the problem imo is that mack’s wingers eventually all start centering him instead of just playing the game. at the start, it’s hot because these are young, talented players with good hockey minds of their own and they can utilize the amazing chances and space mack creates to do something about it. but when they keep playing with mack, they start letting him dictate the game and become a chess piece instead of an active player.
and unlike others, i would say mack is a pretty selfish player (not talking about goals/assists that’s a different thing) and is happy with that arrangement. he wants that control and does think he knows best. he does not trust the others and isn’t going to easily let them lead. not just the players but warso too. we know by now that he already has a level of influence that most players (much less second season 19 year olds no matter how “generational”) don’t over the org. the sj sharks are very much becoming the mack show and it shows in how they play.
will is different because
1. he is a very good player on his own and has proven so and knows it
2. was a high draft pick even before mack was a thing so his future as a centerpiece in the sharks was always guaranteed and not something he needs to fight for unlike the cuda call ups
3. he doesn’t hold mack on as high pedestal as other teammates do (multiple of them have called mack the best player in the world for example)
4. mack actually trusts him and is even selfless with will during plays in a way he isn’t with others
5. has done the work to gain his own sauce back. before the injury, you could clearly see that will had figured out that their overpassing and passiveness to each other was a problem and made moves to start shooting and doing his own thing. and it was working! personally very excited to see how this continues after his recovery
agree with every letter, space and full stop in this ask and you explain it a million times better than i ever could. start a podcast, queen (gn). i'm so serious
