Player Discussion Drake Batherson (RW) - Part II

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

He will need to continue playing his big-body game like he has over the last few games for us to have a solid chance in the series.

 

[NyQuil]

Hits a new career high with 68pts at 4.95 what player he is for us. If someone wants to swift through some of the posts on him over the season I would love to reread the comedy.

He’s a very hot/cold player.

When he’s good he’s good. When he’s bad he’s practically invisible.

That being said, the incredible value of his contract makes him virtually untradeable, despite what others have said at the lowest points of this season.

 

[Icelevel]

Playing as good as ever. Awesome to see.

 

[bicboi64]

What a bum couldn't even finish the season at 69 points

 

[OD99]

He will need to continue playing his big-body game like he has over the last few games for us to have a solid chance in the series.

He is bullying D the last few weeks. He could have drawn 6 penalties against the Canes, they just couldn't contain him. If he amps up the intensity and goes crashing hard, he will unlock a new level. The combination of size and skill he has is quite unique, and like many guys the only reason he isn't a legit star is his consistency.

 

[OD99]

He’s a very hot/cold player.

Like a lot of NHL players

When he’s good he’s good. When he’s bad he’s practically invisible.

I think this is an overstatement

That being said, the incredible value of his contract makes him virtually untradeable, despite what others have said at the lowest points of this season.

Untradeable...I know you mean that in a good way, but you make it sound like a burden.

Batherson is:

- 14th in scoring for ALL wingers in the NHL
- 9th in assists for ALL wingers in the NHL
- 26th in ES points for ALL wingers in the NHL
- Tied for 1st in PPG for ALL wingers in the NHL
19th in goals for ALL wingers in the NHL

I mean jeebus...the guy is one of the top wingers in the NHL and we have him at a steal. He is around 30th in cap hit, just for RW.

It's amazing to me how under appreciated he is around here. Not saying you are bashing him @NyQuil , just adding more context.

 

[NyQuil]

Like a lot of NHL players

I think this is an overstatement

Untradeable...I know you mean that in a good way, but you make it sound like a burden.

Batherson is:

- 14th in scoring for ALL wingers in the NHL
- 9th in assists for ALL wingers in the NHL
- 26th in ES points for ALL wingers in the NHL
- Tied for 1st in PPG for ALL wingers in the NHL
19th in goals for ALL wingers in the NHL

I mean jeebus...the guy is one of the top wingers in the NHL and we have him at a steal. He is around 30th in cap hit, just for RW.

It's amazing to me how under appreciated he is around here. Not saying you are bashing him @NyQuil , just adding more context.

I definitely mean it as a compliment and I agree that maybe the phrasing is awkward. But even at his absolute worst, and there were plenty of trade proposals on this board at that time, he's too cheap IMO to even consider it. Untradeable, in a good way. He's not irreplaceable, mind you, and I think I was trying to avoid using that word.

He'll always put up enough offence to be a top six guy who can also allow you to overpay another top six guy if needed or by mistake.

Like any player, I've seen him play at his best and at his worst.

At his best, he can be surprisingly physical with big hits and generate turnovers that way. He's also a proficient puck thief, probably second or third best behind Pinto and then maybe Stutzle. He can play a strong cycle game.

These are skills that I think add value even when he isn't providing offence.

When I say invisible, I mean that all of these dimensions of his play are missing. He's not hitting anyone. He's not turning pucks over. And offensively, instead of strong moves to and around the net, he's doing his little dancing finesse game in the high offensive zone to try and beat 2 or 3 guys with stickhandling.

Now, it's hard to play the power game because it's exhausting, and expecting anyone to do it (even Tkachuk or Lucic in his prime) in every game is a fool's expectation. So you can't expect him to be that guy in every game.

But when he does, it makes a big difference. During our best streak of play of the season, we had both the Pinto line and the Cozens line cycling endlessly, tiring out opposing defences, and generating chances that way. If they were came out on the ice back to back, it was pure domination.

Hopefully we see that Batherson in the playoffs.

