Post-Game Talk: A win when you least expect it

[Spawn]

I mean, I'm pretty sure Connor McGregor used HGH recently...

Don't really follow MMA, just seen him looking juicy and the HGH jaw on him.

Also in the scheme of PEDs, HGH isn't really a competitive advantage compared to even stuff like caffeine.

I guess I should have been more specific. MMA guys aren’t allowed to use things like HGH. That doesn’t mean they don’t.

Also, hasn’t McGregor not fought in like 3 years?

 

[tardigrade81]

Over Hextall?

Triple!!

 

[brentashton]

Draisaitl is a player that I don't think the majority of the posters in here have the ability to evaluate with any accuracy (myself included), because it doesn't "look" like he's trying. I've heard sports psychologists talk about how parents should avoid telling their kids to try harder in sports. Invariably, the kid will do something that has the appearance of effort, but doesn't provide results.

In Draisaitl, we have a player that doesn't have the appearance of effort, but the results are there against the best hockey players in the world - and they only get better during the playoffs. He's a high event player, and that is why he's 3rd in the league in giveaways. He'll make the tough play to create a high percentage opportunity. Those will often get picked off, and we'll see 30 posts about how terrible he is.

What we don't see? 30 posts about his takeaways, for which he's 2nd in the league. People are evaluating the player based primarily on negative critical incidents, which gives a biased view.

Can he improve in areas? Of course. But beware that improvements in some areas creates the risk of detracting what makes him one of the best players in the game.

Good post.

Not the same player, but watch Auston Mathews. He could be accused of the same “perceived lackadaisical“ approach. Not bad for a guy that could be a 70 goal scorer by seasons end. I’m not a leaf jock sniffer, but just observing a similar feel between 2 world class players. Remember the saying of a duck, calm on the surface but paddling like heck underneath.

 

[Stoneman89]

You're not one of the people I consider a "Draisaitl hater." You seem like a knowledgeable, fair, and balanced poster. I don't remember you overreacting in GDTs like some others.

Thanks, I appreciate that, and same to you. There is one poster on here though that goes overboard with the Draisaitl love and that will snap at anyone who throws even some mild constructive criticism. Stuff like that just seems to get the Draisaitl haters fired up and going even harder after him. And it seems like the same twit hater that just got after you. I've crossed swords with him many a time, but a more unreasonable poster is difficult to find.

At any rate, Drai had a fantastic game against the Kings, and I'm sure we'd all like to see more of that from him. To be honest, I tend to get more excited these days when he makes a smart defensive play and really gets those legs moving, than when he makes one of those incredible passes of killer shots that it seems everyone expects from him by now.

 

[Stoneman89]

Good post.

Not the same player, but watch Auston Mathews. He could be accused of the same “perceived lackadaisical“ approach. Not bad for a guy that could be a 70 goal scorer by seasons end. I’m not a leaf jock sniffer, but just observing a similar feel between 2 world class players. Remember the saying of a duck, calm on the surface but paddling like heck underneath.

Matthews is actually a pretty good skater, but he has those long strides which sometimes make it seem like he's coasting. I remember they used to call Frank Mahovlich lazy but he'd routinely blow by other players. (God, I must be old)