Any McDavid/Crosby level prospects out there? For 2018 or beyond?

bobholly39

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Mar 10, 2013
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I don't follow prospects much, so I'm genuinely asking.

Crosby/McDavid are the 2 best prospects in the hockey world in the past 20 years (maybe throw Ovi in there too, though i think he was slightly less hyped).

Are any prospects legitimately looking to be in the same tier as those guys? Is Dahlin? Anyone else in 2018 or in 2019 and beyond?

I know we've had a lot of very strong prospects the past couple of years (Eichel, Matthews, Laine) but none of them were on the same tier as McDavid as a prospect. If given a chance 30 teams out of 30 pick McDavid first at the draft.

Curious to see what everyone thinks. I know it's a bit harder to project for players stilll 1-2 years out of draft year, but you typically get a sense early on for those things.

By "same tier" - it should mean that if McDavid and said prospect would be available in the same year, it's a 50/50 chance who a team would select between the 2.
 

Optreeter

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Mar 15, 2009
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Alexis Lafreniere is the only guy that comes to mind. He is a 2020 draft eligible player. He is putting up some pretty crazy numbers at 15-16. He';ll have to continue to improve though.
 
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93LEAFS

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Nov 7, 2009
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Alexis Lafreniere is the only guy that comes to mind. He is a 2020 draft eligible player. He is putting up some pretty crazy numbers at 15-16. He';ll have to continue to improve though.
His numbers aren't even close to what Crosby and McDavid did at 16. Tavares who was a 16-year-old late birthday also decimated his numbers. He's more in line with the Stamkos and Taylor Hall's of prospects than the McDavid and Crosby's of the world. Lets see how he develops, but I don't think its likely he'd be preferred to Matthews or Eichel, and especially McDavid.

There is no player I'd be comfortable labeling a future generational talent. I will say, Matthew Savoie (2022 draft) is getting crazy hype due to destroying the Western Canada Prep League, and Quinton Byfield is probably the best player in the OHL draft (who will report) since McDavid. But, I'd avoid putting expectations too high on kids still playing rep/travel hockey.
 

ponder

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Jul 11, 2007
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Dahlin, Jack Hughes and Lafreniere are all terrific prospects, but none are McDavid/Crosby level IMO. Propspects like McDavid/Crosby are very rare, don’t know that there are any on the horizon.
 
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Bjindaho

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Jun 12, 2006
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His numbers aren't even close to what Crosby and McDavid did at 16. Tavares who was a 16-year-old late birthday also decimated his numbers. He's more in line with the Stamkos and Taylor Hall's of prospects than the McDavid and Crosby's of the world. Lets see how he develops, but I don't think its likely he'd be preferred to Matthews or Eichel, and especially McDavid.

There is no player I'd be comfortable labeling a future generational talent. I will say, Matthew Savoie (2022 draft) is getting crazy hype due to destroying the Western Canada Prep League, and Quinton Byfield is probably the best player in the OHL draft (who will report) since McDavid. But, I'd avoid putting expectations too high on kids still playing rep/travel hockey.

Lafreniere had a higher PPG as a 16 than McDavid and Tavares.
 

Whalers Fan

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Sep 24, 2012
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Dahlin, Jack Hughes and Lafreniere are all terrific prospects, but none are McDavid/Crosby level IMO. Prospects like McDavid/Crosby are very rare, don’t know that there are any on the horizon.

I agree. I have been fortunate to be able to watch both McDavid and Jack Hughes play live many times during their junior careers. Hughes is a great prospect and talent, but McDavid was dominate from the moment he entered the OHL a year ahead of schedule as a 15 year old. You could tell even then he was going to be something very special.
 

93LEAFS

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Nov 7, 2009
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Lafreniere had a higher PPG as a 16 than McDavid and Tavares.
Huh, Tavares put up 2 ppg, and McDavid put up 1.77. Lafreniere had a 1.33. Both those guys played their first seasons at 15. Lafreniere 16-year-old year is also pretty much even with Taylor Hall (1.33) and behind Stamkos (1.46). And this is before accounting for OHL scoring translates better to the NHL. Mackinnon also had a 1.34 ppg in the QMJHL at 16.
 

KingTux

On espère pour Lafrenière
Aug 9, 2013
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Alexis Lafreniere is the only guy that comes to mind. He is a 2020 draft eligible player. He is putting up some pretty crazy numbers at 15-16. He';ll have to continue to improve though.

STOP SCREAMING AT ME :laugh:

I responded to some thread earlier and they post my message with the highest size of character and in bold for no reason...

Weird

Also I agree with Lafreniere, he is on another level.
 

Daximus

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His numbers aren't even close to what Crosby and McDavid did at 16. Tavares who was a 16-year-old late birthday also decimated his numbers. He's more in line with the Stamkos and Taylor Hall's of prospects than the McDavid and Crosby's of the world. Lets see how he develops, but I don't think its likely he'd be preferred to Matthews or Eichel, and especially McDavid.

There is no player I'd be comfortable labeling a future generational talent. I will say, Matthew Savoie (2022 draft) is getting crazy hype due to destroying the Western Canada Prep League, and Quinton Byfield is probably the best player in the OHL draft (who will report) since McDavid. But, I'd avoid putting expectations too high on kids still playing rep/travel hockey.

Matt Savoie is probably the closest. As a double underager he finished 2nd in scoring in his league and team. Next year he should get some games at midget which is when we will really see if he is as good as he looks so far. At that point, if he continues to blow the comp out of the water, he will start garnering some hype as the best western Canadian prospect potentially ever, at least since the NHL Draft started.
 

93LEAFS

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Matt Savoie is probably the closest. As a double underager he finished 2nd in scoring in his league and team. Next year he should get some games at midget which is when we will really see if he is as good as he looks so far.
Still way too early to give him a label him as a likely Crosby or McDavid. I'll wait until I see something in the CHL, which is generally the first real challenge for highly hyped kids. The child prodigy thread basically shows you shouldn't expect much until a kid hits junior. Some become intriguing like Wahlstrom or great like Crosby. But, you also get a bunch of average players like McFarland, Mattias-Emilio Petersen, and Jayce Hawryluk. Even exceptional kids like Day and Veleno have been disappointing relative to expectations.
 

Daximus

Wow, what a terrific audience.
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Still way too early to give him a label him as a likely Crosby or McDavid. I'll wait until I see something in the CHL, which is generally the first real challenge for highly hyped kids. The child prodigy thread basically shows you shouldn't expect much until a kid hits junior. Some become intriguing like Wahlstrom or great like Crosby. But, you also get a bunch of average players like McFarland, Mattias-Emilio Petersen, and Jayce Hawryluk. Even exceptional kids like Day and Veleno have been disappointing relative to expectations.

Yeah it's going to be awhile before he hits the Dub.
 

HenrikW

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Feb 21, 2018
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Jack Hughes compares very favorably to Eichel as a 16 year old, which suggests 18/19 draft might offer an elite 1C prospect. He has had as good a year as a 16yo Matthews
 

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