[h=1]Choosing NHL's top franchise player[/h]
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Craig Custance[/FONT] | ESPN INSIDER
The beauty of those working in hockey is that their passion for the sport runs just as high as those who cheer on the teams. It’s the middle of the summer, and even while some were relaxing at a cottage or in the mountains, they took a moment to answer one question fans love to debate: If you were starting a franchise from scratch and could choose from any current player in the NHL, who would be your top choice?
Who is, in essence, the NHL's top "franchise player"?
I asked a dozen NHL executives, coaches and players to send in their top five franchise picks, in order, then assigned point values for each vote to come up with an overall ranking.
They didn't disappoint.
“We have this debate on our staff,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “For me, there’s no clear-cut answer. I kept changing my list. If you called me tomorrow, this list might change.”
Some wanted to factor in contracts. One assistant GM wanted to turn back time in coming up with his final list.
“Can I get a young [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Pavel Datsyuk[/FONT]?” he joked.
To keep things simple, there were no other factors brought to the table. It was simply a request to pick the five best players to build a franchise around. In all, the panel is made up of four current team executives (assistant GM or GM), one former GM, four current head coaches, one respected assistant coach and a player from each conference. The ballot of one of the coaches was excluded from the point total because he preferred not to rank them in any particular order. (The excluded ballot looked like this: Jonathan Toews, [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Steven Stamkos[/FONT], [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Drew Doughty[/FONT], [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Shea Weber[/FONT] and [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Jamie Benn[/FONT].)
Here are the overall results:
1. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks: 43 points (six first-place votes)
Conduct this poll a couple years ago and it’s likely that [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Sidney Crosby[/FONT] convincingly runs away with it. But with two Stanley Cups as captain of the Blackhawks, along with the two gold medals he shares with Crosby on Team Canada, Toews edged out the Penguins star as the player these panelists would most prefer to build their franchise around.
“He puts my franchise on the map,” one executive said. “On a scale of 1 to 10 for his skill, he’s probably a seven. His skating is a six. But his compete is a 10. His hockey sense is a 10. His defensive play is a 10. His character is a 10. His will is a 10. He’ll do things franchise-wise not only to make the guys on the ice better, but to make the team better.”
In terms of skill and point production, Crosby is the best in the league, but Toews’ combination of skill and leadership put him at the top of six of the ballots.
“Jonathan Toews has ownership of that team. He makes everyone accountable. He makes everyone better,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “There aren’t a lot of guys in the NHL you can say that about. He might be the only one.”
2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins: 41 points (four first-place votes)
Toews may have gotten the edge, but this was a two-horse race for the title of top franchise player. You can’t go wrong with either of them.
“I don’t think it’s a slam dunk Toews over Crosby,” said one GM who had Toews first. “I think there’s more dynamic ability in Sidney. I think the other pieces go to Toews -- the intangible pieces. But we’re talking about Crosby; it’s not like that’s a consolation prize.”
Said another voter on Crosby: “He still is a 100-point guy. He still does have character. The other thing about Sid is a lot of the situation and the negative things that go with him in Pittsburgh may just be a function of Pittsburgh. Sid does work. He does make other players around him better.”
3. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings: 21 points
Most of the ballots were heavy on centers, but Doughty was the clear-cut No. 3 on this list. If you’re taking a defenseman to build your team around, this is the guy. He’s got two Stanley Cups, he’s got two Olympic gold medals and he was a major contributor on all those championship teams.
The best part? He’s 24 years old. The window of high-level play you’re getting with Doughty may be longer than anyone's on this list. That was a consideration for one voter who went defense-heavy on his list.
“Defensemen are more valuable. They stay prime performers [for] longer periods of time. Doughty has already accomplished a lot, and his best years are ahead of him,” he said. “There are not a lot of elite scorers after 28 years old.”
4. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks: 8 points
The fact that Getzlaf got so much support at 29 years old just shows how respected he is inside the game. At 6-foot-4, he’s a horse and a guy you can anchor your team around.
“He’s a winner,” said the Western Conference player who had Getzlaf at No. 4 on his ballot. “In the league now, big centermen who are skilled are at a premium. You look at teams who win, they have those guys.”
5. (tie) Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche: 7 points
MacKinnon may not be one of the five best players in the league at this moment, but if you’re building a team, there’s a strong case to be made starting with a franchise center who still hasn’t turned 19.
“It’s a little bit of a projection there,” said a GM who had MacKinnon at No. 3 behind Toews and Crosby. “It’s the dynamic ability and speed. I’ve got a lot of guys ahead of him today, but if you’re looking forward the next 10 years ...”
5. (tie) Shea Weber, Nashville Predators: 7 points
Doughty gets the edge because of his age, but even at 28 years old, there’s still a lot of premium game left in Weber, who scored 23 goals last season for Nashville. “Weber brings leadership that Drew doesn’t,” a voter said. One coach had Weber at No. 6 on a five-man list and an executive who had Doughty and four centermen considered Weber hard as his lone defenseman.
