Jason MacIsaac:I don't know if Latendresse is going to be considered among the top 5 players of the 05' when you look back a few years from now, what I can say, is that he shouldn't of dropped out of the 1st round IMO, he's got alot of talent, he impressed me more as a playmaker than a scorer, he's got great hands and he makes things happen with the puck...he was great in the 1st game, in the second game, although he didn't score, he was quite physical and had a few scoring chances...IMO, he's a defininate NHL player, his ceiling is that of a 1st line RW, but at worst, he'll become a 3rd or 4th line grinder...
Because of all the games i've seen, if he's not effective offensively...he is physically, he's always contributing in some form...
It's not about Latendresse being better than Ryan or vice versa, it's too early to tell right now, who cares who's better at this point, because neither of them is going to contribute this year where it matters, at the NHL level. I'd have to say that today, latendresse might be a little more advanced than Ryan, but doesn't mean he'll be the better player.