Porter Stoutheart
We Got Wood
- Jun 14, 2017
- 14,876
- 11,256
I don't remember the last time folks were keen enough to do this, but here is a stab:
Forwards
Matt Duchene
His production has been uneven and I'm not sure he has really been the zone-entry weapon we envisioned. But at the same time, I don't think his track record suggests we should have been expecting more than around a 60-pt pace for him - which is about what he's on, and tied for our lead in forward scoring. It'd be nice if he did a little more, but I don't think he's too far off.
Grade: B-
Filip Forsberg
Again some injury absences, but also pretty much on pace offensively with 28 pts in 35 games... we keep hoping these guys take a "next step", or play with a little more intensity at times, but I'm not sure we could have EXPECTED that.
Grade: B-
Ryan Johansen
Johansen is on a 52-pt pace which I feel is below what we're paying him for. I know he generally plays a decent two-way game even when he's not scoring, but he gets a lot of ice and opportunity, and I don't think his salary should allow us to be too accepting of a sub-par pace. He's only a couple points behind Duchene and Forsberg, but has played all the games.
Grade: C
Viktor Arvidsson
I feel like he's lacking a little bit on the breakaway receptions he used to get. And missed 12 games. Is 18 pts in 29 games good enough? It is for $4.25M... but it's off his pace of the last 3 seasons, so I was expecting more.
Grade: C
Mikael Granlund
He has had a much longer benefit of the doubt than last season's post TDL cameo - and still not really done anything of note with it. He's 10th on the team in scoring amongst our forwards. Just 1 pt above Watson and Sissons. For what he gets paid and the opportunity he has had, I don't think that is good enough.
Grade: D
Kyle Turris
It's hard to even grade him for all the bouncing around in the lineup he has been subjected to. And that baffling stint being healthy scratched. That said, I think he looks "back to normal" after last season's troubles. Not my favorite player by a longshot, but I think a 0.5 ppg pace for him given the circumstances of his utilization is about on par with how some of our other top forwards are performing.
Grade: B-
Calle Jarnkrok
He has already topped his production from last season and (knock wood) seems to be on pace for a career season production wise. I didn't see that coming. Good for him, it's really him and the 3rd line that has kept us afloat. Without their supporting production, our season would be over already. Production aside, I've also though he has played a little harder than in some past years.
Grade: A
Nick Bonino
The production is a nice bonus. He could be pushing for a career high too if he keeps it up. He's a pretty solid all-round player, easy sometimes to overlook on the ice, but doing a lot of the small things right in addition to chipping in those points.
Grade: A
Rocco Grimaldi
I have to admit, I thought he'd be in tough to even replicate last season's spunky showing where he earned his arbitration award, but didn't really put up notable numbers. But he has been an irrepressible presence on the ice and is contributing every night now.
Grade: A
Craig Smith
Slow start offensively despite his linemates chipping in more goals than expected, but lately that has turned around and suddenly Smith is back at a 20/20 clip. I think he has also shown the most consistent work ethic in our forward group. Even when he wasn't getting the points, a lot of the success on that line was his effort on the forecheck and in the corners.
Grade: A
Austin Watson
He's doing about as expected. Our team needs some physical presence and he generally brings it. Fights a bit, scores once in a while, I think he's right where I expected.
Grade: B
Colton Sissons
I think he was victimized a bit at times with the over-population at center and the strong showing of the Bonino line. He was doing "ok", but I was hoping maybe after signing that big contract he'd take another step. That hasn't really happened.
Grade: B-
Notes on others... Carr didn't pan out, not really any surprise. Blackwell is doing ok but I think there's only so many smaller forwards we can afford to have here, I don't see a future for him. Olivier was a surprise to come up, but he was ok within the narrow constraints of the role they gave him. Glad they seem to have moved on from Salomaki and Gaudreau as depth options. We know what they bring - it's not much. Trenin is really the guy I'd like to see as a regular moving forward.
Forwards
Matt Duchene
His production has been uneven and I'm not sure he has really been the zone-entry weapon we envisioned. But at the same time, I don't think his track record suggests we should have been expecting more than around a 60-pt pace for him - which is about what he's on, and tied for our lead in forward scoring. It'd be nice if he did a little more, but I don't think he's too far off.
Grade: B-
Filip Forsberg
Again some injury absences, but also pretty much on pace offensively with 28 pts in 35 games... we keep hoping these guys take a "next step", or play with a little more intensity at times, but I'm not sure we could have EXPECTED that.
Grade: B-
Ryan Johansen
Johansen is on a 52-pt pace which I feel is below what we're paying him for. I know he generally plays a decent two-way game even when he's not scoring, but he gets a lot of ice and opportunity, and I don't think his salary should allow us to be too accepting of a sub-par pace. He's only a couple points behind Duchene and Forsberg, but has played all the games.
Grade: C
Viktor Arvidsson
I feel like he's lacking a little bit on the breakaway receptions he used to get. And missed 12 games. Is 18 pts in 29 games good enough? It is for $4.25M... but it's off his pace of the last 3 seasons, so I was expecting more.
Grade: C
Mikael Granlund
He has had a much longer benefit of the doubt than last season's post TDL cameo - and still not really done anything of note with it. He's 10th on the team in scoring amongst our forwards. Just 1 pt above Watson and Sissons. For what he gets paid and the opportunity he has had, I don't think that is good enough.
Grade: D
Kyle Turris
It's hard to even grade him for all the bouncing around in the lineup he has been subjected to. And that baffling stint being healthy scratched. That said, I think he looks "back to normal" after last season's troubles. Not my favorite player by a longshot, but I think a 0.5 ppg pace for him given the circumstances of his utilization is about on par with how some of our other top forwards are performing.
Grade: B-
Calle Jarnkrok
He has already topped his production from last season and (knock wood) seems to be on pace for a career season production wise. I didn't see that coming. Good for him, it's really him and the 3rd line that has kept us afloat. Without their supporting production, our season would be over already. Production aside, I've also though he has played a little harder than in some past years.
Grade: A
Nick Bonino
The production is a nice bonus. He could be pushing for a career high too if he keeps it up. He's a pretty solid all-round player, easy sometimes to overlook on the ice, but doing a lot of the small things right in addition to chipping in those points.
Grade: A
Rocco Grimaldi
I have to admit, I thought he'd be in tough to even replicate last season's spunky showing where he earned his arbitration award, but didn't really put up notable numbers. But he has been an irrepressible presence on the ice and is contributing every night now.
Grade: A
Craig Smith
Slow start offensively despite his linemates chipping in more goals than expected, but lately that has turned around and suddenly Smith is back at a 20/20 clip. I think he has also shown the most consistent work ethic in our forward group. Even when he wasn't getting the points, a lot of the success on that line was his effort on the forecheck and in the corners.
Grade: A
Austin Watson
He's doing about as expected. Our team needs some physical presence and he generally brings it. Fights a bit, scores once in a while, I think he's right where I expected.
Grade: B
Colton Sissons
I think he was victimized a bit at times with the over-population at center and the strong showing of the Bonino line. He was doing "ok", but I was hoping maybe after signing that big contract he'd take another step. That hasn't really happened.
Grade: B-
Notes on others... Carr didn't pan out, not really any surprise. Blackwell is doing ok but I think there's only so many smaller forwards we can afford to have here, I don't see a future for him. Olivier was a surprise to come up, but he was ok within the narrow constraints of the role they gave him. Glad they seem to have moved on from Salomaki and Gaudreau as depth options. We know what they bring - it's not much. Trenin is really the guy I'd like to see as a regular moving forward.
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