Hockeypete49
How you like me now!
Leier scored his 30th & 31st goals & added two assists last night (64 points in 48 games).
Good game by today's birthday boy.
Leier scored his 30th & 31st goals & added two assists last night (64 points in 48 games).
I would say Cousins is more offensively gifted but he doesn't have Laughtons skating, size, defensive skills or grit.
Everyone needs to temper their expectations. It seems like everyone want to compare him Richards but they're setting themselves up for disappointment.
I really don't see why we wouldn't expect Laughton to put up good numbers here. He is on a rare pace.
Also with mattaa. He is doing well but he is on a good team that have several Olympian dmen to play with. Not to mention it just the first half of his first year. There are so many dmen that started great their first year and then hasn't since. Let both players play out
From what I've read, it seems like most people in the organization aren't expecting Cousins to translate his offensive game to the NHL. I don't know why that is - I haven't seen him play yet myself, outside of the preseason - but that's what they're saying.
I do think, however, that they fully expect Laughton to continue developing offense.
He's in his 4th year of juniors, is 19 with a NHL ready frame getting top ice time (pp included) while facing mostly 16-18 year olds. For a former first rounder I'd be upset if he weren't well over a ppg.
Listen I'm not saying he won't be a good player or anything but it's just unlikely he comes in here and produces 60pts on average per season (like Richards has) through most of his career.
He wasn't drafted as a first line center and dominating juniors after his draft year doesn't change that in my eyes.
Where are you hearing this?
I have some concerns about Cousin's game as a whole in the NHL but not his offense. And thats because he's under sized, has problems defensively and isn't the best skater. The puck seems to follow him and he can do some pretty things with the puck, his offense is the least of my concerns.
Edit: Just to make it clear I said "Cousins is more offensively gifted" not that he's far and away a superior player offensively. Laughton will most definitely be the better NHLer, if Cousins even makes it.
Laughton will be a point producer at the NHL level. You mention that Laughton is producing as a 19 year old and facing competition 16 to 18 years old. Fact of the matter is that prior to DJ Smith's arrival, Chris DePiero, the former head coach in Oshawa, had Laughton on such a tight leash that Laughton was literally given table scraps of ice time. He didn't get a chance to perform until DJ Smith became the head coach and once that happened, the transition in Laughton's game really took off.
As for the offensive side of things, that took place in the second half of last season when he was returned to Oshawa by the Flyers. He came back to Oshawa a completely different player and he hasn't stopped since.
Everything is finally clicking for the guy and I certainly don't think that a 60 to 65 point season in the NHL isn't out of the question for Laughton. His offensive game is completely underrated. Laughton is a fantastic passer and he's already got an NHL ready wrist and snap shot. He's always in the right place at the right time and he just makes the smart plays all the time and has a work ethic that's second to none. He might not be blessed with the most 'natural' talent that some have, but his work ethic and hockey smarts more than compensate for that.
I'm not worried about what Laughton turns into, rather where he is going to play. I fear that we'll end up having to choose between Laughton and Couturier
Point distribution. Has a ****-ton of goals, and not a lot of assists (comparatively). Either he doesn't see open teammates or he can't make the passes connect. I think it'll become more apparent how different Laughton is from Richards over the next few years.I really don't see why we wouldn't expect Laughton to put up good numbers here. He is on a rare pace.
Point distribution. Has a ****-ton of goals, and not a lot of assists (comparatively). Either he doesn't see open teammates or he can't make the passes connect. I think it'll become more apparent how different Laughton is from Richards over the next few years.
Let him start at 4C. They will undoubtedly try him at wing as well.