The Hodgson, Duchene and Grachev Thread

[Avy*]

Man he is just great playmaker and all-round player. Watch WJC.

 

[FLYLine27*]

Grachev is a big step below Hodgson and Duchene, I don't know why he's in this debate

So Hodgson is the #2 prospect, and Grachev is the #19 prospect in the NHL...so how is it such a huge step below that its not worth the debate?

(according to THN)

 

[Inner Gear]

Interesting thing.

Brampton Battalion stats
London Knights stats
Windsor Spitfires stats

Player|Games|Goals|Assists|Points|+/-
John Tavares (both teams)|55|58|46|104|+10
Cody Hodgson|51|42|48|90|+40
Taylor Hall|62|37|52|89|+27
Matt Duchene|55|30|46|76|+32
Evgeni Grachev|58|40|36|76| +47

OHL top scorers

From top 20 scorers only two players have better plus-minus than Grachev: Ryan Ellis (D) and Greg Nemisz (RW), both from Windsor Spitfires.

 

[Boondock]

Yeah, but the degree of Canucks homerism that surrounds this kid is completely egregious. I used to like Hodgson as a prospect before Canucks fans started openly and flagrantly fellating the kid at every given opportunity. Now, I find even his name annoying and that's a shame because he is quite a good hockey player, but I think Canucks fans have set him up for a hell of a fall if he doesn't immediately prove himself to be the second coming.

Insightful RangerRed - Because over zealous HF Boarders are the gauge by which all prospects in the NHL are judged. If you think his career success will be based on what a handful of fans say on an online form I think you may be in for one hell of a fall

 

[Boondock]

It's just a case of Canuckfan not being used to having drafting decent prospects - if you look at our drafting history, you can understand why.

for sure - just look at the last few years - Luc Bourdon, while a solid prospect - Kopitar was selected with the next pick - for as long as I can remeber, Canucks have been trying to land a stilled Big Center. Kesler - turning into a real solid player, but we could of had Richards - I'd rather have Richards, but Kes wil do. Patrick White???? who??? could of had Perron...could of had anybody other then White. Grabner - potential, quick, pure goal scorer - but could of had Giroux, Berglund... So yeah finally having a forward pick that looks like a success is bound to make Canuck fans giddy

 

[Levitate]

for sure - just look at the last few years - Luc Bourdon, while a solid prospect - Kopitar was selected with the next pick - for as long as I can remeber, Canucks have been trying to land a stilled Big Center. Kesler - turning into a real solid player, but we could of had Richards - I'd rather have Richards, but Kes wil do. Patrick White???? who??? could of had Perron...could of had anybody other then White. Grabner - potential, quick, pure goal scorer - but could of had Giroux, Berglund... So yeah finally having a forward pick that looks like a success is bound to make Canuck fans giddy

Could have had Grachev...

 

[windflare]

Was the guy I wanted after Ness was off the board.

 

[Flinch*]

Yeah, but the degree of Canucks homerism that surrounds this kid is completely egregious. I used to like Hodgson as a prospect before Canucks fans started openly and flagrantly fellating the kid at every given opportunity. Now, I find even his name annoying and that's a shame because he is quite a good hockey player, but I think Canucks fans have set him up for a hell of a fall if he doesn't immediately prove himself to be the second coming.

Yeah...it's going to be interesting next year when Hodgson doesn't get a hat trick in his first game and fan sentiment slowly turns against him.

I love hearing about what he's been doing and how well he's been doing this year, but some people are proposing we throw out a second line of something like:

David Booth (yes, I know he's Florida property) Hodgson Grabner

While I think he might be able to handle second line center duties in his rookie season, that's a damn high bar to be setting. To not expect any sort of hiccups in the first year of a player's pro year is silly, IMO.

 

[Randall Graves*]

All this talk about the "overhyping" of Cody Hodgson is pretty damn amusing. Look at the kid's resume since draft day... couldn't have gone better for the kid, other than cracking the Canucks and being a Calder candidate. Let the Canuck fans be excited about thier prospect... it looks like petty jealousy when people come out of the woodwork to try and minimize Hodgson's accomplishments...

No it's more like his WJC has blown his ability and talent out of proportion

 

[Randall Graves*]

So Hodgson is the #2 prospect, and Grachev is the #19 prospect in the NHL...so how is it such a huge step below that its not worth the debate?

