Andreas Athanasiou

[drewjenks]

I mean...

What does this even mean? Why in the world do people love posting this so much?

Yes, you're right. All numbers are cherry picked. Unless you post the entire contents of nhl.com, whatever part you post is cherry picked. Is that a problem? The numbers are still the numbers. They are not a lie.

As I've said before, if you'd like to include additional context, I encourage it.

He is 113th in points / 110th in points per game / 156th in TOI for forwards.

So he's the 4th - 5th best point producer on an average team.

 

[Goalie guy]

Because quality of competition and zone starts matter. Matthews scoring 40 goals against the top players in the league is different than AA scoring 20ish against third pairing defensemen. Especially when players like Matthews might be playing 25% more minutes. So they are getting 100% more output, with 25% more ice time, playing against much better players, and not mainly starting in the o-zone. That adds a lot of context. If he were playing against top defenders, getting even zone starts, and was had about 25-45% more output, it would be something, but, the mitigating factors overshadow things.

Yeah he should not be in the same sentence as AM at all. But I think he will be a very good 2nd line player. I want to see a AA V Z line in a year or so.

 

[Shaman464]

Yeah he should not be in the same sentence as AM at all. But I think he will be a very good 2nd line player. I want to see a AA V Z line in a year or so.

I think AA is a good middle 6 winger. He's not elite, he's not AHL trash. He's a guy that's a good piece (I'd argue not a core piece, but whatever), but trying to mold him using contrived stats into an elite piece is pushing it.

 

[Classicnamesup]

Won't bother to read back to see if Matthews is mentioned because a Leafs fan needs to bring him up or because someone idiotically thought he was a good comparison. Either way it is comical.

 

[Kakko the bust]

Again where did I say he has shown nothing? I said he has been okay? Damn people can't read, can't understand or just refuse to admit he is just doing ok, he's not lighting it up stop being blinded by what he could be and be happy with what he has done. Its really not that hard of a sentence to understand. And what the hell does him getting a call up have to do with anything? He "Kenny" also said he is getting a call up to be shown what he has to work on to make the team one day. But just leave that part out it's okay.

You realize, unless I’m mistaken, he is first or second in points among u20 players. Leads all U20 in goals as well. Again he started as an 18 YEAR OLD. But you just left that out eh. The leading rookie in the AHL is Joel l’esperance, who will be 24 years old this year. I mean that is a huge difference. He also played 4 years of NCAA hockey.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Because quality of competition and zone starts matter. Matthews scoring 40 goals against the top players in the league is different than AA scoring 20ish against third pairing defensemen. Especially when players like Matthews might be playing 25% more minutes. So they are getting 100% more output, with 25% more ice time, playing against much better players, and not mainly starting in the o-zone. That adds a lot of context. If he were playing against top defenders, getting even zone starts, and was had about 25-45% more output, it would be something, but, the mitigating factors overshadow things.

You got me. AA is not as good as Austin Matthews.

/yawn

 

[Marky9er]

You got me. AA is not as good as Austin Matthews.

/yawn

Not as good as Matthews and better than Rico Fata. Glad we've solved that.

 

[araisarena]

How has he not shown anything.

Four straight games with a goal and five straight with a point. He started the year as an 18 YEAR OLD in a men’s league and will end it while only being 19. It’s already confirmed he will play in the NHL by Kenny boy this year.

What’s with the hate on Zadina. Your a red wings fans as well. Honestly, he’s further along than Bouchard, Quinn Hughes, Hayton, Wahlstrom, technically even Kravstov(he plays in the K) but there is a difference in euro hockey and NA hockey.

It is very uncommon for 18 year olds to come into the AHL and dominate. Mind you, the Leafs with a similar player in terms of what Zadina's ceiling could be (Nylander) first played in Europe for half the season and got his body adjusted fully to the pro game and then transitioned over with a lot of confidence and lit the AHL on fire. I would have liked to see Zadina go back to the Czech and get comfy with another few months of playing against lower level men before the AHL, but the Wings organization didn't panic or go crazy on him for not producing well to start out the year, and over the last handful of Griffin games he has been awesome. He's a potential top line forward and he can do it all, and it will take some time. His skating will get better too as he is an elite skater for his age group but not necessarily for the AHL yet. Will come with time, hopefully he's knocking on the door for a roster spot next year with Veleno.

