Gurglesons
Registered User
I'm sure he does. But I haven't seen much of it. I can't account for why... I would imagine it's all part of that line being a bad fit.
It’s because he isn’t taking shots.
I'm sure he does. But I haven't seen much of it. I can't account for why... I would imagine it's all part of that line being a bad fit.
It’s because he isn’t taking shots.
I don't even know if I'd call it a scoring touch. He's kind of a garbage man... which is more than fine. But we're looking at yet another questionable fit for the top six owing to the Jake/Sid perma-duo.
That line needs more hands/offensive IQ. Kap can be the chaotic energy element to that line. But they need a guy with some more reliable hands and can think the O-zone a bit better, there.
That isn't to say there aren't flashes of promise re: Zuck and Malkin. But it's very intermittent. Like... Zucker had a couple good games and went last two without even a shot. Prior to his good games he was struggling. Etc. It's gonna keep going that way.
Sheary and Simon both played RW regularly here. When they were with Guentzel and Crosby, who do you think was playing RW?
One of the arguments for Kapanen's relative struggles last year was that he was played on LW.
Didn't Guentzel play RW when McCann was on the top line and that line was scoring a bunch?
He can pick the corners and finish better than Dupuis. But I haven't seen much offensive creativity from Zucker where he's the one manufacturing chances or making brilliant passes on a semi-consistent basis.
Honestly, Kapanen kind of falls into that category, but for slightly different reasons.
Which was one of the reasons I kept harping on the fact while we have "good" wingers in the top six, I'm not sure we have enough of the type of wingers our mid-30's stars need at this point in their careers. For lack of a better example, they need more Mitch Marner types than Patrik Laine types.
You and @Andy99 need to learn what a good winger in this league looks like.
Mitch Marner is a top five wing. I’d love to have him, but it’s not realistic to expect our wingers to be Mitch Marner level.
You and @Andy99 need to learn what a good winger in this league looks like.
Mitch Marner is a top five wing. I’d love to have him, but it’s not realistic to expect our wingers to be Mitch Marner level.
Didn't Guentzel play RW when McCann was on the top line and that line was scoring a bunch?
He can pick the corners and finish better than Dupuis. But I haven't seen much offensive creativity from Zucker where he's the one manufacturing chances or making brilliant passes on a semi-consistent basis.
Honestly, Kapanen kind of falls into that category, but for slightly different reasons.
Which was one of the reasons I kept harping on the fact while we have "good" wingers in the top six, I'm not sure we have enough of the type of wingers our mid-30's stars need at this point in their careers. For lack of a better example, they need more Mitch Marner types than Patrik Laine types.
that’s what we need though if we want to be contenders—Pasta, Marner, Ehlers, Conner etc...a wing who can create and finish...a top 10 wing in this league...
You need to learn not to take that example as *literally* what I expect our winger to be.
It was more about an extreme example of a playmaking creative winger versus a winger whose main purpose is to get open and receive passes to finish the play.
It would be like if I said I think Malkin could use a Kevin Stevens-type winger on his line. I don't mean I'm literally advocating for the Pens to drag Stevens out of retirement and put him on Malkin's line.
You need to learn not to take that example as *literally* what I expect our winger to be.
It was more about an extreme example of a playmaking creative winger versus a winger whose main purpose is to get open and receive passes to finish the play.
It would be like if I said I think Malkin could use a Kevin Stevens-type winger on his line. I don't mean I'm literally advocating for the Pens to drag Stevens out of retirement and put him on Malkin's line.
Zucker was never going to solve any problems or provide much help to Geno or Sid. He's just not that player, and never has been.
What you're seeing is what he is at this point, a middle six winger on the wrong side of his peak that's not going to drive much offense on his own. I'm just happy that he's looked relatively average defensively and is not an active negative there.
He was a bandaid for when Jake was injured, he's a competent winger now, it is what it is. I do think he has enough of an edge and desire to win to turn it up a bit in the playoffs, if we get there.
Zucker was never going to solve any problems or provide much help to Geno or Sid. He's just not that player, and never has been.
What you're seeing is what he is at this point, a middle six winger on the wrong side of his peak that's not going to drive much offense on his own. I'm just happy that he's looked relatively average defensively and is not an active negative there.
He was a bandaid for when Jake was injured, he's a competent winger now, it is what it is. I do think he has enough of an edge and desire to win to turn it up a bit in the playoffs, if we get there.
He can pick the corners and finish better than Dupuis. But I haven't seen much offensive creativity from Zucker where he's the one manufacturing chances or making brilliant passes on a semi-consistent basis.
Honestly, Kapanen kind of falls into that category, but for slightly different reasons.
Which was one of the reasons I kept harping on the fact while we have "good" wingers in the top six, I'm not sure we have enough of the type of wingers our mid-30's stars need at this point in their careers. For lack of a better example, they need more Mitch Marner types than Patrik Laine types.
If that's true, we should just flip him now.
If that's true, we should just flip him now.
He’s a top six winger. It’s the same thing as Perron. Maybe he isn’t a fit, but like.. all you are going to do is get a lesser player with warts if you move him.
Didn't you go off the chain on me a couple weeks ago for making the Perron comparison?
*shakes fist*
PIXIES!
A lot of wingers here get unfairly labled as being bad but then go on to light it up when they leave.
The problem is that Malkin and Crosby are hard to play with.
In the case with Zucker though, he is imo a perfect fit for Crosby.
Well, the difference between Perron and Zucker is Zucker was lights out for us with Crosby.
Didn't you go off the chain on me a couple weeks ago for making the Perron comparison?
*shakes fist*
PIXIES!
Perron probably turns it around though if given more time with Sullivan and with that speed system in 2016/2017.
Biggest headscrather to me is Pearson. Dude can't stop scoring goals in Vancouver.