Quote:
Originally Posted by AFireInside
I'm just not sure what anyone is expecting. He's a playmaker playing with players who aren't really goal scorers. He makes multiple nice passes every game to guys who aren't shooters.
He makes bad plays too but if his linemates were finishing more often people would ignore those mistakes like they are currently doing with Kadri.
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With his cap hit there are obviously going to be massive expectations. Him and his agent undoubtedly sat in Treliving's office, looked him in the eye and made their case that he would be a franchise-type player they could build around, be a dynamic gamebreaker and a superstar player to go up against the best in the West. That is what 10.5M should get you. I personally don't buy that the blame is on his teammates, or lack thereof, of not finishing his passes. This is the NHL. Every single player makes nice passes each and every game. Almost all players can shoot. If other elite passers in the game can turn their "bum" linemates into goal scorers, for 10.5M, Huberdeau should be able to do the same.
Player's don't get to hide behind the veil of "I need 2 of these guys to live up to my cap hit". If that's the case, then maybe the discussion in BT's office should have been how before I sign on this dotted line, let's make sure I have the proper players around me. Lindholm, Mangiapane, Zary, etc are all good shooters and he has been tried with each. He has failed miserably.
I want the guy to succeed as much as anybody. But this is rough now. Very very rough.