Who can dethrone Jack Hughes?

[Habs76]

Veleno was number 1 before around the start of the 2017-18 season.

No he wasn't lol. He was top 5 for some tho

 

[Brando]

No he wasn't lol. He was top 5 for some tho

See my last post

 

[Daximus]

Veleno was number 1 before around the start of the 2017-18 season.

No Dahlin was consensus for a few years. Veleno was never considered #1.

 

[RememberTheName]

No Dahlin was consensus for a few years. Veleno was never considered #1.

Yea and before that it was Jake Wise after he broke some of Eichel’s records

 

[Daximus]

I don't think anyone can touch Hughes right now. It's pretty likely he sets a few USDP records this season and with a very strong American team will probably light up the WJC. I'd bet that no one even comes close to challenging him. The media will likely pick someone and run with the narrative that they are challenging for clicks and views but they really won't.

 

[Daximus]

Yea and before that it was Jake Wise after he broke some of Eichel’s records

Even if you go back and look at mocks from the year before Dahlin and Svechnikov flip flopped back and forth in most posters minds for the better part of 2 years before the draft. Literally no one else ever holds a spot at #1. I don't know what people were smoking during that time but those two were basically considered the consensus top 2 picks for almost 24 months.

 

[AmericanDream]

doesn't seem to be anyone that can yet, but if I had to pick one, his teammate Alex Turcotte would be the kid that could do it...

 

[Volica]

No one. This is his draft year.
The only 'who can dethrone' narratives will come closer to that draft when media needs to stir up some kind of race/discussion to fill air-time and articles.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Hughes will go #1.

What should happen? I believe a center or defensemen who projects as a likely 1 should go ahead of a player who projects as a winger.

Therefore, its hard to tell right now because there are variables here. As of now, I would say Byram is the only defensemen who looks like he has a good chance at unseating Hughes among D, while there are a number of C like Turcotte, Newhook, Cozens, Krebs, Dach, Suzuki, Zegras who have a season to prove themselves as C's who look like 1's.

 

[Habs76]

See my last post

Ye saw it after I posted

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

No one. Elite centers are hard to get.

5’9” Center Prospects don’t usually last as NHL Centers.

 

[Juicy Pop]

He could always lose the year to injury ala Patrick and invite comparisons.

 

[Castle8130]

I think it's definitely possible, probably a european if it happens

 

[Kaako Kappo]

5’9” Center Prospects don’t usually last as NHL Centers.

Well, according to all the information i can find he's 5'10. That's 1 inch shorter than Sidney Crosby. If he's as skilled as he's supposed to be, then he can play center in the NHL.

 

[McDNicks17]

I don't think anyone is going to pass him.

I'm actually surprised he isn't getting more hype considering how hard he's annihilating the USNTDP.

He's already got the highest points-per-game ever on the U18 USNTDP team by a decent margin and hasn't even played his 17 year old season for them yet.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Well, according to all the information i can find he's 5'10. That's 1 inch shorter than Sidney Crosby. If he's as skilled as he's supposed to be, then he can play center in the NHL.

USA Hockey lists him as 5'10" 166 lbs. Is there going to be all this hand wringing if he puts on one more inch and 20 lbs?

 

[PWJunior]

Well, according to all the information i can find he's 5'10. That's 1 inch shorter than Sidney Crosby. If he's as skilled as he's supposed to be, then he can play center in the NHL.

Hughes is a twig. The size does bother me, but I watched Barzal skate circles around the NHL all season. If Hughes has that type of skating, smarts, and skill by age 18 then sign me up.

Whether he stays at center or transitions to wing, he's the top talent in this class. I think he stays at center in the NHL. As an Isles fan, a Barzal and Hughes duo at center makes me drool. With Wahlstrom likely ready to be his wingman again, there is built in chemistry right out of the gate.

 

[Icebreakers]

No one. Newhook plays in the bchl and Kakko is a winger. Even if Hughes has a bit of a disappointing season he's still going first.

 

[HabsForHire]

I think newhook os the only one, his offense looks very close to Hughes

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I remember when Nolan Patrick was going 1st overall.

 

[Jabba11]

I doubt it, maybe Kakko if he has a great season? Krebs or Newhook could also see a push.

If we can learn something from this last draft and the Matthews-Laine draft is that teams hold the most value in a Center than any other position. Except if you have a generational talent in defense like Dahlin. Montréal and Arizona both took centers ahead of wingers and the rest of the 1st round was literally centers ranked further getting drafted. Center is the most valuable position in the game therefore I think Kakko will never beat Hughes at 1st overall especially with Hughes talent. He’s no Kotkaniemi or Barrett Hayton here.

I think most of the highly touted center prospects, if developing accordingly, will dominate this year’s top 5-7.

Hughes
Newhook
Cozens
Dach
Lavoie
Turcotte
Suzuki(if big season)

Then add guys like Kakko, Byram, Krebs, York and that unknown kid from the Q or Europe like Hischier, PLD, Huberdeau and Kotkaniemi.

 

[kroypuck]

I remember when Nolan Patrick was going 1st overall.

The Hischier/Patrick draft is not comparable to this one. Hughes is a level above all prospects from that year..

 

[Stive Morgan]

Newhook, Kaako, Honka, Dach, and Krebs have a chance but I think Hughes still goes 1st

 

[Daximus]

I remember when Nolan Patrick was going 1st overall.

Patrick didn't really have quite the statistics to guarantee it. Hughes is well above Patrick in terms of production both in his league and internationally.

 

[King'sPawn]

He can dethrone himself.

Plenty of players look like they will be stars in their D-1 year only to have a less than stellar draft year. As was pointed above, there could also be an injury.