A beat writer with the initials TP says Hextall should have made Schenn prove he was worth $5m by scoring 70 points this season.

Seventy.

A beat writer with the initials TP says Hextall should have made Schenn prove he was worth $5m by scoring 70 points this season.

Seventy.
- Feanor

On twitter after making the point that Schenn was overpaid, a beat writer with the same initials agreed with a response that said Couturier was the one who was really overpaid, because he's just a shut down guy

Yeah, like Gordon being marginally better than Ryan White on draws is going to magically make the 4th-line capable of actually handling heavy minutes... Coots and G are still gonna be responsible for d-zone/late-period/late-game situations.

Unless Hak is crazy enough to match Gordon/VdV/PEB up against Crosby with the game on the line.
- Tomahawk

I think Read and Lyubimov are more likely to be on the 4th line than VdV. That would be 2/3 of the Hak line that got crushed in balanced zone starts being out of this year's lineup.

To only add to the White vs. Gordon debate. You cannot question White's work ethic. He's likely to make the team with his grit and faceoff ability. At Gordon's age, some might question how likely it is he makes the team.

On twitter after making the point that Schenn was overpaid, a beat writer with the same initials agreed with a response that said Couturier was the one who was really overpaid, because he's just a shut down guy
- Jsaquella

Had to see for myself. Jeepers, he is a grade-A moron. To spew the crap he does, in the poorly written, glorified box-score way he does it, "overpaid" is the first word that comes to mind. By a million. Given he probably doesn't make that, he's still overpaid by a million.

A beat writer with the initials TP says Hextall should have made Schenn prove he was worth $5m by scoring 70 points this season.

Seventy.
- Feanor

He has to be trolling with that remark.

On twitter after making the point that Schenn was overpaid, a beat writer with the same initials agreed with a response that said Couturier was the one who was really overpaid, because he's just a shut down guy
- Jsaquella

Ok, so maybe he's not trolling and is just really wine drunk.

To only add to the White vs. Gordon debate. You cannot question White's work ethic. He's likely to make the team with his grit and faceoff ability. At Gordon's age, some might question how likely it is he makes the team.
- roenick97

Gordon is very likely to make the team. Pretty much a lock.

"Hextall described Schenn as a player who has been “average” in his development, yet has improved in the subtle “intricacies” of the game such as finding open spots, avoiding shot blocks and coming cleanly across the blue line without turning the puck over." Umm, you just signed the guy for 4 years at $5 mil plus per. How about at least sounding a little enthusiastic about him?

"Hextall described Schenn as a player who has been “average” in his development, yet has improved in the subtle “intricacies” of the game such as finding open spots, avoiding shot blocks and coming cleanly across the blue line without turning the puck over." Umm, you just signed the guy for 4 years at $5 mil plus per. How about at least sounding a little enthusiastic about him?
- Dkos

I liked the line about him asking how do you define a "core" player when asked if they view Schenn as one. The bolded is a bit out of context though....he was talking about his rate of development as a top 5 pick being slower than expected, as in he wasn't an early bloomer or a late bloomer in the NHL but average.

Hexy and Hak aren't exactly generous with the encomiums though.

I liked the line about him asking how do you define a "core" player when asked if they view Schenn as one. The bolded is a bit out of context though....he was talking about his rate of development as a top 5 pick being slower than expected, as in he wasn't an early bloomer or a late bloomer in the NHL but average.

Hexy and Hak aren't exactly generous with the encomiums though.
- Mononoke

Come on...he can't even commit to calling him a core player?

Come on...he can't even commit to calling him a core player?
- Dkos

He just committed 4 years and 20.5M to Brayden Schenn.

He just committed 4 years and 20.5M to Brayden Schenn.
- MJL

Exactly my point. How about sounding a little enthusiastic about the guy?

Exactly my point. How about sounding a little enthusiastic about the guy?
- Dkos

Semantics

Exactly my point. How about sounding a little enthusiastic about the guy?
- Dkos

Hextall is reserved and close to the vest. His comments about a core player were more about what is a core player, rather than a comment on Brayden Schenn.

