Speculation: ROR and Tarasenko are going to UFA - What do you do (poll)

[Zezel’s Pretzels]

I see where you're coming from as far as selling high on Kyrou, but I'm also looking to Thomas as an example for the developmental curve of a young, supremely skilled player in the NHL. Thomas was great his rookie year and even better in the playoffs, then he was injured and hit a bit of a wall in his development and some fair questions we're being asked in regard to whether he wanted to be great or was just satisfied being in the NHL.

Last year was technically Kyrou's rookie year, but this has been his first full NHL season as a fixture in the lineup. I just have a hard time justifying moving him when he's clearly going through some growing pains and what looks to be a nagging injury while trying to find his legs after his recent illness.

I feel like such a cynical fan saying this, but Kyrou's regression looks more than physical to me lately. He has the attention of the opponent's scouting reports and they're buckling down on him.

He tries to go 1 on 3 quite often and holds the puck instead of making a simple pass. It looks like he thinks he's got the ability/permission to do things that he shouldn't be doing now, and we've seen a lot of turnovers with those behaviors over the last month.

And his defense isn't progressing either. If the desire is to have a more "defensively responsible" forward group, in my opinion, he's not that kind of player.

I LOOOOVED Kyrou's game in the first half of the season, and hope he gets back to that as soon as possible.

 

[LGB]

He tries to go 1 on 3 quite often and holds the puck instead of making a simple pass. It looks like he thinks he's got the ability/permission to do things that he shouldn't be doing now, and we've seen a lot of turnovers with those behaviors over the last month.

I think this has always been the case though. Earlier in the season he was getting more rush chances, but when under pressure he was still very likely to turn it over. I don't think Kyrou is ever going to be good fighting through contact so he needs to learn to move the puck quicker when pressured and use his skating to get open again.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

I feel like such a cynical fan saying this, but Kyrou's regression looks more than physical to me lately. He has the attention of the opponent's scouting reports and they're buckling down on him.

He tries to go 1 on 3 quite often and holds the puck instead of making a simple pass. It looks like he thinks he's got the ability/permission to do things that he shouldn't be doing now, and we've seen a lot of turnovers with those behaviors over the last month.

And his defense isn't progressing either. If the desire is to have a more "defensively responsible" forward group, in my opinion, he's not that kind of player.

I LOOOOVED Kyrou's game in the first half of the season, and hope he gets back to that as soon as possible.

Kyrou is going through what the team was going through two weeks ago when some people on this board were writing them off and questioning their heart and will to complete. Again, I'm not opposed to moving him for the right return, namely a stud LHD with tremendous upside, but most teams aren't willing to part ways with one of those guys unless they're fortunate enough to have an abundance of blueline talent and are seeking an upgrade to their forwards.

I'm just not sure where we're going find and develop another forward with the type of dynamic skill he offers when we're perennially not picking until the 22-32 range of the first round.
By all accounts, he slipped to the second round and became a steal for us. If his game doesn't pick up between now and the end of the season and continue to evolve into next year I would be able to stomach the idea of moving on from him much easier than I currently am.

How silly would we have looked if we decided Thomas had reached his ceiling and moved him in the off-season?

 

[Blueston]

Kyrou is going through what the team was going through two weeks ago when some people on this board were writing them off and questioning their heart and will to complete. Again, I'm not opposed to moving him for the right return, namely a stud LHD with tremendous upside, but most teams aren't willing to part ways with one of those guys unless they're fortunate enough to have an abundance of blueline talent and are seeking an upgrade to their forwards.

I'm just not sure where we're going find and develop another forward with the type of dynamic skill he offers when we're perennially not picking until the 22-32 range of the first round.
By all accounts, he slipped to the second round and became a steal for us. If his game doesn't pick up between now and the end of the season and continue to evolve into next year I would be able to stomach the idea of moving on from him much easier than I currently am.

How silly would we have looked if we decided Thomas had reached his ceiling and moved him in the off-season?

I think of Kyrou as like a Nylander (the better one) or Ehlers. He is a gamebreaker and dangerous player, but he isn't going to be your top player. If teams focus on stopping him, they can. But if they are focused elsewhere he can burn them.

 

[ScratchCatFever]

I think of Kyrou as like a Nylander (the better one) or Ehlers. He is a gamebreaker and dangerous player, but he isn't going to be your top player. If teams focus on stopping him, they can. But if they are focused elsewhere he can burn them.

That could very well be the case. But I'm not sure 164 total games played over a 4 year period and barely two full seasons without going back and forth between the AHL and NHL is enough to say he won't be anything more than an occasional game breaker.
To me it's a matter of how badly he wants to be a great player, putting in the work year after year and avoiding complacency.