Best #1 in Last 12 Years (Not Incl. Crosby or Ovechkin)

[The Nose]

Stamkos
Kovy
Tavares
Fluery/Kane (Both were big assets to Stanley Cup-winning teams)

[SweYote]

What's the question here? Who's been better thus far? Who will have the better career when it's all said and done?

[Jabroni1994]

Stamkos.

[Novak Djokovic]

Originally Posted by SweYote

What's the question here? Who's been better thus far? Who will have the better career when it's all said and done?

Exactly.

Kovalchuk has had a better career, but when it's all said and done, I expect Stamkos to have even better numbers and more trophies.

[thadd]

Stamkos and right now it isn't even close. Well I like Kovy a lot.. but I like Stamkos a lot more.

Tavares could top Stamkos in the next year or so if the right things happen for his team.. mainly if their young guns take the next step and meet their potential.

Hall is a couple years away at having a chance at being compared to Stamkos. If Edmonton's puck movers on the back end do their job right he's got a shot, but I don't expect to see it happen.

Hopkins is the guy I see having the best yetchance past Tavares right now, because we haven't seen Yakupov in the NHL right . If Hopkins was the guy I think we'd be looking at someone with 30G/90A upside. Edmonton certainly has enough snipers for him to do it. Too soon to tell, though.

[PierreMcGuire*]

Stamkos, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's Tavares if a few years time.

[um]

1. stamkos
2. kovalchuk
-
3. tavares
4. kane
-
5. nugent-hopkins
6. hall
7. fleury
8. yakupov
9. nash
-
10. johnson

hard to predict the edmonton #1's

[iiTzLaMia]

It is the best in the last 12 years Kovalchuk was better than anyone else in the last 12 years

[InjuredChoker]

Kovy for now. Stamkos close behind, Tavares rising but still beind Kane.

[ricky0034]

Stamkos

but Kovalchuk and maybe Tavares(depending on how confident you are in him being able to take that next step) have solid arguments as well

[iiTzLaMia]

Why is Yakupov up there he hasn't played a game in the NHL.

[Stephen23]

As of today, Kovalchuk with Stamkos a close second.

[nmbr_24]

Right now I don't think there is any other answer than Stamkos and I find it kind of shocking that 3 people voted for Erik Johnson.

[Habs 4 Life]

Steven Stamkos

[PWJunior]

Originally Posted by CanadianHockey

Stamkos, Kovalchuk is the only real competition he has for this poll.

Agreed, they are the only real contenders for the top spot. I went with Stammer because he's a center (although, I think his game is better suited for the wing). The kid is an absolute goal scoring beast.

[ashenhigh]

Originally Posted by thadd

Stamkos and right now it isn't even close. Well I like Kovy a lot.. but I like Stamkos a lot more.

This is just downright wrong.

Why do people keep forgetting how good Kovy was with Atlanta? Did everyone in this poll start watching hockey after the lockout?

In Kovy's and Stamkos' first 4 seasons, Stamkos scored goals at a .03 rate better than Kovy.

That is hardly "AINEC."

[tony d]

Right now it's Kovalchuk but give Stamkos a couple more 50 goal seasons and the answer is going to be him.

[LEAFS FAN 4 EVER]

Voted for Stamkos.

[5RingsAndABeer]

Voted for Tavares.

Honestly, in 5-10 years I think it'll be Tavares followed by RNH.

[ponder]

Too early to judge guys like RNH and Yakupov, obviously. I'll agree with the general consensus that it's between Kovalchuk, Stamkos and Tavares. Kovalchuk has had the best career so far, but that's to be expected. In terms of peak so far, I'd probably give Stamkos the very slight edge over Kovalchuk, but it's very close. Tavares at the moment is more of a potential argument, but when it's all said and done I COULD see him having the best career of the 3, he has a tonne to prove though.

[MadLuke]

Originally Posted by iiTzLaMia

Why is Yakupov up there he hasn't played a game in the NHL.

probably because the question is more what is the best #1, not who had the best career (best career is Kovy and would be a silly question to compare him to yakupov and RHN and they would not be in the question).

Crosby would be in the draft of 2012 that he would be the good answer.

[FrenchMontana]

took kovy

[dan1el]

Stamkos and I feel fully justified saying AINEC. Then it's Kovy, another massive gap, then Tavares.

[Kemo Sabe]

Kovy!

[OmniSens]

Stamkos.