[Discussion] Who would you rather build a team around?

[Dixon Ward]

The emergence of Elias Petersson has got me thinking.  If you could choose 1 player under 23 to build a team around, who would it be.  Ask yourself if you would trade Petersson for that player?

 

Some players who are in the conversation, maybe, in no particular order:

 

McDavid

Matthews

Dahlin

MacKinnon

Point

Marner

Barzal

Chabot

 

Personally, I don't think I would trade Petersson for any of them.  Maybe Dahlin, only because 1 defensemen are pretty hard to come by.  The Canucks have never had one.  They have had scoring stars but not #1 Dmen.  I still don't think I would do it, but it would be tempting.

 

Regardless of the results of this discussion, how cool is it that we won the lottery without winning the lottery!

[underrated]

This is my personal rankings:

 

McDavid - clear #1
Matthews

Petterson
Dahlin

Chabot

MacKinnon

Marner

 

I feel similarly that I'm not sure I'd trade EP for anyone in the league right now.  Talent wise McDavid is the best player in the league, but EP is on a rookie contract and McDavid is on a massive contract, so I'm not sure I'd even do a 1 for 1 swap right now.  Probably still would, but I'm definitely happy with have Petterson!

[TNucks1]

McDavid for me.

[Darius]

Im going to have to say McDavid

 

(*with the hopes that 2 years from now some smart arse pulls up this post to show me "how well its aged" because Petey went into even a higher supernova superstar mode and is dominating the league)

 

 

[Dixon Ward]

1 minute ago, Darius said:

Im going to have to say McDavid

 

(*with the hopes that 2 years from now some smart arse pulls up this post to show me "how well its aged" because Petey went into even a higher supernova superstar mode and is dominating the league)

 

 

Are you saying he is the only one you would trade for Petersson? Or just that he's the best under 23?

[Ojibwa72]

I would go after MacKinnon. Just seems a beast, built like a traditional hockey player. With Him, Horvat, and Gaudette you would definitley be set.

[Alflives]

Pettersson

Matthews

 

The rest are good, but need to develop an understanding for the defensive aspects of the game, and how to play as hard without the puck, as with it.  Or they are just not that level of player (Dahlin, Marner, Barzel Chabot) that you would want to build your team around.  

There is a reason why guys like Crosby, Toews, and Kopitar led their teams to multiple Cups.  Each guy plays as hard (if not harder) without the puck, as they do with it.  They are truely complete players.  

Pettersson is a complete player, who strives to be even better.

Matthews (even though he plays for the LOSER LEAFS) is a complete player too.  

[Zhukini]

Matthews 

[kloubek]

It is a hard question.  We have a pretty good idea what most of these players are and likely will be in the future. Pettersson's ceiling is still unknown.  I'd say Dahlen is in the same boat - though my bet is on Pettersson being better in his position.

 

I feel that with some extra needed weight/strength and experience that Pettersson could end up the better all-around player than all of them.  From purely a scoring force perspective, I think its pretty hard to get better than McDavid though. 

 

There are also many good suggestions in here for some very multi-dimensional, highly skilled players but I truly feel Elias has the ace card which is supreme hockey IQ that I believe will make him one of the best players in the NHL.

[Dixon Ward]

6 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Pettersson

Matthews

 

The rest are good, but need to develop an understanding for the defensive aspects of the game, and how to play as hard without the puck, as with it.  Or they are just not that level of player (Dahlin, Marner, Barzel Chabot) that you would want to build your team around.  

There is a reason why guys like Crosby, Toews, and Kopitar led their teams to multiple Cups.  Each guy plays as hard (if not harder) without the puck, as they do with it.  They are truely complete players.  

Pettersson is a complete player, who strives to be even better.

Matthews (even though he plays for the LOSER LEAFS) is a complete player too.  

I would tend to agree with you.  While I despise the Leafs, I think Matthews is a complete player.  While this may be homerism at its best, I think Petersson is just scratching the surface and will be better offensively than Matthews in a couple of years.

[-AJ-]

I think there's a high chance McDavid is the best out of all of those.

[Nucker 67]

Because I'm biased, Pettersson all the way, no question, he's the best

 

 

[Bo fan]

sticky with Petey 

[JeremyCuddles]

Barkov, Scheifele missing from your list. I’d build around those one of those two. Eichel missing too.

[xereau]

Pettersson.  Most complete, youngest player there.

[DADDYROCK]

Lets not forget that this is Pettersons first year in the league,

if he continues to get better and better as he grows accustomed to the job just who knows how good he will become.Add a few pieces(nasty SKILLED defense man & sniper LW) and away we go.

[Silky mitts]

EP is going to possibly go down as a Swedish legend. Ep all the way 

[CaptainLinden16]

2 hours ago, Dixon Ward said:

The emergence of Elias Petersson has got me thinking.  If you could choose 1 player under 23 to build a team around, who would it be.  Ask yourself if you would trade Petersson for that player?

 

Some players who are in the conversation, maybe, in no particular order:

 

McDavid

Matthews

Dahlin

MacKinnon

Point

Marner

Barzal

Chabot

 

Personally, I don't think I would trade Petersson for any of them.  Maybe Dahlin, only because 1 defensemen are pretty hard to come by.  The Canucks have never had one.  They have had scoring stars but not #1 Dmen.  I still don't think I would do it, but it would be tempting.

 

Regardless of the results of this discussion, how cool is it that we won the lottery without winning the lottery!

 

As a fan of the Canucks Petterson

 

As a fan of Hockey McDavid/MacKinnon

 

In my mind the best player in the world right now is MacKinnon.  If I was building a team to win in the next 5 years, he would be first choice.  Speed, power, puck skills he is total package.

 

McKinnon

McDavid

Eichel

Matthews

Petterson (in 3 years he could easily be 1, but he is so young)

Barkov (23)

Draisaitl (23)

Point

Dahlin ( in 3 years he could easily be 1, but he is so young)

Chabot

Pastarnak

Laine

Boeser

Ekblad (23)

Hesikanien

Rantanen

Marner

Barazal

Horvat (23)

Larkin

Aho

[Canuck Surfer]

1 hour ago, underrated said:

This is my personal rankings:

 

McDavid - clear #1
Matthews

Petterson
Dahlin

Chabot

MacKinnon

Marner

 

I feel similarly that I'm not sure I'd trade EP for anyone in the league right now.  Talent wise McDavid is the best player in the league, but EP is on a rookie contract and McDavid is on a massive contract, so I'm not sure I'd even do a 1 for 1 swap right now.  Probably still would, but I'm definitely happy with have Petterson!

You are underrated sir. Good list!

 

I agree item by item till I hit Marner.

 

Rantanen for me at that spot.

 

I also barely agree Matthews beats the Alien. Its so close. But I agree.

[Elias Pettersson]

Pettersson and Dahlin are both rookies, so you need to take that into consideration.  We need to revisit this list in 3 years.

 

I would say 3 years from now it will be McDavid, Pettersson and Dahlin that will top that list.