I mean, that's just not true. No need to lie lol. Year 1 he wasn't good(sub 20% WAR) and everybody knows that, but year 2 he took a huge leap(~77% WAR) except the points weren't there. This year he took another big step and was elite(99% WAR), and the points came too.

There's no excuses for Pettersson not being able to be a PPG player. On a better team, with a better supporting cast, and more experience/age to go along with that. Hughes is flat out on a much better trajectory at a younger age, that's a fact. No debate to be bad. Pettersson is very good, but Hughes is and will be better.

No no, you aren't allowed to use context! The fact that Hughes was just 18 and the youngest player in the league, being the only player ever to jump straight from the USHL to the NHL while EP was 20 with professional experience under his belt is irrelevant! The point production in their rookie season is the end all, be all!

Hughes wasn't a point per game as a rookie???? BUST.

Pettersson’s rookie season, he was paired up with guys like Jake Virtanen, Loui Eriksson, Nikolai Goldobon. None of those guys are in the NHL anymore. This season obviously he slumped but he played the majority of the season with an injured wrist. He has dealt with injury problems the past two seasons which is concerning but makes sense with his slightly lower production. I’m not going to lie and say he was fantastic all of last season but his second half was very strong. 49 points in 40 games isn’t too bad

As to your previous comment. Hughes was 18, Pettersson was 19. What a huge difference!!!!

Hughes 18, Pettersson 19

Pettersson started his rookie season at 19 years old. Hughes was in the NHL right after being drafted whereas Pettersson waited only ONE more year. I’d hardly call that a big difference.

Hughes rookie season was rough as he was 5’10” maybe 150 lbs soaking wet on a lousy team. But in 2020-21, he was analytically a very under-appreciated player. His numbers jumped all over the place. He led NHL is o-zone entries, was 2nd in takeaways, saw a much larger rise in scoring chances, was among league leaders in possession. Also, for context, by that point he was on a team that, in less that two years, had 3 coaches, 2 GMs, 2 captains, had traded away their top scorers, had gone through two long Covid shutdowns and he was centering a line between two largely unknown rookies (Sharangovich and Kuokkanen).

So “analytically” and anecdotally, last season was one of the more impressive age 19 seasons in NHL. There is a reason so many had predicted a major uptick in counting stats for 2021-22.

Right now, today, Hughes is probably a top-10 center in NHL. His ceiling is top-5, maybe higher. And at $8m for 8 more years makes him one of the most valuable assets in the league.

I think Pettersson vs Hischier is the more apt debate to be having.

Pettersson turned 20 one month into the season in his rookie year. Hughes was 18 the entire season.

Podkolzin
D+1 0.29 ppg (KHL)
D+2 0.31 ppg (KHL)
D+3 0.33 ppg

= better trajectory than Hughes

So we blaming Pettersson for having a birthday in November? Point is, Pettersson played in his draft +2 year where as Hughes played in his draft +1 year. Petey had ONE extra year of development. Hughes’ development admittedly took a big hit when the Devils rushed him into the NHL.

What the hell are you talking about? I'm putting context to your dog**** rookie season argument.

And yeah his development really took a huge hit considering he's one of the best analytical and transitional players in the league and just put up over a PPG at age 20. What a BIG hit!!! They totally ruined him!

Can you Atleast please make an argument that doesn’t JUST involve a 49 game sample size please? I know Hughes is an amazing player. He has talent and all the tools to be a superstar. Im not denying that. But what you’re saying is that Hughes is better than Pettersson despite Pettersson have proven a lot more. Maybe we can talk about this in a civilized manner in 5 years from now but there’s no point in arguing with you if you’re basing all your arguments on the same thing and not being open minded enough to understand what could’ve been a very civilized debate

"Can you please make an argument without using the data and facts compared to EP that proves he's better." I can't tell if you're trolling or are just a moron. I legitimately can't tell.

I think he's just really defensive regarding some of the key players for the Canucks.
Just because guys like EP40, Quinn Hughes, Podkolzin and the like are immensely important to the Canucks (they really are both great players) some Canucks fans get a certain way when those players are inevitably compared to other guys who have a very good claim to be better / more talented than them.

This is usually a product of young age (late teens - early twenties) and will pass in due time.
I recognize such attitudes in my past self, and sometimes I still let my emotions get the better of me.