Mike Richards vs. Zach Parise

[Epsilon]

i think michalek was taken 8th

No, you miss the point. Calgary wanted to get one of the "big three" defensemen. It was pretty much a given that Nashville and Atlanta were picking d-men, so the only question was if San Jose would be the team starting the run, or Nashville. Had it gone something like San Jose - Suter, Nashville - Coburn, Atlanta - Phaneuf, Michalek would have been on the board at 9, when it's rumoured Calgary would have picked Richards.

 

[Brock]

With Mike Richards, you get two opinions and whether you want to label one as wrong, or one as right, then thats up to you.

Either people think hes a pigeon held to being a future third line center (which seems to be the consensus because most people around here dont actually see the prospects, they just go off second hand information), or people see him as underrated and believe he can even be a top line center in this league.

I Personally am with the starter of this thread, in that Richards is one of the most underrated prospects around. Underrated in the fact that people underate his future offensive capabilities.

Mike Richards is currently my favourite prospect in all of hockey. He brings everything to the table. You really have to watch him closely to fully appreciate everything he brings to the table. He has absolutely zero weaknesses, zero. His playmaking ability is topnotch, among the best in the OHL (as voted by the OHL coaches), he's an incredibly smart offensive player who takes control of the offensive zone like few prospects out there.

But I guess in time, we'll see who is right in the Richards debate.

Oh and btw I'd take Richards over Parise.

 

[jerseydevil]

I'm sure we can all agree on one thing...Parise has a much better chance of sipping from the Cup than Richards ever does..

 

[Rabid Ranger]

You have no crediblity as out of the blue you turn it into a Canada/USA issue. You seem to turn many issue's into this without any basis.
Grow up.

Grow up? Give me a break. Someone has to stick up for the U.S. side around here, unfortunately there's only a few of us.

 

[Missionhockey]

I'm sure we can all agree on one thing...Parise has a much better chance of sipping from the Cup than Richards ever does..

Lets not make this a flame war by getting their teams into the arguement. This is simply between two players.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Lets not make this a flame war by getting their teams into the arguement. This is simply between two players.

I seen Richards play more then enough, he does everything well. Brock is right about that. What Brock isn't taking into consideration is that Parise does everything well also. People label Parise as a high powered offensive weapon. I take offense to that because he is more then offense. The guy was used on the first PK in North Dakota, the 1st PK for team USA at the WJC. He had an amazing plus minus for North Dakota and Team USA. Once again I will state that college observers around the USA consider him the best 3 zone player in all NCAA and the most dangerous player.

Richards is underated but everyteam has those players. Petr Vrana is just as if not more underated anywhere on this site mainly because A.) Most people hate the Q and their players B.) His team sucked lst year C.) He was injured and nobody got to see him at the WJC. If there is one player who I think could end up being better then Parise in the system it is Vrana. He is faster then Parise, better puck handler, just as tough, has the creativity but not as strong as Parise yet, he is almost a full year younger then Parise also.

 

[jerseydevil]

Lets not make this a flame war by getting their teams into the arguement. This is simply between two players.

smile = just kidding...at least it was meant to.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

If you had'nt blindly started a Canada-U.S debate around here without any reason to you may not have had to "stick" up for any American.That's the point

I don't "blindly" do anything. I felt a need to post in a certain fashion to address what I feel is an undercurrent of Canadian jingoism around here. Just because something bubbles underneath the surface doesn't make it okay. If you don't agree and think I'm overreacting, fine. That doesn't mean I'm going to go away!

 

[Rabid Ranger]

There you go again.Now how on earth are you so sure there is Canadian "jingoism" going on underneath without even one person mentioning one blessed word about either Canada or the United States?How do you gather that? you keep on digging your own grave even on your replies.
Again, it's "Canadian jingoism" instead of just concentrating on holding yourself up to the same standard that you seem hell bent on crucifying Canadian posters for.Why you can't see this is beyond me,it's like you don't even read your posts at all.I'm sure you actually are well aware of your general dislike for Canadian hockey and it's fans but you have got yourself completely backed into a corner now by being caught red-handed on your posts and you're simply too embarrassed to admit that you are exactly the type of poster that you also hate.
That sort of thing can be hard to swallow but i think it would be bigger of you to just come clean and admit as such and then make an attempt to be better.i know i would hold nothing against you if you did that,in fact i'd think more highly of you as it takes a strong person to admit when they are out of line.No-one wants you to go away,what they do want you to do is stop going on about canadian posters and their behaviour all the time when you are just as bad if not worse(starting a US-Canada argument out of nothing is one example) Why don't you read the posts again and take a look at how you began attacking in a very disrespectful way without any justification,all you had was some imaginary "Underneath Canadian jingoism" to use as justification to start mouthing off.So some people like Richards better than Parise,what does that have to do with Canada-U.S? I agreed with your original point
about it being kind of crazy to say Richards is stronger than Parise based on what we know as reality.my question was and still is...Why would you automatically start badmouthing Canadians over that?would'nt just saying the poster makes no sense and giving your reasons why you think so make more sense?where does badmouthing Canadians come into this anyway?They did'nt do it to you.What they did was prefer one player to another and unfortunately for all of us that player was American so off you went.The balls in your court to turn this around but it's getting extremely annoying to have you be so disrespectful and then claim everyone else is out of line.A classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.If the discussion was about Danny Fristche and Zach parise would you have lost it that way?Of course not.How anyone can not see through your crap would surprise me.

