Player Discussion Zack Kassian

[harpoon]

i can respect your opinion and because i cant present tangible evidence to prove the point i wont keep rehashing either.

I agree with all that you have posted on this topic, even though ts almost an impossible point to "prove".

It probably won't suffice as "proof", but one example that jumped right out at me was the play of Foligno slapping Reinhart around in front of his own goal the other night. And Reinhart just standing there and taking it.

Now sure, the Oilers went on to win the game and some may say Foligno's actions had no bearing because the result was unchanged. But if you were watching that game, you saw the Oilers crushing the Jackets for the first fifteen minutes of the game. And I mean crushing, at one point the shots were sixteen to three.

Much different game after the 15:15 mark when Folignio decided to pick out a pansy and give him a ***** slapping. Jackets went on the outshoot the Oilers after that point by a 34 to 19 margin.

Its probably not the sort of example the poster is looking for, but as a fan watching that game I thought Foligno's actions put the Oilers back on their heels and changed up the momentum in the game.

Just an idea ....

 

[Forgot About Drai]

Its interesting to me how poster like yourself misrepresent my point and then argue against your interpretation.

Timing matters.

I am not suggesting that the team 'lay down'. I am suggesting that the team push back when the game is still in doubt. Thats leadership and thats a quality this team lacks.

Its not about being stupid and beating up non fighters either. Thats what Kassian did and its gutless IMO.

Hit the other teams best players...dont beat up a non fighter. If the other teams tough guy dragged Yakupov (or any other non fighter) out of a scrum and tuned him up this board would be up in arms. Yet when Kassian does exactly the same thing everybody cheers.
Ridiculous double standard being embraced here.


Its possible to be smart and push back at the same time....do it when the team will benefit from it.
Waiting until the game is out of hand to push back accomplishes nothing.

I agree timing matters. Kassian was crashing bodies and playing physical when the game was "close". When the game wasnt close, he showed that this team still has some fight in them, even though it wasnt showing up on the scoreboard. If he had grabbed someone and starting pummeling when the game was close, costing us a penalty , then Kassian would be hurting the team.

Why allow the Isles to kick us while we are down?

And I see your point about fighting a non-fighter. Ill have to agree there. He should of picked someone better to fight, but the underlying principle of what he did is what I agree with.

 

[guymez]

I agree timing matters. Kassian was crashing bodies and playing physical when the game was "close". When the game wasnt close, he showed that this team still has some fight in them, even though it wasnt showing up on the scoreboard. If he had grabbed someone and starting pummeling when the game was close, costing us a penalty , then Kassian would be hurting the team.

I am talking about hitting the other teams star players and prividing a net presence when the game is still in doubt. Either of those things would get under the other teams skin.

Grabbing someone who never fights...pull him out of a scrum...and beat the crap out of him doesn't prove much of anything except that Kassian acted like a punk.

That was a bad decision by Kassian and it has nothing to do with making the team tougher or better.

 

[CornKicker]

I am talking about hitting the other teams star players and prividing a net presence when the game is still in doubt. Either of those things would get under the other teams skin.

Grabbing someone who never fights...pull him out of a scrum...and beat the crap out of him doesn't prove much of anything except that Kassian acted like a punk.

That was a bad decision by Kassian and it has nothing to do with making the team tougher or better.

in the heat of the moment you arent circling around the pack looking for guys that are "ok" to fight, you gran the closest person to you and punch them in the face, sometimes its a weenie and sometimes its someone tougher than you.

 

[joestevens29]

Really don't know why he wasn't used more yesterday. Seemed like a perfect game to use your energy players. Game was very slow and could've used a boost.

 

[MISC*]

nucks fan

hows he been?

 

[Measles]

nucks fan

hows he been?

I would say, based on incoming expectations, I would give him an 8/10 so far. Hussles, plays with an edge, few stupid penalties, has generated some offence. He looks like he's really trying to stay in the NHL and get a multi-year deal. I just hope he can stay the path.

 

[Replacement*]

Really don't know why he wasn't used more yesterday. Seemed like a perfect game to use your energy players. Game was very slow and could've used a boost.

Kassian from what I heard was sick with the flu thus missing a game and coming back yesterday but not being 100%. To look at him after that fight he had I thought he looked ill. That's too much expenditure when you're not feeling well and he looked not well. Not sure how much he played after that. he didn't get tagged with anything too heavy just overtaxed. Guy was taking his jersey off, putting it on, jersey off, cold sweat on the bench.

I can't imagine fighting somebody when you were upchucking and had fever just a day or two before.

These guys are built tough.

 

[JA]

How has Zack Kassian looked for Edmonton thus far?

 

[Spawn]

Underwhelming imo. I was excited when we picked him up as a reclamation project and hoped he would be able to show more than he has. I will probably be in the minority, but I'm not even sure I would offer him a qualifying offer at this stage.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Underwhelming imo. I was excited when we picked him up as a reclamation project and hoped he would be able to show more than he has. I will probably be in the minority, but I'm not even sure I would offer him a qualifying offer at this stage.

He's slowed from a good start, however I don't see a reason why he wouldn't be qualify him.


He fits a needed role on the team, and it going to cost you far more than what Kassian stands to make to replace him. Brouwer I'd say is comparable, and he's likely to make +3.5mil again this offseason.

 

[Tarus]

Underwhelming imo. I was excited when we picked him up as a reclamation project and hoped he would be able to show more than he has. I will probably be in the minority, but I'm not even sure I would offer him a qualifying offer at this stage.

