Top 10 Struggling Players at Mid-Point of Season

[Zack Kelly]

The alarm bells started ringing when Bob Mackenzie came out and said his upside was a number 2 center.

Ring ring ring

 

[sandysan]

Pacioretty is on pace for like 30 goals and 55 points this year, I really don't know how you can call him a "struggling player". He struggled at first to adjust to a new team, but once he got adjusted, he really started to shine. He has 9 goals and 18 points in his last 17 games.

I feel like people on this site really ignore the impact of changing teams. Most of the time, players aren't able to seamlessly change teams. James Neal had 2 goals in his first 27 games with the Penguins, he had 40 the next season. These guys aren't robots, they're not able to immediately adjust most of the time.

it didn't seem to hurt domi, or the throw in from the patches trade (tatar).
what you described is that patches is a streaky winger. Breaking news, water is also wet.

 

[Zack Kelly]

it didn't seem to hurt domi, or the throw in from the patches trade (tatar).
what you described is that patches is a streaky winger. Breaking news, water is also wet.

That's a great response

 

[Empoleon8771]

it didn't seem to hurt domi, or the throw in from the patches trade (tatar).
what you described is that patches is a streaky winger. Breaking news, water is also wet.

Oh wow, you pulled up 2 examples of players who didn't need an adjustment period. I guess that means that most players don't have an adjustment period for their new teams, confirmation bias sure proves you right here.

Your comment didn't refute my original point, Pacioretty being mentioned in this thread is just dumb. He has no business being mentioned in here, because even with his early season struggles, he's still on pace for 30 goals.

 

[McOvechking]

Milan Lucic.

 

[1865]

The 18/19 Philadelphia Flyers deserve the spot over Patrick alone.

 

[The Devilish Buffoon]

Some other guys I will add:

Pavel Zacha - former 6th overall pick who was expected to take a step forward. Unfortunately he seems to be doing the opposite

Ryan Spooner - after a solid year with a career best point per game and goals, there was hope that Spooner would finally become a reliable scoring threat with the Rangers. With 5 points in 36 games and a early-season trade to Edmonton that hasnt changed much, Spooner will need a bounceback season and a half if he wants to get another NHL job after his current contract

Charles Hudon - after a promising rookie year where he scored 30 pts in 72 games, Hudon has struggled to score with only 4 pts in 23 games and has found himself as a frequent healthy scratch

Riley Nash - after a 41pt breakout season with Boston, Nash signed a UFA deal with Columbus. Unfortuantely for CLB and Nash, it seems like the 41 pt season was a blip and that Nash is closer to the 20 pt player he was beforehand. Even so, his 4 pts in 40 games is a disappointment and CLB needs more from him

Robbie Fabbri - Fabbri put up 37pts in 72 games as a 19/20 year old and was well on his way to matching those totals the next year, but he suffered suffered a serious knee injury. He reinjured it and ended up missing the final 30 games of 16-17 and all of 17-18. This year he has struggled with other injuries and has only 4pts in 18 games so far

Jesse Puljuarvi - With only 6pts in 31 games, its safe to say that most people expected more from Puljuarvi

Carl Hagelin - 1 goal and 5 pts in 22 games is not enough for a player with Hagelins tools. This is the one of the worst offensive stretches of Hagelins career.

Val Nichushkin - when you leave your team in a contract holdout and then come back on a relatively expensive extension, you are expected to produce. With 0 goals and 7pts in 33 games, Nichushkin has been a huge disappointment so far

Andre Burakovsky - every time I watch him, I'm impressed and amazed. Impressed by his speed and skill, and amazed that he only had 9pts in 37 games. He looks like a 50+ pt guy out there but he produces like Chris Tanev.

Tyler Toffoli - 16pts in 43 games is not enough from a player like Tofolli. He is on pace for his worst season as an NHLer and while LA has struggled a lot, the struggles would be a bit less significant if he was able to step it up

Kevin Shattenkirk - 10pts in 33 games is not enough from an offensive DMan who is earning $8mil this year. He is only playing 18mins a game, too. NYR needs him to do more

M.E Vlasic - after posting a career high in goals with 11, Vlasic only has 1 after 42 games. He is a -13, which would be a career worst and the first time since his 2nd season that he posts a negative goal differential. The biggest issue is that he isn't even defending as well as he has in the past.

There are tons of other guys I could add but these are guys that came to mind

Ivan Provorov, Brady Skjei, Derek Brassard, Derek Ryan, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Pavel Buchnevich, Christian Fischer, Anthony Mantha, Mikhail Sergachev, Mats Zuccarello, Will Butcher, Sam Bennet, Wayne Simmonds, Kyle Okposo, Duncan Keith & Jeff Carter are all up there too

 

[sandysan]

Oh wow, you pulled up 2 examples of players who didn't need an adjustment period. I guess that means that most players don't have an adjustment period for their new teams, confirmation bias sure proves you right here.

