Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
I always notice Protas quite a bit.
That could be because he has a funny name and Sam Rosen is hilarious with funny names, but the analytics back it up.
Quiet breakout players this season
- Thread starter WhatTheDuck
- Start date
That could be because he has a funny name and Sam Rosen is hilarious with funny names, but the analytics back it up.
The dude is 17th in ESP in the league and has no PP points because he gets no PP time (averaging 5 seconds a game). Every time I look at ESP's, his name sticks out as needing some laurels.
Machinehead
HFNYR MVP
25 has him sandwiched between guys like Marner and Necas above and Kopitar and Tavares below. That's name category.
Lacombe always had the tools. Good size, skating, puck handling, and offensive instincts. The question with him was if he would ever develop the risk/reward judgement that every successful NHL Dman needs. In his final year of college he looked to take steps in that regard, whereas before he made too many mistakes. Some similarities to Brady Skjei.
turkleton85
Registered User
- Dec 12, 2017
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WhatTheDuck
9 - 20 - 8
Definitely a very physically gifted player. Early in the season, he had a couple high profile gaffs that ended up directly in the back of the wrong net, but really has cleaned his game up overall.
Liked Lacombe as a Gopher. Wild to think (no pun intended) that Lacombe was the guy who got the PP duty and kept Faber off the first unit.
Faber didn't even get to play on the 2nd unit. That was Koster, i think. Ryan Johnson also got frozen out of PP TOI, even though he had nice skills... he was considered to be a better skater than Faber for the longest time. How is he doing down in Rochester?
saska sault
Registered User
Probably doesn't qualify as breakout....but Emil Heinemen has been a quiet revelation for the Habs this year. 6+4 in 30 games isn't out of this world, but it is somewhat unexpected.
He has a fantastic shot.
He has a fantastic shot.
That's right, it was Koster on PP2! Forgot that, it's been a minute. RJohnson has been good as a shutdown guy both in Rochester and in NHL viewing (up over 40 GP now). Still doesn't get PP time down there, looked good as Byram's partner in limited action just last week and then they out-thought themselves again by sending him down to put Jokiharju back in the lineup to get lit on fire by the Leafs after sitting out against the Caps.
Speaking of quiet breakouts, can Travis Sanheim get some love with how he's producing on the blueline? Last year was good, this year even better.
elmaco
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Connor Zary is continuing his breakout. His scoring pace is still the same as last season, but he has looked much more dynamic and is driving play more than last year.
wickedwitch
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- Mar 21, 2010
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Sandin's been great. He's not putting up super high point totals, partially because he's on a mediocre PP2 with no chance of getting any PP1 time, but his 5v5 play and (limited) 4v5 play have very good.
For the Panthers:
Mikkola - LD, Zito signed him as a free agent to a 3 year deal x $2.5 million last year. Turns 29 in April.
Paired mostly with Montour last year while playing in all 82 + 24 playoff games posting 3 goals and 17 points. They were a decent pairing but he's played 67% of the even strength time this year with Kulikov. The whole team defense and goaltending are leaking a lot more goals than last year though.
Although, Mikkola is on pace for over 10 goals and 35 or so points, played all 33 games this year while providing an all around skill set of decent defense, hits, blocks and plays 2nd unit PK averaging 20 minutes a game for past 2 seasons.
Montour finished with 8 goals, 33 points in 66 games ('23-'24) and 11 goals, 37 points in 81 games ('21-'22) for reference.
He's filled some of the void left with Montour (excluding his 70+ point season outlier)
Can't knock that type of versatility for $2.5 million per. Most Panthers fans seem to agree, Zito should re-sign the big Finn this July, even with a year left on current deal.
HM: J. Boqvist, AJ Greer and Mackie Samoskevich
Mikkola - LD, Zito signed him as a free agent to a 3 year deal x $2.5 million last year. Turns 29 in April.
Paired mostly with Montour last year while playing in all 82 + 24 playoff games posting 3 goals and 17 points. They were a decent pairing but he's played 67% of the even strength time this year with Kulikov. The whole team defense and goaltending are leaking a lot more goals than last year though.
Although, Mikkola is on pace for over 10 goals and 35 or so points, played all 33 games this year while providing an all around skill set of decent defense, hits, blocks and plays 2nd unit PK averaging 20 minutes a game for past 2 seasons.
Montour finished with 8 goals, 33 points in 66 games ('23-'24) and 11 goals, 37 points in 81 games ('21-'22) for reference.
He's filled some of the void left with Montour (excluding his 70+ point season outlier)
Can't knock that type of versatility for $2.5 million per. Most Panthers fans seem to agree, Zito should re-sign the big Finn this July, even with a year left on current deal.
HM: J. Boqvist, AJ Greer and Mackie Samoskevich
Bjornar Moxnes
Fordi fellesskap fungerer
Plgilbert89
Registered User
Sergachev has been tremendous stepping up as the top D for Utah both offensively, defensively and he is a good mentor as well.
qc14
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- Jul 1, 2024
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Feel like McMichael and Protas have gotten their flowers. My other Caps pick is Sandin. Quietly having maybe the best season out of every non top pair defenseman in the league. Absolutely crushing his minutes at 5v5 and contributing a fair number of points too. He had a nice stretch right after they acquired him but it was mostly on the PP and he looked pretty rough last year, so I'm definitely surprised to see him look this good.
LA is having a surprisingly strong year, laferriere is putting up some numbers
Yes! LA has had disappoinbting out put from some of their high draft picks, but Laferriere looks great, and is a 3rd rounder to boot.
