I can see Lapierre having a career year of 20 goals eventually. Let me stress "career-year" because I don't see it happening a lot, but some players just have great seasons once in awhile and it's not like he's completely incompetent.
Not a great comparison IMO. I love Lapierre, he was awesome in the playoffs and his personality is a great fit on this team.
I see him as a winger though. A speedy winger, who is excellent at forechecking, in the corners, defensively, on the PK, and getting under opponents skin with his **** eating smirk.
I see him developing into one of the best energy players in the game. but he has little to no offensive upside besides his speed.
Maxim Lapierre used to get under my skin but so far this year he has been impressing.
He reminds me a lot of Ryan Kesler, of the Vancouver Canucks. They have a lot of similarities in their game.
I believe they are both really really fast right-handed centerman. Before Kesler exploded last season with 21 goals, he was mostly regarded as a guy that wasn't that good defensively, didn't play the PK much, wasn't great on faceoffs, didn't have much playmaking ability and was a shoot-first energy type of player. He was a grinder with a mean streak.
This description fits Lapierre well, and it seems as though Lapierre has improved defensively as well as in the faceoff dot, and I think his work on the PK has been amazing thus far.
I'd like to see Lapierre keep up what he's doing so far, and once he's got the defensive play down, who else thinks Lappy could score 15-20 goals for the Habs in a 3rd-line role, sorta like what Ryan Kesler is doing right now for the Nucks?
Because let's face it, with Lapierre's up-tempo style of play, speed and intensity, if he had a good shot and any sort of hockey sense, and the necessary ice time, he could score a lot of goals.
I know some like to compare him to Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators, but in my book Fisher is a much better playmaker, has better on-ice vision, and is MUCH better in his own zone than Lapierre as of right now.
Will Lapierre ever improve offensively?
Hmmmm .... Sorry, but Kesler >>> Lapierre in every aspects of the game... Kesler is very underrated.
Lapierre IMO. is more comparable to guys like Alex Burrows, Ian Laperriere and Jarkko Ruutu.
Maxim Lapierre used to get under my skin but so far this year he has been impressing.
He reminds me a lot of Ryan Kesler, of the Vancouver Canucks. They have a lot of similarities in their game.
I believe they are both really really fast right-handed centerman. Before Kesler exploded last season with 21 goals, he was mostly regarded as a guy that wasn't that good defensively, didn't play the PK much, wasn't great on faceoffs, didn't have much playmaking ability and was a shoot-first energy type of player. He was a grinder with a mean streak.
This description fits Lapierre well, and it seems as though Lapierre has improved defensively as well as in the faceoff dot, and I think his work on the PK has been amazing thus far.
I'd like to see Lapierre keep up what he's doing so far, and once he's got the defensive play down, who else thinks Lappy could score 15-20 goals for the Habs in a 3rd-line role, sorta like what Ryan Kesler is doing right now for the Nucks?
Because let's face it, with Lapierre's up-tempo style of play, speed and intensity, if he had a good shot and any sort of hockey sense, and the necessary ice time, he could score a lot of goals.
I know some like to compare him to Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators, but in my book Fisher is a much better playmaker, has better on-ice vision, and is MUCH better in his own zone than Lapierre as of right now.
Will Lapierre ever improve offensively?
Wow.
I don't even know where to start.
I'm not sure if you have no idea how Kesler plays, no idea how Lapierre plays, or if it's both. There's a lot wrong here.
First of all, they play very, very different games. Even before Kesler stepped up his game offensively, he played nothing like Maxim Lapierre. You claim Kesler was "mostly regarded as a guy that wasn't good defensively."
Huh?
Regarded by who? He's always been praised as a solid two way player, dating back to his pre-NHL days. During the World Junior Championships he was often compared to former NHLer Mike Ricci - who was an outstanding Junior hockey player, because Kesler was such a well rounded player. He worked hard, never gave up on a play, took the body, handled his defensive responsibilities and chipped in offensively.
Now, after some apprenticeship in the AHL and a few NHL seasons, that description fits Ryan Kesler pretty well. In fact, the comparison to Mike Ricci fits pretty well.
But does any of that sound like Maxim Lapierre? Other then the fact they both can play center on both are best suited to the bottom two lines, there's really not much to compare about them at all.
