Zach Parise V. Mike Richards

[Sum1winachampionship]

I don't have any chance to see players pre-ahl and see them with any consistency until the NHL (god bless Center Ice). So I was interested in seeing how these two players compared as far as upside. Sorry if this is a no-brainer.

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[West19]

Parise has a greater offensive upside, while Richards is more of an all around player (been compared to Mike Ricci).

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Parise has a greater offensive upside, while Richards is more of an all around player (been compared to Mike Ricci).

It comes as a surprise when you find a better two way prospect then Parise but I agree. Richards is better defensivly but Parise will hold the edge offensivly. I would take Parise based on his WJC but I would probably take Carter over Parise

 

[ktownhockey]

Parise had an awesome WJHC i'll give him that, but I think that he is a little overrated. He does possess tremendous speed and offensive ability but his defence struggles for the most part in some of the games i've seen him play.

Richards is your prototypical two way second line NHL center. He's only 5"11 or so and only weight 185 but competes very hard in the neutral zone its hard to miss his check. That being said he's always a team leader on his teams and is always a top offensive guy. That's why i don't like whne people say that he doesn't have that great an upside offensively. I think he could be just as good offensively as parise, but more than likely he wont get as many points. richards defensively is awesome. He stays with his man well and is aware out there most of the time.

Im gonna have to give the edge as a pro player to Richards. I'd want him on my team for sure. Parise will be awesome as well though.

 

[Brock]

I've said it on here many times before and its that people underrate Mike Richards offensive upside. He seems to have been pigeonheld into this stereotype that hes the next Mike Ricci and destined to be a solid third line center, future captain guy. But the reality is that he's got much more offensive upside then your typical third line center. He's got first line upside, as a top centerman. There are VERY few prospects out there who control the offensize zone better then Richards. He's so smart that he manages to find ways to create offense. And on top of that, as many have mentioned, he's an outstanding defensive player.

Why is that when a forward prospect is very smart and uses his brain, rather then just being pure flash, he's labelled as a future second or third liner.

Richards is going to surprise a lot of people.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Parise had an awesome WJHC i'll give him that, but I think that he is a little overrated. He does possess tremendous speed and offensive ability but his defence struggles for the most part in some of the games i've seen him play.

Richards is your prototypical two way second line NHL center. He's only 5"11 or so and only weight 185 but competes very hard in the neutral zone its hard to miss his check. That being said he's always a team leader on his teams and is always a top offensive guy. That's why i don't like whne people say that he doesn't have that great an upside offensively. I think he could be just as good offensively as parise, but more than likely he wont get as many points. richards defensively is awesome. He stays with his man well and is aware out there most of the time.

Im gonna have to give the edge as a pro player to Richards. I'd want him on my team for sure. Parise will be awesome as well though.

What are you talking about? Have you ever seen Parise play. The guy plays PK 5 on 3 and 5 on 4. The guy was the best defensive forward at the WJC. Nobody scored a goal vs his line even strength throughout the whole tourney. Parise is an amazing defensive forward. It has been said many times that if he doesn't make it as an offensive forward he could play on a defensive line ala John Madden.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I've said it on here many times before and its that people underrate Mike Richards offensive upside. He seems to have been pigeonheld into this stereotype that hes the next Mike Ricci and destined to be a solid third line center, future captain guy. But the reality is that he's got much more offensive upside then your typical third line center. He's got first line upside, as a top centerman. There are VERY few prospects out there who control the offensize zone better then Richards. He's so smart that he manages to find ways to create offense. And on top of that, as many have mentioned, he's an outstanding defensive player.

Why is that when a forward prospect is very smart and uses his brain, rather then just being pure flash, he's labelled as a future second or third liner.

Richards is going to surprise a lot of people.

I honestly don't see him putting up good numbers even strength type guy. He seems like a (alot better) Brylin type player. Excellent defensivly but gets most of his points on the PP. Just my impressions at the WJC and two games in the OHL. He has loads of grit though.

 

[Brock]

I honestly don't see him putting up good numbers even strength type guy. He seems like a (alot better) Brylin type player. Excellent defensivly but gets most of his points on the PP. Just my impressions at the WJC and two games in the OHL. He has loads of grit though.

