My NHL 1ST OVERALL DRAFT PICK Tier List

IT'S BACK! My weekly NHL Tier List is here and today I will be looking at every single 1st overall NHL draft pick from the year 2000 all the way to 2023. In these tiers I will rank each player based on how hyped they were heading into the draft and then how their careers have gone since then. Be sure to comment other NHL or Hockey related Tier Lists you would like to see and Subscribe to Jimmy Hockey for more NHL News and Breakdowns.
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[@jimmyhockey]

Do you agree with my list? Be sure to comment other NHL or Hockey related Tier Lists you would like to see in the future!

[@rhyscartanhockey4291]

I think nuggent-Hopkins is worth it cause he got 104 points last year

[@TylerRockwood]

@@rhyscartanhockey4291 Agree. Did Nuge dirty here.

[@DiabloManiacz]

It's good list. One season doesn't save Nuge. One cup season might.

[@Kameron28]

No way you put lafranier above Nico hischier

[@TaraCheetarachii]

You placed Rick Nash and Ilya Kovalchuk correctly based on career numbers but noticeably left out the reasons why they're not quite Hall of Fame material while underplaying how talented they really were. Namely, Nash struggled with multiple (at least 3) concussions and other injuries during what would be his peak years that ultimately ended his career, and Kovalchuk played 5 seasons in the KHL when he would have likely been a 30-40 goal scorer a majority of those years in the NHL.

[@KempsStudio]

Ovechkin, Crosby and McDavid should be the only ones in Generational Talent. Good list but you’re using Generational talent too loosely imo.

[@JohnnyBagvieGolf]

I basically agree, but when you see him pick the GT tier and not include Matthews you have to kind of wonder what’s even going on here.

[@lukevelez9578]

Kane should be in there too. Dude has 3 cups and is going down as the best American player in history.

[@paulwt9783]

No, he's not.

[@Allenz2205]

6:33, uh what? Stamkos was easily a top 5 player in the league from 2010-2014, before he got his huge injuries.

[@GWh135]

Stamkos was top 3 during that time. Remember the debates of Crosby vs Ovechkin vs Stamkos?

[@Allenz2205]

​@@GWh135 Yup, you could also argue that. Stamkos literally won 2 rockets at the age of 20 and 22, one of the youngest to ever do that, including when he scored 60 goals during a time when goalscoring was down, and he played for an awful team, both of the times he won the Rocket, Tampa didnt make the playoffs. He was easily top 5, arguably top 3 during those 4 years, and could have won many more rockets if not for his many injuries that later came

[@GWh135]

@@Allenz2205 True, Stamkos could have been one of the greatest scorers ever if not for his broken leg. His shot is still lethal but his mobility is limited now

[@YouTube_OriginalViewer]

I agree with you, he was a top 5 player for a decent span. But I don’t think he’s on that same level as Ovi and Sid. Maybe not a “generational player,” but he was the perfect number 1 pick for Vinny and Marty to pass the torch too. He’ll end with 600+ goals and assists and no one will wear 91 (or 77, 86, or 88) in Tampa ever again

[@Beezer1742]

@@GWh135Crosby and Ovi have been far more consistent over a much longer period of time.

[@andrewi559]

I do think Hischier is being underrated by this list. He was a point per game producer last season, a really good 200 ft game comparable to Bergeron, but still able to make skillful plays and produce offensively, not to mention his leadership. Obviously the Devils are having a rough season, and Hischier had a slow start, then got injured twice and isn't playing at the level of the previous two seasons but he is a major part of the team, and it shows based on their performance in his absence.

[@aaronzNJD]

Not to mention Rick Nash is on the top line contributor list and has never put up a season with as many points as Hischier did last year. Hall has had better years than Rick Nash by far as well. Idk what bud was smokin when he put Nash up there

[@jakobfinney]

I think matthews will be considered that top slot in a few years tbh, the amount hes scoring is nuts

[@galaxy.50]

agreed

[@barbellsjoysticks9802]

His style of play has already heavily impacted hockey. Even McDavid watches his footage. I agree.

[@exodushcr2838]

If he keeps doing it consistently I’ll agree

[@zaazzaaaz1704]

The fact is that such players lose efficiency with age, his wrist is cool, but you won't be able to throw like this for a long time

[@jakobfinney]

@@zaazzaaaz1704 I mean he's only 26, he's got another 4-6 years before you got expect any age regression

[@mattoreilly5006]

Taylor Hall should be top line contributor. Man won a Hart trophy Kovalchuk is hall of fame talent. People are quick to forget how good he was Lafreniere is a flat our bust. Top line contributor is crazy Rest is good

[@GWh135]

Couldn’t be more wrong. Kovalchuk was really good but never did anything worthy of being in the HOF. Had a couple great seasons and that was it. Same with Taylor Hall, he was mainly good with Edmonton and really fell off after his first year with the Devils. Lafreniere is still somewhat early because he’s showing signs of being a late bloomer, give him until the end of next season before we call him a bust

[@mattoreilly5006]

@@GWh135 Kovy was 30-50 goal scorer every year of his career. Made it to cup final as his teams best player with the devils. He's absolutely HOF. Not to mention he was just soooo good and talented. He played on some terrible Thrasher teams for years. Hall was a really good player and just by winning the Hart one year plus those years in Edmonton - I think that qualifies "top line contributor" is looking at career as a whole. Easy to look at him now and disagree but when he was young nobody in the NHL was a better skater. Ya I just think Lafreniere is a bust. I believed in him so hard coming into the league but he looks like his brain can't handle the pace of play in the NHL. Surprising bust.

