Zegras – 50 Shades of Drouin?

By JD Lagrange – In the secretive corridors of hockey’s inner sanctum, a name floats like a whisper, laden with tantalizing intrigue: Trevor Zegras. Stirred by Pierre LeBrun’s suggestive prodding, curiosity lingers, urging us to delve deeper into the mystique surrounding Zegras. We’ve flirted with the edges of his style before, analyzing its provocative deviation from our team’s norm.

But now, as rumours swirl, drawing eerie parallels to trades of yesteryears about Jonathan Drouin, we find ourselves ensnared once more in the seductive dance of speculation. Ah, the echoes of past risks linger, beckoning us into the shadowy depths of uncertainty. Shall we succumb to temptation?

Comparatives

It is interesting to note that both young men have had issues with their respective teams at that stage in their career. Drouin, wanting more ice time, requested a trade from the Lightning though his agent Allan Walsh. Zegras, wanting more money on a long term deal, held out at training camp and finally signed a bridge deal ($5.75M cap hit) 12 days before the Ducks’ season opener.

Let’s now dive into some statistical comparisons based on the performances of the two players in their first three seasons in the NHL.

DROUINZEGRAS
5’11”HEIGHT6’0″
198WEIGHT185
22AGE22
3rd OA in 2013DRAFT9th OA in 2019
164GP200
29G53
66A93
95PTS146
0.58PTS/GP0.73
-9+/--44
15:23 (9th)TOI/GP17:55 (3rd)
2:27 (8th)PP TOI/GP2:40 (1st)
23 (12th)PEN TAKEN65 (2nd)
2.92HITS/601.95
2.40GvA/602.84
2.11TkA/601.48
0.80BkS/601.22
52.4SAT%49.1
51.8USAT%48.3
(rank amongst forwards on their respective team over their first 3 seasons)

Admittedly, the statistics may be somewhat distorted due to the differing caliber of the teams they represented. While the Lightning boasted Stanley Cup contention, the Ducks found themselves mired in significant struggles. Yet, this dynamic can cut both ways. Drouin, positioned amidst formidable talent, was deprived of the top-line opportunities afforded to Zegras, who ascended immediately to such heights. Nonetheless, Drouin undoubtedly reaped benefits in the plus-minus department from his tenure in Tampa, for example.

The rationale behind the Ducks’ willingness to trade him is very likely for the same reasons why they didn’t offer him a long term deal to start with. They have questions about his game, so they would consider putting him on the trade block because of the following:

  • He lacks proficiency in his defensive responsibilities.
  • His penchant for laziness results in numerous avoidable penalties.
  • He tends to vanish when faced with rougher and more physical game situations.
  • He prefers the safety of the perimeter over engaging in the physical battles in the corners or in front of the net.
  • While he exhibits flashy skills, often captured for highlight videos, they often lack substance in games situations.
  • His potential trade value is inflated, as teams may be inclined to overpay for him.

Let me be clear, I’m all for Hughes acquiring another promising top-6 forward. However, Zegras simply doesn’t fit the bill in my humble opinion, at least not based on what I’ve observed from him out here in the west. I’d prefer to see the Canadiens exercise patience, waiting for the right deal, rather than rushing into a trade they may come to regret.

As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Zegras embodies laziness, defensive irresponsibility, and a tendency to stick to the perimeter. St-Louis might work wonders for a player eager to learn and grow, but I have my doubts about his impact on Zegras, just as he struggled with Drouin.

As the whispers of trade speculation fade into the ether, Habs’ fans find themselves ensnared in the tangled web of uncertainty, our thoughts a labyrinth of desire and doubt. Trevor Zegras, with all his allure and flaws, remains a tantalizing enigma, a seductive puzzle yet to be unraveled.

Will the Canadiens succumb to the allure of his flashy potential, or will they heed the cautionary whispers of hesitation? Only time will tell, as we navigate the treacherous waters of hockey’s dark romance, where passion and prudence collide in a dance as intricate as it is unpredictable. And so, we find ourselves bound to the edge of anticipation, longing for the climax of this tale, even as I fear the bitter taste of regret that may linger in its aftermath.

Seven Underperforming Forwards on The Habs

By JD Lagrange – As hockey players, we can look at many reasons and excuses to justify a tough season or a rough start to one. Injuries are certainly a factor, as could being a new player needing time to adjust to a new system, teammates and environment. But when push comes to shove, the NHL is a performance league and as harsh as it might sound at times, you are being judged by what you do on the ice. Fair or not, expectations are set on what a player has done in the past and on the salary he’s making. In Montreal so far this season, seven players must give more than what they’ve shown so far.

