NHL 15 - Top Rated Left Wingers

[Sheba2011]

Quote: Originally Posted by meep316

Williams isn't one of my favorite players, I like him a lot, but I wouldn't say he's one of my favorites. The thing is, when comparing Williams and Ovechkin, there are different standards. Williams at his salary, is expected to be part of an ensemble cast of scorers. And he does that very well, and always ALWAYS seems to show up when it matters most. He is on a better team than Ovechkin's, but Williams is a HUGE reason why his team is better. Ovechkin is never going to be a guy who is on a team with 4 deep lines like the Kings, Hawks, or Bruins. He makes too much money for them to build a team like that around him. But because he is so skilled, he is relied on to make up that difference with how much more skilled he is. And for many reasons, he has been unable to step up and do that. The problem with him, in a nutshell, is that he doesn't have IT. The skill isn't enough if you are a loser, and he is a loser. The Capitals haven't been very good the last couple of years, but there have been plenty of years where they have run roughshod over the league in the regular season, only to fold like a wet paper bag in the playoffs.

Williams "always" shows up when it matters? I guess we are not counting 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 or 2012 when he completely disappeared in the playoffs despite playing good in the regular season each of those years.

Kane and Towes both just signed new contracts that will pay them more than Ovie over the next 4 seasons. There are other players in the league that make as much if not more than Ovie that have been surrounded with good to great talent on all lines. His salary has little to do with it.

It doesn't matter how skilled a player is he can only play so many minutes a game, hockey is a team game and he still has to rely on the rest of his team to produce. Just look at Ray Borque, one of the greatest players of all time. He never won a SC with Boston, not because he was a "loser, because he was never surrounded with a whole team worth of talent.

The Capitals teams that were great in the regular season were great because they had an awesome first line and the rest of the team was average, in the regular season you can get away with that in the playoffs when you are playing the top competition in the league you need all 4 lines to be able to produce in some way.

The NHL (just like every other sport) is always going to market it's star players, that is how they draw in the casual fans. People who don't watch a lot of hockey know the names Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, they don't recognize names like Justin Williams. That is why he is always "shoved down your throat".

[meep316]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sheba2011

Williams "always" shows up when it matters? I guess we are not counting 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010 or 2012 when he completely disappeared in the playoffs despite playing good in the regular season each of those years. Kane and Towes both just signed new contracts that will pay them more than Ovie over the next 4 seasons. There are other players in the league that make as much if not more than Ovie that have been surrounded with good to great talent on all lines. His salary has little to do with it. It doesn't matter how skilled a player is he can only play so many minutes a game, hockey is a team game and he still has to rely on the rest of his team to produce. Just look at Ray Borque, one of the greatest players of all time. He never won a SC with Boston, not because he was a "loser, because he was never surrounded with a whole team worth of talent. The Capitals teams that were great in the regular season were great because they had an awesome first line and the rest of the team was average, in the regular season you can get away with that in the playoffs when you are playing the top competition in the league you need all 4 lines to be able to produce in some way. The NHL (just like every other sport) is always going to market it's star players, that is how they draw in the casual fans. People who don't watch a lot of hockey know the names Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, they don't recognize names like Justin Williams. That is why he is always "shoved down your throat".

I can't remember far enough back to when Williams played for the Flyers, but he sure as hell didn't disappear in any of those Cup years. Winners win and losers lose, period. Guy has 3 rings as a key contributor on all of those teams. I'm not expecting to have Williams rated higher than Ovechkin in the game, but I'm saying that if I had a series starting tomorrow, and you gave me the choice of Ovechkin or Williams, I'm taking Williams. I couldn't care less about what a guy does in the regular season. The regular season is a stepping stone, that's it. A guy could score infinity goals in the regular season, if he doesn't do what it takes to win in the playoffs, it's all completely worthless.

There are like 5 guys that make more than Ovechkin. In a salary cap era, it absolutely matters. He has to perform well enough to justify that money, and he hasn't. He's put up the numbers, but that's not the point of the game. So many people just point to the numbers and then will put the blame on the rest of his team, just whistling past the graveyard. The excuse making for him is nauseating, same with Crosby. I guarantee Toews and Kane with their salaries get back to the Finals again at the very least, if not win another Cup before Ovechkin ever even comes close.

Bourque never won it in Boston but he at least got to the Finals. Also just lol at even comparing the two situations. Bourque is such a different player than Ovechkin. If Ovechkin amended and tweaked his game even a LITTLE bit, his team would be so much better off, but he absolutely refuses.

The Penguins won with a topheavy team in 09. Because Crosby and Malkin are both better players than Ovechkin.

Yeah I understand that, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I will take every chance I can get to point out the glaring flaws of those players, as a fan that knows better than to drink their bullsheeit kool aid.

[Sheba2011]

Quote: Originally Posted by meep316

I can't remember far enough back to when Williams played for the Flyers, but he sure as hell didn't disappear in any of those Cup years. Winners win and losers lose, period. Guy has 3 rings as a key contributor on all of those teams. I'm not expecting to have Williams rated higher than Ovechkin in the game, but I'm saying that if I had a series starting tomorrow, and you gave me the choice of Ovechkin or Williams, I'm taking Williams. I couldn't care less about what a guy does in the regular season. The regular season is a stepping stone, that's it. A guy could score infinity goals in the regular season, if he doesn't do what it takes to win in the playoffs, it's all completely worthless. There are like 5 guys that make more than Ovechkin. In a salary cap era, it absolutely matters. He has to perform well enough to justify that money, and he hasn't. He's put up the numbers, but that's not the point of the game. So many people just point to the numbers and then will put the blame on the rest of his team, just whistling past the graveyard. The excuse making for him is nauseating, same with Crosby. I guarantee Toews and Kane with their salaries get back to the Finals again at the very least, if not win another Cup before Ovechkin ever even comes close. Bourque never won it in Boston but he at least got to the Finals. Also just lol at even comparing the two situations. Bourque is such a different player than Ovechkin. If Ovechkin amended and tweaked his game even a LITTLE bit, his team would be so much better off, but he absolutely refuses. The Penguins won with a topheavy team in 09. Because Crosby and Malkin are both better players than Ovechkin. Yeah I understand that, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I will take every chance I can get to point out the glaring flaws of those players, as a fan that knows better than to drink their bullsheeit kool aid.

Your obviously have extreme hate for Ovie. Best at this point to agree to disagree.