The Saad Truth

[crazyhawk]

Saad is on pace for 10 or 11 goals at his current pace with 38 assists so close to 50 points.
All is good .. as the Hawks are rounding into form and he can play on line 1, 3 or 4 at the moment.
The goals will come and if they do later in the season and into the playoffs than hey all is really good!

 

[Marotte Marauder]

/\ Worried, no, but at this point, Saad is looking more like a 3rd line player. Albeit a solid 3rd line player. At times he resembles Hossa a lot, but lacks the scoring touch Hossa already had at his age, and I'm not sure that will change.

I think we, as a board, might have gotten a bit carried away with the Hossa comparisons. Hossa's don't come along very often, he's a possible/probable HOF candidate.

I think Saad is a fine player and playing well, but that's a long way from HOF.

 

[HockeySauce]

The Hossa comparison is bred purely out comparing him to a current Hawk. It's easy.

He's always reminded me of Pacioretty.

 

[Taze em]

The Hossa comparison is bred purely out comparing him to a current Hawk. It's easy.

He's always reminded me of Pacioretty.

With none of the scoring touch? Late career Hossa is a good comparison for Saad.

 

[HockeySauce]

With none of the scoring touch? Late career Hossa is a good comparison for Saad.

None of Pacioretty's scoring touch? Pacioretty didn't even establish himself as a full-time NHLer until 2011-12 - after playing parts of 3 seasons with the Canadiens over the previous 3 years. He was 23.

Saad's 22 and already has 150 NHL games, a Calder nomination and a near 20-goal, 50-point season under his belt. Oh, and he was also 3rd on the Hawks in playoff scoring last year.

Hossa, at any point of his career, has better hands than Saad has or will ever have. He's a better player than Saad will ever be. Their similar in terms of size and two-way play, and Saad's two-way game still isn't near as good as Hossa's.

 

[Taze em]

None of Pacioretty's scoring touch? Pacioretty didn't even establish himself as a full-time NHLer until 2011-12 - after playing parts of 3 seasons with the Canadiens over the previous 3 years. He was 23.

Saad's 22 and already has 150 NHL games, a Calder nomination and a near 20-goal, 50-point season under his belt. Oh, and he was also 3rd on the Hawks in playoff scoring last year.

Hossa, at any point of his career, has better hands than Saad has or will ever have. He's a better player than Saad will ever be. Their similar in terms of size and two-way play, and Saad's two-way game still isn't near as good as Hossa's.

So how are you comparing Pacioretty, a guy that didn't break in until 23 with a Calder finalist who was a regular well before he could even drink?

Hossas and Saad point production has been very similar over their first years in the NHL, along with their takeaway numbers. Don't think Saad wil score as much as Hossa due to the eras but he is in the ballpark and is a much better comparison than a sniper like Pacioretty. Patches is a lot like Sharp.

 

[Esq]

don't get maad, get glaad

 

[Blackhawks26]

Saad not being amazing this year is great for the Hawks, we wont have to pay him as much.

 

[CPHawksFan]

Hey he can hit an empty net

 

[plank]

Another comparison for Saad: Gallagher 6 yrs 22.5 mil (3.75yr)

Brendan Gallagher
22 yrs old 150gp 40-42-82

Brandon Saad
22 yrs old 150gp 33-56-89

 

[Taze em]

Another comparison for Saad: Gallagher 6 yrs 22.5 mil (3.75yr)

Brendan Gallagher
22 yrs old 150gp 40-42-82

Brandon Saad
22 yrs old 150gp 33-56-89

Add in the defense for Saad and I think he's $4.5x6.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Or Saad has zero interest in a long term deal, and wants a 2yr bridge around 2.5 like Schwartz.

 

[HockeySauce]

So how are you comparing Pacioretty, a guy that didn't break in until 23 with a Calder finalist who was a regular well before he could even drink?

Hossas and Saad point production has been very similar over their first years in the NHL, along with their takeaway numbers. Don't think Saad wil score as much as Hossa due to the eras but he is in the ballpark and is a much better comparison than a sniper like Pacioretty. Patches is a lot like Sharp.

I'm comparing them in terms of playing style and upside. No one thought Pacioretty was merely going to be a 20-30 point guy in the NHL if he reached his potential.

Seriously, the only reason why Hawk fans compare Saad to Hossa is because they don't watch enough hockey from around the league.

Hossa is freakishly strong for his size. Much stronger than Saad. He's a stronger skater, he's got much better hands, and he's got a quicker more accurate shot. He's also a better playmaker.

It's a comparison born out of convenience. They're similar in terms of size and two-way play, which again, Hossa takes the cake from Saad.

It's not a slight on Saad at all. The comparison has just never been that accurate.

 

[Taze em]

I'm comparing them in terms of playing style and upside. No one thought Pacioretty was merely going to be a 20-30 point guy in the NHL if he reached his potential.

Seriously, the only reason why Hawk fans compare Saad to Hossa is because they don't watch enough hockey from around the league.

Hossa is freakishly strong for his size. Much stronger than Saad. He's a stronger skater, he's got much better hands, and he's got a quicker more accurate shot. He's also a better playmaker.

It's a comparison born out of convenience. They're similar in terms of size and two-way play, which again, Hossa takes the cake from Saad.


It's not a slight on Saad at all. The comparison has just never been that accurate.

