Vanek_Fanatic_26 wrote:
Stuuuuuuu wrote:
That neglects the fact that Jones was already ranked above Mackinnon before the knee injury, and that there are actually 3 other players we're talking about because NHL has Drouin at #2, and the ISS has this Russian Valery Nichushkin at #2. Jones has been North American #1 since January, and MacKinnon was injured February.
Mash it all together, and it looks to me like Jones is a cut above, with four or five players, including Mackinnon, within some sort of spitting distance. But I feel like there's still a perception that it's Jones vs. MacKinnon around here and I just don't see it that way.
I'd say it has a lot to do with their WJC performances. Jones was great, playing on a top pairing. Nathan MacKinnon didn't really get much of a chance to show his stuff on a low line.
Absolutely. That's the main reason I feel so strongly about Jones as the #1. He got to play against all the top talent in the world there, and he and MacKinnon were playing against the same competition. I barely noticed MacKinnon. Drouin was pretty good. But Jones was awesome.
Like I said in a different thread, I think the WJC was huge in this draft comparison, because it's the only direct comparison I have of the players in the same situation.