How Good/Bad Is This Years Rookie Class?

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chakhae1

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I frequently hear that this years rookie class ranges from awful to not that good, but personally I think that Makar and Quinn Hughes are franchise type defencemen, Jack has room to grow, Shesterkin could be a franchise type goalie and the likes of Kubalik and Elvis put up solid years as well. I believe the collectors who are skeptical towards this years rookie class are not true hockey collectors or fans and that is why they are not educated to how good this class really is. Not every class can have a Mcdavid or Matthews after all!
 
From a value perspective, it's awful to not that good. Makar and Hughes are great players, but defensemen are almost never worth what their forward compatriots are worth. (Will these two prove to be the exceptions? Possibly, but history is ugly here.)

Shesterkin is missing from most products due to his late arrival. It will be up to some forwards to redeem this season from a box breaking point of view. Hughes and Kakko could still do it, as could a few others. But the prices of boxes don't change depending on the rookie class, and value here is challenging.

Mike
 
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The state of the hobby is worth mentioning as well. With every sport having boxes that average 200 dollars and more and basketball box prices reaching astronomical heights, I just don't understand why people don't give hockey more of a chance. Jack Hughes did not show much this year, but he is a teenager and despite his struggles, his cards still sell decent. The odds are against defencemen maintaining value, but to brush off this class and just say it's bad isn't accurate.
 
I think we'll be a lot wiser a couple of years later. Based on current information, the class is alright in my opinion.

You never know until you know. Players can turn into Yakupovs or stay the same or bloom soon or late.

- Sauli
 
It's funny that you could find pretty much any 2013-14 products at discounted prices until MacKinnon and Kucherov started peaking. There's an indication how impatient people are.

- Sauli
 
As of now, the most impactful players are dmen who just don't command the resale value in the collecting community for whatever reason. As of now, there aren't any "wow" forwards, but give some of these players a few more years to grow and mature, who knows? As fans and collectors, we probably just expect too much from 19 year olds regardless. Some of the older, under the radar entries such as Kubalik might look like good bargains in a year or two.
 
BlindThomen said:
It's funny that you could find pretty much any 2013-14 products at discounted prices until MacKinnon and Kucherov started peaking. There's an indication how impatient people are.

- Sauli
Click to expand...

This is so spot on. I remember a few years ago Dave & Adams had PILES of retail 13/14 UD1 & UD2 selling for $1 a pack that I bought a ton of, now the 13/14 products have gone back up in price.
 
Personally, I don't see it. The best players (today) are defenseman, and I think the prices people are paying for their cards today... they won't be worth half that in a couple of years.

This has to do with the last two decades of this hobby (defenseman get little love) more than any opinion I have of Q. Hughes and/or Maker.

Shesterkin's cards, especially with him missing from a lot of products, will climb in value - if he's what people believe he is (the heir to King Henrik's Thrown).

The players who should have been the top two: Kakko & J. Hughes: They have their own issues. No Kakko signatures will limit the value of a lot of his stuff.... are Rangers fans even chasing that card? Or will they wait and pick up a signed reprint in 3 or 4 years? Hughes plays in a market that's ignored by the hobby (mostly) and he hasn't been spectacular (yet). If he's suddenly a top 10 player in the league, in a couple of years, that changes.

Does anyone believe Jack Hughes will be as good, or better, than Jack Eichel? (Personally, I don't). Eichel is probably a top 10 centre in the NHL right now (I'm likely undercutting how good he is). His cards are still reasonably cheap when you compare to similar players. Why? He's in Buffalo, where there's been zero team success.

If Hughes is an 85 point player (which is really good) on a bad Devils team.... I don't see those cards going anywhere.


The 13/14 comments are pretty accurate though.
 
BlindThomen said:
It's funny that you could find pretty much any 2013-14 products at discounted prices until MacKinnon and Kucherov started peaking. There's an indication how impatient people are.

- Sauli
Click to expand...

Man I wish I hoarded MacKinnon's stuff from 2016 to 2018. His stuff was going for so cheap. 1 good season turned that around though. Collectors are very fickle.
 

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