One of the best predictors of a player’s ability and upside is their
production at even strength. Even strength points per game ESP/G to me is way more important to PP/G. PP is good too but is to inflate your stats already having solid even strength production around 0.8 or over for elite offensive prospect playing in the CHL.
You compare Ryan Strome and Jonathan Huberdeau to Ryan Nugen-Hopkins and it is a no contest. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has an awful: 0.63 ESP/G compared to Strome 0.97 ESP/G and Huberdeau 0.93 ESP/G
People are quick to make excuses for RNH as a top prospect mainly as if he is playing on a crab team, not one that has been top 10 CHL ranked. Yet at any rate, he is billing up most of his points on the PP while his even strength production is nowhere near elite forward status.
RNH ESP/G was closer to a shutdown dman like Jared Cowen's 0.43 in the dub than it was to Sven Bartschi's 0.93.