Claude Giroux: "Reasons to be Cheerful Part III"

[Captain Dave Poulin]

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Embarrassing.

 

[Appleyard]

That was his 380th assist of this decade. Most in the NHL since the start of 2010-11.

NHL Decade assists leaders:

1920's: Frank Boucher
1930's: Marty Barry
1940's: Elmer Lach
1950's: Gordie Howe
1960's: Stan Mikita
1970's: Bobby Clarke
1980's: Wayne Gretzky
1990's: Adam Oates
2000's: Joe Thornton
2010's: Claude Giroux & Joe Thornton (current tie)

I mean... that is pretty impressive list of players. All HHoFers...

 

[Striiker]

That was his 380th assist of this decade. Most in the NHL since the start of 2010-11.

NHL Decade assists leaders:

1920's: Frank Boucher
1930's: Marty Barry
1940's: Elmer Lach
1950's: Gordie Howe
1960's: Stan Mikita
1970's: Bobby Clarke
1980's: Wayne Gretzky
1990's: Adam Oates
2000's: Joe Thornton
2010's: Claude Giroux & Joe Thornton (current tie)

I mean... that is pretty impressive list of players. All HHoFers...

But not an Olympian.

 

[The Rage Kage]

That was his 380th assist of this decade. Most in the NHL since the start of 2010-11.

NHL Decade assists leaders:

1920's: Frank Boucher
1930's: Marty Barry
1940's: Elmer Lach
1950's: Gordie Howe
1960's: Stan Mikita
1970's: Bobby Clarke
1980's: Wayne Gretzky
1990's: Adam Oates
2000's: Joe Thornton
2010's: Claude Giroux & Joe Thornton (current tie)

I mean... that is pretty impressive list of players. All HHoFers...

Unless Backstrom or Getzlaf see resurgances or Thornton finishes out the decade it looks like he will end up taking it if he stays healthy.

 

[Appleyard]

Unless Backstrom or Getzlaf see resurgances or Thornton finishes out the decade it looks like he will end up taking it if he stays healthy.

Yep. Barring injury has a great chance.

Giroux: 381
Thornton: 380
Backstrom: 376
Sedin: 373
Getzlaf: 366
Crosby: 344
Karlsson: 340
Kane: 336
Kopitar: 334

Are the players within 50...

Basically 2.5 seasons, 200 more games to hold them off.

And even looking at last 2.5 seasons, he has 124... 8th in NHL and only 18 behind Karlsson (who has the most in that span.) Getzlaf has had 4 more over that time, Thornton 1 more, Kane+Backstrom 14 more.

 

[Curufinwe]

But not an Olympian.

Shame the NHL skipped this Olympics cause now he'll never be one.

 

[whitstifier]

I'm glad the NHL moved away from the Olympics. The politics in team selections was asscrack

 

[Appleyard]

Claude Giroux at 30: The past, the present, and the future

Article by yours truly on Giroux's past, present and future...

and a comparison at the same age offensively to post-expansion HHoF forwards.

Was absolutely astounded he had a better adjusted PPG rate than Messier at the end of his age 30 season... but Messier's first 3 seasons were very mediocre and it was such a high scoring era (whereas Giroux only had 120 games of that level)... and he had a really bad 1984-85 (like Giroux last year bad, basically the same adjusted PPG).

 

[Rebels57]

Claude Giroux at 30: The past, the present, and the future

Article by yours truly on Giroux's past, present and future...

and a comparison at the same age offensively to post-expansion HHoF forwards.

Was absolutely astounded he had a better adjusted PPG rate than Messier at the end of his age 30 season... but Messier's first 3 seasons were very mediocre and it was such a high scoring era (whereas Giroux only had 120 games of that level)... and he had a really bad 1984-85 (like Giroux last year bad, basically the same adjusted PPG).

That was fantastic!

 

[Appleyard]

That was fantastic!

Thanks man. Was one of the articles I have enjoyed writing much.

 

[Rebels57]

Thanks man. Was one of the articles I have enjoyed writing much.

I've mentioned this before, but I really think he needs multiple good playoff runs in the future to cement his HOF status. It's been 5 years since he has had a good playoff series. He needs and deserves the attention that comes along with a long playoff run. In the Giroux thread on the main board the other day, a neutral fan said "What are Girouxs strengths? I don't see him often." That's just crazy to me considering how strong his career has been the last 7 years.

 

[Appleyard]

I've mentioned this before, but I really think he needs multiple good playoff runs in the futre to cement his HOF status. It's been 5 years since he has had a good playoff series. We need it. He needs it. He needs and deserves the attention that comes along with a long playoff run. In the Giroux thread on the main board the other day, a neutral fan said "What are Girouxs strengths? I don't see him often." That's just crazy to me considering how strong his career has been the last 7 years.

