Pretty much. I was looking at his numbers earlier today and he did run cold, hot, cold, hot pretty much every year until the last two with Winnipeg and ~20 goals and 40 points was in-line with each of his cold seasons, just as he is pretty much on pace with the Kings. Also, his first season with each club was his lowest, though obviously, it was his rookie season with Columbus.
I wouldn't be surprised to see him go hot or put up a good season despite showing little indication that would happen. He isn't absolutely completely terrible, as he can make quick plays from time to time, and some of his passes have been good (though I don't think his wingers have caught on or can keep up with them), and his production is at least something versus totally airballing, but still amount to bottom 6 production for a top line paid player.
It is kind of like nothing buys bygones quicker than cash/winning sort of thing. If he suddenly starts crashing the net, chucking defenseman over the boards, and scores ~15g 20a the rest of the season and/or becomes a beast in the playoffs, then sure, great, we are warily somewhat happy to have him, but he is going to take a lot of shit until he proves it because right now he looks like a pitiful disaster with work ethic and potential attitude problems which he's been labeled with his entire life and Blake somehow expects it to be okay or no longer the case.