Pacioretty is not a good comparison. Pacioretty has one of the best shots in the league and doesn't skate nearly as well as Saad. Saad has a bad shot. Google the compilations of Pacioretty's goals and Saad's goals. If you think Saad will score 39G sometime soon, I guess but I don't see it, his shot would need a lot of work. Like ALOT of work.

Saad is a big, fast distributor. Not a natural goal scorer. It isn't fans only making the Hossa comparison, the media local and national as well as our own front office have made the comparison. Even Hossa and Saad have talked about it.

Saad is barely 22 and projects to have a very comparable 2way game on a big elite skating wing. Where the comparison breaks down is offensively, Hossa has better instincts but their career point production has been almost identical to this point.

I guess if you're talking about Saad's final form you could say that he won't score as much(true) but I don't ever see him being a 40 goal sniper.

Can we think of another 210+lb winger who skates as well as Saad who lacks elite scoring touch but has an elite 2way game? I guess the argument is where we see Saad ending up. I think he's a 25-30 goal scorer with 40 assists on an elite 2way winger. That isn't Pacioretty (more G/less D). Can't come up with a better comparison than Hossa off the top of my head.

Maybe Landeskog or a bigger Parise. Or Wheeler with defense. Parise is maybe the best non-Hossa comparison.

 

[Hawkaholic]

To be fair, Hossa was also a sniper (still is) and was a 40 goal scorer at one point. I think Parise is a good comparison though.

 

[Taze em]

To be fair, Hossa was also a sniper (still is) and was a 40 goal scorer at one point. I think Parise is a good comparison though.

The more I look into it the better the Parise comp gets for me. Saad is tracking a lot like Parise did although Saad's career started earlier and Saad was better as a young player. Parise also had that 38 goal year, which jeez... I just don't really see that many goals in Saad's game but maybe so.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I'm comparing them in terms of playing style and upside. No one thought Pacioretty was merely going to be a 20-30 point guy in the NHL if he reached his potential.

Seriously, the only reason why Hawk fans compare Saad to Hossa is because they don't watch enough hockey from around the league.

Hossa is freakishly strong for his size. Much stronger than Saad. He's a stronger skater, he's got much better hands, and he's got a quicker more accurate shot. He's also a better playmaker.

It's a comparison born out of convenience. They're similar in terms of size and two-way play, which again, Hossa takes the cake from Saad.

It's not a slight on Saad at all. The comparison has just never been that accurate.

Saad will probably never be 40G, All Star Hossa but I do think Saad will eventually be a very similar version of the Hossa we have now (albeit to a lesser extent). Saad is fast, strong on the puck, and decent enough defensively. He has to learn how to finish, have more control stickhandling, and make better decisions with and without the puck but the tools are there for Saad to be a 60-65 point reliable two-way force in our top 6 IMHO

 

[Taze em]

Saad will probably never be 40G, All Star Hossa but I do think Saad will eventually be a very similar version of the Hossa we have now (albeit to a lesser extent). Saad is fast, strong on the puck, and decent enough defensively. He has to learn how to finish, have more control stickhandling, and make better decisions with and without the puck but the tools are there for Saad to be a 60-65 point reliable two-way force in our top 6 IMHO

60-65 is pretty conservative the way Saad is tracking this early in his career but yea, I think that is a realistic expectation of him. He could well exceed that. Look at the jump Tarasenko is taking in his 23 yo year. Similar things happened with Parise and Hossa. It is semi-realistic to expect a jump from Saad soon. Otherwise, if he does what he is doing he will be a 50-65 pt player like you described.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Saad could top out as a 20-30 guy with solid two way play and I wouldn't be very disappointed (assuming his contract is reflective of that)

 

[Taze em]

Saad could top out as a 20-30 guy with solid two way play and I wouldn't be very disappointed (assuming his contract is reflective of that)

He was 20-30 last year (19-28) after just turning 21. I'd be very disappointed if that is what he will be 4-5 years from now.

 

[mtxed]

Why isn't he scoring, is the real question...

 

[Illinihockey]

Why isn't he scoring, is the real question...

Depressed shooting percentage, same reason a lot of the guys on the team weren't shooting. He's shooting about 70% of his career average. It will even out.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Depressed shooting percentage, same reason a lot of the guys on the team weren't shooting. He's shooting about 70% of his career average. It will even out.

Shooting % is a stupid stat

 

[LandofLincoln*]

Another comparison for Saad: Gallagher 6 yrs 22.5 mil (3.75yr)

Brendan Gallagher
22 yrs old 150gp 40-42-82

Brandon Saad
22 yrs old 150gp 33-56-89

It is the most fair comparison.... and they've been even enough to flip a coin... the end of this year will be a measuring stick.....If Saad can beat Gallagher's stats by 25percent than he deserves more say 4.25 a year. But if Saad's production is 25 percent less than Gallaghers he should sign for 3-3.25 million.

If Saads agent gets the Campoli syndrome at seasons end I hope Stan flips him in a deal. He doesn't want to negotiate midseason....fine. Saad, don't be delusional at the end of the year when Gallagher's 15 points and 6-7 goals further in production.

 

[HockeySauce]

The Hawks couldn't even sign Saad if they wanted to at this point anyways. There's tagging issues. Let the season play out and have Saad focus on playing. There's no doubt he'll be a Blackhawk at this point next year.