Quote:
Originally Posted by Ola
My problem with Gabby is only really the type of player he de facto is (which he nor you can't do anything about).
Undoubtedly, for his team, he is the most successful personally when playing a big role on a team that is pushed back alot. A classic counter attack player.
The type you over the years often has seen in the top 10 in scoring but seldom being a key player for a contender if you get what I mean. Look at Marian Hossa in Atlanta vs Marian Hossa in Pitt/Det/Chi.
There is nothing fishy nor anything to critizise with the above. Its pretty simple maths. On a less than avg team someone like Gabby or Hossa will get a very big role, they get many counter attack chances (since they are pushed back alot), and thats something these guys thrive on.
To win nowadays you need to be dominant. A player like Datsyuk is great at making his team dominant. You basically not get that at all from a Gabby (while you get equal stats more or less).
I can only speak for my self, but I am not 100% sure of the suitability of having 7m invested in a player like Gabby if you intends to become a contender.
At the same time, there are instances in history when a guy like Gabby really has meshed on a line and been a important part on a truely dominant line. So I am definitely not without hope. But I also has to admit that I kind of get frustrated with Gabby's lack of ability to adjust in the situation the other poster above described (like when he sktates into a defender and put that snipe into the chest of the goalie 99 out of 100 times). I would have liked to see him develop some other habits in the attacking zone for sure. For example find other types of open ice from where he can use his shot from more of a distance for example. That way he would lure out the D's more from the box around the net, and open things up from in close. Looking at a player like JJ -- he was just amazing at adjusting like that. The guy basically didn't use his slapper at all in the NHL his first 10 years, than all of a sudden he is scoring like 30 goals in NY with his slapper in a single year. With Gabby its just the same things over and over again.
|
This is pretty much how I feel, especially the bolded part.
Yes Gaborik has been very good this year. But people are elevating him way too high. At his ceiling there are still some problems with his game that I just can't look past to put him in the franchise player category.