The Hockey News - Top 50 players

[DannyGallivan]

Matthew is not a top 10 player just yet.

I do like some of the picks (kinda like the top five), but there are the usual head-scratchers. And I hate mixing goalies in with the rest of the players... they're position is just too different to compare, they need their own list.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Carlson, McAvoy, Huberdeau, Barzal above Letang? Really?

 

[nbwingsfan]

I love ROR but he’s probably not even a top 10 player at his position, let alone the NHL.

My thoughts exactly. Easily my biggest issue with the list and I’d have a hard time even having him in my top 50 personally.

 

[JonathnTaylorTavares]

Getzlaf at 51?

 

[Coffey]

ROR is the new Toews?

 

[Kamiccolo]

Matthew is not a top 10 player just yet.

I do like some of the picks (kinda like the top five), but there are the usual head-scratchers. And I hate mixing goalies in with the rest of the players... they're position is just too different to compare, they need their own list.

Depends what you value. He is a top goalscorer since entering the league and has done so with less PP time and worse linemates than a lot of other stars.

Look at raw points under rates how good of a player he is. We need a healthy season from him to get a good baseline. In that, he should be a lock for at least 40 goals and PPG play. If he can return to his defensive play from before last season, and with his size, that's a package of player rarely found in hockey.

 

[Mickey Marner]

How is ROR top-10 and Pietrangelo not top-50? That's some next level derp.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Are my eyes failing me, or is Drew Doughty not listed?

According to these people, only 10 of the top 50 players in the world are defensemen and those players are:

1. Victor Hedman
2. Brent Burns
3. Seth Jones
4. Erik Karlsson
5. Roman Josi
6. Mark Giordano
7. John Carlson
8. Morgan Rielly
9. PK Subban
10. Charlie McAvoy

 

[Isaac Nootin]

Carlson, McAvoy, Huberdeau, Barzal above Letang? Really?

I feel like Huberdeau just put up the quietest 90+ point season of all time.

 

[The Roy Of Ottawa]

Why isn't Patrick Marleau on the list?

 

[wetcoast]

patrick kane at 12
matthews at 9
malkin at TWENTY FIVE
carey price at 46

L M A O

Even with that it's a pretty good list.

People seem to forget that Malkin was a defensive nightmare last season and looked rather ordinary at times and also is a huge risk to miss time.

For the same reason I'm surprised to see Bergeron so high given injury concerns.


Still a reasonable list.

 

[wetcoast]

Have to imagine this is the first time Crosby hasn't been top 2 since entering his second season.

I would still take him as 1 or 1b given his dominant 2 way play last season and would shuffle a bunch of other players around but who wouldn't?

For all the detractors what does their list look like going intoo next season and just for the next season?

 

[Ryan Michaels]

You guys pretend to dislike or not care about these lists but truth be told you love them, relishing any excuse for hfboards favourite pastime of getting together to complain about Auston Matthews.

 

[Varan]

Even with that it's a pretty good list.

People seem to forget that Malkin was a defensive nightmare last season and looked rather ordinary at times and also is a huge risk to miss time.

For the same reason I'm surprised to see Bergeron so high given injury concerns.


Still a reasonable list.

It’s obvious that whoever made this list weighs heavily on 2-way play, but still, saying that there are 24 players better than Malkin is insane.

Patrick Kane just hit his career high and finished 3rd in the AR race, yet he’s out of the top-10. Matthews hit 73 points, yet he’s in the top ten because why? Cause he’s a centre? Based on potential?

Do you agree with ROR’s placement? I think this would be one of the rare moments on HF where something is unanimously agreed on, that he doesn’t deserve top-10.

 

[volcom92886]

This is by far one of the worst lists Ive ever seen and its put out by a respected publication.

Stone, O'Reilly and Draistial are ranked way too high and thats only the top 20.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

...and Tavares is ranked @ #13, what a joke.