[@RK-fh4bp]

I don’t know about the Hall take…a lot of people justifiably felt that mackinnon or kopitar should have won the hart that season, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in him winning one in a weird voting year. Other than that he hasn’t been that great, so I agree with where he’s at in this list

[@derps8690]

@@mattoreilly5006 laf is 22 and currently has 39 pts in 61 games, how tf is that a bust

[@mattoreilly5006]

@@derps8690 ​Well.... he was first overall pick and not a bad one. He was expected to be unbelievable and I was a believer included. It's his 4th year in the league and he has 39pts in 61 games and is a minus 3 somehow for the best team in the Eastern conference. That is very unimpressive. 22 in hockey is beginning of their prime. Besides points - you could point to his actual play which is always behind the play. His mind struggles to slow the game down - he can't keep up mentally. Which is surprising... Plus/minus is not the be all end all but it tells a story. To be a - in 2 seasons and at best a +10 through 4 seasons while playing for a top team all 4 seasons tells a story. You have to watch play though Derps - I can't speak to everything with statistics. Make up your own mind - perhaps I am wrong.

[@LucyBatman]

As a hawks fan, i hate to say it but I don’t think Kane is considered a generational talent, hes amazing but he just isnt on the same level as crosby, McDavid, etc. He’s close but not quite there

[@mcj44]

Yeah. He’s a franchise player but doesn’t fall into the ovechkin, Crosby, mcdavid category. He’s more in the Mackinnon, Matthews, draisaitl, makar category.

[@jimmyhockey]

I think people have different definitions to the term “generational talent” for me I believe Kane was once in a generation. One of the best American born players, arguably the most popular player through 2010-2015, and turned into a player that changed a franchise. I wouldn’t be mad if he bumped down I think I’m higher on Patty than most

[@jimmyhockey]

Sure I can agree with that

[@bozidarborojevic4131]

​​@@jimmyhockeywhat do you think was Pavel Datsyuk a generational talent?

[@jax1262]

@@mcj44I’d rather have Mackinnon, Matthews, and Draisaitl over Kane as well.

[@goldtigre4979]

Kovalchuk scored at a near-Gretzky pace on some really terrible teams, and he played under a thousand games. Guy was so much better than we think

[@braindead_442]

I love Kovalchuk, but near-Gretzky pace? Oh, and Kovalchuk plays again for Spartak Moscow in the KHL since december.

[@0xyden484]

He cannot be that good since he is not from Canada

[@goldtigre4979]

@@braindead_442 yes, if he had played the same number of games as 99 he would’ve had around 800 goals, maybe even more if he had played on good teams

[@braindead_442]

@@goldtigre4979 Gretzky had 0,60 goals per game in regular season. Kovalchuk 0,47 and his NHL carreer was paused in his prime. Kovalchuk scored 37 goals in his last full NHL season 11/12 at age 29. The Devils wasn't a bad team at this time. Kovalchuk is a great player, one of my all-time favourites (tbh, I love russian sniper wingers), but he didn't score at a Gretzky pace. If he played in the 80s he could easily have better numbers like Jari Kurri. But then imagine Ovechkin, Crosby and McDavid in the 80s Kovalchuk missed 6 and a half season (from 13/14 to 17/18 he played 5 seasons in Russia + the lockout 04/05 and the half lockout 12/13). In his KHL time he had great numbers, especially 2016/17/18 at age 34/35. But the KHL is a league with very big differences between the top teams and the rest...for example KHL goalies from the top teams have impressive stats with GAA around 1,80 - every year In his prime, he was able to score 40 - 50 goals in a season. If he stayed in NHL instead going back to russia and without the lockouts, I think, he could score in this pace in 04/05, a entire 12/13, 13/14 season and 14/15 - this are 4 seasons w/ 40 - 50 goals (minimum +160 goals, maximum +200 ). Add this to his 443 goals he scored an he's between around 600 and 650 goals. Then add a few typical near carreer ending seasons with lower scoring output (25/20/15 goals) and maybe he could have reached the 700, but no more. Look at Ovi how hard he struggles this season. So, without 5 years in Russia and the lockouts he would have over 600 goals (maybe near 700), over 600 or near 700 assists, in 1300-1400 games played, something about 1200 - 1400 points, almost 1 ppg. This would be still impressive, but it isn't Gretzky pace. Depends on how long he could stay in his prime, injuries, aging process, years with "scoring-flow" and terrible seasons with no luck at scoring.

[@codymachado]

Kovalchuk had the nicest wrist shots and one timers, especially from the point. He wasn't setting up at the circle like Ovechkin he could go bar down from the fcking blue line. He was also 6'3 230 and could hold his own. Kovalchuk was insanely underrated I always picked him first in nhl 10 tournaments aha

[@adamrichmond6348]

So like a quarter of the picks are generational? You do understand the term right? As in once in a generation? It is already nuts that we could slot ovi sid and mcjesus in there... anyone else at this point is overuse (IMO). Kane was amazing... but that is what the HOF is for.

[@fixindan3592]

Couldn’t have said it better. The term “generational” is reserved for guys like Gretzky, Orr, Howe, Lemieux, etc. and putting Kane and Mackinnon in with those guys is just nuts.

[@chrisreynolds654]

@@fixindan3592 I agree that Kane should not be put in with those guys. However, the way that Mackinnon is improving each year is insane. I don't think that he has reached his prime yet, and when he does, I think it will be something very special. I could be wrong, but he keeps on improving his game in a big way.

[@zachcarter3186]

i mean, bedard sid and mcdavid are almost generations apart in terms of the hockey they grew up on. i will however say one shouldnt be given that title untill retirement and have a history of setting records and owning the game. its a shame the list is so fresh cause most the players have yet to seal their potential records

[@MrBeaus11]

the "ehh" on Slafskovsky is legit a comment of 2 weeks to earlier if I look at the date of the video 😂. He is developping so well this season and the point are just getting to stack up

[@jimmyhockey]

I think I must’ve sparked something in him. I’m rooting for him to be a success he’s got so much talent

[@kevinpilote1294]

Agreed ! He really is popping off and also showing a lot of consistency.

[@michaelb4833]

Kovalchuk's highlights are way more exciting than Rick Nash's.

[@jimbobbyhutchinson313]

Yeah, Kovy to me is on the HOF level. Nash on the Solid 1st line level.

[@letigidou8660]

Yeah I always though of Kovalchuk as a top tier talent, Nash not far off but not quite.

[@olivierdallaire8]

The way slaf blew up since you made this video 😂

[@obscurereference6298]

Did you actually put Laf over Hischier? Holy shit.

