TSN's Top 50 Player Rankings

[Semantics]

Tavares wasn't seen as a Top 10 player. Arguably a Top 10 center, but not a Top 10 player.

Hahah classic revisionist history after a player joins the Leafs. Last year's thread for this very same ranking, when Matthews was ranked #10, was full of people complaining that Tavares should be ahead of him.

 

[Snippit]

Hahah classic revisionist history after a player joins the Leafs. Last year's thread for this very same ranking, when Matthews was ranked #10, was full of people complaining that Tavares should be ahead of him.

In my top 100 forward rankings last year Tavares finished at #8.

Pretty sure when you factor in defenseman that would have him outside of the top 12/13.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Hahah classic revisionist history after a player joins the Leafs. Last year's thread for this very same ranking, when Matthews was ranked #10, was full of people complaining that Tavares should be ahead of him.

Tavares was coming off a 66 point season, for Heaven's sake. That was on the heels of a 70 point season the year prior. He finished outside the Top 10 in scoring both years. He was not a Top 10 player coming into last season.

Nobody except Tavares fans thought Tavares was a Top 10 player for at least the past three seasons. Like I said, the last time he was regarded in that light was when he finished second to Benn in scoring. Since then, he has NOT been a Top 10 player. It has literally nothing to do with him suddenly being a Leaf.

 

[Phil68]

The Canadian writers proves to me how much they under value and rank Malkin. Heck Doughty over Malkin is crazy.. Change Malkin's name and list only his accomplishments see where would one rank him as player.. they are stoooooooooooopid

 

[Gary Nylund]

And even though I fully expect Matthews to make his way into the top 5/10 players in the league in the next few years, I just don't see him being there this year.

My thinking is if we were to take the top ~20 players in the league from last year, I just don't see a reason to expect Matthews to progress so drastically to leap frog a bunch of guys who either A) are also developing and getting better or B) are still in their prime and don't have any reason to be expected to take a step back this year

How about now?

 

[Regal]

How about now?

He's still behind Thomas Vanek

 

[filinski77]

How about now?

Let's wait until the end of the season before we get to this, Ovi had 7 goals in 2 games last year, but you saw no-one claiming he was better than McDavid or anything.

He's definitely off to a hot start, and if he continues to play as good as he is, he'll definitely finish the season as a top 10 player. There's nothing wrong with people not thinking he was a top 10 player last year, nor knowing when he would actually move into that group (which he seems he will this year, but as fart as anyone else could have known, it could have been next year or in 2 years).

Enjoy him, he's a treat to watch

 

[God King Fudge]

For TB: Doesn't make a lot of sense to me that Stamkos dropped after having his best season since 11-12, and his 4th best overall (granted, he was putting up 40-50-60 goals in those seasons). When he was putting up those seasons he was considered top 10, but now drops 4 spots? I can understand not putting him in the top 10, and I could even understand him not moving up. Him falling after producing close to when he was considered a top 10 guy is a bit puzzling to me.

Kucherov and Hedman are in their correct spots, being the top winger and dman ranked. Not sure about Vasy being the first goalie ranked, though. He's gotta show that he can hold his game over the entire season.

 

[The Macho King]

For TB: Doesn't make a lot of sense to me that Stamkos dropped after having his best season since 11-12, and his 4th best overall (granted, he was putting up 40-50-60 goals in those seasons). When he was putting up those seasons he was considered top 10, but now drops 4 spots? I can understand not putting him in the top 10, and I could even understand him not moving up. Him falling after producing close to when he was considered a top 10 guy is a bit puzzling to me.

Kucherov and Hedman are in their correct spots, being the top winger and dman ranked. Not sure about Vasy being the first goalie ranked, though. He's gotta show that he can hold his game over the entire season.

I don't know/care about the relative rankings, but Stamkos as a whole has better numbers than his qualities as a player suggests. He gets to center the best winger in the game, and he gets to receive passes from if not the best, then one of the best PP producing defenseman in the league.

I think he now has a rep of being a product of great wingers. Some of that is unfairly retroactive - before the leg injury he *was* a dynamic force in his own right who could score before anyone could pick him up on the ice, but at least as of now I can't really challenge it.

 

[LeafFever]

TSN knows what they are talking about. 5 on 5 is the hardest to score in and only McDavid was better than Matthews.
He'd be top 10 if he played in Florida.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Let's wait until the end of the season before we get to this, Ovi had 7 goals in 2 games last year, but you saw no-one claiming he was better than McDavid or anything.

He's definitely off to a hot start, and if he continues to play as good as he is, he'll definitely finish the season as a top 10 player. There's nothing wrong with people not thinking he was a top 10 player last year, nor knowing when he would actually move into that group (which he seems he will this year, but as fart as anyone else could have known, it could have been next year or in 2 years).

Enjoy him, he's a treat to watch

That's the whole point of the list - predicting who the top 10 will be this season. So far it's not looking good for anyone who didn't have Matthews in the top 10, if anything, 8th seems low right now. Sure it's only been a few games but for those of us who watch him regularly there's nothing surprising here. He looks like the same dominating player who looked like he was on his way to becoming the clear #2 in the world until he got injured last season. Well not quite the same, stronger, more powerful and with an even better shot.

