NHL 20

NHL 20 HUT: Team of the Week Led By Hedman and Eichel

Published on December 12, 2019

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It’s a relatively down Team of the Week in NHL 20 HUT, but there are a couple players who should at least break into the conversation for the top end of the meta.

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Eichel is the first player who at least looks intriguing on a wing. His 87 faceoffs make the center position a non-starter for most playing at a higher level, but elsewhere he has a lot of positives. He’s a big body with a big shot and quality speed. He’s probably a little short of being a true two-way player, and his physical ratings are perhaps a little below where you would want them, but the 6-foot-2 frame will alleviate some of those concerns.

Overall, he’s a good wing, but someone I would not break the bank to acquire.

I call out Tuch simply because I love big wingers. He’s 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, and his speed is bad, but at an 83 overall it’s not as dire as it looks. The shot is whatever and the body checking is not great, but he has 90 balance and will still be able to control the puck and throw his body around on possession-heavy teams. He’s for sure a starter card, but he’s one who will be fun to use for those players who like dominating the offensive zone.

Huberdeau needs to be called out because he’s one of the higher-rated cards in this Team of the Week, but he’s not that exciting. He’s very much a mid-tier player, and you can find so many players who do what he does at that wing position. The shot is just good, the speed is not elite, and he’s not big enough to really be a possession monster either. If you like Huberdeau, then of course go pick him up, but everyone else can look elsewhere for cheaper options who provide similar value on the ice.

Scheifele is the best forward on this TOTW in my eyes. He’s 6-foot-3 and while he’s not a true center at the top level, he’s a fantastic winger. The speed is really good for his size, and the shot plays in all respects. His offensive awareness and balance means he’s also going to control the puck well, and he can still get in front of the net for deflections. I really like Scheifele because he provides optionality. You can use him as a winger, center, a body on the PK, and he will fit into all game styles as well. He’s just an ultimate glue guy for your team and is always worth the coins.

Hedman is the best defender in this TOTW, and he’s my favorite card in this week’s release because he’s the one who becomes a slam dunk choice as one of the best defenseman in the game. His virtues are well known through the HUT lands, but a 6-foot-6 player with good speed, 99 balance and now some actual shot power and accuracy fix up the one spot where he’s usually really hurt in the ratings. So now you have one of the best two-way defenders in the game because he has height, checking, weight, skating ability and a big shot. He’s the ultimate package, and he’s perfect to put with another big body or a small speedster now.

Carlson would get more shine if Hedman did not exist in this TOTW. His speed is decent for a 6-foot-3 defender, and he’s well balanced, he’s just not special. However, he’s a really good card if you’re looking just outside the top tier of defensemen. If he had a little more stick checking or body checking, he may have been able to sneak into the S tier discussion, but no dice.

Vatanen is another one of those guys who can be sneaky useful on a budget. He’s a small defender, but he has really good speed for the overall rating, and that’s all that matters to help separate him from the rest of his ratings. Everything else is about what I would expect from an 84 overall, but the speed helps boost him up a level or two more than he would make it to otherwise.

Trouba may end up being better value than Carlson in that he’s similar to Carlson, just with a lower overall rating. He’s a little slower, he’s not as dynamic in the offensive zone, but he probably won’t have the same hype behind him that a Carlson card does. This is not one of those cards you spend a lot on to acquire, but it’s one where if you pull him from a pack you’re happy to keep him and just sneak him into your lineup for a bunch of games.

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