Jason Botchford article... going postal???
Two years after trade, Zack Kassian and Cody Hodgson both yet to deliver
Maybe Kassian hasn’t met lofty expectations some had of him in the summer. But he has 11 goals, and has been deployed this season almost exclusively in defensive roles.
His offensive zone starts — 42% — are the third lowest on the team. His power-play time is virtually non-existent — 37:57 total for the season. Just like his shifts with the twins.
It’s a point Kassian drove home when he thought he was being asked to compare himself to Hodgson.
“We’re in two different situations with our hockey teams,†Kassian said. “He’s putting up a lot of points, but obviously I’m in a checking role.â€
And Tortorella on Canucks bright new shiny toy - Nicklas Jensen and how he differs from Kassian:
Tortorella was asked to address why he’s so willing to trust Jensen so quickly while refusing all season to show the same faith in Kassian.
“(Jensen’s) awareness is above where I’d thought it would be,†Tortorella said. “Him and Zack are two different players. I don’t want to compare them because I’d have to be critical of one, and that’s just not fair.
“But with Jense, he’s stepped in and he immediately made an impact, offensively and he’s not hurting us terribly away from the puck.â€
And then there is that contract that Hodgson scored from the Sabres - he signed a six-year, $25.5-million deal.
IMHO in terms of value for dollars Kassian is winning in a walk.
