2015-2016 NHL Thread

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't care how much flak I get for this, but I've always found him to be overrated.  That World Juniors shootout must be one of the most overrated accomplishments in hockey history.

He's a great player but the "best in the world" stuff was ridiculous. I generally wouldn't even have him as a top-5 centre*.

*Re-thinking that he'd fall into the 4/5 slot at best at times.

Adding something to my original post, he's also about to have his PPG drop for a 3rd straight season.

2011/12 and 2012/13: .99 PPG
2013/14: .89 PPG
2014/15: .81 PPG
2015/16: .53 PPG

I'm sure that he's still a phenomenal two-way player, but for $10.5mil he's gotta get back to scoring at around .90 PPG.

 

[Kin]

Obviously this doesn't explain everything but Toews has been pretty lucky with his wingers in that time frame. Either playing with Kane and someone in the first year there or a steady diet of Hossa and either Sharp or Saad.

This year with Hossa looking like he's hit a wall and a rotating cast of lesser lights on his wing to replace Saad his scoring was bound to dip. That said, CtB is right that to justify his cost he needs to produce more individually.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

At this pace his contract is one of the worst in the league.

 

[Zee]

There's a lot of very good players this season having very poor years (by their standards). One who I haven't seen brought up anywhere until today is Jonathan Toews. On pace to score just 43 points this season.

I don't care how much flak I get for this, but I've always found him to be overrated.  That World Juniors shootout must be one of the most overrated accomplishments in hockey history.

His 102 points in 117 playoff games and 3 Stanley Cups would suggest he's not overrated.

 

[Kin]

His 102 points in 117 playoff games and 3 Stanley Cups would suggest he's not overrated.

I don't think there's anything in the history of sports that overrates a player quicker than being a part, even a big part, of a winning team. Remember how Dave Bolland was going to teach all the Maple Leafs how to win?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

And I think that you're able to respect what Toews has accomplished in the playoffs and still consider him overrated to the crowd that considers him the best player (or even top 3/5) on the planet.

 

[bustaheims]

And I think that you're able to respect what Toews has accomplished in the playoffs and still consider him overrated to the crowd that considers him the best player (or even top 3/5) on the planet.

Yeah. He produces well in pressure situations, which is an important quality for a 1st line player. But, he has to be able to produce consistently in all situations. I've never felt like his defensive play was so exceptional that it made up for the fact that he's not an elite offensive player (in terms of discussions about the best player in the league). He's a very good player, and any team would be lucky to have him, but I don't think he's ever been the best player in the league/world/whatever. On his own, he's not the kind of player that can elevate a team in the way a Crosby or a Ovechkin can.

 

[brothert]

But what about those inangibles that Toews brings......

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

So Ryan Johansen is a health scratch tonight.

 

[L K]

So Ryan Johansen is a health scratch tonight.

Torts bringing the accountability.  Doesn't matter that the team as a whole sucks.  Single out Johansen.  That whole he had some sort of cardiac issue in the summer be damned.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Columbus won 7-5 last night. Clearly they don't need Johansen.

Clarkson also finally passed Nathan Horton in goals scored since the trade.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The Penguins announced today that Daniel Sprong has been returned to his QMJHL team for the season. They've burned 1 year of his ELC by playing him in 18 games this season. He record 2 goals and 0 assists in those games while averaging 8:43 per game in ice-time. He barely had any PP time and his most frequent ES linemates were Matt Cullen, Nick Bonino, and Kevin Porter.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

That organization seems like a mess right now.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

That organization seems like a mess right now.

This seems to be a good example of why hiring an old, potentially wash-up General Manager to act like a bridge-GM for a few years while a younger, less experienced assistant GM mentors under him until he's ready to take over the reigns himself in 3-4 years is a terrible idea.

Oh, wait, crap.

 

[Frank E]

That organization seems like a mess right now.

This seems to be a good example of why hiring an old, potentially wash-up General Manager to act like a bridge-GM for a few years while a younger, less experienced assistant GM mentors under him until he's ready to take over the reigns himself in 3-4 years is a terrible idea.

Oh, wait, crap.

Well, to be fair, the initial consensus was that they did pretty well on the Kessel deal.  I don't think anyone could have foreseen this team not scoring a bunch of goals.

But that defense was a problem from day 1, so perhaps your point stands.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Congrats to Jaromir Jagr on goal #732, surpassing Marcel Dionne for fourth spot on the NHL's All-time list:


[youtube]VGOO0ojB3ao[/youtube]

 

[CarltonTheBear]

So the Habs are 3-8-1 since Price went down again with that injury. Averaging 3.00 goals against per game in that time.

 

[bustaheims]

So the Habs are 3-8-1 since Price went down again with that injury. Averaging 3.00 goals against per game in that time.

I mean, I know you can't replace a guy like Price, but you'd think the Habs could at least be a .500 team without him. They're just not a very good team.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

So the Habs are 3-8-1 since Price went down again with that injury. Averaging 3.00 goals against per game in that time.

I mean, I know you can't replace a guy like Price, but you'd think the Habs could at least be a .500 team without him. They're just not a very good team.

Now their excuse is that Brendan Gallagher was the "heart" of the team and that's why they're losing.

 

[bustaheims]

So the Habs are 3-8-1 since Price went down again with that injury. Averaging 3.00 goals against per game in that time.

I mean, I know you can't replace a guy like Price, but you'd think the Habs could at least be a .500 team without him. They're just not a very good team.

Now their excuse is that Brendan Gallagher was the "heart" of the team and that's why they're losing.

So, their heart is rotten, and now it's missing?