[@zebrasarenothorses]

I didn't even make it that far in the video - i stopped after the Ekblad disrespect.

[@Boustifart]

Mc david best player of all time is a stretch at his age

[@debuthunter5389]

Saying it as if it's an obvious statement. It's like the dude has never heard of Wayne Gretzky haha.

[@DarkAngel2796]

Mc Rib should definitely stretch at his age.

[@jeffeyjeffey8]

@@debuthunter5389yeah he’s wayyyy out of pocket for that, dude hasn’t even sniffed the Stanley cup

[@KempsStudio]

@@debuthunter5389best not sure yet, skilled absolutely. He is by far the most skilled player to ever be in the league.

[@TyrellGoertzen]

Cap

[@judsonwright]

How many generational talents can one generation have?

[@zachcarter3186]

id say there are 2/3 gens given the way the game has progressed , sid/mcdavid/bedard, all diff kinda games

[@jimbobbyhutchinson313]

Solid list. But too many in Generational. Only Ovi, Sid and Conner deserve to be there. Generaltional to me means 1/generation. The fact there were two in Sid and Ovi is crazy.

[@thew1zrd]

Agreed - that’s literally the point of calling them generational players. It’s like saying there are multiple GOAT’s, pure fallacy

[@edouardbeland5528]

Slafkosty has recently been a super useful player maybe it doesn’t show in point total but he impacts the game tremendously with his size and skating

[@jimmyhockey]

Yeah either way still way to early to judge

[@mrunknown5735]

Unfortunately tho for a first overall pick you need to have the points. If not makes you a good mid draft player

[@didierlefebvre5860]

@@mrunknown5735 true but remember he is only 19 y/o so there is still lots of time for a 6’4 player. But so far nothing that impressive..

[@Pizzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Would you guys take zegras off us hahaha

[@jayy1727]

​@mrunknown5735 that's very easy to say when the dude is only 19 lol. Having the 1st overall pick doesn't mean ur gonna win the jackpot and draft a player like connor mcdavid. Players lke him, Matthews, etc. come by only once in a while. Not every draft lottery has insanely talented players who shine from the get go

[@ashtonb0419]

so a 2 time rocket winner and 60 goal scorer has never even been top 5 at a point in his career?

[@letigidou8660]

"Top five at a point" is not generational. I do think this guy underrated Stamkos and I consider him as good as Kane, but both aren't quite generational.

[@kylesnowden3774]

Oh boy. You’re that guy that throws ‘Generational’ around so lightly! Cmon man!!

[@Key-nt2go]

Cool video man, really well made. I do think you got a little loose with “generational talent” though. Ovi and Crosby fit the description, Ovi being the best goal scorer to ever play and Crosby being literally the best player of his generation. I would say McDavid is generational, Bedard likely will be too. But I cut it there. To me, Kane was no doubt a super elite talent, easy HOF lock not even a question. But being a generational player is a whole other tier, Kane was great but he was not that. MacKinnon is very borderline, he’s an insane player to watch, top 3 in the league for sure, first ballot no question HOFer, but again I would have him just below that generational level. Only generational players imo are Crosby, Ovi, McDavid. Bedard has potential to be that too, same with MacKinnon, but not yet. Also mentioning you think Jack Hughes will be generational and putting him in HOF didn’t make much sense to me. I think of it like if Hughes retired tomorrow, would he make the HOF? I’d say no. Laf on the same tier as Kovalchuk, Nash, Tavares and ABOVE Nuge and Hall is way out of place. Great video overall though, good insight, just my rambling thoughts lol, keep it up.

[@jimmyhockey]

Thanks for watching. Yeah some I admit could be moved around after seeing a few, Laf could be bumped down and Hughes maybe as well. Its to early to tell anyways. As for Kane, Mac etc I think one more tier labeled "Franchise Players" Would be a better tier for them.

[@DrLari]

I'd agree. Generational should be (nearly) once in a generation. It should be McDavid a lock and then Crosby, with Ovi (being more one dimensional) perhaps just on the other side. Kane and MacKinnon are/were amazing, but just below Ovi. It should be tough making these hard decisions on a tier list, especially if S = truly generational. Very fun watch, though! I'd love to see a v2 where you really are tougher with it.

[@dana102083]

​@@DrLariI feel like a generational talent should be easy and without question. Cuz theyre really the only one. Mcdavid, crosby, ovi (so far). Im not doubting mckinnon and matthews may get the close considerations and kane nipping at their heels too. But easy peasy.

[@basicmeme1040]

If you watch laf this season it makes sense.

[@MegaJcoulter]

Well. I can’t argue with you because I technically don’t disagree. I’m an Avalanche fan. The two best players in the league are McDavid and Mackinnon. At least as far as ability and accomplishments. If Ovi and Crosby are generational for their prime at the same time, then Macdavid and Mackinnon are for the same reason. He went a bit out on a limb with Mackinnon being generational… But here is the rub, he’s still getting better every year.

[@j.j.1517]

Dude has Mackinnon in generational talent when he's won 0 awards. lmao

[@reeganfremont4203]

Love kaner but second nastiest hands he isn’t beating the magic man datsyuk

[@basicmeme1040]

Wasn't Datsyuk 170th in 1998

[@reeganfremont4203]

@@basicmeme1040 171 yeah and and he’s was the greatest 2 way player of all time and regarded by many players at the time to be the best player in the league with the best hands

[@jordanstreib3898]

I know it doesn't mean much to NHL fans but Kovalchuk left prime years on table to go back home and won 3 Gagarin cups,1 KHL MVP,being seen to his people,Winning a golf medal for Russia defeating Germany and winning MVP Olympics. He is still playing has 8pts in 20 khl games this year at 40. He and Datsyuk went back around same time if you don't think Kovalchuk or Datsyuk are HOFers idk let's put some north Americans who didn't have no where near careers. To Russians and Europeans winning Gold/representing country at Olympics is bigger then a Stanley cup. For right or wrong Plus I think they have a strong bond with home country/family/languages ect if the top Euro teams had NHL teams players would take big discounts go home or if KHL wasn't just Russia but a Sweden,Germany,Ect involving Moscow,St Petersburg,Paris,London,Berlin,Prague,Vienna,Bratislava,Zurich,Copenhagen,Oslo they are trying to do this on lesser level with Champions league but if it was done right could be a really good league.

