Lets Slow The Roll A Bit, Torts

When John Tortorella talked to reporters before Tuesday night’s Game 3 between the Bruins and Blue Jackets he had some high praise for his best player, Artemi Panarin, calling him a top-3 player in the league. I am a huge Panarin guy, I love his game and I think he is one of the most fun players to watch but I think Torts needs to slow his roll a bit when calling Panarin a top-3 player in the league.

Look, Artemi Panarin is elite. He is a top player in the league but top 3!? There are some REALLY good hockey players in his league, it’s like the golden era right now for hockey fans. Every team has a superstar.

Panarin has been unbelievable these playoffs too, through 7 games the 27-year-old has 9 points (4g, 5a). But I don’t think we can sit here and call him a top-3 overall player in the league. Especially when there are guys like Nathan MacKinnon still playing to remind us how good he actually is.

I mean, off the top of my head I can name 10 guys I’d rather on my team right now than Panarin.

-Sidney Crosby

-Connor McDavid

-Nathan MacKinnon

-Patrice Bergeron

-Nikita Kucherov

-Alex Ovechkin

-Erik Karlsson

-Mark Scheifele

-Patrick Kane

-Auston Matthews

And that isn’t a knock on Panarin at all, like I said before, this is the renaissance for the NHL there are so many good hockey players in the league right now so Torts needs to slow his roll when calling Panarin a top 3 player in the league.