Any list without Kopitar second needs deserves a healthy amount of critisism. Kopitar has carried the worst, least talented team all year while being the best all around rookie. Malkin has got him beat offensively but Kopitar is counted on in every situation. Statstny has gotten the benefit of quality line mates and superior supporting cast.
1. Evgeni Malkin (C-PIT)
2. Paul Stastny (C-COL)
3. Anze Kopitar (C-LAK)
4. Wojtek Wolski (LW-COL)
5. Jordan Staal (C-PIT)
6. Matt Carle (D-SJS)
7. Dustin Penner (C-ANA)
8. Travis Zajac (C-NJD)
9. Ryane Clowe (RW-SJS)
10. Alexander Radulov (RW-NSH)
Evgeni Malkin
Jordan Staal
Paul Stastny
Anze Kopitar
Wojtek Wolski
ME Vlasic
Dustin Penner
Travis Zajac
Alex Radulov
Ryan Clowe
This is how i think the list should look like if voters werent going to vote solely on offensive production........however being that thats exactly what they will do Staal will fall to 4th and Kopitar and Statsny will more then likley move up past him.
I got a feelin Malkin will be the one dealt when the time comes.Agreed Staal brings more intangibles than anyone except Malkin. To be honest of late i am starting to think Staal will be more important than Malkin to a pens Cup winning team. PK PP defense Staal brings it all at an elite level. 6 shorties as a rookie... when did that last happen?
Rank your Top 10 rookies...those in the race for the Calder Trophy this season.
Here's mine:
Malkin
Stastny
Kopitar
Penner
Staal
Vlasic
Wolski
Radulov
Zajac
Carle
Staal > Kopitar
Why is Penner in the 4th tier? 30 goals won't be enough to even get him in the third? Heck he'd have 30 goals right now had he been playing with Getzlaf most of the season.1.Malkin
2.Kopitar
3.Stastny
4.Staal
5.Wolski
6.Vlasic
7.Penner
8.Carle
9.Zajac
10.Clowe
Says the Penguins fan. Staal is great but he is not better than Kopitar. His defensive play is but not his overall offensive game. Kopitar is also good defensively but he is not as good as Staal.
Kopitar is better than Staal, l how anyone can say Staal is having a better year when Kopitar has 20 more points than he does and DOES NOT have the benefit of having superstars to play with, the Kings only have two other guys who you could even consider good offensive players up front.Not sure the need to say says the Pens fan but in any case I agree.......Staal is far better defensively.....and I would say is on par if not even a bit above in Goal scoring........but he is quite a ways behind in the playmaking and passing categories for now.
1. Evgeni Malkin (C-PIT)
2. Paul Stastny (C-COL)
3. Anze Kopitar (C-LAK)
4. Wojtek Wolski (LW-COL)
5. Jordan Staal (C-PIT)
6. Matt Carle (D-SJS)
7. Dustin Penner (C-ANA)
8. Travis Zajac (C-NJD)
9. Ryane Clowe (RW-SJS)
10. Alexander Radulov (RW-NSH)
I don't know what to make of this.1. Evgeni Malkin
2. Paul Stastny
3. Anze Kopitar
4. Dustin Penner
5. Wojtek Wolski
6. Jordan Staal
7. Matthew Carle
8. Joe Pavelski
9. Ryane Clowe
10. Travis Zajac
You think of Carle(one of the most overrated young defensemen in the league) and Vlasic is...MIA.Nice list, though i'd switch Wolski and Staal. But this comes closest to what I had in mind.
Evgeni Malkin
Jordan Staal
Paul Stastny
Anze Kopitar
Wojtek Wolski
ME Vlasic
Dustin Penner
Travis Zajac
Alex Radulov
Ryan Clowe
This is how i think the list should look like if voters werent going to vote solely on offensive production........however being that thats exactly what they will do Staal will fall to 4th and Kopitar and Statsny will more then likley move up past him.
I think its laughable to put Staal ahead of Stastny, and I think Jordan is the best defensive rookie in the NHL this season.Staal is not second this year, I would put him third behind Kopitar. Long term is different than this year and though what Staal is doing is amazing part of what is amazing is that he is doing it at eighteen and one of the youngest players ever to lace them up in the NHL. Long term I do not think that Staal takes a back seat to Kopitar but that depends on his taking anticipated spurts in growth, both physically and in his hockey skills. Similar to what Crosby did as far as growing between 18 and 19. For this year Kopitar is ahead.
For those putting Kopitar ahead of Malkin.
Malkin is currently 15th in the entire NHL in scoring. That is not the be all and end all, but Malkin albeit with lapses the irk me at times, shows that he is the complete package night in and night out. Kopitar has not even cracked the top 50 in scoring.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/stats/byposition?pos=C,RW,LW
Kopitar is better than Staal, l how anyone can say Staal is having a better year when Kopitar has 20 more points than he does and DOES NOT have the benefit of having superstars to play with, the Kings only have two other guys who you could even consider good offensive players up front.
I hate the Kings but it seems to me like not enough people have watched him play more than a couple games. Staal is a good goal scorer who is good defensively, Kopitar can score goals, make tons of plays with the puck, and is atleast average defensively.
If Kopitar had an Ovechkin, or Malkin, Or Crosby he would probably be a PPG player.