Placing Malkin as 14th best centre is a bigger joke, the guy is easily a top 10 player in this league, nevermind 14th best at his position. Imo.
- Reubenkincade

You were looking at the one that was a joke. It had Jay Beagle at 20. In the NHL.com one Malkin is ranked 3rd.

I had this debate not long ago with someone I know as he was arguing "The Penguins won back to back cups because they have 2 top 5 centers in the league" I think that's an overestimate of Malkin. He can put up lots of points yes but I don't believe he has what it takes to carry a top line the way guys like Kopitar, Crosby, Tavares can
- NorthNuck

Kessel is a huge part of there winning. Crosby and Malkin have been together for years. They started winning cups again after getting Kessel.

Kessel is a huge part of there winning. Crosby and Malkin have been together for years. They started winning cups again after getting Kessel.
- manvanfan

Yeah, I don't buy in to the idea that Malkin is a top C in the league. Top point getter sure, but if he doesn't play on a team with those other guys his deficiencies would show a lot more

I had this debate not long ago with someone I know as he was arguing "The Penguins won back to back cups because they have 2 top 5 centers in the league" I think that's an overestimate of Malkin. He can put up lots of points yes but I don't believe he has what it takes to carry a top line the way guys like Kopitar, Crosby, Tavares can
- NorthNuck

Have you ever watched him live? He’s freaking amazing. He’s def top 5 in the league. No questions.

Yeah that's probably a little bias right there but Matthews had some good underlying numbers I'm lead to believe. Haven't checked myself though.
- LeftCoaster

I didn't really do an in-depth look at what was involved in there rankings but unless it had youth and upside I wouldn't be putting a Matthews that high. Had 10th highest ppg from that list last season and 15 of the guys outscored him. I think he defensively capable but he's not in the Kopitar, Bergeron category.

I probably would have put Matthews behind Tavares and ahead of Seguin in 8-9-10

Gagner wasn't very good last year but I think it comes down to expectations. He's been a 40 point guy his whole career with the exception of the last two years, where he over and under achieved.

If he gets a chance to play with talented linemates, he will put up 40 points. I'm certainly not a huge fan of the signing but for 3 million it's not bad value. I think he still can recoup a pick either this year or next.

Baertschi Gagner Pettersson
- belcherbd

He was essentially a 4th line C and PP specialist, and now to produce he needs to play in the top 6. That doesn’t sound like good value.

Have you ever watched him live? He’s freaking amazing. He’s def top 5 in the league. No questions.
- canucksfan1944

Do you know what his career faceoff percentage is? 43.6%.

I would consider him a top 5 scoring winger. He isn't a top C. He can dazzle offensively but he can't carry a line in all 3 zones the same way some of the more complete top liners can

Matthews was 6 spots ahead of Tavares.
- manvanfan

Taveras is the new 2LC of the leaf's, I don't see the problem. The only issue that I have with Mathews is why isn't he in the number 2 slot, he's arguably better then McDavid without the supporting cast.

Taveras is the new 2LC of the leaf's, I don't see the problem. The only issue that I have with Mathews is why isn't he in the number 2 slot, he's arguably better then McDavid without the supporting cast.
- Pres.cup

STFU

Do you know what his career faceoff percentage is? 43.6%.

I would consider him a top 5 scoring winger. He isn't a top C. He can dazzle offensively but he can't carry a line in all 3 zones the same way some of the more complete top liners can
- NorthNuck

Being a top NHL center doesn't really matter what his career playoff percentage. He has 930 points in 784 games. 165 points in 158 playoff games.

His career playoff face-off percentage according to hockey reference is 46.4. 1507 face-offs taken in 158 games. Yeah he's definitely a center. Oddly enough when they win the SC, he takes a lot more face-off's then the years they don't win.

Being a top NHL center doesn't really matter what his career playoff percentage. He has 930 points in 784 games. 165 points in 158 playoff games.

His career playoff face-off percentage according to hockey reference is 46.4. 1507 face-offs taken in 158 games. Yeah he's definitely a center
- manvanfan

43.6% is NHL.com, perhaps it was reg. season only.

