Can Jack Hughes become the second best player behind Connor McDavid?

[LemonSauceD]

Fun player to watch but I wouldn’t say he’s 2nd best when there’s Mackinnon, Draisaitl, Makar, Pastrnak etc.

I’d also much rather have Point and Pettersson who are almost as good offensively but are superior defensively than Hughes.

I do think if he stays healthy he could win a Lindsay or a Hart. FWIW, I think he should’ve won a Hart last season.

 

[Ezekial]

You forgot to add "quietly" betwixt "Can" and "Jack". This thread title does not meet HF criteria.

I think you mean Hughes and become because "Can Quietly Jack Hughes Become..." doesn't make any sense.

 

[MVP Zacha]

Currently on pace for 82 goals and 205 points! That would be Gretzky's fifth best season

See no reasons why Jack can't become the second best player. He's already up there fighting as a 22 year old.

That's the really funny part. We make these silly "on pace for XXXX in 82 games" jokes and then you see Gretzky actually had more points or goals than those jokes in multiple seasons.

 

[racamdim]

Drasaitl says hi

Leo is great BUT he has a huge advantage centering a line behind 97, who necessarily must draw the toughest defensive matchup EVERY night.

If you put Matthews or Nate or Jack as the 2C behind MacD they'd destroy the league even more than they do as 1C in TOR/COL/NJ.

 

[britdevil]

Since 2021-present, among forwards with +500 ES minutes, Jack Hughes ranks defensively:

-168 of 483 in xGA/60 (top 35% - similar scores to Anze Kopitar, Nick Bonino, Anton Lundell, Ross Colton)

-143 of 483 in SCA/60 (top 30% - similar scores to Will Carrier, Vlad Namestnikov, William Karlsson, Anze Kopitar)

-108 of 483 in CA/60 (top 25% - similar scores to Ryan O'Reilly, Chris Kreider, Sean Monahan, Carter Verhaeghe)

-46 of 483 in HDCA/60 (top 10%) - similar scores to Jordan Staal, Michael McLeod, Gabriel Landeskog, Elias Lindholm)


For comparison, Selke Trophy runner-up Nico Hischier ranks in the same categories:

93 of 483 in xGA/60
98 of 483 in SCA/60
164 of 483 in CA/60 (worse than Hughes)
64 of 483 in HDCA/60 (worse than Hughes)


So, what is the evidence of him being bad defensively, other than his height and his faceoff percentage?

It's a very odd narrative. Jack isn't Madden out there, but he's a very effective defensive player. Frankly, he doesn't need to be. He's a superstar with passable defensive play.

Back checks and breaks up plays in the defensive zone with ease.

EDIT: Actually, passable is harsh. He's outright good in the defensive end.

 

[My3Sons]

It's a very odd narrative. Jack isn't Madden out there, but he's a very effective defensive player. Frankly, he doesn't need to be. He's a superstar with passable defensive play.

Back checks and breaks up plays in the defensive zone with ease.

EDIT: Actually, passable is harsh. He's outright good in the defensive end.

As he has started to develop a little pushback in his game he will add a little more defense most likely. It’s not really an issue for him. NJ isn’t sending him out there to take the big defensive zone draw late to protect the one goal lead. He doesn’t have to be dominant defensively to be remarkably effective.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

He is borderline top 5 centres after this year. Not sure how 2nd is a convo

MacK
Drai
AM
Crosby/EP/Hughes/Bedard

He's clearly #5 IMO. Ahead of Crosby and EP, Bedard will close the gap very quickly but isn't in that conversation for Top 5 quite yet.


But ya Hughes is clearly #5.

 

[TBF1972]

He COULD, but it would be tough to surpass Makar, who is a great 2-way defenseman, and has already dominated in the playoffs.

If Hughes gets 115 points, leads the Devils on a long playoff run with say 30 points in 22 games, then let's talk. Even then, guys like Draisaitl, and McKinnon (moreso in the playoffs) have done this already.

I certainly wouldn't bet against that ever happening, Hughes is capable, but let's see if he's a McKinnon or a Matthews in the playoffs first.

crosby, oveckin and kane have done more than mcdavid. are they ahead of him?

hopefully hughes does more than matthews in the playoffs.

