There aren't too many forwards I would choose over him if I were starting to build a team. His compete level is top notch.
- Ihatebrianburke

Giroux, Stamkos, Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Couture, Bergeron, Toews, Kane, Perry, Getzlaf, Kesler, Tavares. thats just off the top of my head of players relatively still young or around Halls age. Dont tell me Hall is better than any of those players.

And there it is... Suck it reimer.

Giroux, Stamkos, Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Couture, Bergeron, Toews, Kane, Perry, Getzlaf, Kesler, Tavares. thats just off the top of my head of players relatively still young or around Halls age. Dont tell me Hall is better than any of those players.
- GOA88

Hall is only 22 and isn't done filling out yet.

And there it is... Suck it reimer.
- HouseArrest187

He played pretty well. Major defensive collapses. He's gotta be pissed about Bernier being brought in. He deserves to be the starter. But yes he can still suck it.

Proof that anyone can get a blog. Love the fact that an Edmonton fan can critique anyone. Edmonton is the worst draw here because Edmonton the city is so irrelevant and Edmonton the team has been bad now for a decade. How in the world can a team not figure out a rebuild with the first pick every year. Most people know in the Southern US that Edmonton is cold, is ugly and that no one in their right mind wants to live or stay there. Gretzky wanted out, Pronger wanted out. Even people that have to work there fly out of there the first chance they get. The Oiler nickname is silly and the jersey is ugly and would be mocked more if Gretzky hadn't fallen in your lap in the late 1970s, the last time your team was worth watching.

Giroux, Stamkos, Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Couture, Bergeron, Toews, Kane, Perry, Getzlaf, Kesler, Tavares. thats just off the top of my head of players relatively still young or around Halls age. Dont tell me Hall is better than any of those players.
- GOA88

I pick hall over kesler, couture, perry, and bergeron. I really do think nash is at least in the conversation to be on that list...better than kesler and couture for sure. Theres a reason hes a 1st line winger on team canada.

I pick hall over kesler, couture, perry, and bergeron. I really do think nash is at least in the conversation to be on that list...better than kesler and couture for sure. Theres a reason hes a 1st line winger on team canada.
- rangerdanger94

Thats cause he's the only top tier power forward they have, and that list isnt going by just Offensive performance, lets not forget about defense, faceoffs, penalty killing. Nash is weak at defense. Bergeron, Kesler, Perry are pretty strong on defense. Complete players, other than Malkin, Ovechkin, Kane and maybe even Crosby.

Hall will most likely get better and be mentioned with these names, Im sure. Not yet though.

Thats cause he's the only top tier power forward they have, and that list isnt going by just Offensive performance, lets not forget about defense, faceoffs, penalty killing. Nash is weak at defense. Bergeron, Kesler, Perry are pretty strong on defense. Complete players, other than Malkin, Ovechkin, Kane and maybe even Crosby.

Hall will most likely get better and be mentioned with these names, Im sure. Not yet though.
- GOA88

The thing is that nash is a totally complete player. Thats what I mean when I say hes better than advertised. He backchecks, plays defense, puts in hustle and effort, shows leadership, has elite vision and playmaking skills, as well as being a world class skater and sniper.

I have no doubts about that.
- Iggysbff

Things are def looking up for Tampa, but they still arent quite there. You might be a true fan, but you have to agree finding true passionate lightning fans in Tampa is pretty tough, its mostly families with free tickets from work that show up, or companies that bring their clients to close a sale, its not for the love of the game. You also didnt mention how many of those fans in those percentages are road team fans? Every time I went to a flyers game down there it was 3/4 Flyers to 1/4 Lightning fans. This is still recent too, I went to both games last season, and a Rangers game, same thing....
- GOA88

come to the comments board of michael stuarts blogs and you will find true passionatie tampa fans................... im from (frank)ing canada as far as u can get from the bolts and i love the poop out of them...i cheer for them over canadian teams , and free tickets, all that poop is just a way to get attendamce up...its advertisement....its bringing people into the ribk...so that attendance will stay up ...

i dont think its permanent, just a way to draw more fans into the rink...but hey, even if it is, what a great management eh? giving away free seats to watfh the bolts game....whats there to complain about? ...fans are happy...management is happy...players r happy grtting more support..

The thing is that nash is a totally complete player. Thats what I mean when I say hes better than advertised. He backchecks, plays defense, puts in hustle and effort, shows leadership, has elite vision and playmaking skills, as well as being a world class skater and sniper.
- rangerdanger94

No doubt Nash is good, He just doesnt make my list of top 10 forwards in the league

1.Crosby
2.Datsyuk
3.Giroux
4.Toews
5.St.Louis (Ive watched him for years, Stamkos doesnt score anywhere near his pace without him)
6.Stamkos
7.Malkin
8.D.Sedin
9.Tavares
10.Ovechkin

No doubt Nash is good, He just doesnt make my list of top 10 forwards in the league

