Most Overrated Player in the NHL

[Money99]

There's a very interesting debate going on over at HFBoards concerning who people feel is the most overrated player in the NHL.

Jonathan Toews is winning by a landslide.

Here's my thing about Toews. I think he's very talented, a great leader and defensive player, but I have to agree that he could be the NHL's most overrated player if consider his salary, production and his reverence amongst the media and fans.

I wonder sometimes if the media and fans would think as highly as him if he were a European and played on the Left Coast (ala Anze Kopitar).

He's only recorded 70+ points once in his career, and has only led his team in scoring once.
Quite often, he's note even in the top 2 in scoring on the team.

I'm not saying Toews isn't talented, but for all the hyperbole that surrounds him, you'd think he was scoring 50 goals and recording 100 points a year, and always in contention for the Art Ross and Hart trophy's.
The fact is, one could make an argument that Stamkos or Ovechkin have the potential to score more GOALS than Toews will points.

Toews is a very good player, but I wouldn't say he's a superstar. I wouldn't even say he's an elite centre.
That denomination should be set aside for players like Crosby, Tavares, Stamkos, Malkin, Datsyuk,...

P.S. I also think the whole Staal family is highly overrated. Especially Jordon.

[redsox4evur]

I disagreed with everything you said up until your last sentence. Toews is a superstar, no doubt. Yes, he doesn't score 100 points per season but he is THE BEST defensive forward in the league. And this is coming from a Bruins fan (Patrice Bergeron is #2). There are 2 ends of the ice. He is above average on one end and elite on the other end. There is a reason he makes the most money in the league alongside Kane. Is he overpaid, I would say yes. He needs to be a constant 80-85 point guy in order to be worth that contract. But I wouldn't say he is overrated at all.

My two picks PK Subban, the captain of the Montreal Dive team and Erik Larsson in Ottawa. Both are defenseman that should take the Dustin Byfuglien route and move to a winger role because they are below average on Defense. I would take a 37 year old Zdeno Chara over each of them if I was starting my own franchise.

[Money99]

I think his worth as a defensive forward is overrated as well.
Look at other defensive pivots in the game; Soddenburg, Bergeron, Kopitar, O'Reilly..

One could make an easy case that Datsyuk and Zetterberg are both better defensively and offensively than Toews.

I think Toews is worth about $6M/season. While he provides great defense, his offensive shortcomings keep him out of the 8-digit range as well as superstar status.

I don't consider Kopitar a superstar and yet looking at his overall numbers, he's better than Toews.

I still contend that if Toews put up the same numbers in Florida, Columbus or Nashville, nobody's talking about him.
Especially if he was a European.

He reminds me a lot of Jeter. I highly doubt he gets the praise he does if he played his entire career in Milwaukee or Pittsburgh.

[Trevelyan]

Theres a lot more to hockey than individual point totals. If that was the entire game the Penguins would be winning the cup every year easily.

[IlliniM1ke]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

I think Toews is worth about $6M/season. While he provides great defense, his offensive shortcomings keep him out of the 8-digit range as well as superstar status. I don't consider Kopitar a superstar and yet looking at his overall numbers, he's better than Toews.

Toews is a complete player, if he slacked more defensively I think you would see his point totals climb but he draws one of the opponents toughest defensive assignments all game long every night and still contributes a lot offensively.

He is definitely worth more than 6M a season, as is Kopitar and hes going to get paid big here as well shortly.

[Kobalt]

I think most people think Toews is overrated because a lot of media tends to have him as the 2nd best center in the league (even ahead of Malkin which I'll never get) , while a guy like Kopitar is in the 7~10 range, and they're like same players.

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

I think his worth as a defensive forward is overrated as well.

In general two-way forwards are overrated, I'm guilty of this too.

[slickdtc]

No mention of Toews 3 Cups? Do they win those without him? Probably one, but not sure about 2 or 3.

I think those Cups, even though they're a team accomplishment, lets Toews offensive shortcomings slide. And also why he is able to get paid as much as he does when similar players aren't seeing those dollars.

As those contracts kick in and quality supporting players are harder to fit in (despite Bowman's roster mastery), he'll have to open up his offensive game and "earn" his contract. Won't surprise me to see it coincide with less team accomplishments. I'm sure Toews is fine with being called overrated if the team keeps etching its name on to the Cup.

The classic winner vs. stat producer argument. Good discussion.

[gopher_guy]

My favorite part of Toews' hockey career is how he could never beat BC.