TSN Top-50 Players

[randomhockeyfan]

The rankings don't have them close, though. Matthews is basically in the "top tier" in those rankings (top ten), while Laine and Eichel aren't even in "tier two" (11-20).

IMO, they should have all been in the same tier. If TSN thinks Matthews is good enough to be 10th, then Laine and Eichel should have been ranked somewhere in the 11-16 range. There's just not enough separation, IMO, between them that Matthews is considered better than all those guys in the 11-20 range, yet TSN doesn't think Eichel or Laine are.

This 100%. The Toronto factor has lifted Matthews by about 10 spots.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

The rankings don't have them close, though. Matthews is basically in the "top tier" in those rankings (top ten), while Laine and Eichel aren't even in "tier two" (11-20).

IMO, they should have all been in the same tier. If TSN thinks Matthews is good enough to be 10th, then Laine and Eichel should have been ranked somewhere in the 11-16 range. There's just not enough separation, IMO, between them that Matthews is considered better than all those guys in the 11-20 range, yet TSN doesn't think Eichel or Laine are.

it's hard to say really. Saying a guy like Backstrom is between Matthews and Eichel isn't saying there's a big gap to me. All 3 players are really close

 

[Pi]

Just reading the thread title, I knew Matthews would be ranked high and I also knew the most common complaint in the replies would be about Matthews. Oh well, haters gon hate.

40 goal rookie season, little pre-season hatty last night too.

Just wait till NHL.com's Top 10 come out soon. He's also top 10 there .

HFBoard users know a lot more than all of them combined.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

This 100%. The Toronto factor has lifted Matthews by about 10 spots.

Why did the Toronto factor not help Nylander get ranked?

 

[X66]

TSN sees what everyone else sees when they watch Matthews. He's just an elite talent that is all over the game, that's why he's consistently placed higher on these lists than a player like Laine.

Matthews is a player where you can just throw him out with whoever and you know he'll be dominant, whereas you have to think who you want to put Laine out there with, he can't make any line work like Matthews can.

That's not saying Laine is a bad player, he's elite and whatever he's doing works for him.

 

[DashingDane]

What a terrible list

And how the **** is Marner on it So many players that are better but not on the list...

 

[Pi]

The rankings don't have them close, though. Matthews is basically in the "top tier" in those rankings (top ten), while Laine and Eichel aren't even in "tier two" (11-20).

IMO, they should have all been in the same tier. If TSN thinks Matthews is good enough to be 10th, then Laine and Eichel should have been ranked somewhere in the 11-16 range. There's just not enough separation, IMO, between them that Matthews is considered better than all those guys in the 11-20 range, yet TSN doesn't think Eichel or Laine are.

You're not considering the fact that Matthews was WAY better than Eichel was in his rookie year. The guy scored 40 goals, led the league in ES goals (which is more than Eichel had in total), led the league in road goals, had as many shots as Ovechkin was taking when he was putting up 40-50 goals consistently.

If Matthews was way better than Eichel in his first year entering the league, there is a very good chance Matthews is way better than Eichel in his second year.

Laine had numbers close to Matthews' but his underlying numbers are garbage compared to Matthews. We have yet to see if Laine can drive possession on ES and increase the number of shots he takes drastically because chances are he's not going to put up a SH% close to 20 like he did for most of last season.

These are projections for the upcoming season. Matthews should have a better season than Eichel and Laine.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

What a terrible list

And how the **** is Marner on it So many players that are better but not on the list...

Go on...

 

[Crede777]

Why did the Toronto factor not help Nylander get ranked?

Because Nylander isn't in the top-60.

Also, the homer in me says that Bobrovsky should be ahead of Holtby.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

This 100%. The Toronto factor has lifted Matthews by about 10 spots.

So hypothetically...the 6"3, 220 lbs. center, who is drafted first overall, and then scores 40 goals, 32 of which are at even strength, plays for Phoenix.....he is ranked where on this list?

 

[Paul4587]

Matthews just had a better year than Tavares as a rookie

3 more points in 6 more games. Fairly even offensively in a down year for Tavares. Tavares at this point is a much better 200 foot player also.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

3 more points in 6 more games. Fairly even offensively in a down year for Tavares. Tavares at this point is a much better 200 foot player also.