He had a rep of frustrating inconsistency even before the substance abuse issues, missing half the year probably didn't help all that much either. He looks more like a bottom 6 player going forward despite the occasional flashes of talent, so he's a bit pricey at this point.

I wouldn't be surprised if Chia tries work out something to get him at a lower price point in the offseason though, would depend on how much he likes it here enough to resign after not getting a qualifying offer.

 

[joestevens29]

He's slowed from a good start, however I don't see a reason why he wouldn't be qualify him.


He fits a needed role on the team, and it going to cost you far more than what Kassian stands to make to replace him. Brouwer I'd say is comparable, and he's likely to make +3.5mil again this offseason.

How are they comparable at all? Brouwer has been proven to be a guy that can score close to or more than 20g a year over multiple seasons. Kassian has 8 points in 34 games.

I'm not opposed to over paying him on one year. I just don't see us giving him two years at this point. With that being said the team has already deemed him a bottom 6 guy and I wouldn't be shocked to see him in the same situation as Fayne/Nikitin/Scrivens were this year. The spot is yours to lose, but by no means are we going to be afraid to send you to Bakersfield. His cap is only 1.75 and I don't know what we have to offer so if we did send him down we'd be burying around half is salary anyway.

 

[doulos]

Underwhelming imo. I was excited when we picked him up as a reclamation project and hoped he would be able to show more than he has. I will probably be in the minority, but I'm not even sure I would offer him a qualifying offer at this stage.

Doesn't bring near enough actual hockey skill to make up for his disastrous penalties and dumb plays. Hated the pickup from the start, booed him at the one game I saw him play at, and hope we never see him again.

 

[FlameChampion]

I dont think hes been too bad.

Plays with a physical edge. Sticks up for teammates for the most part. I've seen him make some nice passes.

Biggest detractor is that he takes stupid penalties at times. Refs dont do him much favors either.

Be interesting to see what he costs. Cant think he will get paid much. I dont mind giving him another year if its not too much.

 

[Replacement*]

Underwhelming imo. I was excited when we picked him up as a reclamation project and hoped he would be able to show more than he has. I will probably be in the minority, but I'm not even sure I would offer him a qualifying offer at this stage.

I wonder how much though is due to how amazing Maroon has been.

Fact of the matter is Maroon has supplanted him in topsix rotation and getting more minutes and more crucial minutes reducing kass to more of a role player and perhaps not best use.

However I think we need both, and Gryba, Hendricks, Nurse, walking the beat. With Kass though they have to work with him regularly and give him constant short term goals. Kass can get unfocused quick.

I would rather we have Zach than not. Won't kill us in cap to continue with him.

 

[PBandJ]

I definitely want to give him another year if he's not too expensive. Loved what he brought, we need more guys like him.

 

[McTrashBoat]

Doesn't bring near enough actual hockey skill to make up for his disastrous penalties and dumb plays. Hated the pickup from the start, booed him at the one game I saw him play at, and hope we never see him again.

I don't recall any disastrously dumb plays, and most penalties he either hasn't deserved at all, or there where he's sticking up for team mates which I'm all for.

 

[Arpeggio]

He fell off pretty quick, and he took a lot of penalties. But I still think you keep him for the third or fourth line. He's a step up on what the Oilers have in the AHL. Give him a full off-season to work out (which he didn't have last year), and an opportunity to make the team out of camp.

Don't forget that he didn't exactly have the best year leading into his start with the Oilers. Give him a chance to be clean for an extended period of time and then see what he can do.

 

[nabob]

Doesn't bring near enough actual hockey skill to make up for his disastrous penalties and dumb plays. Hated the pickup from the start, booed him at the one game I saw him play at, and hope we never see him again.

So what you're saying is that even if he played very well you still would have hated the fact he was on the club and would boo him no matter what.

 

[OilerFan4Life]

He's a Chiarelli kind of player. No chance he's not qualified.

 

[nabob]

He fell off pretty quick, and he took a lot of penalties. But I still think you keep him for the third or fourth line. He's a step up on what the Oilers have in the AHL. Give him a full off-season to work out (which he didn't have last year), and an opportunity to make the team out of camp.

Don't forget that he didn't exactly have the best year leading into his start with the Oilers. Give him a chance to be clean for an extended period of time and then see what he can do.

Totally agree with giving him a contract for next season. He is for sure better than any option in the AHL right now.

He was the only one who went after Murphy, leveled him with a clean open ice hit, for the head shot on Nuge.

 

[doulos]

So what you're saying is that even if he played very well you still would have hated the fact he was on the club and would boo him no matter what.

I have stated multiple times over the course of several months that if he could keep a cool head and play solid hockey that I could be turned around on him. So, that's not actually what I am saying at all.

It's pretty clear that Kassian doesn't play hockey well enough (on a conistent basis) and is too much of an idiot on the ice, to ever be a truly effective player. It'll be a fail if Chiarelli keeps him around. Waste of a roster spot.

Thing with Kassian is he has the perfect example of the type of player he could be in Maroon. If he took a few lessons from him on how to play the sport I'd be a huge fan.

 

[jukon]

Don't really see an NHL player from how he's played this season. His career could be over if Chia doesn't bring in a replacement, but since we are the Oilers we have non-NHL type depth.

 

[PBandJ]

So what you're saying is that even if he played very well you still would have hated the fact he was on the club and would boo him no matter what.

He had no intention of giving Kassian a fair chance, he made that clear the moment he was brought in.

Kassian can be an idiot, but he also doesn't get much benefit from officials either.