Waived: [CHI] F Andreas Athanasiou waived by the Blackhawks (cleared)

Oilslick941611

Registered User
Jul 4, 2006
17,110
18,011
Ottawa
I was excited when the Oilers traded for him years ago and it was only a small sample size but he wasn't very good. Didn't seem to have the IQ to play with the big boys
He played 9 games had 4 points. The season ended early and had a 4 month break.

He did well enough as an Oiler.
 

PullHard

Jul 18, 2007
28,533
2,738
If this guy could use his linemates AT ALL or cared about defense AT ALL he’d still be a red wing and his career earnings would probably be multiple times higher than they will be when he retires (although this current contract is actually pretty good for him? How the hell did he earn it?)

The sad reality is, his hockey sense never evolved from his OHL days and I don’t think he’s able to get the puck on his stick without thinking he has to go end to end and score by himself.
 

TS Quint

Stop writing “I mean” in your posts.
Sep 8, 2012
8,568
6,072
He can skate like the wind, has incredible hands and a lethal shot. He's just the dumbest hockey player to ever have this long of a career that wasn't in the show to hit or get hit.
As a Wings fan this is exactly what I said since he came into the league. He is all offense and couldnt care less about defense. Hes a cherry picker. He's so fast he blows the doors off 99.9% of the league but he always insisted on having a 3 stride head start.
 

Hinterland

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Sep 29, 2016
12,520
6,229
He is also allergic to defence and his own end. Doctors tried to find a cure, but none were found.
He's also allergic to physical contact. Those two things are the problem I guess. If he was a useful two way forward and able to provide value in other areas of the game then teams could look past his lack of vision and hockey IQ.
 
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ploppsdman

Don't stand for the Blackhawks. Stand for Kyle.
Feb 5, 2004
1,940
618
Elite tools, no toolbox. The guy's hockey sense makes Kevin Fiala look like Nik Lidstrom. Rooting for him overall, but man, he's made a long career off being a solo merc who can't use his teammates or anticipate a single defensive play.
I agree. AA plays as if no one else is on the ice. He’s a speed skater who forgets he’s playing hockey.
 

banks

Only got 3 of 16.
Aug 29, 2019
3,842
5,653
This guy is a poor man's Radim Vrbata. And I don't mean that as a compliment.

He looks so fast and flashy that you think "he must be a good middle 6 scorer, how can he not be?" But then he goes and ruins plays in the offensive zone by not knowing where his linemates are, flees from contact like he's in a panic, and has a zero on the give-a-bleep meter.

He gets some empty calorie points, and skates like the wind some of the time. But don't be fooled. AA just isn't an NHL quality player long-term.
 

The Real JT

The percentage you’re paying is too high priced
Jul 2, 2018
8,250
7,862
Connecticut
This guy is a poor man's Radim Vrbata. And I don't mean that as a compliment.

He looks so fast and flashy that you think "he must be a good middle 6 scorer, how can he not be?" But then he goes and ruins plays in the offensive zone by not knowing where his linemates are, flees from contact like he's in a panic, and has a zero on the give-a-bleep meter.

He gets some empty calorie points, and skates like the wind some of the time. But don't be fooled. AA just isn't an NHL quality player long-term.
Same DNA as Pierre Engvall.

I’m willing to chip in for an Ancestry.com test for the both of them.
 
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DisgruntledHawkFan

Blackhawk Down
Jun 19, 2004
58,689
30,270
South Side
I've long maintained he'd make an interesting fourth line depth scorer. Tie him to two defensively responsible guys with no offensive talent or pair him with McDrai and he'd see like a fifteen point swing. He doesn't use his linemates whatsoever. He's one of the most dangerous players in the league off the rush and absolutely useless in every other situation. If your team has established possession in the other teams zone the puck will die on Andreas' stick.

He can also go in one on three and score. If you just looked at his highlight reel you'd compare him to Pavel Bure. Dude is a unicorn. He's not even lazy he's just got negative hockey IQ.
 

WarriorofTime

Registered User
Jul 3, 2010
31,357
20,324
Is his no tool box something that good coaching could fix ?
He's 30 years old. If a GTHL upbringing, 4 years in the OHL, 83 games in the AHL and 492 games in the NHL hasn't fixed it through this point, I don't think he's a Coach away from it all coming together. Sneaky player because he does have some historical bursts of production but can never maintain it because he doesn't fit in systems well.
 
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