Did you see that beauty feed bozak made to marner for his first goal!? We should be calling him Tyler "beauty" Bozak with passes like that. Bozaks here to stay! Bozak! Bozak! Bozak! Bozak! Bozak! Bozak! Bozak!

When you buying his jersey?

crosby's title as worlds best player got stolen cuz a kid (monster) got 6 points in 2 games against a god awefull flames team? sucha fleeting thing that was for a kid to steal it in 2 games while sid is out concussed. let mcdavid beat crosby in a season where both are healthy before saying he is best in the world. should be easy considering sid is getting old and mcdavid getting better. no idea why the flames suck but they do.

Love that the season is back. Excellent read Tanner.

Love for Sundin Dont get the jerseyretirerment thing though, like 7 of the first 10 numbers are now retired. If they have had the luxury to not made that a tradition for 100 years, why the hell do it now?

I would take half a season lockout á la 2012 to get right of the Coachs Challange Anaheims a mess.

Maybe Strome isnt ready yet. I think you are undervalueing how the start to your nhl career is. Having confidence is very important and that can effect people if they get a hard start in the NHL. The season is long.

But why do you think that Toronto will be a playoff team but Yotes a bottom dweller? You are sure that their 3(4,5,6?) rookies can perform over 82 games but Yotes dont? If Chychyrn can keep this up Yotes has a solid top4. And they have alot of talent up top too. I see both teams fighting for a wildcard spot, IF (bigg frking iff) their rookies can come togheter and make a solid rounded group. But injurys and some bad stints can dig both teams a hole to big to climb out of.
- Cloud

I do think the Coyotes could compete, but I also think the Leafs have better goaltending, better overall defense and that no one the Coyotes is as good as Auston Matthews.

James Tanner: PLUS/MINUS: Crosby, Matthews, Ducks, 'Yotes, Scheifele, Terminator
The most popular hockey blog in the world among the elderly, it's PLUS/MINUS. Enjoy responsibly.
- James_Tanner

Crosby was the best player in the league last season from December on, Won a cup, a conn smyth, a world cup and a world cup MVP and you have him listed as the second best player in the world to a kid (I love Mccdavid no disrespect) that played half a season???? I can see that in a year or 2... This is why people jump down your throat James...

Crosby was the best player in the league last season from December on, Won a cup, a conn smyth, a world cup and a world cup MVP and you have him listed as the second best player in the world to a kid (I love Mccdavid no disrespect) that played half a season???? I can see that in a year or 2... This is why people jump down your throat James...
- Brianandr1

no no no. he has 6 points in 2 games. that is why

Crosby was the best player in the league last season from December on, Won a cup, a conn smyth, a world cup and a world cup MVP and you have him listed as the second best player in the world to a kid (I love Mccdavid no disrespect) that played half a season???? I can see that in a year or 2... This is why people jump down your throat James...
- Brianandr1

I really don't care what people think, McDavid is the best player in the world. Your accomplishments don't matter when assessing who is the best player. It's simply which player is the most talented. Connor McDavid and it's really not even close.

Crosby is very good. Connor is on another level.

I really don't care what people think, McDavid is the best player in the world. Your accomplishments don't matter when assessing who is the best player. It's simply which player is the most talented. Connor McDavid and it's really not even close.

Crosby is very good. Connor is on another level.
- James_Tanner

sry but Crosby is great and Connor is great but connor on another lvl? come on.

no no no. he has 6 points in 2 games. that is why
- martox

to be fair, i actually dont think thats why at all. or what hes saying

no ones saying there isnt rationality behind the "prove it over the long haul" argument. and youre entitled to have that as YOUR criteria if you like.
i guess the easy retort to that is "what hes showing now if maintained, hes in that spot imo"
but we're not talking about some guy that got hot for a half season and is coming back to earth. i think its clear to see that mcavid is something really really special

point is, that doesnt have to be everyones criteria for who the best player is. and it seems its not in tanners view

arguing best player or top 5 is just for fans, it really doesnt matter. but i also dont think its totally unfair for someone to say "i think im seeing the best player int he world play here"

I was about to say that the Malkin, Staal, Letang rookie trio was pretty incredible in 2006. But, I just remembered that Letang only played in the first few games before being sent back to juniors....atleast I think so. Too lazy to look it up.

to be fair, i actually dont think thats why at all.

no ones saying there isnt rationality behind the "prove it over the long haul" argument.
but that shouldnt also suggest that what hes showing now if maintained doesnt put him in that echelon.
but we're not talking about some guy that got hot for a half season and is coming back to earth. i think its clear to see that mcavid is something really really special

arguing best player or top 5 is just for fans, it really doesnt matter. but i also dont think its totally unfair for someone to say "i think im seeing the best player int he world play here"
- HB77

oh no I agree. Mcdavid is the most talentfull player no doubt. but I just don't think he is the best in the world YET. 100% sure he will be in a year or 2 though since there isn't anyone atm that can stop him from accending the throne of being the best player.

