Micklebot
Moderator
- Apr 27, 2010
- 53,840
- 31,049
Serve me up a plate of that crow - I too had written off Paul and thought that the club should have moved on from him. Happy to be proven wrong, needless to say. Some guys just need more time, kind of like when we gave away Zibanejad before he figured it out...
As much as some people want to play the blame game and accuse Boucher of not giving Paul a chance, that is all hindsight. What Paul went through last year and this year during training camp is probably what made him a better person and player. Easy to blame Boucher a year ago but Paul did not make the team so easily this season too, why not?
Actually it is rather evident how large a role confidence plays in a hockey players mind and how it projects on the ice. Paul started off the first few games looking like he was nothing a 4th liner, the way he simply dumped the puck at every chance, made some hits and was afraid to even keep the puck on his stick for more than a second. Count me as someone who did not quite see the type of skill he possesses but something has chanced the past two weeks and Paul has emerged as a completely different player than what I saw in the first 2-5 games.
I think it is interesting how much we underestimate what confidence or lack of it can do to a player and ultimately their career.
The blame that Boucher gets stems in some part to Paul's callups back then, and him showing glimpses of how he's playing now only to be benched or scratched immediately after. I guess what I'm saying is Boucher contributed to Paul's lack of confidence in the way he handled him at this level. DJ seems to have done a much better job of easing in guys without hurting their confidence; no "you don't give steak to a baby" comments from DJ.
It’s a CBA thing. Section 14 covers this stuff. Hotel up to 21 days blah blah blahThink its great news for both Nick Paul and Sabs as individuals, but as a team, isn't a little early for them to get a place? Im thinking that more at the 20 GP mark would be a good time for this. Were the hotels getting too pricey for the team? Or is this generally what most teams do?
I think Paul has been fantastic, probably one of our best forwards, but I just felt like the club could have maybe learned something from last year with Lajoie.
Paul's size is super intriguing, he's a player we are going to love in the playoffs.
Perfect, thanks for this.It’s a CBA thing. Section 14 covers this stuff. Hotel up to 21 days blah blah blah
Not now, during our 5 years of unparalleled success of course.
Credit should also go to Mann for assembling the Paul - L. Brown - Batherson line in the AHL, which showcased what Paul can do in more of an offensive role, making space for the skilled guys. A lot of confidence probably stemmed from all the stats he accumulated this way.The blame that Boucher gets stems in some part to Paul's callups back then, and him showing glimpses of how he's playing now only to be benched or scratched immediately after. I guess what I'm saying is Boucher contributed to Paul's lack of confidence in the way he handled him at this level. DJ seems to have done a much better job of easing in guys without hurting their confidence; no "you don't give steak to a baby" comments from DJ.
Wrote him off unabashedly, and his radio interview from a few weeks ago certainly put me in my place. So happy for him and wish him all the best, and to his continued success. Dude never quit, owned his mistakes and was completely accountable. Love his perserverance and that type of life skill he learned will serve him well in all facets of life
The blame that Boucher gets stems in some part to Paul's callups back then, and him showing glimpses of how he's playing now only to be benched or scratched immediately after. I guess what I'm saying is Boucher contributed to Paul's lack of confidence in the way he handled him at this level. DJ seems to have done a much better job of easing in guys without hurting their confidence; no "you don't give steak to a baby" comments from DJ.