Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
- 22,935
- 29,628
LD Luke Hughes (2021, 4th, NJD)
- Thread starter Tryamkin
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Goomba
Mario is a Devils fan
- May 7, 2021
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If we ignore everything the people around Quinn and Luke have said; sure thing boss
Kevin Musto
Hard for Bedard
- Feb 16, 2018
- 22,935
- 29,628
Quinn is the best skating defenseman I've ever seen in any draft year.
Luke isn't that.
WarriorofTime
Registered User
- Jul 3, 2010
- 32,515
- 22,271
They always hype up the little bro. I remember the Staal clan claiming Jared was the most talented one in the family. It doesn't make it true necessarily.
Goomba
Mario is a Devils fan
- May 7, 2021
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Thats true but this is from outside sources as well; and it makes sense, as Luke's stride is bigger and hes almost as quick while weighing more as well
Luke wont be as offensively gifted as Quinn but I do think hes a better skater
I think Quinn definitely has Luke beat in short area quickness, agility and footwork, but partially because he is smaller so comes a little easier. Straight-line speed and power skating ability, Luke wins.
I'm not sure anyone who's seen both Luke and Quinn play at all can seriously conclude Luke is a better skater. Like...he's just not.
He's bigger. But he doesn't have the same heads-up vision/IQ as Quinn.
He's bigger. But he doesn't have the same heads-up vision/IQ as Quinn.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
I think it’s more similar to someone like Heiskanen or Chabot. Dahlin is way more skilled, but nowhere near as fast.
Fjordy
Soul Dancing in the Dark
- Jun 20, 2018
- 19,562
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This especially did not help his speed when Ralph Krueger told him to eat at McDonald's and KFC all the offseason.
GetFocht
Indestructible
- Jun 11, 2013
- 9,077
- 4,373
Lol, Quinn is probably like the 99th percentile in skating ability, Luke isn't close to it. It's a natural gift that you're more so born with than actually training to be like one.
This especially did not help his speed when Ralph Krueger told him to eat at McDonald's and KFC all the offseason.
Did that actually happen? Krueger told him to eat fast food? To gain weight?
It's not that rare for teenage players to eat fast food to try and gain weight so they look better on the draft board, but why is Dahlin eating like crap?
Can't the Pegulas hire him a private chef or something?
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
All three of them are in that 99th percentile of skating.
Fjordy
Soul Dancing in the Dark
- Jun 20, 2018
- 19,562
- 10,877
No, it was just a joke. But they did tell him to gain weight and maybe sometimes he ate fast food, but the weight gain not benefit his speed and mobility, although he began to play a more physical game. Not sure if this was the right decision to put on a lot of weight in one offseason.
Zaddy
Registered User
- Feb 8, 2013
- 13,062
- 5,858
Yeah, Heiskanen is the player he reminds me of the most off the top of my head.
A Hughes drysdale pairing is way too enticing for The ducks. Baring anything crazy happening I see the ducks taking him at 3 unless eklund is their guy
GoBoltz56
Baked Raymond, bruh
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
The reason I said Heiskanen and Chabot, two players who don't exactly play the same game, is that I think thats the range of outcomes. Right now, I think he plays more like Chabot. He's more aggressive offensively and defensively, and his game is based mostly on his skating. It's an attempt to be be an elite rover type of defenseman where he gets himself involved in every offensive zone chance due to his skating, but he's able to get in transition to not hurt the team defensively. He doesn't have elite skill, but he has pretty good offensive skills, and when you play such an aggressive offensive game, as he does, with his positioning and transition play, you are going to score points, like Chabot does. He tries to make a lot of proactive defensive plays in the neutral zone right now that coaches won't want him to make in the NHL because they are too risky.
However, I think Heiskanen is closer to what we will see eventually as his game develops. Heiskanen is more of a two-way defenseman that is good in all three zones. He's not as aggressive offensively or defensively as someone like Chabot, probably at the expense of some offense he could be creating with a more aggressive transition approach, but it allows him to make fewer errors defensively because he's not constantly trying to get back in transition. He's using his sense more, and his skating less.
It's the old cliche about CB's in football. You'd love it if they had the ability to to go to ground to spectacularly win challenges, but the best ones don't need to because they are always in position and can win the ball back without doing so. There's less ground to cover, and it's an easier play to make when you are more in control of what you are doing. I think Hughes will find the right balance eventually, and be closer to Heiskanen. He's playing junior hockey though, which is pond hockey, and offense, skills, potential will get him drafted high. There's no reason he needs to reign it in yet. I think he will though. Quinn needs to play like a rover in the NHL because thats what generates his value. His defensive value, even if he tried to play differently, wouldn't be very high. Luke can project like a Heiskanen at 22-23 years old, so I think with better coaching and understanding what works in the NHL, we'll see that.
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Raian
Registered User
- Apr 19, 2021
- 184
- 163
Luke Hughes to NJ would be just such a cool story and moment for the franchise; even the league to an extent. Who wouldnt want to watch them make plays together, flying up and down the ice?
I hope Anaheim doesnt ruin the party; I see Buffalo and Seattle going Power-Clarke/Beniers, and Anaheim I suspect goes Eklund/Guenther, but it all could change at a moments noticr
I hope Anaheim doesnt ruin the party; I see Buffalo and Seattle going Power-Clarke/Beniers, and Anaheim I suspect goes Eklund/Guenther, but it all could change at a moments noticr
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
Imagine they let Jack make the pick and when he opens the envelope its someone other than Luke.
Cheddabombs
Status Quo
- Mar 13, 2012
- 25,996
- 35,806
Then he goes rogue and picks Luke anyway, and Fitzgerald has to rush up to try and correct him. That'd be fun
OgeeOgelthorpe
Riccis per 60 record holder
- Feb 29, 2020
- 18,534
- 20,430
Compare 2017-18 Quinn to 2020-2021 Luke.
When people say Luke is a better skater than Quinn they are usually referring to them in their draft years. And yes, draft year Luke is a better skater (marginally) than draft year Quinn. D-1 Luke was almost as good as draft year Quinn.
Castle8130
Registered User
- May 9, 2017
- 3,104
- 2,645
Your statement is very bold. Quinn was a terrific skater and was a better skater than Luke in almost every way. I had Quinn ranked #3oa predraft because of his excellent skating and puck carrying ability. He was smooth and agile just like he is now.
The few things that Luke is better at than quinn in skating is probably the length and smoothness of his stride. Even with his smooth long strides, he is still slower and less agile while carrying the puck.
I really do like Luke's defensive upside because I think he uses his weight and height very well for being so slim, but my issue with him is his hockey IQ. Decisions he makes with the puck can be questionable and his ability to attack the net with precision isn't quite there.
Whalers Fan
Go Habs!
I have been a NTDP season ticket holder since the program relocated here to Plymouth from nearby Ann Arbor, so I have been fortunate to watch all three Hughes brothers a lot up close. While Luke is an excellent skater (smooth, as you described him), Quinn was simply amazing as a skater. I still remember his first home game during his U17 season. I saw this #43 skating circles around the opponents, and looked to my game sheet to check him out. I couldn't find him, as I was looking in the forwards section -- didn't even occur to me that someone who skated like that and was that size would be a defenseman. Once I found him on the sheet, I turned to my wife and said "Holy crap, that Hughes kid is a defenseman"!
