Don't Swamp This Up!

[DChero]

Looking ahead to 2011-12: Ranking the NHL’s top 25 centers - Puck Daddy - NHLBlog - Yahoo! Sports

Here's a Yahoo! blog about the top 25 centers in the league. Most of which I agree with, but Kopitar being so far back is a big issue with me. Thoughts?

Honorable mentions: Paul Stastny(notes), Colorado Avalanche; David Krejci(notes), Boston Bruins; Joe Pavelski(notes), San Jose Sharks; Jason Spezza(notes), Ottawa Senators; Stephen Weiss(notes), Florida Panthers.

25. John Tavares(notes), New York Islanders: No man is an Island, but this young goal-scorer is as close as it gets.

24. Dave Bolland(notes), Chicago Blackhawks: Just ask the Sedin twins about the effectiveness of this two-way 'Hawk.

23. Tomas Plekanec(notes), Montreal Canadiens: Known for his sweet playmaking and even sweeter turtleneck sweater.

22. Matt Duchene(notes), Colorado Avalanche: He might not be the next Joe Sakic(notes), but close enough.

21. David Backes(notes), St. Louis Blues: Known for his devastating hits, the big Blue is coming off a career season (31 goals, plus-32 rating).

20. Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh Penguins: A two-way force and he's only 22. He's really a No. 2 center, but on the Pens he's a checking demon who can score 25 goals.

19. Anze Kopitar(notes), Los Angeles Kings: Teams up with Mike Richards(notes) to give the Kings one of the league's best 1-2 punches down the middle.

18. Patrice Bergeron(notes), Boston Bruins: A key contributor to Boston's Cup win, he's overcome the concussion problems that once threatened to derail his career to develop into a complete player. Can play, and excel, in any situation.

17. Mikko Koivu(notes), Minnesota Wild: Big, powerful pivot will benefit from additions of wingers Dany Heatley(notes) and Devin Setoguchi(notes).

16. Jeff Carter(notes), Columbus Blue Jackets: Like Richards, he was shocked and unhappy to learn he'd been traded by the Flyers. But at least he lands on a line with Rick Nash(notes).

15. Nicklas Backstrom(notes), Washington Capitals: His numbers dipped significantly last season, but that's what happens when Alex Ovechkin(notes) scores a mere mortal 32 goals.

14. Henrik Zetterberg(notes), Detroit Red Wings: Underrated two-way player who delivers in crunch time.

13. Brad Richards(notes), New York Rangers: No pressure, Brad. It's just New York City and a $60 million contract.

12. Mike Richards, Los Angeles Kings: The ex-Flyers captain shouldn't lack for motivation. Look for a big year on the West Coast.

11. Vincent Lecavalier(notes), Tampa Bay Lightning: Slowed by wrist injuries the past couple years, the Bolts captain is too talented to be a minus player who struggles to score 70 points.

10. Ryan Kesler(notes), Vancouver Canucks: Forty-one goals and one of the game's best defensive players, plus toughness and leadership. That's pretty much the complete package.

9. Joe Thornton(notes), San Jose Sharks: Don't expect another scoring title or MVP award, but that's an acceptable tradeoff for improved playoff performances. The window of opportunity to win a Cup is closing, but it hasn't shut yet.

8. Eric Staal(notes), Carolina Hurricanes: Great skater, great shooter, great size.

7. Ryan Getzlaf(notes), Anaheim Ducks: Prototypical No. 1 center is big, talented and tough. The perfect pivot for Corey Perry(notes) and Bobby Ryan(notes) on the league's No. 1 line.

6. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins: Combination of size and skill allows Pittsburgh's "other" franchise player to take over games. The prognosis on his February knee injury is encouraging.

5. Steven Stamkos(notes), Tampa Bay Lightning: When he's on, he joins Crosby, Ovechkin and Co. in the conversation as the game's best player. The kid just needs to be more consistent, more of a factor in every game, to reach the highest level.

4. Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks: He's the playmaking twin, not the goal-scoring twin.

3. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks: Heart and soul of the 'Hawks is a big-stage star who leads by example.

2. Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings: You know, he just might be the best all-around player in the game today.

1. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins: Yes, we're making the big assumption that the face of the NHL will be fully recovered from the concussion issues that caused him to miss the second half of last season. Why? Because the alternative is too awful to acknowledge.

 

[Darkstone42]

Toews, Malkin, and Lecavalier are too high. Stamkos is too low. That is all.

 

[ELYEAH82]

I thought Stamkos played Left Wing

 

[recon]

I thought Stamkos played Left Wing

 

[recon]

no claude giroux? THIS LIST SUCKS! FRAUDS


edit: NOT EVEN A FUCKING HONORABLE MENTION
/end rant

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Plekanec is one of the most underrated players in the league.

I'd put him ahead of Backes, Duchene, Backstrom & Lecavalier.

