Quote:
Originally Posted by HighLifeMan
And that's a totally reasonable expectation, but that's also the difficult thing when evaluating this specific player and his circumstances here though. Jonathan Huberdeau more so than probably any other "star" player in this league almost exclusively relies on his playmaking abilities to produce.. whether or not his teammates finish those opportunities really isn't on him. He has an uncanny ability of finding passing lanes that most players quite frankly don't even recognize. I see ton's of criticism's that he's not a Nathan Mackinnon type "play driver" but he never has been and anyone who had ever watched him knew that. Does that make him more of a complimentary piece in the most simple sense? Sure, but a playmaker needs finishing talent. That much is known. No forward on this team is on the ice for more scoring chances for per 60 than Huberdeau is. That says something.
|
Are there any stats on how many of Huberdeau's passes actually connect? It seems like most of them never get through. Jamie McLennan was on Barn Burner the other day and mentioned the same thing. He tries to pass through four players and they mostly get picked off or blocked, and often results in a chance against. It's something that worked for him in the past, but as players get older, quite often things that used to work, stop working, and it's up to the player to adapt. Recognizing those lanes and then making pass requires absolute precision timing. If his reflexes have slowed even a tiny fraction, I can see how it won't work any more, at least consistently.