Ryan Nugent-Hopkins vs Jordan Staal

[Conbon]

Both seem to be trending in the same direction of being defensive minded centers with offensive upside. I think people tend to forget that Staal is just 27 years old to Nugent-Hopkins 24 and thought they make a close comparison. Who is better?

Click to read more...

 

[tony d]

Close but I went with Jordan Staal.

 

[Fugazy]

Staal.

 

[A91]

Oilers fan saying Staal, RNH has really regressed/stagnated the past few seasons.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Staal AINEC.

For me to think about this RNH would have to score +60 pts. Staal is just the type of player any team would love to have. Big, strong, plays in all situations and was a whopping 16% better on the dot than RNH last season.

I also think his offensive skills are better than the production he's showed so far in Carolina.. im interested to see if his points go up as the Canes get better. Definitely think he should be hitting 20 goals and 50 pts annually (to be fair he's been extremely close to that the last couple of years).

Staal gives your team credibility to win hockey games. Can't say the same thing about RNH. Albeit i think RNH will find his groove, but as it stands this is not that close.

 

[Halla]

this isnt gonna be close imho.

staal by quite a bit. much better defensively, RNH has a very slight offensive edge though

 

[Trap Jesus]

I feel like J. Staal is super-underrated. One of the best defensive forwards in the league and good for 40-50 points. The slight edge RNH may have offensively doesn't even come close to the gap defensively between the two.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

very close, gimme j. staal. both kind

 

[VoluntaryDom]

*kinda overrated

 

[ESH]

Both seem to be trending in the same direction of being defensive minded centers with offensive upside. I think people tend to forget that Staal is just 27 years old to Nugent-Hopkins 24 and thought they make a close comparison. Who is better?

This almost blew my mind, but I thought about it and I was pretty sure Staal is older than that. Staal turns 29 in less than a month.

 

[McNurse]

This is a joke right?

 

[GongShowWilly]

I take Staal

 

[Curufinwe]

Staal is a faceoff and possession monster. Easy pick.

http://puckbase.com/stats/faceoff-percentage?team=all

http://puckbase.com/stats/possession?team=CAR

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Easily Staal.

The only chance RNH had at winning this poll is if his offense was leaps and bounds better than Staal's. But unfortunately for him, he seems to be settling into the same amount of production you'd get out of Staal, but with a vastly inferior defensive game to Staal's.

 

[DearDiary]

Staal is the guy you win with. Makes it easier for your star players to exceed, because he can handle tough matchups and dzone starts while still contributing offensively with garbage as wingers.

 

[Conbon]

Oilers fan saying Staal, RNH has really regressed/stagnated the past few seasons.

Nugent-Hopkins had the lowest shot percentage of his career last year. Say he gets traded and his O-zone starts get bumped back up to his rookie year levels (63%) and produces at his rookie yea pace, is he then considered better?

 

[Curufinwe]

I'm more worried about his faceoff and possession numbers forcing him to be moved to the wing.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Staal. But RNH has potential still

 

[izzy]

huge rnh fan but its staal

 

[Sky04]

Staal just because he absolutely excels at his role, RNH may have more offensive talent but it doesn't translate into possession or prodcution, bottom tier #1, good #2 but Staal's all round games fills just about every teams needs.

 

[hohosaregood]

Staal very AINEC

 

[MessierII]

Staal hands down

 

[Ctrain2k]

Staal is 29 in under a month not 27.

 

[1989]

Staal is 29 in under a month not 27.

Doesn't matter. Staal @ 29 still trumps Nugent-Hopkins at his role. Staal is a perfect 3C who likely slots into that role for almost any team in the league, whereas I see RNH as more of a "failed" top-six-or-bust type of player. Yes, he has better offensive output when he has favourable minutes, but gun to my head asking me if I'd rather have Staal or Nugent-Hopkins in any given situation on the ice, I'd rather roll with Staal.

 

[93LEAFS]

Staal, his defensive reputation is actually warranted. He is one of the best centers in regards to playing against top guys and flipping the ice. RNH is probably better if you were asking them to perform all the duties of a number 1 center in regards to scoring, but Staal is a player who is much easier to win with at the equivalent salary.

Due to his offensive numbers, Jordan Staal is one of the most slept on players in the league. If he played on a good team, in the role he was suited for, he would constantly being in the Selke discussion.