Mike Modano Or Jack Hughes?

[DitchMarner]

Two American star centres - who will end up the better player?

So far Hughes hasn't been as good as prime Modano ('97-'03), but he seems kind of similar to younger Modano (who had back-to-back 93 point seasons). I don't know if he'll become a two-way player, but he might surpass him offensively.

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[Clam Jensen]

Two American star centres - who will end up the better player?

So far Hughes hasn't been as good as prime Modano ('97-'03), but he seems kind of similar to younger Modano (who had back-to-back 93 point seasons). I don't know if he'll become a two-way player, but he might surpass him offensively.

just want to call out that Jack has very much become a 2-way player in Keefes system, inclusive of PK’ing. He’s become a menace defensively.

 

[lawrence]

hard to tell, since Hughes as only played 3 seasons, but Modanno is one of the best American players of all time.

 

[wetcoast]

just want to call out that Jack has very much become a 2-way player in Keefes system, inclusive of PK’ing. He’s become a menace defensively.

That may be so but Jack is never going to be the 2 way player and playoff monster at his peak that Modano was in the late 90s and early 2000s.

To be fair though his Dallas teams were well constructed and built for the playoffs with Hitch behind the bench but some people might forget what a huge MPG playoff warrior Modano was.

 

[Clam Jensen]

That may be so but Jack is never going to be the 2 way player and playoff monster at his peak that Modano was in the late 90s and early 2000s.

To be fair though his Dallas teams were well constructed and built for the playoffs with Hitch behind the bench but some people might forget what a huge MPG playoff warrior Modano was.

Hard to say that when Jack is 23 and has only been to the playoffs once.

But to your second point yes, those Dallas teams were juggernauts.

 

[Felidae]

Well, here's a comparison between the two from 20 to 23 in order of year

Hughes

Stat finishes

PPG : 25th, 10th, 13th
Points: 100th, 12th, 42nd,

GPG: 15th, 12th, 31st
Goals: 70th, 8th, 65th


Modano

PPG: 34th, 37th, 16th
Points: 34th, 30th, 16th

GPG: 39th, 64th, 8th
Goals: 33rd, 54th, 8th


Obviously Hughes has been more injury prone, but if we compare their scoring rates, Hughes comes out on top as the better offensive player, and at this stage of his career Mike Modano wasn't the two way player he'd eventually become.

This comparison is also missing Hughes 23 year old season as its still in progress.

Modano from 25 to 32 will be hard to top in terms of sheer elite consistency, but I think Hughes can definitely peak higher, so I'll take a chance on Hughes and give him my vote.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I think Jack is the greater talent, he just needs to stay healthy. He's proven he's got the ability to be a top 5 player on the planet, not sure Modano was ever quite that good.

 

[wetcoast]

Hard to say that when Jack is 23 and has only been to the playoffs once.

Sure but Modano hit the ground running and even Hughes in his second season wasn't were Modnao was at in his first (he went back to junior after his draft year, despite probably being more ready than Hughes was.

For me it's probably too big of a his for Hughes to climb and frankly when I first saw the post I thought the Jack would be Eichel (as the last name was cut off on the front HF page) he is more comparable to Mike IMO.

But to your second point yes, those Dallas teams were juggernauts.

Indeed they were but they were also unfortunate to play in the same conference as Colorado and the Red Wings at that time.

 

[Albatros]

Modano had two-way ability, Hughes not so much.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Modano had two-way ability, Hughes not so much.

This is false.

 

[BKarchitect]

Hughes certainly has the IQ and hands to be effective defensively but Modano had the body of a 6-3 power forward and could match up head to head defensively and physically with every single monster center in the 90’s and early 00’s. I don’t think it’s a slight on Jack to say it’s unlikely he will ever be that kind of guy.

I do think Jack will end up in the convo for the best American forward when his career is done, quite possibly the best. But I’d love to have seen Modano with his skating and size and skill play in today’s NHL not under Hitchcock. I fully believe he’d be putting up numbers close to Drai/MacK/Kuch level.

