I didn't say Stepan is better, nor do I believe that. But, I do think that stat line is better, in that a +25 is absurd. Tavares was a Hart Finalist with that stat line, which is very comparable to Stepans.
- Pete V

Neither do I but Step is a great young talent and anyone who defers can suck it.

You really are an idiot!
- GioRock

??? SO that's not your other account?

You can't accuse people of acting like a total homer, if you act like one yourself. That statement is just stupid, and unsupported.
- Pete V

Step proved he is a ppg player more than once? Listen I like Stepan and wanted Isles to os him but by no means is he better or will be better than JT.

agreed they are so much alike its scary. Whats scarier is JT has more offensive upside
- mighty13duck

Yeah I just don't see it, Toews is elite so JT is more elite? Toews to me is underrated and that's just talking amongst the top 5 in the league, could you imagine if the Penguins had taken Toews instead of Staal, Chicago should bake them a cake

How old was Stevie Y when he got his first cup? Not taking anything away from "captain serious" but do you see that team around him? Not too shabby.
- GioRock

thats also a different time period as also when he was trying to beat top 10 all time players such as Lemieux, Gretzky, and Messier to win cup, who were obviously better players than him

Yeah I just don't see it, Toews is elite so JT is more elite? Toews to me is underrated and that's just talking amongst the top 5 in the league, could you imagine if the Penguins had taken Toews instead of Staal, Chicago should bake them a cake
- cranford93

When did I say JT was more elite?

There is a class of players in the league: Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Stamkos, Datsyuk, and maybe a few others. These players are perennial 100pt. players. Some seasons they may score 90, some they score 110, but they basically average around 100pt. per season. This is a Elite class of offensive players in the league right now. Tavares is NOT among them, and neither is Toews. There is a 2nd class of players like Kane, Toews, E. Kane, Tavares, Sedins, Zetterberg, Kopitar, Perry, Getzlaf, Staal, Parise, Thorton, etc... These players are more like 80pt. players. They may have the occasional 90pt. season and maybe 1 career 100pt. season, but those years are the highpoints, not the average. Tavares so far has shown a production level much like Brad Richards when he was younger. Richards was always considered a top player, but not the perennial 100pt. player. Richards always hovered around 80pts, had some of the better ones around 90. Until Tavares gets to the point in his career when he is cranking out muli point games all the time, he's not among the top tier yet. Anyone who classifies him among the proven 100pt. players in the league is being a homer.

You know what I love, when anyone mentions JT is less the holy light how quickly some Isles fans get so offended and we're homers

When did I say JT was more elite?
- mighty13duck

It's not just what you say but how you react, Yes I compared the Stepan's stat line to JT, your reaction comes off as how dare you.

You know what I love, when anyone mentions JT is less the holy light how quickly some Isles fans get so offended and we're homers
- cranford93

Kind of like you guys when someone mentions Nash.

There is a class of players in the league: Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Stamkos, Datsyuk, and maybe a few others. These players are perennial 100pt. players. Some seasons they may score 90, some they score 110, but they basically average around 100pt. per season. This is a Elite class of offensive players in the league right now. Tavares is NOT among them, and neither is Toews. There is a 2nd class of players like Kane, Toews, E. Kane, Tavares, Sedins, Zetterberg, Kopitar, Perry, Getzlaf, Staal, Parise, Thorton, etc... These players are more like 80pt. players. They may have the occasional 90pt. season and maybe 1 career 100pt. season, but those years are the highpoints, not the average. Tavares so far has shown a production level much like Brad Richards when he was younger. Richards was always considered a top player, but not the perennial 100pt. player. Richards always hovered around 80pts, had some of the better ones around 90. Until Tavares gets to the point in his career when he is cranking out muli point games all the time, he's not among the top tier yet. Anyone who classifies him among the proven 100pt. players in the league is being a homer.
- xcheckmajor

Pavel Datsyuk is a "perennial 100pt. player?"