Yes, on the Canadiens, you have a long list of players whom, up until now, have not lived up to expectations not only from the fans, but if they’re being honest, on what they had set for themselves. Twenty-seven games into the season, we have reached exactly the third of the season mark and while the team as a whole is meeting to exceeding expectations with a 13-12-2 record, they have been slowed down in their progress by a few players. We can even narrow it down by position as they are all forwards.

List of seven

Let’s see who they are, shall we? You will notice that I have left out rookie Juraj Slafkovsky because really, there were little to no expectations when it came to production going into his first NHL season. In fact, many thought that he would be in Laval this year. Also, Mike Hoffman was a big disappointment in the first month or so of the season but since November 8th, he has managed five goals and two assists in his last seven games, which included an injury that kept him out of the line-up for eight games during that stretch.

For this exercise, I have included their production so far this season, the pace that they are at if they play every game to finish this season, and their career average over 82 games. Doing it that way is more than fair for the players as it counts the first part of their career when they were not as productive as they were later on, particularly for veteran players.

NAMEGPGAPTS
BRENDAN GALLAGHER2022-2322358
PACE77111829
CAREER/82GP660252449
EVGENII DADONOV2022-2323235
PACE7871017
CAREER/82GP436242751
JAKE EVANS2022-2327044
PACE8201212
CAREER/82GP15991625
JONATHAN DROUIN2022-2312044
PACE6702222
CAREER/82GP439143448
JOEL ARMIA2022-2316022
PACE71099
CAREER/82GP412141529
MICHAEL PEZZETTA2022-2314100
PACE69505
CAREER/82GP656612
REM PITLICK2022-2311100
PACE66606
CAREER/82GP88152237

Gallagher, Drouin and Armia have all missed considerable time with injuries. Although his offensive numbers aren’t where everyone – himself included – would like them to be, Gallagher has some jump in his strides and he has been good in general. It is particularly true when comparing his play to the past year or so, but the puck simply isn’t going in for him.

Drouin was just starting to show some signs that he had a heartbeat when once again, he was sidelined with an undisclosed injury. He is currently practicing with the team so he must be hinging closer to a return. This will undoubtedly be his last season in Montreal and it’s unfortunate that this potentially fine wine turned to vinegar as it did.

Anyone around the NHL will tell you that when you miss camp and/or the start of the season, it is very difficult to catch up to the pace of your teammates and the league. It is true for Joel Edmundson and Mike Matheson as well, who are not up to what we can expect from them. Armia came back to play on October 29th and he is missing that split second while he’s on the ice. Perhaps all he needs is for one puck to go in as he’s had his chances in the past few games.

Jake Evans

Evgenii Dadonov is, to me, the biggest disappointment. I was expecting a Tomas Tatar type of player in him. Instead, I’m seeing a Sergei Berezin while he was with the Habs. Soft, uninvolved, disinterested, afraid of physical contact, it is very doubtful that any team will want him at trade deadline, even with half his salary retained, unless he catches on fire… but I don’t see that in him, unfortunately. Prove me wrong Evgenii!

Jake Evans is playing okay defensively. He’s showing flashes, from time to time, with the puck as well. But he has been terribly inconsistent and his offense… rather non-existent. It’s not like he hasn’t had talented wingers to play with, even on the fourth line. He’s had Slafkovsky most of the season, he’s had Drouin, Hoffman, Dadonov, Pitlick, Armia… Those aren’t your typical fourth liners.

Rem Pitlick has struggled this season and I can’t put the finger on the reasons for it. He misses his passes, isn’t driving the net like he was last season, and he’s not getting his scoring chances either. His goal against Seattle was a positive sign and he now needs to prove that he should stay in the line-up.

Micheal Pezzetta, bless his soul, is trying hard and he is a great teammate. But this season, he is not playing good hockey. Turning the puck over at inopportune times, making the wrong decisions, falling all over the ice… There was a time when fans were concerned about losing him if the Canadiens tried passing him through waivers but I fear it’s no longer the case. I would give Anthony Richard, in Laval, a shot up with the big club and send Pezz down for a while. That might help Evans as well.

There you have it folks. The seven above-mentioned players need to give more to the team. The good news is all of them are fully capable of doing just that. There is still two-thirds of the season left for them to take strides in the right direction and the Canadiens’ coaching staff is working hard with them to improve. Here’s hoping that their hard work pays off as rest assured, no NHL player likes under-performing.

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