Yeh, it is bizarre.

Objectively he has, at age 30, done everything he needs to do to be on track for the HHoF. I mean, look at the names above him on the list of adjusted PPG and the ~5 or so behind him. None of them are even contentious. His Hart voting, points finishes and PPG finishes say the same.

Though as I noted in the article, guys like Kovalchuk, Roenick and Heatley were on ~similar trajectories as Giroux at 30 (HHoF peaks and primes).

He has to have a solid last ~5-7 years of his career after this to get in. I feel like if he breaks 1000pts in this low-scoring era he will be a lock though.

 

[Lotusflower]

Damn. and he was a walkon as a 17 year old. Definition of a home run pick.

 

[Appleyard]

Damn. and he was a walkon as a 17 year old. Definition of a home run pick.

The last centre drafted below 20th overall to be as good or better was Zetterberg... in 1999. And there have been none (so far) since.

I mean... between Zetterberg and present the only other centres drafted after 20th overall to get 80+ point seasons:

Mike Richards (#24, 2003) 80 in 2008-09
Derek Roy (#32, 2001) 81 in 2007-08

And they both put up 80+ in higher scoring eras than Giroux did.

 

[The Rage Kage]

I was younger at the time and wasnt really following the nhl as closely as i do now, so for any that did, why did he make it to 22? His stats seem like he should have been at least top 15 and maybe even top 10, especially when you consider it was his first year in the qmjhl. Was it mainly his size?

 

[AdamParrot]

It's amazing article!! Great job, appleyard!

 

[Lotusflower]

Size/speed concerns probably. Honestly a lot of the things people said about Nico reminded me of G when he was young.

Obviously different players with different styles, Nico is a much more dynamic skater, but the way Nico came over from Europe and just continued to get better over a period until he went from solid prospect to top pick really reminded me of G and how he came out of relative obscurity to establish himself.

Situations like that are why I don't have a problem taking fast risers in the draft as at that age you might have found a guy whose ceiling is relatively untapped from a scouting perspective.

I believe Sanheim had a similar path as well

 

[Appleyard]

I was younger at the time and wasnt really following the nhl as closely as i do now, so for any that did, why did he make it to 22? His stats seem like he should have been at least top 15 and maybe even top 10, especially when you consider it was his first year in the qmjhl.

Small (at a time that size was valued more) and literally no-one know who on earth he was heading into the season. He was a walk-on in the QMJHL after being completely passes over in TWO separate 15 round OHL drafts.

He was unranked heading into season... and only 72nd ranked mid-term amongst North American skaters!

Had no real previous, nothing really, just his great draft year. He played AA hockey at 16 and then Junior-A (Central Canadian Hockey League) at 17.

Though his age 17 season in Junior-A should have alerted people... his PPG was pretty good for a 17 year old, 0.83 might not seem amazing, but since then only two players got higher in same league, and one was Jason Akeson!

Plus he had a big growth spurt... he was ~5'4 at ~16. And also had Mono at around the same time.

 

[Striiker]

Claude Giroux at 30: The past, the present, and the future

Article by yours truly on Giroux's past, present and future...

and a comparison at the same age offensively to post-expansion HHoF forwards.

Was absolutely astounded he had a better adjusted PPG rate than Messier at the end of his age 30 season... but Messier's first 3 seasons were very mediocre and it was such a high scoring era (whereas Giroux only had 120 games of that level)... and he had a really bad 1984-85 (like Giroux last year bad, basically the same adjusted PPG).

Awesome job Appleyard. Truly an enjoyable and worthwhile read.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

Most teams probably didn’t think he was a center either. Even today you typically get better value with wingers as the draft moves along opposed to centers.

 

[PK16]

Great article Appleyard!

 

[whitstifier]

 

[deadhead]

I think Hakstol has to be credited with moving Giroux to LW, and pairing him with Couts.
I think that's the difference between Giroux finishing his contract strong or gradually declining the next few years.
Problem is Hakstol is now overworking Giroux, if you want to get five more years out of him, you want to limit his workload.

 

[Striiker]

What a reach.

Putting two of our best players together is helping both score??? No f***ing way, how did Hakstol come up with this genius move???

I guess we'll ignore that he also killed our depth and that he never even gave Giroux a chance to play at center now that he's healthy. But sure, you go right ahead and put that in the win column, along with magically fixing Ghost and Konecny into semi-decent players this past month.

 

[hatcher]

G couldn't handle the center role. It's taxing on the body.