- Apr 27, 2005
- 33,736
- 30,060
Yeah, I guess you're right. Hughes definitely wasn't elite when you posted this. At the time, he only had 26 goals and 49 points through his first 41 games. Only 8th in goals, 3rd in ES goals, and 11th in points!When the comment was made it held true, times change? Just because you can't improve doesn't meant others don't.
But somehow, he magically transformed from a non-elite player to an elite player in a matter of weeks, adding 9 more goals and 18 more points in his next 9 games. His league wide ranks after those 50 games:
- 1st in goals at ES and 5v5
- 1st in primary points at 5v5 and ES (41 ES P1, the next highest forward had 36)
- 2nd in points at ES and 5v5 (1st among forwards)
- 3rd in total goals (behind two soon to be 60 goal scorers in Pastrnak and McDavid)
- 3rd in shots on goal
- 7th in points
Giving him a stat line of:
50gp 35g 67p +15 (a 57g 111 point pace), with 59.7 xG% at 5v5 while leading the Devils to 3rd in league standings.
I can only draw 1 of 3 conclusions from this:
1) Those league wide rankings and stats are not representative of an elite player.
2) He was an elite player by game 50, after a miraculous 3 week transformation.
3) You were wrong and unable to admit it.
If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on #3.