Hot take: Utah powerplay might be one of the better ones this season

  • PLEASE check any bookmark on all devices. IF you see a link pointing to mandatory.com DELETE it Please use this URL https://forums.hfboards.com/

BKarchitect

Registered User
Oct 12, 2017
7,947
14,098
Kansas City, MO
Enters his prime? He’s 26. As a forward there’s a decent chance we’ve already seen his offensive peak.

Perhaps - but I'd suggest the environment around him will be pretty darn conducive to an increase in production. He's certainly not in heavy drop-off territory either and his center last year, Hayton, couldn't throw a beach ball into an ocean from a "capitalizing on chances" standpoint, and that's when he was healthy. When Hayton was out, he (and Schmaltz) played with Alex Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad. It's pretty obvious why his stats tilted a bit more towards PP production last year.

The year previous with a healthy Hayton, he was the 12th highest even-strength producer in the entire league. But that year, the Coyotes PP was garbage and very few of his 86 points came with the man advantage.

If Utah has even a mid-PP next season and Hayton is healthy or the third wheel on UHC's top line is something better than Alex Kerfoot or Nick Bjugstad (which seems reasonable with an increasing level of talent making it's way onto the team and opposing teams now having to worry about Cooley/Guenther/Maccelli as they mature and give the franchise other lines that can create offensively instead of being a one-line team), I'd say a guy who averaged 35 goals and 81 points per 82 games through his age 23, 24 and 25 seasons could absolutely and reasonable be even better the next few years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tarheelhockey

Rafafouille

Registered User
May 12, 2015
1,564
1,769
QC
Sergachev and Durzi are 40 points D's
Schmaltz is an elite second liner or meh average first liner


Even if Guenther goes point per game, him and Keller would be the only elite pieces on the PP.
 

Evergreen

____________
Sponsor
May 22, 2008
9,969
2,388
All depends on coaching, not the personnel. The Flyers have had enough firepower to have a decent powerplay the past few seasons and instead, it's historically bad because Torts hired a former goon with brain damage named Rocky Thompson to run it. Make it make sense.
I'm as flabbergasted that Rocky hasn't been fired as you are, but the Flyers' best forwards--Konecny, Tippett--are best on the rush, rather than on the cycle. The Flyers also don't have any elite playmakers. Or a bona fide QB. Or a good net-front guy. So I disagree with your assessment of the personnel.

I think Michkov will help a lot. And maybe Drysdale can be the solution on the point. Or York takes another step. We'll see. If the PP struggles again this year, you've got to think Rocky finally gets fired.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SECRET SQUIRREL

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad