Best NHL draft year 1-2 punch? Mike Milbury, the voice of reason?

Way to jump the gun on this one TSN.

That's silly.

Malkin and Ovechkin are good, don't get me wrong, but come on... they have what... 4 years in the league combined?

That's like saying Crosby is the best captain of all time.

Alexander Ovechkin is half the reason hockey is still up and running. Dionne and Lafluer are legends, no doubt about it. Ovechkin does have that capability to just get that career ender. But let's face it, hockey was in a major slump before the rise of #8 and #87. I'm sorry, but Bobby Ryan doesn't fit any picture at all anymore, so that counts out Crosby's draft. Evgeni Malkin is #2 in scoring now to Ovechkin, and his first game was the highest watched game that year. That should tell you that obviously people were anticipating the Malkin/Crosby duo.

All in all, I am going to say Ovechkin/Malkin over the simple fact that the game is much different now.. sort of like a rebirth. The old style game, hands down Lafleur and Dionne. The new game? No contest, Ovechkin and Malkin. You cannot compare the generations anymore, no matter how fun it is to talk about.

I don't usually agree with Mad Mike but on this one he is 100% correct.

I am not saying that Ovechkin and Malkin won't in 10 years from now be worthy of comparison to Lafleur and Dionne, they very well could be. However Dionne and Lafleur performed at the top of the league for pretty much their entire career. 2 or 3 seasons is not enough to make the comparison.

We seem to be living in an instant gratification society, and base greatness on right now without taking the time to think and realize that a lot of guys had great starts and slowed down afterwards. I guess Selane is the best example but there are many.

In terms of 1-2 Drafts 1984 with lemieux and Muller is not bad.

87 with Pierre Turgeon and Shannahan is good- not Dionne/lafleur level but may exceed Ovechkin/Malkin

2001 with Kovalchuck and Spezza could be good too but without 10-12 seasons we just can't make the comparison.

Good question.

Typical poor NHL announcers. I swear they find some of these guys at the local pub getting hammered, slap a suit on them, and tell them to talk hockey. One of these days I hope Pierre Mcguire takes a slapper to the dome, when he's standing between the benches.

Marcel Dionne and Guy Lafluer, will be the top 1-2 pick combo until Malkin and Ovechkin prove they are going to be great for more than a year or 2. When its all said and done I think the 2004 draft will top the 1971 draft, and only time will tell on this one.

Where has Bob MacKenzie been hiding?

I looked through my collections of Hockey News, and I found no fewer than 6 papers asking the Question, is Marcel Dionne the best player in the NHL..............2 of these editorials were written by Bob (1979 and 1981)!

I have to go with 1971 as well.

I'm almost inclined to put 1987 (Pierre Turgeon and Brendan Shanahan) ahead of 2004 at this time.

I should note, that on April 6, 2007..............SEVEN players were playing in the NHL 20 years after being drafted

- Turgeon (retired in July 2007)

- Shanahan

- Glen Wesley

- Luke Richardson

- Joe Sakic

- Eric Desjardins

- Mathieu Schneider

Of course, the best pick in that draft was the guy chosen at #8!

I agree with you. The 1971 duo are bonadife HOFers. There's no way of knowing if Malkin or Ovechkin were to slip in the shower tomorrow, retire, and fade into obscurity. Once they get their next big contracts, they may lose a little steam, and head the way of Fedorov, Bure or Mogilny.

Maybe they were arguing which pair was better if they were to actually play each other today? Two 20 year old snipers vs two 60 retirees. That would explain Pierre and Bob taking the easy answer while Mike makes some crazy arguement.

Well if we want to talk about CURRENT players then yeah it is 2004. If you ask me I'd say 2004, BUT and here is the important detail, I am a little too young and wasn't watching in time to pick 1971. Born at the end of '79 I can't really talk about seeing Lafleur and Dionne. So really I'd pick what I've SEEN over what I've heard. Now I think there is a very obvious argument to say it was '71. Based on reading this yeah I'd probably say '71. I think most though have 5 year syndrome though. It is a common disease effecting sportscasters and makes them forget everything past 5 years ago. It is the same disease that makes them say anyone who is retiring was better then they were when they were playing.

I think it's too early to tell. It is not hard to imagine by any stretch that both Ovechkin and Malkin will be hall of famers. And if this year is any indication, they will be at the top of the league scoring lists for a long time.

So even though 1971 was really great, I think what they're saying is that judging by early returns, 2004 could be even better.

Pfffff. What a stupid argument. How can you compare which #1 #2 picks are better when Ovechkin and Malkin are just starting their careers.

I still don't understand why people don't speak of Dionne anymore. HE WAS one of the GREATS. Gretzky messed up the spotlight, but his stats are crazy. McKenzie is a MORON. After the Flower settled in, he helped make that great Montreal Stanley Cup dynasty in the 70's.

Once Malkin and Ovechkin have over eight 100+ point seasons, then we can all have this argument.......until then......stupid debate.

1984 without a doubt. Look at these guys: Mario Lemieux Kirk Muller Ed Olczyk Al Iafrate Peter Svoboda Gary Roberts Kevin Hatcher Scot Melanby Patrick Roy Michael Pivonka Ray Sheppherd Brett Hull Kjell Samuellsson Cliff Ronning Gary Suter Luc Robitaille Jeff Brown Jeff Norton Stephan Richer Doug Bodger Shane Corson That's pretty freaking good.

Yeah I agree, how can you say that two players with 3-4 combined seasons under their belts are better picks than two HOF'ers. Malkin and Ovie could (God forbid) get career ending injuries tomorrow, and go down as the biggest "coulda beens" in NHL history. You just never know. Dionne and LaFleur are known quantities, definately top 30 all time. Could Malkin of Ovie get there? Definately, but can they be compared yet? No way.