A two-year contract extension has been agreed upon by the Chicago Blackhawks and defenseman Kevin Korchinski.
Video Transcription
To conclude today’s discussion, I would like to focus on the CHL.
The CHL recently completed the reveal of their 50 greatest players from the past half-century who competed in their league.
Predictably, Mario Lemieux secured the leading position at the very top of the rankings.
Rounding out the top five positions are Lemieux, followed by Sidney Crosby in second, Wayne Gretzky in third, Connor McDavid in fourth, and Mike Bossy in fifth.
A couple of names that might sound familiar to some.
Perhaps.
Still, Mike, looking at these rankings, it is remarkable that Crosby and McDavid stand as the sole active NHL players in that top five, especially when you realize they skated in the CHL two to three decades after the other legends on this list.
It truly is outstanding, particularly because the modern CHL presents a far more competitive environment than the era of previous decades.
However, when you examine the personal stats of a player like Mario Lemieux, who captured a Memorial Cup at age 18 while racking up 282 points and netting 133 goals, it is astonishing.
Regardless of the level of competition in the QMJHL back then, those numbers are absolutely mind-blowing.
On the other hand, Wayne Gretzky spent just a single season in the Ontario Hockey League playing for Sault Ste.
Marie, where he managed to register 182 points at only 16 years old.
It is hard to comprehend, particularly since he moved on to the WHA the following year at age 17.
Because of this, I question the ranking process. While I get that Lemieux was placed ahead due to having nearly 100 additional points, he accomplished that as an 18-year-old, utilizing the physical advantages of his imposing frame.
In contrast, Gretzky achieved his feat at age 16 without relying on size or weight, relying purely on his extraordinary vision and talent.
In my opinion, Gretzky deserved the top spot over Lemieux.