Its the little things, that you'd start to recognize if you've seen Richards play a lot.

He does all of the little things already, which is rare for a junior player.

One thing he does particularily well is cycle in the offensive zone. He's great at keeping the puck in play. If you keep an eye open for it, you'll definitely notice. He's a wizard behind the net and in the corners.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Its the little things, that you'd start to recognize if you've seen Richards play a lot.

He does all of the little things already, which is rare for a junior player.

One thing he does particularily well is cycle in the offensive zone. He's great at keeping the puck in play. If you keep an eye open for it, you'll definitely notice. He's a wizard behind the net and in the corners.

Well Richards is one of those players that I would love to have on NJ. Since NJ has Parise, Vrana, Zajac, and Khomutov all at center makes me care less though. Richards and Vrana I find are extremely similar as players. Both are undersized (same size), have grit, play well defensivly, both leaders, offensive wizzards with the puck. I have both pegged as #2 centers.

 

[ktownhockey]

What are you talking about? Have you ever seen Parise play. The guy plays PK 5 on 3 and 5 on 4. The guy was the best defensive forward at the WJC. Nobody scored a goal vs his line even strength throughout the whole tourney. Parise is an amazing defensive forward. It has been said many times that if he doesn't make it as an offensive forward he could play on a defensive line ala John Madden.

That's not true at all.. what are you talking about????... i've seen him play at least 5 times. He's not that good defensively. He's on the PK because he's quick and fast not because he has an excellent defensive sense out there liek Richards does. I don't think he'll be a Madden, I think he'll be top offensive forward. Just because in one tournament he doesn't have an even strength goal scored against him this doesn't make him an AMAZING defensive forward.

end of of Story Mike Richards is better defensively than Parise.... probably a better leader but not as quick or offensive... both will be good NHLers...

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

That's not true at all.. what are you talking about????... i've seen him play at least 5 times. He's not that good defensively. He's on the PK because he's quick and fast not because he has an excellent defensive sense out there liek Richards does. I don't think he'll be a Madden, I think he'll be top offensive forward. Just because in one tournament he doesn't have an even strength goal scored against him this doesn't make him an AMAZING defensive forward.

end of of Story Mike Richards is better defensively than Parise.... probably a better leader but not as quick or offensive... both will be good NHLers...

Parise isn't even that fast..Richards is probably faster then him. This proves that you are talking out of your ass. Everyone close to the college scene calls his the best 3 zone player in all university hockey.

 

[VOB]

Parise isn't even that fast..Richards is probably faster then him. This proves that you are talking out of your ass. Everyone close to the college scene calls his the best 3 zone player in all university hockey.

Have to agree, that was one of his main fortes coming out of the Shattuck St. Mary's program.

 

[southpaw]

That's not true at all.. what are you talking about????... i've seen him play at least 5 times. He's not that good defensively. He's on the PK because he's quick and fast not because he has an excellent defensive sense out there liek Richards does. I don't think he'll be a Madden, I think he'll be top offensive forward. Just because in one tournament he doesn't have an even strength goal scored against him this doesn't make him an AMAZING defensive forward.

end of of Story Mike Richards is better defensively than Parise.... probably a better leader but not as quick or offensive... both will be good NHLers...

Congrats on seeing him play 5 games...probably all of them on TV too. I've watched Zach at every home game during the past 2 season at UND and he is absolutely amazing at his defensive skills. Sabres prospect Thomas Vanek goes in all by himself, Parise comes from 30 feet behind him to lift his stick and take the puck away. Thats just one example of Parise's great defensive play. He's has such amazing positioning that he is there to steal a pass almost every time.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

I've said it on here many times before and its that people underrate Mike Richards offensive upside. He seems to have been pigeonheld into this stereotype that hes the next Mike Ricci and destined to be a solid third line center, future captain guy. But the reality is that he's got much more offensive upside then your typical third line center. He's got first line upside, as a top centerman. There are VERY few prospects out there who control the offensize zone better then Richards. He's so smart that he manages to find ways to create offense. And on top of that, as many have mentioned, he's an outstanding defensive player.

