Or maybe we expect the 11.6M dollar player to be a effectve player on his own. Create scoring changes for the other 4 player on the ice on his own. Carry the team on his own.
Not a guy who relies on QH.
After all these years you still can't admit he isn't a game breaking player. You focus on small 10-15 game stretches he goes on a heater and put YOUR lenses on and ignore the next 30-40 games he goes invisible and when fans talk about it you call them racist or make up fake injuries. Maybe they want to see him play consistently.
EP40 is a 7-9M dollar top 6 C who cannot consistently be a difference maker.
Actually Petey does look like a game breaking, Datsyuk-like, player for a few SEASONS. Of course he isn't going to score exactly one point every game, but he was elite in his rookie season, the 22-23 season, first half of 23-24 season and the 19-20 playoff (and pretty good in the 19-20 season). He certainly has more than "small 10-15 game stretches he goes on a heater." He absolutely can be a difference maker, why he can't do it more consistently is a separate issue and a valid question, but this isn't a player that just goes on short hot streaks once in awhile.
But I do agree with you that an $11.6m player should be able to find a way to make an impact on the game regardless of his linemates, not being completely offensively inept without a Norris winner on the ice with him.
Its so frustrating that we finally has a good team that, while having a small window, does have a couple season to compete for the cup, and it all gets undone by the ego of 2 our of top player. Such a Vancouver-thing to have happen.
