Is Jack Eichel the weakest of the four?

[Golden_Jet]

Toronto has one in the top 2. I'd say that pretty heavily leans in Toronto's favor considering they have 2 others in the top 15 and Buffalo doesn't have another til 35. I said they had one in the top 30, that wasn't an incorrect statement, so I don't get what your "Well actually statement is about." Either way, I'd say the list was pretty garbage overall considering they ranked a kid currently in AAA in the top 50.

Well I was just showing how stats can be manipulated, to make a point look good.

You said they have 1 in the top 30 = true.
I said they have 1 in the top 4 = true.

To quote the rankings. Looking at a combo of potential and accomplishment.
Trying to predict what forwards would be at 23, defense at 24 and goalies at 25 years of age.

Rankings by Craig Button, Corey Pronman, and Dennis Macinniss (director of scouting for ISS)

 

[93LEAFS]

Well I was just showing how stats can be manipulated, to make a point look good.

You said they have 1 in the top 30 = true.
I said they have 1 in the top 4 = true.

There wasn't much manipulation in what I said, but fine. Each has a player in the top 5, and the Leafs have 3 in the top 15, while Buffalo has 3 in the top 48. You said they had 3 in the top 100 like it was equal, when the lowest Leaf was 14, the lowest Sabre was 48.

 

[93LEAFS]

Well I was just showing how stats can be manipulated, to make a point look good.

You said they have 1 in the top 30 = true.
I said they have 1 in the top 4 = true.

To quote the rankings. Looking at a combo of potential and accomplishment.
Trying to predict what forwards would be at 23, defense at 24 and goalies at 25 years of age.

Rankings by Craig Button, Corey Pronman, and Dennis Macinniss (director of scouting for ISS)

Those people contributed. It seems the overall list was done by Ryan Kennedy. Either way the list is a mess for a bunch of reasons. They also claim to of talked to regional CHL scouts for input. Its a click bait list (or magazine list to get sale), I wouldn't take it too seriously. I respect Pronman and Button, but I highly doubt either (particularly Pronman) have significant views of Jack Hughes to rate him above Alex Nylander. ISS has been slipping for years having interns do their work.

 

[Gnova]

McDavid
Laine

Eichel
Matthews.

 

[Tom Brady]

McDavid
Laine

Eichel
Matthews.

Overreaction much? no way the gap between Laine and Matthews is that much.

 

[sipowicz]

Laine

McDavid




Matthews


Bunch of other guys




Eichel

 

[CanuckGame39]

Laine

McDavid




Matthews


Bunch of other guys




Eichel

Yeah so cause Eichel gets hurt he's a **** player now. Give me a break.

 

[sipowicz]

Yeah so cause Eichel gets hurt he's a **** player now. Give me a break.

Eichel wasn't even the second best rookie in the NHL last season!

 

[Dogewow]

Eichel wasn't even the second best rookie in the NHL last season!

Sound logic, guess what he does from here on out doesn't matter! Even if he tears it up!

Also, Laine is off to a hot start, but this scoring is (Obviously) unsustainable. I remember a few weeks ago people were talking about how it was obvious Matthews was better than Eichel and Laine, questioning if he was as good as McDavid, and asking if it was possible if he could win the Rocket. Now he's not scoring and those supporters/claims have disappeared. I don't question either of their ability, but Laine is very likely to cool down. The question of "who is the best of the four" is somewhat answered in that it is likely to be McDavid when it's all said and done, but the debate is far from over and there's lots of hockey left to be played. Lets let this season play out at least, sheesh.

 

[Not Sure]

Eichel wasn't even the second best rookie in the NHL last season!

He was the rookie with second most points last season, and the guy who beat him was 24 and playing with Patrick Kane. With McDavid out for a big chunk of time Eichel was the best under 20 in the league. if McDavid never got hurt he would have beaten him in points for sure, but he didn't.

 

[User9992]

What I've been saying dudes...

 

[bobholly39]

Both eichel and Mcdavid started slower than Laine and Matthews.

McDavid didn't light the league on fire last year at the start - certainly not as much as both Laine and Matthews have.

I think it's too early to say that of Eichel. Pedigree/hype wise he was still #2 I think. Let's give it 3-4 years to see what comes of it.

For sure as of now he seems a step behind the other 3 but it's still super early. Eichel will get better and odds are both Matthew and Laine slow down a bit (bc if they don't - wow)

 

[McFlyingV]

Both eichel and Mcdavid started slower than Laine and Matthews.

McDavid didn't light the league on fire last year at the start - certainly not as much as both Laine and Matthews have.

I think it's too early to say that of Eichel. Pedigree/hype wise he was still #2 I think. Let's give it 3-4 years to see what comes of it.

For sure as of now he seems a step behind the other 3 but it's still super early. Eichel will get better and odds are both Matthew and Laine slow down a bit (bc if they don't - wow)

Well thats not exactly true. McDavid had 12 points in his first 12 games before getting injured in the 13th game. He obviously didn't have the crazy goal scoring that Laine's done, but he definitely had a great start after taking a few games to get comfortable.

Its hard to compare them all, and because its so early in the year a single game can change the perception entirely of either Matthews or Laine to some people. For example before last night Laine was sitting at 7-3-11 in 13 games played, but now after a big night the hype rises. If he goes cold for a few games, which inevitably will happen with a shooting % like his then the hype slows. Far too early to really fairly rate them all, but at this point I still think its McDavid above the other 3, with those 3 really close together. Eichel will continue to get forgotten about because of his injury, but I don't think he's that far behind Laine and Matthews, who themselves are very close.

