Hey guys, I wanted this to be a thread all by itself and I hope I can get your views on the guy...
I really don't think Zednik is the top 6 player everyone expects him to be.
Granted he had 31 goals last season, I am not saying he is awful but he's not doing to well right now. Some may argue that when Koivu comes back, he will do better, now that may be true, but if he needs Koivu to play well, then that is not saying to much about Zednik.
I hope he some how gets out of his big slump and prove me wrong.
He is one of our best players, but is he top 6 material?
But Zednik is a complementary player. Not a go-to guy. That means he needs players around him to make the plays, and he'll complement them with his tenacity with the puck and ability to take a lot of shots, then look for his own rebounds. He's a skilled player, but he can't be effective unless he has effective linemates.
Zednik doesn't make his linemates better; he needs his linemates to be able to pull their own weight (and more) in order for him to be successful.
Unfortunately for Zednik, with Koivu out of the lineup, he's the only legitimate top 6 forward on the Habs.
I never thought he was 1st line material because he isn't a complete player. He doesn't pass enough and doesn't pick his shots well enough to be called a legit scorer like many consistant 25 - 30 goal scorers. But he is a 2nd liner for sure, he can score but frustrates the hell out of you, like many goal scorers he scores in spurts and not having great vision on the ice and the lack of passing to his linemates really hampers his ability to improve.
Maybe Bulis should get put in Zeds spot with Ribs and Zed put on the Juneau-Dackell line for punishment?
Good to decent 2nd liner, 1st liner no IMO. Might play better with Koivu when and "if" he ever returns, the Riberio chemistry looks to be missing right now, but there doesn't seem to be much of that with any one right now!
Yeah you are right Mike8, I guess I should have put that somewhere in my thread, but oh well.
Other than Koivu and Zednik, we do not have any top 6 forwards.
Bulis is not a top 6 forward, neither is Ward, even though he is injured,
I know its early, but I think the habs will be in deep **** if they don't do something about it, with Ward, Ryder, Kilger, Bulis, etc...our bottom lines are set but we need help, and need it quick, Koivu is not enough..
When I told people that Koivu was doing miracles with him they did not beleived me. Now their new hero, Mike Ribeiro, can't get anything out of Zednik. What a shocker to me!
Putting Koivu and Zednik together will not help the other 3 lines too much, especially if Audette and Perreault still make up part of the two top lines...
Bulis is just as bad as Zednik, no vision and doesn't know when to shoot.
If we had two more legitimate top 6 players, they'd be fine. However, Ryder is in the same mold as these guys in that he can't make a play, at least thus far in his young career.
Hossa can make a play, but is way too predictable and doesn't shoot.
Having both Ribeiro AND Hossa on Zednik's line didn't help him. I don't know what will...
We badly need Koivu back.
Bulis-Ribeiro-Zednik
Ryder-Koivu-Hossa
Ryder and Hossa have chemistry, we should try it.
Face it, other than Koivu we don't have anything in our system that could be first line except Kastitsyn, unless we are shocked by someone.
We need to find a second line and then sign some FA's.
Zed is still a solid top 6 player but he just needs to find the work ethic he had last year. Last year he was skating hard and going to the net hard. This year he's gliding when he gets the puck and is playing more on the perimeter. To me he's in a slump similar to Theo last year: he had a great year last year, got the A this year and now expects goals to just happen for him. He's has to realize he has to work even harder to keep scoring cause teams are keying on him more.
I'd be more worried if he was the dark spot on the team, but he's not. Nobody's working hard so you can't place too much blame on him.
Zed is still a solid top 6 player but he just needs to find the work ethic he had last year. Last year he was skating hard and going to the net hard. This year he's gliding when he gets the puck and is playing more on the perimeter. To me he's in a slump similar to Theo last year: he had a great year last year, got the A this year and now expects goals to just happen for him. He's has to realize he has to work even harder to keep scoring cause teams are keying on him more.
I'd be more worried if he was the dark spot on the team, but he's not. Nobody's working hard so you can't place too much blame on him.
I said this before in the message board, and I'll say it
again. The groin pull that Zednik had in the preseason
has affected his play this season. I believe that he came
back from that injury too soon, as many hockey players do.
With the amount of work that the legs and midsection
do for every player, those types of injuries are the toughest
to recover from. I can tell it's bothering him because I've
noticed a number of times when he is trying to skate but
his velocity is not the same as last season's.
I hope that he takes some time to heal but I doubt it will
happen, unless he sustains a different injury or the Habs
get a long time off [the next big break will probably be
the all-star break; look for an improved Zednik after that
time].
I think Zednik has the skills to be a guy who makes players around him better, he just needs to play with alot more consistency and intensity.
I haven't seen Zednik play anywhere near his level of skill outside of breif moments all year. Someone has to remind him he is only a good player when he gives it 100%, like he did in the playoffs two years ago.