[@rlnnstrm]

Nice vid, well put together. Throwing around the generational talent & best of all time titles a bit too much for my tastes but w/e. :)

[@ccramit]

I remember when Tavares went to the Leafs. As a Bruins fan, I dreaded that move. I thought with all those young guys, they would be like the Celtics from the 60's. A few years later though, I am pretty happy. He is taking up massive salary cap that they could be spending on defense or goalies and probably one of the reasons they keep coming up short. Don't get me wrong, he is a great player. But his cap hit could be better used elsewhere.

[@G17_Saint]

RNH is a extremely high end two way talent he runs the greatest PK in the NHL while projecting for 90 points again that’s a first line contributor in my opinion if you can be a extremely high end defensive talent and a amazing offensive player

[@RedKryptonyt]

Nuge has been slept on his entire career. He's not a mathews or Bedard or even barkov, but he's a very good player who does alot of things really well. Any team would gladly trade a 1st overall pick to add him

[@HolyFrickBro]

The fact that Lafreniere is higher than nuge is just disrespectful

[@brianschryver8314]

His best feature is being effective and unnoticeable. He does all he needs to do at a good price point, and the oilers would be a lot more different without him than most would realize.

[@kavemanjosh]

He only broke out once Leon and Conner joined the team. He was pretty meh before that.

[@RedKryptonyt]

The entire team was a disaster until then. Good player looks awful on an awful hockey team. Also water is wet! More at 11:00

[@gavindough3344]

Good video! Liked the breakdown of each player and the different tiers led to a fair ranking for good but not great players. Only mistake I noticed was saying that Erik Johnson was drafted by the Avs when he was actually drafted by the blues and traded to the Avs not long after. Keep up the good work!👍

[@jimmyhockey]

Thanks for watching. Yeah I realized while editing that’s why I added the text 🙏🏻

[@jeffepstein4971]

Hopkins is insanely underrated, his defensive game is definitely a game changer and it’s sad that it isn’t recognized.

[@tubingforever]

Don't take this the wrong way, but you've _completely_ misunderstood what the word "generational" means.

[@jimmyhockey]

Generational has different meanings to different people. To me a generational player is someone who’s game inspires an entire generation. Someone that changes the game and the way we as fans view the game. It’s all good if people don’t agree, remember it’s all in good fun 🙏🏻

[@tubingforever]

@@jimmyhockey It’s my sincere hope that there will come a day when you realize how wrong that is

[@debuthunter5389]

@@jimmyhockey - It's pretty well understood that it refers to the concept of "once in a generation". Obviously it isn't a hard and fast metric, but really it means equivalent of being top 5 players in history.

[@jeffreykromer325]

@@jimmyhockeyhow did any of those “generational talents” you listed change the game? Crosby, mcdavid, and Ovi are all generational, but they didn’t change the game. None of them did. Last person to really change the game was Bobby Orr

[@breanna34563]

I enjoy the tier list vidoes so much! I agree with you ranking Bedard too soon to judge. I like what I have seen of him so far but it's just to early to tell. I also agree with Nico Hischier being in the not worth the pick category. I have seen some nice plays for him but looking at his game overall I always found it difficult to understand how he was a #1 pick.

[@Bullshirt1983]

This list is stupid without looking at the drafts as a whole and comparing whether or not a better player was available at #1. The Nuge draft is a great example of this... I wouldn't take anyone else from that draft over Nuge.

[@cindygurney6246]

%100. I was thinking that the whole vid.

[@Tokyoremedy]

100%

[@santtuseppala8445]

Kucherov?

[@basicmeme1040]

​@@santtuseppala8445kucherov was an absolute steal.

[@Bullshirt1983]

@@santtuseppala8445 Damn I didn't realize he was in the 2011 draft, what a steal at 58th. I still stand by my point though, and with a 58th overall pick you can't even really count it as a pick you'd make instead.. since he was so far off the radar.

[@samrosen9823]

I'm moving Ekblad, Fleury, and the two leafs up a tier. Other than that, this list is pretty perfect

[@Dutchy_87]

Great list 🎉

[@deniskolkin6341]

With a first overall pick... based on history is that you are at the very least getting a top line contributor... and quite possibly a hall of fame level talent. For a forward you're hoping for what 15-17 years, 1,000 points and hopefully some post season success maybe an award here or there. So this will skew the tiers high. That's what's happened here. Generational players, usually a once in 10 years type of situation, sometimes more sometimes less. Would agree with Crosby and McDavid and fine with Ovechkin there as well due to his insane longevity in ability to score goals. Others from past generations would be Wayne and Mario, Bobby Orr and probably Jean Beliveau (maybe Gordie Howe too). Lindros had the talent to do this but injuries piled up too quickly and maybe his generational qualities were quite as supreme as say Bobby Orr's (who also had a short career). Kane and MacKinnon were/are absolutely studs and top 5 players at their best, but aren't quite in the same class. No issue with saying they are upper end Hall of Fame Talents (with Matthews). Stamkos is top 100 ever, but maybe not quite at the same level (within the Hall of Fame Talent tier itself). Fleury is getting to this level on great longevity as opposed to peak. Jack Hughes could be in this tier, however I'd almost suggest it's too soon to say. (He's firmly established as at least top line contributor). Tavares should be in this (HOF) level too, but would be at the back end with Fleury as opposed to the high end of greatness with MacKinnon, Kane and Matthews. He's likely to wind up with the 15+ seasons, 500 goals, 1,200 points with most of his best years coming in the low scoring days of the earlier 2010's. Nash and Kovalchuk are where they should be, the peak and longevity weren't quite there, even though they were Hall of Fame Level players for a good chunk of their careers. Dahlin has established enough, to put him here, although he could move up in the future if he continues to improve and how long / healthy he is can can play at that level for. Lafreniere was picked too high based on what he's done, but is also still so young, maybe a change of scenery could do him a bunch of good. Hall and RNH are also solid top line contributors when healthy, Hall's got a Hart and RNH would be a frontline contributor on any team he's been on for virtually all of his career. Hischier had a slow start, not everyone on this list is ready to dominate at 18-19 but has really come into his own and should be at least a top-line contributor. Ekblad maybe a bit overdrafted, but when healthy is a very good defenseman as well, if he can maintain a good level of play for a few more years, he's also likely a solid front line contributor. Erik Johnson is the one who most feels like not a bust, but not worth the draft spot, although DiPietro may have a spot here too. He was only good for 4 years, but during that time he was a solid and viable starting goalie. Because of the injuries and generally ineffectiveness outside of those seasons he's seen as a bust, but an argument can easily be made that he should be up one more slot. Yakupov is a bust, he looked promising in his rookie year, then everything went sideways and fast. Power, Slaf and Bedard are also too early to tell with the expectations perhaps being top line contributor / Hall of famer for Power, top line contributor for Slaf and Generational for Bedard.

