The NHL Network Got It Wrong, So Wrong…

Everyone likes lists right? Of course they do! If they didn’t, why do so many keep getting made?

The NHL Network isn’t immune to the joy of list making and tried their hand and ranking the “Top 20 Wings Now” in the NHL.

Your boys Patrik Laine and Blake Wheeler made the list. Hooray right?

Well yes, and no.

We all love Patrik Laine. The kid is *going* to be a stud, he’s already a high level sniper, an electrifying presence on the ice that gets a buzz going in the crowd the moment the puck gets even within five feet of his stick. He’s a bit of a refreshing personality off the ice in that he’s actually shown a bit of personality off the ice.

So it’s understandable that with all that hype, he places higher than he probably should.

But top 10? Seriously?

And he’s ahead of… Blake Wheeler?

Look, we don’t want to be “those guys” that claim their player is super underrated… But Blake Wheeler is starting to become super underrated.

Case in point we ranked him as our top performing Jet this past season, and in that post Garret makes a strong point that he should be considered one of the best in the league. He simply does everything and does it well. He is just as strong playing 5 on 5 as he is on the power play as he is when penalty killing.

Yeah, Wheeler is 11th which in the grand scheme of things is not to shabby.. But it should be much higher right? Is top five asking too much?

At the very least he should be ranking higher than Laine.

Again, we love the kid, but he needs to work on his game at both ends of the rink and there is a question if he can keep up his high shooting percentage. He may have a better shot than Wheeler, but that’s where his advantage ends.

Then again, let’s keep in mind this is a “list” and the reason people like the folks at NHL Network make lists like this is to get people talking – like we’re doing here, so mission accomplished for them I suppose.

In the meantime, feel free to sound off in the comments or on our Facebook or Twitter. Is the NHL Network out to lunch on this? Where would you rank Wheeler? Where would you put Laine?