As long as he doesn't turn into Shawn Horcoff 2.0. Kane and Wheeler have shown they will be the big guns so hopefully Ladd will compliment them by forming an effective second line with one of Burmi or Little.
Having 2 stanley cups is meaningless without context. It doesn't make you more skilled. Ladd was a 3rd and 4th liner on those cup teams.
There is nothing wrong with Ladd, he's just not top 3. He's good down low had a good shot, works hard. His transition game is worse than Tanner Glass'.
Yeah there's a lot of those walking around ... 3rd liners on 2 cup teams since 2006. May as well just put an ad in the paper!
Just to update this I am listening to Dennis Beyak right ow on Hustler and Lawless and he was discussing the talk the players had between periods 1 and 2 last night. apparently it got really heated and to quote Beyak "it wasn't the blame game but some players were challenging other players to step up"! Ladd wasn't mentioned directly but right after this the boys disucussed Ladd's leadership and Beyak was very sincere in Saying that Andrew is a great leader.
Nice to hear from a guy who is on the inside like Beyak and spends so much time actually travelling with the team. those are the guys that are close enough to really know. he also singled out a Wheeler as being one of the key emotional leaders.
On a side OT note Beyak also mentioned Glass was visibly upset today to have to miss action. Dennis was saying that Chevy will have to determine who really wants to be a Jet but Tanner Glass is a guy who really wants to put on the uniform. He shows up every game and was diving to block shots last night even after breaking his foot. Great to hear and to me that is an important thing to have on your team
Just to update this I am listening to Dennis Beyak right ow on Hustler and Lawless and he was discussing the talk the players had between periods 1 and 2 last night. apparently it got really heated and to quote Beyak "it wasn't the blame game but some players were challenging other players to step up"! Ladd wasn't mentioned directly but right after this the boys disucussed Ladd's leadership and Beyak was very sincere in Saying that Andrew is a great leader.
Nice to hear from a guy who is on the inside like Beyak and spends so much time actually travelling with the team. those are the guys that are close enough to really know. he also singled out a Wheeler as being one of the key emotional leaders.
On a side OT note Beyak also mentioned Glass was visibly upset today to have to miss action. Dennis was saying that Chevy will have to determine who really wants to be a Jet but Tanner Glass is a guy who really wants to put on the uniform. He shows up every game and was diving to block shots last night even after breaking his foot. Great to hear and to me that is an important thing to have on your team
Not sure he's worth the huge salary but 50 pts a year is pretty good. He'll likely be a 20G, 30A guy who can play tough in the corners and in front of the net. Consider what other teams are paying their supposed stars that aren't producing. Staal (Car) was terrible this year, Carter (Col) was non-existent at times. Half the LA Kings roster has done nothing all year?
Not sure he's worth the huge salary but 50 pts a year is pretty good. He'll likely be a 20G, 30A guy who can play tough in the corners and in front of the net. Consider what other teams are paying their supposed stars that aren't producing. Staal (Car) was terrible this year, Carter (Col) was non-existent at times. Half the LA Kings roster has done nothing all year?
The Jets are not anywhere near the cap so salary is really a minor to non issue.
Ladd is a pretty good hockey player and a great captain.
The Jets are fortunate enough to have seems to be a core of leader type guys (Ladd, Wheeler, Hainsey, Stuart, Slater,...)
Without reading all the comments first, I don't see how he's overrated. I don't recall anyone claiming he was a PPG monster after all. He's a gritty forward who gets his points through hard work. Some years are going to be more productive than others for guys with that skill set. Only his coaches and teammates can really judge his leadership, so I can't say much there.
I don't think he is overated, I think a lot of people had too high of expectations. He is not a first line winger and will never score like one. On a 2nd line, or even the third on a really strong team, he would be adored for his character and what he brings to the team.
Ladd vs Hedman. Love the Tampa TV crew with the "sucker punch" stuff. Perhaps Hedman should remember that he has to back up his size if he's going to go off on people.
Nice one Ladd - love the way he eventually just said "I'm done with you", and skated away.
That was beauty! I found the Jets played very few road games with that kind of emotion but when they did they did well. Maybe they didn't want to wake up the home crowd and tried to play that quiet road style of play but I think more of this stuff all year would have equated to more road wins.
Ladd vs Hedman. Love the Tampa TV crew with the "sucker punch" stuff. Perhaps Hedman should remember that he has to back up his size if he's going to go off on people.
