Speculation: Who is the Canucks Best Player?

[logan5]

Mid July and it's pretty quiet on the HF front, so why not put out another poll? Probly won't gather much steam, but whatev"s.

Pretty straight forward question. Quinn is a fantastic player who skates miles out there. He is a zone exit machine, and that's ultimately what you want from a defensive standpoint. Should have been top 3 in Norris voting imo. Pettersson has established himself as one of the best players in the league, scoring over 100 points, while also playing at a Selke level at the most important position - C.

I think it's pretty clear Pettersson and Hughes are the 2 best players, but I put "Other" in there just in case. Maybe somebody thinks Demko or Miller. Who knows.

Tough call.

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[Play]

Hughes and Pettersson are both leading contenders on the team. Sometimes, it’s Hughes incredible on-ice awareness and vision that command attention. But there are also days when Pettersson’s tactical gameplay are the talking points. It’s indeed a privilege to witness two budding talents flourishing simultaneously.

 

[Nucker101]

EP for me. Elite two-way game, makes everyone linemate better, just as much of a threat to make a beautiful pass as he is to snipe one past the goalie cleanly. I'd have no issues with playing him straight up against a good opposing top line if need be.

 

[vancityluongo]

i think there's an argument that hughes is better at his position (ie. a top-5 defenseman) than petey is (borderline top-5 center, but definitely not a top-5 forward) - and that since hughes plays a more important position, it's him.

at the same time - and maybe this is controversial and not giving QH enough credit - but i think that hughes as a small mostly offensively oriented defenseman / pp qb has a skillset where it is easy to find a replacement that is 75% as effective for 50% or less of the cost (ie. tyson barrie), whereas players like pettersson are the backbone of what makes a team tick.

again, maybe not fully fair to hughes, and maybe this is don cherry-esque, but i look at a guy like marner in the same way. he's a hell of a player, and a top-5 winger in the game. but because of *how* he plays (soft, skilled, cerebral), he just isn't likely going to be the backbone of a team.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

This is cheating, but I rate them completely level with each other.

Even though Hughes is my favourite player on the team.

There’s a point why they are both the best player for completely different reasons.

 

[CanucksSayEh]

Hughes quite clearly. He has the track record, the highest peak so far, and is the youngest. He's been better than EP every season.

 

[strattonius]

Hughes quite clearly. He has the track record, the highest peak so far, and is the youngest. He's been better than EP every season.

It's not clear at all its actually a very challenging question because of the positions they play.

Pettersson for me because he is elite in all 3 zones.

 

[Baby Pettersson]

Could go either way but I'll vote Hughes. For only reason being Canucks have never had a player like him before.

 

[Kryten]

Hughes, even when he has has down nights he is still noticeable and positive

 

[CanucksSayEh]

It's not clear at all its actually a very challenging question because of the positions they play.

Pettersson for me because he is elite in all 3 zones.

Hughes is much more arguable for elite in all zones, EP only has 1 season with high end scoring and a few outside Selke nods. EP hasn't finished a season as the teams best player since he was a rookie 5 years ago. Huggy has him beat every season they've played together, and his best years have come with 3rd pairing quality partners, while EP's best have had him playing with a high end linemate.

It was Miller that drove the lotto line, Miller that drove the whole forward group in 21/22. Heck Horvat was the best forward up until his trade this year, scoring nearly every game and at his best vs the top teams.

Hughes has carried the D every season, proven more, been much more consistent, and is better at his position league wide. It might be 'close', but it's also a clear difference.

 

[strattonius]

Hughes is much more arguable for elite in all zones, EP only has 1 season with high end scoring and a few outside Selke nods. EP hasn't finished a season as the teams best player since he was a rookie 5 years ago. Huggy has him beat every season they've played together, and his best years have come with 3rd pairing quality partners, while EP's best have had him playing with a high end linemate.

It was Miller that drove the lotto line, Miller that drove the whole team in 21/22. Heck Horvat was the best forward up until his trade this year, scoring nearly every game and at his best vs the top teams.

Hughes has carried the D every season, proven more, been much more consistent, and is better at his position league wide. It might be 'close', but it's also a clear difference.

Pettersson will be in consideration for the Selke at the rate he's moving. Surprised you are questioning what Pettersson we will get moving forward.

 

[CanucksSayEh]

Pettersson will be in consideration for the Selke at the rate he's moving. Surprised you are questioning what Pettersson we will get moving forward.

Moving forward is anyone's guess, but as of now Hughes is the younger player with the better recent season, and better previous 3 years. Any case for EP is based off of gut feeling vs their proven play.

 

[canuckking1]

Hughes quite clearly. He has the track record, the highest peak so far, and is the youngest. He's been better than EP every season.

