Rookie Classes - 2017 vs. 2018

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Simple enough question here:

Given the two rosters below, comprised entirely of rookies from each of their respective seasons, which do you think would:

a) Win a best-of-seven series if they started play tomorrow?

b) Win a best-of-seven series if they started play five years from now?

2017
Kyle Connor - Matt Barzal - Brock Boeser
Alex DeBrincat - Clayton Keller – Yanni Gourde
Pierre-Luc Dubois – Nico Hischier – Alex Tuch
Jesper Bratt – Alex Kerfoot - Danton Heinen

Thomas Chabot – Charlie McAvoy
Mikhail Sergachev - Will Butcher
Sam Girard - Ryan Pulock

Juuse Saros
David Rittich

2018
Brady Tkachuk – Elias Pettersson – Andrei Svechnikov
Robert Thomas – Colin White – Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Casey Mittelstadt – Filip Chytil – Brett Howden
Drake Batherson – Mathieu Joseph – Eeli Tolvanen

Rasmus Dahlin- Miro Heiskanen
Dennis Cholowski – Henri Jokiharju
Maxime Lajoie – Marcus Pettersson

Cal Petersen
Adin Hill

With regards to the rosters, I did try and squeeze in as much talent as possible, so a few of the forwards may be out of position. With regards to the 2018 rookies, I tried to balance their early production this year with projections of how I think they'll end up as the season goes on, so guys like Mittelstadt and Tolvanen found their way in despite slow or AHL-filled starts.

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[Kcb12345]

Better depth and overall lineup in the 2017 one

I like that 2018 top D-pair and top line though

 

[Tony Stacks]

2018 just based on Pettersson and Dahlin. They're both gonna be top 5 players in the league for a long time.

 

[Skolman]

2018 just based on Pettersson and Dahlin. They're both gonna be top 5 players in the league for a long time.

Hmmm....

IMO, these 3 are a lock for the top 5 for the next decade+. McDavid, MacKinnon, Matthews.

Do you agree? You would say that Pettersson & Dahlin are going to fill out the rest of the top 5?

That's quite bold. Don't forget there are new superstars coming into the league every year or two, Lafreniere being the next potential true "superstar". That's not to mention guys like Eichel, Kucherov Rantanen, Pastrnak,etc.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Can't pass on Heiskanen, Dahlin, Petterson, Kotkaniemi.

 

[Icebreakers]

If they played a BO7 tomorrow 2017 would sweep the series. A third line of PLD - Hischier- Tuch are you kidding me?

Bratt-kerfoot-heinen is arguably better than white - Kotkaniemi - Thomas right now too.

2017 has 3 lines that are first NHL first line talent as of this second

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Not really a fair poll as the 2017 group has one more year for players to break out.
I think though the 2018 group ends up having the two best players of the two years in Dahlin and Pettersson so I voted them to win in 5 years.

 

[hamzarocks]

Wasnt the rookie class of 2017 Matthews, Laine, etc one? Or does it go by the end of the season. I thought barzal, keller etc would be from class of 2018 and Dahlin+Petterson etc would be 2019

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Wasnt the rookie class of 2017 Matthews, Laine, etc one? Or does it go by the end of the season. I thought barzal, keller etc would be from class of 2018 and Dahlin+Petterson etc would be 2019

Honestly, you're probably right. Oversight on my part, but hopefully people get what I'm going for.

 

[c4rdsh4rk]

2017 now but i think 18 has more elite guys in 5 years to beat the depth of team 17

plus cal petersen will be the most effective goalie of the bunch.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Howden wasn't a 2018 draftee.

 

[Bluesnatic27]

Howden wasn't a 2018 draftee.

It's representing the rookie class, i.e. the season the players play in the NHL as a rookie. It's not based on draft years.

 

[SillyRabbit]

2017 is deeper, but man that 2018 power play unit would be insane.

Tkachuk – Pettersson – Svechnikov
Dahlin - Heiskanen