Anyway, we should just be happy with how much elite talent there is coming into the league. These 4 are all going to be very special.

 

[TheBigThree]

McDavid
Laine

Eichel
Matthews.

 

[EP40 AKA Lil Wayne]

McDavid - Nylander

Laine

Eichel - Marner

Matthews

 

[Trapper]

These are all great players and at different times in their careers they will shine.
It also depends on what the organization is managing to collect in addition.

Toews wins 3 Cups and all of a sudden he is the player you want to build around instead of Crosby.
But wait, Crosby turns around and wins another a Cup and the world keeps turning.

This board has some perverse infatuation with making sure a > b.

 

[BB88]

McDavid
tier 1

Matthews/Laine/Eichel
tier2.

Lets all enjoy the talent this league has.

 

[Ola]

I don't think Laine belongs in this "top 4"

I think he do, and I am not that certain that EITHER of Matthews or Eichel will be able to take it up a notch and different themselves from guys behind them, like Malkin did in relation to AO and Sid.

Don't get me wrong, I am hardly trashing the two, but I think Eichel for example most likely will become like a Mats Sundin type than a Jagr type. For me its also a bit more unclear exactly how good Matthews will become. Another exceptional talent like Mackinnon hasn't really taken off yet.

I think there are a few guys out there who definitely can join rank with these guys over a 5-10 year period.

 

[Balthazar]

Toews wins 3 Cups and all of a sudden he is the player you want to build around instead of Crosby.
But wait, Crosby turns around and wins another a Cup and the world keeps turning.

...and now Toews is the new Scott Gomez (you should have finished that analogy properly).


Eichel got hurt at the beginning of the season. This thread is unfair.

 

[LongWayDown37]

How is this thread about Eichel still alive as he hasn't played a single shift to talk about this season. And for god sakes, what on earth does some silly ranking like this matter - they're all fantastically talented players and thank god the NHL has all of them to help improve this sorry game.

 

[bobholly39]

Well thats not exactly true. McDavid had 12 points in his first 12 games before getting injured in the 13th game. He obviously didn't have the crazy goal scoring that Laine's done, but he definitely had a great start after taking a few games to get comfortable.

Its hard to compare them all, and because its so early in the year a single game can change the perception entirely of either Matthews or Laine to some people. For example before last night Laine was sitting at 7-3-11 in 13 games played, but now after a big night the hype rises. If he goes cold for a few games, which inevitably will happen with a shooting % like his then the hype slows. Far too early to really fairly rate them all, but at this point I still think its McDavid above the other 3, with those 3 really close together. Eichel will continue to get forgotten about because of his injury, but I don't think he's that far behind Laine and Matthews, who themselves are very close.

Anyway, we should just be happy with how much elite talent there is coming into the league. These 4 are all going to be very special.

To the bolded - exactly. It took McDavid a few games to start scoring. And Eichel didn't exactly light the league on fire last year.

In contrast - both Matthews and Laine have kicked off their careers with a much bigger bang so far this year.

McDavid has since risen of course. He was leading the scorers in the NHL most of this season. Many see him as an Art Ross contender, and everyone expects him to become the best player in the world sooner or later.

Eichel? He had a decent rookie season. Never really quite hit "huge bangs" as both Matthews and Laine have in a much smaller sample size so far this year. He's also not risen his stock to McDavid's level over last season. I don't think anyone sees Eichel as an Art Ross contender this year for example (i know he's injured, but even without injury).

It's still really early - but he's had the most disappointing start of the 4 so far i think.

3-4 years will be a good gauge of who the best players of the 4 are. Laine and Matthews won't keep up their current rate - and if they do - they will be better players than Eichel (and arguably as good as McDavid). So odds are they fall a bit, Eichel rises, and in 3-4 years we have a good idea of how to rank those 4.

 

[Gnova]

How is this thread about Eichel still alive as he hasn't played a single shift to talk about this season. And for god sakes, what on earth does some silly ranking like this matter - they're all fantastically talented players and thank god the NHL has all of them to help improve this sorry game.

Because onine forums is serious business!

People are just having fun. If some take it too seriously that isn't our problem.

 

[Mattilaus]

...and now Toews is the new Scott Gomez (you should have finished that analogy properly).


Eichel got hurt at the beginning of the season. This thread is unfair.

Because only threads designed to make leaf fans mad get locked. Mods don't care about threads trolling Sabres fans.

Case in point, why was the thread not titled "Which order do you put the 4 in?" if it were intended to be neutral.

 

[Cotton]

McDavid is the best, he isn't Mario Lemieux or anything but he's clearly the best of this group.

Matthews and Eichel are on the same level.

Then there is Laine, the only winger and player who has legit good, proven linemates to start his career.

 

[Raym11]

McDavid is the best, he isn't Mario Lemieux or anything but he's clearly the best of this group.

Matthews and Eichel are on the same level.

Then there is Laine, the only winger and player who has legit good, proven linemates to start his career.

you cant discredit Laine for having better linemates. You saw it yourself in the Leafs Jets game




Laine and Matthews are -currently- on the same level. At the least. Matthews has been outshined by Nylander since the 2nd game of the season. Marner half the games as well. Sure you can blame Hyman being on his wing but just watching the games you can see Matthews not playing consistently himself and controlling the puck less in favor of Nylander

Laine is actually scoring goals and his shot is as good or better than Matthews. If anything he's making his linemates look better in most situations by putting the puck in the net, while Nylander has been babysitting Matthews' stats