Duchene is definately too high on the list. If Tavares played with as much talent as Duchene has around him he'd have much better numbers. Backtrom plays with Ovi so his numbers are a bit inflated. Backstrom was awful in the playoffs. Vinny is still living off past glories. He's not the same player he once was. The only question I have on Backes is whether or not he can do it again. I believe he will, but I want to see it.

 

[ELYEAH82]

Does he play wing on the PP? He sits on the circle for the whole 2 minutes.

 

[awaz]

Plekanec is one of the most underrated players in the league.

I'd put him ahead of Backes, Duchene, Backstrom & Lecavalier.

Duchene is definately too high on the list. If Tavares played with as much talent as Duchene has around him he'd have much better numbers. Backtrom plays with Ovi so his numbers are a bit inflated. Backstrom was awful in the playoffs. Vinny is still living off past glories. He's not the same player he once was. The only question I have on Backes is whether or not he can do it again. I believe he will, but I want to see it.

oh?

maybe i dont know the avs well enough, but id take grabner and okposo before any of the avs wingers

 

[recon]

Does he play wing on the PP? He sits on the circle for the whole 2 minutes.

he might actually play wing on PP. half his goals were slapshots from face-off circle..

 

[recon]

oh?

maybe i dont know the avs well enough, but id take grabner and okposo before any of the avs wingers

don't forget moulson

 

[awaz]

Does he play wing on the PP? He sits on the circle for the whole 2 minutes.

haha thats definitely true.. right at the top of the left circle, all PP every PP.. i believe he takes a 'point' position on the powerplay.. just plays really low?

or maybe they call it the sloppy umbrella?

stamkos plays a little high on the left side.. st. louis a little low on the right.. and whoever is at the point shifts to the right a bit?

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

oh?

maybe i dont know the avs well enough, but id take grabner and okposo before any of the avs wingers

Tavares has P.A. Parenteau & Matt Moulson playing on his line. Grabner played with Neilson & Comeau last year.

The Avs have some good wingers like Chris Stewart, David Jones, Milan Hejduk, Peter Mueller, & Brandon Yip. Gabriel Landeskog was added on draft day as well.

 

[KillerVee]

Really nice to see Little Joe get an honorable mention

 

[recon]

Tavares has P.A. Parenteau & Matt Moulson playing on his line. Grabner played with Neilson & Comeau last year.

The Avs have some good wingers like Chris Stewart, David Jones, Milan Hejduk, Peter Mueller, & Brandon Yip. Gabriel Landeskog was added on draft day as well.

Stewart is on the Blues.

 

[ELYEAH82]

haha thats definitely true.. right at the top of the left circle, all PP every PP.. i believe he takes a 'point' position on the powerplay.. just plays really low?

or maybe they call it the sloppy umbrella?

stamkos plays a little high on the left side.. st. louis a little low on the right.. and whoever is at the point shifts to the right a bit?

I guess that must be what threw me off. 75% of his highlights are from the left circle.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Stewart is on the Blues.

He played on the Avs for the most part last year, as did Fleischmann. It will be interesting to see how Duchene does this season. I think the Avs took a BIG step back with that trade. Their GM compounded it by acquiring Varlamov from the Capitals. I expect the Caps to end up with a top 10 pick in 2012.

 

[awaz]

Tavares has P.A. Parenteau & Matt Moulson playing on his line. Grabner played with Neilson & Comeau last year.

The Avs have some good wingers like Chris Stewart, David Jones, Milan Hejduk, Peter Mueller, & Brandon Yip. Gabriel Landeskog was added on draft day as well.

i'll accept pa parenteau as a joke of a winger.. i suppose okposo being hurt all year does DQ him as a viable winger.. and i would've thought their best winger would play with their best center (grab+tavares).. so i apologize there

everyone being healthy, id take the isles wingers over the avs wingers... what (insert whoever is coaching the isles this month here) decides to do with them is his choice

JMO

 

[awaz]

He played on the Avs for the most part last year, as did Fleischmann. It will be interesting to see how Duchene does this season. I think the Avs took a BIG step back with that trade. Their GM compounded it by acquiring Varlamov from the Capitals. I expect the Caps to end up with a top 10 pick in 2012.

who knows what the avs gm is thinking.. the stewart trade was bad, the varlamov trade was worse

 

[recon]

He played on the Avs for the most part last year, as did Fleischmann. It will be interesting to see how Duchene does this season. I think the Avs took a BIG step back with that trade. Their GM compounded it by acquiring Varlamov from the Capitals. I expect the Caps to end up with a top 10 pick in 2012.

Avs GM has really FUCKED that team.

 

[awaz]

I guess that must be what threw me off. 75% of his highlights are from the left circle.

they must not show all his goals on those highlights.. pretty sure 90% of those are from the left circle