3rd in scoring this decade
3 top 3 finishes in scoring...including 2nd place just 1 year ago
3 top 4 finishes in Hart voting....including just 1 year ago

Giroux will go down as one of the most under rated.

 

[bobholly39]

This is by far one of the worst lists Ive ever seen and its put out by a respected publication.

Stone, O'Reilly and Draistial are ranked way too high and thats only the top 20.

The problem is that it 's so inconsistent.

I honestly can get behind seeing ROR at 10. I don't think he's anywhere close to top 10 player in the world - but if the criteria is based very, very heavily on last season, i'm ok with it. Conn Smythe and Selke? sure, reward him with top 10.

But then.....you have Patrick Kane at #12, who just had a monstrous season.

And Auston Matthews - who i actually like a lot and could see honestly earning the title of #2 in the world behind McDavid at some point - should belong nowhere near the #9 spot based on last season. He's yet to really put a flagship season together - guys like Drai, Point and even Huberdeau to name a few just had a better year all scoring 90+.

Super inconsistent list.

 

[bobholly39]

I would still take him as 1 or 1b given his dominant 2 way play last season and would shuffle a bunch of other players around but who wouldn't?

For all the detractors what does their list look like going intoo next season and just for the next season?

Crosby doesn't deserve to be top 2 on this list.

McDavid has simply earned the right to surpass him on such lists based on the past few years. And Kucherov scored 128 points - you shouldn't disrespect that. I'm fine with Crosby at #3.

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

What an absolutely horrible list.

I don't know what's more insane-ROR being 10th, or Pietrangelo not being on it.

 

[wetcoast]

It’s obvious that whoever made this list weighs heavily on 2-way play, but still, saying that there are 24 players better than Malkin is insane.

Patrick Kane just hit his career high and finished 3rd in the AR race, yet he’s out of the top-10. Matthews hit 73 points, yet he’s in the top ten because why? Cause he’s a centre? Based on potential?

Do you agree with ROR’s placement? I think this would be one of the rare moments on HF where something is unanimously agreed on, that he doesn’t deserve top-10.

No ROR is too high obviously the Selke and Conn Smythe recency bias is at play and like I said I would shuffle quite a few players around.

Kane should be slightly higher but I have no problem having Malkin 24 given injury concerns and lack of tilting the ice 5 on 5.

Mathews has a case for top 10.

 

[wetcoast]

It’s obvious that whoever made this list weighs heavily on 2-way play, but still, saying that there are 24 players better than Malkin is insane.

Patrick Kane just hit his career high and finished 3rd in the AR race, yet he’s out of the top-10. Matthews hit 73 points, yet he’s in the top ten because why? Cause he’s a centre? Based on potential?

Do you agree with ROR’s placement? I think this would be one of the rare moments on HF where something is unanimously agreed on, that he doesn’t deserve top-10.

Malkin 24th going into next season is reasonable given his injury history and horrible 5 on 5 play last year.

Kane sure should be higher and ROR looks better in the 30 to 50 range.

Mathews in the top 10 has an arguement but not a strong one.

 

[Omark]

Is there hfboards version of this? Just like the devils section has voted their best players from 1. to 25. with polls. That would be interesting.

 

[wetcoast]

Crosby doesn't deserve to be top 2 on this list.

McDavid has simply earned the right to surpass him on such lists based on the past few years. And Kucherov scored 128 points - you shouldn't disrespect that. I'm fine with Crosby at #3.

For fantasy leagues sure and I have no problem with Connor at #1 and I would have Crosby at #2 even if one thinks Kucherov will have 25 more points than him next season.

 

[Mobiandi]

The Norris trophy winner is 20 spots below Burns, 16 spots below Jones, and 11 below Karlsson. Ok.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

The Norris trophy winner is 20 spots below Burns, 16 spots below Jones, and 11 below Karlsson. Ok.

He had a total fluke season at the age of 35 and then crumpled in the playoffs. Why are you complaining about him being listed above players with much better track records?