Who Will be a Better Player Jack Hughes or Trevor Zegras?

[MarkusNaslund19]

I'm curious what people's thoughts are on this.

I'm not particularly down on Hughes, and I suspect he will win this poll, but watching Zegras I see a player with the poise and skill of a potential superstar as well.

Curious what the consensus is here.

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[EdJovanovski]

Hughes will be a little better

 

[The Moose is Loose]

I'm going to go with Zegras.

It's the same writing on the wall as comparing Hischer to Makar/Heiskanen/Pettersson after their D+1 years. Yeah Hischer was in the NHL and the others weren't, but your gut was just telling you the best players from the 2017 draft were on their way.

Not saying that Zegras will hit that level or Hughes will plateau like Hischer, but there is just something telling me that I could see Zegras having a successful rookie season and Hughes still trying to bounce back after an awful first outing.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Zegras has impressed me most from that 2001 USDP crop. To be fair I'll need to see Hughes play this year to see where he's at.

 

[bsu]

I am the hugest Zegras fan on this forum most likely, I voted Hughes a little better. I would trade Zegras instantly for Jack Hughes.

 

[aufheben]

I'm going to go with Zegras.

It's the same writing on the wall as comparing Hischer to Makar/Heiskanen/Pettersson after their D+1 years. Yeah Hischer was in the NHL and the others weren't, but your gut was just telling you the best players from the 2017 draft were on their way.

Not saying that Zegras will hit that level or Hughes will plateau like Hischer, but there is just something telling me that I could see Zegras having a successful rookie season and Hughes still trying to bounce back after an awful first outing.

Hischier is 21 years old.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Hischier is 21 years old.

And he has gone down in goals, assists and points over the past 3 years. Hall boosted his rookie stats and some players don't become superstars.

I bet anyone would have thought RNH was destined for 90+ point seasons after his rookie campaign (where he was even younger than Hischer). Sometimes players plateau

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

And he has gone down in goals, assists and points over the past 3 years. Hall boosted his rookie stats and some players don't become superstars.

I bet anyone would have thought RNH was destined for 90+ point seasons after his rookie campaign (where he was even younger than Hischer). Sometimes players plateau

Disingenuous take. Look at Hischier's games played each year.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

Disingenuous take. Look at Hischier's games played each year.

How is that disingenuous? His numbers have gone down every year. Fact.

Even if we look at pace (which I hate, those are projected to earned numbers, his pace over 3 years was 52-55-50 points. Thats a plateau by every definition of the word.

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm going to go with Zegras.

It's the same writing on the wall as comparing Hischer to Makar/Heiskanen/Pettersson after their D+1 years. Yeah Hischer was in the NHL and the others weren't, but your gut was just telling you the best players from the 2017 draft were on their way.

Not saying that Zegras will hit that level or Hughes will plateau like Hischer, but there is just something telling me that I could see Zegras having a successful rookie season and Hughes still trying to bounce back after an awful first outing.

Hischer hasn’t plateaued and looks a lot like MacKinnon before his big break out analytically.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he is the best player out of that draft and I’d suggest watching him some more. Dude reminds me so much of Kopitar the first couple years with LA.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

How is that disingenuous? His numbers have gone down every year. Fact.

Even if we look at pace (which I hate, those are projected to earned numbers, his pace over 3 years was 52-55-50 points. Thats a plateau by every definition of the word.

So if McDavid gets 5 points in his first game of the year and gets a season ending injury, he's regressed because he had a 5 point year? It's just a painfully ignorant take.

And Hischier is 21, the idea of him plateauing is beyond dumb. God I wish you were in my keeper league.

Further, Hischier's first year he played with Hall in a Hart trophy year. Since then, that team has cratered and he has had to do a lot on his own. Context. Matters.

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

Hischer hasn’t plateaued and looks a lot like MacKinnon before his big break out analytically.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he is the best player out of that draft and I’d suggest watching him some more. Dude reminds me so much of Kopitar the first couple years with LA.

