[TSN]: Drouin leads list of 10 under pressure this season

[Jee]

I also think there's more hope around Drouin than pressure. Habs fans hope he'll be a #1 C. But if it doesn't work, he'll still be a very good winger.

Nobody expect Drouin to carry the team. Pressure is still on Carey Price. Habs fans expect him to be the best in the world. Now that's pressure.

Yeah it's always expected from the best in the world to play like the best in the world.

 

[HansonBro]

lack of matt duchene is very surprising. guys under tremendous pressure.

This

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

So management and fans are doing it? And that means he isnt under pressure how exactly?

I think its ludicrous to put that on him right now.

Agreed especially seeing that Jonathon Drouin has never played a day of C at the NHL in his entire career. And now expecting him to be the Habs 1C is totally ludicrous.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Yeah it's always expected from the best in the world to play like the best in the world.

too bad he's not the best then

 

[triggrman]

Why is Johansen under pressure, he had a good year last year.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Draisaitl needs to be on that list with his massive contract.
neeeds to Centre and drive his own line now, can't be earning that much money playing RW to McDavid.

I agree here. Like it or not, there are a number of legitimate arguments that can't really be argued against. His numbers away from McDavid are worth no where near that contract. His playoffs earned him a contract, but most of his points came in 1 series and against a team struggling with their goalies.

I have no doubts he can repeat last seasons totals or even pass them, IF he was to play W for McDavid all year. As a center, I think he is going to feel the pressure of that contract if he does not live up to the high expectations of some of the fans. There are some Oilers fans (not saying they are wrong) who have said they would not trade him for Matthews. That is a fair opinion to have, but at the same time those are some huge expectations.

Not that I think the Ducks have to be involved in everything but if we're talking players, I'd argue Corey Perry deserves to be there. He's making way too much money to have been as ineffective as he was last year. It makes me respect the rest of the players a bit more that they got themselves a stone's throw away from the finals without much contribution on his part.

That is a good one, but I would like to add Gibson. The team put their faith in him after they traded Andersen. He was overall a good goalie, but he still has consistency issues and question marks of if he can be a 60 game goalie or is more of a James Reimer type player.

Then they have the fact that he completely crapped the bed in the playoffs for the ducks, despite their strong defense. He needs to prove this year he is the real deal, because Perry and Getz are not getting younger, and this year and next are probably their last at the top of their games. They can't afford to waste two seasons for him to figure it out.

Some are already talking about a potential dynasty.

Can you show me one fanbase who does not look at their team and project the most optimistic scenario? Avs fans believe they have a good future with their prospect pool, same with NJ.

Moving up the ladder, we have teams like Boston and the Wild who are aging, but still believe they have a contending season or two in the team at the very least.

Then teams like Toronto and Edmonton, who while unproven outside of last year, both believe can become a yearly contender. Picking out just the Leafs and their fans makes no sense to me.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Why is Johansen under pressure, he had a good year last year.

I assume that he has a new shiny contract, and has had good years followed by bad before. On top of that, the team went to the finals so a lot of fans expect him to kind of put the team on his back. I don't agree with that though. Maybe if he struggled this year, it is relevant next year. I say give the kid a chance.

 

[sansabri]

Drouin is too high and Bergevin is too low.

Habs fans are penciling him in as their 1C.

Thats pretty lofty expectations for a winger still trying to prove himself

Coach Claude Julien and general manager Marc Bergevin each made it clear at the Canadiens' golf tournament on Monday that Drouin, who played wing for the Tampa Bay Lightning, will be at center when camp opens Friday.

Come again?

 

[Kale Hulls]

I'm surprised Marleau isn't there.

 

[Aceboogie]

Draisaitl has waaaaaay more pressure than RNH

 

[sansabri]

I'm surprised Marleau isn't there.

He's at the end of his career. What pressure is there left?

 

[Dogewow]

Not sure that he's in the top ten, but I think there's definitely some pressure on Eichel to step up and perform after the changes that have taken place as well as his words during the end of year press conference. Really needs to come out as one of the top, premier forwards in the league. We all know that the potential is there, we just need to see it all come together.

 

[Kamiccolo]

I'm surprised Marleau isn't there.

