Exactly. Since Mackinnon started in 2013 Colorado has had one season under .500. Where is this rebuild affecting stats? Since 2017 the Avalanche have been elite.
Homer? I don't blindly follow who the media darlings tell me is their favorite. If they came out and said Tkachuk is the best player in hockey tomorrow you'd probably have his jersey by June.
I'm fine with being a Homer. But realism has to come into play here.
The Oilers absolutely went through that kind of rebuild. The difference was McDavid, who was able to instantly supplant competition and become the centerpiece. Mackinnon was good as a rookie, but it took him years to get to his current elite status. I expected him to, as I watched him lead the moose, but let's not pretend like duchene was somehow the thing holding him back. Duchene is a solid offensive player and mack still got his PP time in and the easier line matchups. He just wasn't there yet
Helax. Is normal.
They didn't go through a franchise altering build that took as long as Colorado's did is the point I'm trying to make. Edmonton also didn't have a Matt Duchene holding the franchise back by not being the star player they continued to invest in. It's no coincidence that MacKinnon elevated to GOAT status the moment Duchene was traded. McDavid would have suffered the same fate had the Oilers kept all their chips with Hall like the Avs did with Duchene. The Oilers were wise enough early on to dump him and give the keys to McDavid when he walked in.
Duchene was exactly what was holding him back. This has been acknowledged by management. There is no pretending here. Regardless of that, his play on the ice is equal or even greater than McDavid and we can agree to disagree, I guess. And I can also turn this around and say MacKinnon elevated everyone on the ice better than McDavid because he actually won a cup and swept McDavid.
I’ve been an Oiler fan since I was 4 years old and I’m 44 years old now. I also lived in Edmonton from 1996 until 2012 and I always have supported the team.Homer? I don't blindly follow who the media darlings tell me is their favorite. If they came out and said Tkachuk is the best player in hockey tomorrow you'd probably have his jersey by June.
But at least you're aware that the Avs became elite in 2017... when they gave the keys to Mackinnon after dumping Duchene
This just in. Lemieux and Gretzky weren't that good they were just media guysHomer? I don't blindly follow who the media darlings tell me is their favorite. If they came out and said Tkachuk is the best player in hockey tomorrow you'd probably have his jersey by June.
Nah. He wasn't there and it took him years to get this good. His 1 140 point season doesn't equal McDavid 's trophy case of years.
*shrugs
Nobody said Lemieux and Gretzky weren't good? You are right that they are media guys now, though. They're literally paid to hype up players and are also not exempt from bias just because they played the game. All the major sports do this where they get retired players to come out and talk about things. The NFL, for example, will occasionally get Warren Moon out to shill for the Tennessee Titans and their rivalry with Houston even though he never played a down for that team.
I wasn't quoting you.
Oh not winning a cup would definitely hurt him in Orr comparisons. But the comparisons will still be there. It's not like McDavid is marcel dionne or Joe Thornton or mitch marner though. His playoff play has been excellent. His lack of team depth has been the factor there, not his performance and the hockey minds know this.
The situation is simple. Mackinnon has had this 1 Uber season, and some other really good ones. McDavid has had 5-6 Uber seasons and several more good ones. Consistency matters
Orr comparisons are silly anyway since he was a defenceman.
You don't need to only register goals and assists to have an uber season. So many of McDavid's assists were secondary anyway and barely had relevancy on a goal. There are absolutely gorgeous passes that are mishandled and shots that are one inch off the net or get deflected that would make highlight reels and don't. But you'll never see great play on a stat sheet unless it involves net. Which is the major flaw in evaluating talent.
The comparisons are mostly stylistic as rankings for skaters go. Orr broke the game with transition speed, ability to go from standing still to top speed in 3 strides and ability to not only go north south, but shifty in his ability to switch east west 10 feet in the blink of an eye while maintaining control. The guy could stick handle in a phone booth.
Mcdavid had 38 secondary assists this season. Mackinnon had 39 secondary assists. I'd say that cuts both ways considering how often mcdavid's linemates flub his perfect passes.
