I don't think Hyman's role is scoring goals. His role is to dig out loose pucks and feed them to Matthews, just like he did last night, setting up a goal. Babcock puts one "worker bee" player like this on each of his lines. It makes sense IMO. Would it be better if Hyman had more scoring finish? Absolutely. However I feel that he is playing a very important role on the top line with Matthews, even if he is not scoring very much.slapshot said:
Auston Matthews
- Thread starter disco
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Bender said:
Yeah, it seems like every month is the same story with Hyman. Looks invisible at 5-on-5 for weeks and weeks and eventually he makes one play to create a Matthews goal and everyone seems to yell "See! Worker bee! Babcock was right!"
herman
Well-known member
Earlier in the year, I was pretty down on Hyman running shotgun to Nylander and Matthews for obvious reasons.
Now... meh. Matthews is still getting 35+ goals, with Hyman largely just causing chaos behind the net or doing nothing on the play, so of all the centres to saddle with Hyman, this is probably the best case this year to balance the team attack.
Hyman does have the wheels, hands, and shot to be quite good, but he doesn't have the innate talent of doing all those things at the same time the way his linemates do. I do like his tenacity and fearlessness. If he could figure out how to skate and shoot through traffic with his head up, he'd be there.
For all the slicker plays that die on his stick, he does keep other plays alive that Nylander or Soshnikov won't/can't: negating icings, tying up three players behind the net off a dump in, really strong board work in the defensive zone to gain break outs.
Value-wise, we got him (and a conditional 7th that will not materialize) for Greg McKegg, who is a lesser talent, so this has been a quite a steal.
Now... meh. Matthews is still getting 35+ goals, with Hyman largely just causing chaos behind the net or doing nothing on the play, so of all the centres to saddle with Hyman, this is probably the best case this year to balance the team attack.
Hyman does have the wheels, hands, and shot to be quite good, but he doesn't have the innate talent of doing all those things at the same time the way his linemates do. I do like his tenacity and fearlessness. If he could figure out how to skate and shoot through traffic with his head up, he'd be there.
For all the slicker plays that die on his stick, he does keep other plays alive that Nylander or Soshnikov won't/can't: negating icings, tying up three players behind the net off a dump in, really strong board work in the defensive zone to gain break outs.
Value-wise, we got him (and a conditional 7th that will not materialize) for Greg McKegg, who is a lesser talent, so this has been a quite a steal.
bustaheims
Active member
herman said:
I'm with you. He represents a spot in the lineup where an upgrade would be great, but isn't necessarily pressing. Ideally, you'd want a guy that brings the same kind of skills that you illustrated, but also is able to convert on a decent percentage of scoring chances, and do more to help create them (someone like *shudder* Scott Hartnell *shudder* used to be). Those guys aren't super easy to find, though.
herman
Well-known member
bustaheims said:
He's not so old that he can't improve his game either. Some more Darryl Belfry time might do the trick. I think he just needs to either play with his head up and/or develop net-sense (see Nylander's no-look empty netter down the middle from his blue line, Laine's every unblocked shot, even the one into his own net). Scoring finish is the probably the most expensive talent commodity on the market, so if we can homegrow as much of it as possible, that'd be most cap-effective.
Hyman has also been playing his off-wing the whole time, which is harder defensively, and harder on the forecheck to flush into the support winger. He does a really good job using his body and the net to force the issue for the defense. Matthews' and Nylander's skillsets are such that teed up passes aren't really something they need to succeed, just exposed pucks and defensive confusion. Taking into consideration puck time share, I think it also benefits Matthews and Nylander to have someone who doesn't need the puck. Ideally, we're looking for a Hyman/JvR hybrid.
Either way, it's like you say: low on the priority list and expensive to boot. Rychel/Grundstrom/Korshkov/Dzierkals are coming up the pipe and hopefully one or two of them stick.
Coco-puffs
New member
herman said:
I think his head is down often because he's on his off wing. He protects the puck really well with his body coming down the left side or coming out from behind the net.... but so often he's on his backhand. Its much harder to see the ice this way. Not saying he doesn't have his head down often when he's on his forehand- but I think the problem is made worse by being on his off wing. I'd really like to see him and Nylander switch sides but that goes against Babcock's thinking- especially when it comes to the defensive zone.
herman
Well-known member
Coco-puffs said:
That might be the ticket.
The way it's set up right now is the best situation for all three; Nylander needs the defensive help of being on his strong side, and being able to play transition give-and-go with Matthews out of DZ through NZ is pretty critical. I too would like to see them switch up once they're in the OZ, as Nylander played LW in the SHL.
leafsforever13
New member
Epic Auston Matthews t-shirt:
https://www.funtimestees.com/collections/frontpage/products/auston-matthews-34
He will drop 40 this season!
https://www.funtimestees.com/collections/frontpage/products/auston-matthews-34
He will drop 40 this season!
mr grieves
New member
Only 13 rookies, of any age, have scored 30 even-strength goals in NHL history. Crosby and Ovechkin fell short. Matthews is already one of them.
Only 6 have done it in their teens: Gretzky (37), Hawerchuk (33), Lemieux (32), Lindros (32), Clark (30), Matthews (30).
McGarnagle
New member
mr grieves said:
And I wonder how many have done it with rookie linemates.