Do you consider RNH a disappointment?

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

Slight disappointment. He wasn't projected to be much better than this.

 

[BHD]

He's a good player. However, he hasn't been what you expect out of a player taken 1st overall. Also, he's what, the 10th best player from that draft?

 

[Holymakinaw]

Drafted #1 overall 10 years ago. His career is a mixed bag. Calling him a bust is obviously not true, but currently he's in his prime and putting up a 60 point pace with a large share coming from the PP. His even strength production is pretty dismal. He compares pretty unfavorably with his #1 overall peers. I guess he blows Yakupov out of the water. To clarify, I believe a disappointment is to not meet expectations for your career. I definitely thought he would be a PPG player and he's definitely not that. Instead his career looks like any run of the mill 2nd line center in the NHL.

Yes, for a 1st overall pick, he's a massive disappointment, I'd say. You expect those guys to at least be a top line player in the NHL, and he's not even that. It took him until year #8 just to crack 60 pts - that's a very average output. He's more like a 18th overall pick.

 

[Pyrophorus]

More towards Stefan/Daigle type #1, than McDavid/Matthews
Maybe not even as high as Hall.

 

[sepHF]

he's had an interesting career so far.

I still think the most impressive hockey he's ever played was in his rookie season. His passing / vision was just unreal in his first year, then he got injured.

Not sure why, but his passing was so much better in his first year. Not sure if other teams figured him out or if he lost something when he got hurt.

He's turned into a real solid player though. But in his draft year in hindsight Kucherov should've went 1st overall

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

More towards Stefan/Daigle type #1, than McDavid/Matthews
Maybe not even as high as Hall.

"Maybe"? He's not as high as Hall. Hall's issues have largely been constantly getting hurt. When he's healthy, he actually won an MVP and surpassed a point per game.

 

[Forgot About Drai]

Hes actually a solid player so hes not a bust or a disappointment in that sense.

But what is disappointing is that he has all the skill in the world and if he put in the work he could put up 70+ points in the NHL consistently. He just doesnt put in the work and floats in and out of games. Thats what so dissapointing.

 

[SotasicA]

He is a very good hockey player.

Maybe he could be like an Owen Nolan. I mean, complete polar opposite in styles, but you get my point. You don't have to be the best player in the league to be a star. I don't consider Nolan a bust. He was a really really good player. Damn good.

 

[SotasicA]

Hes actually a solid player so hes not a bust or a disappointment in that sense.

But what is disappointing is that he has all the skill in the world and if he put in the work he could put up 70+ points in the NHL consistently. He just doesnt put in the work and floats in and out of games. Thats what so dissapointing.

Watching him I think he works pretty hard. And is not bad defensively. Seems like a very coachable player. (Maybe that's why he was so easily stunted by Oiler coaches)

 

[Forgot About Drai]

Watching him I think he works pretty hard. And is not bad defensively. Seems like a very coachable player. (Maybe that's why he was so easily stunted by Oiler coaches)

I just think there is an engaged Nuge and not engaged Nuge. When hes engaged hes awesome but lately, more and more he seems to float out there. I dont think its because hes a lazy player though. I cant really pinpoint it and dont want speculate if its mental or not, but there are two very different gears for Nuge.

 

[Oneiro]

If he's drafted in a different situation, who knows. Good player, though.

To invert it, what would happen if a Pastrnak or a Kucherov had been drafted by Edmonton? We'll never know.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

If he's drafted in a different situation, who knows. Good player, though.

To invert it, what would happen if a Pastrnak or a Kucherov had been drafted by Edmonton? We'll never know.

I don't think teams have as great of an impact on player development, especially with regards to players with elite talent, as you're making it seem like. Otherwise, why weren't McDavid and Draisaitl ruined?

Typically, I'd say it's the "lesser" players with less natural talent that need to be developed more by teams, that good teams do a better job of than bad teams. But I don't think good teams necessarily develop the high-end guys any better since it's more about natural talent with those guys.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Mild disappointment, but not a bust. 1OA's don't come along often (unless you're EDM, or early 2000s PIT), so you hope and expect the pick to be a franchise cornerstone. Someone who plays top line or top pairing, makes a few all star games at least and is a player to build around. McDavid is that. Draisaitl is that. RNH is not. If he was drafted 5-10th overall, not a disappointment. 1st OA, yes.

As an outsider, it still surprises me why EDM hasn't traded him. He has value to other teams as a weak 1C or strong 2C, which would fetch a lot in return. Those assets would let EDM build better around McDavid and Drai as the 1C/2C. Reminds me a lot of Pittsburgh, especially back when it was Crosby/Malkin/Staal down the middle. Eventually Staal wanted to get paid and chase a bigger role, so they dealt him for assets that ultimately became Brian Dumoulin and Nick Bonino (via trade for Brandon Sutter), two key cup contributors. They also received the 8th OA pick which turned out to be a bust in Derrick Pouliot, but could have been Filip Forsberg if they had bothered to scout the top of the draft class that year.

 

[Oneiro]

I don't think teams have as great of an impact on player development, especially with regards to players with elite talent, as you're making it seem like. Otherwise, why weren't McDavid and Draisaitl ruined?

Typically, I'd say it's the "lesser" players with less natural talent that need to be developed more by teams, that good teams do a better job of than bad teams. But I don't think good teams necessarily develop the high-end guys any better since it's more about natural talent with those guys.

Ultimately, I think you're right. RNH is not some latent HoFer in a parallel universe.

I do wonder what he'd be like as the 2C in BOS or in LA around that time. The impact of Chara on McAvoy's development is obvious to people. Was his path inevitable? Never gonna get an answer.

But for every situation where the parts seem greater than the whole (Toews, Kane in CHI, Matthews/Marner in TOR) you have a Barkov who is basically living up to his promise through a series of fluctuating situations. So yeah, you're probably right.

 

[Iapyi]

I don't think teams have as great of an impact on player development, especially with regards to players with elite talent, as you're making it seem like. Otherwise, why weren't McDavid and Draisaitl ruined?

Typically, I'd say it's the "lesser" players with less natural talent that need to be developed more by teams, that good teams do a better job of than bad teams. But I don't think good teams necessarily develop the high-end guys any better since it's more about natural talent with those guys.

It's probably not that black and white.

 

[Pi]

If you think of him as a 1st overall pick, yes. If not, no. He’s a perfect capable top six player.

 

[NyQuil]

He's a disappointment but not a major one. He's not a bust or anything.

 

[La Bamba]

I think he is a disappointment

he was drafted to be a #1 centerman and he looked very promising as a rookie

he never progressed offensively and his defensive game is honestly overrated/non-existent if I'm being honest. he lacks intensity and can't carry his own line at all. he's a leach off McDrai for points and sucks on the face-off dot

maybe I'm being too hard on him because McDavid and Draisaitl play on the same team but he's just so underwhelming along with the rest of the non-McDrai forwards