All I see is point totals, not exactly a completely fair representation of what a C needs to do in order to be a 1C. IMO there's plenty of things that guys like Kopitar or Bergeron do that make them more complete players than Malkin.

43.6% is NHL.com, perhaps it was reg. season only.

All I see is point totals, not exactly a completely fair representation of what a C needs to do in order to be a 1C. IMO there's plenty of things that guys like Kopitar or Bergeron do that make them more complete players than Malkin.
- NorthNuck

It's that balance. Sort of the Karlsson talk. Some believe his scoring outweighs the defensive issues. Malkin isn't good but isn't so bad defensively. He also scores at over 90 points per season on average. Kopitar and Bergeron don't score as much but are better defensively.

43.6% is NHL.com, perhaps it was reg. season only.

All I see is point totals, not exactly a completely fair representation of what a C needs to do in order to be a 1C. IMO there's plenty of things that guys like Kopitar or Bergeron do that make them more complete players than Malkin.
- NorthNuck

It's that balance. Sort of the Karlsson talk. Some believe his scoring outweighs the defensive issues. Malkin isn't good but isn't so bad defensively. He also scores at over 90 points per season on average. Kopitar and Bergeron don't score as much but are better defensively.

Crosby
Malkin
Kopitar

Mcdavid is amazing but he will never ever win. To be the champ you gotta beat the champ. Crosby is top 5 ever for me as of now. May end up top 3 behind Orr and Gretz
- Jkuzzi

Same thing was said about Crosby his first few years in the league and then Ovechkin.

Taveras is the new 2LC of the leaf's, I don't see the problem. The only issue that I have with Mathews is why isn't he in the number 2 slot, he's arguably better then McDavid without the supporting cast.
- Pres.cup

wow...we'll just chalk this one up to early drinking.

STFU
- manvanfan

You go Minivan!

lol

Same thing was said about Crosby his first few years in the league and then Ovechkin.


- LordHumungous

Learned a better 200 foot game and not to complain about everything.

You go Minivan!

lol
- LordHumungous

Came straight from Manvan

It's that balance. Sort of the Karlsson talk. Some believe his scoring outweighs the defensive issues. Malkin isn't good but isn't so bad defensively. He also scores at over 90 points per season on average. Kopitar and Bergeron don't score as much but are better defensively.
- manvanfan

I think that if the expectations of what Crosby did in the past 2 cup wins were placed on Malkin he would not be up to the task. Just my opinion, but I think if he weren't playing behind Crosby his overall game would be less effective.

Crosby
Malkin
Kopitar

Mcdavid is amazing but he will never ever win. To be the champ you gotta beat the champ. Crosby is top 5 ever for me as of now. May end up top 3 behind Orr and Gretz
- Jkuzzi

If you repeat a lie enough times, you start to believe it.
Kopitar isn't top 3

Do you know what his career faceoff percentage is? 43.6%.

I would consider him a top 5 scoring winger. He isn't a top C. He can dazzle offensively but he can't carry a line in all 3 zones the same way some of the more complete top liners can
- NorthNuck

Faceoffs are shown to not impact game results 98.7 percent of the time. He's great defending and attacking.

STFU
- manvanfan

Faceoffs are shown to not impact game results 98.7 percent of the time. He's great defending and attacking.
- Pres.cup

While it was just a token stat, centremen take faceoffs. Nic Dowd has a significantly better win % than Malkin

Again, I'm not discrediting his skill, but I see him as a top 5 offensive winger rather than a top 5 C in the NHL. There are easily 5 Cs better than him in the game right now

It's that balance. Sort of the Karlsson talk. Some believe his scoring outweighs the defensive issues. Malkin isn't good but isn't so bad defensively. He also scores at over 90 points per season on average. Kopitar and Bergeron don't score as much but are better defensively.
- manvanfan

Again... if you repeat the same thing over and over you'll eventually become too believe the mistruths, like Malkin not being good defensively.

Same thing was said about Crosby his first few years in the league and then Ovechkin.


- LordHumungous

How many years did it take Crosby to win a cup?

Case closed, matthews is better then McDavid.