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

[Love]

Incredible how little certain players have to do to be deemed the belle of the ball by HFBoards.

The question this thread poses is kind of irrelevant but at the same time inevitable, as he’s already been anointed as the second best on this website regardless of how much more others have accomplished.

 

[Kerberos]

Whereas Hughes is 22 and has been getting better every year. In 3 years you have McDavid at 29 years old, and it wouldn't be shocking at all to see Hughes/Makar/Bedard be the top-3 players in the league.

Yeah, expecting McDavid to precipitously drop off in the next 3 years to where he's below those 3 players when such a massive gap currently exists between them is a ridiculous notion.

 

[Stealth1616]

He would need to have a few more 100 point seasons to be considered as the 2nd best player so it’s possible.

Right now Makar, Drai, McKinnon and Kucherov are all ahead

 

[Postulates]

He hasn't done enough to be considered the second-best player in the league, but I think he's the second-most talented player in the league right now so yes I think it's natural he becomes the second-best player.

 

[J bo Jeans]

Question is can Hughes bridge the gap between him Mackinnon, Drai and Mcdavid if he ever does.

Or if Bedard will bridge that gap faster if he does.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Behind Connor McDavid? Why aim so low?

 

[Regal]

Hughes is probably just gonna keep getting better so I see it as possible.

People tend to forget that MacKinnon (who I have ahead of Hughes today), during his 21 y/o season, scored 53 points in 82 games. Jack Hughes had 99 in 78. MacKinnon finally broke through when he was in the same season as Hughes is now. In other words, still plenty of room for Hughes to grow his game.

Hughes also has the type of build where his physical peak might be a bit later than average.

Yeah, expecting McDavid to precipitously drop off in the next 3 years to where he's below those 3 players when such a massive gap currently exists between them is a ridiculous notion.

It’s not unusual for a player at a high level to drop off a bit in their later 20s to be closer to the pack. It happened to Gretzky. Happened to Crosby. And it wouldn’t just be him getting worse, but the others getting better. Might not be expected but far from ridiculous

 

[filinski77]

Yeah, expecting McDavid to precipitously drop off in the next 3 years to where he's below those 3 players when such a massive gap currently exists between them is a ridiculous notion.

It's ridiculous to think that McDavid 'could' potentially only be the 4th best player in the league at 29/30 years old (since he turns 27 this year)?

Example A:
I'm sure it would have been ridiculous to say Ovechkin after his 3 year peak as the best player in the world would have some down years and not be an easy #1 anymore.

Example B:
Crosby after his world-class 2011-214 run:
-> 2015 (27 y/o season) = 4th best forward that year
-> 2016 (28 y/o season) = 3rd best forward that year
-> 2017 (29 y/o season) = 1st/2nd best forward that year
-> 2018 (30 y/o season) = ~10th best forward that year

End of the day, McDavid won't be the best player in the league for forever, and even though there's a very good chance he still is in 3 years (at age 29/30), to think that it's "ridiculous" that he might only be the 4th best player in the league in 3 years is completely foolish and ignorant.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Worth noting that the question is "can he grow to be" the 2nd best player in the league? Mackinnon is 28, Draisaitl 27, Matthews 26. They're all statistically at the age where they most likely won't get better, and will start some type of decline any time now.

Whereas Hughes is 22 and has been getting better every year. In 3 years you have McDavid at 29 years old, and it wouldn't be shocking at all to see Hughes/Makar/Bedard be the top-3 players in the league.

That would be shocking

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Likely depends how long MacKinnon/Matthews/Draisaitl stay elite and how long it takes bedard to become elite

 

[Farmboy Patty]

Jack Hughes has been getting better and better each season - and once again looks to have taken another step up!

is it possible he can grow to be the second best player in hockey?

and how many points would that be? 120+? or just taking his team far in the playoffs?

curious what others think!

(PS, its just crazy to think that the Hughes brothers can all be (maybe with Luke) so great!!)

This should be a poll, and my answer would be a solid no.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Question is can Hughes bridge the gap between him Mackinnon, Drai and Mcdavid if he ever does.

Or if Bedard will bridge that gap faster if he does.

Beat me to it

 

[DearDiary]

It was also Jack's first time in the playoffs versus Draisaitl's 5th playoff appearance, with the Devils facing arguably the best goalie in the league in Shesterkin round 1 and two of the top 4 defensive teams in the league between the Rangers and Hurricanes. He still finished with 2 more goals and 4 more points than any other player on NJ. I'd cut him some slack.

There's no room for slack in a discussion about the 2nd best player in the league

 

[Three On Zero]

He would need to have a few more 100 point seasons to be considered as the 2nd best player so it’s possible.

Right now Makar, Drai, McKinnon and Kucherov are all ahead

Based on individual playing ability he’s on par with Draisaitl and Kucherov

 

[joestevens29]

For a season here and there, sure. As the consensus #2 player year in and year out, doubtful.

Too much competition out there.

 

[Stealth1616]

Need sustained performance to be considered in that group which is why I said he could get there after a few more years

Both of those guys hav even doing there thing for 5 years

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

Maybe, but I feel by the time he passes Drai, MacK, Makar, Matthews that Bedard will already be gunning for #2.

 

[RememberTheName]

I think at his peak he can hit one or two seasons where he is the second-best player in the NHL. Gonna be tough for anyone to hit that peak, but I think he's proven he is one of the few players up for the task of challenging for that title.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

I think at his peak he can hit one or two seasons where he is the second-best player in the NHL. Gonna be tough for anyone to hit that peak, but I think he's proven he is one of the few players up for the task of challenging for that title.

Agreed his ceiling is basically in that Makar/MacKinnon/Matthews/Drai tier where there are a few guys who can be #2 or #5 in any given year.

 

[Oleksiak]

Makar is by far the best player in the league.

 

[Jauffre]

Yeah.

 

[K1900L]

Possible, but one could ask the same about Bedard or Stützle or whoever might come.
Possible, but not likely, he would have to beat Draisaitl first imo (meaning 100-130 points for a handful of seasons and basically being close to 2 points per game in the playoffs).

 

[MessierII]

Based on individual playing ability he’s on par with Draisaitl and Kucherov

Let me know when he beats out Mcdavid for a Ross and Hart like they did. He’s not on that level.

 

[authentic]

Possible, but one could ask the same about Bedard or Stützle or whoever might come.
Possible, but not likely, he would have to beat Draisaitl first imo (meaning 100-130 points for a handful of seasons and basically being close to 2 points per game in the playoffs).

I don’t think it’s fair to expect 2 points per game unit they’re not playing with McDavid

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Let me know when he beats out Mcdavid for a Ross and Hart like they did. He’s not on that level.

to be fair, I think he means now - stuff Kucherov did 5 years ago isn't really relevant to who is the better player today.

regardless, its Kucherov until proven otherwise. It could definitely hapen, Kuch is aging and Hughes is just hitting his stride.

Even still, potential only takes you so far, 1 season where you finish 8th in Hart voting and 12th in pts is nothing when you have guys like Drai/Makar/MacKinnon/Matthews etc to compete for #2 in the coming years.