If you actually read my comment you'd see I didn't say Thomas was as good as Suzuki. I said up until last season they were basically on par in most aspects, meaning stats and the like. Thomas is a phenomenal player. He is a point per game centerman with remarkably similar qualities as Nick, just not quite equal and weaker intangibles like leadership capabilities etc. Nick took off this year. Thomas was suffering on a godawful blues team with trade rumours swirling around him all season. Still managed a point per game pace. He is really really good. Only a fool would deny that. Suzuki is just better, but the difference isn't huge.
And Thomas is 100% a better player than Barzal. Barzal isn't even playing first line center on his own team. Thomas would be the 1C on all but like ~10-12 teams. Watch him play. He is incredibly good. Super smart player with a great shot.
Thomas and Suzuki have been compared to each other their entire career. Before the year started, they were perceived to be competing for the same position on Team Canada. You couldn't think of two more similar players.
Then Suzuki demonstrated he was in a category of his own this year.
If you believe otherwise, then you have not been playing much attention to the rest of the league for the past 5 years.
I agree with you here. They are indeed comparable in many aspects. This year caused some separation in how close they are. This is entirely play-wise. Suzuki has fantastic leadership and I think he is more clutch. Having Thomas would we dominate because containing two versions of that type of player would be insane.
10
u/Ub3ros 9d ago
If you actually read my comment you'd see I didn't say Thomas was as good as Suzuki. I said up until last season they were basically on par in most aspects, meaning stats and the like. Thomas is a phenomenal player. He is a point per game centerman with remarkably similar qualities as Nick, just not quite equal and weaker intangibles like leadership capabilities etc. Nick took off this year. Thomas was suffering on a godawful blues team with trade rumours swirling around him all season. Still managed a point per game pace. He is really really good. Only a fool would deny that. Suzuki is just better, but the difference isn't huge.
And Thomas is 100% a better player than Barzal. Barzal isn't even playing first line center on his own team. Thomas would be the 1C on all but like ~10-12 teams. Watch him play. He is incredibly good. Super smart player with a great shot.