ESPN says Bobby Ryan isn’t one of the top 100 forwards in NHL

ESPN has been running rankings of NHL players this week, based on their “current quality of play.”

There were a few omissions on their lists of goalies and defensemen, which we’ll address later this week. But the WWL’s top 100 forwards list released on Wednesday features a snub that … well, we have to believe this is some clerical error and not the byproduct of the actual expert panel’s voting, because it’s one of those ‘makes-you-question-the-entire-list’s-validity’ boners:

Bobby Ryan of the Ottawa Senators is not one of the Top 100 forwards in the NHL, according to ESPN.

Bobby Ryan.

Bobby. Ryan.

Bobby Ryan with the four straight 30-goal seasons from 2008-2012. Bobby Ryan with the 0.65 points per game average last season, playing though pain. Bobby Ryan, whom the Senators sent a package of players and picks to the Anaheim Ducks to acquire as an offensive centerpiece. That Bobby Ryan.

In case you were wondering which players made a list that Bobby Ryan did not, here are a few of the NHL forwards that ESPN’s panel felt are better than him:

In fairness, Sven Baertschi’s 25 games in the NHL were pretty solid.

We eagerly await Bobby Ryan being asked about this snub by the Ottawa media in, like, the first question after practice we imagine.

Meanwhile, we’ll go back to contemplating how KHL superstar Ilya Kovalchuk can be both on a list of the top 100 NHL forwards and be ranked No. 64. And where, exactly, Jordan Staal ranks outside the top 100 forwards. Boy, guys leaves the Penguins and he's just chopped liver, eh?