[@nomadicnovels]

its crazy tho cause of there was no sid or mcdavid i think people would say kane mackinnon and matthews are the generational talents

[@Ardyrezv]

As a Caps fan idk where this franchise would be without Ovi. Best athlete is the history of our city.

[@jimmyhockey]

Love this

[@creativehen]

agreed, although im scared for the 3rd overall picks tier list, as im not ready for the dylan strome flame...

[@KS-xk2so]

"McDavid will go down as the greatest player in NHL history when his career is finished"...... fucking... what? He MIGHT crack the Top 5.... maybe. Unless he wins multiple cups he doesn't even pass Ovi or Sid, let alone the true GOATs. This was a decent list, you definitely over-used the Generation Talent label, but that comment alone just ruined it for me.... saying a guy with zero cups currently will be THE GOAT... is ridiculous.

[@Kaiden_okeefe]

Winning a Stanley cup is not a reflection of skill

[@KS-xk2so]

@@Kaiden_okeefe "Greatest player in history" isn't just about skill. Also, winning cups is a reflection of skill, its just not about pure hockey skills.

[@Kaiden_okeefe]

@@KS-xk2so winning cups is impressive but one man can’t do it

[@andrewc6385]

Wow im surprised how much u nailed this. I agree with every single choice except kane. I believe hes just a hair below generational talent. Then again if he was my favorite player id also give him the benefit of the doubt

[@PJSteMarie]

Saying Fleury was a back up in the back to back cups is kind of a slap in the face. He won more games in the playoffs than Murray in that second year, and he was MVP for the team heading into the confrence finals. Shutting out the Caps in Washington in game 7. He also went to the cup finals two other times for a total of 5. Which is pretty impressive. But he def had his struggles here and there so I agree with the the final rankings.

[@6BURG9]

Nice list. I think people can be stingy with "generational" talent so I like that you've included Mack and Kane up there. My only real complaint is that Laf is in the top line contributor tier. I'd have him in either "not worth the pick" or "too soon to tell" at this point.

[@nerdiousmaximus2222]

This ranking all Depends what you mean by ‘Generational Talent”. If the time frame of a generation is 15 - 20 years, and the label means “best of their generation” we should only have a couple of players in there (unless you also consider by position). Being generous and saying a generation is a decade, I think Sid is the generational talent of the 2000’s, Connor for the 2010s (if he gets a cup), and it’s too soon for the 2020s. I also believe Cale Makar is a generational talent on D, but he went 4th. If it means “S” tier then this makes more sense. End of the day it’s all subjective and it was a good video.

[@Gtffgfhhg]

Sid of course very very very very good, but Ovi argues with eternity! The magnificent Sid and Stamkos are about half their career goals behind Ovi 🤯, they need another half of their amazing careers just to catch up with Ovi! And don’t forget, Sid had Malkin and Flower, and Steven had Kucherov

[@Bruce918]

@@GtffgfhhgSid has more points in less games and contributes far more to his team, ovi stands still for a minute until he receives the puck and shoots, has the most empty net goals in nhl history and does absolutely 0 backchecking

[@Gtffgfhhg]

@@Bruce918 first of all, you just a hater, who have no idea about Ovi goals. Look at his goals map, you’ll be very surprised. Anyway goal>points because of secondary assists, and even in points Sid not in a top ten all time. So if Sid generational talent (its 100% true), then Ovi - historical talent

[@Bruce918]

@@Gtffgfhhg again all you’re talking about is goals, ovi has literally zero contribution outside of his goals besides nobody cares about number 2 for goals, if he doesn’t break that record Sid has had objectively a better career, more cups, more conne smythes, more art rosses and the fact that anyone that’s actually watched both play knows Sid is 2x the player ovi is

[@Bruce918]

@@Gtffgfhhg not to mention the ginormous fall of that ovi has had

[@KS-xk2so]

Actually Fleury started for over half of the 2016/17 Playoffs, he played like 15/25 that post season. Murray was hurt. He carried them through some games too. I'd give him at least as much credit as Murray for that Cup, if not more.

[@nicholasbabcock8418]

Having LAF that high up, especially above Hall who has won a Hart and Hischier who was pretty much PPG last season, and is very reliable defensively is hilarious.

[@pnksmigge5324]

actually have nothing to say about the list, great takes

[@basicmeme1040]

Id say peak pre injury stammer in 2009-12 was a top 4 player at least if not 3 Hes probably been in the top 10 or 5 from 2014-2023 depending on health. Id say generational

[@carsonbrummell4715]

Saying Taylor hall wasn’t worth a #1 slot is insane that guy terrorized the OHL and the TAYLOR vs TYLER was one of the best things the draft has had since then.

[@manofthehills5001]

Kakko (2) and Lafreneire. Love how my team messes this up every year

[@fluntimes]

Kovalchuk was in many ways the new Bure. Insanely gifted hands and a powerful skater.