It's not just what you say but how you react, Yes I compared the Stepan's stat line to JT, your reaction comes off as how dare you.
- cranford93

Because its as idiotic as Hall vs JT or Grabner vs Nash.

Pavel Datsyuk is a "perennial 100pt. player?"
- jmatchett383

theres no use with some of these guys. A couple of days ago STepan was only worth 2.5 million, now hes better than or equal to JT

Step proved he is a ppg player more than once? Listen I like Stepan and wanted Isles to os him but by no means is he better or will be better than JT.
- mighty13duck

Trendlines buddy, trendlines. Look at the growth line of the 2 players. Tavares has had 1 more season than Stepan but both reached the ppg plateau in their 3rd year. I would even argue that Stepan didn't even see 1st line minutes until this past year and it was only the final month. Stepan has played 3rd, 2nd, 1st line and has been paired with everyone on the team. He was never given consistent offensive zone time and given tons of Power play time. Stepan is used more spread out, all over the roster, all over the different game situations. And DESPITE that, he has reached the ppg mark in just his 3rd year.

Because its as idiotic as Hall vs JT or Grabner vs Nash.
- mighty13duck

hall vs JT isnt that idiotic. hall DID just score 50 points in 45 games as a 20 year old.

theres no use with some of these guys. A couple of days ago STepan was only worth 2.5 million, now hes better than or equal to JT
- mighty13duck

No one definitely said that nor came off in such a tizzy as you did, I did it to 1.Show Stepan's worth and 2.Piss you off

You know what I love, when anyone mentions JT is less the holy light how quickly some Isles fans get so offended and we're homers
- cranford93

After having soooooooo many #1 picks over the years, this one is actually working out. Thats why they consider him the Holy one.

hall vs JT isnt that idiotic. hall DID just score 50 points in 45 games as a 20 year old.
- rangerdanger94

Yeah I wouldn't say it's crazy, #1 overall vs #1 overall with both being hailed as the next Crosby

No one definitely said that nor came off in such a tizzy as you did, I did it to 1.Show Stepan's worth and 2.Piss you off
- cranford93

I know you did Cranny. I respect that. These boards get too boring at times.

Pavel Datsyuk is a "perennial 100pt. player?"
- jmatchett383

I take that back. Datsyuk is one of the better 2nd tier elite guys. But Datsyuk should be a player category all in his own for what he does.

Trendlines buddy, trendlines. Look at the growth line of the 2 players. Tavares has had 1 more season than Stepan but both reached the ppg plateau in their 3rd year. I would even argue that Stepan didn't even see 1st line minutes until this past year and it was only the final month. Stepan has played 3rd, 2nd, 1st line and has been paired with everyone on the team. He was never given consistent offensive zone time and given tons of Power play time. Stepan is used more spread out, all over the roster, all over the different game situations. And DESPITE that, he has reached the ppg mark in just his 3rd year.
- xcheckmajor

Well, that settles is. Stepan's a superstar and Tavares is a total fake.

After having soooooooo many #1 picks over the years, this one is actually working out. Thats why they consider him the Holy one.
- DONMURDOCH14

We usually get stuck with the #4 and 5 picks unfortunately but other than that correct

theres no use with some of these guys. A couple of days ago STepan was only worth 2.5 million, now hes better than or equal to JT
- mighty13duck

Who honestly ever said Stepan was only worth 2.5? Stepan clearly by today's contracts standards is a $5M player by production, but by CBA and NHL business standards, he had NO comparable value because of his career status.

I take that back. Datsyuk is one of the better 2nd tier elite guys. But Datsyuk should be a player category all in his own for what he does.
- xcheckmajor

Hell no, Datsyuk is elite what the hell. The dude is (somewhat arguably) the best all-around player in the game. If you don't think he's one of the top 5 players in the league, then we really have nothing left to discuss.

Who honestly ever said Stepan was only worth 2.5? Stepan clearly by today's contracts standards is a $5M player by production, but by CBA and NHL business standards, he had NO comparable value because of his career status.
- xcheckmajor

go back a couple days ago on these very blogs. I said he was worth 4 million plus