ShootIt
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- Nov 8, 2008
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2018 Offseason Grade The Player: Nick Bjugstad
- Thread starter CHGoalie27
- Start date
FlaPanthers11
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Ryuji Yamazaki
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Gentle Man
09/12
Sounds like you may have watched the same amount as he did.
Ryuji Yamazaki
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Bjugstad had a very polarizing year, this is true. When he was playing well, he was playing well. But again, I'll remind you, he had a 20 game drought where he was completely ineffective. But for the remaining 62 games he scored 49 points. Points on the Barkov/Huberdeau line, but points nonetheless.
StrangeVision
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That’s neat, now let’s see the same analysis for the rest of the team. Contextualize the data.
Gentle Man
09/12
He didn't score a goal for 20 games, but he still got points...... all even strength mind you.
Dads didn't score for 18.... and actually received power play time.
Not a world beater, but anyone that hints he had a bad season is out to lunch.
FlaPanthers11
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Gentle Man
09/12
But he didnt say Bjugstad was good now.
It is whether Bjugstad had a good season or not (or in his exact word, great).
No, it wasn't great. But he absolutely had a good season.
Bjugstad’s detractors fail to look at his season objectively. If they did, they’d see that not only did he have a good season on the average, but that he was slowly improving the whole time. He really stuck with it and followed coach’s advice.
I’m betting (barring major injury, but he has smarter instincts now) he’ll have a better season this year and even those who don’t like him will agree that it would be (have been) a mistake to trade him.
I’m betting (barring major injury, but he has smarter instincts now) he’ll have a better season this year and even those who don’t like him will agree that it would be (have been) a mistake to trade him.
Ryuji Yamazaki
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How can a guy who goes, what, 23 games without scoring have a good season?
He was completely ineffective playing on any other line other than Barkovs, and even then, he slowed them down and made them worse.
He's the last piece of suck that needs to go from this team.
He was completely ineffective playing on any other line other than Barkovs, and even then, he slowed them down and made them worse.
He's the last piece of suck that needs to go from this team.
CHGoalie27
Don't blame the goalie!
Because one morning just after those 23 games, he woke up and his back said "Ok Nicky"says back, "you don't have to skate like @Kid Icarus anymore, and you can be effective again!!"
...and from there on out Nick Bjugstad was not a piece of suck anymore. Not that he ever really was, just hurt.
Brokin
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- Nov 30, 2014
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I'd like to see Nick return to his old form before all the injuries (hand/wrist in particular). Like many non aggressive type players, he is confidence sensitive and it shows big time when he is off the Barkov line or he gets in a scoring funk. When Barkov hit the wall towards the end of the season, Nick hit the wall also on that line. His last multi-point game was against Boston on 4/5. Before that it was Ottawa on 3/20 where he had a goal and an assist. After that he had 4 pts the final 11 games (2 goals/2 assists).
Getting the old Nick back with an assertive edge taking it to the net or the accurate laser snap shot would be a great boost to the team. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt but will only feel he is back once he starts to consistently score when he's not on the top line.
Getting the old Nick back with an assertive edge taking it to the net or the accurate laser snap shot would be a great boost to the team. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt but will only feel he is back once he starts to consistently score when he's not on the top line.
Gentle Man
09/12
Dadonov went through a similar drought. He had a great season.
The numbers have been posted repeatedly and not just me (and I sure as shit doing it again).
But the line had better numbers with Bjugstad on it.
RogerRoger
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They were one of the top3 most productive line in the league (backed by stats) when the 3 were together. What you are saying is simply false and it has been proven time and time again with stats.
Ratsreign
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- Mar 12, 2018
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I remember how well Bjugstad played before his back injury, and how he tried to fight through it to help FL catch 8th place. The promise he showed has been delayed by the injuries. Some totally ignore this. I imagine it would take quite a while to fully recover skating & strength after the back injury, so he struggled at times. He's also had the head injuries. And then the wrist, I'm sure recovering your shot accuracy and power after breaking your wrist isn't an overnight thing. Not to mention the effect of just the sheer time missed would have had on his development. I can understand the inconsistencies he has shown.
Writing off the improvements in his game as the team came alive last year to just riding line 1 coattails is inaccurate, imo.
Bjugstad contributed greatly to that line. He was doing most of the dirty work in the O zone, freeing Barky and Dadonov to make highlight reels. I don't know what some of you were watching. I expect him to show even more improvement this season.
Confidence, in his health and his game, was probably the hardest to regain.
Writing off the improvements in his game as the team came alive last year to just riding line 1 coattails is inaccurate, imo.
Bjugstad contributed greatly to that line. He was doing most of the dirty work in the O zone, freeing Barky and Dadonov to make highlight reels. I don't know what some of you were watching. I expect him to show even more improvement this season.
Confidence, in his health and his game, was probably the hardest to regain.
RainingRats
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- Dec 28, 2008
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I'd give him a B. He wasn't very good to start the season but the team wasn't either. He fits nicely on the top line. It's a good fit for his style of play. In no way is he a true top line player but he works as a complimentary player in the top 6 with an elite center.
If we can get 50+ points out of him next year I will be very happy. He blew a lot of scoring chances so maybe his shooting % will improve and he'll break 20 goals. I could see 25 if he plays a full season on the top line.
If we can get 50+ points out of him next year I will be very happy. He blew a lot of scoring chances so maybe his shooting % will improve and he'll break 20 goals. I could see 25 if he plays a full season on the top line.
Ryuji Yamazaki
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Jean Luc Discard
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lol.
Nick did well in the second half of the season but it's quite obvious that he ain't no 1st line player and Barkov has that Midas-effect on his wingers. If there's a team that like to take a gamble on Nick as a 2nd line center or winger while trading away a top3/4 RD, I wouldn't miss Nick at all. Nick is an utility player and most of his utility will come from being exposed in the Seattle exp draft.
Gentle Man
09/12
StrangeVision
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