from Stan Fischler of The Hockey News,

- Ovie surpassing Gordie in no way diminishes the greatness of the man I consider the greatest forward I ever had the good fortune to see through his entire NHL and WHA careers: Mr. Hockey. Ovie is an able successor but in a different, contemporary way.

- What McDavid happens to be is the most spectacular player, which is not nearly the same as being the best.

When you talk best, you’re talking about multi-purpose winners such as Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, players who have done it all. No half-baked stuff with them.

McDavid is best at putting on a show – dipsy-doodling around an enemy defense, scoring and/or setting up Leon Draisaitl across the way.

But being “the best” means doing other things like playing defense – and winning Stanley Cups as Ovechkin, Crosby and Steven Stamkos have done.

more on each of the above plus other hockey notes...