Why would he have pressure? No one expects him to be the teams best player, hell not even in the top 3. Fans know he probably got overpaid a bit. As long as he scores 20 goals and over 40 points while being good on both sides of the puck and a leader, we'll be happy.

 

[HanSolo]

And what is so funny with that? It is just more speculation of potential scenarios among many others. But having the young players we have today and the management group we have making the decisions it is not really far fetched to say Leafs will be a good team for a long time IF the players keep developing.

There's a difference between being a good team for a long time and being a dynasty. Anaheim has been a good team since 2006 on the backs of Getzlaf and Perry but no one in their right minds would call the Ducks a dynasty.

Being a dynasty generally entails winning multiple cups (people still struggle to call Chicago a dynasty) or being one of the top two-four teams in the standings for like...at least 7-10 years. So if you're going to assert the latter over an equivalency to the former is awfully presumptuous. The only team that can arguably be called a dynasty doesn't even get a consensus label as such.

 

[SenzZen]

Is Stamkos #3 or #5?

 

[HanSolo]

That is a good one, but I would like to add Gibson. The team put their faith in him after they traded Andersen. He was overall a good goalie, but he still has consistency issues and question marks of if he can be a 60 game goalie or is more of a James Reimer type player.

Then they have the fact that he completely crapped the bed in the playoffs for the ducks, despite their strong defense. He needs to prove this year he is the real deal, because Perry and Getz are not getting younger, and this year and next are probably their last at the top of their games. They can't afford to waste two seasons for him to figure it out.



Can you show me one fanbase who does not look at their team and project the most optimistic scenario? Avs fans believe they have a good future with their prospect pool, same with NJ.

Moving up the ladder, we have teams like Boston and the Wild who are aging, but still believe they have a contending season or two in the team at the very least.

Then teams like Toronto and Edmonton, who while unproven outside of last year, both believe can become a yearly contender. Picking out just the Leafs and their fans makes no sense to me.

Gibson was fighting injury during the entire playoffs, the first playoffs I'd remind you where he entered as the starter and played most of the games. And further I remind you that it wasn't Gibson that let in 4 goals on 16 shots behind the best performance the Ducks had the entire Nashville series in G7. Also you mention that Gibson had a great defense in front of him but both Lindholm and Vatanen were playing through injuries (Kesler too) so it's not like our defense was at 100% either.

I don't disagree that there's pressure on Gibson but I feel like sitewide people are way too hard on him. He just played his first full season as a starter, one marred with a recurring injury and he still managed to finish top 4 in GAA and SV% for the season. And in his first real playoff run he struggled while still fighting an injury. But people take these facts and say he's already hit his peak, he's a godawful goalie, etc. It's just not in line with reality. We can't on one hand have injurious or illness based justifications for say, Toronto's young players who are now impressing despite mono and then ignore that Gibson has a screwed up groin (which hopefully he's recovered from) and make the assumption that this is the best he'll ever be.

And as for your assertion that teams always project the best case scenario, I really doubt that. I don't think rational Avalanche fans think they're anywhere close to being a dynasty. The Ducks have long been on the cusp of greatness without being able to get far enough. With solid rosters and solid prospects, we always felt we could win the cup but no one in our community was deluded enough to think that on the strength of our roster we were talentbound towards the greatness of being a dynasty. I don't think I've seen one Ducks fan say that unironically in my 9 years on this site (oh my god I've been here 9 years)

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

The Leafs rookies all overachieved, were unusually healthy and the team made the playoffs in the most or the second most scrutinized market in all of hockey and none of them make the top 10? OK.

Ugh god i know eh? why do they always gotta bring up the leafs? I'm so sick of hearing about the leafs no matter what......


wait....

 

[nobody]

Ugh god i know eh? why do they always gotta bring up the leafs? I'm so sick of hearing about the leafs no matter what......


wait....

Some insecurities coming out from fans. It's pretty funny to see. Leafs were the laughing stock of the league for many years and now that we're finally good and on the verge of POTENTIALLY becoming a great young team and a potential cup contender soon, people are ******** on us for being positive. I guess any changes to status-quo in some people's lives brings discomfort.

