Overhyped/Whipping Boys of CP

[Point Blank]

In light of the other thread about re-signing Chris Butler, I accidentally derailed the thread by mentioning Wideman. But I thought it would be a good idea to rank the CP whipping boys and which ones were most hyped or well-liked. Not sure if this has been done already but here's my list based on year from 2011 onwards (feel free to go as far back as you'd like, my memory sucks):

11/12
Hyped/Well-Liked:
1. Sven Baertschi
2. TJ Brodie
3. Derek Smith

Whipping Boys:
1. Chris Butler
2. Matt Stajan
3. Rene Bourque
4. Anton Babchuk

Biggest rise: Derek Smith- the guy went from a relatively unknown player to a CP favorite. Everyone was happy with him being re-signed.
Biggest fall: Rene Bourque- Looking back now, many new fans couldn't have believed that many long time fans at one time thought he'd be the next captain after Iggy.

12/13
Hyped/Well-Liked:
1. Sven Baertschi
2. Roman Cervenka (at least at the beginning)
3. Johnny Gaudreau
4. TJ Brodie

Whipping Boys:
1. Chris Butler
2. Jay Bouwmeester
3. Alex Tanguay
4. Tim Jackman
5. Blake Comeau

Biggest rise: Matt Stajan- I think CP never had any issues with his character, in this season he wasn't hyped or especially distinguished as a well-liked player, but definitely rose from being CP's most hated player due to the Phaneuf trade fleece.
Biggest fall: Tim Jackman- A former 10 goal scorer and known as a great locker room guy, but after this year fans couldn't care less when he was traded.

13/14
Hyped/Well-Liked:
1. Sean Monahan
2. Johnny Gaudreau
3. Markus Granlund
4. Mark Giordano
5. Lance Bouma
Edit: 5.5. Brian McGrattan (added due to consensus)

Whipping Boys:
1. TJ Galiardi
2. Kevin Westgarth
Edit: 2.5. Curtis Glencross (added due to consensus)
3. Mark Jankowski
4. Shane O'Brien
5. Sven Baertschi
6. Chris Butler
7. Dennis Wideman

Biggest rise: Markus Granlund- had an amazing camp, year at the AHL, and did well up in the NHL. Went from a Tom Erixon last minute salvage to a hyped prospect (in terms of pure skill, most of us would think it's crazy now if we did a one to one trade, Markus for Tom, but we probably would've done that two years ago). Some even went as far as labeled his shot as elite in the NHL level.
Biggest fall: Sven Baertschi- Just last year a huge portion of the Dome consisted of Baertschi jerseys. Not without skill, but he's been under a lot of fire for his mental game.

[RougeUnderoos]

I wouldn't mind being a "whipping boy" of CP, and believe me, I CAN NOT be overhyped.

Oh baby.

[trackercowe]

Good lists overall, but I'd try and add McGratton to your well-liked list. I don't really think anyone dislikes the guy, even if he doesn't add a whole lot to the team (on the ice at least).

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Good lists overall, but I'd try and add McGratton to your well-liked list. I don't really think anyone dislikes the guy, even if he doesn't add a whole lot to the team (on the ice at least).

I remember at one point people didn't like McGrattan but I don't remember what year that was.

[Enoch Root]

I can't believe you didn't have Glencross on this year's WB list

[Mightyfire89]

Who the hell doesn't like McGrattan!?

[Diemenz]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Good lists overall, but I'd try and add McGratton to your well-liked list. I don't really think anyone dislikes the guy, even if he doesn't add a whole lot to the team (on the ice at least).

He doesn't add a whole lot to the team? News to me.

[Point Blank]

Edit: Combined with my first post, see above

[IgiTang]

Id ont think Baertschi is necessarily a whipping boy as much as he was over-hyped, didnt meet unrealistic expectations, sent down, didnt meet expectations and going forward has realistic expectations placed upon him and needs to succeed and prove he isnt mentally fragile. Hopefully he does.

