Pettersson or Hughes; who would you pick?
- Thread starter Fraser28
- Start date
For Hughes to be effective you have to insulate him with good defenders that can take the pressure off him in the D zone, you need defenceman like Tanev, Edler & Myers to allow Hughes to do his thing. With Pettersson he was lighting it up with Eriksson & Goldobin as his wingers. EP40 leads the team with a +16 rating while Hughes is -1. The Canucks desperately needed an offensive defenceman and Hughes value to the team has been substantial but Pettersson is definitely the better player.
bandwagonesque
I eat Kraft Dinner and I vote
- Mar 5, 2014
- 7,153
- 5,471
Hughes is playing better hockey at 20 the Barrie has ever played and is one pace for more points than Barrie has ever scored in a season. He's 4th in the league in scoring among defensemen and straight-up dominating games -- again, as a 20-year-old rookie. Barrie doesn't come close to replacing him.
Teflon Jim
Registered User
- Apr 4, 2018
- 725
- 206
Addison Rae
Registered User
WTG
December 5th
A while back we had a shit ton of elite centermen go in the draft. Recently we've had Dahlin/Makar/Hughes. But a while back we had all these guys go one after another.
2013 - MacKinnon (lock for Hart finalist this year)
2013 - Barkov (IMO Selke finalist)
2014 - Draisaitl (lock Art Ross finalist)
2014 - Point
2015 - McDavid (Hart + 2x Art Ross + 2x Ted Lindsay)
2015 - Jack Eichel
2016 - Matthews (Potential Richard winner)
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He's also generating a negative goal differential at ES from soft minutes with our top skill players.
He's been great offensively but is still a work in progress defensively. And yes, his 22 points on the PP are easier to replace at a cheaper price than a #1 center.
This is not criticizing Hughes. At all. Again, to me your #1 center is the most important building block on your team. And as we've seen from Boeser and Pettersson ... sometimes the gleam does come off a bit in years 2-3.
Hughes...and if I really think about it, I actually don't think it's close. The reasons involve impact on the game. Hughes isn't just an amazing offensive talent. His skating makes him extremely good at gaining position in the defensive zone, taking away the puck, and skating it out. He's still learning this part of the game at the higher level but he has a chance to be elite in this aspect.
Pettersson, on-the-other-hand, is a very good offensive centre, has some defensive chops but needs to get better in the faceoff circle. I still think he's having a few challenges as the checking gets tighter. Please don't interpret this as being down on Pettersson, I think he is a fantastic player, But we were asked to choose.
Pettersson, on-the-other-hand, is a very good offensive centre, has some defensive chops but needs to get better in the faceoff circle. I still think he's having a few challenges as the checking gets tighter. Please don't interpret this as being down on Pettersson, I think he is a fantastic player, But we were asked to choose.
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People need to come to terms with the fact that there's no indication that Pettersson is going to be among the very best players in the league. He may develop into that (and I think he can), but Hughes is already that right now, and he's a year younger. He's 4th in defense scoring, he transforms the team by controlling possession while he's on the ice. Pettersson doesn't do that.
In fact, Pettersson has been riding Miller's coattails for much of this year, it's Miller who drives possession on that line, he wins battles in his zone, he carries the puck through the neutral zone with speed, he creates turnovers on the forecheck, he protects the puck and makes plays under pressure. Pettersson can make plays and he can finish, but he struggles to drive possession.
I understand different opinions on projections for the future, but anyone who thinks it's Pettersson this year is blind or delusional.
In fact, Pettersson has been riding Miller's coattails for much of this year, it's Miller who drives possession on that line, he wins battles in his zone, he carries the puck through the neutral zone with speed, he creates turnovers on the forecheck, he protects the puck and makes plays under pressure. Pettersson can make plays and he can finish, but he struggles to drive possession.
I understand different opinions on projections for the future, but anyone who thinks it's Pettersson this year is blind or delusional.
WTG
December 5th
I understand this point and kind of agree with your points. But the Sedin's fed off soft minutes too.
As for Hughes, Scoring is important regardless of who you are scoring on.
Hughes is 4th in defenseman scoring right now.
IDK I can't help but harp back on those days where we had Edler on the 1st unit PP and he'd break his stick ever slapshot. The Canucks also had 0 transition game to the point Yanick Weber was one of the Canucks better transition defenseman. Compare that to Hughes who just powers through the neutral zone.
To me, #1 center is always the more important position, and defense can be easier to put together by committee.
Ainec
Panetta was not racist
- Jun 20, 2009
- 21,784
- 6,429
I'm glad this thread was made. I've been seeing a lot of these posts and it astounds me. Advanced stats have Pettersson leagues above Miller and all other Canucks forwards
this notion that Miller is in the same tier as Pettersson needs to die. fast.
WTG
December 5th
You don't believe point belongs? Point did score 41 last year and put up 92 points and the year before he had a killer playoffs. I do believe he is the weakest out of those listed.
As for Jones/Werenksi/McAvoy/Hamilton/Rielly/Chabot.
I wouldn't take any one of those over MacKinnon/McDavid/Eichel/Matthews/Barkov/Draisaitl. I wouldn't even blink. That center group is much better than that defense pool.
Pettersson.
1) Much more difficult to find a 1C. They’re not laying around anywhere.
