This one is a bbit of a blast from the past (at least as far as HF is concerned), but I remember reading a Hockey News or TSN preview where they did a huge spread on Jaroslav Svejkovsky and projected him to be the Calder Winner (97 maybe?). They were gushing about the kid...He scored fur goals in a game for the Caps but was forced to retire because of post concussion syndrme thugh he never came close to his hype.
I'll get flamed for this for certain, but the sheer amount of hype that SOME Habs fans have given Andrei Kostitsyn has been really just a little (alot) much. I realize he still has time and is young, but he was getting Malkin type hype, and you would think that the way he was talked about, it wouldnt have taken him this long to even stick in the NHL, let alone make his mark as the steal of the 03 draft. He still could be something, but I think it is safe to say that he was MUCH more hype than substance thus far. In terms of hype, he has to be in the top 5 all time on HF.
Malkin type hype? Top 5 all time? Give me a brrrreak. He's been panned way more than he's been hyped...top five panned I'd agree with.
What was pointed out a hundred times when the criticisms got heavy was that "experts" such as Bob McKenzie suggested he could be a top three talent in the draft if it wasn't for his epilepsy, so many Hab fans weren't writing him off when the bashing started a couple of years ago. This of course became the crux of the overhype decriers, and is what you are focusing on I suppose. Your memory appears to be short and biased on this subject; the majority of Hab fans have never claimed that he would be one of the top three players form that great draft; buit many did react to the onslaught of criticism when later picks like 'carter and Getzlaf were successful players at the WJC and the hype machine went into full gear. If anything Carter has been one of the overhyped player from that draft, but i won't go into that now.
What we should do is a list of players that people around here wrote off unfairly before they were 22 years of age. What many don't appear to realize is that the average age of NHLers making it as NHL regulars is 23+, so Andrei shouldn't be discounted yet.
the Habs have six wingers battling for top-line positions with the big club as it is with Kovalev, Ryder, Higgins, Latendresse, Samsonov and Perezhogin... the Habs are giving Perezhogin a full opportunity this year ahead of Kostitsyn, which was the proper way to do it - but there is no secret that the club will be finding a spot for him later this season and on a full-time basis next season. He has looked solid in his last two callups, but there was no room for him on the top two lines (where he'll eventually play) once the injured players came back; he's not going to sit in the press box.
Kostitsyn is the most NHL ready prospect on the farm club, and continues to display the skills that will earn him a regular shift in the league next season. His defensive play is underrated, and has come a long way from his days as the rising young star in Belarus. He may be a regular in the lineup before this season ends.