“Weber, to me, would be in the mix there. [Duncan] Keith is a little bit older. I put Doughty just ahead of that crew. And the more I think about it, the more [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Oliver Ekman-Larsson[/FONT] is in that conversation. He’s not far behind those.” One of the players had Ekman-Larsson on his list. “The guy is unbelievable,” he said. “Some of the [stuff] he does is unbelievable. Watch the guy, the way he defends is so effortless. It’s crazy.”
7. (tie) Anze Kopitar, Kings: 6 points (one first-place vote)
He was on only two ballots, but one of them was a first-place vote. It came from a player who competes often against Kopitar and feels his game is still underappreciated even after two Stanley Cup runs. “He’s underrated, but he’s great,” he said. “He’s killing penalties for them. He plays every situation. He’s just a great all-around player. He’s underrated for what he does and how good he is. Any guy who can lead their team to a championship two out of three years is right up there. Kopitar, Toews and Crosby are all in the mix.”
7. (tie) John Tavares, New York Islanders: 6 points
“Incredible skill and just starting to mature into the guy who will take that team to full-time respectability,” a coach said. “The Olympics were awesome for him, to be surrounded by so many winners.”
9. (tie) Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens, and Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins : 5 points
Building around goalies wasn’t a popular choice, but those who included goalies leaned toward Price and Rask.
“I considered goalies, and the truth is they’re the player who has the most impact on your team’s success. They can make coaches and management look really good,” a voter said. “Who is that goalie who is so good and consistent and still young enough that you know for the next 10 years he’ll be a difference-maker?”
At 26 years old and with an Olympic gold medal on his résumé, Price could be the one. Rask, at 27, is the other strong option for those who want a goalie. “I think he’s the best goalie in the league,” said an exec who had him No. 2 on his ballot. “He’s young. He’s high-character and he would inspire his teammates to be better players because of his skill level.”
9. (tie) Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: 5 points
For those looking for pure goal-scoring, Stamkos is the guy. In two of the past three seasons, he’s led the NHL in goals per game. Last year, he averaged 0.68 goals per game, and in 2011-12, that number was 0.73, good for 68 goals on the season. That’s ridiculous. “Arguably the top goal scorer in the game,” said a general manager. “I think he’s pretty good.”
12. P.K. Subban, Canadiens: 4 points
“He’s just a horse,” one executive said. A coach had him the highest, at No. 2 on his ballot. “Incredible personality and he has a lust for life that makes him the player he is,” he said. “He has the game to back it up and dynamic game-changing ability, and he is only getting better as he matures.”
13. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins: 2 points
Another big center (6-foot-3) who is still young enough at 27 to build around for the next several years.
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Craig Custance[/FONT] | ESPN INSIDER
The beauty of those working in hockey is that their passion for the sport runs just as high as those who cheer on the teams. It’s the middle of the summer, and even while some were relaxing at a cottage or in the mountains, they took a moment to answer one question fans love to debate: If you were starting a franchise from scratch and could choose from any current player in the NHL, who would be your top choice?
Who is, in essence, the NHL's top "franchise player"?
I asked a dozen NHL executives, coaches and players to send in their top five franchise picks, in order, then assigned point values for each vote to come up with an overall ranking.
They didn't disappoint.
“We have this debate on our staff,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “For me, there’s no clear-cut answer. I kept changing my list. If you called me tomorrow, this list might change.”
Some wanted to factor in contracts. One assistant GM wanted to turn back time in coming up with his final list.
“Can I get a young [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Pavel Datsyuk[/FONT]?” he joked.
To keep things simple, there were no other factors brought to the table. It was simply a request to pick the five best players to build a franchise around. In all, the panel is made up of four current team executives (assistant GM or GM), one former GM, four current head coaches, one respected assistant coach and a player from each conference. The ballot of one of the coaches was excluded from the point total because he preferred not to rank them in any particular order. (The excluded ballot looked like this: Jonathan Toews, [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Steven Stamkos[/FONT], [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Drew Doughty[/FONT], [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Shea Weber[/FONT] and [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Jamie Benn[/FONT].)
Here are the overall results:
1. Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks: 43 points (six first-place votes)
Conduct this poll a couple years ago and it’s likely that [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Sidney Crosby[/FONT] convincingly runs away with it. But with two Stanley Cups as captain of the Blackhawks, along with the two gold medals he shares with Crosby on Team Canada, Toews edged out the Penguins star as the player these panelists would most prefer to build their franchise around.
“He puts my franchise on the map,” one executive said. “On a scale of 1 to 10 for his skill, he’s probably a seven. His skating is a six. But his compete is a 10. His hockey sense is a 10. His defensive play is a 10. His character is a 10. His will is a 10. He’ll do things franchise-wise not only to make the guys on the ice better, but to make the team better.”
In terms of skill and point production, Crosby is the best in the league, but Toews’ combination of skill and leadership put him at the top of six of the ballots.
“Jonathan Toews has ownership of that team. He makes everyone accountable. He makes everyone better,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “There aren’t a lot of guys in the NHL you can say that about. He might be the only one.”
2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins: 41 points (four first-place votes)
Toews may have gotten the edge, but this was a two-horse race for the title of top franchise player. You can’t go wrong with either of them.