He's absolutely worth the salary and his offence alone makes it a steal, but it would be outright robbery IMO if he takes his game to the next level more consistently. Hopefully the playoffs will inspire him.

Personally I think he's the second most creative player on the team as far as vision and hands are concerned, next to Stutzle.

Rounding that out would make him a menace at an insanely low price, and perhaps the biggest bargain in Sens history.

 

[bicboi64]

Really hope Batherson stays on his bullying others gear. Rielly and OEL are the only D he'll e able to body. Tanev, McCabe, and Benoit will be hard to push around.

 

[OD99]

I definitely mean it as a compliment and I agree that maybe the phrasing is awkward. But even at his absolute worst, and there were plenty of trade proposals on this board at that time, he's too cheap IMO to even consider it. Untradeable, in a good way. He's not irreplaceable, mind you, and I think I was trying to avoid using that word.

He'll always put up enough offence to be a top six guy who can also allow you to overpay another top six guy if needed or by mistake.

Like any player, I've seen him play at his best and at his worst.

At his best, he can be surprisingly physical with big hits and generate turnovers that way. He's also a proficient puck thief, probably second or third best behind Pinto and then maybe Stutzle. He can play a strong cycle game.

These are skills that I think add value even when he isn't providing offence.

When I say invisible, I mean that all of these dimensions of his play are missing. He's not hitting anyone. He's not turning pucks over. And offensively, instead of strong moves to and around the net, he's doing his little dancing finesse game in the high offensive zone to try and beat 2 or 3 guys with stickhandling.

Now, it's hard to play the power game because it's exhausting, and expecting anyone to do it (even Tkachuk or Lucic in his prime) in every game is a fool's expectation. So you can't expect him to be that guy in every game.

But when he does, it makes a big difference. During our best streak of play of the season, we had both the Pinto line and the Cozens line cycling endlessly, tiring out opposing defences, and generating chances that way. If they were came out on the ice back to back, it was pure domination.

Hopefully we see that Batherson in the playoffs.

He's absolutely worth the salary and his offence alone makes it a steal, but it would be outright robbery IMO if he takes his game to the next level more consistently. Hopefully the playoffs will inspire him.

Personally I think he's the second most creative player on the team as far as vision and hands are concerned, next to Stutzle.

Rounding that out would make him a menace at an insanely low price, and perhaps the biggest bargain in Sens history.

Very well said!

We need all lines buzzing and there is certainly enough potential for all 3 lines to be physical. We need to play the long game and wear down their guys. The Leafs have enough players to attack our D, and we need to match them and then some.

I expect Bath was just ramping up so I am really hoping we see another gear.

All that said, in 2 years, when Batherson requires a new contract, we will all miss these carefree days. Even his harshest critic will have to realize the deal we had with him. He probably ends up close to the $8M mark by then.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

His board play is at another level right now. I like Z on his line. Not quite as good on the boards as Perron but he is decent and he is better offensively at this point.

 

[Icelevel]

If we lose the series trade him.

And…(if we lose the series),
trade chabot.

 

[HSF]

If we lose the series trade him.

And…(if we lose the series),
trade chabot.

bad take

 

[Tuna99]

Drake owes us a win. Love me my Drake Batherson but he owes his teammates and the fans a win. Not dwelling on it, but that shift was the worst shift a Sens forward has played all season

 

[jbeck5]

Drake owes us a win. Love me my Drake Batherson but he owes his teammates and the fans a win. Not dwelling on it, but that shift was the worst shift a Sens forward has played all season

How exactly is he going to do that? 4 point batherson night incoming?

Him getting a random goal or an assist isn't winning us a game.

He needs to make up for it big time, or get benched. That was brutal, and it's not like he hasn't heard it time and time again about no look passes and lazy fly bys defensively. Think this is the first time? Or even only the 10th time? This has been dozens and dozens of times that he flys by defensively and just waves his stick.

They can't just keep sending him out and watching him just try to poke at pucks as he skates game after game, year after year. He's not good enough of a player to be that bad defensively. He's not kucherov. He can't float defensively and get 2 points a game and a lot of wins.