Your comment didn't refute my original point, Pacioretty being mentioned in this thread is just dumb. He has no business being mentioned in here, because even with his early season struggles, he's still on pace for 30 goals.

and he's ALWAYS been a streaky scorer EVEN with the team that he spent a decade with.

so his continued persistence of being uber streaky, you want to attribute this predominantly to him playing on a new team ? Or is it more likely that his leopard spots are exactly the same as he was in montreal and that he is one, if not the streakiest scoring winger in the NHL ( largely because of effort) ?

i have an idea which scenario seems more likely.

and lots of guys on new teams fit in just fine, stop pretending that domi and tatar are somehow outliers. Want another ? How's about tavares ? Still not convinced ? just ask there are tons.

 

[Yackiberg8]

Oh wow, you pulled up 2 examples of players who didn't need an adjustment period. I guess that means that most players don't have an adjustment period for their new teams, confirmation bias sure proves you right here.

Your comment didn't refute my original point, Pacioretty being mentioned in this thread is just dumb. He has no business being mentioned in here, because even with his early season struggles, he's still on pace for 30 goals.

Pacioretty is on pace for 26 goals and 45 points this season...

 

[Yackiberg8]

Provorov has been pretty disappointing for my fantasy team this year

 

[Zack Kelly]

Provorov has been pretty disappointing for my fantasy team this year

I agree but I think it's more the team as a whole

 

[unitedstars87]

Thanks! Leave a like and maybe check out my other stuff! I'm still new too this

Keep it up

 

[Zack Kelly]

Keep it up

Thanks!

 

[Zack Kelly]

Pacioretty is on pace for 26 goals and 45 points this season...

And with how streaky he is who really knows what he will end up with

 

[Matty Sundin]

What's the deal with Neal? I kinda figure he was overpaid but thought he was still good for 25 goals. Hes on pace for like 16 pts on a team that's been lighting it up lately.

 

[SDBondra]

Jarome Iginla is completely invisible this year.

 

[Zack Kelly]

Jarome Iginla is completely invisible this year.

waaaaaaaaait a minute

 

[Zack Kelly]

What's the deal with Neal? I kinda figure he was overpaid but thought he was still good for 25 goals. Hes on pace for like 16 pts on a team that's been lighting it up lately.

i just think he is off his groove. i sense a comeback next year

 

[Pyrophorus]

Kadri has been alright. He's second (9) to Seguin (12) in posts and crossbars hit + shooting below his career average. I expect him to finish at around 25 goals, 50-60 points. On pace for 18 goals, 51 points at the moment.

Nylander and Matthews aren't doing a great deal either.
If they could all get on the same page...

 

[goeb]

Neal just cannot buy a goal. He has had some good chances too as of late but he is snake-bitten.

Crazy to see how well the flames have been despite his abysmal season. Maybe he is just saving it for the playoffs

 

[Zack Kelly]

Neal just cannot buy a goal. He has had some good chances too as of late but he is snake-bitten.

Crazy to see how well the flames have been despite his abysmal season. Maybe he is just saving it for the playoffs

yeah maybe, wouldn't count on it tho

 

[YEM]

Shame about Nolan Patrick. He has all the tools.

perspective; patrick is 3rd in goals and points in his draft class, guys who were picked within the top ten are still in juniors, and he's only 20

 

[DJJones]

i just think he is off his groove. i sense a comeback next year

He's played more hockey than anyone else the last two years.

Not sure if he's going to get much rest with Calgary though.

 

[Zack Kelly]

perspective; patrick is 3rd in goals and points in his draft class, guys who were picked within the top ten are still in juniors, and he's only 20

That doesn't make his career 44 points good. And of course players are still in juniors there are really good players from that draft in juniors. That was a deep first round. But not many players are up yet. Poehling, Petterson, heiskanen, glass, makar, brannstrom, yamamotto, tippet, vilardi, tolvanen, frost. All arguably now have more trade value and higher rated prospects then Patrick. And only a couple have actually played in the nhl

 

[Zack Kelly]

That doesn't make his career 44 points good. And of course players are still in juniors there are really good players from that draft in juniors. That was a deep first round. But not many players are up yet. Poehling, Petterson, heiskanen, glass, makar, brannstrom, yamamotto, tippet, vilardi, tolvanen, frost. All arguably now have more trade value and higher rated prospects then Patrick. And only a couple have actually played in the nhl

In a draft redo I think Patrick end up 5th-10th and is still in the minors. The only reason he played is because he was a second overall