Which five player core would you build around?

[Northern Avs Fan]

Toronto
Carolina
NYR
Buffalo
Colorado

For me. Wild cards being...

Can Dahlin boost Buffalo to the top?
Will Matthews continue to be a dominant 50g C moving forward?
Is Svechnikov actually as good as I am thinking he is?
Can Fox and Zibanejad improve on this year, or was it an anomaly?
Will Makar live up to the off the rails hype train following him right now?

You know that Makar was a 4th overall draft choice, right?

The way people talk about him sometimes makes it seem like he came out of no where, like he was a 25th overall pick.

He should be damn good, he was touted as the highest upside player of his draft class.

 

[hamzarocks]

Why does Colorado have a 4th liner as part of their options lool. They cant be first simply b/c of nichuskinin. Replace him with an actual talent and core worthy piece like newhook or landeskog and they go 1st. Also girard is a great young guy but he does not look like a number 1 D potentially probably not even a number 2. Think he will be a great number 3 defenseman. Replace him with byram who has an elite ceiling and its Avs by far.

 

[hamzarocks]

You know that Makar was a 4th overall draft choice, right?

The way people talk about him sometimes makes it seem like he came out of no where, like he was a 25th overall pick.

He should be damn good, he was touted as the highest upside player of his draft class.

Why didnt you include byram and newhook/landeskog?

Right now Avs are hurt by having a 4th liner (maybe 3rd if he can sustain his lucky offensive totals) as a piece. Also byram should replace girard Having byram and one of those two guys is a true representation of the Avs core. If nichkushin isnt on the avs at next years TDL due to producing little offense and being dumped who would be surprised?. Avs have the best true 5 man core but they're 3rd or 4th using the list you provided behind Toronto and New York

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Why didnt you include byram and newhook/landeskog?

Right now Avs are hurt by having a 4th liner (maybe 3rd if he can sustain his lucky offensive totals) as a piece. Also byram should replace girard Having byram and one of those two guys is a true representation of the Avs core. If nichkushin isnt on the avs at next years TDL due to producing little offense and being dumped who would be surprised?. Avs have the best true 5 man core but they're 3rd or 4th using the list you provided behind Toronto and New York

I said earlier, but I wanted to balance the debate.

I certainly don’t view Nichushkin as the fifth most valuable asset on the Avs.

Girard is already a proven really good defenceman. That’s why he’s on the list ahead of Byram. I think Byram has higher upside, but there’s also more risk involved with prospects. If Byram only became as good as Girard I’d be thrilled.

You don’t have to vote for the Avs btw haha, if you like the other cores on the list better feel free to vote for them.

 

[Merrrlin]

You know that Makar was a 4th overall draft choice, right?

The way people talk about him sometimes makes it seem like he came out of no where, like he was a 25th overall pick.

He should be damn good, he was touted as the highest upside player of his draft class.

Even at 4th overall, his hype is very high. I had a poll earlier this year about who would win the most Norris' trophies in the next few years and he was above some elite players.

I like the kid though, so I wouldn't mind it. I just could also see a situation where he gets unfairly judged if he's anything short of a prime Duncan Keith.

 

[HyPnOtiK]

Toronto is easily the best 1 through 5.

Easily Colorado

 

[HyPnOtiK]

Reinhart is a stud too, though? The only thing Rantanen has on him is a PP role that results in scoring more.

Wait.... are we seriously discussing Reinhart being better than Rantanen?

 

[HyPnOtiK]

I’m a biased Rangers fan but I think they’re being underrated here.
This season Panarin was the best player in the entire poll, Zibanejad had the highest G/PG in the NHL and was on pace for 60 goals and 100pts, DeAngelo was the 4th scorer among dmen while being 5 years younger than anyone ahead of him, only 2 dmen had more EVP than him, in any other year Fox’s season would’ve been so hyped up, 50pt pace over a full 82 games while being very solid defensively; and Kakko is a 2nd overall pick who could still very well become a superstar.

Panarin wasn't better than MacKinnon

 

[bossram]

Like most others, I'll pick the Colorado group. I wouldn't call it AINEC though. My primary rationale is just that Mackinnon is the best player from the entire group and he's still on a massive discount contract.

 

[Skolman]

Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Rielly, Sandin.

Wow, shocker....

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Even at 4th overall, his hype is very high. I had a poll earlier this year about who would win the most Norris' trophies in the next few years and he was above some elite players.

I like the kid though, so I wouldn't mind it. I just could also see a situation where he gets unfairly judged if he's anything short of a prime Duncan Keith.

I don’t know how good he’s going be and certainly there’s a lot of talented defenceman out there.

All I can say is that right now without any kind of improvement to his game he’s the second most important player on the Avs, outside of MacKinnon.