[@itsczyn]

As a Blackhawks fan getting Bedard this last draft feels like deja vu with Kane. They both are so skilled offensively and I'm praying we are able to build up another dynasty around him throughout the next few years

[@jimmyhockey]

With the way he’s playing so far, it’s looking good for the Hawks 👍🏻

[@basicmeme1040]

Nuge is hard between good or top line. He could be top tier. Being with such talent in mcdavid and drai is hard

[@ssal_v_rot_youtubu]

Stamcos definetely should be in generational talent.

[@jordynbebus6641]

there has been only 3 generational talents to date since 04. Ovi,Crosby and Mcdavid. You could argue Bedard but its early and MacKinnon/Matthews but sheer dominance can only be matched with the 3 guys above.

[@colewhidden8807]

You serious?

[@jordynbebus6641]

@@colewhidden8807 do you know what generational means?

[@colewhidden8807]

@@jordynbebus6641 do you know basic math? A guy who's on pace right now for over 70 is not a generational talent? What's ovi on pace for? 18?

[@jordynbebus6641]

@@colewhidden8807 Ovi pure dominance in a low scoring era is generational if Matthews continues his pace until he’s in his mid 30s than yeah you can make the argument but we’re talking right now

[@peace_love_unity]

Agree with most your picks, but seriously why call it "Generational talent" when Crosby and Ovi as well as both MacK and McD are of the same generation?😂

[@pena380]

They aren't crosby and Ovi are 10+ years older

[@basicmeme1040]

Crossby and ovi were in the era of guys like Patrick kane henrik lundqvist carey pryce, Milan lucic was almost a ppg player in their time. They're hardened vets. Mcdavids generation was when all those guys were washed or on the downswing and Mackinnon got his 100pt season after most of those guys retired

[@peace_love_unity]

@@pena380 Guys think a little... I meant that duo Crosby and Ovi are the same generation... and duo MacK and McD are the same generation. Obviously both duos are a different generation as the other duo...

[@Fouetzky]

To me, Alexis Lafreniere is closer to a bust than a top line contributor. I saw 3 first overall picks play in the Q when I worked in the league and honestly, I thought he was good but nothing close to MacKinnon or Hischier. He stacked up points, but was not a complete player and could disappear for large chunks of a game then somehow end the game with 2-3 points. The other few were noticeable every time they stepped on the ice. MacKinnon was already a fantastic player but somehow was not really as dominant as Drouin in terms of points. Drouin was the magic man who couldn't stop scoring while MacKinnon was more mature and could bulldoze through anything. He didn't always use his strength and his skating to his advantage, sometimes he was trying to look for Drouin a bit too much, but when he decided he would carry the game he was unstoppable. Nico Hischier was a way more impressive player than him and he's a lot more explosive. Lafreniere also played in a "weak" division and stacked up points there, while Hischier was dominant in a sub- 0.500 team (they were second to last in their division - Moncton didn't even win 20 game that season IIRC) so he stood out a lot more. I found him to be more impressive than PLD too, while playing for a significantly weaker team. The league also was quite weak during Lafreniere's tenure, there isn't a lot of now NHL forwards that emerged from this period and became consistent NHL players, and that made him look a lot better than he truly was. The best players apart from him were Drake Batherson, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Maxime Comtois, Jakob Pelletier and Joe Veleno. Not really the best crop to compare yourself to... Anyways, never understood how Lafreniere got there. Nothing against him, but I've never for a moment thought of him as something unique or special.

[@Murnerr]

Agreed. I think it's absolutely insane to rank Lafreniere higher than Hischier in this list given what both HAVE done, and both of their ceilings. I'm devils fan, so I'm clearly biased, but we see a young Patrice Bergeron in Nico. Not sure what the expectation is of Laf at this point though.

[@njt-7328]

I loved watching Hischier play for Halifax in the Q, that was a very impressive season especially when you consider it was his first on North American ice . Don’t forget Nico was 2nd in selke votes last year too . In my opinion placing Alexis on a higher tier on this list shows that you don’t watch devils games. You could argue Nico is the most valuable player to the devils when you consider his defence and leadership. I’m not saying he is, just that you could make the arguement . The gap between him and Jack (whom you were quick to put in the HOF tier ) is not as big as you think , trust me .

[@Fouetzky]

@njt-7328 true. Jack might be more offensively minded but Hischier is very complete.

[@baysick11]

Where would y’all guess to put Celebrini ???

[@benjaminharrison5342]

Good video thank you for your thoughts and efforts. For some reason this topic and the tier system has me completely boggled. It seems strangely pointless. Even the tiers seem wrong somehow because being talented is another point of measurement and not "tier worthy." People should cut you some slack on the Generational thing. Its a meaningless term. Gretzky vs Lemieux. Roy versus Brodeur. Crosby vs Ovechkin Yzerman and Federov vs Sakic and Forsberg. There are great players often playing concurrently.

[@seancoakley9640]

VERY hot take on Stamkos. He was absolutely in the debate for top player in the league for numerous seasons.

[@Thathockeyplayer497]

RNH should be top line contributor

[@RedKryptonyt]

There isnt a team in the NHL that wouldn't take the nuge on their top line and powerplay. Touches all aspects of a game. He is by no means a driver, but he's a great example of a top line contributer.

[@Thathockeyplayer497]

@@RedKryptonyt EXACTLY, he has to be one of the most consistent players, good on PK, puts up a good amount of points and can contribute good on the power play.

[@Braxtone9]

He ages like fine wine too, I genuinely think he’ll break 70 points this year. Already at 44 this season!

[@jimbobbyhutchinson313]

Frankly both he and Hall should be Top Line.

[@ollieyoung5104]

W list my bro although I just couldn't justify having laff over nico at this moment in time in my opinion

[@jimmyhockey]

Hindsight I agree, I think I kinda broke my rule and made a prediction on laf being better but doesn’t align with the rest of the list

[@basicmeme1040]

Laf has been more productive than niko when given the same opportunities. He's a top 10 player in the league rn by a lot of metrics.