Nice one Ladd - love the way he eventually just said "I'm done with you", and skated away.
I hove how the announcers confidently forgot to mention cross check to Wheeler's neck and back that started it.
And that Hedman had turned down the pairing off and then went back into the scrum.
I don't think he is overated, I think a lot of people had too high of expectations. He is not a first line winger and will never score like one. On a 2nd line, or even the third on a really strong team, he would be adored for his character and what he brings to the team.
I've mentioned this a hundred time. Ladd had59 points last season. number 48 in overall scoring.
assuming your top three scorers are on your top line, and an equal distribution of talent (30 teams, 3 top liners per time, top 90 scorers in the league=first liners) ladd was not only a first liner, he was JUST outside the top HALF of first liners.
noticeable regression from this season aside, ladd is a very serviceable "third wheel" on the first line.
By most peoples logic of what a "first liner" is, over half the teams in the league don't have a single first line forward.
The CBC commentary was ragging on Ladd a little bit and how he should have kept his composure, but honestly I liked how he threw down.
He was smart - he waited to attempt to drag Hedman into it, to not get an instigator.
I understand what CBC was getting at, but IMHO, you HAVE to stick up for your team mates - you'll get run over if you don't. I respect Ladd a lot for this - he will ALWAYS stick up for his team mates.
I was reminded of the Stanley Cup Finals last year with the Canucks, and there was that one time where Henrik was taking shots to the face and he didn't do anything, nor did anyone else.
It was like...geez. I know we all talk about not retaliating and playing smart, etc...but not seeing anyone do anything, that was distressing.
The CBC commentary was ragging on Ladd a little bit and how he should have kept his composure, but honestly I liked how he threw down.
You can't allow Wheeler to get lumbered in the neck like that and have it go unpunished.
The Tampa announcers are whining about Ladd but don't say anything about the two players scrumming with Buff and taking free shots at him while they had him tied up.
Overrated? No. Anyone with any kind of hockey sense knows he isn't a 1st liner. Hell, he isn't a 2nd liner on a contending team. He met and exceeded my expectations on the season. Sure he lacks puck handling skills but to say he is overrated would indicate that people expected him to produce way more than he did. From what I have been told from having conversations with other Jet players is that he is a great leader and a key component on this team. He will play in all 82 games this year. He is a warrior.
Overrated? No. Anyone with any kind of hockey sense knows he isn't a 1st liner. Hell, he isn't a 2nd liner on a contending team. He met and exceeded my expectations on the season. Sure he lacks puck handling skills but to say he is overrated would indicate that people expected him to produce way more than he did. From what I have been told from having conversations with other Jet players is that he is a great leader and a key component on this team. He will play in all 82 games this year. He is a warrior.
I don't get how a near 30-60 guy two-years ago and a guy who is in the top-140 in PPG for forwards this year (legitimately making him a top-5 forward on any team in the NHL) isn't even a second liner.
I don't get how a near 30-60 guy two-years ago and a guy who is in the top-140 in PPG for forwards this year (legitimately making him a top-5 forward on any team in the NHL) isn't even a second liner.
Like I said, "on a contending team". He absolutely should be a top 6 on the Jets. I think it's the style of game Ladd plays. He gets in the dirty areas. He is a grinder. He doesn't have top 6 talent on a contending team. Just one man's opinion.
Like I said, "on a contending team". He absolutely should be a top 6 on the Jets. I think it's the style of game Ladd plays. He gets in the dirty areas. He is a grinder. He doesn't have top 6 talent on a contending team. Just one man's opinion.
Let's put him on the NY Rangers, which is definitely a SC contending team this year:
Place
Player
Team
Pos
GP
G
A
P
1
Marian Gaborik
NYR
R
79
40
34
74
2
Brad Richards
NYR
C
79
25
39
64
3
Ryan Callahan
NYR
R
73
28
25
53
4
Derek Stepan
NYR
C
79
17
33
50
5
Andrew Ladd
WPG
L
79
25
21
46
6
Michael Del Zotto
NYR
D
74
10
31
41
7
Carl Hagelin
NYR
L
61
14
24
38
That slots him into the NYR's top six. Ladd's had a bit of an off year in point production, but in my opinion, he's a top-6 player in the NHL. Note too that his point total last year would put him solidly in the top 3 in point production on the Rangers.
