Quoting: mondo
There really is never a set value for a player. It varies based on a number of factors, the main ones being not only their general performance but the needs of a interested team. I think fans (especially on this website) put a lot of emphasis on the current performance of a player, or too much emphasis on their expected potential.
I agree with that last point 1000%.
This is what it seems to look like on here sometimes:
Current performance = 10x aggregate value.
Playing badly this year? You lost 10x the value you once had.
Playing good this year? You are 10x more valuable than the aggregate.
Or to put it CF AGM terms...
Playing good this year? "X player is untouchable, you'd have to trade McDavid for us to consider it".
Playing bad this year? "I wouldn't even trade a 7th rounder for X player".
The same goes for prospects....
Did X prospect play in the WJHC? Add 10x value. A current actual 50 goal scorer might be enough to get you this prospect that if everything works out perfectly, might score 40 goals, one day..... maybe.
Did X prospect have less points in AHL than a 28 year old career AHL'er? Remove 1st round stud status, permitted to be called bust from this point on, "Might be able to get a 5th for him" now. etc.
In reality:
Josh Anderson is still a good player that teams want despite having crappy numbers this year. Matt Dumba is still a solid dman and even if his injury has taken a bite out of him, he'll still be a top line dman once he fully recovers. Bryan Rust is probably not a PPG potential player and really isn't something we should expect every year. People would have a much better opinion of Athanasiou if he were playing in TB the past two years instead of Detroit. etc etc etc