Is playmaking underappreciated? | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League
Toggle sidebar

Is playmaking underappreciated?

Srsly

Srsly

Registered User
Feb 8, 2011
2,502
1,012
Upland
Do truly exceptional players rack up goals or is it a combination of other aspects?

Over the past season I've noticed a large number of complaints about Kessel's performance based upon the 12 goal start to his season. This has me thinking about how play is viewed in the NHL.

Are guys like St.Louis doomed to sit in the shadow of players like Steve Stamkos? Are they just as valuable as their goal sniping counterpoints?

No, this is not a St.Louis vs Kessel thread. That would be silly. It's also not only about Phil himself. I'm just wondering what the general opinion is on the matter.
 
Yeah. All I see in today's papers is how Kessel broke a slump after pulling his disappearing act. Seriously? I feel like tearing up the papers :laugh:

The guy has been a phenomenal playmaker when the puck isn't going in for him...some players start going solo when they are in a slump (Grabovski). Kessel just keeps working at it and still a huge part of the offense even when he isn't scoring.
 
Whatever Phil Kessel does well is underappreciated by some people on this forum.

Even David Alter on the FAN this morning says Phil Kessel has broken out of his slump with two goals. Never mind the PPG pace he's been on all season.
 
Maybe when you have a reputation as a sniper, people have trouble actually comprehending that you can do more than simply shoot the puck. It is sad seeing the media just focusing on Kessel's lack of pure goals when he's been producing points the whole time.

I mean haven't seen problem with Kadri's playmaking getting attention.

Could be just because it's Kessel or just because people expect Kessel to be just a shooter.
 
It really depends on the player and his image... Here are a few examples of what I mean.

Malkin is a playmaker and he is beloved in Pittsburgh.

Kessel is a playmaker and the fan base mostly appreciates him with a few ever-present detractors.

St.Louis is a playmaker and his fan base is ready to put him out to pasture due to his "decline"

When all is said and done, Kessel is an elite offensive talent. People can get on him about his lack of defensive toughness if they choose, but downplaying his game in the offensive zone is ignorant. Watch the games, he gets the other teams best D pair all night and he is still putting up point-per-game numbers.
 
Kessel is playing the best hockey of his career. all these people saying lets trade him are blind haters.
 
I think when people see you as a pure goalscorer, assists just don't count in their minds.

Quick question, how many assists did Brett Hull have in his career? A: who cares?!?

On the other hand, every single goal Adam Oates scored was considered a bonus, even though if we had anyone who could score 45 goals in a season (as Oates once did) we'd be putting him in the Hull camp. It all comes down to a matter of perception.

I think Phil has been lumped into this group where he's only supposed to score and that's all people care about, but frankly, if he's dishing off the puck and someone else on the ice is getting the goal... that's fine by me. Phil is showing us he's a PPG talent in this league and those players are not common. Bozak, who's a good player, is a good example that getting first line minutes doesn't automatically boost up you point totals. It also comes with playing against top defensemen and getting targeted by opposing coaching and strategy.

I guess the question come down to, are you happy with a Phil Kessel season that results in 82 points, with 25 goals?

There is still this idea that he could become a 40-50 goal guy, and for some anything less than that is a failure. I think Phil's play style precludes him from achieving that simply because his offensive game doesn't have a massive range of shooting styles. He doesn't deke and backhand well, his one timer is decent but not great, he's not a shoot-out or breakaway dynamo, and goalies generally have a good idea of where the puck is going. Yet his talent and skating are undeniable. I think we need to re-vision Phil as a playmaking winger with a laser snapshot that he can pull out anytime the other team lets up on him for even a moment, but he will always be more effective when he plays with another big scoring threat that he can pass to/make plays with.

I think Phil needs to accept that too, and it seems that he's coming around, because the more he decides to make plays and just work the offensive zone and use his teammates, the more potent that line is. When Phil feels he needs to go in and score, that's usually when the play just dies (or he scores one of the most breathtaking bullet goals you'll ever see). If the team and fans are comfortable letting him become that guy then I think we'll get a longer, more productive career out of him.
 
