Will we ever have lone superstar after McDavid?

[Hattrickkane88]

Can I ask your opinion on Eric Lindros?

A much better player then kucherov, also got unlucky being in Scott Stevens and the Devils division during their hey day.

 

[Sempiternal]

Connor McDavid is this generations Wayne Gretzky.

 

[hector morrison]

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.

'A wholesome team'?...'superstars are not needed'? Really? Is that why McD and Drai played 25/26 minutes in the Oilers 6-5 victory the other night? ...not needed?

 

[BruinsFan37]

Wayyyy to much recency bias in this thread.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

The best physical package of skill was/is Lemieux and I say that as a long time Oilers fan. Had he given a crap about fitness he would have been a tier above the rest. As is he’s top 2 all time and destroyed his peers coming of cancer treatment.

As to the future, who knows. We can speculate at best. Genetic genre manipulation is a thing of the future. Nobody knows what man will do when given the opportunity

 

[NeverBeNormal]

I wonder if we'll ever have a player the level of Zibanejad again? 3 points (over TWO GAMES) more than the man we all thought was the last lone superstar the League would ever know. He's rewriting history!

 

[easton117]

The best physical package of skill was/is Lemieux and I say that as a long time Oilers fan. Had he given a crap about fitness he would have been a tier above the rest. As is he’s top 2 all time and destroyed his peers coming of cancer treatment.

As to the future, who knows. We can speculate at best. Genetic genre manipulation is a thing of the future. Nobody knows what man will do when given the opportunity

Lindros was up there for awhile as well. Just an animal on skates. Never learned to skate with his head up though and had a shortened career because of it.

As for OP I don’t know what to tell you. McDavid is good. Lots of guys are good. MacKinnon is good. Bergeron is good. Crosby is good. Kane is good. All unique skill sets.

We’ll see in 20 years or so how they pan out all time.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Eichel is arguably better but has not had a good linemate like McDavid or MacGinnon or Matthews.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Eichel is arguably better but has not had a good linemate like McDavid or MacGinnon or Matthews.

Eichel isn’t in the same tier as McDavid for natural talent, speed and how he thinks the game. MacKinnon is the smartest offensive player in the game. He’s developed into a truly special player a monster on the puck. Matthews is at the moment a one trick pony but his scoring is truly elite. Matthews usually rolls with Nylander, Kapanen, etc but not Tavares or Marner so the linemate comment doesn’t fit.

you can reasonably argue Eichel over Matthews but they are the same tier. No chance anyone could put together a valid argument that Eichel > McDavid or MacKinnon

 

[Apotheosis]

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.

I mean, if they allow even more PEDs in to sports, sure.

 

[Choralone]

Wait until we get in to transhumanism, OP. We'll have skaters with eight arms that hold four sticks, and have a circle of cyborg eyes around their head that gives them 360-degree vision.

 

[ijuka]

Yeah. My bet's for the 2024 draft.

 

[dm1371]

Is McDavid the most underrated player in the NHL?

 

[ElysiumAB]

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.

Serious question... how long would you guess professional hockey will be around for?

 

[ScaredStreit]

It wasn't that long ago when Crosby was head and shoulders better than anybody else in the NHL (and yes I'm including Ovechkin). The problem is he wasn't able to stay healthy.

 

[Frosty415]

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

[mod]
McD is miles better than anyone right now, even Crosby (im assuming you made that comment since you’re a pens fan)

 

[Montag DP]

Eichel isn’t in the same tier as McDavid for natural talent, speed and how he thinks the game. MacKinnon is the smartest offensive player in the game. He’s developed into a truly special player a monster on the puck. Matthews is at the moment a one trick pony but his scoring is truly elite. Matthews usually rolls with Nylander, Kapanen, etc but not Tavares or Marner so the linemate comment doesn’t fit.

you can reasonably argue Eichel over Matthews but they are the same tier. No chance anyone could put together a valid argument that Eichel > McDavid or MacKinnon

I actually think Eichel is up there in terms of raw talent (not on McDavid's level, but close). He is just a physical beast with an elite shot, speed, puck possession, and passing. The thing that really sets McDavid apart is the "hockey IQ" or innate ability to nearly always make the right play and be able to do it at speed. Eichel goes through periods of dominance and then less effectiveness when he overthinks things. He tends to slow things down too much when he should be making teams respect his speed more. I'm hoping that finally having good coaching will help him stay on the dominant side for a larger percentage of the time.

 

[McVespa99]

As great as McD is someone will come along that is faster, better hands etc etc. It is the nature of sport

 

[Holymakinaw]

LOL. McDavid is good but he's no Gretzky, Lemiux, or Orr. Not even close. It remains to be seen if he's the "best" player of this era.

Maybe calm your teets, just a little?

 

[Jag68Sid87]

[mod]
McD is miles better than anyone right now, even Crosby (im assuming you made that comment since you’re a pens fan)

Miles better? Why? This is not about Crosby, per se.

The kid is just scratching the surface and we are already anointing him. That is my issue.

If EVERYTHING works out for McDavid, he will end up the third-best center in Oilers history. Not too shabby considering 1 and 2.

Let's pump the brakes a little here.

 

[Brucelenok]

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.

Yes. Both young Ovechkin and Crosby were better than current McDavid. He hasn't even sniffed 50 goals yet and people talk about him like he has best skill set in everything

 

[Mbraunm]

McDavid is definitely a generational player-possibly the best we’ve seen in 20 years.

However, he doesn’t have the shot or IQ of a Lemieux. I don’t see how it’s possible that he could ever be considered in that tier.

So, yes, a better player will likely come along in the next 10-20 years.

 

[Daximus]

Hockey just like all sports will evolve. Players will find better ways to train and develop. New equipment will come out that was better than it was before. There will be someone who is better than those before them at all times.

 

[MadLuke]

2016-2017 to today, regular season
McDavid: 332p in 245 GP, 1.36 PPG
Kucherov: 315p in 239 Gp, 1.32 PPG

Playoff:
McDavid: 9p in 13 GP
Kucherov: 19 p in 20 GP

Not sure McDavid attained that lone superstar status, Crosby/Ovechkin still were when he started in the league and Kucherov/MacKinnon could be with him when the other 2 will have faded in star status.

But for the question, will we ever have a lone superstar after McDavid, if the level of separation asked is the one McDavid achieved in the last 3-4 season's, probably yes, why not ? First line player / first unit power play player are still getting massively more ice time than 4 liner.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Lone superstar? Why is Drai on his line then? The guy thats an actual center.

Why not split them up to better the team....if McDavid was as good as claimed hed make players like Dupuis/Kunitz(What Crosby did) put up crazy numbers. Instead he has Drai. That would be like the Pens putting Malkin with Crosby.

They prob dont win their cups but each would have scored 150+ pts a year