Take it to PM dude. I'm done "debating" this stuff in a public forum. By the way, I actually had some input on Parise vs Richards, what have you done except hijack the thread?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The p.m this time is it.?Ah man, why did'nt i just face the fact you have no perspective and are intent on being a moron.You hi-jacked it man,don't blame me for making a Richards-Parise thing into a Canada-U.s debate,that was your doing.You've got no class and i'm gonna be on you every time you mouth off from now on,and there will be plenty of opportuinities for that.It's what you do best.What a clown you are.And why so much passion for Parise?,i thought you did'nt like Canadians anyway?

No perspective? If that was case you wouldn't be riding my posts like a dog humps a leg. I have no class? Who is going around calling other people clowns when they don't share the same opinion? I think it's pretty clear on who is intent on being a......well I won't say it since it's against the rules, something you clearly don't comprehend. Cheers mate!

 

[DownFromNJ]

Do you know a site that has +/- for NCCA players most sites I've found don't.

Thanks

I found Parise's +/- here:

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=6912&mode=threaded&order=0

 

[AJ1982]

Parise vs. Richards? Difficult to say really. Both dynamite offensive players. Parise has performed better at the WJC's thus far, but we'll see how Richards does this year in his final year of eligibility. Parise is a two way player with widely recognized leadership abilities. Richards no slouch in either of those departments either, he will at least be a 3rd line player imo because of his two way play. I do think Parise has an edge in terms of vision and awareness on the ice. At this point it's difficult to judge between the two of them, but I'll give Parise the lead because the Devil's have taken him out of college so they are obviously confident in him and he was also WJC MVP last year. We'll know more after next year really.

 

[Liquidrage*]

OMG, is Jason OK?

By now he should have posted several times that
Parise >>>> Richards
Parise >> God

I'm worried about him.

 

[FearTheFlyers]

OMG, is Jason OK?

By now he should have posted several times that
Parise >>>> Richards
Parise >> God

I'm worried about him.

Yeah, maybe he's not feeling to well.

 

[Boomhower]

The OHL is a much higher scoring league than the NCAA.

That may or may not be true, but North Dakota faced some very poor competition last year like Yale and Michigan Tech, so those lobsided scores allowed North Dakota to average 4.4 goals per game. Kitchener was in hands down the best division in the OHL and scored 3.7 goals per game last season.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

Flip a coin, i think they will end up at about the same level of play.

..like if you'd rather have a black 65' mustang, or a red one. Either way, its a 65' mustang.

 

[ZombieMatt]

I think the two are pretty comparable players.

Parise gets the uber-hype because of the Pierre McGuire rants on draft day and because of a good tournament.

Richards gets ignored a little bit, I'm not sure why, maybe because his team lost the final game, I'm don't know.

I know Parise >> anything to skate fans will say Parise had much more than just a good U20 tournament, and that is certainly fair, and I agree. However, his NCAA season was no less impressive than Mike Richard's OHL season to me.

 

[Big Phil]

I watch Richards in Kitchener so I know what he brings to the table, and I like Parise but if Fleury doesnt screw up in the third period and Canada holds that lead then Parise never wins that MVP award and Anthony Stewart or someone does. I think he's gotten some exposure for that and he'll still be a good player for the Devils, but Richards does EVERYTHING well. He can skate, check, pass, score, lead and is very responsible in his own end. You dont realize how good he is until he's on your team, he does things very quietly. Should be a top six forward in the NHL.

 

[Sammy*]

No perspective? If that was case you wouldn't be riding my posts like a dog humps a leg. I have no class? Who is going around calling other people clowns when they don't share the same opinion? I think it's pretty clear on who is intent on being a......well I won't say it since it's against the rules, something you clearly don't comprehend. Cheers mate!

donkey

 

[MastahPlaya]

erat

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Liquidrage still a homer/troll......he isn't sick at all.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

donkey

What's up dude? Who pissed in your soy milk this morning?

 

[Rabid Ranger]

hit a nerve did we?Maybe you can get a little perspective on your posts from now on.The post has nothing to do with disagreeing with your perspective but everything to do with your rants about anyone else while turning a blind eye to your behaviour on here.Nice try though, but can anyone really buy it if they have read what has been going on here.As for calling you a clown and moron, hey, i gave you losts of chances to turn things around and you blew every one of them so you got what was coming to you,no-one but yourself to blame man.Maybe you'll learn but i doubt it though you seem to be awful conciliatory on your posts tonight after the U.S loss.Thats about what i thought would happen, which will quickly change the minute the U.S wins one game,then you'll suddenly turn into John Wayne again and start razzing.Ill be watching

All I know is you're following me around like a bum wanting a fiver for his next pint. That's fine, always glad to acknowledge a fan!

 

[moosefan]

Mike Richards.

Im not buying into all the Parise hype. The guy has skill, but strenght & endurance wise, he's behind Richards.

I have seen both play live and I can tell you that Parise is very very tough on the ice, great balance and strength on the puck to go along with exciting offensive skills, great work ethic and two way ability. Parise IMO though they play simular games I think Parise has more offensive skill than Richards, I like Zach more than Mike myself.

 

[Puckhead]

No perspective? If that was case you wouldn't be riding my posts like a dog humps a leg. I have no class? Who is going around calling other people clowns when they don't share the same opinion? I think it's pretty clear on who is intent on being a......well I won't say it since it's against the rules, something you clearly don't comprehend. Cheers mate!

Boys! We really should try to stick to the thread! You both are hijaciking the thread and seeing as niether of you are prepared to admit that, then lets just forget about it and get back to what we are all here to debate...what was that again? I have had to follow the soap opera you both created and I feel so lost now...Mahovlich, don't get all crazy about things, while I can agree with some of your comments, exchange your e-mails and take up the argument off Hockeys Future message boards. It seems you are both getting no where and simply padding your posts. I am a proud Canadian, but I believe that Parise is the better player and will prove as much when they both make it to the show.