 

[Goalie guy]

It is very uncommon for 18 year olds to come into the AHL and dominate. Mind you, the Leafs with a similar player in terms of what Zadina's ceiling could be (Nylander) first played in Europe for half the season and got his body adjusted fully to the pro game and then transitioned over with a lot of confidence and lit the AHL on fire. I would have liked to see Zadina go back to the Czech and get comfy with another few months of playing against lower level men before the AHL, but the Wings organization didn't panic or go crazy on him for not producing well to start out the year, and over the last handful of Griffin games he has been awesome. He's a potential top line forward and he can do it all, and it will take some time. His skating will get better too as he is an elite skater for his age group but not necessarily for the AHL yet. Will come with time, hopefully he's knocking on the door for a roster spot next year with Veleno.

My god how can you say hes is doing okay? Your are going to get killed by saying that! He is doing fine like I have said all along not setting the world on fire not doing bad. But because I'm from MI and a Wings fan I should say hes coming next year to take this team to the play offs anything less and I'm a jerk. Hes not coming to the Wings next year and I really really want to see him and Veleno next year in the A. A summer of working out and his 2nd year in the A he should kill it.

 

[Goalie guy]

You realize, unless I’m mistaken, he is first or second in points among u20 players. Leads all U20 in goals as well. Again he started as an 18 YEAR OLD. But you just left that out eh. The leading rookie in the AHL is Joel l’esperance, who will be 24 years old this year. I mean that is a huge difference. He also played 4 years of NCAA hockey.

Drake Batherson is leading and is a 98 year. there are a few 96/97 birth years but the rest are 98/99's Sorry hes just not leaps and bounds above people in his age group either. He will be fine, he just needs time is all. Next year watch what he does this year hes been just okay and that is fine.

 

[Aceboogie]

Said last year he could be the next Marchessault, still think he could be in the right situation.

 

[Kakko the bust]

Drake Batherson is leading and is a 98 year. there are a few 96/97 birth years but the rest are 98/99's Sorry hes just not leaps and bounds above people in his age group either. He will be fine, he just needs time is all. Next year watch what he does this year hes been just okay and that is fine.

Again U20, he leads in goals and is second in points. Batherson is in the u21 bracket.

 

[araisarena]

My god how can you say hes is doing okay? Your are going to get killed by saying that! He is doing fine like I have said all along not setting the world on fire not doing bad. But because I'm from MI and a Wings fan I should say hes coming next year to take this team to the play offs anything less and I'm a jerk. Hes not coming to the Wings next year and I really really want to see him and Veleno next year in the A. A summer of working out and his 2nd year in the A he should kill it.

I'm in Ann Arbor and I think its funny the lack of optimism relative to how my Leafs were same time 2-3 years ago. Red Wings are competing every night and the young guys are developing. Another high draft pick to add into the mix. Money will eventually come off the books and you will be ready to spend. Original 6 franchise and LCA is a great building and midtown Detroit is great. Things are looking up. I think Zadina is probably NHL ready this fall. Veleno might need some time but he's a gym rat and coaches pet because he does all the right things to go with that high end skill of his. Him falling because he didn't live up to exceptional status is a travesty.

 

[Hammettf2b]

He's looking to be the first 30 goal scorer for the Wings since the 09 season. Looks like hes adjusting nicely at playing center full time.

 

[TCNorthstars]

He's looking to be the first 30 goal scorer for the Wings since the 09 season. Looks like hes adjusting nicely at playing center full time.

I don't think he has been playing center the last few games, has he?

 

[Hammettf2b]

I don't think he has been playing center the last few games, has he?

I admit I haven't seen full games recently but when I did watch, he was at center. The Wings specifically said they want to play him at center for the rest of the year.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Reminder in case it's relevant to anyone: Athanasiou was drafted 110th overall by the Red Wings in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Detroit has always found a way to find these diamonds in the rough

Do we all at least agree that it's interesting that opinions of him range so greatly from bad to good?