 

[LeafFever]

Let's wait until the end of the season before we get to this, Ovi had 7 goals in 2 games last year, but you saw no-one claiming he was better than McDavid or anything.

He's definitely off to a hot start, and if he continues to play as good as he is, he'll definitely finish the season as a top 10 player. There's nothing wrong with people not thinking he was a top 10 player last year, nor knowing when he would actually move into that group (which he seems he will this year, but as fart as anyone else could have known, it could have been next year or in 2 years).

Enjoy him, he's a treat to watch

The irony is the list came out before this season and people judged it before a single game.

 

[filinski77]

That's the whole point of the list - predicting who the top 10 will be this season. So far it's not looking good for anyone who didn't have Matthews in the top 10, if anything, 8th seems low right now. Sure it's only been a few games but for those of us who watch him regularly there's nothing surprising here. He looks like the same dominating player who looked like he was on his way to becoming the clear #2 in the world until he got injured last season. Well not quite the same, stronger, more powerful and with an even better shot.

Yeah, I get the list was a projection. But at the end of the day, the argument came down to Matthews having to leap ahead of many other players that may or may not decline this season.

For example: Giroux, Kucherov, Malkin, MacKinnon, Hall, Kopitar, Ovi, Kessel, Marchand (and others) had better seasons than Matthews last year. For Matthews to jump into this top 5 consideration, it would depend on him making a further jump in his development (which is never a given for any player), and for a bunch of other players to decline from their prior years performance.

My whole point was that I knew it would happen, just a matter of when, and I personally thought his current placing was high (but surprises happen all of the time, it's really a guessing game). And for what it's worth, I live in Hamilton (just outside of Toronto), and the Leafs are my 2nd favourite team, and I watch a lot probably 40-60 leafs games a year if I can with my buddies, and I love Matthews, I'm just trying to be as objective as possible and not just expect every young player to take huge steps every year (For ex/ not many people are saying Barzal is gonna hit 95 points this year, simply because he's still a developing player).

 

[Gary Nylund]

Yeah, I get the list was a projection. But at the end of the day, the argument came down to Matthews having to leap ahead of many other players that may or may not decline this season.

For example: Giroux, Kucherov, Malkin, MacKinnon, Hall, Kopitar, Ovi, Kessel, Marchand (and others) had better seasons than Matthews last year. For Matthews to jump into this top 5 consideration, it would depend on him making a further jump in his development (which is never a given for any player), and for a bunch of other players to decline from their prior years performance.

My whole point was that I knew it would happen, just a matter of when, and I personally thought his current placing was high (but surprises happen all of the time, it's really a guessing game). And for what it's worth, I live in Hamilton (just outside of Toronto), and the Leafs are my 2nd favourite team, and I watch a lot probably 40-60 leafs games a year if I can with my buddies, and I love Matthews, I'm just trying to be as objective as possible and not just expect every young player to take huge steps every year (For ex/ not many people are saying Barzal is gonna hit 95 points this year, simply because he's still a developing player).

Sure that's fair. From my POV, Matthews jumping the top 5 doesn't require a jump in development, it just requires for him to stay healthy. He was a total beast (playing at top 5 level) before getting hurt last season. And of course an elite player at that age is more than likely to improve some with another year under his belt so there's that as well.

 

[connormcmuffin]

Just realized Provorov isn't on this list so this is a stupid list.

 

[b in vancouver]

Tavares was coming off a 66 point season, for Heaven's sake. That was on the heels of a 70 point season the year prior. He finished outside the Top 10 in scoring both years. He was not a Top 10 player coming into last season.

Nobody except Tavares fans thought Tavares was a Top 10 player for at least the past three seasons. Like I said, the last time he was regarded in that light was when he finished second to Benn in scoring. Since then, he has NOT been a Top 10 player. It has literally nothing to do with him suddenly being a Leaf.

Common sense does not trump victimhood.

 

[zeke]

I’d bet my left **** this won’t happen

at least you can still have kids.

 

[authentic]

Doubt it.

He’ll never hit more than 90 pts in his career, just not that type of player. He’s good for 40+ goals but maximum 30 assists.

Gold.

 

[NightTrain1]

I'm shocked Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander and Rielly aren't top 5.....

Don't worry...they are

Except in this instance the part of Nylander will be played by Bergeron since he's still holding out.

 

[Master P]

Insecurity everywhere

 

[CCM19]

Gold.

Sorry he hit 90 pts already? Damn that’s a good player!

 

[joe dirte]

The Canadian writers proves to me how much they under value and rank Malkin. Heck Doughty over Malkin is crazy.. Change Malkin's name and list only his accomplishments see where would one rank him as player.. they are stoooooooooooopid

Hes the best dman in the nhl. Just how far down do you think he should fall?

 

[joe dirte]

Doubt it.

He’ll never hit more than 90 pts in his career, just not that type of player. He’s good for 40+ goals but maximum 30 assists.

Everyone else could see this coming. Why are you so completely out to lunch???

 

[Bedards Dad]

Sorry he hit 90 pts already? Damn that’s a good player!

You do realize he is only 2 goals behind your entire Rangers team?

 

[CCM19]

You do realize he is only 2 goals behind your entire Rangers team?

#notarangersfan