who will have the greater career? Kane or Malkin

[amnesiac]

I dont want this to be a "what have you done for me lately".... Simply, who will have the greater/best career?

MALKIN

reg
927GP
420G-668A-1088P

post
166GP
63G-106A-169P

Hart, 2 Art Ross, Lindsay, Conn Smythe, Calder, 3 Cups

international
92GP
41G-51A-92P


KANE

reg
966GP
400G-656A-1056P

post
136GP
52G-80A-132P

Hart, Art Ross, Lindsay, Conn Smythe, Calder, 3 Cups

international (Olympics, WC)
40GP
16G-37A-53P

Click to read more...

 

[Michael HOMERUNing]

eerily similar numbers and hardware

 

[Video Nasty]

Kane has made this closer than I ever thought it would be.

Malkin is the greater talent, but if we’re talking about careers and we’re being honest, this is really going to come down to how they finish up.

There is extreme value in Kane being available to suit up to play almost 96% of the games, doing everything that he has done, despite being a step behind in talent. Kane is no mere compiler being compared to someone as great as Malkin.

When the dust settles, Kane may very well have the better career, even if the usual phantom what ifs for Malkin are conjured into the equation.

I vote Malkin as of today, but I’m open to being persuaded when it’s all said and done.

 

[filinski77]

	Kane	Malkin
Hart Finishes	1/6/6/7/8/?*	1/2/2/7/10
Point Finishes	1/2/3/5/8/9/?*	1/1/2/4
Goal Finishes	2/5/5/10/?*	2/4/4
Point/GP Finishes	1/3/4/4/5/10/?*	1/2/2/3/3/3/4/6/7/8
Goal/GP Finishes	2/7/8/?*	2/3/3/6/6

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

The "?*" represents Kane's current season, where he appears to be a lock for a top-10 finish in most of these metrics. A 2nd place scoring finish and top-3 Hart would put his actual resume on par or ahead of Malkin. Malkin has him beat on the 'what-if' side of the argument.

 

[Wings4Life]

Malkin is still comfortably ahead. Kane will need that extra Ross or equivalent to close the gap.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

I dont want this to be a "what have you done for me lately".... Simply, who will have the greater/best career?

MALKIN

reg
927GP
420G-668A-1088P

post
166GP
63G-106A-169P

Hart, 2 Art Ross, Lindsay, Conn Smythe, Calder, 3 Cups

international
92GP
41G-51A-92P


KANE

reg
966GP
400G-656A-1056P

post
136GP
52G-80A-132P

Hart, Art Ross, Lindsay, Conn Smythe, Calder, 3 Cups

international (OG, WC)
40GP
16G-37A-53P

Think you mixed up Malkin’s international stats, he has 86 points in 83 games, so he’s above a PPG there as well. Kane is notably behind in the playoff stats and as he ages I think that gap will widen.

Either way, this is Malkin close but clearly.

 

[HarryLime]

Kane took the lead for me but it's still close

 

[Love]

Kane is incredible.

It’s still Malkin easily.

 

[Thenameless]

The talk was always:

Crosby/Ovechkin
Malkin

Everyone Else

Sure, the gap has closed, but the original narrative remains.

 

[Video Nasty]

The talk was always:

Crosby/Ovechkin
Malkin

Everyone Else

Sure, the gap has closed, but the original narrative remains.

Narratives can change and should if reality unfolds another way.

Malkin was, for brief spells, better than Crosby and Ovechkin.

But a lot can flip the script over the course of 15 or so years.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Malkin--Kane

Hart: 1--1
Finalist: 3--1
Top 10: 5--5
Lindsay: 1--1
Smythe: 1--1
Calder: 1--1

Ross: 2--1
Top 10 pts: 4--6
PPG leader: 1--1
Top 10 PPG: 10--6

Rocket: 0--0
Top 10 goals: 3--4
GPG leader: 0--0
Top 10 GPG : 5--3

1st AST: 3--3
2nd AST: 0--1
Awards: 6--5

Kane is 99% likely to add another top 10 pt, PPG and hart finish this season. That makes his resume better. Malkin was the better player at their peak but he's missed too much time.

 

[Thenameless]

Malkin was, for brief spells, better than Crosby and Ovechkin.

That's right. And he's really the only one.

