Quinton Hughes vs. Adam Boqvist vs. Evan Bouchard vs. Noah Dobson vs. Ty Smith
- Thread starter NJ DevLolz
- Start date
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
I meant shooter tbh
Shouldve been evident when I said he was as good a skater just twenty characters before
Breakers
Make Mirrored Visors Legal Again
Yeah stupid me for not knowing skating means shooting in your world.
BK
"Goalie Apologist"
Boqvist is a really good skater (not close to an average skater either) but Hughes is next level. If Boqvist skated as well as Hughes I don't think he would have dropped out of the top 5.
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Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
There are a lot of next level skaters at the pro level, if you can't defend in your own end and find a way to retrieve pucks, you will be bottom 6 defensmen. Ryan Murphy is a prime example of this and would be the closest previous comparison to Hughes.
Even if one argues Hughes is a better skater than Boqvist it doesn’t make (or in this case shouldn’t make) Boqvist an average skater.
What I personally don’t get is why people are so focus on skating when it comes to Ds. I can’t help feeling people are overrating Hughes due to his ridiculously good skating. Not saying he is bad at other stuff, but is he really that good? He won’t survive in the big league purely based on skating.
To me there is more uncertainty around Hughes than Boqvist. I can see why some/many feel Hughes has a higher ceiling though. If he can use his skating in the same way in the NHL he will be quite unique. I don’t think he can, but I’m far from certain he won’t.
What I personally don’t get is why people are so focus on skating when it comes to Ds. I can’t help feeling people are overrating Hughes due to his ridiculously good skating. Not saying he is bad at other stuff, but is he really that good? He won’t survive in the big league purely based on skating.
To me there is more uncertainty around Hughes than Boqvist. I can see why some/many feel Hughes has a higher ceiling though. If he can use his skating in the same way in the NHL he will be quite unique. I don’t think he can, but I’m far from certain he won’t.
VictorLustig
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- Feb 8, 2012
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Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
How does that make sense considering Hughes dropped out of the top 5 ?
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
I may be confused but I think Murphy had a heck of a shot, something Hughes does not have.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
I love an elite skating D, but when you're saying that Hughes is so much better than Boqvist at skating... It's 1- Wrong, 2- Ridiculous.
It's like saying Brady Tkachuk is stronger than Matthew Tkachuk, or like saying McDavid skates faster than Barzal... At some point, it doesn't really matter, you're elite at one skill and thats it. Hughes is elite at one thing, skating, Boqvist is elite at shooting and skating, the choice is easy for me.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
He was also as dynamic a skater that you would see at the Junior level. You need to find a way to defend or you will not play.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
TBH, I don't think Hughes is that bad in the Dzone, but I think he's really risky.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
I don't believe he is good at retrieving the puck when he doesn't have it. It is something he will likely need to learn to hit his top end potential (Karlsson)
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Kaners PPGs
Registered User
With Boqvist's other tools, if he had Hughes's skating ability he would have been top 5.
VictorLustig
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Jason MacIsaac
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Prodigy MayD
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- Jan 3, 2019
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I know I am late to the party.
Here is my quick rankings pre-draft.
1. Hughes
2. Boqvist
3. Dobson
4. Smith
5. Bouchard
Here is my quick rankings pre-draft.
1. Hughes
2. Boqvist
3. Dobson
4. Smith
5. Bouchard
Hughes is out producing boqvist in a tougher league, also leads his team in points where as boqvist ranks 5th in his. Just saying.
Sergei Shirokov
Registered User
Murphy couldn't defend, think or skate quite like Hughes. Had a better shot but that was about it.
The game is all about speed & getting the puck out of your zone - up the ice quickly. Its getting harder & harder to create time + space with your feet. Is it really hard to understand why skating is such a focus for D's? Being a 'good' skater is becoming the minimum requirement.
The young guys coming into the league are only getting faster not slower, all you need to do is watch a defenseman who can't move aswell get walked routinely or struggle to move it under pressure. Whether you think Boqvist is better or not (and he's certainly a very good skater) I'm just surprised that's being questioned.
The game is all about speed & getting the puck out of your zone - up the ice quickly. Its getting harder & harder to create time + space with your feet. Is it really hard to understand why skating is such a focus for D's? Being a 'good' skater is becoming the minimum requirement.
The young guys coming into the league are only getting faster not slower, all you need to do is watch a defenseman who can't move aswell get walked routinely or struggle to move it under pressure. Whether you think Boqvist is better or not (and he's certainly a very good skater) I'm just surprised that's being questioned.
Dan Kelly
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- Sep 27, 2017
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Ryan Murphy is a good example of a d-man that had all of the tools to succeed at the NHL level but didn't. we might want to temper our expectations a little before declaring that any of our teams have the next Miro Heiskanen.
topched88
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- Jan 21, 2007
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I honestly don’t think Hughes is that bad in his own end. His positioning is pretty good and he has a good stick. His size limitations are what they are. He’s not going to win body battles along the boards, and once he’s in his zone and the other teams set up he’s not going to likely be as effective as other d men. He will fight lots of his battles not giving up the blue line, and getting the puck out under control at a very efficient clip — that’s how he’s going to have to defend.
My issue with Hughes is the un needed risky plays in areas of the ice that aren’t going to lead to scoring chances. His decision making I find poor at times and he needs to start making the simple play when it’s there more often then letting those moments come to him organically. Might be too used to being the best player on his team, he will improve as he learns to use his team mates better.
I know his controlled zone exit rates are off the charts, but he almost always skates it out then makes the pass in the neutral zone where the higher risk event happens. Does anyone have a stat on how many of his controlled exits lead to controlled entries? I have no idea what it is, but I would find it an interesting statistic based on his game.
Admittedly, I think he should appreciate that the fastest way to move the puck up the ice is by passing it no matter how good of skater you are.
Haven’t seen much of boqvist, especially not enough to make an educated comparison of thier games. Having said that I have Hughes above the rest of them on my list even though they play much different games.
My issue with Hughes is the un needed risky plays in areas of the ice that aren’t going to lead to scoring chances. His decision making I find poor at times and he needs to start making the simple play when it’s there more often then letting those moments come to him organically. Might be too used to being the best player on his team, he will improve as he learns to use his team mates better.
I know his controlled zone exit rates are off the charts, but he almost always skates it out then makes the pass in the neutral zone where the higher risk event happens. Does anyone have a stat on how many of his controlled exits lead to controlled entries? I have no idea what it is, but I would find it an interesting statistic based on his game.
Admittedly, I think he should appreciate that the fastest way to move the puck up the ice is by passing it no matter how good of skater you are.
Haven’t seen much of boqvist, especially not enough to make an educated comparison of thier games. Having said that I have Hughes above the rest of them on my list even though they play much different games.
Boqvist is almost one year younger. Has zero experience on NA ice. Not to mention having moved to a new place.
I guess we won’t see Hughes in Sweden, but I’m not exactly worried that Boqvist had a slow start and is now scoring at a very solid rate. Just saying.
I won't comment on Hughes/Boqvist but Smith certainly looked like the better dman on team Canada compared to Bouchard/Dobson.
KovalSNIPE
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- Feb 9, 2011
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In b4 our boy Smith becomes the best of them all 
