QOTD: Who is Joe Colborne?

[AcGold]

He's a friggin steal. He's even starting to get physical, levelled a guy and looks back like did I do that?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Well you're emphasizing "almost double" to make it seem like it would be such a stretch. The reality is, he's a young player, coming off his rookie season and entering his prime years, and given what we've seen in the second half of last year and early this season, it's not a stretch at all.

I'm quite surprised by your analysis of Joe Colborne, actually. It's contrary to almost every single opinion in here (which doesn't always necessarily mean a person is wrong). The "he wouldn't even make the lineup of contending teams" is especially surprising.

He likely wouldn't be top six on most contending teams, but to suggest he straight up wouldn't make any of their teams is straight out of crazy ville, imo.

I'm not emphasizing almost double to make it sound like a stretch. He had 28 points last year, and people are saying he will hit 50. That is almost double!

I am frankly shocked that I'm the only one on this side of the discussion, but like I said, I could well be wrong. I'm a Flames fan first and foremost here, so if he proves me entirely wrong its not like I will be disappointed!

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm not emphasizing almost double to make it sound like a stretch. He had 28 points last year, and people are saying he will hit 50. That is almost double!

I am frankly shocked that I'm the only one on this side of the discussion, but like I said, I could well be wrong. I'm a Flames fan first and foremost here, so if he proves me entirely wrong its not like I will be disappointed!

Fair enough, I just meant that you went out of your way to post it. To me, thinking a 30 year old perennial 30 point player will reach 60 points this year is crazy. Thinking a 28 year old perennial 60 point player will get 120 points is crazy.

But thinking a sophomore, 24 year old, formerly projected top 6 forward, who took huge strides last season and came in even better this young season, will go from 28 points to 50 points after starting the season with 8 assists in 9 games, isn't crazy at all, and is in fact a quite realistic prediction.

That's what I meant by taking issue with "almost double" being posted to emphasize that he would have to be double as good as last year, so therefore it's unrealistic to think it will happen.

[Greybeard]

I was top 6 winger... but I also think he has immense value as a shootout specialist. If he can continue at his current 50% pace or anywhere north of 35% he will pick us up a few points each year on this alone. We were awful for years in shootouts... Joe is helping to turn this around.

[Sylvanfan]

Sometimes I think people get a bit carried away in what they expect of a top 6 forward. On a lot of teams a guy who put's up 44 points with some good offensive ice time will be a teams 6th highest scoring forward. Andrew Shaw was the 6th highest scoring forward on the Black hawks with 39 points last year.

I think Colborne can develop into a winger who can put up 15 goals and 40-50 points and control the puck on the walls. Which to me would make him a top 6 forward. Not a true top line guy, but easily a guy who can be on your second line.

[FanIn80]

Wanted to vote Top 6 Forward, couldn't, voted Utility player instead.

[expatflame]

The only reason we have Colborne right now is Burke. Thank-you Burke!

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Stamkos ate him alive the other night. I don't know why Hartley kept that matchup.
Colborne is clearly not ready for that kind of competition, and maybe never will be. But his progression has been extremely good to this point, and gives confidence that other prospects will follow a high development curve.
Time will tell

To be fair Stamkos eats plenty of guys

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

To be fair Stamkos eats plenty of guys

There's some terrible imagery here

[albertGQ]

I'm with Slava on this one. I really don't see anything special about Joe Colborne. I think he would make a good 3rd line winger who is able to play on the 2nd line for short term solution.

He's big but doesn't play physical or uses his body to his advantage.
He's played well so far but in the long term, I can't see him being a top six forward permanently

Which is okay. I think he's found his role. 2nd line player on a rebuiling team. 3rd line player on a playoff/contending team with good depth.

I like Joe Colborne and I think he's a decent player. Not a great player though.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Stamkos ate him alive the other night. I don't know why Hartley kept that matchup.
Colborne is clearly not ready for that kind of competition, and maybe never will be. But his progression has been extremely good to this point, and gives confidence that other prospects will follow a high development curve.
Time will tell

2-1 overtime loss, could have easily been a shutout if not for a bad rebound/icing/clearing attempt

"ate him alive" is a bit of a stretch I would say...probably the best scorer in the game, did he have chances? yes, he does every single night

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

I'm with Slava on this one. I really don't see anything special about Joe Colborne. I think he would make a good 3rd line winger who is able to play on the 2nd line for short term solution.

