Tavares vs Esposito
- Thread starter captaincheat
- Start date
nomorekids
The original, baby
i've been a little underwhelmed by Esposito, honestly.
I'm not sure he'll even go first overall, next year.
I'm not sure he'll even go first overall, next year.
Esposito has underwhelmed you and you are not sure whether he will be the number one overall draft pic?
Maybe he should just bow his head in shame and never come out of his room.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
Do tell -- what makes him so special right now? I'm certainly a bit underwhelmed by him as well and I could see him getting passed on by pretty easily this year.
There is no guarantee Tavares will be the number one pic either- long ways away and a lot can change. Obvious front runner though.
Esposito is an extremely good skater. He started as a figure skater which probably helped his balance along with powerskating lessons. He has excellent hands, and a good work ethic, doesn't shy away from trafic either. He was devastated when he was cut from the WJC- he is a competitor. He will have to improve his strength however.
Having said that, I would give Tavares the slight edge at the moment. It is just not as clear cut as people may think.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
While I like Espo as a prospect, I do NOT see him as the #1 pick this coming year. He could drop down past 5, even.
Ryan Van Horne
aka Scribe
Tavares
Well, I'm not trying to knock Esposito here, because I think he's a very good prospect, but I would take Tavares. In fact, I'm going to. I have the No. 1 pick in my fantasy pool draft (a keeper league) and I'll be picking Tavares. If somebody offered me Esposito (who's already in our league) for the pick, I would turn him down.
Simply put, it's all about upside. When a player is as far away from the NHL as these guys (Tavares just turned 16 and Esposito will play as a 17-year-old this season) you're doing a lot of projecting.
The big difference between the two right now is what Tavares did at the age of 15. Esposito played at Shattuck while Tavares was the main attraction on a very bad OHL team. Even though Esposito produced a lot of points at Shattuck and with Quebec as a 16-year-old, I think he was a beneficiary of playing with better players, including Alexander Radulov. For a good part of the season, they were linemates.
Tavares led the OHL in even-strength goals as a 15-year-old and don't forget, he's a late birthday so even this year, he's still one of the youngest players in the OHL.
Again, not knocking Espo, I'd love to him, but I would rather have Tavares who has the potential and determination to be a perennial 50-goal scorer in the NHL.
Well, I'm not trying to knock Esposito here, because I think he's a very good prospect, but I would take Tavares. In fact, I'm going to. I have the No. 1 pick in my fantasy pool draft (a keeper league) and I'll be picking Tavares. If somebody offered me Esposito (who's already in our league) for the pick, I would turn him down.
Simply put, it's all about upside. When a player is as far away from the NHL as these guys (Tavares just turned 16 and Esposito will play as a 17-year-old this season) you're doing a lot of projecting.
The big difference between the two right now is what Tavares did at the age of 15. Esposito played at Shattuck while Tavares was the main attraction on a very bad OHL team. Even though Esposito produced a lot of points at Shattuck and with Quebec as a 16-year-old, I think he was a beneficiary of playing with better players, including Alexander Radulov. For a good part of the season, they were linemates.
Tavares led the OHL in even-strength goals as a 15-year-old and don't forget, he's a late birthday so even this year, he's still one of the youngest players in the OHL.
Again, not knocking Espo, I'd love to him, but I would rather have Tavares who has the potential and determination to be a perennial 50-goal scorer in the NHL.
Sounds a lot like Phil Kessel last draft.Loads of talent yet people see something they don't like.
Like people pointed out last year with Kessel though............the tools are there.
He may indeed drop the same as Kessel did despite the raw talent.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
I like Kessel TONS more as a prospect, though. Kessel didn't begin falling until after the WJCs. I'm pretty sure you'll see Espo fall in the next rankings. His slide is partly because he was way overhyped in a deep draft. I mean, I can see Espo sliding out of the top 5, even top 10. The kids are just that good in the draft to push him out.
It is a good year for eligible kids.Dropping out of the top five i can see,i'd be surprised if he fell out of the top ten but it's possible.
Why don't you like about the guy and why do you like Kessel as a prospect much better?
Redwingsfan
Global Moderator
- Jul 15, 2006
- 20,370
- 187
so there is nothing special in being a potential top 5 pick. i agree with you very often, but not on this one.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
Kessel's natural offensive instincts and skills just far surpass Espo's, IMO. Kessel's natural offensive ability is just so far off the map compared to the majority of prospects. He gets **** on a lot on these forums for no real reason and he's vastly underrated. Esposito looks to be a nice player, but I can't see him flat out dominating the NHL as Kessel could if he hits his stride in his prime.
both kessel and espo are really fast but espo is the most fluid skater i've seen at that age.
I think espo is a better playmaker than people give credit for and while he's not big enough yet, size won't be a concern for him.(right now 6'1 180, in 2 or 3 years he could be 6'1 200...).
he will prove people wrong this year because he will be the leader of his team people will stop saying Radulov did it all.
so right now
tavares > esposito
esposito > kessel, brule, J.stall and the rest
I think espo is a better playmaker than people give credit for and while he's not big enough yet, size won't be a concern for him.(right now 6'1 180, in 2 or 3 years he could be 6'1 200...).
he will prove people wrong this year because he will be the leader of his team people will stop saying Radulov did it all.
so right now
tavares > esposito
esposito > kessel, brule, J.stall and the rest
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
What has Esposito proven to be considered better than Kessel?
Seriously, this kid has gotten so overrated it's not even funny.
Seriously, this kid has gotten so overrated it's not even funny.
what about scoring 100pts as a 16y/o and be the second best player of the best team of the CHL. he played big in big games and won the memorial cup, what more can you ask???
so what as Kessel done so far to be proven better? I just don't see why it would be funny?
if I had the choice beteween the 2 to build a franchise, I wouldn't wait a second and pick esposito because he'll be a future Captain wich kessel will never be.
What about playing in the most hyped team in the LHJMQ and playing with Radulov and a couple of other great players? I honestly think anyone with a little talent would have put up great numbers on that Rempart team. Many other good players would have done the same if not better. I have a lot more respect for a player like Giroux from Gatineau that was on a normal team and thus had more points than Esposito but was denied the rookie of the year because Espo had to have it.
What about playing in the most hyped team in the LHJMQ and playing with Radulov and a couple of other great players? I honestly think anyone with a little talent would have put up great numbers on that Rempart team. Many other good players would have done the same if not better. I have a lot more respect for a player like Giroux from Gatineau that was on a normal team and thus had more points than Esposito but was denied the rookie of the year because Espo had to have it.
How did this thread become a comparison between Kessel and Espo when the title clearly says to compare Tavares and Espo.
For me, I think that Tavares can be a generational player if all the stars line up perfectly but realistically he will probably turn out to be someone with a career similar to Joe Sakic or a Stevie Yzerman.
As for Espo., I think that he could have a career similar to someone like a Daniel Briere...
From my limited viewing of Espo, I think the Briere comparison is a very good one, actually.
Tavares is a generational talent. Comparable to Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. Tavares is a favourite to win the OHL points award this year at age 16! He scored 45 goals as a 15 year old! Esposito is good but not comparable.
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