Which finnish player

[matsqq]

Let's say you will start up a new NHL team and you could get one of these players in their prime (disregarding their age right now)

Which one would you pick?

Click to read more...

 

[norrisnick]

Torn between Heiskanen and Barkov.

 

[dirtydanglez]

rantanen. can't go wrong with any of them tho.

 

[Madap]

rantanen. can't go wrong with any of them tho.

You can go wrong with Aho. He’s not better than Barkov at anything. At least Rantanen and Heiskanen are different enough.

 

[dirtydanglez]

You can go wrong with Aho. He’s not better than Barkov at anything. At least Rantanen and Heiskanen are different enough.

if the worst case scenario is aho then that's not a bad thing.

 

[Play]

if the worst case scenario is aho then that's not a bad thing.

It’s not a bad thing but you can go wrong with him is what Madap was saying

 

[dirtydanglez]

It’s not a bad thing but you can go wrong with him is what Madap was saying

if you want to get technical there is only 1 right answer(rantanen). but if your starting a franchise with any of these players you're off to a good start.

 

[ijuka]

You can go wrong with Aho. He’s not better than Barkov at anything. At least Rantanen and Heiskanen are different enough.

He's better than Barkov at skating.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

You can go wrong with Aho. He’s not better than Barkov at anything. At least Rantanen and Heiskanen are different enough.

Aho is a considerably better goal scorer than Barkov and the stats back that up despite Barkov having better wingers throughout his career. I’m a big Barkov fan and consider him better than Aho overall but Aho is quite clearly the better goal scorer. Also Aho is outplaying Barkov this year overall so it’s really not such an obvious choice.

 

[Felidae]

Aho is a considerably better goal scorer than Barkov and the stats back that up despite Barkov having better wingers throughout his career. I’m a big Barkov fan and consider him better than Aho overall but Aho is quite clearly the better goal scorer. Also Aho is outplaying Barkov this year overall so it’s really not such an obvious choice.

The bolded is debatable.

Aho is slightly more productive atm but Barkov has the defensive edge and probably a selke finalist.

 

[ijuka]

Aho also has improved his defensive game more lately:

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

The bolded is debatable.

Aho is slightly more productive atm but Barkov has the defensive edge and probably a selke finalist.

Aho’s D is well above average too, it’s close but I take Aho this season over Barkov.

 

[93LEAFS]

Barkov, I'm going with the franchise 2-way center who is a constant threat to win the Selke. Elite centers are almost always found at the very top of the draft with some exceptions. Elite wingers, Defenders and goalies tend to be found outside the top of the draft with more regularity. Add in centers tend to drive play more than any other position, it basically evolves into a question of do I want Barkov or Aho more, and I'll side with Barkov in that scenario.

 

[Madap]

Aho is a considerably better goal scorer than Barkov and the stats back that up despite Barkov having better wingers throughout his career. I’m a big Barkov fan and consider him better than Aho overall but Aho is quite clearly the better goal scorer. Also Aho is outplaying Barkov this year overall so it’s really not such an obvious choice.

Olay fair, I guess I was too general. I meant that Barkov is better offensively and defensively.

I do realize that Aho has been better offensively this season, but a bit better in one season won’t sway my opinion.

 

[Spotty 2 Hotty]

Barkov, I'm going with the franchise 2-way center who is a constant threat to win the Selke. Elite centers are almost always found at the very top of the draft with some exceptions. Elite wingers, goaltenders and goalies tend to be found outside the top of the draft with more regularity. Add in centers tend to drive play more than any other position, it basically evolves into a question of do I want Barkov or Aho more, and I'll side with Barkov in that scenario.

Figures a Leafs fan forgot about defense.

 

[93LEAFS]

Figures a Leafs fan forgot about defense.

No, it's just the typical fashion in which to build a team. Hence why franchise centers almost always go at the very top of the draft. How often do you see Hart Trophy-winning centers go outside the top of the draft, compared to Vezina goalies and Norris winning D. 3 of the 5 Vezina winning goalie went outside the first round, and 3 of the last 5 Norris winners went outside the first round. If you just look at first and 2nd team all star centers over the past 5 years, every single one went 1st Overall (McDavid, Matthews, Crosby and MacKinnon) outside of Draisaitl who went 3rd overall. The last Center to make an end of season all-star team who wasn't a top 3 pick was Getzlaf in 2012/13. The last one to go outside the first round was Datsyuk back in 2008-09.

