Draft 2001-2004, 10 best forwards

My list

Kovalchuk
Ovechkin
Malkin
Nash
Zherdev
Spezza
Stall
Horton
Parise
Semin

 

Here's mine

1. Ilya Kovalchuk
2. Alexander Ovechkin
3. Rick Nash
4. Evgeny Malkin
5. Tuomo Ruutu
6. Eric Staal
7. Jason Spezza
8. Nikolai Zherdev
9. Nathan Horton
10. Thomas Vanek

 

1. Ilya Kovalchuk
2. Tuomo Ruutu
3. Alexander Ovetchkin
4. Rick Nash
5. Evgeny Malkin
6. Jason Spezza
7. Eric Staal
8. Lauri Tukonen
9. Nikolai Zherdev
10. Thomas Vanek

 

Kovalchuk
Nash
Spezza
Ruutu
Ovechkin
Staal
Zherdev
Malkin
Horton
Bergeron

I'm not down on ovechkin or malkin, i just think that playing on an NHL level is an important factor. I don't understand how you can put Ovechkin in front of Nash at this point when nash tied for the NHL lead in goal's at 19. Bergeron isn't as highly touted as the others but i think the year he had as an important NHL contributor has to be considered.

 

adding guys that have no nhl experience is outrageous. make your basis on results not hype

 

I could have sworn this board was about prospects. Would you rank Brent Burns over Ovechkin and Malkin because he's played in the NHL?

 

This is pretty similar to what mine would be. I'd probably have Horton a few higher, but I agree on what you have, especially Spezza near the top.

 

My list is based on how i think those players will be ranked in the future.

 

Kovalchuk
Ovechkin
Malkin
Nash
Zherdev
Spezza
Stall
Horton
Parise
Semin

I like your list, but Spezza is overrated. I'm not convinced about Semin either. Might want to switch Malkin down lower, Nash is a proven rocket richard winner.

 

1. Kovalchuk
2. Nash
3. Ovechkin
4. Ruutu
5. Malkin
6. Zherdev
7. Spezza
8. Horton
9. Staal
10. Vanek

 

exactly how is spezza overrated? what has he done not to live up to his potential? 55 points is a pretty good rookie year in my book.

 

never mind

 

Spezza didn't have 55 points in his rookie year.

 

Heatley and Gaborik were drafted in 2000.

If we include 2000-drafted players things change quite a bit.

 

I'd rather not have Spezza in the lockerroom. 55 points isn't amazing when you consider Nash, Kovalchuck, and Zherdev point totals.

I'd even take Parise over Spezza without hesitation.

 

grrrr, i knew someone was going to nitpick on this. he played 33 games in 02-03 and that wasn't over one solid stretch of time. I don't count that as a rookie season. Fine, in his first full season he scored 55 points.

 

As rated on draft day:

1. Ovechkin
2. Kovalchuck
3. Nash
4. Malkin
5. Ruutu
6. Zherdev
7. Spezza
8. Horton
9. Staal
10. Vanek

Including element of achieved/possible success at the NHL level:

1.Kovalchuck
2.Nash
3.Ovechkin
4.Ruutu
5.Spezza
6.Malkin
7. Zherdev
8. Horton
9. Staal
10. Vanek

 

Kovalchuck had 51 points his first year, Nash had 39 and Zherdev had 34.

What you also have to take into acount is that all three of the above played on bad teams where they had few defensive responsibilities and where free to roam. Spezza played on a contender where he was expected to be defensivly reponcible (before anyone jumps down my throat: I'm not saying that Spezza is a good defensive player, he's not, but he could not be strictly an offensive player as the others could.)

 

This is true, but at the same time, you need to keep in mind that as great of prospects as Ovechkin and Malkin are...Nash is basically a year and a bit older and ALREADY a goal scoring champion.