 

[Mike Liut]

Where would Pietrangelo, Parayko, ROR, Tarasenko, Schwartz/Schenn rank on this poll?

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Where would Pietrangelo, Parayko, ROR, Tarasenko, Schwartz/Schenn rank on this poll?

Last for me.

Strictly on age, not because of the quality of players.

 

[Mike Liut]

Last for me.

Strictly on age, not because of the quality of players.

They are all still in their 20’s. Petro might have just turned 30. These guys all have 5-6 elite years left in them.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

They are all still in their 20’s. Petro might have just turned 30. These guys all have 5-6 elite years left in them.

I think when you’re talking about building around a core group of players usually you’re looking for a younger age range.

I’m sure O’Reilly and Petro will be good players for a couple more years, but they’re not ideal building blocks given they’re 29 and 30-years old.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm curious 1) how well does DeAngelo do when the team is good enough to require him to play defense and 2) how well does Fox do in a larger role... does he shrink like Shattenkirk or is he able to continue his level of play and 3) was Zibby on a hot streak or is this a new normal.

I don't think the Rangers hit on all three, and I would bet a small amount of money that won't hit on two of them.

Your descriptions were very general, so I don’t know how you’d qualify what hitting on two or three amounts to.

Fox after the ASG was the ES leader in TOI, got elevated to the nominal first pair, and even started getting on the PK at the end of the season. We still haven’t seen him playing 23-24 minutes per game, but comparing him to Shattenkirk isn’t a good comparison. I used that comparison before I saw Fox play a full season. Looking at it now, it’s a ridiculous suggestion. Shattenkirk is an offensive cherry-picker who runs a PP extremely well. Fox is a good all zone player.

I don’t know how much defense DeAngelo needs to play to fit your description. He has made some improvements defensively and is passable in his own zone now. He’s always going to be an OFD though. Zibanejad probably won’t replicate being the best goal scorer in the league. It doesn’t mean he’s not gotten better in recent seasons.

 

[Mike Liut]

I think when you’re talking about building around a core group of players usually you’re looking for a younger age range.

I’m sure O’Reilly and Petro will be good players for a couple more years, but they’re not ideal building blocks given they’re 29 and 30-years old.

I agree, I was just curious where they’d rank currently.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Panarin wasn't better than MacKinnon

MacKinnon said Panarin should win the Hart.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

Reinhart is a good player top line winger with Eichel but he's no stud. Rantanen is a tier ahead for sure and is also better 5x5 not just the PP.

Rantanen is definitely not better than Reinhart at 5-on-5. Reinhart scores 5-on-5 primary points at an 8% higher rate than Rantanen over the past two seasons and that's before taking into consideration how their respective situations (teammates, usage, etc.) influence their scoring rates, and before taking into consideration that Reinhart is the considerably better defensive player and play driver.

 

[Merrrlin]

Last for me.

Strictly on age, not because of the quality of players.

You may be overvaluing potential then. Those guys aren’t that old and just won a cup.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

You may be overvaluing potential then. Those guys aren’t that old and just won a cup.

I don’t know. It’s not like a lot of the other players in this pole aren’t great players.

I just prefer more kicks at the can.

 

[wetcoast]

Reinhart is better, actually.

While I think Reinhart gets under rated at times there is no way that he is better than Rantanen who also gets lost in the shuffle sometimes.

 

[82Ninety42011]

Rantanen is definitely not better than Reinhart at 5-on-5. Reinhart scores 5-on-5 primary points at an 8% higher rate than Rantanen over the past two seasons and that's before taking into consideration how their respective situations (teammates, usage, etc.) influence their scoring rates, and before taking into consideration that Reinhart is the considerably better defensive player and play driver.

I'm sorry I don't get the advanced stats as some here do but the eye test I'm taking Rantanen. I'm pretty sure no GM is giving Reinhart what Rantanen got per as well. I may be wrong as well anything possible but for myself, Rantanen is a cut above Reinhart. Also, quick question if Reinhart isn't used on the PP as much who is getting those minutes?

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Rantanen is definitely not better than Reinhart at 5-on-5. Reinhart scores 5-on-5 primary points at an 8% higher rate than Rantanen over the past two seasons and that's before taking into consideration how their respective situations (teammates, usage, etc.) influence their scoring rates, and before taking into consideration that Reinhart is the considerably better defensive player and play driver.

Can you find another player to hate on? Your Rantanen shtick is getting old.

Btw, this was how the Avs did with Rantanen and without him in the lineup this season, since you seem so persistent on downgrading him as a player.


Avs with Rantanen:

(26-11-5)

Goals per game: 3.6


Avs without Rantanen:

(16-9-3)

Goals per game: 2.9

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Colorado.

Not really sure why NYR is a choice. Some great talent, but they're in different age ranges.