Player Discussion: Matt Hendricks

[Flair Hay]

He was a healthy scratch because the Oilers were a better team without him in the lineup.

I'm impressed with his enthusiasm and effort, but not his capabilities. I would rather see the ice time be given to Dano / Copp. If you need his 'glue' in the dressing room, which I honestly doubt, then bring him along and have him play 25-30% of the games and give the balance of the ice time to the young guys that we want to develop and who already bring more.

He did have a good game yesterday and he brings energy and effort every night. Energy and effort doesn't mean he is an NHL level player.

So many on here doubt what having a glue guy means to a team. He's doing his job which is PK and good defense in limited mins

 

[Dayofthedogs]

Why are we calling him a glue guy still?

According to the stats he's he's scoring at a torrid pace in his 5vs5 ice time.

 

[BullLund]

He sets a great example for the rest of the team, as far as work ethic/attitude. I think it is important that he hangs around, but I'm not sure about him playing all of those games. While his minutes are low, he's giving 110% in there and risks injury every time he steps on the ice, over-achieving against younger and more talented players. Might need a guy like that for the playoffs, instead of using him up in the regular season.

He's the kind of a guy you need to keep up the morale and focus when players are tired.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Just wanted to say a lot of us need to gladly down a big helping of crow. After looking like one of the best Jets this afternoon for at least the third time this season, it’s really hard not to like this guy. He’s now pacing for 8 Gs as the 4th line C which is pretty respectable, is very good in the face off circle (which has the Jets among the top of the NHL -no coincidence since Hendricks came here) and brings that grit and tenacity and leadership that you don’t see in his marginal advanced stats. That’s not even including his impact in the dressing room and the community where he’s reportedly loved by teammates.

I for one am on the Hendricks bandwagon after being very skeptical of the signing. His added leadership and presence seems to be exactly what we needed to drive our bottom 6 to take that next step this season.

From the start he has been better than I expected. That's a pretty low bar. Sometimes he is quite a bit better than I had expected.

We could make up a better lineup with him in the PB. His intangibles certainly appear valuable but are impossible to quantify. I don't think he needs to be an everyday player to make those contributions.

I was wrong about the signing. His leadership has made it a positive. But he is not a good enough hockey player to justify playing every game.

 

[Dayofthedogs]

From the start he has been better than I expected. That's a pretty low bar. Sometimes he is quite a bit better than I had expected.

We could make up a better lineup with him in the PB. His intangibles certainly appear valuable but are impossible to quantify. I don't think he needs to be an everyday player to make those contributions.

I was wrong about the signing. His leadership has made it a positive. But he is not a good enough hockey player to justify playing every game.

Are his numbers that bad?

His scoring numbers are good. Are his Corsi, XG, war or gar that bad that he hasn't played his way into his ice time and spot in the lineup?

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Are his numbers that bad?

His scoring numbers are good. Are his Corsi, XG, war or gar that bad that he hasn't played his way into his ice time and spot in the lineup?

I don't know what his underlying numbers are. I didn't say he was horrible. He has been not bad. He has been better than some other 4C's we've had. I can plainly see that Copp is better.

If Copp plays 4C then someone else has to play LW. We have plenty of LW's but what would be the net effect? I'm not sure there.

I think Copp is a good bottom 6 C. He might even be better than Lowry - just possibly. I think he is better offensively. With Ehlers, Connor & MP plus a list of possible 4LW's, Matthias, Dano, Lemieux to start, I think Copp is being wasted. It is Hendricks who is in the way.

But, like I said, Hendricks has been not bad and does contribute leadership. I just don't think he needs to play every game. Rotate him in every 3-4-5 games. Other guys can be given a rest.

 

[ffh]

I don't know what his underlying numbers are. I didn't say he was horrible. He has been not bad. He has been better than some other 4C's we've had. I can plainly see that Copp is better.

If Copp plays 4C then someone else has to play LW. We have plenty of LW's but what would be the net effect? I'm not sure there.

I think Copp is a good bottom 6 C. He might even be better than Lowry - just possibly. I think he is better offensively. With Ehlers, Connor & MP plus a list of possible 4LW's, Matthias, Dano, Lemieux to start, I think Copp is being wasted. It is Hendricks who is in the way.

But, like I said, Hendricks has been not bad and does contribute leadership. I just don't think he needs to play every game. Rotate him in every 3-4-5 games. Other guys can be given a rest.

I mentioned this quite a few times when they 1st signed him. the coach the gm and the veteran leadership on this team all said they want him in the room. not sometimes and not every 3,4, or 5 games. I would think they know more what this team needs then most.

 

[nobody important]

I mentioned this quite a few times when they 1st signed him. the coach the gm and the veteran leadership on this team all said they want him in the room. not sometimes and not every 3,4, or 5 games. I would think they know more what this team needs then most.