Other guys may have won the Art Ross or Rocket, but no one would take them over Crosby or Ovechkin. The only one close, and sometimes better, was Malkin.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Malkin if both retired today. If Kane plays at this level for about 5 years, it's him.

 

[ESH]

That's right. And he's really the only one.

Other guys may have won the Art Ross or Rocket, but no one would take them over Crosby or Ovechkin. The only one close, and sometimes better, was Malkin.

Kane’s best season is similar to Crosby’s best

 

[Willy Styles]

I take Kaner. I also think Kane will be a 60 pt player at least for potentially the next 5-7 years. Kane will age like fine wine.

So when it's all said and done, IMO Kane will be remembered as a greater player.

In terms of peaks, Malkin is a God. He was hampered by injury. But Kane revolutionized the game IMO. He showed the NHL that skill is greatest trait, paving the way for today's great playmaking forwards like Marner.

Very close, I'll take Kaner. Both great players of our generation

 

[bobholly39]

Malkin--Kane

Hart: 1--1
Finalist: 3--1
Top 10: 5--5
Lindsay: 1--1
Smythe: 1--1
Calder: 1--1

Ross: 2--1
Top 10 pts: 4--6
PPG leader: 1--1
Top 10 PPG: 10--6

Rocket: 0--0
Top 10 goals: 3--4
GPG leader: 0--0
Top 10 GPG : 5--3

1st AST: 3--3
2nd AST: 0--1
Awards: 6--5

Kane is 99% likely to add another top 10 pt, PPG and hart finish this season. That makes his resume better. Malkin was the better player at their peak but he's missed too much time.

I'm surprised to see you pick Kane.

Overall playoffs - edge to Malkin
Playoff peak - easy edge to Malkin
Regular season peak - edge to Malkin
2-1 Ross
3-1 on hart finalists

I don't really see how 1 top 10 finish changes that.

Kane has made this a lot closer than it seemed 5 years ago - but it's still edge to Malkin. It's not impossible that Kane could surpass him, but it'll take more than 1 top 10 finish to do so.

 

[Spirit of 67]

What is OG?

Also, voted Kane but there's a very compelling case to be made for either player.

 

[Lebowski]

What is OG?

Also, voted Kane but there's a very compelling case to be made for either player.

Original gangsta or Olympic games. Can’t tell which one the poster was referring to.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Original gangsta or Olympic games. Can’t tell which one the poster was referring to.

My assumption was that it meant Olympic Gold.
Which he does not have.
So I'm confused.

 

[NyQuil]

Malkin but it's close.

 

[ijuka]

Kane for sure.

I'm predicting Kane's game to age much better than Malkin's.

I'm surprised to see you pick Kane.

Overall playoffs - edge to Malkin
Playoff peak - easy edge to Malkin
Regular season peak - edge to Malkin
2-1 Ross
3-1 on hart finalists

I don't really see how 1 top 10 finish changes that.

Kane has made this a lot closer than it seemed 5 years ago - but it's still edge to Malkin. It's not impossible that Kane could surpass him, but it'll take more than 1 top 10 finish to do so.

Kane's 2 years younger so.

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Kane.

 

[hockeeyyy]

I personally went with Kane, but anyone going with Malkin isn't wrong either. Both are incredibly gifted representatives of the 2010s.

 

[amnesiac]

Think you mixed up Malkin’s international stats, he has 86 points in 83 games, so he’s above a PPG there as well. Kane is notably behind in the playoff stats and as he ages I think that gap will widen.

Either way, this is Malkin close but clearly.

I took the stats from elite prospects, but from the Russian (all) lines... Not sure what else that included on top of WC and Olympic.

 

[bobholly39]

Kane for sure.

I'm predicting Kane's game to age much better than Malkin's.

Kane's 2 years younger so.

I don't know that being younger is a whole lot of help in this comparison though. Peak regular season + peak playoffs is both edge to Malkin. You expect older Kane of today to outdo his current peak? It's not impossible, but unlikely, and so that won't change with age.

Kane can age better maybe (though even that is far from certain, Malkin was pacing for 110 points in 82 games last year at 34 years old) - but he also started out slower in his career than Malkin, so he has some catching up to do, let alone being able to pass Malkin.

It's not a huge gap for Malkin - but a comfortable one.