Is there a more polarizing player in the league? Is there another player whose usefulness is so seemingly hard to reach a consensus on?

Well I mean on some nights he's lights out amazing and then others he's so bad you want to cringe so there's that

 

[kingsholygrail]

18: Only 20 players in the NHL have more ES goals than him. (0 EN goals)
1.41: 32 players in the NHL have more goals per 60 than him. (only 2 PP goals)
16:19: He's #150/427 forwards in TOI/game (>20 games)
14.04%: He most commonly plays with Luke Glendening and Darren Helm, who have 11 and 8 assists, respectively. (Line Combinations - Frozen Tools)
0: +/- 0 good for #8 on DRW.
13.1%: shooting % good for #135/646 (in case you're worried about sustainability)
16: 52 NHLers have drawn more penalties than him.

Those are the facts I managed to dig up on this season. This is a guy who a lot of Red Wings fans recently wanted to give up on in exchange for a pick. A guy with an alleged history of motivation issues.

What do fans around the NHL think about this guy?

I just learned he existed from this thread.

 

[saintunspecified]

AA is a guy that bar injury is always going to get you a solid 20 goals over a career. He is a fantastic depth scorer because you can stick him out with grinders and he will keep teams honest with his speed and hands. As long as you have dmen that can get him the puck there are few that can catch him on a breakaway. With that said I don't think he has the hockey IQ to take it to the next level by playing and creating more offense with other elite players. He has gotten better about using his teammates but he is likely always going to be a low assist guy. Maybe I'll be wrong but I have yet to see it in him.

You might've just described Michael Grabner. AA is flashier and a better finisher, Grabner was faster, but otherwise similar players.

 

[TCNorthstars]

I admit I haven't seen full games recently but when I did watch, he was at center. The Wings specifically said they want to play him at center for the rest of the year.

Yeah, tough to say. In the last 5 games he has taken 11, 10, 19, 6, 16 face-offs. And has been at 48% while doing so.

 

[TheOtherOne]

I updated the OP with AA's new stats as of today.

25: Only 12 players in the NHL have more ES goals than him. (1 EN goal)
1.50: 21 players in the NHL have more goals per 60 than him. (only 3 PP goals)
16:40: He's #132/449 forwards in TOI/game (>20 games)
11.92%: He most commonly plays with Luke Glendening and Darren Helm, who have 12 and 8 assists, respectively. (Line Combinations - Frozen Tools)
-6: +/- -6 good for #11 on DRW.
14.4%: shooting % good for #91/682
25: 20 NHLers have drawn more penalties than him.

 

[Reddwit]

He is 113th in points / 110th in points per game / 156th in TOI for forwards.

So he's the 4th - 5th best point producer on an average team.

Those two statements don’t follow. His points, points per game or TOI vis-a-vis the NHL have no bearing on his production relative to the team he plays on.

He’s been the 3rd best point producer on the Wings for the majority of the year. He’s been the 2nd best goal scorer on the team for the majority of the year. He plays with subpar linemates, doesn’t rely on any one player to support him, and doesn’t take advantage of huge pp minutes to inflate his stats.

And you want to argue about cherry-picking, lol.

 

[Reddwit]

I don't think he has been playing center the last few games, has he?

He’s still at center.

 

[Foppberg]

I'd love to see him in Colorado on MacKinnon's line...

Will never happen though.

 

[obey86]

Hes a weird player. Kinda reminds me of Evander Kane of a few years ago (not sure if hes different in San Jose). You can play him on the third line with meh line mates and he'll get his 20 goals, he doesnt play that great with other players who jhave the puck a lot though so on a top line I'm not sure that production increases as much as you would expect for a lot of players.

Hes a guy who can take over a game with his speed and hands but you dont get it all the time from him. Theres a reason he was projected top 10 at the start of his draft year and theres a reason he fell. Obviously he shoulda went higher (1st round for sure) in hindsight but I can see parts of his game that scared scouts off

He's Evander Kane offensively.

 

[LarKing]

Splits the D on a highlight reel tonight for his 30th of the year. Apologies for not posting the vid, I’m on my phone and lazy.