Giroux is not a top 5 player. Might be a top ten center though.
Crosby, Malkin, Toews, Tavares, Kopitar, Bergeron, Datsyuk, Giroux, Carter, Getzlaf
- YzermanIsTheMan

Jeff Carter? How?! The guy doesn't produce a lot during the season and then shows up in an elite way for 1 postseason and is suddenly a top-10 C? I'd sooner put Seguin or Backstrom in there.

let me ask you this... imagine Kopitar and Doughty were up for UFA status after next season. what kind of deals do you think they would be looking at? do you honestly think that the Kings wouldn't be looking at the same type of deals?
- DoubleDown

But they aren't. That's the difference. Kane and Toews contracts have been up in the same year twice. Doughty already had an extension and Kopitar is up in what, 2 years? HUGE difference

But the owners will find a way to cry that they can't field teams that can compete when their team (and in a few years a handful of teams will have a 10M+ player and another high salary or two along with it) has to fill 6 forward spots and at least 2 d-men with crap.
- stashu

maybe. but it doesn't change the fact that the last lockout DID accomplish a lot from the owners' perspective. doesn't mean they're done or they're satisfied. Rome wasn't built in a day.

Jeff Carter? How?! The guy doesn't produce a lot during the season and then shows up in an elite way for 1 postseason and is suddenly in contention for top-C? I'd sooner put Seguin or Backstrom in there.
- MaximumBone

Carter was great on the Olympic team.

But they aren't. That's the difference. Kane and Toews contracts have been up in the same year twice. Doughty already had an extension and Kopitar is up in what, 2 years? HUGE difference
- RobitailleFAN20

well they're a year apart though, and they signed their ELCs the same year. can't fault the Hawks for that.

Jeff Carter? How?! The guy doesn't produce a lot during the season and then shows up in an elite way for 1 postseason and is suddenly a top-10 C? I'd sooner put Seguin or Backstrom in there.
- MaximumBone

No ones top ten list will ever look the same. I'm just glad Carter is the one that stood out to you and not someone like Toews or Tavares.

Carter was great on the Olympic team.
- AGalchenyuk27

was also one of LA's top scorers in the regular season.

Hey, try getting out of the first round of the playoffs.
- blackhawk24

We will and we will probably sign some of your players you can't afford to do it

Jeff Carter? How?! The guy doesn't produce a lot during the season and then shows up in an elite way for 1 postseason and is suddenly a top-10 C? I'd sooner put Seguin or Backstrom in there.
- MaximumBone

Hard to argue Carter NOT being top 10 he has had a HUGE impact for both cup wins.

It's more that just scoring points ya know (but he did/does score for LA and produces both regular season and playoffs) FO and leadership go ALONG way in the POs.

well they're a year apart though, and they signed their ELCs the same year. can't fault the Hawks for that.
- DoubleDown

Sorry, but Kopitar is up in '15 Doughty in '19
Edited: thought you were talking about doughty and Kopitar.

We will and we will probably sign some of your players you can't afford to do it
- cuethenoise

The Blues could only WISH they had elite players to build around.

Just a top six consisting of "good" or "solid" players.

Selfish signing by both Toews & Kane.. Hope you enjoyed your Stanely Cups because with those Cap hits, you pretty much fu$&ed Chicago of winning another for years to come..

For those thinking that the Blackhawks are screwed ...

Let's use some common sense here ... what SHOULD they have done? Traded one of them for a package of younger players? Please.

The 'Hawks have won two championships in the past five years. They are on the verge of becoming a dynasty.

If anyone knows how to MANAGE a cap, it's Stan Bowman.

Get rid of Oduya; get rid of Bickell ... doesn't matter. Replaceable players WILL be found.

Now finding the next Toews or Kane ... THOSE are not the kinds of players that are replaceable.

The 'Hawks did what they had to do and locked up arguably the best player in the league and one of the best offensive players in the league.

P.S. to the Blues, Canucks, Canadiens, etc. fans that are criticizing the deal ... once you are the last ones standing only then can you criticize others. Until then, it's back to polishing those golf clubs.
- TommyHawk

Stay classy

Selfish signing by both Toews & Kane.. Hope you enjoyed your Stanely Cups because with those Cap hits, you pretty much fu$&ed Chicago of winning another for years to come..
- Erik6Karlsson5

U for real man? Or just wanting to troll? They will be cup contenders this year and for years to come...

The Blues could only WISH they had elite players to build around.

Just a top six consisting of "good" or "solid" players.
- TommyHawk

And we were a couple goals from sending you fools home early with last years roster. We are even better this year...

Stay classy
- sycsam

Selfish signing by both Toews & Kane.. Hope you enjoyed your Stanely Cups because with those Cap hits, you pretty much fu$&ed Chicago of winning another for years to come..
- Erik6Karlsson5

This is a crap post. Makes no sense. Move Sharp. Move Bickell. Move Oduya. All of those moves or even one of those moves opens up decent cap space.

The Blues could only WISH they had elite players to build around.

Just a top six consisting of "good" or "solid" players.
- TommyHawk

Blues have a solid team and had the Superior Hawks on the ropes. So keep talking and when the blues finally win one in the next couple of years you can come tell us how it was a fluke.

And we were a couple goals from sending you fools home early with last years roster. We are even better this year...
- cuethenoise

Remember only the Blackhawks win the cup in Blackhawks fans minds.

The other years when they lose you know 63 of the last 65 years they dont count. They were practice runs.

Blues have a solid team and had the Superior Hawks on the ropes. So keep talking and when the blues finally win one in the next couple of years you can come tell us how it was a fluke.
- sycsam

Hate to say it, but the previous poster had a point. The Blues don't have a Toews, Kane, or Keith. They have star players, but no super stars.

Hate to say it, but the previous poster had a point. The Blues don't have a Toews, Kane, or Keith. They have star players, but no super stars.
- YzermanIsTheMan

We have two that will be. Tarasenko and Schwartz. Just wait.

Who cares about the conference....Crosby is best player in the world. East or west he still dominates offensively.
- RobFlyers#1

Watch the WC playoffs next year, then consider yourself lucky your team plays out East. Not.Even.Close.

Do these extensions push Sharp out of town??

Blues have a solid team and had the Superior Hawks on the ropes. So keep talking and when the blues finally win one in the next couple of years you can come tell us how it was a fluke.
- sycsam

Hard to argue Carter NOT being top 10 he has had a HUGE impact for both cup wins.

It's more that just scoring points ya know (but he did/does score for LA and produces both regular season and playoffs) FO and leadership go ALONG way in the POs.
- RobitailleFAN20

Except he played primarily on the wing for the 1st Cup run and then only switched to C full time this Cup run because Richards sh!t the bed. He isn't great defensively, he's only put up elite offensive numbers one time recently, and- despite your assertion of his FO prowess- he was only 48.1% on the dot this postseason. There are a number of guys I'd put above him.

I'm not saying he's not a great player, but he's NOT a top-10 C.

And by the way, where the (frank) is Stamkos on your list?