As for Drouin. He is a band-aid fix for the Habs top line C role. He's a great up and coming player but you might as well let chucky run with the job. Both are going to be miserable defensively but I think Chucky has a bigger frame to survive that role. Drouin is being set up to fail.

 

[sandysan]

the habs basically went after him instead of a 1C like duchene .
he not only has to replace radulovs production, but many think he is the #1C they have needed for a decade

throw in the whole francophone angle and it easy to see why he is #1

a better example of proof that because something is popular doesnt make it true could not be found.

if he's our 1C we are either going to need to be extremely lucky or extremely bad.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

I agree here. Like it or not, there are a number of legitimate arguments that can't really be argued against. His numbers away from McDavid are worth no where near that contract. His playoffs earned him a contract, but most of his points came in 1 series and against a team struggling with their goalies.

I have no doubts he can repeat last seasons totals or even pass them, IF he was to play W for McDavid all year. As a center, I think he is going to feel the pressure of that contract if he does not live up to the high expectations of some of the fans. There are some Oilers fans (not saying they are wrong) who have said they would not trade him for Matthews. That is a fair opinion to have, but at the same time those are some huge expectations.



That is a good one, but I would like to add Gibson. The team put their faith in him after they traded Andersen. He was overall a good goalie, but he still has consistency issues and question marks of if he can be a 60 game goalie or is more of a James Reimer type player.

Then they have the fact that he completely crapped the bed in the playoffs for the ducks, despite their strong defense. He needs to prove this year he is the real deal, because Perry and Getz are not getting younger, and this year and next are probably their last at the top of their games. They can't afford to waste two seasons for him to figure it out.



Can you show me one fanbase who does not look at their team and project the most optimistic scenario? Avs fans believe they have a good future with their prospect pool, same with NJ.

Moving up the ladder, we have teams like Boston and the Wild who are aging, but still believe they have a contending season or two in the team at the very least.

Then teams like Toronto and Edmonton, who while unproven outside of last year, both believe can become a yearly contender. Picking out just the Leafs and their fans makes no sense to me.

Caps

 

[Mr Positive]

I agree here. Like it or not, there are a number of legitimate arguments that can't really be argued against. His numbers away from McDavid are worth no where near that contract. His playoffs earned him a contract, but most of his points came in 1 series and against a team struggling with their goalies.

I have no doubts he can repeat last seasons totals or even pass them, IF he was to play W for McDavid all year. As a center, I think he is going to feel the pressure of that contract if he does not live up to the high expectations of some of the fans. There are some Oilers fans (not saying they are wrong) who have said they would not trade him for Matthews. That is a fair opinion to have, but at the same time those are some huge expectations.

There's also the additional pressure of his nationality. He works with the German hockey program, and he's aware that hockey in that country is not doing so well atm and he wants to change that. I think he's very eager to be an elite player to be an example back home. This is actually part of why I like Drai's chances to be a great player, because of the pressure he puts on himself.

As for Oiler fans not wanting to trade Drai for Matthews, that's mostly crazy talk but maybe they feel he's a good complement to our team. I could agree with that, but Matthews is still the better player so that's still a tough call. There's also the cap, and if Matthews ends up getting over 10 million then maybe Drai would be preferable just because of how tight things are.

 

[Leafidelity]

Always nice to see rival fans tell us how much pressure we should be putting on our players.

 

[Jee]

Always nice to see rival fans tell us how much pressure we should be putting on our players.

I mean, you only have to browse 5 minutes on the main board to see how high the expectations are from Leafs fans.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Always nice to see rival fans tell us how much pressure we should be putting on our players.

Where should the pressure be... would it not be a considered a failure to miss the playoffs or are they just that good that its automatic

 

[Leafidelity]

I mean, you only have to browse 5 minutes on the main board to see how high the expectations are from Leafs fans.

Where should the pressure be... would it not be a considered a failure to miss the playoffs or are they just that good that its automatic

Most Leafs fans expect more of the same team they saw last year. Montreal and Ottawa both need certain players to be something they've never been before. Be it a 1C or a 2D. Probably why the tone of each team forum is so different these days. Growth vs replacements.

Frankly I think you're both a bit jealous/bitter of the clouds we're on over here. Nothing but excitement and optimism in Toronto.