Why is that when a forward prospect is very smart and uses his brain, rather then just being pure flash, he's labelled as a future second or third liner.

Richards is going to surprise a lot of people.

Agreed. Now the only games I've wathed him play were at the WJC from last year, but IMO the Dawes-Richards-Stewart line was the best of thr tournament.

Stewart seemed to get most of th epub, but I thought Richards and Dawes were the two that made the line go.



On a side note Darryl Sutter said that if Phaneuf was gone the Flames would have taken Richards with the 9th pick in the 2003 entray draft.


Richards & Carter in orange and black

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Well, I would take Parise over Richards, but Richards is no slouch.

In 2003 I thought Richards was a late 1st round pick and I thought the Flyers reached a bit, but boy was I wrong, I saw him once this year with the Rangers and then all of his WJC's games, Richards really devoloped this year, his defensive work is outstanding, but his offensive upside really is underated,

I love Richards agressive play, I saw him knock the net off it's pegs more then any junior i've seen. He crashes the net hard and he's very strong on the puck. He's got insanely quick hands, he makes plays just out of reaction, I mean he's a great playmaker, yet his quick hands also help his finishing skills, He's a great two way threat offensively. His skating is also right there with Parise. I can't see anyone saying Parise is faster then him, mabey by a hair, IDK I would have to look back at the Gold medal game. Richards is going to be one hell of a player.

Parise is no slouch of a skater, The more I look at the two the more I think they are at a dead heat when it comes to skating. Both seem to have explosive strides and first steps. Both are very fast, but QUICK seems to be the better way to describe them. Parise also has a fearlessness to his game that Richards has, Parise forechecks just as hard and both are complete players and all around great hockey players, and they both have great heads on there shoulders.
I think Parise has the ability to create more on his own, so i'll give him the nod. Although Richards is no slouch whats so ever. I have just seen Parise make plays all on his own that make my jaw drop.
I think both well be great two way players, feisty little guys, both have some of the best hands you can ask for, great wheels, Elite vision and playmaking skills with underated finishing abilities. I mean they're all you can ask for when it comes to prospects really, except the 6-3 210 body, witch is overated IMO when a player can play like this.

I also think Parise is getting less credit then he deserves...His defenisve game is great, he works extremely hard away from the puck, he's very very smart, and his efforts and awareness on defense should be commended.
I seen him twice live this year and three times over T.v. and then at the WJC's and I thought his defensive game was actually really impressive.

 

[MN_Gopher]

The one knock on Parise's game is that he relies on his speed and skill too much sometimes. The more skilled forwars and defense men have left him holding his jock a couple of times. He will guess one way try to poke check or go for a steal and skilled players can cut back against him. Keith Ballard shook him so bad a couple of times. I felt bad for Parise. I think once he sees what others can do, in the NHL he will adjust just fine. He has shown so far he can adapt rather quickly to new situations. I saw him 5 times live last year. And he is good. I dont know much about Richards but i would like Parise on my team from what i have seen of him. A complete player in every way O, D probally in the locker room, and in practice.

 

[Puckhead]

Parise had an awesome WJHC i'll give him that, but I think that he is a little overrated. He does possess tremendous speed and offensive ability but his defence struggles for the most part in some of the games i've seen him play.

Richards is your prototypical two way second line NHL center. He's only 5"11 or so and only weight 185 but competes very hard in the neutral zone its hard to miss his check. That being said he's always a team leader on his teams and is always a top offensive guy. That's why i don't like whne people say that he doesn't have that great an upside offensively. I think he could be just as good offensively as parise, but more than likely he wont get as many points. richards defensively is awesome. He stays with his man well and is aware out there most of the time.

Im gonna have to give the edge as a pro player to Richards. I'd want him on my team for sure. Parise will be awesome as well though.

I must disagree with your statement of Parise is overrated. This kid has proven everyone wrong so far in that he is a little guy who plays a great brand of hockey. If we are debating who will have more of an impact on his respective team in the NHL, I would definitely choose Zach. True, Richards is a great two way guy, but you just can't teach the on ice vision and creativity of Parise. I cannot wait to see him in the BIGS!