(according to THN)

THN's ranking is not the best, besides that Grachev is leaching off of Hodgson, he wouldn't be putting up these numbers if he had to carry a line

 

[FroshaugFan2]

THN's ranking is not the best, besides that Grachev is leaching off of Hodgson, he wouldn't be putting up these numbers if he had to carry a line

Neither is leaching off the other. Grachev, for the majority of the season has played with Duchene.

 

[Jonathan Iilahti*]

No it's more like his WJC has blown his ability and talent out of proportion

He has performed as well, if not better, playing for Brampton this season.

 

[timw33]

No it's more like his WJC has blown his ability and talent out of proportion

Hardly.

He's actually a very talented player and I don't see how some people don't see that.

 

[Jon Snow]

Hardly.

He's actually a very talented player and I don't see how some people don't see that.

I'm thinking many people don't see it because Hodgson isn't their FAVORITE TEAM'S prospect... good lord, imagine the fanfare if he was Leafs property.

 

[CAPiTA]

I'm thinking many people don't see it because Hodgson isn't their FAVORITE TEAM'S prospect... good lord, imagine the fanfare if he was Leafs property.

LOL, that would be a spectacle to behold, and believe me, they are going to tout whoever they draft this time around WAY more than Schenn. Leaf fans are such hippocrites, they love Hodgson to death, but think Kaberle is worth Hodgson AND our 1st.

 

[Falcons93]

1) Duchene -100 point seasons are possible, good two-way forward
2) Hodgson -80 points a season peak, good two-way forward
3) Grachev - .........

 

[Randall Graves*]

Neither is leaching off the other. Grachev, for the majority of the season has played with Duchene.

So he's basically gotten to play with two top 10 picks

 

[Randall Graves*]

Hardly.

He's actually a very talented player and I don't see how some people don't see that.

Sure he's talented..but the second best prospect in hockey? I disagree

 

[ecemleafs]

1) Duchene -100 point seasons are possible, good two-way forward
2) Hodgson -80 points a season peak, good two-way forward
3) Grachev - 80 goal seasons are possible, dominating power forward

fixed

 

[Falcons93]

fixed

lol i didnt leave him off because i dont think he deserves to be here...i just wasn't sure what kind of stats he'll put up in the NHL...i seriously hope you meant 80 point season...rather than 80 goal seasons...lol

 

[ecemleafs]

lol i didnt leave him off because i dont think he deserves to be here...i just wasn't sure what kind of stats he'll put up in the NHL...i seriously hope you meant 80 point season...rather than 80 goal seasons...lol

haha nope, 80 goals. maybe if zherdev has a good year next to him he will get 50 assists as well

 

[gd7]

1) Duchene -too early to tell
2) Hodgson -still too early to tell
3) Grachev - way too early to tell.

fixed

 

[Falcons93]

fixed

except the OP asked for input, not "too early to tell", thanks for coming out though.

 

[re5piration]

Doucheayne.

 

[CallMeJerry]

All I can add to this debate is that, when healthy, Duchene skated with Geno at the latter's first practice with the Battalion and, when healthy, they've played together ever since.

I had Grachev at 23 in my mock draft last year ... TSN had him in the 50s and questioned his skating. Took a bit of static about that. He'll be the best third-rounder in that draft and maybe the best taken after the first round. (Markstrom, maybe. Cormier, quite possibly.) If you're redoing the 2008 draft, he'd be in the first round no doubt.

No need to say that these are three great prospects but they're very different kids.

Hodgson will make the absolute most of every bit of talent he has ... will not be out-worked, maybe has put too much pressure on himself in the past. He is 19 going on 30 in terms of emotional intelligence.

Duchene is the best athlete of the three. Skating makes him potentially more dynamic than Hodgson down the line. He's "younger" than Cody. He's a more impressive prospect at this point of the season than Hodgson was a year ago.

Grachev is still learning the game over here. He has better north-south speed (as noted in previous posts). Fact is, he is likely the fastest player in the O on that count. And I suspect that, as big as he is, he's going to get bigger ... he's likely the least physically mature of the lot. He has a big frame. He could play at 230 or bigger someday.

You could defend any order but it's moot: If Hodgson is a Top Ten (and if you did he draft over he'd spike up from his slot I'd bet) then Grachev is at the very least in the second ten of last year's pool. There's no doubt about Duchene being a Top Ten this year and to most minds a Top 5.

Can you grace us with any scouting reports on Grachev? From the bits of highlights I've seen, it really looks like he's a giant among boys but that's not going to be the case at the next level. Any info on his mental makeup & maturity? He clearly has all the physical tools to make it big but does he have the drive & work ethic?