Head to Head: Nugent-Hopkins Vs. Strome

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The NHL draft is fast approaching and we’ve put together some head to head match ups featuring 20 different prospects. We’ve consulted 10 scouts from 10 different organizations to get their opinions in 5 different categories and ultimately, who they would take if they had the final say.

Enjoy these and tune into The Pipeline Show on Saturday June 25th from 10-Noon MST for a complete, in-depth recap of round one and coverage of day 2.

For now here’s H2H: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins vs. Ryan Strome...


Tale of the Tape:

Nugent-Hopkins (C)........Strome (C)
Red Deer (WHL)...........Niagara (OHL)
Height: 6'0........................Height: 6'0
Weight: 174 lbs................Weight: 175 lbs
31-75-106 (1.54/PPG)...33-73-106 (1.63/PPG)
CS Rank: 1st....................CS Rank: 8th

Skating: 7-2-1 Nugent-Hopkins
Offence: 9-1 Nugent-Hopkins
Defence: 7-2-1 Nugent-Hopkins
Toughness: 6-2-2 Strome
Overall: 9-1 Nugent-Hopkins

Who Would You Take?

Nugent-Hopkins - "He’s got more that you just can’t teach. I’ve seen Strome more but I think that tells the story; you can watch RNH just a few times and it jumps out at you just how special he is. Strome was a perimeter player in midget, he didn’t like going into corners to get his own pucks and that’s what changed for him this year. He was pretty invisible in the Mississauga series. I’m not down on Strome but I would be shocked if he turned out to be the better player."

Nugent-Hopkins - "I like them both but you have to go with Nugent-Hopkins with his vision and the way he plays the game. I think Strome has a lot of offensive upside but Nugent-Hopkins is going to be spectacular at the next level. Strome has great offensive instincts but I think Nugent-Hopkins is even a step higher than he is."

Nugent-Hopkins - "There are two big differences between the two for me; Nugent-Hopkins’ agility and mobility on his feet, he has the ability to get in and out of traffic laterally or to be slippery in small areas whereas Strome doesn’t have that ability. The offensive skills are close but again I think the edge goes to RNH and that’s more from a passing perspective. I think Strome might have a better shot but not a better overall touch."

Nugent-Hopkins - "I believe that when you take a look at the skill level and what upside he has, 5 years from now RNH could be close to a franchise player. Strome might be more well rounded though. RNH is more of a playmaker than a shooter, he wants to set up other guys but he does have an awesome shot, a sneaky shot and one that he should use more often."

Nugent-Hopkins - "He’s on a different level than Strome. They both have terrific offensive instincts and skills but compared to each other, Nugent-Hopkins is on a different plane."

Nugent-Hopkins - "I hope he can grow more physically but he's more dynamic. It's pretty close but there is more upside with Nugent-Hopkins."

Nugent-Hopkins - "We've only seen the tip of the iceberg with this guy. I think he's still got a lot more to offer."

Nugent-Hopkins - "He’s got excellent offensive skill, his game is at another level compared to anyone in the draft."

Nugent-Hopkins - "He won’t play in NHL next year, but everyone is dying for guy who can dominate the game and create offence with others. Just look at what he did for Andrej Kudrna and John Persson in Red Deer this year."

Nugent-Hopkins - "As high a skill level Strome has, Nugent-Hopkins has even more. His vision is a bit greater and that’s about it between them."