Quote:
Originally Posted by powderjunkie
Why don't you give us a list of your top 30 C's in the league?
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There's the problem. Based on what criteria? I'm exactly where blender is and have a really different perspective on what constitutes a good hockey player, especially a center. To me, the greatest example of this is Jonathan Toews. When the Hawks won their Stanley Cups, I saw Toews as the second best center in the game behind only Crosby, even though Toews finished as the 7th then 14th highest scoring center in the game those seasons. I tend to favor guys that have a blend of good two way games and scoring more so than guys that are just offensive players. So as amazing offensive talents that McDavid and Eichel are supposed to be, their complete lack of defensive awareness and commitment makes them substantially less attractive. If you are scoring 100 points, but giving up 120 goals, are you really contributing to a winner? I don't think so, which is why I don't get so tied up in who is such a scoring machine. I could do a list, but it would require more explanation than its probably worth. Let's just say that if the Flames are looking to try and steal away a young center in the game the guy I would be most interested in would be Sebastian Aho. All the skill of Eichel and can spell defense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus
Of course they do, fans and media who watch him consistently say he's a top 10 center, GM's watch him even more.
Anyone who disputes he's not a top tier center hasn't watched him.
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You can't conflate the impression of fans or media with that of executives. Fans and media don't have the pressure to win sitting on their foreheads. While fans easily fall in love with guys who are flashy or score a lot of points like McDavid or Eichel, teams that want to win championships prefer solid two way players like Crosby or Bergeron. When you take salary considerations into play, I'm sure there are more than a few GMs that don't view Eichel worth the squeeze.