“I don’t think it’s a slam dunk Toews over Crosby,” said one GM who had Toews first. “I think there’s more dynamic ability in Sidney. I think the other pieces go to Toews -- the intangible pieces. But we’re talking about Crosby; it’s not like that’s a consolation prize.”
Said another voter on Crosby: “He still is a 100-point guy. He still does have character. The other thing about Sid is a lot of the situation and the negative things that go with him in Pittsburgh may just be a function of Pittsburgh. Sid does work. He does make other players around him better.”
3. Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings: 21 points
Most of the ballots were heavy on centers, but Doughty was the clear-cut No. 3 on this list. If you’re taking a defenseman to build your team around, this is the guy. He’s got two Stanley Cups, he’s got two Olympic gold medals and he was a major contributor on all those championship teams.
The best part? He’s 24 years old. The window of high-level play you’re getting with Doughty may be longer than anyone's on this list. That was a consideration for one voter who went defense-heavy on his list.
“Defensemen are more valuable. They stay prime performers [for] longer periods of time. Doughty has already accomplished a lot, and his best years are ahead of him,” he said. “There are not a lot of elite scorers after 28 years old.”
4. Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks: 8 points
The fact that Getzlaf got so much support at 29 years old just shows how respected he is inside the game. At 6-foot-4, he’s a horse and a guy you can anchor your team around.
“He’s a winner,” said the Western Conference player who had Getzlaf at No. 4 on his ballot. “In the league now, big centermen who are skilled are at a premium. You look at teams who win, they have those guys.”
5. (tie) Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche: 7 points
MacKinnon may not be one of the five best players in the league at this moment, but if you’re building a team, there’s a strong case to be made starting with a franchise center who still hasn’t turned 19.
“It’s a little bit of a projection there,” said a GM who had MacKinnon at No. 3 behind Toews and Crosby. “It’s the dynamic ability and speed. I’ve got a lot of guys ahead of him today, but if you’re looking forward the next 10 years ...”
5. (tie) Shea Weber, Nashville Predators: 7 points
Doughty gets the edge because of his age, but even at 28 years old, there’s still a lot of premium game left in Weber, who scored 23 goals last season for Nashville. “Weber brings leadership that Drew doesn’t,” a voter said. One coach had Weber at No. 6 on a five-man list and an executive who had Doughty and four centermen considered Weber hard as his lone defenseman.
“Weber, to me, would be in the mix there. [Duncan] Keith is a little bit older. I put Doughty just ahead of that crew. And the more I think about it, the more [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Oliver Ekman-Larsson[/FONT] is in that conversation. He’s not far behind those.” One of the players had Ekman-Larsson on his list. “The guy is unbelievable,” he said. “Some of the [stuff] he does is unbelievable. Watch the guy, the way he defends is so effortless. It’s crazy.”
7. (tie) Anze Kopitar, Kings: 6 points (one first-place vote)
He was on only two ballots, but one of them was a first-place vote. It came from a player who competes often against Kopitar and feels his game is still underappreciated even after two Stanley Cup runs. “He’s underrated, but he’s great,” he said. “He’s killing penalties for them. He plays every situation. He’s just a great all-around player. He’s underrated for what he does and how good he is. Any guy who can lead their team to a championship two out of three years is right up there. Kopitar, Toews and Crosby are all in the mix.”
7. (tie) John Tavares, New York Islanders: 6 points
“Incredible skill and just starting to mature into the guy who will take that team to full-time respectability,” a coach said. “The Olympics were awesome for him, to be surrounded by so many winners.”
9. (tie) Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens, and Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins : 5 points
Building around goalies wasn’t a popular choice, but those who included goalies leaned toward Price and Rask.
“I considered goalies, and the truth is they’re the player who has the most impact on your team’s success. They can make coaches and management look really good,” a voter said. “Who is that goalie who is so good and consistent and still young enough that you know for the next 10 years he’ll be a difference-maker?”
At 26 years old and with an Olympic gold medal on his résumé, Price could be the one. Rask, at 27, is the other strong option for those who want a goalie. “I think he’s the best goalie in the league,” said an exec who had him No. 2 on his ballot. “He’s young. He’s high-character and he would inspire his teammates to be better players because of his skill level.”
9. (tie) Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning: 5 points
For those looking for pure goal-scoring, Stamkos is the guy. In two of the past three seasons, he’s led the NHL in goals per game. Last year, he averaged 0.68 goals per game, and in 2011-12, that number was 0.73, good for 68 goals on the season. That’s ridiculous. “Arguably the top goal scorer in the game,” said a general manager. “I think he’s pretty good.”
12. P.K. Subban, Canadiens: 4 points
“He’s just a horse,” one executive said. A coach had him the highest, at No. 2 on his ballot. “Incredible personality and he has a lust for life that makes him the player he is,” he said. “He has the game to back it up and dynamic game-changing ability, and he is only getting better as he matures.”
13. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins: 2 points
Another big center (6-foot-3) who is still young enough at 27 to build around for the next several years.