Last edited:
CannedMango said:
I think when people see you as a pure goalscorer, assists just don't count in their minds.

Quick question, how many assists did Brett Hull have in his career? A: who cares?!?

On the other hand, every single goal Adam Oates scored was considered a bonus, even though if we had anyone who could score 45 goals in a season (as Oates once did) we'd be putting him in the Hull camp. It all comes down to a matter of perception.

I think Phil has been lumped into this group where he's only supposed to score and that's all people care about, but frankly, if he's dishing off the puck and someone else on the ice is getting the goal... that's fine by me. Phil is showing us he's a PPG talent in this league and those players are not common. Bozak, who's a good player, is a good example that getting first line minutes doesn't automatically boost up you point totals. It also comes with playing against top defensemen and getting targeted by opposing coaching and strategy.

I guess the question come down to, are you happy with a Phil Kessel season that results in 82 points, with 25 goals?

There is still this idea that he could become a 40-50 goal guy, and for some anything less than that is a failure. I think Phil's play style precludes him from achieving that simply because his offensive game doesn't have a massive range of shooting styles. He doesn't deke and backhand well, his one timer is decent but not great, he's not a shoot-out or breakaway dynamo, and goalies generally have a good idea of where the puck is going. Yet his talent and skating are undeniable. I think we need to re-vision Phil as a playmaking winger with a laser snapshot that he can pull out anytime the other team lets up on him for even a moment, but he will always be more effective when he plays with another big scoring threat that he can pass to/make plays with.

I think Phil needs to accept that too, and it seems that he's coming around, because the more he decides to make plays and just work the offensive zone and use his teammates, the more potent that line is. When Phil feels he needs to go in and score, that's usually when the play just dies (or he scores one of the most breathtaking bullet goals you'll ever see). If the team and fans are comfortable letting him become that guy then I think we'll get a longer, more productive career out of him.
Click to expand...

One of the better posts I've read on hfboards in quite a while. Well said.
 
CannedMango said:
I guess the question come down to, are you happy with a Phil Kessel season that results in 82 points, with 25 goals?
Click to expand...

Yes, because that means that the goals are still being scored, which, in a 'team' sport is more important than just having a puck hog who just scores for himself.
 
He's a great play maker, he's great at dishing the puck, unfortunately he hasn't played with many finishers. I'm still waiting for the Kadri-Kessel experiment, cause Kadri's one of those 7-11 guys, always open with his stick on the ice.

St. Louis will always be one of the most underrated players in the NHL. He's small. He plays for Tampa. He's old and never was a top draft pick.
 
In Kessel's case, and especially on HFBoards, the answer is 'Yes'

But I voted for the second option just to be that guy.
 
Am I the only one that has noticed Kessel not backing down to some of the physical play lately? Like battling the boards harder and hitting? Or are my Leaf shutters to thick?
 
RealisticLeaf55 said:
Am I the only one that has noticed Kessel not backing down to some of the physical play lately? Like battling the boards harder and hitting? Or are my Leaf shutters to thick?
Click to expand...

No he is engaging more. He's still obviously very weak on the boards but it's good to see him trying.
 
Leaf Rocket said:
People also forget Kessel was drafted as a center. He was converted to a winger
Click to expand...

And the fact that there were actually some GMs who would have taken him over Crosby at one point. Obviously it's no comparison now, but you don't simply get lumped into that kind of group unless you can score AND set up goals. Phil excels at both. If it hadn't been for some poor luck early in the season he realistically could have 16-20 goals right now, and we would be look at a guy challenging the Stamkos' and Ovechkins of the league.
 
There is a difference between being an offensive dynamo like Kessel or in the past like Grabovski when he was hot and being a playmaker like Kadri.
Kadri posses the attributes that allows him to make plays few see and also control the tempo of the game when he is on the ice. Kessel on the other hand to set guys up for goals but mostly from straight forward plays like the score on a deflection when he have shot/passed the puck, they score on rebounds after he have shot the puck or they skate towards the net and he finds them with a pass. All good skills, important skills. But I am yet to see Kessel display any playmaking skills. Not even on the PP he show this, it is mostly a simple pass to Dion (or nearest defender) or a pass down low.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom