Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814
Buddy, I know we’re all upset.
But just so I understand you, you’re arguing that Gaudreau’s hockey IQ is better than McDavid’s because, and forgive me if I’m misunderstanding, if you exclude the playoff games when he’s scoring 2.06 PPG, McDavid is only a 1.05 PPG player.
So how does Gaudreau’s 0.79 Playoff PPG denote a higher hockey IQ?
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You're still making the same silly mistake. I am not quibbling with your numbers, I am denying the whole premise of your argument.
I am saying that you can't tell a player's hockey IQ by the number of points he scores, because there are too many other variables. Still less can you judge by a single postseason. As I intimated earlier, McDavid did not suddenly receive a brain transplant, so whatever his hockey IQ was before this year's playoffs, that's pretty much what it still is now. So the number of points he scored this particular postseason is obviously irrelevant. If he's a genius because of this year, was he a moron when his team got swept by the Jets? Certainly not.
McDavid is bigger, faster, more athletic, and a better shooter than Gaudreau. But I have not seen any evidence that he is any smarter, either on the ice or off it.
Gaudreau has an ability to read plays and anticipate opponents that I haven't seen since Makarov retired. (I don't agree with ‘Johnny Makarov’ about many things, but I agree with his username.) He's tiny, not very fast, not exceptionally fit or muscular, and hasn't got a great shot – but in spite of all those things, he's a career PPG player and matched McDavid in points per minute of ice time during the most recent regular season.
What makes him able to do that? Hockey IQ. His smarts make up for his weaknesses – weaknesses McDavid does not have.