Zach Hyman A.K.A Babcock's Son Appreciation Thread

[saltming]

Hey! Someone other than me started a Hyman appreciation thread!!!
#50pointhyman

 

[BertCorbeau]

I actually think Hyman's looked really good so far this year. Asides from his usual hard forechecking and good defense, he seems a lot stronger and more balance this year. He's able to be more effective on the forecheck and he's kept his speed up.

 

[DarkKnight]

Babs likes guys who's give it ever shift. Calling him a pet detracts from his legit contributions he makes to this team. Elite compete, he's been a beast.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

No problem with him at all this season. He's winning a good amount of his board battles, which makes his spot on the line valuable.

Last season, he would dump it in and simply give the puck away or fall down.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Babcocks son...lol! Love it

I appreciate what he does as well I just think he is an easy target. His face is a little annoying but other then that he does what he does best so what more can you want.

 

[IPS]

Babcocks son...lol! Love it

I appreciate what he does as well I just think he is an easy target. His face is a little annoying but other then that he does what he does best so what more can you want.

<--------------

Don't tell me that's not the most loveable face you've ever seen.

 

[moon111]

I think if we stripped secondary assists from the score-sheet, Hyman would be looked at in a lot higher regard offensively.

 

[Cleatus]

Franchise grinder, should've been drafted 34th overall that year.

 

[bonjovi0308]

Great player, Babcock was the one who put him in a position to fail before though, everyone knew he wasn't a first liner.

Now though he is definitely keeping up with JT and MM which is all anyone can ask.

IMO he can definitely become a good 2nd liner, he has elite speed, an excellent motor and only needs to get a better shot and finish which should come with experience.

His conditioning seems excellent too, don't notice him slowing down ever, always flying out there.

We could really debate which is the 1st line. Let's not try to downgrade JT Marner as some 2nd liners

 

[bonjovi0308]

Its time for some people who thought they know more hockey than babcock does need to look at the mirror.

 

[ToMaLe]

<--------------

Don't tell me that's not the most loveable face you've ever seen.

says Babcock.......but seriously, he has been playing gud so far on JTs line, hated him with Matthews.

 

[White Shadow]

There was a fantastic article in The Athletic about how the average doesn't appreciate forechecking and some of the nuances that go with that role. He focused on Hyman.

Bourne: The fundamentals of an effective F1 forechecker,...

 

[Mess]

There was a fantastic article in The Athletic about how the average doesn't appreciate forechecking and some of the nuances that go with that role. He focused on Hyman.

Bourne: The fundamentals of an effective F1 forechecker,...

I agree as many fans use "points" as the main and sometimes only measure of a players impact on the team.

A guy like Hyman adds so much more some tangible and some intangible things that helps drive the Leafs success.

 

[Thissiteisgarbage]

It's the sports version of "teachers pet", which Hyman clearly is to Babcock, deserved or not.

I like Hyman and have no problem with his role, but I think Babs approach with him is laughably over the top. Guy has Tavares/Marner making magic together and he talks like Hyman is the one making it all happen, as if they'd never score without him.

I agree. Hyman's OK, but Babcock severely overestimates his value.

 

[saltming]

It's the sports version of "teachers pet", which Hyman clearly is to Babcock, deserved or not.

I like Hyman and have no problem with his role, but I think Babs approach with him is laughably over the top. Guy has Tavares/Marner making magic together and he talks like Hyman is the one making it all happen, as if they'd never score without him.

I always though it was babs supporting the unsung player. All I've heard him say is Hyman creates space and gets the puck back to those guys so they can do their thing. To me that's just him talking about how he helps the line, not that he is the reason the line works

 

[Cor]

Breaking News: *Player in just his 3rd year in the league continues to show improvement*

It was silly how some acted towards him, and even acted towards anyone who supported Hyman, especially Babcock himself.

Hyman is a perfect complimentary piece. No, he’s not going to regularly pull off dazzling players but that’s not his role. If he was trying that stuff, he’d likely get his ass chewed out. His role is to dig, grind, cycle and get the puck to Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Matthews, whoever he is playing with.

And he does that extremely well.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Hyman has looked good this season! No complaints from me. I prefer him with JT and Marner.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Breaking News: *Player in just his 3rd year in the league continues to show improvement*

It was silly how some acted towards him, and even acted towards anyone who supported Hyman, especially Babcock himself.

Hyman is a perfect complimentary piece. No, he’s not going to regularly pull off dazzling players but that’s not his role. If he was trying that stuff, he’d likely get his ass chewed out. His role is to dig, grind, cycle and get the puck to Tavares, Marner, Nylander, Matthews, whoever he is playing with.

And he does that extremely well.

As a complimentary piece I think most would agree Kapanen is better so I don't know if Hyman can really be called the "perfect complimentary piece". However, your point is well stated.

 

[Cor]

As a complimentary piece I think most would agree Kapanen is better so I don't know if Hyman can really be called the "perfect complimentary piece". However, your point is well stated.

I personally don’t consider Kapanen a complimentary piece (by my definition anyway).

Like, when I look at lines the way Babcock sees them, he generally has two guys, and then the complimentary player.

Hyman is that for Tavares and Marner.

I would say Marleau is that for Matthews and Kapanen currently.

Even when/if Nylander comes back, and say, Kapanen goes to the Kadri line, I would still consider Leivo, or Lindholm, or Ennis or Brown whoever is with those two, as the complimentary piece.

 

[socko]

I'm not sure he belongs on a scoring line with high end talent, but I like what Hyman brings to the team.

 

[White Shadow]

I'm not sure he belongs on a scoring line with high end talent, but I like what Hyman brings to the team.

The scoring lines of today are not the scoring lines of ten years ago. Analytics has shown it is better to spread out that offensive talent to make it harder to match up against.

 

[diceman934]

As a complimentary piece I think most would agree Kapanen is better so I don't know if Hyman can really be called the "perfect complimentary piece". However, your point is well stated.

I disagree Hyman is the perfect Complimentary piece.

Kapanen has not proven anything yet. I hope he can. Hyman is likely going to get 45-50 or so points all without playing on the Power play. With everything he brings to the game he is a gem.

 

[nofehr]

Its time for some people who thought they know more hockey than babcock does need to look at the mirror.

Actually, the vast majority of the posters just wanted Hyman detached from Matthews' hip but Babcock refused to do it. Funny how those posters were right - Matthews looks fantastic and even Hyman looks better. Small sample size and all but it seems for now that change was long overdue.

 

[Skin Tape Session]

Good guy, tries hard, loves the game!!

 

[IBeL34f]

Actually, the vast majority of the posters just wanted Hyman detached from Matthews' hip but Babcock refused to do it. Funny how those posters were right - Matthews looks fantastic and even Hyman looks better. Small sample size and all but it seems for now that change was long overdue.

Those posters wanted him off the top line because they didn't feel he was strong enough to play with a team's top players - How does moving him from one top line to another top line prove that those posters were correct? He's playing the same role with the same caliber players, but you want to try and spin this to suggest that all the people complaining about him for the past two years are standing today on the right side of history? He's still what he was back then, just further along in his development. Same goes for Matthews.