Comparing him to Mackinnon and saying he will be better than Pettersson?

I respect your conviction, but I disagree and believe that even most Devils fans would call you a wild optimist (I know you aren't a Devs fans ftr).

 

[Gurglesons]

Comparing him to Mackinnon and saying he will be better than Pettersson?

I respect your conviction, but I disagree and believe that even most Devils fans would call you a wild optimist (I know you aren't a Devs fans ftr).

MacKinnon was viewed much the same way as Hischer at this point in his career. Their underlying numbers during their first couple years are close. Do I think he will be a MacKinnon level talent? No.

But, this idea that Zegras will step into the NHL and tear it up comparatively is also a stretch for me.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

So if McDavid gets 5 points in his first game of the year and gets a season ending injury, he's regressed because he had a 5 point year? It's just a painfully ignorant take.

And Hischier is 21, the idea of him plateauing is beyond dumb. God I wish you were in my keeper league.

Further, Hischier's first year he played with Hall in a Hart trophy year. Since then, that team has cratered and he has had to do a lot on his own. Context. Matters.

Don't play dumb, 5 game sample size is a lot different than 3 straight season of 58+ games. If McDavid came out and put up 58 points in 58 games, yeah thats a regression for the season.

And no you don't. I wreck in fantasy, I've won 3 of the past 4 years in a league with hardcore hockey fans. Because I don't make bad bets like taking Hischer earlier than other 50 point players and expecting a magical jump in production.

No shit context matters, a chimpanzee could deduce that. What context indicates a .73 PPG (60 point pace) or higher for Hischer?

 

[Paul4587]

I’m not at all a Hughes fan but I probably still take him over Zegras as I think there’s less risk. Zegras still has a number of things to work on in order to become a first liner at the NHL level - his first step and strength still need a decent amount of work.

 

[lawrence]

guys I will say this over and over again, the WJC is not a platform you want to use to judge or determine how good the player will become of how badly they will bust and what not. It's not the best for that. It's a great way for us to see the prospect in action, no doubt, absolutely no doubt, Canuck fans got to see Podkozolzin in game action for once outside of highlites and so for, again it's not best platform and shouldn't be taken seriously in terms of overall outcome of the individual. As for this, I think Hughes will end up being the better player.

 

[Bounces R Way]

I think both guys hit their NHL strides a little later. Like 24-25 they really take off. Too close to call for me at this juncture.

 

[ricky0034]

voted for "Hughes will be a little better" but that's also because I expect Zegras to be really good himself, would be considerably if I didn't have such a high opinion of Zegras

 

[Trueblue30]

Skill is too close to call but Zegras has the big intangibles edge for me. Give me the future captain of the ducks

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It’s too close to call, but I won’t sit on the fence. I think Hughes will be a little better. I think Zegras has a better chance to play center, but Hughes has more scoring ability.

 

[Xspyrit]

So if McDavid gets 5 points in his first game of the year and gets a season ending injury, he's regressed because he had a 5 point year? It's just a painfully ignorant take.

Yeah, IMO you have to be pretty new at following hockey to not know that the correct way to look at production is with paces (PPG). I have been pushing it for at least the last decade.

There's so many variables happening and not only injuries (as we saw with covid) that it would be stupid to say player X has produced less in 2019-20 than 2018-19, therefore he has been regressing (or) has plateaued.

 

[lwvs84]

Too early to tell and bet against Hughes at this point. You're talking about a recent first overall compared to a guy that barely cracked the top 10. I know Zegras has increased his stock since then, but Hughes would likely have put up big numbers if he wasn't in the NHL. As a Ducks fan, I hope Zegras becomes the best player from the draft, but at this very moment I think Hughes would still be ranked higher.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Let’s see Zigger in the NHL first

 

[NJ DevLolz]

It’s too close to call, but I won’t sit on the fence. I think Hughes will be a little better. I think Zegras has a better chance to play center, but Hughes has more scoring ability.

Really?

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I went Hughes will be a little bit better. Zegras is going to be a steal at his draft position though.