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Welcome to another edition of the Hockeybuzz hotstove.
In this one we'll be discussing some players who have been the biggest disappointments this season (i.e. players failing to live up to previous years and/or expectations).
Todd Cordell: Henrik Lundqvist
I know the Rangers have had some injury problems this year, notably on defense, but Henrik Lundqvist has been a huge disappointment in my eyes.
This season it seems as if he's unable to put together good starts on a consistent basis and some weak goals that normally don't get by him are squeaking through.
Lundqvist has a below average save percentage of .906 right now, which ranks 32nd in the NHL among goaltenders with 10 or more games played. I'm sure he'll come around eventually, but to this point he hasn't played all that well.
Ryan Wilson: Nate MacKinnon
Talent is still evident and by no means am I concerned about his future as a superstar player but I was expecting a Tyler Seguin-like rise to stardom this year. Right now he only has 5 goals and that puts him at a 15 goal pace for the year. Considering the Avs are not a good possession team they desperately need offense from their game breakers. So far MacKinnon has not delivered.
Tim Chiasson: Evander Kane
For a player that's supposed to be a lethal scoring threat in the top-six he's severely under-performing. The Jets go into each season counting on Kane to provide them significant offense and this year he isn't doing what he's paid to do.
Kane only has four goals and six assists through 20 games this year and a 16 goal pace (over 82 games) is unacceptable for a player with as much scoring talent as Kane has.
Evander Kane should be a thirty goal scorer in the NHL but he's just not getting it done. He's been the biggest disappointment for me so far in 2014-2015.
Coming in close: Cody Hodgson, Anze Kopitar
James Tanner: Anze Kopitar
It's got to be Kopitar. This is a guy who should hit 70 every year easily and he's on pace for what, 30? Yikes.
Also, MacKinnon - who I think is actually playing decently, from the limited number of times I've seen the Avalanche play is not putting up the points I was expecting, he's really hurting my hockey pool.
Obviously Vanek too has been a joke. Jake Gardiner seems to have taken a step back after being one of the best Leafs in the last half-season of last year.
So that's four, I know you said one, sorry about that.
Adam French: Alex Semin
There can be no other choice in my mind. Semin has always been a controversial player. Blessed with size, speed and one of the best natural shots in the game, he has always been mired in inconsistency and questioned about his defensive work and conditioning. One thing nobody ever questioned was his ability to produce. After seeming to find some amazing chemistry with E. Staal and Jiri Tlusty as all three had fantastic seasons, one would have thought he would continue to be the 60-80 point player he is. Well, Rutherford might have learned something about "contract years."
Semin has one goal this year. One stinking goal. He's on pace for the worst season of his entire career, which includes a 19-20 year old rookie season on one of the worst teams in the decade. All at the ripe young age of 30. I don't know if he will turn it around, but should he not, this will be up with Dany Heatley in the riches to rags pendulum. He's making 7 million dollars a season for another three years. I gave him a pass last season because the Canes were frankly a mess and his 22 goals and 42 points in 65 games was still one of the better performances on the team. This season though, 6 points in 21 games is unacceptable and terrible. Easily the most disappointing player this season.
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