Player Discussion: Patric Hornqvist

[cassius]

Is anyone else out there starting to get concerned about Hornqvist?

Here are a few facts:

0 points in his last 14 games
1 goal in his last 19 games

Quite simply - his game has fallen off a dramatic cliff as of late and he simply is not producing. With a handsome $5.3M long term contract and ample opportunities to play with superstar linemates, this level of mediocre production is simply unacceptable.

Besides the score sheet, it seems like he is getting physically outmatched in just about every game. He is losing tons of 50/50 puck battles and is generally just getting manhandled out there by opposing teams. Perhaps his "rough and tumble" style of play is catching up to him?

I must say that I am concerned... extremely concerned about his future as a Penguin. If he continues to play at this mediocre level, this contract could be a real albatross in the coming years.

Click to read more...

 

[ColePens]

A classic Cassius thread. Wait for something not to go right, creep online, post about it, and run away if the Pens end up winning again.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

This Horny stuff is reminiscent of the Rust stuff earlier in the season.

 

[cassius]

A classic Cassius thread. Wait for something not to go right, creep online, post about it, and run away if the Pens end up winning again.

Just here to talk hockey - because.. this is a hockey message board and all.

 

[cassius]

This Horny stuff is reminiscent of the Rust stuff earlier in the season.

Not seeing the parallels

Brian Rust has produced this year, is younger, and is on a much more cap friendly deal...

Hornqvist... basically the entire opposite

 

[ColePens]

This Horny stuff is reminiscent of the Rust stuff earlier in the season.

I mean... what or why would we ever have patience and let things play out and THEN come up with a rational idea on what to do? That would make too much sense.

72 deserves to get picked on a bit. Since that last injury he has not been himself. But if this is the standard of judgment, 15 games, then even Sid would have been traded at the beginning of 2015. #72 has earned a full year of this type of hockey and if it stays consistent, then i'm totally fine saying goodbye.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I just hope his performance isn't concussion related. And that he's just in a slump.

And that he breaks out soon. Real soon. Like, outdoor game soon.

 

[ncm7772]

I just hope his performance isn't concussion related.

That's what concerns me the most, other than the contract length.

 

[Nakawick]

I hate to say it, but this is very Lucic like. I don't like giving over 3o complimentary players big contracts. They are the most dangerous contracts in the league. Hopefully Hornqvist pulls out of his slump. But man o man, he looks dreadful.

 

[cassius]

I just hope his performance isn't concussion related. And that he's just in a slump.

And that he breaks out soon. Real soon. Like, outdoor game soon.

I'm with you. Hornqvist is, well was, a huge part of this team.. I mean you look back at those Cup wins and he was probably one of the most underrated contributors on the team. Lets hope he can get back to that level of play, as it is really missed right now.

 

[ncm7772]

I hate to say it, but this is very Lucic like.

He's gotta be poop for longer to get to that level, but yeah, worrisome.

 

[66-30-33]

I'm fine with him, if he's not fully 100% then he needs to rest. Sometimes players also have down years, not that worried in the least.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

Not seeing the parallels

Brian Rust has produced this year, is younger, and is on a much more cap friendly deal...

Hornqvist... basically the entire opposite

The parallel is overreaction to a minuscule sample size. Slumps happen.

Horny has produced this year too. He was on pace for a career year. He's bad right now, just like Rust was bad earlier this year.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Is anyone else out there starting to get concerned about Hornqvist?

Here are a few facts:

0 points in his last 14 games
1 goal in his last 19 games

Quite simply - his game has fallen off a dramatic cliff as of late and he simply is not producing. With a handsome $5.3M long term contract and ample opportunities to play with superstar linemates, this level of mediocre production is simply unacceptable.

Besides the score sheet, it seems like he is getting physically outmatched in just about every game. He is losing tons of 50/50 puck battles and is generally just getting manhandled out there by opposing teams. Perhaps his "rough and tumble" style of play is catching up to him?

I must say that I am concerned... extremely concerned about his future as a Penguin. If he continues to play at this mediocre level, this contract could be a real albatross in the coming years.

Here's a fact:

Hornqvist hasn't had ample opportunities with superstar linemates at ES over the last 14 games. When he was, he was producing very well.

 

[mpp9]

I give him a ton of rope. He's earned it.

Something to watch for will be if he starts to hesitate even slightly to do the things that got him in this league. That's when he will become 100% useless.

 

[ColePens]

Just here to talk hockey - because.. this is a hockey message board and all.

