[News] CBS Sports: Top 10 NHL Wingers (you know who is #1)

[Saqe]

Chucky is the best all around player on the list, maybe Rantanen and Marner close second. Offensively, Kuch who I despise for being a lazy and dirty POS is offensively the most talented. Him or Pasta. Maybe Kaprizov?

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by MrMike

True, but Marchand and Bergeron only put up 67 and 59 points.

Draisitle playing almost all the time with McDavid, and Pasternak put up almost ten more goals than him.

If Pasternak was a center, he would be compared to Matthews as his equal.

To me that is step above the intangibles that Tkachuk brings. Goal scoring is the hardest thing to do in this league and Pasternak is a natural.

I don't dispute that Pasternak is an incredible goal scorer, but if you watch the Bruins play a lot last year, he cheats a LOT towards the offensive zone. He relies on Bergeron, and to a lesser extent Marchand, to do handle the defensive zone, and then they send him out on a break to go for an offensive chance. If he has a little open ice he can score, and so they let him cherry pick a lot.

Bergeron's retirement will probably have a significant effect on his 5 on 5 numbers. No doubt he will still produce a lot on the PP.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I can see the argument for Kucherov but there’s no way guys like Pasternak or Rantanen are better than Tkachuk.

Regardless, Tkachuk produces like the top guys on the list, can play physical, and is defensively solid. That’s why he should be considered the best today.

I think Rantanen is better than Chucky defensively and is plenty physical for an offensive guy. And he's a 50 goal 105 point guy last year.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by codynw

Why would you look at career averages to determine who is the best player today?

This may shock you, but more weight should be put on larger sample sizes.

Robertson has only played a few seasons. Yet his career per game totals are already way higher than Tkachuk's.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Stutzle shouldn't be at 10 because he's not a winger.

Ha! Johnny Gaudreau is 117th at Centre.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

This may shock you, but more weight should be put on larger sample sizes.

Robertson has only played a few seasons. Yet his career per game totals are already way higher than Tkachuk's.

I like Robertson a lot, and then he completely disappeared in a tight 7 game series against Calgary.

He was close to PPG this last POs, though. So he's improved there.

[blankall]

Interesting. As good as many of those wingers are, they all seem far below the top centres. I remember growing up having guys like Jagr, Bure, and Selanne, who were wingers, but always in the conversation for top player. Even more recently you had guys like Kane or Ovechkin, but now it's clearly just centres.

[NegativeSpace]

Originally Posted by blankall

Interesting. As good as many of those wingers are, they all seem far below the top centres. I remember growing up having guys like Jagr, Bure, and Selanne, who were wingers, but always in the conversation for top player. Even more recently you had guys like Kane or Ovechkin, but now it's clearly just centres.

There has always been a tendency to value players in the middle of the ice because you have more control of the game. They are usually the first to receive a break out pass and transition up ice.



I agree that the NHL places a premium on good centres. I'm just not sure that is terribly new or that dynamic wingers are gone. Gaudreau was in the conversation for the hart a couple years ago. I think Kaprizoff is very under rated for what he manages to do on that Minnestoa team. People have already justified other wingers in this thread as top players in the league.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Ha! Johnny Gaudreau is 117th at Centre.

Where do you see that?

Stuzle is literally listed as a LW on the Ottawa Senators website. Where do you see Gaudreau listed as a center?