2) Hughes, while talented, isn’t a true #1 D in the sense that he’ll never have that physical dimension in his game.
3) The quickness in Hughes game will eventually slow over time. Once this aspect of his game isn’t as dominate he’ll lose his appeal in some regard. While I know this won’t happen tomorrow I’m just talking about the life spans of their careers. Pettersson’s smarts, hands, and shot aren’t going anywhere for the length of his career and that is what separates him from his peers.
1) Much more difficult to find a 1C. They’re not laying around anywhere.
2) Hughes, while talented, isn’t a true #1 D in the sense that he’ll never have that physical dimension in his game.
3) The quickness in Hughes game will eventually slow over time. Once this aspect of his game isn’t as dominate he’ll lose his appeal in some regard. While I know this won’t happen tomorrow I’m just talking about the life spans of their careers. Pettersson’s smarts, hands, and shot aren’t going anywhere for the length of his career and that is what separates him from his peers.
NoShowWilly
Registered User
This was true at the beginning of the season, but not so much lately. He's tied for 8th in the league in ES points among defensemen and he's been playing big minutes in the games where the score is close. You don't do that if you're being sheltered.
It's a tough call for me because I think Quinn Hughes is having a better rookie season than Pettersson did. His rookie season is probably better than Pettersson's sophomore season, this year.
On the flip side, there appears to be more room to grow for Pettersson, with that 6'3 frame to fill out. The way he battles and thinks the game defensively means he could project as an absolute defensive force once he gets bigger and stronger. And being a good playmaker, with that remarkable shot accuracy and velocity gives him the tools to be tough to pass on.
It really is a close call IMO. Starting to look like the duo being the best centre and defenseman in franchise history.
On the flip side, there appears to be more room to grow for Pettersson, with that 6'3 frame to fill out. The way he battles and thinks the game defensively means he could project as an absolute defensive force once he gets bigger and stronger. And being a good playmaker, with that remarkable shot accuracy and velocity gives him the tools to be tough to pass on.
It really is a close call IMO. Starting to look like the duo being the best centre and defenseman in franchise history.
Hit the post
I have your gold medal Zippy!
To me, it's like whether you'd prefer your left or right hand.
We need both.
Look at the Laffs when Reilly went down.
We need both.
Look at the Laffs when Reilly went down.
Melvin
21/12/05
tough call. I want to say Hughes because what he's done has been more rare, but rookie defensemen are so hard to project, and it seems like many of the offensive-types take steps back after a huge start. I feel a little bit safer in betting that Pettersson will continue performing as a #1 centre than I do in betting that Hughes doesn't Shayne Gostisbehere.
Having said that
Having said that
VancouverJagger
Not trying to fit in
Yeah I disagree.........What's typically more important to a team? A franchise centerman or a franchise Dman? Logic would dictate the one that plays more.........and that's always the Dman.
I go with Hughes - he just seems to have a lot more impact on each and every game then Petey does (and believe me I love Petey - I'm just stoked we have both of them).
WTG
December 5th
The reason I took Hughes is that #1 defenseman log insane minutes in the playoffs. I believe Hughes will be that.
Highest TOI on cup winners forwards/defensemen
TOI/GP - 2010
Keith 28:11
Toews 20:58
TOI/GP - 2011
Chara - 27:39
Krejci - 20:25
TOI/GP - 2012
Doughty - 26:09
Kopitar - 22:03
TOI/GP - 2013
Keith - 27:37
Toews - 21:33
TOI/GP - 2014
Doughty - 28:45
Kopitar - 21:13
TOI/GP - 2015
Keith - 31:07
Toews - 20:54
TOI/GP - 2016
Letang - 28:53
Crosby - 20:26
TOI/GP - 2017
Dumoulin - 21:59
Crosby - 19:24
TOI/GP - 2018
Carlson - 25:38
Ovechkin - 20:44
TOI/GP - 2019
Pietrangelo - 25:45
O'Reily - 21:00
Defenseman on cup winning teams #1 d-men play much more minutes than forwards in the playoffs. Therefore, I think having a #1 defenseman is slightly more important than having a #1 centerman.
Highest TOI on cup winners forwards/defensemen
TOI/GP - 2010
Keith 28:11
Toews 20:58
TOI/GP - 2011
Chara - 27:39
Krejci - 20:25
TOI/GP - 2012
Doughty - 26:09
Kopitar - 22:03
TOI/GP - 2013
Keith - 27:37
Toews - 21:33
TOI/GP - 2014
Doughty - 28:45
Kopitar - 21:13
TOI/GP - 2015
Keith - 31:07
Toews - 20:54
TOI/GP - 2016
Letang - 28:53
Crosby - 20:26
TOI/GP - 2017
Dumoulin - 21:59
Crosby - 19:24
TOI/GP - 2018
Carlson - 25:38
Ovechkin - 20:44
TOI/GP - 2019
Pietrangelo - 25:45
O'Reily - 21:00
Defenseman on cup winning teams #1 d-men play much more minutes than forwards in the playoffs. Therefore, I think having a #1 defenseman is slightly more important than having a #1 centerman.
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WTG
December 5th
I took Hughes for reasons I stated above.
I do think it's incredibly close.
That is, if Hughes develops into that #1 defenseman of course.
One more thing, I'm here for the discussion not the debate.
Billy Kvcmu
Registered User
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