[@rapideye85]

Tavares is on Hall of Fame talent. Currently one of the best faceoffs guys, great on puck battles, almost won Art Ross, should have won Selke but isn't popular enough, almost a point per game playing for mostly bar teams, and his current team won't give him the pucl, so all and all, pretty impressive all things considered

[@denisapplesauce7720]

Kane is generational - 3 cups, has the hardware. Most points in the 2010’s (a whole decade). And don’t forget the impact he’s had on the league. Greatest American born player and isn’t considered generational, doesn’t make sense.

[@IzakD8]

That's insane how you don't hage Matthews as a generational talent when he is on pace for over 70 goals this year, and is clearly the best pure goal scorer on this list aside from Ovi.

[@trevorlambert4226]

On the topic of not worth first overall pick, if you're going to label a player with that you better be able to point to someone else in the same draft year who is significantly better than them. Who would that be for Hall in 2010? No one jumps out at me. Same for 2011 and Nugent-Hopkins...maybe JT Miller? Not by a landslide though. Mackinnon definitely did not start out that great. He had a mediocre rookie year, then VERY disappointing for the next three years. I recall a lot of talk of him being a flat out bust. Something huge changed the next season, and he hasn't looked back since.

[@cal8362]

Mackinnon won the Calder his rookie year, and was the most electrifying player on a historically bad team his first few seasons. I don’t think anyone thought he was a flat out bust.

[@RedKryptonyt]

Fun list. I have a few takes. All just my opinions, as that's all these lists are but.. Bump Kane down into HOF. it's not a sleight to him at all, but the term generational means just that. One ot 2 in an entire generation of players. Sid and ovi are undoubtedly a step above Kane. Going to the hall of fame as the best American born player of all time is nothing to sneeze at. Bump Mackinnon down as well. I get that you said you are choosong to jump the gun, that's fine I guess but you haven't done it until you have done it. He's got a Stanley cup, but he has as many 100 point seasons as the nuge lol. Speaking of RNH, you have too many players in the "not worth the pick" tier. RNH has had a better career than taylor hall.

[@thebranndoful]

Jimmy Hockey, I respectfully disagree. Crosby is number 1 until McDavid wins some cups. Hockey is more than scoring goals. Take a deep dive on Crosby's stats; they are incredible. He is likley the most most 'complete' player in NHL history. 3 Stanleys also help. While Ovechkin may break the season record for goals scored, he will never break all goals scored records set by Gretzky. Crosby, on the other hand, may hit top 5 point totals, firmly placing him on the 'Mount Rushmore' of hockey - which most pundits agree.

[@UrkaZerka]

He's hardly a complete player, cant even defend

[@joegattog6695]

@@UrkaZerkaneither was Sid until 12 plus years after being drafted. He was terribly defensively until 2016

[@Ardyrezv]

Isn’t Ovi on pace to break the overall goal record?

[@thepowerwithin9865]

I’d say when Stamkos hit 60 goals in a season, everybody and their mother’s thought he was a top 5 player in the league at the time

[@SwervinSpliffs27]

Lafrenierre is the biggest upset to me on this list. Granted I'm a Rangers fan, but this guy has been so solid all around and yet I've never seen someone manage to *almost* score soooooo many times. It's astounding. Really like him and hope he pops off soon. I know he has it in him

[@PiquetCoC]

His 8th in high danger scoring chance in the league and yet only have 16th goal. I really wish him to unlock that potential

[@SwervinSpliffs27]

@@PiquetCoC He played fantastic last night, they all did. But Laffy stood out and I was happy to see it. Almost got the hat trick!

[@fixindan3592]

Your generational tier is too washed down. Kane and Mackinnon are not generational. They don’t belong in the same tier as Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Lemieux, Lidstrom, etc., and I’m a Blackhawks fan.

[@basicmeme1040]

Taylor hall is such a sad case. His speed and skating style were insane. If one or two things went right he could be a top 10 guy rn.

[@ImVeryTactical]

Mathews since 2020 has been a generational talent I think he's highly underrated as an all around player. The only real knock on him is his first few years. By his next contract he can be well on his way to 700 goals which is absurd

[@sunnybhardwaj8047]

He was 4 goals away from winning a rocket in his rookie season. Only injuries slowed him down in year 2 and 3. He still paced for almost 50 those years. This year he is averaging close to a goal per game while being fourth in selke rankings. Ridiculous that he isn't generational. He is on the same fucking trajectory as ovechkins early career but he is a legit two way center, instead of a defensive liability winger.

[@williamlepage1506]

Mostly agree, but I would definitely place Fleury in generational talent. I’m not sure we going to see another goalie play 1000 games soon. Not to mention that he could still be the #1 goalie in many teams today

[@Tdawg9781]

I don’t really understand Kane being a Gen talent but not Matthews. I feel like it is mainly the team he’s on and everyone thinks he’s worse than he is.

[@Austin-fh2ui]

not sure how Laf is rated as a top line contributor for eventually being able to get that, but Hischier isn't rated there for having top line contributions now.

[@andrewzane2128]

Agree with most of the list, totally agree on Kane being generational talent.

[@Arnoney3]

I know some people are going to call me crazy, but watching Laf this season has totally changed my opinion on him. Hes a stud and going to be a great star in this league. Faster and wayyyyy more scoring chances. Put him on powerplay and dude is putting up easily 80 points this season

[@PiquetCoC]

He is 8th in high danger scoring chance in the league but only have 16 goal. Imagine if they went in or if he had first line power play minute!!