Whereas it is very common to see wingers, defenders and goalies who weren't taken that high end up on those lists. For example Pasternak went outside the top 10, and Robertson went outside the first round and were first team all-stars last year. Same with Adam Fox on D, and Ullmark in net.

 

[Spotty 2 Hotty]

No, it's just the typical fashion in which to build a team. Hence why franchise centers almost always go at the very top of the draft. How often do you see Hart Trophy-winning centers go outside the top of the draft, compared to Vezina goalies and Norris winning D. 3 of the 5 Vezina winning goalie went outside the first round, and 3 of the last 5 Norris winners went outside the first round. If you just look at first and 2nd team all star centers over the past 5 years, every single one went 1st Overall (McDavid, Matthews, Crosby and MacKinnon) outside of Draisaitl who went 3rd overall. The last Center to make an end of season all-star team who wasn't a top 3 pick was Getzlaf in 2012/13. The last one to go outside the first round was Datsyuk back in 2008-09.

You're overthinking this my man.
I highlighted where you obviously mistyped said "wingers, goaltenders, and goalies".

Hence the comment with the sarcasm emoji.

 

[ViD]

The Russian Finn

 

[biturbo19]

Rare case where i take the #1D over a #1C here. I think Heiskanen is a Norris Caliber defenceman, whereas Barkov and Aho are more in that next tier of #1 Centers. Just a notch below the best of the best, relatively speaking. A run below the "Art Ross race" types. Which is just enough for me to take the Defenceman i think. But it's tough. Especially now that i read the whole question properly to disregard age.

 

[BB88]

Barkov

Aho is a considerably better goal scorer than Barkov and the stats back that up despite Barkov having better wingers throughout his career. I’m a big Barkov fan and consider him better than Aho overall but Aho is quite clearly the better goal scorer. Also Aho is outplaying Barkov this year overall so it’s really not such an obvious choice.

I haven’t checked the stats lately but for a good time Barkov was posting the best adv stats in the league

 

[Not Canada Drai]

Rantanen.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Aho is a considerably better goal scorer than Barkov and the stats back that up despite Barkov having better wingers throughout his career. I’m a big Barkov fan and consider him better than Aho overall but Aho is quite clearly the better goal scorer. Also Aho is outplaying Barkov this year overall so it’s really not such an obvious choice.

Only thing right in your post is Aho having more goals this year. Not sure how you say Aho is better overall though?

Whether this year or the last 3 years which is better and bigger sample size?

Last 3 years: [despite Barkov playing 21 less game than Aho]

Barkov has more assists, points, pts/game, even strength points, PP points, same amount of SHG, way better +/-, a lot less penalties, 4% better in faceoff, more hits and way more blocks.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Only thing right in your post is Aho having more goals this year. Not sure how you say Aho is better overall though?

Maybe read my post again a bit more thoroughly

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Barkov



I haven’t checked the stats lately but for a good time Barkov was posting the best adv stats in the league

Sure, some read into that more than others. It's a fine data point but it's just one data point and all the stats in the world still can't tell the full story. I've watched both play a considerable amount and I've even made arguments to friends that I'd take Barkov over McDavid (taking into account all factors) if trying to win a Cup. So I am very high on Barkov and even said in this thread that I consider him better than Aho overall with everything we've seen so far in their careers.

I'm just pointing out that it's not as clear as day as everyone thinks. Aho is very underrated and is quite obviously a considerably better goal scorer than Barkov and has been throughout their careers, not just this year. Also I think he has been playing better than Barkov this year, it's close and certainly up for debate but he's also outproduced him by a considerable amount especially taking into account goals. I'm not putting extra weight into this season when Barkov has been better in the much larger sample size, just saying that while Barkov might be considered better at this point, a few more years with Aho outperforming him and that could change as it is already closer than people think.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Maybe read my post again a bit more thoroughly

I read it correctly, explain the comment below though. I just posted stats from a 3 year timeline as better overall judgement between the two players.

You said:

Also Aho is outplaying Barkov this year overall