I was about to say that the Malkin, Staal, Letang rookie trio was pretty incredible in 2006. But, I just remembered that Letang only played in the first few games before being sent back to juniors....atleast I think so. Too lazy to look it up.
- cranktheradio

he was yes.

to be fair, i actually dont think thats why at all. or what hes saying

no ones saying there isnt rationality behind the "prove it over the long haul" argument. and youre entitled to have that as YOUR criteria if you like.
i guess the easy retort to that is "what hes showing now if maintained hes in that spot imo"
but we're not talking about some guy that got hot for a half season and is coming back to earth. i think its clear to see that mcavid is something really really special

arguing best player or top 5 is just for fans, it really doesnt matter. but i also dont think its totally unfair for someone to say "i think im seeing the best player int he world play here"
- HB77

McDavid is unreal. For my money if still take Sid because of the little veteran things that he's learned to do. For instance, he no longer has to go 100mph 100% of the time. He knows that, although it looks flashier in highlights, it can turn to the puck going quickly the other way.

That said, I think it's fair to call McDavid the best offensive player in the game. I mean, one could definately argue that he IS the best in the game, I just don't think he's there yet. 3 years from now it's pretty much a given. (Although Matthews looks pretty good)

McDavid is unreal. For my money if still take Sid because of the little veteran things that he's learned to do. For instance, he no longer has to go 100mph 100% of the time. He knows that, although it looks flashier in highlights, it can turn to the puck going quickly the other way.

That said, I think it's fair to call McDavid the best offensive player in the game. I mean, one could definately argue that he IS the best in the game, I just don't think he's there yet. 3 years from now it's pretty much a given. (Although Matthews looks pretty good)
- cranktheradio

good post

and theres absolutely sense in saying i still take sid. hes all world and done it all. and still killing it.

I was about to say that the Malkin, Staal, Letang rookie trio was pretty incredible in 2006. But, I just remembered that Letang only played in the first few games before being sent back to juniors....atleast I think so. Too lazy to look it up.
- cranktheradio

Regardless, that's pretty crazy. Also I wonder if there was a good rookie on Vancouver to go along with the Sedins.

McDavid is unreal. For my money if still take Sid because of the little veteran things that he's learned to do. For instance, he no longer has to go 100mph 100% of the time. He knows that, although it looks flashier in highlights, it can turn to the puck going quickly the other way.

That said, I think it's fair to call McDavid the best offensive player in the game. I mean, one could definately argue that he IS the best in the game, I just don't think he's there yet. 3 years from now it's pretty much a given. (Although Matthews looks pretty good)
- cranktheradio

I think you're onto something here: If Crosby is in fact the best player still, it's because of how smart he is. But I think we can all agree: on pure talent alone, no one, not even Sid, touches McDavid.

I don't mean this as a criticism of any one person, and I am not saying all people who played a competitive sport feel this way. This is absolutely my opinion.

But I can't even begin to state how wrong I think it is to not have reviews in professional sports, especially when the justification is "that's the way it was done before and it was fine."

No. No, it wasn't fine. People's careers, their very livelihoods, ride on this stuff.

If I were playing at the highest level, yeah, I do want a review option available to tell me if a guy was two feet offside and the linesman was too incompetent to call it. Leon Stickle wasn't the reason the Flyers lost the series against the Islanders, but he was damn sure the reason they lost the game, and that is just one of many examples where human error had costly repercussions in professional sport.

That isn't whining. That is reality. Too much rides on the outcomes of these games to not have every resource available to make sure the calls that are made are as accurate as possible.

I really don't care what people think, McDavid is the best player in the world. Your accomplishments don't matter when assessing who is the best player. It's simply which player is the most talented. Connor McDavid and it's really not even close.

