Alexis Lafreniere Or Jack Hughes?

[Auto Pilot]

Hughes. His skating is ridiculous and his underlying numbers are top 15-10. His transition game is nasty as well. Think he was leading the league in takeaways as well and still might be (haven’t checked).

Covid hit him hard and since that stumble he’s been lights out again.

 

[Albatros]

Think he was leading the league in takeaways as well and still might be (haven’t checked).

He is. And in giveaways too by even bigger margin among forwards.

 

[Wierzbowski426]

He is. And in giveaways too by even bigger margin among forwards.

Do you have the list of other forwards who are leading the league in giveaways by any chance?

 

[Albatros]

Do you have the list of other forwards who are leading the league in giveaways by any chance?

73 Jack Hughes
65 Leon Draisaitl
62 Mitch Marner
57 Sebastian Aho
53 Sidney Crosby
53 Johnny Gaudreau
51 Matthew Tkachuk
50 John Tavares
47 Auston Matthews
44 Martin Necas

 

[Blackjack]

73 Jack Hughes
65 Leon Draisaitl
62 Mitch Marner
57 Sebastian Aho
53 Sidney Crosby
53 Johnny Gaudreau
51 Matthew Tkachuk
50 John Tavares
47 Auston Matthews
44 Martin Necas

That's, uhh, quite a list.

 

[BavelPure]

I've watched most Rangers games and Devils games this season. Hughes stands out every game from what I've seen but hasn't put up crazy numbers yet. Lafrenierre looks good from time to time, but doesn't really stand out on a night to night basis. Styles are hard to compare, Hughes talent pops more visually. Too early obviously; answer will come in years 3 and on.

 

[NJ07102]

That's, uhh, quite a list.

It's amazing that McDavid isn't on it, since he has the puck all the time...

 

[Blackjack]

It's amazing that McDavid isn't on it, since he has the puck all the time...

Guess it's hard to score close to 2 ppg if you're always giving the puck away, haha.

 

[bsu]

Hughes. If he was on the Rangers instead of Devils.

 

[Voodoo Child]

Laf is bigger and I think has better skills - better shot, better hands, better vision.

Jack is a smarter and faster guy.

Both end up very nice players, not super elite like the super elite, but I can see Laf at PPG+ who's hard to handle down low and clutch and Hughes PPG or near and a beast on faceoffs and the PK.

Laf missed a year of hockey so I think he'll have a more sharp upward trajectory, Hughes I think will have a Couturier-like arc.

Both at their absolute ceilings Hughes is a better player, but both reach about 80-90% of their ceiling I'd take Laf.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Both end up very nice players, not super elite like the super elite, but I can see Laf at PPG+ who's hard to handle down low and clutch and Hughes PPG or near and a beast on faceoffs and the PK.

Laf missed a year of hockey so I think he'll have a more sharp upward trajectory, Hughes I think will have a Couturier-like arc.

I think you may be looking too far into the advanced stats to project to roles. Hughes sucks on face-offs. He's way under 40%. Thats one of the worst in the league. It may even be the worst. And he's never been a penalty killer going back years to when he played in junior. Comparing him to Couturier is looking way too much into advanced stats.

 

[Pitaya]

Laf is bigger and I think has better skills - better shot, better hands, better vision.

Jack is a smarter and faster guy.

Both end up very nice players, not super elite like the super elite, but I can see Laf at PPG+ who's hard to handle down low and clutch and Hughes PPG or near and a beast on faceoffs and the PK.

Laf missed a year of hockey so I think he'll have a more sharp upward trajectory, Hughes I think will have a Couturier-like arc.

Both at their absolute ceilings Hughes is a better player, but both reach about 80-90% of their ceiling I'd take Laf.

Theres no chance Lafreniere has better vision than Jack Hughes

 

[Xirik]

Just wondering, What rookie/young centers have been great at faceoffs right off the bat?

 

[Albatros]

Just wondering, What rookie/young centers have been great at faceoffs right off the bat?

Toews comes to mind. And Horvat's been pretty solid from day one too.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

Pretty obviously Jack.

 

[93LEAFS]

Just wondering, What rookie/young centers have been great at faceoffs right off the bat?

Matthews was 54.2% in year 2 of his career. Toews was elite off the bat. But, guys rarely make big jumps from in the low 40's or lower over a large sample size in their teens into good faceoff guys. McDavid and Eichel for example still haven't broken 50%. Malkin broke 50% once but has generally hovered around 45%.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Laf is bigger and I think has better skills - better shot, better hands, better vision.

Jack is a smarter and faster guy.

Both end up very nice players, not super elite like the super elite, but I can see Laf at PPG+ who's hard to handle down low and clutch and Hughes PPG or near and a beast on faceoffs and the PK.

Laf missed a year of hockey so I think he'll have a more sharp upward trajectory, Hughes I think will have a Couturier-like arc.

Both at their absolute ceilings Hughes is a better player, but both reach about 80-90% of their ceiling I'd take Laf.

He faceoff % is 35.7 which is actually about a half point drop from last year.

 

[Pitaya]

Matthews was 54.2% in year 2 of his career. Toews was elite off the bat. But, guys rarely make big jumps from in the low 40's or lower over a large sample size in their teens into good faceoff guys. McDavid and Eichel for example still haven't broken 50%. Malkin broke 50% once but has generally hovered around 45%.

So then clearly faceoff % isnt indicative of if you can center or not

Jack will produce enough offense from the middle to stay there since his takeaway and backcheck game is strong already as well.

I wouldnt be surprised if they have a winger take faceoffs for Jack, Giroux did this from the wing in Philly for a year or two

 

[goonybird]

Matthews was 54.2% in year 2 of his career. Toews was elite off the bat. But, guys rarely make big jumps from in the low 40's or lower over a large sample size in their teens into good faceoff guys. McDavid and Eichel for example still haven't broken 50%. Malkin broke 50% once but has generally hovered around 45%.

Nico Hischier, his teammate is one. 42 to 57%

 

[93LEAFS]

Nico Hischier, his teammate is one. 42 to 57%

Very much an outlier and only 18 games. But, he has made a dramatic improvement.

 

[Maplebeasts]

I would lean Jack, but Laf will be a star in this league before long. His combination of hands and skating ability is ridiculous. He looks so, so much better this season than he did last year.

 

[Tutu to]

I would lean Jack, but Laf will be a star in this league before long. His combination of hands and skating ability is ridiculous. He looks so, so much better this season than he did last year.

Huh?

 

[Goomba]

Huh?

I think that person had the names mixed.

sounded like he was picking Lafreniere but thought Jack's hand and skating was elite and would turn him into a star. He also played last year

either that or hes confusing the two because Lafreniere's hands arent a big part of his game

 

[Maplebeasts]

I think that person had the names mixed.

sounded like he was picking Lafreniere but thought Jack's hand and skating was elite and would turn him into a star. He also played last year

either that or hes confusing the two because Lafreniere's hands arent a big part of his game

Huh?

Actually I just worded it poorly. I was talking about Hughes having good hands and skating ability. I picked Hughes

 

[Figgie]

You can still change your vote?

Lafreniere 200 votes (62.7%) and Hughes 119 votes (37.3%) atm.