 

[Bondurant]

I think you mean Hughes and become because "Can Quietly Jack Hughes Become..." doesn't make any sense.

Yeah. I failed at my own joke. This is why I still have a day job.

 

[TBF1972]

I think you mean Hughes and become because "Can Quietly Jack Hughes Become..." doesn't make any sense.

he means
can jack hughes fans become quiet?

 

[LevelingSolo]

He’s unbelievable.

He is exactly why sometimes you need to show patience on young players. People had written him off by 20.

True but I'm still giving up on Laff

 

[Brookbank]

wonder how many people in here think he can became the 2nd best player in the league but still took Bedard over him in that other thread

By the middle of the season, Bedard could easily be better than Hughs. I personally dont doubt it at all.

 

[Brookbank]

What do you see in Bedard that makes him generational?

Honest question here 'cause all I see so far is just HYPE by the media that some people seem to be taking as Gospel.

The exact same hype that McDavid got before he proved anything. And was the hype wrong ? No. It wasn't.

BTW
How is Hughes -2 while having 10 points in 4 games

 

[JAS 39 Gripen]

I, and the NHL, certainly hope so! He’s so much more marketable than the boring, extremely boring and plain, McD. And he doesn’t play in the middle of nowhere either

 

[Brookbank]

I mean this is his 22 year old season and it's 27 year old season for McDavid. So it's likely just since players start to decline as they near 30. I doubt he hits McDavid's peak though.

You doubt Jack Hughs will hit Connor McDavids peak eh ?

This thread is hilarious.

 

[Forge]

The exact same hype that McDavid got before he proved anything. And was the hype wrong ? No. It wasn't.

BTW
How is Hughes -2 while having 10 points in 4 games

5 on 5 on ice shooting percentage 5%, on ice save percentage .842. Right now points are coming on the pp.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Currently on pace for 82 goals and 205 points! That would be Gretzky's fifth best season -

See no reasons why Jack can't become the second best player. He's already up there fighting as a 22 year old.

And -40. But that stat is no longer relevant to the analytics crowd.

 

[Forge]

And -40. But that stat is no longer relevant to the analytics crowd.

Probably because people who follow those stats don't anticipate he's going to get stuck with an .892 pdo all year

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

The exact same hype that McDavid got before he proved anything. And was the hype wrong ? No. It wasn't.

BTW
How is Hughes -2 while having 10 points in 4 gcrows.

Bulk of his points are on the power play.

Ovechkin had similar +/- numbers earlier in his career.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Lol curry has 4 rings. Would love to hear what guard you think impacts winning more than he does with his shooting.

Also usually what makes a good playmaker is someone who has a shot threat. Being forced to respect someone’s shot is what opens the space up for others. It’s so common to see skilled shooters having seasons where they rack up assists, it’s much less common to see skilled playmakers have seasons where they rack up goals.

Magic Johnson!

 

[AvsFan29]

If Drai, Mackinnon, Makar, Kucherov weren't in the league, then yes

 

[haak84]

I said it last season but yeah he’s trending in that direction. I’m sure Jack will also score 30 ES goals this year like last. He might even get around 20 on the power play with how talented the devils are. It’s going to be a scary good season for him if he stays healthy. I think around 1.5 PPG and 45-60 goals. He’s by far the best offensive player the devils have ever had in my 30+ years of watching.

Edit: not to mention Bratt has leveled up too. The chemistry between the two is ridiculous. I don’t see how they are going to be kept off the score sheet each night.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

You doubt Jack Hughs will hit Connor McDavids peak eh ?

This thread is hilarious.

"I think he's the only one that can catch 97"

-Wayne Gretzky on Jack Hughes

 

[booyakasha]

Leo is great BUT he has a huge advantage centering a line behind 97, who necessarily must draw the toughest defensive matchup EVERY night.

If you put Matthews or Nate or Jack as the 2C behind MacD they'd destroy the league even more than they do as 1C in TOR/COL/NJ.

this is one of the dumbest things i have ever read.

 

[Coffee]

If Drai, Mackinnon, Makar, Kucherov weren't in the league, then yes

Well unfortunately for you , they are in the league.


Edit*

Just saw you’re an Avs fan.. yikes, probably my biggest fail post on HF yet