Crosby is very good. Connor is on another level.
- James_Tanner

Wow ok!!!!!!Accomplishments James???? Everything I mentioned is since JUNE!!!!!!! We re not talking about 2009, this is 2016!!! By your standards Matt Murray is better then Carey Price then???? I don't doubt Mcdavid might be the most talented and the best in a year or two... But right now its Crosby

oh no I agree. Mcdavid is the most talentfull player no doubt. but I just don't think he is the best in the world YET. 100% sure he will be in a year or 2 though since there isn't anyone atm that can stop him from accending the throne of being the best player.
- martox

Wayne Gretzky told the Edmonton Journal that he considers Connor McDavid “as good as I’ve seen in the last 30 years, the best player to come into the league in the last 30 years.”


Enough said about that.

sry but Crosby is great and Connor is great but connor on another lvl? come on.
- martox

He is martox. If you actually do watch Oilers games next game count how many break aways 97 has in a game. He has the acceleration of Orr and the knees of a guy that is 19. Last game versus Calgary with a very good top 5 NHL defence by the 8 minute mark he had 2 breakaways. Be interesting to see today how many he has against the injury riddled Buffalo Sabres in 2 hours time.

When did McDavid steal Crosby's title?


I must have missed something when Crosby was given the crown back last season after never actually losing it

Wayne Gretzky told the Edmonton Journal that he considers Connor McDavid “as good as I’ve seen in the last 30 years, the best player to come into the league in the last 30 years.”


Enough said about that.
- al3535

wayne has said that about almost every player by now
"I watch him play a lot because I admire the way he plays," Gretzky said. "It's not a big secret. I think he's the best player in the game. He just sees the game the right way; he always has. He's on a different level when he's playing like he is right now."
that is on Crosby btw and as early as a couple months ago.
this was back in the middle of september btw
"He's proven over and over that he's the best player in the game today. And it seems like the more important the game, the more impact that he makes on a game. He's a tremendous player, and great leaders are the guys who come through in the clutch -- and he comes through in the clutch quite a bit."

He is martox. If you actually do watch Oilers games next game count how many break aways 97 has in a game. He has the acceleration of Orr and the knees of a guy that is 19. Last game versus Calgary with a very good top 5 NHL defence by the 8 minute mark he had 2 breakaways. Be interesting to see today how many he has against the injury riddled Buffalo Sabres in 2 hours time.
- al3535

I watch every oilers game. Calgary may have people that are good defensemen but calgary has sucked so extremly much so far this season and the bad goalie doesn't make it better. mcdavid is all about speed. that is the way he wants to play and the way he is playing. would be weird if he didn't have breakaways cuz that is his game style...

I watch every oilers game. Calgary may have people that are good defensemen but calgary has sucked so extremly much so far this season and the bad goalie doesn't make it better. mcdavid is all about speed. that is the way he wants to play and the way he is playing. would be weird if he didn't have breakaways cuz that is his game style...
- martox

This is not even a debate... If you had to pick one player to win one game over the last several months (non goaltender) It would be Crosby over MCdavid and its not close. Mcdavid is amazing, the most talented player (along with Crosby!!!) since Mario... but can we let the kid do something over a full season before we anoint him the best player in the league.

This is not even a debate... If you had to pick one player to win one game over the last several months (non goaltender) It would be Crosby over MCdavid and its not close. Mcdavid is amazing, the most talented player (along with Crosby!!!) since Mario... but can we let the kid do something over a full season before we anoint him the best player in the league.
- Brianandr1

it is a debate. Cause it's clear people disagree with you


You can wait for more proof of Connor if you need it. That's fine

But that doesn't mean other people need that to say he's the best already

I think I've seen enough. You don't have to agree

You can wait for more proof if you need it

But that doesn't mean other people need that to say he's the best already

You're entitled to choose who you think is better
- HB77

We just watched Crosby dominate the world cup and win a Conn Smyth.... Sorry but two great games is not enough... He will be the best soon enough!

The league has had 4 generational talents since the strike in my opinion:
Crosby: Has done everything multiple times but Concussions may have robbed him of more cups and certainly took 2-3 Hart Trophies away
Ovechkin: Best goal scorer since Mario, 3 Harts, will he ever win a cup?
Malkin: Multiple cups, Conn Smyth, Hart, 2 Ross... Injuries have taken there toll and obviously in Crosby's shadow
Mcdavid??? Could be the best of all 4, we ll find out!