we would have to consider a peak of two seasons.
Matthews isn't even necessary here, he hasn't hit his prime yet and he's the clear weakest link.

With all that considered, Stamkos is closer to Sakic, Kane, Fedorov than he is close to Datsyuk and Mackinnon.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

If you were to rank the players
Crosby=15
Jagr=14
Ovechkin=13
Mcdavid=12
Malkin=11
Forsberg=10
Lindros=9
Kane=8
Sakic=7
Fedorov=6
Datsyuk=5
Bure=4
Mackinnon=3
Stamkos=2
Matthews=1


15 players, all assigned a value for their ranking, line 5 comes out ahead because of Stamkos who's much worse than Joe

Line 5= 14+10+7 = 31
Line 1 = 15+11+ 2= 27
Line 4 = 13+8+5=26
Line 3= 6+9+4 = 19
Line 2 = 12+ 3+1 = 16

Tempted to change my vote but its hard to go against Crosby

For me, I hesitated with lines 1 and 5. Crosby is the best player here and Malkin isn't that far behind but it's hard to pass on a Sakic/Forsberg/Jagr combo.


That's because his best season was second to Malkin in his best season. 60 goal Stamkos was a monster who isn't all that far off from many of the others here and the thought of peak Sid and Geno feeding him goal after goal is tempting.

Crosby has never had a better season than Jagr or OV (or even Malkin). If you're going to get into "level of play" then basically all of these players have had stretches as the best player in the world which can be cherry picked.

 

[Mrb1p]

Oh, I'm not downplaying what Stamkos was at his best. But in comparison to the other players on the list, he's the clear bottom guy because he's never been seen as the top guy in hockey in any particular season, like the others had a strong argument for being at some point.

Was Bure ever considered as the top guy ? Fedorov ? Mackinnon and Matthews clearly were not. Neither was Datsyuk.

Considered top:
Sid, McD, Jagr, Forsberg, Ovi, Malkin, Lindros

Maybe: Sakic, Fedorov and Kane ? (They had MVP seasons for sure.)

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Stamkos seems to be the weak link for the Pens' duo line. Every other line has all 3 players who were, or are, playing at MVP caliber seasons. Stamkos hasn't ever really had a Hart/Lindsay type season.

11/12?

 

[Mrb1p]

Crosby has never had a better season than Jagr or OV (or even Malkin). If you're going to get into "level of play" then basically all of these players have had stretches as the best player in the world which can be cherry picked.

Meh, I value what he did while injured just as much as him not being injured. Crosby spent about 35% of his time being injured during his peak years, I value the what if as much as the what actually happened when it comes to those arguments.

 

[Bure80]

If you were to rank the players
Crosby=15
Jagr=14
Ovechkin=13
Mcdavid=12
Malkin=11
Forsberg=10
Lindros=9
Kane=8
Sakic=7
Fedorov=6
Datsyuk=5
Bure=4
Mackinnon=3
Stamkos=2
Matthews=1

Peak Bure is the best goalscorer on that list.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

11/12?

Malkin got 144 of 149 first place votes in 11/12, and had the highest Vote % since Mario in '92-93. Did Stamkos even have a chance at the Hart that year?

 

[Mrb1p]

Peak Bure is the best goalscorer on that list.

Assuming his peak would be 98-01, its probably true, but that doesn't make him the best player.

 

[dukeofjive]

That lindros federov and bure line would be insane to see all at there best.

 

[authentic]

Have any of Matthews/McDavid/Mack peaked yet? Who knows.

For me, line 3.

Most likely. though they could all still improve a bit.

 

[DJJones]

Most likely. though they could all still improve a bit.

Probably at their peak point production wise.

They should become better all around players though

 

[authentic]

Probably at their peak point production wise.

They should become better all around players though

When we think of the other players at their peak I'm pretty sure most tend to think of the season(s) they had the most points, which is typically when offensive superstars are at their best, like 10-13 Crosby, 07-10 Ovechkin, 2009-12 Malkin, 2002-05 Forsberg, 1998-01 Sakic, 95-01 Jagr, etc... Even the best defensive forwards here Datsyuk and Fedorov had their best seasons when they had the most points.

 

[DJJones]

When we think of the other players at their peak I'm pretty sure most tend to think of the season(s) they had the most points, which is typically when offensive superstars are at their best, like 10-13 Crosby, 07-10 Ovechkin, 2009-12 Malkin, 2002-05 Forsberg, 1998-01 Sakic, 95-01 Jagr, etc... Even the best defensive forwards here Datsyuk and Fedorov had their best seasons when they had the most points.

Sure that's how we view it. But they also start winning more as they get older. They just aren't going balls to the wall every night like they originally did.

I'll take almost any of those guys at 27 rather than 23 in the playoffs though.

 

[nowhereman]

Crosby has never had a better season than Jagr or OV (or even Malkin). If you're going to get into "level of play" then basically all of these players have had stretches as the best player in the world which can be cherry picked.

It's not about cherry picking stretches. Although his prime was maligned by injuries, Crosby played at roughly the same incredibly elite level every time he stepped on the ice during that time. Although they were all roughly the same level offensively, I take Crosby over the others because of his better overall play (compared to all of them), his peak playoff ability (over OV and Jagr) and his being a center (compared to OV and Jagr). I just think that his overall value, when taking everything into account, is highest (though not significant, obviously).

However you want to rank peaks season or stretches of play is up to you. All I know is that, if I get to pick a player at his absolute best, I'm going with Crosby every time.

Malkin got 144 of 149 first place votes in 11/12, and had the highest Vote % since Mario in '92-93. Did Stamkos even have a chance at the Hart that year?

No but it's hard to hold that against him, given the season Malkin had.

Sidney Crosby probably has the second best playoff run by a skater in the last 20 years. Only problem was that was also the same year Malkin played out of his mind. That doesn't mean Sid's run wasn't Smythe-worthy in literally every other year but the one he played.

I think Stamkos wins the Hart over several players this decade, if he puts up a season like that in another year (over Hall, Perry, Ovechkin, Price).

 

[authentic]

Sure that's how we view it. But they also start winning more as they get older. They just aren't going balls to the wall every night like they originally did.

I'll take almost any of those guys at 27 rather than 23 in the playoffs though.

Most of those players were at their best in the playoffs during the same time frames. Several of those guys won Cups when they were young which are team awards anyway. More or less though I don't think there's a big difference between 27 and 23, if any (except in Ovechkins case he was never the same after 25 for whatever reason). Prime years are generally 23-28.

 

[authentic]

Funny thing is when I made this poll I didn't think there would be a runaway answer but when I really think about it line 5 is probably the best overall.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Line 5 would be just unfair! And Sakic and Forsberg were both great two way players. Some of the other lines would be all offense and fun to watch though.
Lines 1, 3 and 4 can really go in any order imo.
Even with McDavid I see Line 2 as the weakest just because there is no real strong defensive player on that line.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Funny thing is when I made this poll I didn't think there would be a runaway answer but when I really think about it line 5 is probably the best overall.

Well line 5 has three players who all won Harts and Lindsays, and who all dominated for a long time. The other combinations have at least 1 player who doesn't have that kind of trophy resume or track record.

 

[PAZ]

Funny thing is when I made this poll I didn't think there would be a runaway answer but when I really think about it line 5 is probably the best overall.

It's also because you mentioned peak. Foppa's peak wasn't very long, but there are very few players i'd say were better than his peak. A prime Sakic + Jagr aren't too shabby either.

Player's like Kane and Datsyuk are great and have comparable careers to Forsberg, but their peak can't compare.