I don't like rating players by grades, and there's no use denying every player faces different expectations and different roles. I'm going to simply assume some degree of subjective expectations and rate players with a stock-rating flavor.
Outperform
-Claude Giroux. No brainer here. Last season he looked like a promising young center, but was arguably the 4th most visible center on the team. With Richards and Carter traded to make room for a goalie, Giroux faced a lot of pressure to be the offensive lynchpin. He has responded with an MVP caliber season.
-Jaromir Jagr. Sticking with Giroux's line, no one was sure how Jagr would perform after three season out of the NHL. 50 points? 60 points? He still couldn't do a point a game, could he? Apparently yes. After a slow start, he found his legs and has looked fantastic, and is a key offensive player for the Flyers. Nagging injuries are the only thing slowing him down now.
-Scott Hartnell. And now to complete the Giroux line! Hartnell got off to a very rocky start, missing preseason time due to medical tests, and his place in the lineup was very much at risk with 2 points in 7 games and Simmonds on the top PP unit. Placing him with Jagr and Giroux has been magic, as every player has looked better since this trio was complete. Hartnell has 35 points in 34 games since then.
-Matt Read. On pace for 25+ goals, and an offensive factor every night. What more could the Flyers want from him?
-Jake Voracek. His pace of ~50 points isn't going to turn many heads, and is line with his career averages, however I think he is playing better than that. Didn't start off great, but he is up on his skates attacking the defense every night. It's not a coincidence that the Flyers go on win streaks when he is playing his best. Early in the season I talked about Jagr replacing Leino's offensive contribution, but it's actually been Voracek carrying the puck, making plays, contributing what the Flyers would've hoped for from Leino.
-Kimmo Timonen. He has played big minutes and piled up the points, and looks to produce at a rate not seen since his best years in Nashville.
-Max Talbot. Has played reliably all over the lineup, and at midseason is already near career highs in goal scoring and points.
-Sean Couturier. I didn't listen to scouts early this year when they nearly unanimously predicted Cooter would make the big team. I looked at the roster and though, nah. Instead, Cooter has simply made it impossible to take him out of the lineup, playing like a veteran.
-Harry Zolneirczyk. Despite being sent down early in the season, he has come back and looked great on the 4th line--energetic with occasional scoring. Thumbs up, though to maintain a role like this in the NHL he will have to have an increased role on the PK.
-Zac Rinaldo. I was pretty skeptical of this wild man coming into the season. Although he seems targeted by officials, he has general kept it under control, potted a goal here or there, and aggressively sought contact on the ice.
-Marc-Andre Bourdon. His ascent to the NHL hasn't really gone like many in the organization may have hoped, but he has played within himself and looked like he belongs in the NHL.
Market Perform
-Danny Briere. A pretty ho-hum regular season for Briere. He's been there for some key goals, but hasn't looked consistently dangerous and is on pace for his lowest point totals for a full season as a Flyer (when healthy). I am giving him somewhat of a pass due to raising his game in the playoffs the last two years, and the expectation that he will do it again.
-Matt Carle. Carle continues to hum along, playing big minutes and getting decent point totals. I still say he has the worst shot on the team though, so there's always that to infuriate Flyers fans when he gets so many chances with skating and awareness on the ice.
-Wayne Simmonds. Simmonds teased Flyers fans early this year and preseason with some offensive skill, however Flyer fans have seen some stone hands since then. Simmonds is always battling out there, but his offense probably will never be more than occasional and streaky.
-Braydon Coburn. Quiet but largely steady from Braydon.
-Sergei Bobrovsky. Bob continues to progress nicely, and currently sports a much better stat line than Bryzgalov. He probably deserves a chance to get some starts and be given a chance to run with it.
-Andreas Lilja. Doing exactly what was expected; old and slow, occasionally physical defensemen.
Underperform
-Brayden Schenn. I don't like putting him here, as when I see him play I see a skilled and intelligent player, and injuries never really gave him a chance. Still, on January 1, there he was with 0 points and -7 in 8 games. Hopefully, the second half will treat him better (and the signs are already good).
-James Van Riemsdyk. Looking at a low 40s point season, and is not visible many nights. This is even when I commented earlier this season that his points line flatters his play. He was supposed to progress more than this by this point.
-Andrej Meszaros. The team's best defensemen last year, he struggled early. His play has improved, but his overall body of work is not what Flyers fans were hoping for.
-Ilya Bryzgalov. If you've read this blog, or even followed the Flyers at all, do I need to say anything? Not playing like the top goalie the Flyers signed him to be. He still can figure it out though.
-Jody Shelley. Yes, he is still on this team.
No Rating
Chris Pronger, Erik Gustafsson
No comments:
Post a Comment