He generates enough shots/chances for it to be a possiblility if he has a very good year in converting them.
But that's it. A possiblity if he goes on an 18% shooting rampage like Perry last season. That doesn't mean its going to necessarily happen in his window of being a top-10 to 15 shot producer in the league, just that it could and if it did it wouldn't be a complete surprise.
He produces enough opportunities for himself to be considered a pretty decent bet to be a perennial 30 goal threat. There aren't that many of those guys in the league so that's a pretty good thing to be.
I certainly wouldn't rule it out, he's a great player, just keep working hard and he could definitely get there. Might be tough while Montreal goes through some down years but there's no reason he won't in his most likely lengthy career
He's on pace for 285 shots, which is really, really good. He's also shooting a couple percent over his career average though.
Probably finishes with 32-35 goals this year.
40 goals would require a jump of another 2% in shooting percentage, so not likely.. But his shot totals are trending upwards so next year he might duplicate his 30-35 goal season this year (proj.) even without some luck that he's had.
Doubtful this year, will require some good luck next year but probably possible, and after that.. Too far ahead to predict anything accurately.
His career average is dragged down by a lack of sample and him shooting under 5% in his first 80 games. It's pretty hard to replicate that. A SH% between 11-12% isn't unsustainable.
Can he? Sure. Will he? Probably not, but it wouldn't surprise me if he did.
Drew Stafford hit 30 goals last season for the first time, had a higher goals per game ratio, and is now on pace for less then 15.
That's where guys that start putting up big number because they were converting at an usually high right tend to falter while guys that score on volume tend to stay at that level. Shot production has a far bigger skill component than shooting% and is much less volatile.
Stafford wasn't likely to shoot at 17.6% again while Pacioretty probably should have no problem maintaining an 11.5% (which is pretty average for a forward). Stafford was a 2.89 shots per game guy last season and is a 2.63 shots per game man this season showing how that aspect tends to remain about the same. Pacioretty is a 3.69 shots per game guy this season which is something that's far more likely to be maintained than a high percentage.
I think he'll hit 40. But I don't think that will be anywhere near his average.
I'm not just disparaging him, that's just the reality of the NHL these days. 20 years ago, 40 goals meant you were a 2nd line player or top line player on a garbage team. These days, if you score 40 you're in the running for the Hart.
And it reminds me of something. When discussing potential paces for young stars in this league, and top prospects I see WAY TOO MUCH of "potential 30 goal 70 point guy" how many of those guys do you think we can have in this league? How many do we currently have?
I know me posting this won't change anything but I seriously doubt we're going to have 50 70 point 30 goal scorers.
.....
That's the whole point, Max Pacioretty is an upper tier goal scorer. And take note you said 30 goals, which I have no problem seeing him reach on a regular basis. So 40+ definitely isn't out of the question in his career.
Not a consistent 40 goal scorer, but I could really see him challenge the 40 goal mark once or twice in his career. A nice steal at 22nd overall by Timmins
And a result of the trade that brought Gorges to Montreal for Craig Rivet. keeping in mind some of the awful trades that were made by the Habs over the last 30 years or so.
And a result of the trade that brought Gorges to Montreal for Craig Rivet. keeping in mind some of the awful trades that were made by the Habs over the last 30 years or so.
Yea that trade is by far our best in recent memory.
Desharnais is the most creative and arguably the best playmaker on the Habs, with Markov being injured. I think he has a lot of upside, so I wouldn't count him out just yet. It's a bit unfair considering how he's been the one feeding the puck to our two best goal scorers on the team since they've been put together.
Also, it is completely false to say he's the "targeted" player on the Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole line. They are playing great as a whole and it is pretty obvious, to me at least, that the leading player on that line is Cole.
"On the Habs" is the key phrase there mate. My post insinuated he needs a better playmaker unless Desharnais continues to develop into a St. Louis-esque player. The kid is far from realizing such potential, if he even possesses it to begin with. Markov being injured is one of numerous reasons the powerplay is absolutely horrendous. He might feed Pacioretty a few more goals but nothing earth shattering, not until the powerplay as a whole is revamped.
I would disagree, and cite Patches recent cold streak as evidence. Granted, this isn't to say Cole does not attract attention. At best they're equal, although based on the games I have seen Pacioretty has garnered more this season. I also never said the line wasn't good, merely noting Pacioretty is one of the major focal points.
Call me biased but yes. On the Habs though? Maybe not. With the current level of talent down the middle? Probably not. Montreal typically has decent wingers over the years. It's somewhat historical considering the greatest franchise players are usually wingers (Moore, Lafleur, Richard, Geoffrion). I'd say that from that centre spot, only Beliveau and Morenz make it in the top 10 Habs ever and only one Hab pivot ever scored 50 (Pierre Larouche oddly enough). And the recent history has been pretty weak. You can't be a Cup contender without 2 top quality centres and the Habs too often have had just 1 (since the awesome Turgeon-Damphousse-Koivu depth that Houle so easily squandered we've had Saku, Ribeiro and Plekanec be the only ones to post seasons worthy of a #1 centre). Since Damphousse and Turgeon both had 38 in 1995-96 the Habs haven't a single 30 goal man at the position. The closest anyone came was Pleks with 29 in 2007-08. That's pathetic. 16 years without one single centre topping 30 speaks to the position being mostly playmakers for the Habs and mostly devoid of elite talent. So that said, Max needs a slightly better calibre of centers than Desharnais, Plekanec, Eller and Leblanc (our hypothetical top 4 next year) if he's going to pot 40.
Basically this. Yes. Not with the Habs though, unless they change to
a more offensive system.
An empty netter hat trick and people are talking about him being a 40 goal scorer. Let him hit 30 first and then we can bring it up.
Every time i need a laugh i know exactly where to go.
Is it alright sir to talk about it now.
Now on the 40.I believe had Markov been in our lineup this season Patches would have hit 40.He should end up arounf 35-37 this season and only will get better as our team should too.With an improving team over the next few yrs i see no reason to think that Patches can't hit 40 at least once if not a few times.
While I think it's certainly possible, I think now is a good time to remind people how difficult it is to be a 40 goal man in the NHL. We usually see somewhere between 5-7 40 goal scorers a year, and this year we'll be lucky to see 5 based on the numbers. It's really hard. Scoring 40 requires something that isn't needed in such abundance to score 30...consistency. Natural goal scorers (Kessel, Gaborik, even Ryder) can hit 30 goals in a year even with a cold stretch or two, because they can make up for that cold stretch with multiple goal games elsewhere. Scoring 40 just requires you to be so consistent, and largely remain healthy. I think it's possible, but I don't think scoring 30 necessarily is a natural precursor to eventually scoring 40.
keeping in mind some of the awful trades that were made by the Habs over the last 30 years or so. 