 

[wetcoast]

Well, here's a comparison between the two from 20 to 23 in order of year

Hughes

Stat finishes

PPG : 25th, 10th, 13th
Points: 100th, 12th, 42nd,

GPG: 15th, 12th, 31st
Goals: 70th, 8th, 65th


Modano

PPG: 34th, 37th, 16th
Points: 34th, 30th, 16th

GPG: 39th, 64th, 8th
Goals: 33rd, 54th, 8th


Obviously Hughes has been more injury prone, but if we compare their scoring rates, Hughes comes out on top as the better offensive player, and at this stage of his career Mike Modano wasn't the two way player he'd eventually become.

This comparison is also missing Hughes 23 year old season as its still in progress.

Modano from 25 to 32 will be hard to top in terms of sheer elite consistency, but I think Hughes can definitely peak higher, so I'll take a chance on Hughes and give him my vote.

These are fair points but Modano also was much better in the NHL before the age of 20, that counts for something right?

Hughes certainly has the IQ and hands to be effective defensively but Modano had the body of a 6-3 power forward and could match up head to head defensively and physically with every single monster center in the 90’s and early 00’s. I don’t think it’s a slight on Jack to say it’s unlikely he will ever be that kind of guy.

This is where I'm coming from on this poll.

I do think Jack will end up in the convo for the best American forward when his career is done, quite possibly the best. But I’d love to have seen Modano with his skating and size and skill play in today’s NHL not under Hitchcock. I fully believe he’d be putting up numbers close to Drai/MacK/Kuch level.

Modano doesn't have the same overall pure offensive skills as the 3 guys you mention here though IMO.

 

[BKarchitect]

These are fair points but Modano also was much better in the NHL before the age of 20, that counts for something right?


This is where I'm coming from on this poll.



Modano doesn't have the same overall pure offensive skills as the 3 guys you mention here though IMO.

Yeah I mean in terms of pure puck skill he’s a notch below but Modano could absolutely rip it and his playmaking and vision were hugely underrated, imo. As open as the game is in 2024, with his size and speed…he’d be tough to contain. You’re talking about a guy who was bigger than Draisatl and who could blow by guys like MacK.

Maybe more of an Eichel situation (the current version of Eichel) where at his best, Modano could hang step for step with some generational or near generational peers but maybe didn’t have quite that year-to-year offensive consistency or genius…

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

Hughes isn't far enough into his career to compare the two, this is a weird poll.

 

[wetcoast]

Yeah I mean in terms of pure puck skill he’s a notch below but Modano could absolutely rip it and his playmaking and vision were hugely underrated, imo. As open as the game is in 2024, with his size and speed…he’d be tough to contain. You’re talking about a guy who was bigger than Draisatl and who could blow by guys like MacK.

Sure maybe but I watched a ton of Modano both in junior and the NHL and it was less skilled back then and his biggest attributes were his speed and goal scoring off the rush but Mack has the same abilities and better playmaking and Kuch is just a wizard and Leon gets under appreciated by playing with McJesus.

Mike would be close but my guess is that he would be a slightly lesser offensive force than those 3 guys.

 

[heretik27]

Sure but Modano hit the ground running and even Hughes in his second season wasn't were Modnao was at in his first (he went back to junior after his draft year, despite probably being more ready than Hughes was.

For me it's probably too big of a his for Hughes to climb and frankly when I first saw the post I thought the Jack would be Eichel (as the last name was cut off on the front HF page) he is more comparable to Mike IMO.



Indeed they were but they were also unfortunate to play in the same conference as Colorado and the Red Wings at that time.

Did he though..?

 

[Video Nasty]

He's proven he's got the ability to be a top 5 player on the planet

When did he prove that?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

When did he prove that?

Back in 2022-23, before he got injured. Dude was on pace for something like 57 goals and 113 points through 50 games.