Will we ever have lone superstar after McDavid?

[The Liker]

Is there a physical possibility for anyone to be better at fundamental hockey skills (skating, shooting, seeing the ice)? Human body has only limited amount of muscle cells.

Also, today's hockey is more like a wholesome team in which superstars are not needed. It pushes the player developemelt to more on the team playing skills.

Click to read more...

 

[tucker3434]

Yes

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I don't understand the question. McDavid is not the lone superstar in the NHL. Heck, he is not even the lone superstar on his team.

 

[Trap Jesus]

I think it's fair to say he's the best skater of all time, but I don't think the other two things you mentioned are something he's the best at right now, particularly shooting. People are always evolving though, I'm sure we'll see someone better.

 

[Bonzo111]

Of course. I predict you're going to see a player like Lebron James in the NHL. 6 foot 8 who can skate like a 6 footer and simply dominate the league.

 

[JackSlater]

McDavid isn't the best player we've ever seen by any stretch, so it seems odd to wonder if we'll never see someone better than him.

 

[CupInSIX]

I don't understand the question. McDavid is not the lone superstar in the NHL. Heck, he is not even the lone superstar on his team.

Oh boy.

McDavid isn't the best player we've ever seen by any stretch, so it seems odd to wonder if we'll never see someone better than him.

OP is talking about a future player that is head and shoulders above his peers.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Oh boy.

OP is talking about a future player that is head and shoulders above his peers.

Who is this NHLer who is head and shoulders above his peers?

 

[CupInSIX]

Who is this NHLer who is head and shoulders above his peers?

See, this is why I eyeroll you. The guy mentioned in the thread title perhaps?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Who is this NHLer who is head and shoulders above his peers?

Lemieux and Gretzky were the only ones. Next closest was Jagr for a while there after Lemieux retired. McDavid isn't at that level (and neither is Crosby)

 

[x Tame Impala]

See, this is why I eyeroll you. The guy mentioned in the thread title perhaps?

McDavid isn’t head and shoulders above Kucherov and he doesn’t have the playoff success to be head and shoulders above Kane, Crosby, Ovi, etc

 

[DL44]

No need to under cut the traits McDavid has in order argue against the OP.

McDavid's complete combination of traits is unmatched in this league. I don't see how that's disputable. Only individual player that's close on "the scary to deal with defensively" tier is MacKinnon. That's speed and IQ for you.

The only argument against it... is team related achievements people will attempt to use.

to answer the OP... yes... We will eventually another top 1-2 skater in the league one day that also happens to the smartest player on the ice... He too will be a dominate individual.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

Nah. McDavid is the most impressive specimen of physical humanity ever. It will never get better than him.

As such, your premise is correct: we will never have another superstar again. Just a bunch of dudes who pale in comparison to McDavid.

 

[CupInSIX]

McDavid isn’t head and shoulders above Kucherov and he doesn’t have the playoff success to be head and shoulders above Kane, Crosby, Ovi, etc

Everyone wants to be the modern day Dick Beddoes. You even switched gears to Kane & Crosby because Kucherov doesn't have much playoff success.

 

[Avsboy]

Of course. I predict you're going to see a player like Lebron James in the NHL. 6 foot 8 who can skate like a 6 footer and simply dominate the league.

You mean Lemieux?

 

[Tage2Tuch]

Who’s that savoie kid? I kept hearing about he’s the next one even better then upcoming wright and lafrenierre? Is that is name even savoie and is that still the hype?

 

[tarheelhockey]

I mean jeez, we haven't seen this caliber of player in 4 years. It follows that it can never happen again, because the past 3 years are a predictor of everything that will ever happen in the future.

 

[Nsjohnson]

I don't get it. McDavid does possess in raw skills and skating some of the most elite ever seen. Particularly, what he can do at full speed.

There will be someone who can do it 'better'.

Some 6'6'' who can skate better and faster will come along.

 

[Kevs Security]

Look, I understand what OP is trying to say.

If we rate the level of competition in the NHL on a rate of 1 to 10, it was probably ~4 during the Howe-era. Everyone knew, that some of the guys just weren't that fast, or skilled for that matter. So Howe dominating that era wasn't as impressing, as if the competition level was higher.

Then comes Gretzky and his peers. Everyone seems to be a little more skilled, hockey as a sport is growing and it takes even more effort to make it to the big leagues. But still, there are fellas like McSorley who just... are not that good.

Years go by and comes the era of McDavid. There are no goons. There are no slow skaters. Teams roll four highly skilled lines. You have to be extremely gifted to make it even as a bottom-6 player. I've played pond hockey with some of the worst players of 2010's NHL and time after time they wrecked our squad. Competition level is higher than ever.

What happens, when we hit the ceiling? What happens when you can't claim a spot in the lineup, if you don't have high hockey iq and can't skate fast, shoot hard, kill penalties, etc. If everyone needs to be as good as humanly possible... well, think about it like this: EA Sports NHL, but every player is rated 99 overall. When everyone is the best player of his generation, no one is. This is the day when we can't no longer put one player above the other.

Fortunately, we will definitely see dominant players in the future. Logan Shaw is not going to be the last Logan Shaw we see in this league. At the end of the day, it all comes down to money. You'd rather take a chance on some minor league scrub making $700K than bring back Markov with $4M deal, even though Markov is better. And the talent pool just isn't that deep. There will always be relatively bad players in every team.

 

[Chips]

McDavid has yet to become that “lone superstar” so much better than all of his peers, so, probably.

 

[CauZuki]

McDavid isn’t head and shoulders above Kucherov and he doesn’t have the playoff success to be head and shoulders above Kane, Crosby, Ovi, etc

He's 22 years old and already has 377 career points, I think it would be hard to deny he is heads and shoulders above his peers accounting for age and overall team makeup (by comparison Patrick Kane was at the start of his 6th season when he hit 377). I don't see how bringing up team accomplishments is material when he has so much prime hockey left in him and many team problems are out of his control.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

See, this is why I eyeroll you. The guy mentioned in the thread title perhaps?

Can we just enjoy watching this guy play for the next few seasons without crowning him the greatest this or the greatest that?

It is annoying to those who saw several other " lone superstars" (whatever the hell that means) play.

 

[Hattrickkane88]

McDavid isn’t head and shoulders above Kucherov and he doesn’t have the playoff success to be head and shoulders above Kane, Crosby, Ovi, etc

Mcdavid 1.3 ppg on pace 5th all time
kucherov 1.0 ppg not even on pace for 50th all time.

Mcdavid art ross 50% of his career, only other player to do this is Gretzky.
kucherov 16% of his career.

Mcdavid age 22 ppg seasons 4.
kucherov age 26 ppg seasons 3.

Mcdavid 100% of his seasons have been above ppg.
kucherov 50% of his seasons have been under ppg.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Mcdavid 1.3 ppg on pace 5th all time
kucherov 1.0 ppg not even on pace for 50th all time.

Mcdavid art ross 50% of his career, only other player to do this is Gretzky.
kucherov 16% of his career.

Mcdavid 100% of his seasons have been above ppg.
kucherov 50% of his seasons have been under ppg.

Can I ask your opinion on Eric Lindros?

 

[HanSolo]

See, this is why I eyeroll you. The guy mentioned in the thread title perhaps?

But it's silly to suggest he's the only superstar in the league. We already have "generational player" for the kind of description OP is trying to employ. How many more descriptors do we need to retcon to apply to one person or one person per position until we have nothing but "talented player" left?