Your description of him "He's a shoot first energy type player" grossly underestimates Ryan Keslers abilities both offensively and defensively. If you were to post this comparison in the National Hockey League discussion room you'd get torn apart. You can compare Lappy to Kesler as a rookie, as a 2nd year player, hell as an AHL player and it doesn't matter. These are two different players with very different skill sets and grossly different ceilings.
My guess is you don't watch a lot of Canucks games. If Maxim Lapierre really was even remotely like Ryan Kesler, Kyle Chipchura would already be traded.
And by the way, if I had to pick someone in our system who actually *was* remotely like Kesler, (minus the skating) it would be Chippy.
Maxim Lapierre used to get under my skin but so far this year he has been impressing.
He reminds me a lot of Ryan Kesler, of the Vancouver Canucks. They have a lot of similarities in their game.
I believe they are both really really fast right-handed centerman. Before Kesler exploded last season with 21 goals, he was mostly regarded as a guy that wasn't that good defensively, didn't play the PK much, wasn't great on faceoffs, didn't have much playmaking ability and was a shoot-first energy type of player. He was a grinder with a mean streak.
This description fits Lapierre well, and it seems as though Lapierre has improved defensively as well as in the faceoff dot, and I think his work on the PK has been amazing thus far.
I'd like to see Lapierre keep up what he's doing so far, and once he's got the defensive play down, who else thinks Lappy could score 15-20 goals for the Habs in a 3rd-line role, sorta like what Ryan Kesler is doing right now for the Nucks?
Because let's face it, with Lapierre's up-tempo style of play, speed and intensity, if he had a good shot and any sort of hockey sense, and the necessary ice time, he could score a lot of goals.
I know some like to compare him to Mike Fisher from the Ottawa Senators, but in my book Fisher is a much better playmaker, has better on-ice vision, and is MUCH better in his own zone than Lapierre as of right now.
Will Lapierre ever improve offensively?
... non , a less talented burrows ive always thought
Now that you mention it, isn't it funny how both their "girlfriends" had a child at around the same time? And how Guillaume started to get fatter because of all that "McDonalds" he was "eating"?
I'm not sure if you have no idea how Kesler plays, no idea how Lapierre plays, or if it's both. There's a lot wrong here.
First of all, they play very, very different games. Even before Kesler stepped up his game offensively, he played nothing like Maxim Lapierre. You claim Kesler was "mostly regarded as a guy that wasn't good defensively."
Huh?
Regarded by who? He's always been praised as a solid two way player, dating back to his pre-NHL days. During the World Junior Championships he was often compared to former NHLer Mike Ricci - who was an outstanding Junior hockey player, because Kesler was such a well rounded player. He worked hard, never gave up on a play, took the body, handled his defensive responsibilities and chipped in offensively.
Now, after some apprenticeship in the AHL and a few NHL seasons, that description fits Ryan Kesler pretty well. In fact, the comparison to Mike Ricci fits pretty well.
But does any of that sound like Maxim Lapierre? Other then the fact they both can play center on both are best suited to the bottom two lines, there's really not much to compare about them at all.
Your description of him "He's a shoot first energy type player" grossly underestimates Ryan Keslers abilities both offensively and defensively. If you were to post this comparison in the National Hockey League discussion room you'd get torn apart. You can compare Lappy to Kesler as a rookie, as a 2nd year player, hell as an AHL player and it doesn't matter. These are two different players with very different skill sets and grossly different ceilings.
My guess is you don't watch a lot of Canucks games. If Maxim Lapierre really was even remotely like Ryan Kesler, Kyle Chipchura would already be traded.
And by the way, if I had to pick someone in our system who actually *was* remotely like Kesler, (minus the skating) it would be Chippy.
Strange, that description fits Maxim Lapierre pretty well too despite what you're saying.
Ask Canucks fans... in his early years Kesler wasn't THAT good in his own end, yes he was good but not as good as he is TODAY. Lapierre still has a lot to learn, he will get better as well.
Maybe some of you need to step outside of the 'HF consensus' sometimes....