But on your list theres one constant and thats Butler. With the 11/12 WB and 12/13 WB lists, many of theose players are gone... except for Butler...

[Calgary4LIfe]

Overhyped and Whipping boys change quickly. Baertschi went from over-hyped to almost a whipping boy of sorts. Stajan was a huge whipping boy, and I will argue he is universally liked. Bouwmeester was over-hyped, turned into a whipping boy with his play, but in his last season with the Flames was fairly universally liked.

Whipping boys stay whipping boys until they work themselves out of it. Butler seemed to do it last season for the most part (though he is no favorite).

[Psytic]

[kehatch]

Baertschi was the can't miss prospect who was taking over for Iginla. Fortunately the board has learned it's lesson. Now I am off to read more about how Gaudreau is a great combination of Patrick Kane and Wayne Gretzky and will be even better than MSL.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Krack Korn

Who the hell doesn't like McGrattan!?

Canucks fans and Andrew Alberts.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Baertschi was the can't miss prospect who was taking over for Iginla. Fortunately the board has learned it's lesson. Now I am off to read more about how Gaudreau is a great combination of Patrick Kane and Wayne Gretzky and will be even better than MSL.

Unfortunately the lesson that should have been learned with Sven is patience. Not wanting to trade him constantly.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Point Blank

Whipping Boys:
2. Kevin Westgarth

Who doesn't like Westgarth?

1. Dat faceoff.
2. Dude more than quadrupled his previous career goal-scoring rate this season.

[Samiz]

Originally Posted by SebC

Who doesn't like Westgarth?

1. Dat faceoff.
2. Dude more than quadrupled his previous career goal-scoring rate this season.

I think it was the concept of Westgarth that was disliked. Having a 2nd "goon" taking up rookie playing time. Westgarth became the odd man out since everyone liked McGrattan

[Tinordi]

Gaudreau clearly for overhyped
Brodie for underrated
Glencross and Butler for whipping boys
Ramo and Granlund for overrated

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Point Blank

I remember at one point people didn't like McGrattan but I don't remember what year that was.

I would have to assume 09-10.

[Mars]

The trend I've noticed reading CP over the years is that players tend to fall into the whipping boy category when they are put in roles that are arguably above their abilities.

Glencross was well liked by CP when he was playing on the 3rd line with occasional 2nd line time (how many years ago was that now? 3-4?). The fact we "stole" him from Edmonton was always a big plus. For the last two seasons he has been expected to be a top line guy and has disappointed over all.

Similar to Glencross, Bourque was well liked when he was a 3rd/2nd guy, but when he was pushed into a top line role with higher expectations (that he failed to meet) he became a whipping boy.

Butler was a whipping boy when he was paired with Jaybo and was getting regularly exposed by tough competition, but this past season playing on a lower pairing where he has met expectations, the complaints from CP have mostly dried up.

Not saying it's wrong necessarily, the fanbase has a right to be unhappy when a player doesn't meet expectations, but we do tend to go a bit crazy sometimes.

[bubbsy]

everyone needs to look at a guy like backlund. The guy was drafted in 2007, and finally had a solid/consistent season and looks like a legit player hitting his potential in the 2013 season!

It is just too easy to get wrapped up on where a player is drafted. Outside the top5 in a given year, it should be assumed that the player's natural progression is perhaps another year of junior, a year of AHL, another year up and down at the AHL, and then getting a full year up (even that is a maybe for smaller picks or dmen). Anything earlier is just bonus/gravy.

We (myself included) are just too emotional about the picks. They're either sure thing top 6ers, or sure-busts, whereas the truth is usually somewhere in the middle when assessing their current development level.

Baertchi getting hurt this offseason at the wold championships is very very disappointing, as i was really hoping for a solid offseason training regiment where he came in bulkier/stronger for camp. It is so important for him to get off to a good start and get on a bit of a roll to start the year off. It seems he gets down on things if he hits a bump or two early on.