Zadina is Yzermans new Drouin

[DetroitRed]

Fabbri and Suter have been kinda similar except of course, expectations are different not only because of how they came into the league - undrafted and 21st over all - but also because of their age. Zadina was drafted top five and he's 21, a guy who should be improving nicely - something is wrong.

Also, you can move Fabbri and Suter up and they produce. On the first line they benefit from better line mates - part of the problem - but on the first line, they also are playing against the best. Zadina doesn't get moved up because the opportunity hasn't been there as often, but Blashill seems to like to keep him on the second line anyway. Which, if we felt good about Zadina's play, there would be no question that you would want to move him up to fill in for Raymond.

Filppula, I agree, is kind of a comparable in that we had a certain expectation and producing 30-some points a season wasn't it.

Another comparable for me is Hronek, obviously a defender, but he was benched when he wasn't meeting expectations this season. Keeping in mind that some guys have slow starts, he was benched incredibly fast, you could say that not an ounce of slack was given to him. However, it did seem to work out. For some reason though, we're not okay with benching Zadina. Apparently, with Hronek there are expectations that have to be met, but with Zadina, there is no similar standards nor are we concerned if he is not making progress or even in decline. This brings up a lot of big why questions.

Zadina will be 22 this month. The number of games he's played is deceiving because of the pandemic; he's actually had a longer time to work on his game and progress than he would have. I don't think he's too young to treat like a man, the way they treat Hronek. Nevertheless, they've extended to Zadina special courtesy by comparison. And if he's not the kind of guy who can take being benched the right way nor does he respond favorably to special courtesy, then we really do have a fascinating case on our hands.

To me, I would try benching him now so that when the TDL comes, we can say we tried everything. I want him to work out, I don't want him to become a less than 30 points a season guy. He's dangerously close to that now. Secondly, an assist here and there, a goal here and there, can be the difference between a win and a loss. We're counting on his production.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Zadina will be 22 this month. The number of games he's played is deceiving because of the pandemic; he's actually had a longer time to work on his game and progress than he would have.

It's not deceiving, and he hasn't had more time to work on things that actually matter. His primary issue is pretty apparent: making the right decisions in the appropriate amount of time. Nothing is going to help that other than live reps in real games. He doesn't need more and more to sit in an empty rink working on his shot, stick handling, skating, etc. (yes he still needs to work on these things, but they aren't the things that are holding him back right now). He just needs to play, and whether or not he improves will just be seen over time. He's either going to be smart enough to learn what does and doesn't work, or he's going to struggle to tread water. He's visibly improved every year, so he hasn't moved into that latter category, but the runway isn't endless. Eventually it becomes put up or shut up time. But that ultimatum point doesn't happen after 100 f***ing games.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Looked great last game. Had a couple of shifts where he was everywhere.

One day things will click for him. Maybe it's next month, maybe next year, maybe in 3 years. But people rushing to give up on him are the exact type of people I hope we keep far away from any management roles in the organization.

 

[Frk It]

He looks like a guy with no confidence to me. I have not liked his decision making in most games I have seen him. He will shoot in a lot of scenarios he could skate in and try to make a move on the goalie. He is rushing/forcing to shoot from a distance he is not beating goalies from. I would like to see him adjust to this and wait another second and get closer to shoot, or try to drive the net, or make a pass.

 

[FMichael]

With the current upheaval within the Vancouver Canucks it would be a great opportunity for Yzerman to convince them that a Zadina for Hughes trade would really benefit them...

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

He looks like a guy with no confidence to me. I have not liked his decision making in most games I have seen him. He will shoot in a lot of scenarios he could skate in and try to make a move on the goalie. He is rushing/forcing to shoot from a distance he is not beating goalies from. I would like to see him adjust to this and wait another second and get closer to shoot, or try to drive the net, or make a pass.

This. He's also getting pushed around a lot out there by other teams, and there have been more than a handful of times I'm watching him chase the puck into the offensive zone, and he takes the long way around a defender that makes him lose the race.

His shooting habits are junior goalscorer shooting habits. Like you said, he's attempting low percentage shots from far out that simply aren't going to work well on NHL goalies unless you can fire it like Auston Matthews. Zadina needs to get in close but he's just not doing it.

 

[FMichael]

This. He's also getting pushed around a lot out there by other teams, and there have been more than a handful of times I'm watching him chase the puck into the offensive zone, and he takes the long way around a defender that makes him lose the race.

His shooting habits are junior goalscorer shooting habits. Like you said, he's attempting low percentage shots from far out that simply aren't going to work well on NHL goalies unless you can fire it like Auston Matthews. Zadina needs to get in close but he's just not doing it.

He looks like a guy with no confidence to me. I have not liked his decision making in most games I have seen him. He will shoot in a lot of scenarios he could skate in and try to make a move on the goalie. He is rushing/forcing to shoot from a distance he is not beating goalies from. I would like to see him adjust to this and wait another second and get closer to shoot, or try to drive the net, or make a pass.

