Top 50

[Dangles 0]

About a week ago, I recieved The Hockey News yearbook. My initial thoughts were "oh who cares" but after a week's worth of reading and plenty yet to come I as highly intrigued by the features of this. I especially liked the artciles about Crosby, Chara and Iggy. The team reports were done well also. The top 50 players in the world though, I was not a fan of. Where's Eric Brewer? Earns a spot on Team Canada and not one on the list? Whats up with that!? Some of the later picks we're quite questionable also. I also though Heatly was ranked to high. What are you guys' thoughts about this years magazine?

[chippa13 1844]

About a week ago, I recieved The Hockey News yearbook. My initial thoughts were "oh who cares" but after a week's worth of reading and plenty yet to come I as highly intrigued by the features of this. I especially liked the artciles about Crosby, Chara and Iggy. The team reports were done well also. The top 50 players in the world though, I was not a fan of. Where's Eric Brewer? Earns a spot on Team Canada and not one on the list? Whats up with that!? Some of the later picks we're quite questionable also. I also though Heatly was ranked to high. What are you guys' thoughts about this years magazine?

Between the 8 teams in the World Cup there are upwards of 90-100 NHLers participating. Not everyone of those guys can make the list.

[flaming_june 2]

where can i find this? i actually went to bookstores here in LA and found nothing, no hockey mags.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

About a week ago, I recieved The Hockey News yearbook. My initial thoughts were "oh who cares" but after a week's worth of reading and plenty yet to come I as highly intrigued by the features of this. I especially liked the artciles about Crosby, Chara and Iggy. The team reports were done well also. The top 50 players in the world though, I was not a fan of. Where's Eric Brewer? Earns a spot on Team Canada and not one on the list? Whats up with that!? Some of the later picks we're quite questionable also. I also though Heatly was ranked to high. What are you guys' thoughts about this years magazine?

How are rank Kovalev-Datsyuk-Samsonov on that list?

[Thockey17 1]

kovalev isnt ranked.

[Hkydog 0]

kovalev isnt ranked.

Kovy sucks now don't you know?

[kosydar 0]

I know I'll get some crap for this, but Floppa isn't the number 1 player in the game. When he is healthy he is, but part of being the best player in the world is actually playing more than 39 games in a season. Yes he did have a good PPG when he did play, but so did guys like Marc Savard who didn't even make the list. I'm not saying I have a better #1, but that just doesn't make sense to me, same with Mario being #11.

[Cavs019 708]

kovalev isnt ranked.

Kovy sucks now don't you know?

"i believe players should be ranked on there skills, regardless of whether they produce or not." That and there acting ability.

[Chadd 916]

Datsyuk is #37, Samsonov has been injured far too much to have had much of an impact in recent years. While I agree with you Kosy about the injury thing, Forsberg really controls the game when he plays. That makes it hard to quantify his performance.

[kosydar 0]

If Lidstrom hadn't had a "bad" year, I would say he should be it. But because of that, and nobody else really sticking out, Forsberg wins by default. I liked Iginla at #2 though. I would have thought they'd put St. Louis there.

[Perry94 0]

where can I get one of these yearbooks?

[kosydar 0]

I picked mine up at Barnes & Noble today.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

kovalev isnt ranked.

Kovy sucks now don't you know?

"i believe players should be ranked on there skills, regardless of whether they produce or not." That and there acting ability.

I agree with you Cavs, I think they should rank the players for their skills and not for their stats, but they rank players more by their stats than anything else.

I thing it's stupid that Kovalev and Samsonov are not on that list because they are two of the best 1 vs 1 players in the league.

If I had a player to choose a Bruins between Thornton and Samsonov, I would pick Samsonov without a doubt. Thornton has size and strenght but Samsonov has skills and speed and he is much more flashy than Thornton.

[Chadd 916]

Cavs was being sarcastic. You are the only one who would rather have Samsonov than Thornton and a good reason why you won't be a general manager.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Cavs was being sarcastic. You are the only one who would rather have Samsonov than Thornton and a good reason why you won't be a general manager.

I'm sure you are right, but as a hockey fan, I prefer watching Samsonov than Thornton.

[Cavs019 708]

thornton has more skills than samsonov. A power game is considered a skill in my book and its much harder to stop than samsonovs fairy moves. The things they keep track of in the league are goals and assists, you dont get points for every time you dangle a guy. Also, im sure kovalev has led the league in giveaways the past 5 years, while samsonov is the captain of the NHL infirmary all stars.

[Guest 2048]

The only reason anyone could use to take Samsonov over Thornton is that Samsonov hasn't threatened to retire. Samsonov's a great skater and had a better first year or two than Thornton, but it's been all thornton since then. Boston doesn't ride on Samsonov's shoulders, it rides on Thornton's.

[mack 44]

In Thornton's defence, his first two years in the league he was centering a line with two ice cops.

[Guest 2048]

You could also add that other than Lindros, no big man has come right out of juniors and dominated the NHL. Power forwards usually take time to develop and grow into their bodies.

[mack 44]

Maybe it's not exactly dominating, but Nash is learning to use his size very quickly.

[Cavs019 708]

the scariest part about Nash is that he hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential. The guy has so much upside its not even funny.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

And what about Nash vs Zherdev, who would you take if you had to choose one?

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

The only reason anyone could use to take Samsonov over Thornton is that Samsonov hasn't threatened to retire. Samsonov's a great skater and had a better first year or two than Thornton, but it's been all thornton since then. Boston doesn't ride on Samsonov's shoulders, it rides on Thornton's.

A thing that I don't understand is why Samsonov is not playing on the 1st line with Thornton. It would make an awesome line. The only reason I can think they are not doing that is because both Samsonov and Thornton love to keep control of the puck.

[Cavs019 708]

Because its not a videogame. If you watched any of the bruins at all last year, you would realize that the thornton-knuble-murray line had amazing chemistry.

As far as nash vs zherdev is concerned, i would take nash hands down. 6'4 commands attention from the opposing teams defense, is a monster in front of the net, and good in his own zone. Zherdev - 5'10 amazing stick skills, looks like a fish out of water in the d end, plays soft. Defense is a part of the game fyi.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Because its not a videogame. If you watched any of the bruins at all last year, you would realize that the thornton-knuble-murray line had amazing chemistry.

As far as nash vs zherdev is concerned, i would take nash hands down. 6'4 commands attention from the opposing teams defense, is a monster in front of the net, and good in his own zone. Zherdev - 5'10 amazing stick skills, looks like a fish out of water in the d end, plays soft. Defense is a part of the game fyi.

I don't see a lot of Bruins game last year but I have seen all the 7 playoff games against Montreal and Samsonov was just flying while Thornton was doing nothing and taking bad penalties. I have never understand why Sullivan have never put Samsonov once on the PP1 during that playoff. My point is that they should trust a little more Samsonov.