Buff threw Kane's tracksuit in the shower. Hendricks would have thrown Kane in the shower.

Personally, I would be taking the A off of Mr Pouty and putting it on Hendricks.

 

[raideralex99]

I bet the Oilers wish they had resigned Hendricks. From the reports I heard and read he was a well liked guy on the team not a cancer. Seriously you guys need to give it a rest bashing some players ... the Jets are in first place, playing some good hockey.
Yes every fan wants their team to have 4 all-star lines and 6 all-star defensemen but that is never going to happen in a salary cap era and if there was no salary cap the big market teams would have those players ... be happy to have a Stanley Cup contender and probably the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup in over 20 years.
Go Jets Go!

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I mentioned this quite a few times when they 1st signed him. the coach the gm and the veteran leadership on this team all said they want him in the room. not sometimes and not every 3,4, or 5 games. I would think they know more what this team needs then most.

Its not like he needs to play every game to be in the 'room'. Players not dressed for the game don't get sent out of town.

 

[garret9]

How many more/fewer points would Jets have if it was Thorburn instead of Hendricks?

 

[sipowicz]

How many more/fewer points would Jets have if it was Thorburn instead of Hendricks?

Big fat zero probably, with ThorNburn Mo would probably have sat him a bunch of games and guys like Dano, Roslo and Lemieux would have had a chance!

 

[Koonta]

How many more/fewer points would Jets have if it was Thorburn instead of Hendricks?

8 fewer according to the graph I just scribbled on the toilet paper in front of me as I write this.

 

[Eyeseeing]

I mentioned this quite a few times when they 1st signed him. the coach the gm and the veteran leadership on this team all said they want him in the room. not sometimes and not every 3,4, or 5 games. I would think they know more what this team needs then most.

I could not see why we bothered to sign him initially.
I thought it was a waste of a roster spot and that we essentially traded one useless room vet for another while blocking a young guy from getting a chance.
However I am humbled for the millionth time and feel that that he is a welcome veteran presence on this roster.
You can see it in his team mates and especially in his face as well.
Really liking him a lot on this club.
Kudos Chevy.

 

[Board Bard]

After the first period last night, he pretty much JUMPED over the board to personally talk to every single Jet coming off the ice. That scene really stood out to me. And the players actually seem to answer to this. They looked like they'd really appreciate it.

It would bother me to have a guy sucking up to me like that.

 

[ps241]

How many more/fewer points would Jets have if it was Thorburn instead of Hendricks?

That prediction is above my punching weight but I will say I really liked Perreault Hendricks Army and even though we could have done better at centre Hendy managed to not screw it up and that line ate everyones lunch.....my mind cannot imagine Thor getting the same result, he would have found a way to suck the life out of them. He had that gift.

Either way we are talking about two 4th line players so I am not sure how material the difference would be but I do think Hendricks is the better hockey player of the two.

 

[ps241]

Big fat zero probably, with ThorNburn Mo would probably have sat him a bunch of games and guys like Dano, Roslo and Lemieux would have had a chance!

Last three seasons in Winnipeg for Thor games played

81
82
64*

* Once Thor got playing again he pretty much wasn't out of the line up until the end of the season.

 

[Runforthecup]

Probably should have played 35% of the games he has...Dano needs more ice time and Matthias less.

 

[Weezeric]

How many more/fewer points would Jets have if it was Thorburn instead of Hendricks?

How many more/less points would they have with petan instead of Hendricks?

 

[Ducky10]

Is this how many more/less points thing a game? Are we supposed to guess or just keep coming up with different players to compare with Hendricks?

Hendricks is playing a solid role on a 25-11-7 team, which is good for 3rd in the entire league. Can somebody else be doing it? Maybe. Does it matter? Not really.

 

[Inflict]

Hendricks has exceeded expectations, yet he is someone who I see as being replaced at the trade deadline. Yes he has leadership qualities and is a vet, but I'd prefer him as a 13th forward with someone like Roslovic, Brock Nelson, Pleckanec (salary retained), Letestu or Vermette who are clear upgrades at the centre position. He's a great story at the midway point of the season, but it's time to admit that we can be a better team with a relatively cheap rental at the deadline.

 

[Afterburner]

Hendricks really does seem to be a gem. Yeah, he could be faster but I think he’s doing good overall and really everyone seems to love the guy. Plus I love the faces that guy makes. He’s like always meme ready.

 

[GJF]

Face wise, he's definately the closest we had to Olli Jokinen since he left.

 

[ps241]

Face wise, he's definately the closest we had to Olli Jokinen since he left.

Perfect

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

He's super effective when it comes to leadership and grinding. Sadly I see the guy getting a big contract in the off-season from another team.