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In this edition of the hotstove, we share our rankings for the top-5 wingers in the Western Conference.
Todd Cordell
1. Vladimir Tarasenko
Tarasenko has a rare combination of power, finesse, speed, and skill. Just four players have scored more 5v5 goals over the last two seasons. He leads all Western Conference wingers with a +12.07 Relative Goals For% during that two-year window.
2. Johnny Gaudreau
Gaudreau was arguably the brightest spot on the disaster that was the Calgary Flames last season. He put up 84 points and led the league with a +30(!!) penalty differential. Had the Flames been more successful, he could have garnered some Hart Trophy consideration.
3. Blake Wheeler
Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Brad Marchand. Those are the only players to register more points than Wheeler over the last two seasons. Though his underlying numbers took a hit last year, he was still a 91 point player at the end of the day.
4. Patrick Kane
His play without the puck leaves a lot to be desired but few can produce offense like Kane. He has averaged a point per game or better in five of the last six seasons.
5. Patrik Laine
I hear scoring goals is a valuable skill and only Alex Ovechkin has done so more often since Laine entered the league.
Adam French
1. Blake Wheeler
The mammoth that skates like the wind might have finally reached the point where people recognize how good he is. He's one of the more terrifying players to play against as a human that large shouldn't skate that fast. Amazing playmaking and vision. Great play driver. Hard to argue against him after the year he just had.
2. Patrick Kane
The Blackhawks last season were a mess and it shows in Kane's -20 rating. Not that I care too much about that stat. Regardless, Kane had to drag their offense kicking and screaming all year after losing his dynamic partner in Panarin. With multiple PPG seasons including a Hart, you can't leave him off a list like this.
3. Jamie Benn
While he's likely not going to win another Art Ross anytime soon, it's hard not to love the way Benn plays. He's a physical animal and a scoring threat at all times. You have to love his versatility and ability to play in all situations.
4. Johnny Gaudreau
Johnny Hockey is one of the most talented offensive forwards in the game. He's a magician when he's on his game. He had 84 points (60 EVS) while driving the Flames offense.
5. Vladimir Tarasenko
Tarasenko had a bit of a down year offensively last season, but he has been one of the most consistent threats in the WC for 4 years now. 4 straight 30+ goal years and he's young enough that he has some amazing years yet to come. I'm biased, he's one of my favourite players and I've been cheering for him since 2008.
Peter Tessier
1. Wheeler- the guy is defying age had his best career year with 91 points to lead all wingers in the west with 49 points at even strength. So underrated!
2. Benn- goals still matter and Benn scores goals plus he had 55 ES points but he's no Wheeler ;)
3. Gaudreau- the kid is good and probably does not get the respect he deserves. He'll be at the top soon, very soon but he's not leading his team yet (oooh intangibles) other than scoring.
4. Kane- The Patrick Kane, as he's still deadly and if he was on a team with the youthful depth of the past he might be even better production wise.
5. Laine- Remember goals matter and Laine as a 19 year old had 44 of them- the most in the Western conference. For a guy who skates like a giraffe imagine what he could do once that gets fixed!
Honourable mentions- Rantanen, Radulov and Tarasenko
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