Quote:
Originally Posted by ThatsRobbery
I agree with most of this Sven really started his own hype train. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact he was our only legitimate top prospect since Phaneuf, so when we saw what he was doing at the junior level and in his emergency call-up, it did make expectations in our minds realistically high.
Now anything that doesn't hit that level is a grave disappointment. He does deserves much of the criticism he has received, but I also think he gets so much of it due to how we felt about him 2-3 years ago. Always thought he needed some AHL seasoning and he really didn't earn his NHL spot his first year but was better last year playing with Hudler and Monahan. I think anyone picked at his draft position usually needs a few years of AHL time but he was rushed due to his 5 game stint.
He's definitely I think our most interesting prospect in that if he can regain anywhere close to the Sven we saw, he is a huge addition to the future as not many of our other prospects possess the skill he could add to our top 6.
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Firstly, I'll say that I knew he was going to need time in the AHL, as almost all good prospects do. He has performed rather poorly in the AHL considering what he did in junior. Even now, he has 95 games of experience in the AHL and 69 points in that time frame. That would be fine except his PPG is regressing over that period of time. It went from 26 points in 32 games his first year (0.81 PPG), which were respectable numbers for any first year pro top prospect, to 29 points in 41 games last year (0.71 PPG), and this year he's got 14 points in 22 games (0.64 PPG). He should have gone the other way at this point, at least offensively, and be over a PPG player in the minors after 3 years and nearly 100 games. It's a bad sign and that is mostly on the player.
Secondly, he had holes in his game that were obvious to most who watch the game. He wasn't strong enough on puck battles and he lacked defensive zone awareness. Those should have been improved upon in the minors but he's only made marginal improvements over 3 years. You don't have to be a big bulking player to be difficult to play against, just ask Paul Byron. You don't have to be physical to win puck battles, just ask Johnny Gaudreau.
Sven's lack of progression on the poorer parts of his game, and his clear regression on the strength of his game, is a considerable disappointment to me and others. If people are upset at Sven and decide to post negative points about him, I can't blame them in the slightest.
And now the caveat, he's only 22 and he still has time to figure it out, but that time is running out quickly.