Posted this in another thread. I think on both beginnings of an argument for whether he’s a top 2 or top 4 it comes down to that idea of “you’re only as good as your last game played”. Until about January(?) I think this board would have no problem with discussing his lack of performance to signify top pairing.
“Calling jones the 20th best(or most productive) ppqb over the last 7+ years is disingenuous at best, as it is is a limited position… for those with an average of 2:00 a game or more on the powerplay(threshold should probably be 1:00-1:30 min since PP2 jumps on) he’s ranked 51st out of 81 in power play points per 60 which is probably a more reliable metric to measure production. I guess that is the same percentile if there is 1 ppqb each team, but it would leave him close toward the back or a standard deviation below average”
Bowman probably thought he could find cheap offensively minded talent to supplement his game, or vice versa a SAHD defenseman to allow him to justify the contract…
Either way his numbers to me represent that of a #3, and as others have implied it won’t get better with 6 years left for someone who’s physically aging and your game revolves around athleticism
On the thread topic, I don’t have a crystal ball shoved up my ass, but watch what you say as the monkey paw curls — I’d put money for Don Granato to come back to Chicago and be involved here for better or worse. Some say he’s great at developing young talent. Others say he has no system, no adaptation strategies, etc.