NYR Chris Drury fumbled with Niko Mikkola

[Filthy Dangles]

He was over Point per game and the highest scoring forward on the team

WTF are you talking about?

Okay,small ass sample size....check his regular season stats the past couple years. He's far from a world beater at this stage.

Hardly relevant and taken a backseat?

The Blues extended him for six years. He had 8 points in 7 games vs Winnipeg. He is on the top line with Thomas.

What do you mean he’s taken a backseat?

It means he's not as impactful as those guys...

 

[3074326]

Um, the Blues had him long before the Rangers, and for a long time. He played all of 31 games with NYR?

Silly thread.

Yeah, but f*** the Rangers more than the Blues

That's where I stand anyways

 

[Louie the Blue]

It means he's not as impactful as those guys...

He’s more impactful than Neighbours and Bolduc. Snuggerrud only made his debut near the end of the season.

 

[ijuka]

To me, Mikkola's always been a "many tools no toolbox" kinda player, so if he's finally found his toolbox, it's not that surprising he's doing well. At least he always had some potential, unlike many others.

Still, he's easily surpassed the expectations of just about anyone.

 

[HockeyWooot]

Bill Zito deserves a lot of praise for finding these low key players who end up being a big part of their team now

Development seems to be pretty good in Florida as well

This.

Florida is exceptional at identifying players who have skill sets that would make them successful in their structure, get the most out of them.

 

[Maliks PlusMinus]

It was a very bad decision. I advocated keeping him. For people saying he was different, only in a way. He was very good for us. Not this god we see now, but one of my favourite rentals.

 

[TGWL]

Chris Drury has been a disaster in NY but the owner seems to love him and keep him around. He should have been canned long ago.

Have you seen the owner? He's also a disaster. Also, the defense structure for NY is running around like headless chickens. And the team defense structure is blowing the zone or scrambling so far down low they can smell what Shesterkin is cookin'.

 

[andora]

Mikkola is not the same player in Florida that he was for the Rangers or Blues. Good on Zito for identifying a player who could be molded, but it's hard to blame Drury here.

This doesnt make sense

A guy noticed him for what he was showing and nailed the evaluation

He showed signs on both stlouis and the rangers but couldnt get the ice

 

[Tawnos]

This doesnt make sense

A guy noticed him for what he was showing and nailed the evaluation

He showed signs on both stlouis and the rangers but couldnt get the ice

I explained why I think that of him. Maybe read the rest of the thread before responding and not just the first post?

 

[Fatass]

Wasn’t Forseling a waivers pickup? Smart management/scouts identifying players who have more in them, that other clubs miss.

 

[andora]

I explained why I think that of him. Maybe read the rest of the thread before responding and not just the first post?

Sorry to inconvenience you

 

[Reality Czech]

This.

Florida is exceptional at identifying players who have skill sets that would make them successful in their structure, get the most out of them.

I'm sure that's true to an extent, but I bet that their system and the talent on the team also makes players look better than they would on other teams. Kind of a chicken and egg situation.

I bet there are a lot of players that would look good if given a chance to play significant minutes on a top team. The thing is, many players never get that opportunity. Mikkola is a solid player, but I don't think he's particularly remarkable. Just a solid defensive d-man who's thriving on a stacked team.

 

[NYRfan85]

This.

Florida is exceptional at identifying players who have skill sets that would make them successful in their structure, get the most out of them.

This is especially showing in how the Charlotte Checkers, their AHL affiliate are doing now. The Checkers are currently up 2-0 in the East Finals on the league's #1 team, and are absolutely dangerous when shorthanded. They have a solid system in place.

 

[Louie the Blue]

being traded doesn't equate to not being broken. As you admitted they "gave up on him". Trade is just 1 way of getting rid of a player. Whether he was traded, placed on waivers, or not tendered they're all ways of getting rid of a player in your lineup. I guess anyone that picks them up after is in a sense a reclamation project.

Fine. The Blues had likely had no interest in retaining services due to his level of play and track record at the time not suggesting he’d be anything more than a competent bottom pairing defenseman.

Part of this is due to the Blues system defensively at the time and personnel being a mess. That doesn’t mean Mikkola didn’t contribute to the potential solution. It all doesn’t mean he was a reason for the problems either. He was just there.

 

[wolfgaze]