Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
Lidholm has managed to produce regardless of who else is on his line. Year in and year out he has been a 15-40 player. Yes, Ferland ONCE scored 21-goals in an extremely favourable situation, but how concerned are we really that a player...
· whose high-water mark is -4 goals
· who scores consistently in all situations
· who consistently posts higher point totals
· who is three-years younger than Ferland
...will not provide higher production on that line than Ferland, and overall throughout the lineup with whomever else he is paired?
But he has proved to be CONSISTENTLY equal to scoring goals as Micheal Ferland. Ferland proved he could score with Gaudreau and Monahan, and yet that amounted to only +4 goals over Lindholm's career high. Lindholm has been used with all sorts of players in all situations, and still has virtually matched Ferland's goal-totals over Ferland's three-year NHL career. So really, I don't see much of a drop off at all in potential goal-scoring between the two players, but Lindholm's ability to drive offence and to contribute in all areas combined with his higher overall potential does set him in a higher stratosphere.
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I do think that Lindholm has more potential than Ferland, and clearly is better in certain parts of the game than Ferland already but I don't like the use of exaggeration in comparing the two. It suggest bias and distorts the reality of what transpired. Flames acquired potential, youth and what they hope will be salary certainty.
Lindholm is not a year in year out 15 goal scorer. In 4 years in the NHL, he scored 11 goals twice. His high water mark is 4 goals less than Ferland's most recent season, also Ferland's high water mark. Lindholm has had good linemates, and significantly more ice time and PP time than Ferland. Ferland is definitely older but quite obviously a late bloomer with consistently increasing production every year. Prior to the trade, Monahan's injuries were often cited as a reason for the team's performance down the stretch. After the trade, it does not get mentioned as a reason for Ferland's declining production during the year.
None of this is to say I prefer Ferland over Lindholm. I don't.