Quote:
Originally Posted by StrykerSteve
I struggle with these types of comparisons, because they’re bound to not be apples to apples. The league was filled with completely different players when those guys did what they did. They played on different teams with different strengths, and the opposition was completely different. Maybe it was a weaker league, maybe they had better teammates, maybe they were more physically developed… I don’t know but am not willing to ignore those variables.
He plays on a mediocre 4-4 team, is 3rd in scoring as a 17-year old kid playing with and against men 4-6 years older than him. He’s one of, if not the youngest player in the league and he’s shooting at an unsustainably unlucky 6.8% shooting percentage. By all accounts he’s generating scoring chances at a historic rate. Guys that can do what he does are super rare. Flames fans should know that better than anyone because we’ve rarely had them.
Remember back to Connor McDavid playing in the world juniors as a 16-year old, when he scored 1g,3a in 7 games, he wasn’t a star on that team, he was a kid learning his way amongst elder teammates, playing bottom six minutes. Then he came back the next season a year older and popped off for 11p in 7 games. It’s pretty normal progression and what McKenna is experiencing by shifting to a different league at 17 is a similar experience in my eyes.
Kids with his level of talent don’t just stop being great players. Give it time, with a little growing, he will catch up and get back to dominating opponents. This is very much short term pain for long term gain and the team that gets him will be all the better for him having gone through it.
The list throughout Flames history of players who have ever scored 100 points at any level of hockey is an extremely short one. And the list that did it in the fashion McKenna did is non-existent. A player like McKenna would be an absolute game changer for the franchise, no question in my mind.
I haven’t felt this way about a potential prospect since MacKinnon. He may not be a Center, but the Flames as an organization desperately need him.
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Ilia Morozov is the youngest player in NCAA this year, 8 months younger than McKenna.
Listen I think McKenna is going to be a very good player, I just don’t think he is a franchise player. I also don’t think building around a winger is the smart move. This franchise tried it with Iginla, they tried it with Gaudreau, it doesn’t work. Will the Flames be a better team with McKenna, without a question, will they be perennial contenders with him as their best player most likely not. That’s just the reality for wingers, they don’t impact the game enough to build around.