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The All-Overrated Team of 2014-2015 |
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The All-Overrated Team of 2014-2015
So…when I wrote the “All Underrated Team of 2014-2015” it was a rather difficult task. In comparison, this is so much more fun. Also so much more volatile. I expect a lot of hate from this, but I don’t care. As with all of my articles, I believe in expressing your opinion and giving the ideas their due with actual expectations. I would like to explain right here and now (because you won’t read this anyways) that calling a player overrated doesn’t make them a “bad” player. It doesn’t make them an undesirable player. It doesn’t make them a worthless player. It doesn’t mean that the player can never improve or in other cases re-capture glory. Good players can be overrated. Great players can be overrated. That’s the nature of this game. Screw it.
Centre - Travis Zajac
The other option was Ryan Kesler. More controversial, but after having a good chat with my friend, I called it off. Zajac was number two. Zajac has gotten away with being arguably the most overrated centre of all time for years. He made a name for himself riding Parise’s coattails. How do we know he rode them? Well Parise is still a star scoring 30+ goals; Zajac can barely score 20 points. This is a 40 point centre. A centre that is fine defensively. I think he’s overrated in his own zone since many consider him “elite,” but he’s not a liability, just not elite. However, this is a guy playing 20 minutes a night practically. He’s for the entire world to see, a top line centre. He isn’t one. He’s paid like it. He’s reputed to be one. He simply isn’t, he’s a marginal second line centre that is strong defensively. He is the Rich Peverley…the Tyler Bozak…the…well you get it. Now he had 48 points last season so obviously I’m full of it right? Well again, he is the recipient, not the driving force. He is the expected generator of offense on the Devils. He’s paid to do it. He plays to do it. He doesn’t. He’s the most overrated centre in the world, because others who underwhelm at least have criticizers, while Zajac is completely untouched.
Left Wing - David Perron
Perron is a failure. He is a failure because the expectations as a feel good overage first round pick have turned into a petulant overrated second line winger. Perron is one of the worst defensive forwards in the game. He’s a pit bull…against puppies. Potential is always being used as a potential explanation why Perron is always disappointing. Potential. A beautiful word. It will factor later in this article. All I can say is that Perron has been run out of town too many times and even in Pittsburgh given a shot most would kill for looks like an odd man out. The soon to be 27 year old is one of the most one dimensional forwards in the game…and can’t put enough offensively to deter his shortcomings. He has never been the subject of criticism though. He’s always “miscast.” Or the coaching staff doesn’t “understand” him” Nor do they “use him correctly.” Bollocks. You fool me once, shame on you. You fool me twice? Shame on me. You fool me thrice…well here’s a poorly written blog.
Right Wing - Brayden Schenn
But Schenn’s a centre! A franchise centre! Right? The term “natural centre” will show up now. I’m projecting, but only slightly. Schenn is a solid 2nd line winger. He isn’t what people portray him as. He holds the stigma of heroism. Unlike Eberle who has way too much “heroism” on his “resume,” he at least has proved himself in the NHL. Schenn falls with Ryan Ellis as why the WJC’s and beating up Norway twice can skew expectations. Let alone that Schenn was “supposed” to be the hidden gem at 5. Yet all 4 of the guys ahead of him have achieved more and a few after as well. That shouldn’t be the end of him, but sadly his reputation is the end of results. He’s a fine one-way second line player. I don’t need to keep hearing about how amazing he could be if Voracek was out of his way…ya if only that guy a few points off the Art Ross would get out of his way! Expectations were and are still too high. Reality remains.
Defense -
Cody Franson
Franson is terrible. I can’t be even slightly apologetic. He knows his way around the offensive zone no doubt. You make him stand still there for long enough he will get some points. He is credited with about 9 hits a game. I don’t know what the definition of a “hit” is…but it’s not what Franson does during a game. He has a few big hits…no doubt. He’s 6’4 220. He doesn’t do it 9 times a game. I did this a few times; I focused 100% on him in 4 games straight. He was credited with 32 hits, 5 takeaways and 4 giveaways. I counted 7 hits, 10 takeaways and 51 giveaways. I count a giveaway for what it actually is. Losing possession of the puck. If you want the specific games I will link them. He’s the ultimate one dimensional defender, but is 6’5 so he’s not one dimensional! The fact that at the trade deadline actual experts were saying he would garner 5+ million as an UFA. The media were talking about how he is better than Dion Phaneuf and is actually the Leafs best defenseman. He got a first round pick pretty much. To be a 5-6 defender…which he is insane.
Jake Gardiner
Gardiner is a player I have watched a lot at this point. I’m pretty much done with him. We all see that magical “potential.” When he has the puck on his stick and open ice he’s a dream to watch. Effortless skating and a good eye for offense. However whenever he doesn’t have the puck he is a pure disaster. Not only in his own end, but in the offensive zone. He just doesn’t seem to understand what to do without the puck. It’s why he is nearly useless on the power play, a trait that I find amusing from an “offensive defender.” It’s why he is useless in his own zone defending. He just has no awareness of opponents, teammates or even the puck if it isn’t taped to his stick. I believe in using advanced stats to augment arguments. To help gain a perspective I wouldn’t have seen. Advanced stats would have me believe that Gardiner is not only the best Leafs defenseman, but that he’s actually fantastic! This is where I have to take a stand I don’t normally do and say “watch the games nerd.” I get it though. He does drive possession. He starts in his own zone more often than not, enters the opponent’s zone, goes for a dip behind the opponents net and makes a random useless pass and goes for a skate. Watch Gardiner for as long as you can stand doing so during a Leaf game. He will make that move about 6 times a game. It looks fantastic on the fancy stats sheet, he’s literally driving possession. It ends more often than not in a useless endeavour. Gardiner is a purely offensive defender that doesn’t generate a ton of offense. I would honestly be fine with him being clueless in his own zone…if he actually produced enough to warrant it. He simply doesn’t at this time. When Phaneuf went down and Franson was dealt, this was Gardiner’s big chance to step up with all the offensive minutes simply dumped on him. He hasn’t, a 20 year old sophomore has. Gardiner is turning 25 soon, he isn’t just some rookie. There’s always hope he can improve, but I’m not holding my breath.
Goaltender - Tuukka Rask
This is probably the only controversial one. I couldn’t decide between him and Ryan Miller. Ultimately I went with Rask because of several reasons. I will say this right now. Tuukka Rask is a very good starting goalie. Likely in the top-10. He is also excellent for fantasy hockey. That said. Rask is overrated. Rask is put in the camp of being the best goalie in the NHL. Consistently he is put as a candidate for the best goalie in the world. Up there with guys like Lundqvist and Price etc. Rask plays on a team designed to drain offense from its opponents. The top two centres are; arguably the best two-way Selke winner in the world and another guy considered fantastic in his own zone in his own rights. Rask plays on a team that has had a Norris level Chara chomping on players at an elite level. Rask plays on a team that is so demanding of defensive excellence that they traded two young offensively gifted star players (Kessel then Seguin). In his Vezina winning season (stolen from Varlamov), he faced almost 400 less shots in only two less games started than Varlamov. He shouldn’t have won the Vezina that year. If we keep telling ourselves that the “Big Bad Bruins” are the most difficult team to play against, why are we then shocked when the revolving door of goalies constantly put up elite numbers? Anton Khudobin .920sv%, Chad Johnson .925sv%, Niklas Svedberg .918sv%. Are you seeing the pattern? I would take Rask on my team in a heartbeat. That doesn’t mean he isn’t overrated.
David Perron - Travis Zajac - Brayden Schenn
Cody Franson - Jake Gardiner
Tuukka Rask
Thanks for reading.
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