And no I would not post this on the main board because most people over there havn't seen both play enough and think Lapierre is just a 4th liner that has no talent and Kesler one of the best two-way player in the game... and both are not true IMO.
Strange, that description fits Maxim Lapierre pretty well too despite what you're saying.
Ask Canucks fans... in his early years Kesler wasn't THAT good in his own end, yes he was good but not as good as he is TODAY. Lapierre still has a lot to learn, he will get better as well.
Maybe some of you need to step outside of the 'HF consensus' sometimes....
And no I would not post this on the main board because most people over there havn't seen both play enough and think Lapierre is just a 4th liner that has no talent and Kesler one of the best two-way player in the game... and both are not true IMO.
2 years ago Kessler was already a hot commodity because he was considered a guy who could play against top lines every night. Lapierre who is working hard, doesn't have much in the way of instinctive play. He contributes, and can play on the team but Lapierre has a lot to improve on to get to Kessler's game.
If Chip could move better, he'd be in that role now.
He's not really good offensively. He's alright, but I can't see him getting anywhere near Kesler. IMO, it's a bad comparaison. Kesler is just better at everything!
Lapierre don't have the shot and the shot accuracy to be a scorer. He'll be alright, creating things here and there, but that's about it.
Kesler is a better player, no argument there, but Lapierre is bigger and faster than him. Kesler is more of a cerebral player while Lapierre has to rely on hard work and skating.
2 years ago Kessler was already a hot commodity because he was considered a guy who could play against top lines every night. Lapierre who is working hard, doesn't have much in the way of instinctive play. He contributes, and can play on the team but Lapierre has a lot to improve on to get to Kessler's game.
If Chip could move better, he'd be in that role now.
Not much more to add McPhee, I think that Lapierre's future is either on a 4 line wing or in another organization. With Chips and White in Hamilton, his time centering the fourth line ending.
BTW, driving your way on Sunday. Son is playing a game near Cornwall.
Not much more to add McPhee, I think that Lapierre's future is either on a 4 line wing or in another organization. With Chips and White in Hamilton, his time centering the fourth line ending.
BTW, driving your way on Sunday. Son is playing a game near Cornwall.
I think Lapierre's a unique talent, actually. Certainly not in Kesler's mold, nor as good as him, but I like Lapierre's combination of speed, tenacity, board-work, and ability to just get things done. He's good at keeping the puck ahead of him and getting it through opponents, and he's good at getting the puck to the net quickly then hammering at it. I don't think he's anything like Kesler, and may not score 20 goals a year, but I do like him for 10-15 goals consistently.
I think Lapierre's a unique talent, actually. Certainly not in Kesler's mold, nor as good as him, but I like Lapierre's combination of speed, tenacity, board-work, and ability to just get things done. He's good at keeping the puck ahead of him and getting it through opponents, and he's good at getting the puck to the net quickly then hammering at it. I don't think he's anything like Kesler, and may not score 20 goals a year, but I do like him for 10-15 goals consistently.
Don't forget the fact that he can be a real bugger. We haven't had anyone like Max since Claude Lemieux, & BGL attributed part of his aggressiveness last Saturday to the fact that Max kept him pumped on the bench. If people want to praise Saku for consoling Sergei, surely we can take note that Max did the opposite to our resident enforcer.
Don't forget the fact that he can be a real bugger. We haven't had anyone like Max since Claude Lemieux, & BGL attributed part of his aggressiveness last Saturday to the fact that Max kept him pumped on the bench. If people want to praise Saku for consoling Sergei, surely we can take note that Max did the opposite to our resident enforcer.
I agree that he can hit 15 goals some day.
That's a word we just don't hear enough of. You hear little bugger every now and then.
You make a good point, Lapierre does good things on the ice, he's got some flaws and holes in his game, some of them should lessen in time, but he does a good job of creating havoc down low. I wish he could move the puck a bit better when he makes things happen around the net, but it hasn't come to him to yet. Sometimes we have a tendency to focus on what a guy can't do rather than what he can.
Now that you mention it, isn't it funny how both their "girlfriends" had a child at around the same time? And how Guillaume started to get fatter because of all that "McDonalds" he was "eating"?
AAARGH! I'll make nightmares about it... Happy now?!
... non , a less talented burrows ive always thought