I would just assume you would learn from your classic mistake that you make over and over and over again. It's like Pens fans think this will always just be a perfect ride. And when the dark times come, a lot of names pop up over and over to point out the negatives more than anything. Then pooooof - disappear and never have to eat their words, eh?

But some of my favorite part is looking through history and seeing if someone is really a fan or not. THREE total posts during the SCF in 2016. And then nothing until December of that year. Almost.... interesting, eh? But in December of 2015 you started 3 threads and had a ton of posts during the dark months before we turned it around. 3 THREADS in December and 0 posts after we won the Cup.



Buuuuuut because history is fun. Here is a 5 minute search. I am sure 5 more minutes would double all I needed to see.


December 2015: Does JR Need to go? - Cassius thread
Does JR need to go?

Couple weeks later: Is JR the worst GM in the NHL? - Cassius thread
Is Rutherford the worst GM in the NHL?

Should Rutherford get fired? - Cassius thread
Proposal: - Poll: Should Rutherford get fired?


And then it starts to make sense... you claimed Horny was a grinder on 12/9/15 and that the trade Neal for Horny was terrible. Yikes... you've been waiting for this moment for over 3 years for Hornqvist to fail a bit.

Neal-Hornqvist/Spaling trade

And more Hornqvist hate:

Neal-Hornqvist/Spaling trade

 

[SouthGeorge]

Horny will show up when we need him the most.

 

[turd]

It’s amazing Hornqvist can even skate around the ice with the amount of lips that are firmly planted on his ass.

He’s been god awful since December. This isn’t a slump anymore. He isn’t good enough, and quite frankly, they should look to move him. Guentzel can replace him on the PP, and literally anyone can replace him at 5v5.

But of course, I tried arguing this a week or so ago, and the Hornqvist Fan Club went nuts about it. Can’t criticize the guy who tries really hard!

 

[ColePens]

It’s amazing Hornqvist can even skate around the ice with the amount of lips that are firmly planted on his ass.

He’s been god awful since December. This isn’t a slump anymore. He isn’t good enough, and quite frankly, they should look to move him. Guentzel can replace him on the PP, and literally anyone can replace him at 5v5.

But of course, I tried arguing this a week or so ago, and the Hornqvist Fan Club went nuts about it. Can’t criticize the guy who tries really hard!

You know what Tampa could use with all their skill that maybe could have brought them a Cup already and a wide open window? This:

 

[ChaosAgent]

I'd feel a lot better about Hornqvist if his contract expired in 2020, not 2023. That deal concerned me from the jump.

I love what he's brought to our team up until this year, and his playing style. He's another player that is significantly better when we play in the offensive zone...defensively if the puck comes up to him on the boards he's been "Scuderi"-ing it quite a bit. But then again our whole breakout if messed up, so...

 

[3074326]

He's coming off a concussion and playing less than he was. We can't trade everyone whenever they have a poor stretch of games.

Would rather have him during the postseason than whatever garbage we could get for him that probably won't help us at all.

 

[KIRK]

You know what Tampa could use with all their skill that maybe could have brought them a Cup already and a wide open window? This:

Cassius being Cassius notwithstanding, you know the fear with any older player, especially one who plays the way Horny does, is if that style comes with a relatively expiration date.

For some (like a Holstrom I'd argue), the answer is NO, they pretty much keep going at the same pace until a gradual decline to a point they're not the players they were.

For others (like a Lucic), the answer is YES, and when that expiration date comes, the decline is really quick. You may not recognize it early, but after a bit, you really notice it.

Of course, it COULD just be a slump.

It could be the concussions catching up with him.

It could be the hands going rapidly.

It could be the body stopping to cooperate.

We probably need more time to know for sure, and yes I think it's fair to say that Horny's earned that.

But, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask the question about Horny or anyone else who plays that way.

 

[turd]

You know what Tampa could use with all their skill that maybe could have brought them a Cup already and a wide open window? This:

Umm. Ok. Sure.

I wish all the Pens were playing the way they were TWO YEARS AGO.

 

[Pengu]

Well, compared to previous years Horny has got way less minutes in the top 6. And that was BEFORE he started to slump.
It's because of internal politics and not about him as he has shown he can play both with Crosby and Malkin but for some reason Crosby and maybe Malkin doesn't like playing with Horny.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

You know what Tampa could use with all their skill that maybe could have brought them a Cup already and a wide open window? This:

No doubt.

The instant we lost Hornqvist, we would need a player just like him.