Laine, 2nd in the league in goals and almost a point per game, gets a C? What are your expectations for him? Lead the league in goals by a long shot and be over a point per game? yeesh.
Scheif, 14th in the league in scoring and hitting at a 1.21 points per game, gets a B? Wheeler 8th in the league in points, and hitting 1.28 points per game, gets a C+?
Being a little bit hard on them here.
I'll try my own so you can rip me back though!
Scheifele: A
Morrissey: A+
Laine: B+
Connor: B+
Buff: A
Trouba: B
Wheeler: A
Brossoit: A
Ehlers: B+
Perreault: C
Lowry: B+
Copp: B
Petan: C+
Tanev: C+
Roslovic: C
Chiarot: D
Little: B
Helle: C
Myers: F
Morrow: D
Lemieux: F
Kulikov: D
Not going to rip into anyone. We all grade differently. I tend to be a hard marker. My grades have nothing to do with expectations. Hell, if that were the case, Myers would get an A+ for exactly meeting my expectations for him being a shitty defenseman, as an example.
Laine is good at scoring on the PP, but his overall game has left me wanting much more from him. He just floats around too much, hoping others will do the heavy lifting. He's not much of a battler for a guy his size. He makes some really nice passes, but unfortunately, sometimes they are right to an opposing player. Yes, I know he's only 20 and will improve. But right now, his game is pretty meh for me.
Scheifele and Wheeler get downgrades for their defensive play. I'm not giving top marks to guys who slowly drift back to their own end, or head off to the bench, while a dangerous counter attack is under way. Or have a brain cramp in their zone. Maybe they're tired after a long shift but that's something they need to control. Or Maurice needs to control. I give Maurice a C BTW. Wheeler gets hit harder because his goal scoring is well below what it should be, and because the only thing he seems to be doing really well these days is making seam passes to Laine on the PP. Don't even get me started on his stupid penalties.