 

[Tuna99]

How exactly is he going to do that? 4 point batherson night incoming?

Him getting a random goal or an assist isn't winning us a game.

He needs to make up for it big time, or get benched. That was brutal, and it's not like he hasn't heard it time and time again about no look passes and lazy fly bys defensively. Think this is the first time? Or even only the 10th time? This has been dozens and dozens of times that he flys by defensively and just waves his stick.

They can't just keep sending him out and watching him just try to poke at pucks as he skates game after game, year after year. He's not good enough of a player to be that bad defensively. He's not kucherov. He can't float defensively and get 2 points a game and a lot of wins.

Just win, won’t care how it’s done, could be a 5-0 win or a 7-6 win, don’t care, just win.

 

[bert]

His board play is at another level right now. I like Z on his line. Not quite as good on the boards as Perron but he is decent and he is better offensively at this point.

He threw away too great games. That was by far the most inexperienced this team has looked. I said him and cozens along with Ullmark were this teams x factors and so far it's been true but in the wrong way.

 

[Tuna99]

He threw away too great games. That was by far the most inexperienced this team has looked. I said him and cozens along with Ullmark were this teams x factors and so far it's been true but in the wrong way.

Cozens to looks like he could take a game over - let’s see how he does on home
Ice but I think he’s going to find a frequency that gets us wins

 

[bert]

Cozens to looks like he could take a game over - let’s see how he does on home
Ice but I think he’s going to find a frequency that gets us wins

He's been great too otherwise than that goal and his ability to finish. I knew they had it in them to outplay the leafs second line. They have but the execution hasn't been there.

 

[mysens]

Drake is trying to tie up sticks on two pivotal goals in the playoffs is just gross. You need to knock people off with your body. He could have laid out Domi with a clean hit there. Playing mini sticks in a playoff overtime is what the guys does. So sad, but this is what his DNA is.

 

[Tuna99]

He's been great too otherwise than that goal and his ability to finish. I knew they had it in them to outplay the leafs second line. They have but the execution hasn't been there.

Cozens missed that beautiful scoring chance and I think like Lots of fans Batherson was thinking “Get the workhorse the puck and he’s going to score” - explains the forced OT pass.

Anyways, Cozens and Batherson owe us a win. That line has to win us the next game

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Cozens missed that beautiful scoring chance and I think like Lots of fans Batherson was thinking “Get the workhorse the puck and he’s going to score” - explains the forced OT pass.

Anyways, Cozens and Batherson owe us a win. That line has to win us the next game

Give away in the other teams zone happen. What he did to defend domi in our zone should NEVER happen

 

[aragorn]

How many goals have been scored from the slot in this series? It wasn't all Ullmark's fault, but at the same time they needed a save there, they needed him to come up big at that moment & keep them in the game. Two goals on 4 shots put us in a hole right off the bat again, it's deflating. Bottom line, we need better goaltending, hopefully it improves at home, but he was brought in to solve our goaltending problems & it's not working when we are constantly chasing the game.

 

[robsenz]

I expected Batherson to cost us something at some point in the playoffs, that last goal was such a soft play by him and Cozens, I hope they got reamed out, unacceptable

 

[Burrowsaurus]

How many goals have been scored from the slot in this series? It wasn't all Ullmark's fault, but at the same time they needed a save there, they needed him to come up big at that moment & keep them in the game. Two goals on 4 shots put us in a hole right off the bat again, it's deflating. Bottom line, we need better goaltending, hopefully it improves at home, but he was brought in to solve our goaltending problems & it's not working when we are constantly chasing the game.

If Ullmark saves that no one thinks it’s a big save. It’s a routine blocker save.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

I expected Batherson to cost us something at some point in the playoffs, that last goal was such a soft play by him and Cozens, I hope they got reamed out, unacceptable

Cozens got skipped by. Like there was an angle there for Domi. Bathersons play is inexcusable. He gets out of Domis way??? I don’t even know what the explanation is there? What’s he trying to do it. It legit looks like he thinks he’s about to take contact and he flinches away.