1.Crosby
2.Datsyuk
3.Giroux
4.Toews
5.St.Louis (Ive watched him for years, Stamkos doesnt score anywhere near his pace without him)
6.Stamkos
7.D.Sedin
8.Tavares
9.Parise
10.Perry
- GOA88

this is an awesome list, but i gotta say malkin must be in there somewhere

come to the comments board of michael stuarts blogs and you will find true passionatie tampa fans................... im from (frank)ing canada as far as u can get from the bolts and i love the poop out of them...i cheer for them over canadian teams , and free tickets, all that poop is just a way to get attendamce up...its advertisement....its bringing people into the ribk...so that attendance will stay up ...
- RileyB77

My point is that there isnt that many, you may be passionate, but lets face it. Its Tampa, FL. Its not a traditional hockey market.

this is an awesome list, but i gotta say malkin must be in there somewhere
- RileyB77

oops, I totally forgot him, slide him behind Stamkos

I fixed it, you can pick apart 6-10, but I wont budge on the top 5

No doubt Nash is good, He just doesnt make my list of top 10 forwards in the league

1.Crosby
2.Datsyuk
3.Giroux
4.Toews
5.St.Louis (Ive watched him for years, Stamkos doesnt score anywhere near his pace without him)
6.Stamkos
7.Malkin
8.D.Sedin
9.Tavares
10.Ovechkin

Fair enough. For me, the list probably goes:
1. Crosby
2. Malkin
3. Toewes
4. Tavares
5. Stamkos
6. Kane
7. Giroux
8. Ovechkin
9. Datsyuk (only reason he's so low is age, 2 or 3 seasons ago he's #2 or even #1)
10. Getzlaf

Honorable mentions (any could easily be 10 for me): nash, perry, sedins, eric staal, parise.

Just below them, I'd place guys like ryan, hall, evander kane, benn, duchene, kopitar, hossa, st louis, zetterberg, kessel, etc.

id have to say:

1.crosby
2.datsyuk
3.malkin
4.taeows
5.stamkos
6.st.louis
7.kane
8.giroux
9. parise
10.tavares (still young still learning still growing) will be a future top 3 easily

ask me in 2-3 years and duchene will probabaly be my top 3 for sure

No doubt Nash is good, He just doesnt make my list of top 10 forwards in the league

1.Crosby
2.Datsyuk
3.Giroux
4.Toews
5.St.Louis (Ive watched him for years, Stamkos doesnt score anywhere near his pace without him)
6.Stamkos
7.Malkin
8.D.Sedin
9.Tavares
10.Ovechkin
- GOA88

Most of these guys are Centers and I'd have Hall over a bunch of them. If I was starting a team today. Hall would be my #1 LWer. Hands down.

Proof that anyone can get a blog. Love the fact that an Edmonton fan can critique anyone. Edmonton is the worst draw here because Edmonton the city is so irrelevant and Edmonton the team has been bad now for a decade. How in the world can a team not figure out a rebuild with the first pick every year. Most people know in the Southern US that Edmonton is cold, is ugly and that no one in their right mind wants to live or stay there. Gretzky wanted out, Pronger wanted out. Even people that have to work there fly out of there the first chance they get. The Oiler nickname is silly and the jersey is ugly and would be mocked more if Gretzky hadn't fallen in your lap in the late 1970s, the last time your team was worth watching.
- VopatsRash

I don't believe we ever won a cup in the 70's. 4 in the 80's and 1 in 1990. And I wouldn't be talking about ugly jerseys too much if I were a pred fan.

Most of these guys are Centers and I'd have Hall over a bunch of them. If I was starting a team today. Hall would be my #1 LWer. Hands down.
- Iggysbff

If I had picks 1 through 6 in a fantasy draft, my team looks like:
Hall - crosby- kane
Mcdonagh - karlasson
Lundqvist

Id be reaaaally torn on hall or nash tho. Slight bias on defense

Giroux, Stamkos, Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, Couture, Bergeron, Toews, Kane, Perry, Getzlaf, Kesler, Tavares. thats just off the top of my head of players relatively still young or around Halls age. Dont tell me Hall is better than any of those players.
- GOA88

Giroux... OK
Stamkos... Obviously
Crosby... Obviously
Malkin... Obviously
Ovechkin... OK
Couture... Nope
Bergeron... Nope
Toews... OK
Kane... OK
Perry... OK
Getzlaf... OK (But my opinion may change after this season)
Kesler... Nope
Tavares... Flip a coin

id have to say:

1.crosby
2.datsyuk
3.malkin
4.taeows
5.stamkos
6.st.louis
7.kane
8.giroux
9. parise
10.tavares (still young still learning still growing) will be a future top 3 easily

ask me in 2-3 years and duchene will probabaly be my top 3 for sure
- RileyB77

Great player... BUT Overrated as (frank).

Great player... BUT Overrated as (frank).
- laughs2907

You are overrated as (frank).

You are overrated as (frank).
- ruttager17

Agreed.

If I had picks 1 through 6 in a fantasy draft, my team looks like:
Hall - crosby- Ovi
Weber - karlsson
Lundqvist

Id be reaaaally torn on hall or nash tho. Slight bias on defense
- rangerdanger94

Fixed. I hate Kane....Could be Giroux over Ovi.....