That's your opinion. I'd argue Pettersson was better in 2019-20 and 2022-23(this year). They were both garbage in 2021.

 

[CanucksSayEh]

That's your opinion. I'd argue Pettersson was better in 2019-20 and 2022-23(this year). They were both garbage in 2021.

I don't agree with, but can understand the argument of EP>Hughes this season, but 19-20? Oof, no way. That was Huggy all day. EP kinda took a backseat on the Miller bus. I do think EP was the best in the playoffs though.

I also don't think Hughes was as bad as people remember in the bubble season. He was in a tough position, on a shit funnel of a team. EP missed a lot of time, so people forget how bad he looked that year, and then was moved around and sheltered the next season. Hughes hasn't had such luxuries.

 

[strattonius]

Moving forward is anyone's guess, but as of now Hughes is the younger player with the better recent season, and better previous 3 years. Any case for EP is based off of gut feeling vs their proven play.

I thought Pettersson's season was just as good as Hughes last year.

The bolded is just a bad take. There are many reasons to choose Pettesson it's not just 'gut feeling'. Weird way to tell yourself you're right.

 

[canuckking1]

I don't agree with, but can understand the argument of EP>Hughes this season, but 19-20? Oof, no way. That was Huggy all day. EP kinda took a backseat on the Miller bus. I do think EP was the best in the playoffs though.

I also don't think Hughes was as bad as people remember in the bubble season. He was in a tough position, on a shit funnel of a team. EP missed a lot of time, so people forget how bad he looked that year, and then was moved around and sheltered the next season. Hughes hasn't had such luxuries.

Pettersson took a back seat to Miller and...... Hughes was sheltered by playing next to a top three defensive defender in the league, as well as not PKing, not playing in the final minutes of games, and finishing second in TOI behind Edler. They both had excellent seasons that were aided by excellent support. Pettersson's season is underappreciated because of Miller's performance. They had nearly identical amounts of 5v5, the main difference was that Miller performed better on the PP. Petey was also responsible for defence as the C on that line, which he excelled at with a 63%GF. He subsequently went on to be the team's best player in the playoffs. That season is debatable either IMO.

 

[CanucksSayEh]

Pettersson took a back seat to Miller and...... Hughes was sheltered by playing next to a top three defensive defender in the league, as well as not PKing, not playing in the final minutes of games, and finishing second in TOI behind Edler. They both had excellent seasons that were aided by excellent support. Pettersson's season is underappreciated because of Miller's performance. They had nearly identical amounts of 5v5, the main difference was that Miller performed better on the PP. Petey was also responsible for defence as the C on that line, which he excelled at with a 63%GF. He subsequently went on to be the team's best player in the playoffs. That season is debatable either IMO.

Even if I thought all things were equal, I'd give the nod to the younger, higher minute guy, who is also by all reports our frontrunner for the next captaincy. Hughes just ticks more boxes.

Special teams also is a big factor. I think both are good penalty killers, but yea... not enough to avoid being the worst PK in forever.

Powerplay... while I don't think Hughes is particularly amazing as one would expect from his skill set, EP turns into Gaudette on the man advantage. Even when Petey is at his best, there's these 2 minute pockets of his 21 & 22 wtf seasons.

 

[Petey But Really Jim]

Powerplay... while I don't think Hughes is particularly amazing as one would expect from his skill set, EP turns into Gaudette on the man advantage. Even when Petey is at his best, there's these 2 minute pockets of his 21 & 22 wtf seasons.

I agree completely with this paragraph.

 

[rypper]

It's close but I voted Hughes.

On top of what others have said, if you remove Pettersson, the team will be bad but will manage. If you remove Hughes from our defense, I'm not sure you can say the same.

 

[LaVal]

I'd say Hughes by a very slim margin. However, I do wonder how much the fact that he's the first franchise defensemen we've ever had influences my decision.

 

[Aphid Attraction]

It's close but I voted Hughes.

On top of what others have said, if you remove Pettersson, the team will be bad but will manage. If you remove Hughes from our defense, I'm not sure you can say the same.

That sounds like an argument for Hughes being the most important player, not the best.

But the question is an arbitrary one, so an arbitrary answer is about as good as you can give.

 

[Bougieman]

Gotta go with Huggy, but it's very close. Petey is a game breaker and an elite talent, for sure. But short of Cale Makar, there isn't another player in the league quite like Quinn. He's unique in the way he plays the game, and his skill set.

I think Petey is probably the 7th or 8th best center in the league, but Hughes is probably the 4th or 5th best D-man.

 

[ghostingtaro]

jt miller

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

jt miller

There was a legit case for that in 2021-22

 

[Play]

Is their value 3 first round picks or 4?

I view them the same as well but I’m wondering if a middling franchise would give 4 first round picks for Hughes. I could see it for Pettersson.