The Moose is Loose
Registered User
I've made my opinion known on the first page but I'm surprised that people act like there is some massive gap between them defensively.
Look at Draisaitl's defensive impact as center (after January 1st) versus as McDavid's winger (before January 1st). He is significantly better defensively as a center which is pretty logical, its his drafted position, it forces him lower in the zone, and he is "the guy" on his line where as he cheats for offense when he is on McDavid's wing. He is also slightly better offensively at center than on McDavid's wing, passing is his strength and he works better from the middle of the ice rather than off the boards (but this is an aside topic- I'm mostly speaking to the notable difference in defensive play).
He is pretty damn bad defensively as a winger which no one will contest but I think a full year at center could shift this "Draisaitl is terrible defensively" narrative which is only partially true.
Mackinnon is by all means pretty average defensively which is not surprising, he's one of the league premier offensive threats, he's not out there to shutdown opposing lines. Draisaitl is behind him, but looking only at Draisaitl's time as a center, it's not by much.
Look at Draisaitl's defensive impact as center (after January 1st) versus as McDavid's winger (before January 1st). He is significantly better defensively as a center which is pretty logical, its his drafted position, it forces him lower in the zone, and he is "the guy" on his line where as he cheats for offense when he is on McDavid's wing. He is also slightly better offensively at center than on McDavid's wing, passing is his strength and he works better from the middle of the ice rather than off the boards (but this is an aside topic- I'm mostly speaking to the notable difference in defensive play).
He is pretty damn bad defensively as a winger which no one will contest but I think a full year at center could shift this "Draisaitl is terrible defensively" narrative which is only partially true.
Mackinnon is by all means pretty average defensively which is not surprising, he's one of the league premier offensive threats, he's not out there to shutdown opposing lines. Draisaitl is behind him, but looking only at Draisaitl's time as a center, it's not by much.