Quoting: dzmets
I would have to disagree Hughes looked much like Mitts last year in his first year overmatched and not capable of playing center defensively at the NHL level. NJ also had three other at least NHL centers to shelter some of his matchups and he still greatly struggled. I think he ultimately like Casey ends up playing wing in the nhl as there just are not any players of his stature playing center at the nhl level. Wait let me correct that he and Brayden Point would be the only 2 primary centers in the NHL at 5'9" or less. Now I think Point has proven he can get the job done at this level, but now playing with Nylander and Oloffaon instead of two of the best players in the nhl Stamkos and Kucherov I submit that he will end up looking like an average 1B center. 55 - 65 points and no longer having Stamkos to take the tough draws a defensive zone starts for him. This team will have flashes offensively with their speed but will be a completely perimeter team that gets run over on many nights. So yes I would much rather have jack and any # 2C even Mitts Again or Cozens before he proves it than having point and hughes
U make a decent argument
But that’s severely downplaying what Hughes should become
There’s a reason he was the clear #1 pick and Cozens & Mitts both dropped to pick8
He might not be Jack, but he should develop into a ppg player
With Point...
I guess i just like him a lot more than you
He’s legitimately a 1C imo, & plays well defensively
Point being so good is what convinced Tampa to move Stamkos to the wing after all
Point was also quite good even before he was elevated to the top line with them
In his 2nd season, at only 21yrs old, his stats were
32g-34a-66pts, with 50pts coming at 5v5
For comparison’s sake, 50 of Jack’s 78pts this year came at 5v5
Point’s linemates:
at RW it was mostly Tyler Johnson
LW rotated among Palat, Gourde, Jt Miller & Killorn
So decent linemates for sure, but no one amazing by any means
It was clearly (imo) Point who drove that line
So if he can do that at 21 with decent guys,
it’s natural that he’d continue to grow & get better playing with guys of equal or even better talent (like he would here)
We’ve seen how having just Jack isn’t good enough at Center
Having a 1-2 punch like Point & Hughes would be amazing imo
If that still hasn’t sold ya...
I’d be more than willing to compromise & just do the Point trade & keep Jack
Jack-Point as our top2 Centers would be a top5 tandem in the league imo
McDavid/Draisaitl, then Crosby/Malkin...
and idk another tandem I’d have over Jack & Point
Maybe Matthews/Tavares is ahead too
But only a matter of time before they leaps the Pens duo & the Leafs duo as well with Tavares, Sid & Malkin getting older