Cannot agree more here...What might have been routine in JR is likely now a stretch at the NHL level...I'd love nothing more than to see Zadina pot 25 plus goals, but right now he's on pace for 10 to 12...We'll be fortunate if he can round out his game and become a solid 3rd line winger.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

This is a list of forwards taken in the first round of the 2018 draft. I've put in red the players I think are head-and-shoulders above Zadina, and I've put in blue the players I think Zadina has produced better than. Left unmarked are players I think you could go either way on.

2. Andrei Svechnikov
3. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
4. Brady Tkachuk
5. Barret Hayton
9. Vitaly Kravstov
11. Oliver Wahlstrom
13. Ty Dellandrea
14. Joel Farabee
15. Grigori Denisenko
16. Martin Kaut
18. Liam Foudy
19. Jay O'Brien
20. Rasmus Kupari
23. Isac Lundestrom
25. Dominik Bokk
30. Joseph Veleno

Obviously the Hughes miss stings. I'd swap Fil for Farabee, Bouchard, and Dobson, and I could go either way on a Wahlstrom or Boqvist.

But I think this list shows that it's not as dire as some folks make it out to be. The reality is this '18 draft class is struggling to make a big impact.

Right now I'd say Zadina is on track to have a Mikael Samuelsson type of impact, and I think he could definitely find his stride and surpass that.

 

[jaster]

He looks like a guy with no confidence to me. I have not liked his decision making in most games I have seen him. He will shoot in a lot of scenarios he could skate in and try to make a move on the goalie. He is rushing/forcing to shoot from a distance he is not beating goalies from. I would like to see him adjust to this and wait another second and get closer to shoot, or try to drive the net, or make a pass.

This is the lack of scoring touch I mentioned. That and adding deception is where he most needs to improve if he's to become a real goal scorer.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

With the current upheaval within the Vancouver Canucks it would be a great opportunity for Yzerman to convince them that a Zadina for Hughes trade would really benefit them...

I hope this is a joke.

 

[Killerjas]

Remember when we drafted him and people said he was a sniper, one of the best goalscorers of the draft?

His scoring instinct has evaporated. Another reason why I dont like drafting out of the QMJHL. Trash league with only a couple of teams being good.

 

[Frk It]

Remember when we drafted him and people said he was a sniper, one of the best goalscorers of the draft?

His scoring instinct has evaporated. Another reason why I dont like drafting out of the QMJHL. Trash league with only a couple of teams being good.

Whether it be athletically, or shooting the puck, I don’t think he has shown much growth or progression.

I don’t think anyone who watched him in his draft year could say he wasn’t a guy with a plus shot or scorer potential. Especially with what he did internationally against the best players in the world at his age.

 

[FMichael]

I hope this is a joke.

No joke...My eyes tell me Hughes > Zadina.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

This is a list of forwards taken in the first round of the 2018 draft. I've put in red the players I think are head-and-shoulders above Zadina, and I've put in blue the players I think Zadina has produced better than. Left unmarked are players I think you could go either way on.

2. Andrei Svechnikov
3. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
4. Brady Tkachuk
5. Barret Hayton
9. Vitaly Kravstov
11. Oliver Wahlstrom
13. Ty Dellandrea
14. Joel Farabee
15. Grigori Denisenko
16. Martin Kaut
18. Liam Foudy
19. Jay O'Brien
20. Rasmus Kupari
23. Isac Lundestrom
25. Dominik Bokk
30. Joseph Veleno

Obviously the Hughes miss stings. I'd swap Fil for Farabee, Bouchard, and Dobson, and I could go either way on a Wahlstrom or Boqvist.

But I think this list shows that it's not as dire as some folks make it out to be. The reality is this '18 draft class is struggling to make a big impact.

Right now I'd say Zadina is on track to have a Mikael Samuelsson type of impact, and I think he could definitely find his stride and surpass that.

Mikael Samuelsson played with some grit. He could be counted on to be a good shutdown winger while chipping in some offense and could come up with some pretty clutch goals. The only similarity between Zadina and Samuelsson I see is that they both attempt a lot of low percentage shots on goal. But at least Samuelsson would fight to get to the front of the net for a rebound.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

No joke...My eyes tell me Hughes > Zadina.

Clearly he is better. Hollands last hugh mistake.

 

[Coach Reggie Dunlop]

Had a good goal tonight, like to see him use his backhand in close. It was a nice change of pace than the type of shot he normally shoots, even if it was sort of a weak goal. Personally I think zadinas struggles are directly on coaching, a lot of the things he doesn’t do are things the coaches should be harping on him about yet he still doesn’t do them. It’s questionable how we have developed him to say the least.

 

[Gniwder]

Had a good goal tonight, like to see him use his backhand in close. It was a nice change of pace than the type of shot he normally shoots, even if it was sort of a weak goal. Personally I think zadinas struggles are directly on coaching, a lot of the things he doesn’t do are things the coaches should be harping on him about yet he still doesn’t do them. It’s questionable how we have developed him to say the least.

That's what happens when you have a career bottom line player (Disco Dan) and a college goalie (Blash) coaching offensive skills and strategies. Stevie should have brought someone like Tanguay in last season, better late than never.

PLus as an added bonus we have Raymond showing him how it's done by example.