[@Jonathan-ih7qp]

Hawks fan here and I gotta say Kane is an interesting one to assess. There are some arguments as to why he could be considered a "generational talent" but there are also a number of arguments for why he is not. Generational talent, for me, means that you are pretty clearly one of the top few players in the league, or perhaps the "face" of the league for s sustained stretch of several seasons. For this Crosby and Ovi fit the bill in spades, however Kane does not. Kane was arguably the third best player for much of the 2010s, but was almost always clearly trailing those two and often by a substantial margin and again, his position at third best was arguable and not clear cut. I mean he only trails Crosby by 10 career games right now, but trails him by about 250pts. Ovi has twice as many goals as Kane and again about 250 more points than Kane. There is a distinct gap between Kane and the de-facto "generational talents" of his prime era. However on the other side of that Kane currently is and should be viewed as the best American born player of all time, and there are a lot of great American born players in the history of the sport, it's not like America is a minnow as far as it goes with hockey playing countries. It's one thing to be the best British born player in history, but it's another thing to be the best American born player. So, wouldn't and shouldn't a "historical talent" be considered a "generational talent" as well? Also, is it really too soon to tell on Bedard? (Honstly, yes it is, but is it?) At 5'9" and 18-years old he is quite literally the entire Blackhawks offense. I mean he missed almost 2 months and is still handily the team's leading scorer averaging almost a point per game with practically no help. Can't wait to see what he could be capable of when he actually gets some more quality line mates.

[@basicmeme1040]

I like jt top line. Outside of 2014-15 no one ever respected his isles the way they respected lundqvist pryce ovy or 2012 lone malkins teams. He adds to mathews team now, hes the kevin durant of hockey without cups

[@MegaJcoulter]

I usually have some gripe about these lists… Not this one. Thanks for making Nate Dog generational. His amazing stats don’t come close to explaining how powerful he is, and how fun he is to watch.

[@l.a.w.5738]

Hischier is going to win the Selke at least 3 times, he will be a hall of famer :)

[@jimmyhockey]

I hope so I love his game

[@basicmeme1040]

Idts. He's got kaako in the division who's also younger

[@harlzberg6068]

When Kovalchuk finally retires from hockey, he'll be on the top 50 best Russians players and still one of the best right handed shots in the last 25 years.

[@Mevode13]

Slaf putting up those number in the two weeks since you posted, I think people are starting to see he potential show.

[@jasonfougere3274]

It's hard to speculate where players will be so soon after they are drafted, though you did a pretty good job overall. I only disagree with Kane being a generational player. In my opinion, that class is only for the elites of the game. He is a great player who played on a great team in Chicago, but he is not generational, IMHO.

[@jimmyhockey]

Totally understand. I think I am a lot higher on Kane than most but I can see why people would put him a tier below. Glad you enjoyed the vid

[@MoleCartel]

I think it is a good list. I would of just taken out the words "not worth the pick". Players like Ekblad, especially Nuge were well worth the pick. Lafrieniere is too high considering who's a tier below him.

[@XxNoMErcY99xX]

I agree with most of the list, but putting Laf over Hall, RNH, Ekblad and Hischier is crazyyyy

[@jimmyhockey]

To be fair I am projecting Laf will be better not saying he is but in hindsight you right

[@rdspam]

Don’t think we’ve been through 5 generations since 2000. With that title you need to up the bar to players in discussions for a top 10all-time list. Sid, with McDavid a TBD. If you’re loosening the list, the goalie at #2 in wins has to be there. How can you pass Patrick Roy and not be top tier?

[@drewjenkins2318]

Wow FIVE once in a generation players from the same generation .... And the 25 year old with a Hart, Calder & 3 Rockets isn't one of them. Cool list bro.

[@Tdawg9781]

That’s what I’m saying. How do you say he’s on pace to be the best goal scorer of all time but he’s not a Gen talent

[@brendonclarke8927]

Probably due to playoff (lack there of) success. His career is on the same trajectory as Ovi (which is incredible). Ovi at age 25 would have been ranked the same. McDavid is an outlier.

[@sunnybhardwaj8047]

Lol stfu. Playoff success is a team accomplishment. Why is mcdavid on the list? What's his great playoff success?

[@matthewcolitti8456]

bro Slaf is a beast

[@moosejaw99]

Stammer is a generational talent. 60+ goals. Biggest issue is when he shattered his leg.

[@chade7669]

Rick played another game. Your first bullet point was false. What a joke

[@Dayland383]

you forgot that matthews scored 4 goals in his first NHL game?!

[@SmittySmith-ye9uq]

Don’t matter he ain’t all that

[@brianschryver8314]

Sam Gagne had 8 points in a game and no one cares. You gotta have more than that.

[@masonic8549]

@@SmittySmith-ye9uq I agree matthews isnt top tier right now, but he has 40 goals in 46 games this season, and has the most goals 5on5 since hes entered the league, you cant say "he aint all that" lol

[@nama1756]

they lost that game tho lol

[@pena380]

​@@masonic8549he has to get few times in top3 of scoring points to be geneational. So few 120 point seasons.

[@oley49]

but DiPietro was a compliance buyout so it doesnt effect their cap

[@nicorobin5978]

Kane at generational talent is nuts. Him and Toews turned it on for the playoffs and were fun to watch, but they're nowhere near these other players. I'd argue even Stamkos deserves to be higher than Kane.

[@iXUZDAP]

McDavid is a generational stat padder, i think the Oilers would have won a cup by now if they traded him for a Top-line Center that also can win more faceoffs and defend. Despite how exceptionally talented he is, i think he's holding his team back. Like a crutch.

[@ArifKhan.]

Kane is not a Gen player. Same level as Stammer.

[@dumby88]

I agree on fleury

[@jimmyhockey]

Ya its just tough to compare a goalie to forwards so I landed on HOF lock with him

[@Chromedragon79]

100% disagree on Nuge. He brings silent energy to his team and plays an unexciting 200' game that is very similar to Patrice Bergeron's game. He's not quite at Bergeron's level, who will 100% be a be a first-ballot hall of famer, but he is so reliable that you can trust him on the ice in any and all situations. PK, power play, 5 on 5, OT. He's like a rock out there.

[@davidkepka9166]

Oilers with 4 1st round picks still didnt made it to stanley cup is crazy

[@andrewsutton2266]

By these explanations you can't really have Mackinnon as generational. It took him like 6 years to become a top end player and only the last few years he's absolutely been one of the greatest players on the planet

[@harjdhillon5411]

Matthews has been the best overall goal scorer since being drafted, he should be on the same list as Ovechkin.

[@l-pachecs-l94]

52 goals in 54 games for mathews but not a generational talent is crazy, besides that w list