Stickhandlng doesn't help to score goals? Jagr? Bure? Lemieux? Gretzky? Yzerman? Crosby?
If you're a Hawks fan you've watched Kane; he scored 46 last year. His shot was considered similar to McDavid's coming out of the OHL-- fine accuracy but not a lot of power. He worked on it. Kane played every game as a rookie and scored 21; McDavid's pace was 29. So I don't see why a 50-goal season at some point would be a huge stretch for McDavid.
Ryan Smyth scored 39 and 36 and a couple of 31's with a shot that might not have broken a pane of glass. (Couldn't skate, either. Or stickhandle, come to think of it.) Some guys just know how to play hockey. Connor McDavid is miles above Ryan Smyth in talent and he knows how to play hockey, too.
Let me clarify my comments.
First, I'm taking into consideration today's NHL game. It's hard to score goals, let alone 50. Which is why only Ovy and Stammer have netted 50 in the past few seasons. It's more than simply a skill set that one needs to possess, it's also a mindset. Ovy loves to score goals, Stammer as well.
Goalies are better than they have ever been in the past. Goalies don't give you much of the net to shoot at and it's hard to get the puck up in tight to the net when they are down in the butterfly.
I don't believe based on these and other factors that Connor is likely to become the next great 50 goal man. He may get a season of 50, like Crosby's 1 in his 11 year career. But, will be do it multiple times like Ovy? No, I don't see it. It's not his game.
46 is a career high for Kane. Early in his career, I recall either McGuire or McKenzie say that Kane was quite possibly the best half wall player in the league. That's based on his ability to both pass and shoot the puck. Otherwise, he'd be like Thornton and Henrik Sedin who are 1 goal per 4 assists type guys. Kane has both the shoot and pass option which keeps the goalie honest. Do I see him getting 50? He may have to given the scoring depth Chicago has had to sacrifice to remain under the cap. Plus, at around the 30 game mark this past season, he was up to something like 45 or more points, on pace for close to 125 I believe, yet finished the year with 106 points, which was great. 82 games is a grind. That's why it wasn't surprising to see Kane fall off that 125 point pace he set in the first third of the season.
But, players today, it's about winning more than it is about big personal stats. You don't see Crosby going on a tear trying to get back into the scoring race. He's going to play his game because it's about team success in the playoffs for him.
I think McDavid will develop that as well. He knows he will be judged on winning Cups, not how many 50 goal seasons he can put up.
