C Jack Hughes - USNTDP (2019 Draft) Part II

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You wouldn't say Patrick Kane is in that tier? Kane is well over ppg on an awful team right now. He's still one of the best.

Jack Hughes will be, at minimum, a Mitch Marner type player. I'd say he has an even higher hockey IQ though, which is crazy.

Kane plays a less valuable role. There are so many wingers in the league who are elite offensively, but don't bring much else. Its not really that valuable of a skill-set compared to the best 1C's or 1D's.

Only wingers of the past generation I am putting in either of those top two tiers are the generational goal scorers, Ovechkin and Laine. I'd put them in that tier because they do the most valuable skill in the league much better than anyone else. Ovechkin is the same tier as Crosby, McDavid, but I'd say lower in the tier than those guys. Laine is in the Eichel and Matthews tier and I think he is currently a worse player than those guys, but with higher potential because of his goal scoring. [Mod]

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The Keller comparable is pretty surprising statswise..... but isnt Jack Hughes supposed to be a much better prospect than Keller at the time of his draft? What makes Hughes better than Keller?

So you are relying on a purely statistical comparison when evaluating Hughes as a prospect? Serious question: What kind of production did people expect out of Hughes this year? Three points a game against USHL/NCAA/International competition? To me, he is yet another kid who has been in the spotlight too long. His true value is being obscured by unrealistic expectations/comparisons.

 

[Red Solo Cup]

So you are relying on a purely statistical comparison when evaluating Hughes as a prospect? Serious question: What kind of production did people expect out of Hughes this year? Three points a game against USHL/NCAA/International competition? To me, he is yet another kid who has been in the spotlight too long. His true value is being obscured by unrealistic expectations/comparisons.

I agree with this. I’m not gonna say that I’ve been watching him since he was 14 years old. I’ve been following Hughes for about 2 years now and with his style of play, his point production is heavily based off of the skill/finishing ability of the players around him. Hughes could walk around absolutely anybody, I’d say he could skate NHL defensemen NOW. But the reality is that his shot is not NHL ready at this moment. That is his single biggest weakness. Idk how many people in this thread actually watch his games. With a prospect like this, scouts are looking for the amount prime scoring opportunities that he creates as opposed to points. This kid is an absolute machine in terms of creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. Scouts look for this more than the points because once he gets to the NHL, the players around him are much more likely to have the skill/finishing ability to put the puck in the net. It is also important to keep in mind that players are checking him even harder now than last year. Yet he is still creating even more prime chances than he did last year. That is the important thing with a prospect like this. The bottom line is that this kid brings offense like nobody else in this draft class can even come close to. I’ve said for the past two years that Hughes will be a PPG player in the NHL if he never pots more than 15 goals in a season. At the end of the day it is important to keep in mind that the points are not what the scouts are really looking for here. That’s all.

 

[TimeZone]

You wouldn't say Patrick Kane is in that tier? Kane is well over ppg on an awful team right now. He's still one of the best.

Jack Hughes will be, at minimum, a Mitch Marner type player. I'd say he has an even higher hockey IQ though, which is crazy.

An MININUM you think he'll be a 90ish point player? Wow this kid must be insanely good. What do you think his maxium ceiling is? 140 points? McJesus is in trouble.

 

[AvsCOL]

An MININUM you think he'll be a 90ish point player? Wow this kid must be insanely good. What do you think his maxium ceiling is? 140 points? McJesus is in trouble.

Yeah Marner's career high is 69 points, so what exactly makes him a 90 point player?

And yes, he's miles ahead of Marner at the same age.

 

[AmericanDream]

An MININUM you think he'll be a 90ish point player? Wow this kid must be insanely good. What do you think his maxium ceiling is? 140 points? McJesus is in trouble.

not understanding this post at all....

 

[kroypuck]

This thread is a mess. If almost 2 points a game is stagnate on a team where almost everyone produces, I don't know what that even means.

 

[TimeZone]

Yeah Marner's career high is 69 points, so what exactly makes him a 90 point player?

And yes, he's miles ahead of Marner at the same age.

Mitchell Marner has been producing over a PPG for nearly a calendar year now, and is currently on pace for 105 points as a 21 year old.

While 105 points is likely not going to happen, 90+ seems extremely reasonable barring injury. If Mitch Marner is Jack Hughes FLOOR, what on Earth is his ceiling?

 

[Westcoastsniper]

Mitchell Marner has been producing over a PPG for nearly a calendar year now, and is currently on pace for 105 points as a 21 year old.

While 105 points is likely not going to happen, 90+ seems extremely reasonable barring injury. If Mitch Marner is Jack Hughes FLOOR, what on Earth is his ceiling?

Nathan Mackinnon type.

 

[ChilliBilly]

EP doesn't sniff Barzal, Eichel, Matthews, Barkov, Mackinnon yet... good joke.

not quite sure what your point is. I agree, but that wasn't what i was saying. I was referring to a silly proposal from a Canuck fan. All I said was that trading up was going to be outrageously expensive. And that I wouldn't trade EP for anyone. Sure, he's not it the class of the other players you mentioned. Yet. But in a couple of years I expect he will be.

 

[AvsCOL]

Mitchell Marner has been producing over a PPG for nearly a calendar year now, and is currently on pace for 105 points as a 21 year old.

While 105 points is likely not going to happen, 90+ seems extremely reasonable barring injury. If Mitch Marner is Jack Hughes FLOOR, what on Earth is his ceiling?

