Nichushkin vs Toffoli

[mounD]

Great poll and one of the best X vs Y questions I've seen here. I'll take Toffoli only for the birth certificate. Close!

I remember reading somewhere you were "all in" on Nichushkin, rating him your 3rd most valuable fantasy forward in this draft class (after Mack and JD). Do you just value Toffoli higher, or are you balking on your commitment to Nichushkin?

Don't get me wrong, Toffoli is a great prospect and a future top6 scoring winger; however, Nichushkin shouldn't be discounted purely because he is Russian. Everyone is different, has different goals and desires. To lump Nichushkin in with Radulov and Kovalchuk merely because he is Russian, rather than because of something he said or did regarding him NHL commitment, is completely ridiculous.

The whole "Russian Factor" business on these boards is getting a bit overblown IMO. I would love to own both of these prospects, but give me Nichushkin.

[habs83]

The whole "Russian Factor" business on these boards is getting a bit overblown IMO. I would love to own both of these prospects, but give me Nichushkin.

I was 100% with you on this... until Kovalchuk left. As a Kovalchuk owner, I was more than pissed when he called it a career in the NHL to go back to Russia. I had an NHL superstar, signed to a career-long contract... as risk free as it comes!! It shows that for russian players, and russian players only, there is an alternative to make more money at home, and to be closer from their family. Even if I'm pissed, I kind of respect his choice. But the Russian factor exist, and it is not overblown. The number of russian players in the NHL is getting smaller and smaller, because the KHL offers these guys an attractive alternative.

To put things in perspective, let's say that we are talking about soccer players here. Every soccer player in the world wants to play in Europe, because the best leagues in the world are there. So if an american-born player is good enough, and that he receives an offer to play in the Premier League, he will go. There is more money over there, and the level of play is higher. But let's say that, in 10 years, the MLS is getting to the point where the contracts and the level of play is similar. There won't be much players crossing the pond.

[TheRook]

What a close poll. I voted for toffoli a while ago and have been watching it with interest.

You never really know how someone is going to play in the NHL until they get in the NHL. Toffoli has made it and produced. Hopefully he develops on his current success. He has reached a level of safe that you like to see in your prospects development.

Nischuskin is the wild card. He has greater potential but he has never played on the NA ice for a full season. Will it hurt or release his potential? If he doesn't make the team, does he go the the AHL or KHL? If he goes KHL, does he come back? To many questions for me.

It all depends on where your team is. If you need production now, go with toffoli, if you want to gamble, go with Nischuskin. You have to have some 'swing for the fences' prospects but we also need top prospects that we can count on. It all comes down to your level of risk when placing the bet.

[ShawneePanthers]

Toffoli is a future 1st liner, Nichu's future in the NHL is suspect.