He's big but doesn't play physical or uses his body to his advantage.
He's played well so far but in the long term, I can't see him being a top six forward permanently

Which is okay. I think he's found his role. 2nd line player on a rebuiling team. 3rd line player on a playoff/contending team with good depth.

I like Joe Colborne and I think he's a decent player. Not a great player though.

I think this is a bias that big guys face throughout the NHL. People see a 6'5 guy and want them to throw people around and just pound everyone into submission. Its the reason why Joe Thornton gets so much grief even though he's spent his career turning guys like Cheechoo and Setoguchi into 30/40/50 goal guys and has pretty much been the only guy beside Crosby in the NHL in the past ten years who can turn virtually any linemate he has into a scoring machine.

On Monahan's second goal he battled with two guys behind the net for the puck... he won the battle to move it over to Hudler and led to the goal. If that isn't using his size I'm not sure what is.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

I'm with Slava on this one. I really don't see anything special about Joe Colborne. I think he would make a good 3rd line winger who is able to play on the 2nd line for short term solution.

He's big but doesn't play physical or uses his body to his advantage.
He's played well so far but in the long term, I can't see him being a top six forward permanently

Which is okay. I think he's found his role. 2nd line player on a rebuiling team. 3rd line player on a playoff/contending team with good depth.

I like Joe Colborne and I think he's a decent player. Not a great player though.

I strongly disagree that he doesn't use his body to his advantage. He's hard to get off the puck down low. A good example is Monahan's second goal:

[DoubleF]

Do people actually think that Joe Colborne should be throwing people around like rag dolls like Milan Lucic?

Joe is Joe.

[ricardodw]

There are 73 games left in the regular season so have to temper my enthusiasm but right now the Flames have 4 forwards averaging more than 2 hits /game.

Glencross 24 in 9 games
Bollig 23 in 9
Bouma 18 in 8

and Colborne 18 in 9.

Byron, Stajan, McGrattan and Jooris and Setoguchi have at least 1 hit /game.




I know that there a lot of folks here that gave the RGI a really hard time but after 9 games to me there is a real case for cause and effect... Grit is a major factor in a team being successful. Having 9 forwards actually hitting someone on a regular basis spreads the workload and really creates space for Hudler, Monahan and Gaudreau and Raymond.

[djsFlames]

He's Monahan's right winger for the next 5+ years, is what he is.

[terminator]

I work with a close personal friend of Burke's; he suggested at the end of last season that Colborne was brough here as a favor to his father.

I guess Colborne's returning that favor.

[flamesfever]

I must admit I am pleasantly surprised at his success to date, however I don't believe his skill set is such that he will be top 6 when we get to a playoff team. IMO, in the long run, he will be somewhere between a third line winger and a utility player, depending on how many skilled players we manage to acquire.

[timbit]

Originally Posted by ricardodw

There are 73 games left in the regular season so have to temper my enthusiasm but right now the Flames have 4 forwards averaging more than 2 hits /game.

Glencross 24 in 9 games
Bollig 23 in 9
Bouma 18 in 8

and Colborne 18 in 9.

Byron, Stajan, McGrattan and Jooris and Setoguchi have at least 1 hit /game.




I know that there a lot of folks here that gave the RGI a really hard time but after 9 games to me there is a real case for cause and effect... Grit is a major factor in a team being successful. Having 9 forwards actually hitting someone on a regular basis spreads the workload and really creates space for Hudler, Monahan and Gaudreau and Raymond.

Getting to the puck first, protecting the puck, winning puck battles and overall puck possession which lead to big OZ time are huge factors in winning hockey games....if you have extraordinary goaltending, which the Flames have enjoyed this season, that is a bonus.

The players and teams that are doing a lot of the hitting don't have the puck much. They spend a lot of time chasing and arriving second.

True Grit is getting to the puck first....not being there second and landing a hit, after the opponent has gained possession and puck control.

Not rocket science.

[locsofblu]

He's just a man. A man who built the Eiffel tower out of metal and Braun!