I guess time will tell. If he stays at center, he'll have more value than Marner even if he scores a bit less than 90 points. C > RW

 

[Whalers Fan]

The Keller comparable is pretty surprising statswise..... but isnt Jack Hughes supposed to be a much better prospect than Keller at the time of his draft? What makes Hughes better than Keller?

I have watched both Hughes and Keller play in person for the NTDP quite a lot (have season tickets and the arena is 3 miles from my home). Keller was an excellent prospect, but Hughes is better. His skating, puck handling and play making are all elite -- and better than Keller when he was here.

 

[TimeZone]

I guess time will tell. If he stays at center, he'll have more value than Marner even if he scores a bit less than 90 points. C > RW

Well that's a big if at this point from what I gather. Keep in mind Marner also spent time playing center in Juniors, and was a 2.0 PPG player in the OHL in his Draft year.

He's certainly raising his stock more than most expected this year, but he always had the potential to be an elite point producer.

 

[stampedingviking]

Is Hughes a two-way centre like Hischier or all offense like Spezza?

All offence and no defence.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Nathan Mackinnon type.

If we are talking about style of player Hughes reminds me absolutely nothing of Mackinnon when I watch him. Completely different play styles.

 

[93LEAFS]

If we are talking about style of player Hughes reminds me absolutely nothing of Mackinnon when I watch him. Completely different play styles.

Yeah, MacKinnon is a bull in a china-shop in regards to his power and speed combo. Also a much better shot. Hughes is closer to Marner and Barzal.

 

[Gabrielor]

I think Hughes' ceiling is Marner. Also a good comparable, although Hughes is slightly faster, and Mitch is feistier.

 

[PeterForsberg]

How can people compare Hughes to Mack? Only person who plays like Mack is like a mixture of Wheeler and Scheif?

I'd compare Hughes to Patrick Kane or somewhat Backstrom-ish .

 

[93LEAFS]

I think Hughes' ceiling is Marner. Also a good comparable, although Hughes is slightly faster, and Mitch is feistier.

His ceiling is higher than what Marner currently is. Although, how many players actually reach their ceilings. A player comparable to Marner is a somewhat likely outcome.

 

[Westcoastsniper]

If we are talking about style of player Hughes reminds me absolutely nothing of Mackinnon when I watch him. Completely different play styles.

I was meaning more as in, if he reaches his highest potential, he could be a Mackinnon level type of player.

 

[HuGo Sham]

simon boisvert, former junior scout, popular twitter hockey evaluator says his ceiling is kane, his floor: drouin

 

[Whalers Fan]

simon boisvert, former junior scout, popular twitter hockey evaluator says his ceiling is kane, his floor: drouin

Hughes' hockey IQ is much higher than Drouin's. I know that's not saying a lot, but...

 

[AvsCOL]

Well that's a big if at this point from what I gather. Keep in mind Marner also spent time playing center in Juniors, and was a 2.0 PPG player in the OHL in his Draft year.

He's certainly raising his stock more than most expected this year, but he always had the potential to be an elite point producer.

Sure he did. I'm not taking away from Marner, I just see some special things from Hughes. He has an elite sense for finding space, and is probably the best passer in the last few drafts.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

The ties to Eichel and Matthews are always going to be there in my opinion. I know it can be tiring but it makes sense, they are the golden generation of USA hockey. This group will supplant the 90's group some argue and the later 00's in terms of people arguing. Heck if we go to China we could be running Eichel - Matthews - Hughes - Larkin down the middle. Exciting times as a USA hockey fan we finally have good centers again.

I think the bigger talking point on Hughes should be imagine if Brayden Point had better hands and was a little faster. I am not kidding and I am not slighting Point but I really don't get why we are shoehorning wingers on him in what seems to me a hope a kid that has played center his entire life and has dominated at every step is somehow not going to work out there. Now that isn't what everyone is doing and I have said I could see Marner playing center but Hughes is significantly infront of where Marner is in that process at his age.

I have a couple friends in the industry, two of them have told me he is the best USA hockey prospect they have ever seen. A few prefer Matthews. One of them saying that has been scouting the USA as his region since the late 80s. Think about that for a second. It's a huge part of why I don't believe there is a contest for the #1 pick. Hughes has gamebreaking ability, he is one of the most gifted draft eligible passers I have ever seen and his hockey IQ is off the charts.

 

[Red Solo Cup]

The ties to Eichel and Matthews are always going to be there in my opinion. I know it can be tiring but it makes sense, they are the golden generation of USA hockey. This group will supplant the 90's group some argue and the later 00's in terms of people arguing. Heck if we go to China we could be running Eichel - Matthews - Hughes - Larkin down the middle. Exciting times as a USA hockey fan we finally have good centers again.

I think the bigger talking point on Hughes should be imagine if Brayden Point had better hands and was a little faster. I am not kidding and I am not slighting Point but I really don't get why we are shoehorning wingers on him in what seems to me a hope a kid that has played center his entire life and has dominated at every step is somehow not going to work out there. Now that isn't what everyone is doing and I have said I could see Marner playing center but Hughes is significantly infront of where Marner is in that process at his age.

I have a couple friends in the industry, two of them have told me he is the best USA hockey prospect they have ever seen. A few prefer Matthews. One of them saying that has been scouting the USA as his region since the late 80s. Think about that for a second. It's a huge part of why I don't believe there is a contest for the #1 pick. Hughes has gamebreaking ability, he is one of the most gifted draft eligible passers I have ever seen and his hockey IQ is off the charts.

I concur