Semantics
- Mordecai

I wouldn't call him a core player, his progress has been average, and we're overpaying him for the first two year, but I'm pretty happy with the amount were paying him in the last two years. Thanks Hexy, I'm pumped!

I wouldn't call him a core player, his progress has been average, and we're overpaying him for the first two year, but I'm pretty happy with the amount were paying him in the last two years. Thanks Hexy, I'm pumped!
- Dkos

We'll see!

Hextall is reserved and close to the vest. His comments about a core player were more about what is a core player, rather than a comment on Brayden Schenn.
- MJL

I like what hextall is saying. He doesn't kiss ass and is basically saying just because you got your money don't mean your set. I could see him moving schenn if things didn't go the way hextall wanted.

Read is the new Umberger.

I like what hextall is saying. He doesn't kiss ass and is basically saying just because you got your money don't mean your set. I could see him moving schenn if things didn't go the way hextall wanted.
- J35Bacher

I agree, Hextall doesn't want players to feel they have it made, and don't have to fight for ice time, and their role on the team.

Read is the new Umberger.
- flyer_nutter

Not even close.

A beat writer with the initials TP says Hextall should have made Schenn prove he was worth $5m by scoring 70 points this season.

Seventy.
- Feanor

Sigh. That would put him in the top 16 in the whole league.

People have to start adjusting their point expectations in todays game. We see it in here a lot as well.

I don't think the idea is to totally remove the burden of Giroux or Couturier, but to provide a line that can assume a more defense first role and handle a heavier load. They didn't exactly trust Bellemare, White & VandeVelde last year to be a supplementary shutdown line.
- Jsaquella

I think a few of us are basically calling this part into question... Gordon being a one-way player doesn't necessarily mean he's all that good defensively... whatever line he's on is gonna get caved at either end, no matter who they're out against probably.

So yeah, not sure what indication there is (outside of FO's) that he'll be an improvement over any of the replacement-level players they were carrying last season, considering he's replacement-level himself.

I also think PK is really the primary focus and their scouting & analysis tells them Gordon is an exceptional PK guy.
- Jsaquella

Maybe this is where he'll bring some value. Maybe.

I think a few of us are basically calling this part into question... Gordon being a one-way player doesn't necessarily mean he's all that good defensively... whatever line he's on is gonna get caved at either end, no matter who they're out against probably.

So yeah, not sure what indication there is (outside of FO's) that he'll be an improvement over any of the replacement-level players they were carrying last season, considering he's replacement-level himself.
- Tomahawk

It may well, which is why I want a strong possession guy like Read on his line. It's obvious that Hextall and his guys targeted Gordon. Just have to hope that their analysis of him trumps the data and views we have.

Maybe this is where he'll bring some value. Maybe.
- Tomahawk

My guess here is, as I said earlier, that they view the PK issues as a result of poor execution or personnel, rather than scheme, because they retained Laperriere. They loaded up on more B6 options here, too, which tells me they are going to really have a competition-outside of guys like Wiese.

Sigh. That would put him in the top 16 in the whole league.

People have to start adjusting their point expectations in todays game. We see it in here a lot as well.
- MBFlyerfan

Not to drone on, or single out your post, MB, but we see it everywhere. I tried hunting for the Burtsch tweets I referenced earlier, but scoring is down. 65 points-or scoring at a 65 point pace- is elite level production.

Look around. Chicago's 4th leading scorer had 49 points. 5th leading scorer had 43. Outside of Kane, Panarin and Toews, their highest scoring forward was Artem Anisimov, with 42 points.

St Louis had two guys with 50 or more points. Their third highest scorer was Paul Stastny with 49. Even if you look at a juggernaut like Dallas, they only had 5 guys over 50 points, and nobody with between 40 and 54 points.

The Flyers had 4 guys over 50 and a third who had 46 in just 64 games. That doesn't include Couturier, who had 39 in 63 games, which is a 51 point pace over 82 games.