2024 NHL Thread

[Cobra Mgr]

I get your point You make some good points.

I would counter that Gretzky had records & rings on his resume before '93. So that would eliminate any doubts.


McD has none of that. I don't remember what Wayne did in '93, but were his goals as meaningless as McD's 1? He was a complete non factor. The best in the world is never a "non factor". It wasn't merely a bad series if you are the best in the world. The best in the world may have a bad series for him. But he doesn't have a bad series for anybody. The best in the world has got to have @ least one game where he looks the part.

[Bluenoser]

My point was simple and I still stand by it.

Montreal did a great job of shutting down Gretzky.

Florida did a great job of shutting down McDavid.

I'm pretty sure no matter who Florida played the past 2 years, they would have shut down their top players. It happens in sports.

I respect your opinion that McDavid is overrated, I also disagree.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

My point was simple and I still stand by it.

Montreal did a great job of shutting down Gretzky.

Florida did a great job of shutting down McDavid.

I'm pretty sure no matter who Florida played the past 2 years, they would have shut down their top players. It happens in sports.

I respect your opinion that McDavid is overrated, I also disagree.

[Amazin69]

Yes, Gretzky only scored two goals in the 1993 Finals. Yes, one of them was the ENG to seal game 1, and he'd had an own goal off of Ed Ronan's pass earlier to account for Montreal's only tally in that game. And yes, he was held without a shot on goal in Game 5.

But his actual goal was pretty crucial, as it capped the Kings' comeback from a 3-0 deficit in game 3, after Mark Hardy woke the Kings up by checking Mike Keane into Anaheim. And Wayne did completely eat Toronto's lunch in Game 7 of the Campbell Conference finals, scoring 4 goals in Toronto, to shut up Don "Xenophobia" Cherry and his pet goon Doug Gilmour, so I'm okay if he didn't have the best Finals.

He also was only, I think, the 7th-best goal-scorer on that team, having missed half the season. (His 16 goals were waaaaaay behind Robitaille's 63, and not that far ahead of Jim Hiller's 6.) So while we would have liked more Greatness from Gretz, he wasn't only 1 of 2 on our offense, the way that McDirty was supposed to be carrying his club.

Also, while we went down in 5, as compared to Edmonton's 6, the series was tighter than this one, with the middle three games going to overtime, and Montreal only outscoring us by 15-12 over the course of the series, as opposed to the Panthers completely hosing Edmonster 10-3 in these last two.

I'm not saying that Montreal's historic 11-0 record in OT that year was entirely due to bogus calls (like McSorley's curved stick) and non-calls (like Guy Carbonneau covering the puck in the crease in the dying seconds of Game 3 with no penalty shot being called)…but the refs/League weren't exactly a thorn in the Habs' side, let's just say.

So yeah, I think Gretzky ending up 4-2 in SCFs might be a bit more of an accomplishment than McDickless* going 0-2, one low-goal stretch aside. And I'll still take 2 goals in 5 games over 1 goal in 6.

*-remember, all three of the times Conor has taken cheap-shot runs to injure Mikey Anderson have been in the safety of Alberta; he doesn't try that stuff in L.A. I guess his balls don't make it through customs?

[Cobra Mgr]

@Amazin Thanks for the recap.


I think when people hear "overrated" they think they hear an insult. McD can play for the Canes any day as far as I'm concerned. I just think his standing as the best in the NHL has to be questioned.

It is like when I say Bill Russell is the 2nd most overrated sports figure of all time. I don't mean he wasn't a great player. But putting his name into the GOAT hat is absurd to me.

[Cobra Mgr]

Panthers dent, crack Stanley Cup while celebrating latest title. That didn't take long.

[Bluenoser]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

@Amazin Thanks for the recap.


I think when people hear "overrated" they think they hear an insult. McD can play for the Canes any day as far as I'm concerned. I just think his standing as the best in the NHL has to be questioned.

It is like when I say Bill Russell is the 2nd most overrated sports figure of all time. I don't mean he wasn't a great player. But putting his name into the GOAT hat is absurd to me.

I apologize for not being more clear in my initial response - I think McDavid's the best in the NHL now, not all time. My bad on that one, sorry.

Career wise there's a number of players I'd put ahead of him, but I'll reserve opinion on where he stands on the all time list until after he's done playing. He's 28, so probably has a few of years to go yet.

Also let's not forget he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as top playoff performer last year. In 96 career playoff games he has 150 pts.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Bluenoser

I apologize for not being more clear in my initial response - I think McDavid's the best in the NHL now, not all time. My bad on that one, sorry.

Career wise there's a number of players I'd put ahead of him, but I'll reserve opinion on where he stands on the all time list until after he's done playing. He's 28, so probably has a few of years to go yet.

Also let's not forget he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as top playoff performer last year. In 96 career playoff games he has 150 pts.

I never thought you meant all time. The greatest one is the Great One.

He did indeed have a good playoff last year and this one. That is why his finals disappointed me. I don't believe the "best" of any era should have 6 bad skates in a row. He's gotta show up at least once. I expect the best to say "enough is enough" & will himself to dominance.