Yeah but it's probably also a down year for Matthews considering he was getting acclimated to the league while also centering two players who were also getting acclimated to the league. I don't think Tavares is a "much better" 200 foot player either

 

[Pi]

3 more points in 6 more games. Fairly even offensively in a down year for Tavares. Tavares at this point is a much better 200 foot player also.

Tavares is probably better defensively right now but he isn't much better. Matthews was extremely good at positioning, loose puck recoveries and takeaways as a rookie.

When is the last time you saw a line of three rookies dominate possession game in, game out? Matthews never played with a single vet on ES. It was two of Brown, Hyman and Nylander for all 82 games.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

pricer too high hedman too low

 

[Paul4587]

Tavares is probably better defensively right now but he isn't much better. Matthews was extremely good at positioning, loose puck recoveries and takeaways as a rookie.

When is the last time you saw a line of three rookies dominate possession game in, game out? Matthews never played with a single vet on ES. It was two of Brown, Hyman and Nylander for all 82 games.

And Nylander has twice the talent of anyone Tavares played with. Not to mention the Kadri line took all the tough matchups which didn't hurt Matthews at all.

 

[randomhockeyfan]

So hypothetically...the 6"3, 220 lbs. center, who is drafted first overall, and then scores 40 goals, 32 of which are at even strength, plays for Phoenix.....he is ranked where on this list?

He would be ranked closer to Eichel and Laine. Either move him down or move the other two up. Look, I believe Matthews is the best player out of the three and will be a better player in the future but he hasn't done enough to justify such a big separation in this ranking.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Why did the Toronto factor not help Nylander get ranked?

It got Marner in over a guy like Skinner who had 21 more goals. And over Kessel, who the same people at TSN used to over-rate on these lists when he was a Leaf.

 

[randomhockeyfan]

Why did the Toronto factor not help Nylander get ranked?

How many undeserving Leafs do you want on the list? Marner is already there.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

And Nylander has twice the talent of anyone Tavares played with. Not to mention the Kadri line took all the tough matchups which didn't hurt Matthews at all.

And Hyman has half the talent of anyone Tavares played with.

that's not true though. In December Babcock said he doesn't care who Matthews played against because he knew he could handle it. And the other teams wanted to get their best players out against Matthews to try and shut him down, same as any other star player

 

[FinnishCoyote]

OEL is way too low, he should be around 30-35ish

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

It got Marner in over a guy like Skinner who had 21 more goals. And over Kessel, who the same people at TSN used to over-rate on these lists when he was a Leaf.

oh if goals are everything then you must think Matthews should be ranked even higher?

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Matthews was a beast towards the end of the season + playoffs, and it looks like he's a much better skater now compared to where he was last year. He's impressively skilled and his 2-way is improving, #10 might end up being on the underrated side by the end of this next season.

 

[Sypher04]

It got Marner in over a guy like Skinner who had 21 more goals. And over Kessel, who the same people at TSN used to over-rate on these lists when he was a Leaf.

I wouldn't say Marner over a guy like Kessel is egregious by any means.... Sure Kessel had more goals, but they were only split by like 5 points I think, and Marner is a pretty responsible two-way player. And hey, one played with Malkin, the other didn't.

 

[Pi]

And Nylander has twice the talent of anyone Tavares played with. Not to mention the Kadri line took all the tough matchups which didn't hurt Matthews at all.

Took all the tough match ups? How about road games where Matthews was #1 in goals? He wasn't going up against 5/6D he was going up against the top D in the league.

Is it the Leafs fault that the Islanders suck at drafting in the top 10? Islanders passed on Nylander for a guy that can barely crack .50PPG in the AHL.

There really isn't much of an argument for Tavares over Matthews right now. Tavares played 19:28 on ES/PP, Matthews played 17:37 in all situations. ~2 minutes per game adds up to quite a lot more ice time over the course of a season. Expect Matthews to get more ice time this season (still not close to the nearly 21 mins that Tavares plays though) as the Leafs have a balanced top 9. They don't like to overplay any one line.

 

[Sypher04]

And Nylander has twice the talent of anyone Tavares played with. Not to mention the Kadri line took all the tough matchups which didn't hurt Matthews at all.

Fair. Still a rookie though. And only played with Matthews 5 on 5 maybe like 40% of the season. Matthews most regular linemate by a landslide was Hyman, whom I have a hard time thinking is better than anyone Tavares played with. And I'm not saying this to harp on Hyman. He's just not a top 6 forward talent. Arguably not even top 9.